Living in the Shadows: IC, your run might be over... Options

[banditf50]

16:01:48 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, near Jonah's place

"Yeah, I am going to check out the interior of the building and the inside of his apartment from the astral. He may not even be home right now, if he is still alive. If I run into trouble inside, I will send out one of my watchers to warn you."

"I scan Virg, I'll get on the radio and see what type of visual cover Daedauls can give us. Be as quick as you can."

With a brief nod to indicate affirmation Virgil sank himself back into the rather lumpy seat and closed his eyes. After feeling his breathing even into a more relaxed rate it was but a moment before he felt the familiar sensation of his astral form leaving his meat body behind. Taking stock of the astral space around him the shaman was soon greeted my two excited balls of light.

Master, master! What do we do now? Huh. . huh?

Glad to see that you both are so excited. I hope that we are out of here soon. Lazarius I would like you to come with me into the building. If I get attacked by any other astral presence I want you to come right back here and tell the man in the car. Danagrath I want you to check the astral space around the exterior of the building, if anything comes close I want you to notify me at once.

Of course! We can handle that, you will be impressed. The two jovial spirits communicated in unison. Before Danagrath zipped off to begin his patrol.

Turning his senses towards the exterior face of the building Virgil scanned the exterior for any suspicious signatures before moving closer.

[Sedna]

16:02:33 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, Jonah's building

After the unnerving feel of Puyallup, Virgil is surprised to notice that this building feels as astrally "comfortable" as anything he's ever experienced. It's worn, sure: but it's lived in, by people who aren't rich but they aren't desperate either. Through one of the windows he can see the astral shadow memories of visiting grandchildren.

At the last moment he checks, assigns the summoned city spirit to protect the car. Just in case. I can defend myself from an elemental. Dragon can't.

Into the building then, intending to make quick scan through all the apartments, starting with the one on the bottom right. The very first apartment he runs into is Jonah's. Even distorted as the persona memories had been, there is no mistaking what he's sensing now against the sense of Jonah that he'd picked up from Cindy earlier. Although there's plenty of plants around, the place is empty of human life.

It's been trashed.

There's a feel of frustration lingering in the astral, but nothing of personal violence, or injury, or fear. It's not enough even to hint at a background count.

[banditf50]

16:04:02 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, Jonah's building

Looks like Jonah was not here when the party who ransacked this place was. Did he avoid them by chance, or did he know someone was after him? Did he know who?

Reassured that he had not spied any hostile astral signatures nor been attacked by any awaiting spirits, Virgil headed back to the car to report to Dragon. Snapping back to his meat body he finds the merc eagerly scanning all possible angles from the surrounding buildings.

"Worried about another ambush?" The shaman inquires.

"There are too many windows here, too many places for another sniper, or another fraggin missile to be launched from." Grunts Dragon, his eyes not leaving the building faces.

"I found his apartment, but he is not there, and the place is has been ransacked. Though there are no lingering signatures of violence so I doubt that Jonah was home when company arrived. Do you want to have a look around?"

Still looking out the window Dragon replies, "Right now all we have is your impression of what this guy looks like and maybe a real name. We don't know where else he would go, what he knows . . . frag, I wouldn't even recognize him if we ran into each other on the street. Any recon we get from his doss is pay-data."

"Fine with me Dragon, though I am concerned that the place may be bugged though. The previous visitors may want to know who comes after them . . . and I don't want to give them any more advantages. Let's maintain vocal silence while we're searching, and make it quick"

[banditf50]

15:50 Saturday January 6th, 2063 - Redmond Barrens, Cao Jaan's halfway house

Most observers would classify the inhabitants of Cao Jaan's warehouse as the "dregs" of humanity, perhaps on some scales of judgement many of them are not too far from that classification. However there is a glimmer of hope inside of this building that cannot be found amongst the numerous squatter havens and tent citys scattered across the surrounding slums. Within the walls of this house there is no drug use, no chip pushing, no one's body is sold, and no harm is done.

Knight estimates that about 20 people inhabit the warehouse at the moment.

"Everyone who seeks refuge here is responsible for the welfare of another. Some of us help to bring food, some tend to the what wounds can be cared for, a few of us try to keep this place from falling apart." Explains Jaan as they walk. The sound of fear in his voice is gone, replaced by a solemn pride and admiration.

"I am sure that you will meet everyone in time, but since you likely have other things that need your attention, I just want to introduce you to one person before you go."

Leading Knight through a battered and very squeaky fire-door he finds himself inside a small room with bare concrete walls and a pale green tile floor with many chipped areas. Several cots line the far wall of the chamber, and three are currently holding the sleeping forms of one elderly human male, and two ork children. Sitting on a small stool between the cots of the children sits a thin, brunette women whom is quietly humming.

Hearing the door start to close the women quickly rises and pushes the two men back into the hallway. "Shhhh. . . the children are finally asleep and they need their rest."

Feigning the shame of a scolded child Jaan turns to Knight. "Mr. Knightington I'd like you to meet Jennifer. She works harder to make this place a home than anyone else." Stifling a slight blush at the compliment, she reaches out to shake Knight's hand. "Pleased to meet you sir."

"Mr. Knightington will be staying with us for a bit and will be helping to keep this place safe."

[WinterRat1]

16:05:02 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, Jonah's building

"Sounds good to me. Let's do this." Getting out of the car carefully, Dragon hits up Daedalus on the radio. "We're going in. The place was trashed, someone beat us here. But we need more info than we've got, so we're going to have a look around. Can you give us air cover and make sure we're not still being watched or followed?"

Without waiting for a reply, knowing the rigger would be there. Even if he did have a tendency to be habitually late, he always managed to come through in the end. Usually.
Concealing the Spas under his coat, stock folded back up for greater concealability, he took one last look around, then headed up the sidewalk towards the house, Virgil trailing a few meters back.

[Sedna]

16:07:51 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, Jonah's building

Four concrete steps up to the large front door. Just as Dragon discovers it's locked, it opens -- "I meant now!" -- as what seems like it should be more than three kids stream past him and into the house.

"Oh, I'm sorry," says the ork woman who'd almost hit Dragon with the door in opening it. "Are you all right? I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention. My goodness, what on earth happened to your clothes?"

[WinterRat1]

16:07:59 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, Jonah's building

Dragon freezes dead in his tracks. Drek! I forgot I've been drenched with sprinklers, engulfed by an elemental, blocked bullets from an SMG with my body, and had not one, but two, missiles come flying at me and explode in my fairly close proximity. I must look like a fragging mess! Damn it to hell, this is what happens when you spend all your time in a war zone. You forget that normal people don't fragging live like this! Argh! We are so busted! Come on, think think think!!!

"Ahem..."

Dragon clears his throat and then looks around suspiciously at the surrounding neighborhood before turning his attention back to the woman. "I'm sorry ma'am, I realize that my appearance must come as quite a shock. I work with a private security firm, and I was hired to escort the man behind me," he gestures to Virgil, who's trailing him by a few seconds, "to a friend of his in the building. We've had some people try to kill him twice already, so we're really trying to get him some help, and apparently he has a friend here who can do that. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to get him inside as quickly as possible before anything else happens today."

Thinking as fast as he can on his feet, Dragon gives the woman the tired smile of someone who's had a really long, really hard day, and is nearing the end of a job and just wants to go home. Oh man, please let this work, please...argh! How come this is the X time today I've been stuck having to talk my way out of something? I really need to brush up on my talking skills if I'm going to be a runner it seems...

[Sedna]

16:09:30 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, Jonah's building

The woman's staring at Virgil like he's about to drop dead in front of her, looking really scared: "Oh my goodness, I don't know ..." She's already shooed the kids inside, and now she's working on getting the door closed as well --

[WinterRat1]

16:09:32 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, Jonah's building

So much for plan A. May as well go with Plan B...

Quickly shoving himself in the doorway to prevent her from closing the door, Dragon uses his best 'offical and grave' sounding voice. "Ma'am, it's really not up to you. A man's life is at stake here, and it is illegal for you to prevent him from seeing assistance when the prevention of said assistance may result in serious bodily harm or death to that individual."

Looking in her eye with a stone cold glare, he asks as firmly as he can, "Are you familiar with the Good Samaritan Act of 2002, passed by the 108th Congress, Public Law 108-317?"

Motioning with his back hand for Virgil to hurry his sorry hoop up, Dragon remains firmly in the doorway, using his body and jacket to conceal the shotgun from her view while keeping his gaze locked firmly on her, but his senses tuned for any ambush that might be waiting to be sprung.

[Sedna]

16:10:32 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, Jonah's building

"You sure don't look like no cop," she says, still trying ineffectually to slam shut the door. "Where's your badge?"

[banditf50]

16:09:40 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, Jonah's building

"Ma'am please. I am a social worker with a network of relief shelters in Redmond. Part of my work involves lobbying to increase the police pressure on local gang activity and because of this there have been several attempts on my life and the lives of my co-workers."

Virgil does his best to make his voice tremble with a bit of fear. You are just a civilian, your scared and want to get off the street. Your life is in danger because you strive to help familes who are worse off than hers.

"The man living in apt. B is a co-worker and friend of mine and he did not show up for work today . . .nor has be picked up his phone all day. I just want to make sure that he is ok. Please ma'am . . . "

[Sedna]

16:10:58 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, Jonah's building

"Show me some ID," she demands, still not letting up on the door.

[WinterRat1]

16:10:19 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, Jonah's building

Leaning back slightly so the woman could see Virgil, but not so much that he didn't have plenty of leverage on the door, Dragon grunts in the annoyed voice of a public servant who's already said his piece once, "I told you ma'am, I'm not a cop. I work with a private security firm and have been contracted for this man's safekeeping. If you do not step aside and allow me to fulfill my contractual obligations, he may decide to press charges. He's already had his life placed in jeopardy twice, I don't think he'll be too happy if your reluctance raises that count to three."

[Sedna]

16:09:39 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, Jonah's building

"Security guards have ID too. I know. We hire one." Her eyes drift past Dragon's shoulder, and he realises she's scanning the neighbourhood for help.

[banditf50]

16:11:04 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, Jonah's building

"Of course ma'am." Slowly reaching into his inside jacket pocket Virgil reaches for his wallet and is careful to let the rosary around his neck fall into plain view."

Opening up the card-holder in his wallet Virgil shows the women his driver's license . . his fake ID . . . .

Oh please Tyr. If I ever needed your help it is now . . .not in combat

[Tiredronin]

15:50:40 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Daedalus's Apartment and outside the Puyallup Street Clinic

After confirming that he would be just fine sitting safely at home, Daedalus continues to guide Talos to the clinic to finish off the drone that Icarus had taken down... but reconsiders, and diverts Talos to follow Dragon's car, flying Icarus away from the clinic and doubling back over the rooftops accross the street just in range to continue monitering the downed drone.

Lets see who still cares for you little one...

Shifting his perceptions out of Icarus and into Talos he braces himself for the sudden shift from gently floating blimp to the speedily pursuing rotordrone.

16:06:00 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, Jonah's building

To Dragon's request Daedalus replies:
"Roger that."

and he watches his friend climb the stairs to the door.

[Scrapheap]

21:05:59 Sunday 07 January 2063 – Near Underground 93

John had spent the trip over from Redmond reflecting on the plight of the SINless kids he was riding with, and how fragged he had allowed his niece's life to become if she preferred the danger and uncertainty of the mean streets of the Barrens to relative safety of their home. Maybe if he hadn't spent all those years drowning his sorrows with cheap synthahol, or maybe if he'd come to his senses sooner... hell, maybe if his sister had never heard of the Brotherhood things would be different now. But they weren't. He and Etta had effectively left Nora to fend for herself, and this is where it had led. Now these kids were his best link to her.

When the boxy electric van had squeaked to a halt, and after the boys had piled out, John had slowly extracted himself from his cramped seat. His knees, pulled nearly to his chest for the entire ride, protested as he pulled himself to his feet. He walked around, stretching, as he lit a cigarette. The trid-kid, Tyler turned to the group from where he had walked to the corner, "Wait here, I’m going to find Twiggy’s cousin."

As he waited on Tyler's return, John smoked, paced, and watched the inevitable testosterone-fueled show that the male gangers put on to impress Megan. Shoving, bragging, and posturing, all for her benefit. Typical teenage boys. I wonder if they act that way around Nora? I wonder if she likes the attention? For Megan's part, she appeared too distracted to pay much attention to their antics. Is she as anxious as I am? Why would she be?

As John spun on his heel to continue pacing through the snow, he spotted Tyler returning with a big guy dressed all in black. After introductions were made, and while he was obviously and boldly sized-up, John took a pull off of his cigarette and cooly regarded the imposing bouncer. He was stalling, trying to decide which angle to pursue. Is this guy going to buy that I want to help his cousin, or do I just tell him the chip-truth and say that I don't give a flyin' frag about Twiggy as long as he leads me to Nora? A glance at Megan revealed undisguised worry on her face. Is she worried for me, or because of me? Is she playing an angle, or am I just too suspicious? Frag it. Not like I have much of a choice.

Finally, he exhaled smoke through his nostrils and replied, "What's my deal? Let's not go down that road, chummer. We can stand here all night: posture, talk the talk, beat our chests, all that drek. Won't get us nowhere and we both know it." He took another drag, and waited for that to sink in before continuing. "Tyler here probably told you a little on the way over, but maybe nothing you didn't already know. Twiggy's in trouble, and you know it, am I right? You know he's in trouble, but you don't know how to help. Chummer, that's where I come in."

John took a final pull off the cigarette and flicked the smoking butt into the night. He glanced around at the small group, noticing that the gangers had stopped rough-housing and were paying attention to what he had to say. Tyler was looking past the big guy to where Megan was standing, but her eyes were still on John. She was looking at him with a strange expression. Surprise? Respect? He wasn't sure.

As for the bouncer, he stood flexing his meaty hands, still trying to look mean. But John could tell that he had the guy thinking, and maybe, just maybe he wasn't as dumb as he looked. Maybe he was on the right track.

"See, Twiggy isn't the only one in trouble. My niece, Nora has been missing for over a week. She left me a note, and the way it was left makes me think that the leaving wasn't her idea. In the note she told me to look for your cousin because he knew what was going on. I've got it right here if you want to read it." Pulling the note from his pocket, John uses it to motion to the gangers. "These kids, they're good friends to your cousin. They made a deal with me: I promise to help Twiggy, and they promise to help me find him. I agreed because I need him to find my niece. Now it seems that we need you to find Twiggy."

Still holding the note, John takes a step closer to the bouncer in black. "That's the deal, chum, the whole deal. So, will you help us?"

[banditf50]

20:57:20 Saturday January 6, 2063 - Behind the Paradigm Shift

Nothing strikes Erebus as being out of place for this environment. He can tell that the valet service must have gotten a rush of cars to park merely 10 minutes ago. The row of parking slots nearest the gate has several cars with heat still radiating from the engine compartments, which doesn't make IR scans in those areas very easy.

Erebus does see two valets smoking outside of a small fire-door at the back of the lot. The door likely leads back to a break room where valets who are not on active duty can get a bit of relief from the cold.

This place seems pretty secure, and Elan is about as trusted as one in the shadows can get. Null persp.

[Cedric Rolfsson]

20:58:25 Saturday January 6, 2063 - Behind the Paradigm Shift

The closer Erebus got to the troll sec-guard the larger the guy seemed. Elves were usually tall, but Erebus had always been considered short for an Elf and the troll stood easily head and shoulders taller. The guy stood firm, an easy grip on the Defiance stun baton in his right hand, and watched Erebus approach.

"Hoi chummer," Erebus said in a bright and friendly voice, "I'm here to pick up my take out order. I understand that you're the man to see."

He stayed about an arm's length away, his arm's length, from the troll but from the look of the bulging muscles beneath the barely concealed armor in his uniform if the sec-guard turned hostile Erebus could be in trouble.

Huh, guess that's why God invented guns. God created man, and Sam Colt made them equal.

He gave a conscious thought to the heavy weight of the Predator under his left arm and the lighter weight of the Berretta at his hip and let his confidence show in his bearing and demeanor.

[Morgannah]

21:17:36 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - Trade Winds Hotel, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo nods absently, pausing to check her manicure with a critical eye.

"Understandable. What can we do with two?"

[Sedna]

16:11:04 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, Jonah's building

"Uh ... okay ..." she says reluctantly, "you're okay I guess. And I guess Jonah'll vouch for you, since you're his friend."

Except that he can't, realises Virgil, because he doesn't know me and he's not in the apartment in any case, and the fragging door's probably locked to boot. I've got to make all that work for me, quickly. Oh well, on the plus side at least she isn't quoting lines from Sapphire: Shadowrunner for Hire. She still doesn't completely trust the situation, but at least she's giving us the chance to try to make it work.

"But just you," she says quickly, stepping back in the way to block Dragon from following Virgil in. She's big enough that she can make it count. "You can guard him from gang stuff out here just as easily. And I still haven't seen any official security ID from you."

[WinterRat1]

21:10:19 Sunday 07 January 2063 – Near Underground 93

The bouncer takes a good, long hard look at John , then carefully takes the note from his hands and opens it. He scans it, frowns, and then scans it again, apparently slower this time. After a while, he closes his eyes, sighs, and looks up at John . "All right, you seem legit. And the kids are vouching for you, so that's gotta mean something."

He looks at the sky and exhales a deep breath before looking back at John . "And hell, it's not like I'd be able to help anyway, so that puts me in over a barrel in your favor I guess. I don't like it, but since when do we get to do everything the way we like, huh?"

John remains silent, knowing the man is trying to convince himself more than anything. Taking another drag on the cigarette, he thinks to himself Hell, I'd do the same thing in his shoes. But these people seem all right. Nora could certainly have worse friends than these, and if Twiggy is anything like them, well I hope he'll do right by Nora too.

"Here's what I know." The bouncer's voice shakes John from his thoughts, and he immediately refocuses so as to not miss anything. “Some bad junk went down about a week ago. I don’t know what, he wouldn’t tell me. I let him hide out here for a while in the storage area, but some real hard cases came by looking for him maybe three, four days ago, and we knew he couldn’t stay here. He told me he was going to hide out at The Respite Soup Kitchen in Redmond, and get in touch with him there when the heat died down.”

“Wait a second.” John held up a hand to stop him. “He was hiding out at a fragging soup kitchen? Anyone could have seen him there!”

Before the bouncer can respond, Megan chimes in, “That’s not really crazy. A lot of us have volunteered there from time to time. Keira , the lady who runs the place, made us a deal that whenever we help out there for the day, she’ll give us a free meal. She’s really nice to us and doesn’t treat us like dirt, and when you ain’t got money for food and nothing else to do for the day, it’s really not that bad of a deal. We basically just stand around and hang out, and if she needs us to do something, we do it. There’s worse people to turn to for help than her.”

Civic minded gangers? What the hell is the world coming to? This is getting weirder and weirder. I’d almost rather trust a scum-of-the-earth gang, at least I know what they’re all about. Then it hit him. These weren’t gangers, at least not hardcore ones by any stretch of the imagination. This gang, if they could even be called that was third-tier, tops. Hell, they probably wouldn’t qualify as much more than a neighborhood group of kids in some places. Like Nora , they were all just looking for a place to belong, and someone to care. They found belonging with each other, and someone who cared and looked past their circumstances to see the people underneath in Keira , or so it sounded like.

“ Twiggy always had good things to say about her, and that’s all I know, so if you’re gonna look for him, I’d say talking to this Keira lady is a good start.” Checking his watch, the bouncer mutters under his breath, “Drek.” Looking back up at John , he says, “Listen, I gotta get back to work, if you hear anything about Twiggy or your niece, or if I can do anything to help, let me know, ok? Just tell the guys upfront you’re looking for Twiggy’s cousin, they’ll know you’re cool, since only chummers know that fact, ok?”

Nodding, John shakes the man’s hand. He’s been helpful, that’s for sure. Now I got a name and a place to look, and that’s more than I had not too long ago. That’s a good thing, means the trail hasn’t gone totally cold yet. With luck, I can get a lot from this Keira , it sounds like she’d know a lot, and she could be the break I need. “Thanks chummer, I’ll be in touch.”

As the bouncer turned to leave, he turned to Megan , who read his mind, and said, “Can’t go there now. It’ll be closed by the time we get there. Open 0800-2000. We can take you there tomorrow morning if you want. Unless you got something else you think we can do now?”

[banditf50]

20:58:45 Saturday January 6, 2063 - Behind the Paradigm Shift

With a brief grunt as he finishes staring down Erebus, the guard speaks into the small microphone that is now noticeable on his neck.

"I have a VIP here coming back for a word with the parking manager."
Erebus notes that his words did not carry that traditional slangs and improvisations that were endemic to the speech of those with a street upbringing.

"Walk straight back towards the back of the lot. A car will flash it's headlights. Go to that car."

Not waiting for a reply the troll steps back as the gate slides open across its rails . . .

[banditf50]

16:11:21 Saturday, January 6th, 2063 - Auburn, Jonah's building

"Thank you for you help ma'am. This will only take a moment."

Turning to Dragon the shaman keeps his calm tone, trying his best to diffuse an edgy situation. "It will be ok, I will only be inside for a few minutes, just long enough to see if he's home. There is no need for this women to put up with any more flustered words."

Taking a step down the stairs Dragon continued to grumble. Whether he was playing the part, or really just fed up with the situation was anyone's guess. "Fine, fine. Get back out here quick though. If something happens to you my career is over and I only have two more hours on the clock today."

Turning back to the women Virgil rolls his eyes and gives an amused smile. "Thank you again. God willing this is just a false alarm. I hope that Jonah has just been busy all day . . . .and nothing worse." Virgil speaks as he crosses himself.

Ok, I know that he's not going to come to the door. I'll knock and upon receiving no response I will just state that I need to have my bodyguard call into his command center. Recon be damned at this point, now we just need to diffuse this situation.

[grendel]

21:18:22 Tuesday 02 January 2063 - Trade Winds Hotel, Los Angeles, CFS

The sounds of the restaurant are accompanied by the plastic clicking of the keyboard and muttered curses in Italian.

"Perhaps, I don't know, eight k each? Maybe as much as nine, but I'd have to shop it around pretty heavily. Maybe you don't want to announce that you've got that merchandise since you just stole it?"