IC: Chasing the Prize, We always get our mark Options

[toturi]

Graves:

"Indeed? All I saw in English was "Welcome to France". I doubt that there would be such a sign at an illegal port of entry? However, since there was no one to declare to, I could not do so. In any case, I picked those guns off the people who tried to kill me. I have told you my name, what is your name?"

[HeySparky]

Edana purses her lips, "I don't really know. When I returned to my body, two of the team were dead. That anomaly... it could have been Helios, I think he went in ahead of everyone."

She describes the dead man and shakes her head, "I don't know of any other names for him." She pauses, "The rest of us entered more or less together. The others were already there. They'd sprayed some sort of gas all around."

She thinks back to the chaotic blur, "I conjured the hearth spirit, he helped us try to reach Ballefour quietly. But by the time we got upstairs the situation had... soured."

She shakes her head again, eyes drifting back to the spot on the table, she wraps her arms around herself, wincing. I wonder where the others are. If they got away. She blinks slowly at the spot, shivering as the events as they unfolded replay again across her mind's eye.

"OH! Wait. One of our team did enter the premises." Fear flickers across her face as she considers carefully her next words. "Cloaked. I'm not sure how. He got into it with some nasty fey. That's when we entered. To help him. I went went scouting and saw the other Astral hunter." She shakes her head, "I think. I'm not sure now... it's all such a blur." Tears well in her eyes again. A vat... Wait!

"Did you see the others? Please tell me you saw the others." Her voice is strained.

She starts again, hand half coming to cover her mouth. "Ballefour's blood, it was all over me! Did I...!? Did you...!?" She can't bring herself to complete the thought.

[BishopMcQ]

JT:
"You seem to be unwilling to cooperate. Please, feel free to contact us when you are willing to answer my questions."

The man in the dark suit rises, knocks twice upon the door and leaves the room. Moments later the lights go out and you are left in pitch black with an odd warbling sound filling the room with white noise.

Graves:
"Again you dissemble, perhaps we have not been patient enough."

This time it is a woman's voice, stern and cold.

"Think about how much help you will be to your lonestar detective when he is dead in your place. You have failed captain, that much should be obvious to you at this point. Now your duty lies in getting your people home safely. A possibilty which is rapidly losing ground due to your lack of cooperation."

The light flickers on and off, creating a counterpoint to your heartbeat. It begins to give you a headache after awhile.

Edana:
"The investigation is under way. To asway your fear, there is no current trace of HMHVV in your system. However, only a rudimentary scan has been completed. It is possible that you may still become infected, due to the metaphysical nature of this particular strain, it does not always show up."

A look of apology sweeps across his features as if to say he was sorry you ever get swept into this mess.

"Though there were certain casualties from individuals taking hostile action against officers, we were able to detain several individuals fleeing the scene. One identifying himself as Rasial is complying with questioning as well in exchange for the return of certain property. The others seem to be blaming you for this. JT Taggart and Nathan Graves have both attempted to implicate several deceased members of your team in smuggling your weapons and armor across the border and illegally breaking quarantine against their better judgment.

"The primary individual to be blamed for all this was Georgio Acrolus, AKA Gonzales. Are you able to confirm that he was in fact leading your team? We are also waiting to hear back from the Seattle law enforcement department who issued the bounty you were collecting."

[Bastard]

"Uncooperating? What the hell, you keep asking me the same question in different ways."

[HeySparky]

A weight lifts from Edana's shoulders hearing that she was free of the disease. So far. She nods at the interrogators voice. Hearing all of the names spoken formally chills the young Shamaness.

"The others blame me? What others? Are my fri-- er. Are they okay?"

[BishopMcQ]

JT:
Your words seem to rebound in the darkness.

Edana:
"Most are whole of body, as I said there are some who were unable to be peacefully detained. I need the names of everyone on your team so that I can sort out who was with you and who belonged to Rasial's side of the field. I'm not fond of it, but it seems to to have protection from higher up. Please give me their full names, possible aliases, physical descriptions and all contact information that you have About your companions."

[HeySparky]

Edana senses the jaws of the trap that her interrogator has been carefully setting. She swallows. "Couldn't I listen to the names of ... the others and tell you which ones aren't my companions."

Her voice grows faint. Dry-mouthed.

[BishopMcQ]

Edana:
"I will give you a physical description. You can give me a name. We have not yet been able to identify all of the bodies, some of the records have been lost or individuals were never entered into the system."

Reading from the same datapad as before...

"Human, male. Late twenties, pale due to lack of exposure to sunlight. Possible nocturnal predilections. Weaponry on scale for military assault, light body armor. Found deceased in upper bedroom, severe trauma to head and torso indicative of explosive ammunition."

[HeySparky]

Fear flashes into anger and as quickly into sorrow. She begins to speak and stops. He's dead... what harm...

"This isn't right. I don't like this." She moves uncertainly from foot to foot, hands clenching and unclenching. She swallows. Did the sky just become darker... or was that my imagination. "Don't do this please. It wasn't us. We didn't kill them. Not the ... civilians..."

[Bastard]

"Well aint that a...," JT senses astrally to get a better feel for his enviroment. Maybe if he knew more about his captors, he could better explain himself. They don't seem to be law enforcement types, but this is a foreign country and maybe they use different tactics. For all he knows, they could be the same group of mercs that took down the chateaux.

[BishopMcQ]

Edana
"I'm sorry that it has to be this way. I will have the information about who fired which gun in a few hours. A few hours after that, I will have a complete picture of the assault on the chateau. Cooperate with me, tell me what I am going to learn anyways. If our investigators confirm what you tell me, Imay be able to keep you offf the prosecutor's list. If not, you will join everyone else who walked into that house in a very short, concise legal battle which will leave you in a vat. We are reaching the end of this hunt, will you stand with the hunters or be part of the prey?"

Without moving away from you, your interrogator seems to grow distant, as if to give you the space you need to think and decide.

JT:
You're unsure if it is the stress you've been under or some chemical which has been introduced into your body, your mind is unable to slip off the shackles of the material world.

[HeySparky]

Edana deflates. Herne... I can't let them put me in a vat. What would happen to Herne?

**********

Miles away... perhaps... Herne hisses a sudden sharp gasp. He materializes in hound form behind Tigger and leaps up onto the bed, curling up to look closely at the striking man. "Do you think a jailbreak is wise Sundance? Or are you Butch?"

**********

"HELIOS. His name was Helios. That's all I know." She turns her back on the interrogator and her breath takes on an odd rhythm.

[toturi]

Graves:

"Are you threatening me, madam? I've lost all my men before, he will not be the first. I've been interrogated by some of the best, Aztechnology's very finest. But very well, I shall be gracious, tell me what you want to know and what are you offering for my cooperation. I shall see if it is worth my while." Graves projects an air of supreme confidence and Gallic arrogance, mirroring that of his captors.

[Buddha72]

Tigger smirks at the beast. "At this point I am just going with the flow. I barely know this team but I did sign on for this leg of the journey. I'll help where I can but I agree with you, at this point we just need to ride this out. It wouldn't hurt to talk to a contact or two and see what's happening to the people in custody. More importantly, what's going to happen to them." Switching back to the phone conversation. "Know anyone who could found out the status of the others?"

[Ecclesiastes]

"No. I'm not exactly a people person."

Bishop makes his way to his feat and wistles to Kane. "Come on boy, we may as well get back on the road."

[BishopMcQ]

Edana:
Your interrogator slowly describes the bodies that were found upstairs in the bedroom, most you are unable to identify except by their armor. He then expands outside to the van, spiraling outwards from the bloodiest incident to each individual.

"Troll male, seen traveling with a canine and the anomaly. Asian, died from severe trauma to the torso and spinal column. Verified dead at scene."

He waits for your answer, and then seems to hear something that you cannot.

"If you will excuse me, certain measures have been taken ahead of schedule. This may compromise my ability to help you. Here is a blank datapad. While I am gone, please write out a full confession to what crimes you are willing to freely admit to. This will be necessary if I am going to have any leverage to keep you safe as it demonstrates your willingness to cooperate."

JT and Graves:
A distinct sense of violation courses through you as your consciousness is violently pushed aside. Fingers claw through memories, you futilely try to focus your will to end this mental rape, thoughts come unbidden as your past several days are put on display for an unknown voyeur.

Meeting up at McShizzles, the entire team is there. You involuntarily supply names to faces. Phone numbers for contacts and information about how to find the team gets ripped through the weak defenses you try to build.

Hours, days, seconds pass--your mind is unable to keep track of time and you are cast aside. The inside of your brain feels like it has been scoured for every possible shred if information--some of it irrelevant to the current contract but possibly dangerous.

You are both left in silent, still, darkness.

[toturi]

Graves:
Graves sits in the room with a diabolical grin on his face. The information ripped from him was carefully prepared to be taken. He was prepared for this the moment he was captured. Everything useful that he might give away had been forced into the chaotic void that is his amnesia. Let the fool try to step into that madness. Pain and insanity await. I hope you like it there.

[Bastard]

Laying face down on the cold hard floor, JT breathes, "...I feel so used." He lays still on the ground, not comfortable, but not wanting to move.

[Buddha72]

Tigger takes a moment to smooth over his voice and features. "Ok let me see what I can find out. I'm in the next little town, I've got a room so call me when you roll into the place and we'll see what we can do."

[Ecclesiastes]

"Roger." Bishop disconnects the line and begins the long track over the cold landscape.

[Bastard]

Kane treks about 10 meters ahead, scouting out the land ahead of Bishop.

[Buddha72]

Tigger gets off this call and places a call to the Hunt Club. He waits for the beep and leaves the following message. "Tigger here and I need some help. The group I'm with as run into some trouble here in France with the local authorities. I'm free and clear it seems for the moment but I wanted to know if we can find out what's happened or happening to them. I'll send an attached file with their last location and descriptions. I'm willing to take on some debt here for the info so please make it ASAP. Thanks." With a few more minutes the meassge is sent.

[HeySparky]

Edana stares at the data pad blinking in time with the waiting cursor. She runs over the past few days. How many things have I done that I never thought I would…

She shakes her head… Never teaming up with unlicensed folks again. NEVER. Her thoughts grow bleak as she recalls the trouble she and the others, if they get captured, are in. I wonder if they’re okay. I hope so.

Dammit. She starts to type confessing to illegally entering the country with an unregistered spirit and weapon focus, trespassing, unsanctioned conjurations, astral assault in self defense, astral assault on Chateau grounds, illegal entry of Chateau grounds.

She finishes the file and places the datapad on the table. She bows her head, face buried in her hands. I wish this were over.

[BishopMcQ]

Bishop:
Hungry and cold, you finally make your way into town. Kane limps at your side, resolute to follow his master's orders to stay with you. Phone calls between you and Tigger and several tense moments pass as you sneak through the town. Eventually, you meet at the back door of the hotel before being ushered up to the room.

Bishop and Tigger:
The trid unit plays silently in the corner, muted images of new anchors discussing world politics. The anchorman is interrupted for a special report.

A manhunt is still on for two missing terrorists who fled the scene in the pre-dawn hours yesterday. Today, officials have released images of the two men last seen near the Sang Real resort. Both men are wanted for questioning and are to be considered armed and dangerous.

The image quivers with the obvious effect of a low-grade illusion that can be perceived by electronic devices. The images of Bishop and Tigger, as he appeared at the airport, are accompanied by an image of Kane. Tigger is listed as having two aliases, Tigger and Christopher Robbin.

This is definitely not a good sign...

Edana:
Your interrogator returns after awhile, time being hard to manage in this ever-present non-shifting environment. He reads through the datapad you filled out and sighs.

"Your companions have been more forthcoming than you were, though not with the same grace you have given me. I will see what I can do. Thank you for you cooperation."

This time the world melts away from you until you come to in a hospital bed. Every inch of your body aches, and there's a ringing in your ears that is making it hard to concentrate. Electrodes are stuck at several places on your chest, abdomen, back and head. The room is dim with a closed door, but otherwise seems generically like a hospital. Restraints are obvious as you attempt to move in bed but they don't bite into your flesh.

Tigger:
An e-mail chirps into your p-sec.

"Your problems are many and friends diverse. We need to meet.
--Ursa"

[Buddha72]

Tigger glances from the TV to the p-sec. Easy come, easy go. He begins to type a reply.

"You know where I am? Where should we meet?"
-T

Looking to Bishop. "Don't suppose you have a knack for changing your appearance?"