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

[grendel]

02:15:06 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Stuffer Shack #391 Parking Lot, Los Angeles, CFS

Jenks froze with the bottle halfway to his lips, his eyes alight. Gutter giggles insanely from the ground.

"Lookee, lookee!" he points at Cosmo, although his eyes are so bloodshot and pupils dilated it's doubtful he can actually see her. Bobo kicks him again, halfheartedly this time, his own attention drawn by the interloper. He runs a hand through greasy hair.

"Jenks!" he whispered urgently.

"Shut up, Bobo." Jenks steps away from the wall slowly, deliberately. He smiles at Cosmo, revealing a mouthful of chrome-inlaid teeth.

"It could be, you lookin' to party, baby?"

[Morgannah]

02:15:49 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Stuffer Shack #391 Parking Lot, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo shrugged indifferently, drawing all eyes to a highly reflective silver microfibre top that she might as well have painted herself into.

"Could be," she smirked, echoing his words, "but I'm not free for a while. What do you have to offer?"

"Ahh, I'd kill for a smoke .. "

This post has been edited by Morgannah: Feb 7 2006, 09:56 PM

[grendel]

02:16:04 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Stuffer Shack #391 Parking Lot, Los Angeles, CFS

Jenks pointed with his left hand.

"Bobo, smokes, now."

Bobo nods and turns, his eyes still on Cosmo, before ducking into the Stuffer Shack. He returns a moment later with a handful of cigarette packages, offering them like a fan of playing cards for Cosmo to chose from. Jenks snaps open his Zippo, the pale flickering flame turning his scarred rat-like face feral.

[Morgannah]

02:17:31 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Stuffer Shack #391 Parking Lot, Los Angeles, CFS

She nodded briefly as though to thank Bobo for his effort and selected one of the smaller, longer boxes, withdrawing a forbidding-looking cigarette and holding it between her lips. Ugh. Cosmo leaned forward, wickedly glittering eyes intent on Jenks as she took a long draw, paused, and finally exhaled, smiling slightly. She settled back, one ankle crossed casually over the other.

"Not bad. Let's say I wanted to come along for the ride .. what's on for tonight?"

[grendel]

02:18:07 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Stuffer Shack #391 Parking Lot, Los Angeles, CFS

Jenks lights up his own cigarette, exhaling a thin stream from the corner of his mouth. Bobo crams the remaining cartons into his pockets, eyes glancing from Cosmo to Jenks and back again. Gutter's giggles have died to asthmatic wheezes, his eyes open and vacant as he drools onto the stained concrete. Jenks shrugs, flicking ash from the end of his cigarette, leering at Cosmo.

"Whatever strikes your fancy, baby, but I was thinking about what should be coming off tonight."

[Morgannah]

02:18:45 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Stuffer Shack #391 Parking Lot, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo's laugh was low and throaty as she entertained the brief fantasy of punching Jenks in his dirty rat face, very nearly able to hear the crunch of his nose beneath her knuckles. She leaned towards him until their noses almost touched.

"Don't doubt it for a second, baby. I'll take real good care of you."

"Later."

She smiled again and started to pull back, hoping to cause just enough doubt for them to question her further.

[grendel]

02:19:02 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Stuffer Shack #391 Parking Lot, Los Angeles, CFS

"Whoa, hey! Wait up, baby. Where you goin' so fast?" Jenks holds out a hand, cigarette dangling from his mouth. Bobo hasn't quite gotten past the 'take real good care' statement, his eyes fixed on the curve of Cosmo's hips.

[Morgannah]

02:19:36 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Stuffer Shack #391 Parking Lot, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo eyed the hand stretched toward her, one eyebrow lifting slightly.

"I said I wasn't free until later but," she chewed on her lower lip for a moment before her wicked little smile returned, "guess that doesn't mean I can't leave you with something to think about in the meantime."

She shrugged again, deliberately, and stood perfectly still as her longcoat fell into a heap around her ankles, waiting for the perfect moment, their complete attention. The dance was slow at first, barely noticeable with soft swishing hips and lightly rocking shoulders. Cosmo brought them along, bit by bit, raising the bottom of her shirt and then lowering it until she knew they'd do just about anything to keep her moving. Of course she stopped afterward, casting an irritated glance toward the security camera at the front of the building.

"Mm, think one of you can frost that lens for me before I run tonight? I'd hate to leave you in suspense ...."

[grendel]

02:19:51 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Stuffer Shack #391 Parking Lot, Los Angeles, CFS

Gutter makes fishlike noises, blistered lips smacking against one another as he stares at Cosmo. Jenks' cigarette dangles unheeded from his mouth, smoke curling lazily into the chill night air. His eyes glitter with unwholesome hunger. He snaps his fingers at Bobo, who reaches up and pulls the security camera out of its mount. The unit dangles by its power and data transmission cord.

[Morgannah]

02:20:18 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Stuffer Shack #391 Parking Lot, Los Angeles, CFS

A low, sultry laugh covered what might have been an exasperated sigh while predatory eyes all but pinned the three of them where they stood. Idiots! Should I have used smaller words? -Frost- the lens; it's not nanosurgery. Bloody Spirits! Still, Cosmo's cheeks flushed as she evaluated the imperfect control she had over Jenks and his friends; they'd be hers with only the slightest tightening of the reins .. the most delicate touch to seal them to her.

Stuttering flourescent light licked across her curves as she took up her dance again, turning slowly as each part of her was concealed .. and in its turn revealed by the shadows that hugged the side of the building, caressed her skin even as they obscured her face. Electric blue lips took on an evil curve, parted and poised to whisper .. something. Black-gloved hands motioned for the youth to come closer.

[grendel]

02:21:09 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Stuffer Shack #391 Parking Lot, Los Angeles, CFS

Jenks stepped forward, flicking his cigarette into the darkness with a casual air that belied the thunder of blood through his veins. His eyes, dappled from years of Burn abuse, slid from Cosmo's hip to the curve of her chest and back again. He rubs his hands together in anticipation.

Caught like an eager dog uncertain what to do next, Bobo turned his considerable bulk from left to right, covering the street for possible trouble. The simpleness of his facial expressions; delight, fear, hunger, confusion, didn't concern Cosmo much. Despite his considerable physical strength, Bobo lacked the decision making ability to deal with someone like her. That's why he left all of the tough calls to Jenks.

Gutter drools on himself, passed out half on and half off the sidewalk.

[Morgannah]

02:21:58 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Stuffer Shack #391 Parking Lot, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo leaned in until her nose all but touched his, forcing Jenks to look up at her or back away until they were on equal footing. She nodded approvingly when their eyes locked. Her voice was low, sweet honey laced with poison, her breath all softness and warmth against his face.

"Tell me your name."

"Tell me something true, again" ....

[grendel]

02:22:11 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Stuffer Shack #391 Parking Lot, Los Angeles, CFS

"They call me Jenks," he replies with a grin, his teeth stained and breath reeking of cigarette smoke. Reaching out, he grabs Cosmo's hips, his hands rough and clumsy.

[Morgannah]

02:22:15 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Stuffer Shack #391 Parking Lot, Los Angeles, CFS

There was a whisper of satin skin beneath his hands, a hint of her perfume as she whirled to one side and out of his grasp. There was a second where he leaned forward, following her only to be spun and shoved against the side of the Stuffer Shack, gasping by turns at the smoothly muscled forearm pressed against his windpipe and the feel of Cosmo's long, athletic body as she held him there.

"Jenks," she whispered with a smile that would have been pleasant if not for the savage gleam in her eyes, "I've told you I don't have time for this .. don't you want to take your time with this?"

Just enough of an inflection to give him pause.

"I know a place, real nice, where we can party. Why don't you take your boys over there and get started?" A thin roll of paper bills appeared between her fingers (pulled from Spirits know where), tapped lightly against the tip of his nose. "That's two nights at the Heart o' the city on Alden. Leave a key for 'Eve' at the front and I promise," she flashed her teeth at him, "you'll get it all .. in a few hours."

The urge to smash her palm squarely into his nose was stronger than ever.

[grendel]

02:22:49 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Stuffer Shack #391 Parking Lot, Los Angeles, CFS

"Whoa, easy, babe," Jenks leaned his head back in an almost subconscious effort to ease a little of the pressure against his windpipe. "No reason to get to the rough stuff right away."

He grinned, an expression even nastier than his smile of moments earlier, pocketing the roll of bills that Cosmo offered.

"I know the place you're talking about, and I know just how to get things going."

He straightened his jacket as Cosmo slid back from close proximity, motioning with his hand towards his compatriots.

"Yo, drekheads! Bobo! We gotta a party to burn! Get the wheels, we gotta go see Montero!"

As Bobo nods his understanding, lumbering off around the far side of the Stuffer Shack, Jenks turns back to Cosmo.

"Don't worry baby, we've got the hook up. I'll make sure to keep some of the good stuff back for you."

[Morgannah]

02:23:31 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Stuffer Shack #391 Parking Lot, Los Angeles, CFS

She smirked, eyeing him meaningfully as she leaned casually against the wall, content to let the shadows conceal the fact that she wore little beyond her gloves, stilettos, and a coat of outrageously blue metallic lipstick.

"Not a doubt in the world, baby. Don't have too much fun without me."

Cosmo ignored his parting leer and let out a long, slow breath as she dressed. It was a shame that the three teenagers couldn't follow direction but there was a chance they'd prove useful later; at the very least they had a car she could borrow once they'd been dealt with. There was a small voice in the back of her head that protested, naturally, but it had grown much softer over the course of the last twenty four hours.

As it was no longer difficult to reach the camera from the side of the building, she took a moment to spray its lens, keeping her presence obscured in the event that it was repaired before she'd finished in the lot. Cosmo smiled thinly and made her way to the motel, finally ready to move forward with her plans.

[Morgannah]

02:31:17 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Alvarez Building Supply Company Parking Lot, 4601 Murray Ridge Road, Los Angeles, CFS

It had not been difficult to thread her way across the street, covering herself in the larger shadows of buildings and adjacent vehicles, the path that lead her to this particular fence had been straightforward, even with the extra weight of the automotive toolkit and the parts she was 'contracted' to install. She suppressed a snort, "contracted!", and focused on the four Roadmasters nearby. Would this tasking, at least, proceed without incident?

Cosmo tilted her head to one side, eyeing the fence. Electrified links could pose a problem (as they had so many months ago) but again, none of the signs were there. She hefted her bolt cutters and frowned; some security systems were wired into perimeter fences so a single cut could set the whole thing off. Maybe if she climbed over, in two trips of course, using her jacket to shield her from the barbed wire ..

You know .. sometimes it's all right to ask for help.

Shut up.

Grumbling under her breath about another coat wasted, she takes a moment to secure the first half of her gear, glancing around carefully. Just because something had gone wrong every time she'd finished a job (aside from FTL Matrixware), well, it didn't mean that she'd be in the clear all the way to the Roadmasters; the lot's security cameras covered nearly the entire area and there was always a chance that some random bad luck would put a Saturday-night pedestrian right in front of her.

Cosmo's sigh was audible; the fence wasn't electrified and didn't appear to have vibration sensors. Long, supple fingers tightened around the chain links, hefting her upward, committing her to the tasking and whatever would happen after that.

[grendel]

02:31:23 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Alvarez Building Supply Company Parking Lot, 4601 Murray Ridge Road, Los Angeles, CFS

From her position of cover behind the nearest Roadmaster, Cosmo surveyed what she could see of the parking lot. Apart from the three identical cargo vans parked in neat symmetry, the only other occupants seemed to be a pair of flatbed pickup trucks next to the central building. A couple of towed air compressors were parked in back, along with what appeared to be box trailers for either the trucks or the Roadmasters. No one seemed present in the yard, and no alarms sounded after her intrusion.

[Morgannah]

02:31:23 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Alvarez Building Supply Company Parking Lot, 4601 Murray Ridge Road, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo took a slow count of twenty to scan the parking lot for signs of life, the wash of her red-tinged playground reminding her how quickly things could go wrong. Would her last 'tasking' be a setup? What was it about using infrared that instantly had her thinking about betrayal?

She blinked and shook her head slightly, frowning as she silently worked at setting herself up for a couple hours of work.

04:16:58 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Alvarez Building Supply Company Parking Lot, 4601 Murray Ridge Road, Los Angeles, CFS

And .. there.

There was hardly a sound as the door of the fourth Roadmaster was locked and pressed shut.

You're no mechanic, girl, but at least you still have all your fingers, eh?

Snorting softly, she glanced around the lot (and the path she'd take to get back to the hotel), grimacing at the blocky modifications that would be obvious to anyone sitting inside any of the vehicles. There was nothing that could be done for it, of course, so she had no choice but to believe that her contractors knew it would look this way. She hoped someone had planned for it, at any rate.

[grendel]

04:17:01 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Alvarez Building Supply Company Parking Lot, 4601 Murray Ridge Road, Los Angeles, CFS

Cosmo's egress plan is interrupted by the sound of four heavy diesel engines turning over. As one the Roadmasters' lights bathe the yard in shocking illumination. The lead Roadmaster shifts hesitantly forward, as if testing its footing, before completing a neat hundred degree turn, leaving it pointed at the narrow access gate to the parking lot. One by one the remaining three follow its lead until all are lined up, idling, waiting. Cosmo blinks in disbelief.

You've got to be kidding me.

[Morgannah]

04:17:06 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Alvarez Building Supply Company Parking Lot, 4601 Murray Ridge Road, Los Angeles, CFS

Ohhhh, so you want out now too, hmm?

An unlovely snarl twisted her mouth as she glared from the Roadmasters to the gate and back again. A cursory glance at the central building was all she needed to know that the gate couldn't be opened (or closed) from there and that she could still carry this out with zero contact if she was quick about it.

Twitching the cowl of her hood forward and hoping that the thin layer of black obscuring her features would be enough, Cosmo left the cover of the Roadmasters and stalked toward the gate with as much speed as her training would allow.

They can't be fragging serious ..

[grendel]

04:19:20 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Alvarez Building Supply Company Parking Lot, 4601 Murray Ridge Road, Los Angeles, CFS

With the back of her neck crawling beneath the gaze of the security cameras, Cosmo swiftly disassembled the maglock casing. As the high strength plastic came free, she stifled a grimace at the obvious anti-tamper circuitry present. Bypassing that added another minute to her already high profile. Thankfully, though, once her splice was in place the gate began to roll open. The lead Roadmaster waited only long enough for there to be enough space for it to pass before accelerating out into the night.

Hey! Wait for me!

Cosmo hurriedly replaced the cover of the maglock before making a quick jog to the rear step of the last van as it bumped over the gate track and out into the street.

[Morgannah]

05:06:48 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Alvarez Building Supply Company Parking Lot, 4601 Murray Ridge Road, Los Angeles, CFS

The vans sped east along the 10 for a full forty five minutes (two of which were spent hanging off the back of the last Roadmaster with one hand while the other fiddled with the rear door's lock). The trip that led to the convoy into a massive industrial lot, gave Cosmo more than enough time to consider the wisdom of her decision (or the conspicuous lack thereof); perhaps if she'd planned things differently, thought to bring a tracking beacon or arrange for a vehicle to tail the Roadmasters .. useless thoughts now. There was nothing for it but to use the opportunity she'd made for herself, stay alert, and learn what she could.

Then somehow find a way to get the frag outta Dodge.

She took a second to disable the van's interior light before peering around the interior of the underground lot, taking some small comfort in the weight of the Manhunter nestled against her curves and the reassuring tug of the two spare clips balancing the belt across her hips. Not that she'd ever enjoyed a firefight, of course, but it was better to shoot from concealment than to attack in the open .. that went double for situations like this one. Cosmo rubbed her hands together slowly, ready to duck and roll out either door at the slightest sign of trouble.

This post has been edited by Morgannah: Jun 7 2006, 10:10 PM

[grendel]

05:08:26 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Kumeya Industrial Processing Depot Parking Lot, 707A East Holt St, Los Angeles, CFS

The four vans pull into the vast underground parking structure, slowing from their brisk freeway speed to a jogging pace. With fluid precision, they break from their trail formation to a line abreast, crossing the empty aisles of white lines towards a pre-staged cluster of vehicles against the far back wall. As her formation of stolen Roadmasters draws closer, Cosmo can make out three other work trucks parked in line, as well as seven large pallets of gear hidden beneath opaque gray tarps. Shadows behind the parked vehicles resolved themselves to be gunmen, dressed in familiar khaki battledress with black tac vests. Their weapons were drawn and ready, though, the squad deployed in defensive positions in case the arriving vans were not who they were expecting.

[Morgannah]

05:08:28 Saturday 06 January 2063 - Kumeya Industrial Processing Depot Parking Lot, 707A East Holt St, Los Angeles, CFS

She took it remarkably well, all things considered, that the 'slightest sign of trouble' was, in truth, a group of combat-ready grunts with automatic weapons and plenty of hard cover and she .. cruising toward them in a remotely-controlled vehicle. She might have laughed about it (and would later, if she lived long enough to find an old friend or two) but there was barely time to acknowledge the bass-heavy thud in her chest before a rush of adrenaline pumped life back into her.

There was no time for nerves, not even a second to think about being afraid or wonder how many bullets she could take before it was really and truly over. It was time to act.

Cosmo crouched in the back of the van, smooth muscles taut, ready as she watched for the perfect moment, timing the deceptively simple maneuver to thundering pulse and measured breath, waiting for a concrete pillar to be within range before the Roadmaster stopped and her time was up.

There.

She didn't breathe, hardly seemed to move, as the van's rear door opened and she launched herself free, tapping the door once with her foot even as she rolled forward and to one side. The Colt was in her hand by the end of the first rotation, cleared and poised to shoot by the time her back pressed against the concrete column that would be her only protection if things went south.

If things go south? IF?!