Living in the Shadows: IC, Jan 8th-14th Options

[Ecclesiastes]

12:02:33 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Miner's Landing, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

Todd's hand twitches, alerting Tony, but a moment later the hand moves towards the boys temple and pulls loose the datacord. He sits up, brushing a few crumbs from his cheek that stuck to him while his face was on the table. "Looks fairly clear. The place have been abandoned for about five years now, swallowed up by the barrens. Some of the bodies were moved, others weren't. No gangs claim the area, I'd guess over supersition about claiming a cemetery or whatever."

[grendel]

19:55:31 Monday 08 January 2063 - Bluefish, Tacoma, Seattle, UCAS

Reign laughs, her eyes sparkling. Turning away from the spectacle below, she sets her glass on the bartop.

"It depends, how personal were you planning on getting?"

[bclements]

12:04:39 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Miner's Landing, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

"Hmm," Tony says, trying to think of another way of gaining information about the place and not succeeding. "I guess the next step is to go out and take a look at the place. At least that can tell us what's going on out there. If it's clear, we can try to get this 'key' you're looking for. If its not, then at least we know what to bring."

"Oh yeah, you were twitching just a minute ago, while jacked in. Is that normal?"

[Ecclesiastes]

12:04:45 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Miner's Landing, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

Todd shrugs, "It happens. I'm not exactly a run-of-the-mill Decker. Anyhow, where is your ride?"

[bclements]

12:04:49 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Miner's Landing, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

"Car's in a parking deck a couple of blocks up. And now would be a great time to tell me..." Tony stops as the waiter comes over.

"Anything else, gentlemen?"

"Double bourbon, neat, for me. God knows I need one at the moment. And whatever that gentleman," Tony points at Zeyda's position by the bar, "wants to drink, with my complements. You want anything else before the check?" Tony asks to Todd

[Ecclesiastes]

12:05:19 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Miner's Landing, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

Todd shakes his head, declining. He waits for the waiter to leave, then asks, "Now would be a great time to tell you what?"

[WinterRat1]

09:16:00 Monday 08 January 2063 – Redmond - Touristville - The Respite Soup Kitchen - Main Dining Hall

She looks at him blankly for a moment, then blurts out, "Yes, we do, there's a ladder in the kitchen to get to the heating and ventilation units on the roof. Why?"

[Slipshade]

09:16:02 Monday 08 January 2063 – Redmond - Touristville - The Respite Soup Kitchen - Main Dining Hall

"We need to get outta here and the exits are likely blocked by whoever is out there. Keep your head down and I will follow you." The gas spewing forth from the canisters was quickly filling up the room as he pushed Keira towards the kitchen door. Max was about to follow, when he saw Trancer and his mom huddled under one of the folding tables.

"Melina...Trancer follow Keira...QUICKLY!'

Fear was beginning to overwhelm them, but the young kid managed to pull his mother out of her shocked state and got them stumbling after Keira, with Max following closely behind.

[bclements]

12:05:21 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Miner's Landing, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

"Now would be a great time to tell me what you can do. You can deck, obviously, but what can you do otherwise? Helps me to plan a bit, in case stuff starts going haywire. As for my role in this, I'm your bodyguard, and I'm not bad at it. I'll do what I can to make sure that you don't come to any harm, but I do need to know what you can handle," Tony says, while taking a sip of the bourbon.

"We get that settled, and we can get on our way." Tony finishes, waiting interestedly for Todd's response.

[Ecclesiastes]

12:05:31 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Miner's Landing, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

"Oh.. umm...", Todd blushes a bit, "Not much else really. I'm no good in a fight or anything if thats what you mean. I can try to hide, but even that I'm not too good at. Computers and Electronics is my thing. I deck and bust through security systems like no ones business."

[bclements]

12:05:31 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Miner's Landing, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

"No sweat, omae. I'm no good in the Matrix. Hell, I can barely check my email. Nobody's good in everything." Tony says, as he finishes the last of his drink. Slotting his credstick for the amount of the meal and getting up to leave, Tony says to Todd "Let's get going. Who knows, we may be paranoid and this may be an easy pickup."

[bclements]

EDIT: Deleted double post

[Ecclesiastes]

12:05:41 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Miner's Landing, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

Todd grabs his backpack and slings it over his shoulder, then follows after Tony.

[WinterRat1]

09:16:29 Monday 08 January 2063 – Redmond - Touristville - The Respite Soup Kitchen - Main Dining Hall

Although coughing and wheezing the whole way, the small group managed to get to the kitchen and the ladder quickly, thanks to the crowd that was rushing for the exits, preventing the enemy, whoever they were, from entering quickly. Once inside, Trancer stuck a broom through the handles of the double doors leading to the kitchen.

"That should buy us a few seconds," he wheezed through gasping for air. Good kid, having presence of mind like that. As the others looked to him for instructions in their temporary interlude, Keira looked to him and asked, "Who should go up first?"

[The_Eyes]

19:56:00 Monday 08 January 2063 - Bluefish, Tacoma, Seattle, UCAS

Eyes opened his mouth, a flippant response on the tip of his tongue, before he paused a moment and actually considered the question. Now that he thought about it, things had already gotten more "personal" than he had intended. He had basically ditched Ran not five minutes ago without much more than a second thought, and was casually flirting with an attractive woman, a woman who had gone so far as to buy him a drink, even realising he had absolutely no time for anything like a relationship at the moment. How personal was he planning on getting?

"I, honestly don't know," Eyes said lightly, trying to keep the thoughts from his head from deeply affecting his face, "I was all set on being bored tonight before you came by, but it looks like I've already broken that promise. Looks like you're a bad influence on me," he added with a grin. Meanwhile the part of his mind that wasn't concerned with enjoying the view was stuck trying to figure out what exactly he planned on doing here.

[Slipshade]

09:16:32 Monday 08 January 2063 – Redmond - Touristville - The Respite Soup Kitchen - Main Dining Hall

Max looks at the small scared group huddling before him. Their auras flicker with emotions. Like it or not he is responsible for their safety. Hoping that whoever is outside does not have a mage with them to scout astral space he makes a decision.

“Tancer, you go first, then your mom and Keira. I will follow behind you incase someone makes it through the door before you are safe.” He looks to the young boy. “Keep your eyes sharp and your wits about you and be careful. I am going to take a quick look at the roof, to make sure it is clear.”

Max settles himself in a corner near the latter. He pulls a serving cart in front of him so that anyone entering the kitchen through the door would have a hard time spotting him right away. Calming his mind he lets his conciousness slip from his body and shoot up towards the roof on stone-like wings.

[grendel]

20:00:42 Monday 08 January 2063 - Bluefish, Tacoma, Seattle, UCAS

"Oh? An honest villain, then." Reign smiles softly, sipping from her drink. Most of the other patrons have drifted away from the bar, standing at the edge of the railing instead to watch the band playing below.

"Tell me this, then, Eyes: why did you come here tonight if you were planning on being bored?"

[bclements]

12:10:14 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Citywide Parking, 3 blocks north of Miner's Landing, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

Tony and Todd reach the parking deck a few blocks up from the Landing, both shivering from the biting wind from the north. After taking a bag from the trunk, both of them get in the car and start on the way out to the Barrens.

12:59:31 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - En Route to Sacred Heart Cemetery, Seattle, UCAS

Tony is always surprised by how gradually the cityscape of Downtown gives way to the desolation of the Barrens. Sure, there are a few distinct points that are hard to miss, but its generally a pretty gradual change, at least to me Tony thinks to himself as they reach the Barrens. Todd has been quiet for the most part of the trip, and the only sounds in the are are the hum of the engine and the light talking of the radio tuned to an all news station.

The buildings get lower and lower, then taller when you reach Bellevue proper, then they and the houses just start losing windows the farther away from the main parts of Bellevue, a few at a time maybe, until you just look up and BAM, there’s only a shell of a building left there, and you wonder why its like that, except that every one that you can see now is in the same condition. There’s a metaphor for life in there somewhere, but I’m not too sure I want to think about it right now. Tony thinks to himself as they round a corner close to the cemetery.

[grendel]

13:04:13 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Sacred Heart Cemetery, Redmond, Seattle, UCAS

Sacred Heart Cemetery appears as a pale and ruined shadow of its former self, the high stone walls surrounding the lawns chipped and stained. The trees, lonely sentinels once groomed as carefully as an honor guard, stand tattered and dying. The lawns themselves show the ravages of acid rain and absent groundskeepers, large patches of dead grass amidst the granite headstones. The wrought iron gates lie open, bent askew on their rusted hinges. Overhead, the legend In Pace Requiescat is still legible through a tangle of briars. A single solitary figure sits by the gate, its features obscured by an oversize, patchwork coat.

[The_Eyes]

20:00:42 Monday 08 January 2063 - Bluefish, Tacoma, Seattle, UCAS

"Oh I like being bored," Eyes chuckled. He considered a moment. "Well, not being bored exactly, but being able to sit back with nothing to do but watch the crowds. It's almost... peaceful," he said with an ironic twist to his smile, gazing down at the shattering noise and swarm of dancing people below.

Eyes took a quick sip from his drink, savoring the strange mix of beer and cider. "But yeah, I guess I'm a bit of a people-watcher at heart. Everyone's got a story to tell, stories that get them to where they are today, and every one unique. Take you, for instance. You seem very self-assured and confident for someone who looks to have come here alone. I take it you come here, or places like here, often?"

[bclements]

13:06:22 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Sacred Heart Cemetery, Redmond, Seattle, UCAS

"Ok, Todd" Tony said as he stopped the Americar about a half block from the front gate after scanning the area for a minute, "since the gate's open, my plan's to drive right up to the spot, or as near a possible. The hombre out front may do something, but don't do anything unless he does, and play along with anything I go with, kay?"

[Ecclesiastes]

13:06:22 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Sacred Heart Cemetery, Redmond, Seattle, UCAS

"You got it man."

It isn't hard to tell that Todd is starting to get a little nervous, but is doing his best to tough it out.

[bclements]

13:05:01 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Sacred Heart Cemetery, Redmond, Seattle, UCAS

"Ok, here we go. If someone starts shooting, duck down quick. When you get a chance, point this in the general direction of fire." Tony says, reaching back into his bag and pulling out his Browning and an MP5. Checking the action on both to see if a round was in the chamber, he slides the safety on the Browning to "OFF" and slips the gun under the fold of his jacket on his right thigh, within easy reach of his left hand.

Handing the MP5 to Todd, Tony says "Here ya go. Put this in the floorboard under your feet." Showing Todd the gun, Tony adds "You flip the safety switch to off like this" Tony mimics the action, "and pull the trigger. Don't worry about aiming or hitting anything, you'll probably scare anybody enough to give us some time to get the hell out of here should anything happen. And don't worry about me, I've got more toys back there to play with."

Satisfied with his Introduction to Firearms lesson, Tony looks back into the bag for a second to make sure that the items were in easy reach. Satisfied, he begins to pull towards the gate of the cemetery. "It's not exactly subtle, but not much out here is" Tony says as they start toward the gate.

[Ecclesiastes]

13:06:31 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Sacred Heart Cemetery, Redmond, Seattle, UCAS

Todd silently takes the gun and places it at his feet. Oh man... what the drek am I getting myself into? He stares at the gun as Tony moves the car out of the parking spot. Who am I kidding? I hate guns!

[grendel]

13:07:19 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Sacred Heart Cemetery, Redmond, Seattle, UCAS

As the Americar pulls foward into the driveway of the cemetery, the huddled figure holds out its right hand, fingers spread in an unmistakeable sign to stop.