The Found Arcana - Chapter 9, The last Tarot card Options

[Beta]

Tamarind teeters for a moment at the suggestion of a drink. Lysander sounds like he knows his way around drinks. A dark beer, thick and full of flavours of the earth. Or maybe a sweet cocktail, with the sweetness and the tang of alcohol playing games across her tongue?

But know, she's learned her lesson, no spontaneous drinking. "I really would love a drink, you are right, but for that reason I'd best pass for now."

When they head back out to her van she can still feel phantom flavors playing on her tongue, and the pull of forgetting about the world is strong. But she barely remembers the first couple of years after she left the army, when she was caring for her dying mother and taking up her drinking habit. One drink isn't going to pull her back, but now is not the time to change her rule against spontaneous drinks, ever.

[Thanee]

"I will give you a number, once I know for sure. I have no problem waiting a bit, if you do not have them right away. Not in a hurry here."


Rachel sends a message to the others before heading back.

<< Couldn't learn anything about specific cards on the market, just a whole lot of warnings to stay away from these things. Some people are crazy enough to steal, extort and even murder to get their hands on them. But, I guess, we knew that, already. >>

[Jack_Spade]

Meanwhile, Bobby had made a call to his favorite supplier of magical goods: Bill Wildwater

<<Hey Bill, long time no see. I finally have some free cash for that magic tat, I've been talking about. Though for the moment only a very low level one - easing into, you know? I need a memory displacement binding. I think left thigh would work well. Let me know if your guy can do it today.>>

[Gilga]

Bill texts back >> Bobby, my favorite customer - glad you are doing well financially. It is too late today as it would take at least 24 hours of enchanting, and my guy is in a middle of an enchantment.If you are in a hurry, I can place you on Monday morning.

[ Spoiler ]

Feel free to roll for negotiation if you want to push it to Saturday or Sunday.

[Jack_Spade]

<<How about I come over and wait till he is finished? It's kind of urgent. And I pay cash. Meanwhile we can discuss my pants focus idea.>>

Bobby replied, never letting on that he understood the concept of a weekend.

[Gilga]

Bill responds >> It is the weekend, Bobby... People make plans. You need to pay extra if you insist on drugging my guy out of his personal life to craft a focus.

[ Spoiler ]

Very impressive but no advancement.
negotiation: 9d6t5 3

[Jack_Spade]

<<Fine - 10% bonus - and I know that guy. Hentai porn and beer certainly don't count as weekend plans.>>

Bobby replied resigned.

[Gilga]

Bill responds >> Alright, let's do it. Saturday morning.

[Jack_Spade]

That done, Bobby called back to the team:

<<Alright, I think we can sign the NDA. Just make sure to update all your current notes and journals - no telling if you don't lose more memories than you want, should this client turn out to be Nightmare himself.>>

[Tecumseh]

<<Prudent>> Mato agrees.

<<Dear diary, Bobby owes me 100 nuyen for Taco Tuesday down at the bunraku parlor. Don't let him weasel out of it.>>

Weasel, Mato thinks to himself. Hahahaha, ahhh.

[Beta]

Tamarind starts dumping notes in all of her drones, including notes on where all of her drones are.

She'd love to pick up a new autosoft or two, but she is close to broke for the moment. Better to chauffeur Bobby and help him get chores done.

[Gilga]

Friday, March 3, 2079


The offices of Jhonson, Goldberg, and associates are in a tall building, with Ford's Motor Company taking the bottom floor, and the top floors are for small offices. Multiple lawyers, doctors, health clinics, a dentist, and a small office with a sign saying "Jhonson Goldberg and associates." While not exactly hidden (there is a sign mentioning the offices near the elevator, there is no name on the outside of the building, no AR instructions to reach the office. The AR menu ignores the office altogether. Whomever these people are, they must not get many walk-ins.

The office has three rooms, two small ones for senior management, a large room for the rest of the employees, and a conference room with glass doors. The floor is decorated with a cheap grey carpet which is at least clean, and the walls are decorated with nature pictures. There is also a wall with six diplomas in two rows. You can find Ben Jhonson's diploma among them. While the building is in a costly part of town, nothing about the offices projects success or wealth. They appear to be a pleasant workplace, but the space is small, the carpets are cheap, and the furniture is high quality, over two decades old.


When the team approaches, they are greeted by a lanky teenage human girl with braided brown hair and a warm smile. "Hi, I am Sandy. How can I help you?"


The girl is not surprised that someone arrives and tries to be polite. She stops playing with her comlink and stood up to greet the team.

[Tecumseh]

Mato is wearing his one good suit for the trip downtown. He really needs a second suit but had grown dependent on AM tweaking and tailoring it when he needed a change. Now that she's not around... he only has the one option. It's a good option, but he'll need more if he's going to be cutting a fine figure in Bellevue.

The Americar is big enough for everyone. Maybe not big enough for all of Tamarind's drones, but sacrifices must be made.

"Hello, Sandy." Mato tries to be smooth like Jawsey. "My name is Mr. Torres and these are my associates. We are Seattle Investigative Services and we are here at the request of Mr. Smith. If he is not available, he instructed us to ask for Mr. Goldberg. Would you please let them know that we have arrived?"

He ponders for a moment on the disconnect between the office location and its furnishings. It's one thing to be anonymous or under-the-radar, but if so why bother with the expensive real estate? Perhaps it is for proximity to their clients, he thinks. Maybe they always visit their clients in-person, and so their own office need not be wasteful.

The receptionist is younger than Mato expected. Again, it's one thing to be frugal, but lawyers must also ensure a certain degree of discretion that you don't always find in adolescents. The daughter of a senior manager? Or more evidence that they really don't use this space? He runs some of his sensors, including his radar sensors and olfactory sensors, to see if anything is amiss.

[Beta]

Tamarind drives the Americar, marveling at how despite its smaller size it actually manages to be less responsive than her van. It certainly is anonymous, she'll give it that, given that there is absolutely nothing interesting about the vehicle. As they approach their destination she makes sure to drive unobtrusively, when all you have going for you is not being noticed it is best to keep avoiding notice.

When she let's out the other three at their destination she also sends out Uncle and one of the Aunties, sending them rolling under adjacent vehicles for the moment. She'd sent one of the Pelippers to cruise around the area earlier, and as the group strides towards the office door she has the spy eyes pop into the air behind them to also climb to some altitude, the she swarms the three drones together to watch for other watchers.

[Thanee]

Rachel is dressed in her trés chic business suit once more together with her boots, coat and orange sunglasses, when they visit the lawyer's office. Her senses project into the astral, so she can take in the place and get a feel for it.

[ Spoiler ]

Assensing 3 hits

She greets the young woman with a friendly smile and takes a look around. "Hi Sandy! I am Rachel."

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby had gone to the effort and put on real jeans a clean shirt and even a jacket - though obviously synth leather in the Sioux style. For his definition this was practically an outfit you could wear to a wedding...

Once on the right floor, he performed a little kata to activate his spatial sense.
He was especially interested in the warding scheme. Maybe there was more to this place than it appeared...

[Gilga]

@Raven - Assensing shows you that there is a very potent illusion spell covering the entire office space and high-quality wards that you passed on your way in. The signature of the magic is hermetic. The atmosphere of this place is pleasant and tranquil, which is different from the atmosphere outside of the office.

@Bobby, the wards prevent the spatial senses from working very efficiently. outside of the office, it is a blank space, and inside you see no hidden rooms though you can only sense the inside of the wards, so a clever architect could still have some observation room outside the ward.

@All Sandy responds to Mato, "Of course, lawyer Smith said you would be coming. Please enter the meeting room, and he'll be with you shortly. In the meanwhile, can I offer you gusy something to drink? We have real black coffee, soycaff, light beverages, and tea."

The conference room contains a large table and a few classical art pictures on the wall. Knowledgeable observers would recognize Van-Goch and Dali. Mr. Smith joins very briefly after the group seats nodding at the group. Welcome to our offices. Did you come to sign the NDA?" He asks.

[Thanee]

"Oh, thank you, Sandy! I will have a black coffee then."

Rachel informs the others about her findings.

<< This place is definitely not what it looks like. There are powerful magical wards and illusions at work here, so it looks inconspicuous. >>

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby replied:
<<Dito, lot's of wards and hidden rooms. This is far from boring architecture. I bet if they use Laes to delete memories, they still will have their mind reading mage go through what you know.>>

Bobby declined the offered beverages with a polite head shake, but otherways kept his mouth shut.

[Tecumseh]

"Real coffee, please. Thank you, Sandy," Mato says. "Cream, if available. No sugar: I'm sweet enough."

He lets his radar sensors spin. He's not quite sure what he expects. One-way glass so that magicians on the other side may cast through it but not be targeted in return? If there's an observation room, would he be offended? No, probably not. If he were in their position, he'd likely do the same.

In the conference room, he admires the art on the walls. He can identify the artists as Van Gogh and Dali, but then tries to go a step farther and identify the specific pieces. Are they real or are they capable imitations?

When Mr. Smith joins them, Mato nods. "Yes, we've come to sign the NDA and discuss the particulars."

[Gilga]

@Mato radar sensors easily see through the walls but do not indicate hidden rooms or shielded spaces. Mato can understand the layout of the offices (and the entire floor). He can identify six more people in the big employee room, and one of the senior offices also contains a person.


Mr. Smith encourages the party to sit and says Alright, ask your questions. A moment later, Sandy arrives with a tray containing Mato's coffee and the other reservations. Skillfully serves them and then returns to her post in the reception.

Mr. Smith does not seem in a hurry but does not drink.

[Tecumseh]

<<Radar sensors don't suggest anything untoward>> Mato reports. <<Nothing hidden.>>

He thanks Sandy when she brings the coffee. His eyes linger on her for a moment, but it's not lust: it's a vision of an alternative reality, one where Mato is some low-skill office worker. He is, after all, not that much older than Sandy. Being an ork makes him seem older than his 23 years, and the cyberlimbs make him seem that much more seasoned. If his parents hadn't died, setting him on his present course... Mato could have very easily ended up as an office wageslave.

[ Spoiler ]

Raven is 26, Bobby is 27, AM is 30, Tamarind is Tamarind.

"Who needs to sign?" Mato asks Mr. Smith, turning his attention back to the matter at hand. "Those present for the client meeting when we're negotiating particulars?"

[Gilga]

Mr. Smith says, "You all need to sign the NDA, all the mundane parts like not disclosing any information provided by the client to third parties. The memory wipe part applies only to those of you present at the meeting with the client. It is implied as you only give content to wipe out the memory of the meeting with the client."

[Beta]

Inside Tamarind initially keeps her hands in the pockets of her blazer so that she isn't fidgeting with her fingers too much. But then she happily accepts the real coffee, and once it arrives she uses the cup to keep her hands busy. Meanwhile she listens and lets others do the talking.

[Jack_Spade]

"Alright then, we are burning daylight - let's sign and see what this is all about."
Bobby indicated for a pen.