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

[WinterRat1]

09:38:07 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Skylight Towers Condominiums, Bellevue

"Marina! Did you find our files yet?" Robert called out.

"Not yet!"

"Do you remember the name of the man we saw at the clinic?"

"Um...I think it was something Johnson. I can't remember his first name," she answered from what was apparently her husband's office.

"Ah yes." Robert turned back to 'Mr. Jones', a thin smile on his face. "That was his name. Mr. Johnson. Mr. John Johnson." His aura and tone have a trace of satisfaction in them. "Does that help at all Mr. Jones?"

Clearing his throat, he continues, "My wife and I were there for a preliminary consultation. A common medical condition, fairly frequent these days, but no less inconvenient." He shakes his head. "I apologize Mr. Jones, I appear to have forgotten the other questions. Could you refresh my memory please?"

[Slipshade]

09:38:32 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Skylight Towers Condominiums, Bellevue

He seems to be stalling.

"Please call me Rich."

[WinterRat1]

09:38:56 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Skylight Towers Condominiums, Bellevue

"Well Rich, I was actually referred to the clinic by none other than Mr. Johnson." He smiles again. "He's fairly nondescript, very modest fellow. Brown hair, brown eyes, about 5'10, maybe 175 or so. Nothing out of the ordinary. All in all, a regular guy. We haven't scheduled a follow up appointment yet, as the condition is currently...being treated, let's say." He folds his hands in front of him, cupping the tea as he takes a sip. "What other questions I can help you with?"

[grendel]

13:43:51 Thursday 11 January 2063 - Sea-Tac International Airport, Long Term Parking Terminal, Seattle, UCAS

The woman's eyes flicker open and closed, drugs racing through her system.

"Massada...Massada..." she murmurs.

[Slipshade]

09:42:05 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Skylight Towers Condominiums, Bellevue

Max was at a loss and beginning to think that Mr. Wong was up to something.

"No sir. I can understand your reluctance in talking about your condition to a stranger and I don't really blame you. If you can supply me with those documents and/or files I will be on my way, as I would hate to go back to my employer with nothing to show him...and thank you for your time."

Max kept his smile, but inside he was beginning to despair.

'Another dead end.'

He was sure Mr. Wong knew a little more than he was telling him, but he couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't blow his cover if he hadn't blown it already. He was sure talking to the Wong's would lead him to Keira, but...

'I'm sorry Keira, I let you down.'

Sooner or latter he was going to have to face the hard truth...she was likely dead and if he did find her it was probably only going to be her corpse.

[Scrapheap]

09:43:35 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Skylight Towers Condominiums, Bellevue

John had listened to the conversation with growing impatience. He still stood silently, playing his part, but remaining so became more difficult as the exchange continued. As Mr. Wong began to play Max he realized he may have to act.

When the suit smiled smugly and cupped his tea, John watched as Max's shoulders slumped slightly. He resisted the urge to jerk one of his Manhunters and simply cleared his throat.

"Pardon me for interrupting, Mr. Jones. Mr. Wong, I'm afraid you do not understand the situation. Reconstructing those records is imperative to the investigation of the incident last night, and Mr. Jones and I have been assigned that task.

"Now, I'm sure that you understand the work that The Clinic does, and its sensitive nature. I'm sure that you are also aware of the exclusivity of its client list. These are not the type of people that accept failure. Nor are my superiors, which is why we will not fail to recover whatever possible."

Pausing to let his little speech sink in, John calmly changes positions. Unclasping his gloved hands from behind his back, he unzips his jacket as he shifts his feet, moving from an at rest posture to one of coiled violence.

"Now for the files. Or should I go assist Mrs. Wong in the search?"

[bclements]

13:47:22 Thursday 11 January 2063 - Sea-Tac International Airport, Long Term Parking Terminal, Seattle, UCAS

Rubbing his temples at the literial and metaphorical headache that he had, Tony tried not to change the soft tone of his voice. Frag, that could be me he thinks to himself, debating on hitting the PanicButton over in the corner of the garage when he notices movement in the corner of his eye.

Ducking low and almost drawing his pistol before realizing that it was Marquis, he pitches his voice a bit higher than talking to the woman. "Hey chummer, glad to see you back moving around. Got a medkit over here if you can find anything useful in it. And what started this, apparently."

Kneeling back down, Tony unpicks the 'trodes from the woman's neck. I don't think this is going to help her any more than it has. "Lady, tell me how to get ahold of Massada. I'll call him and get you some help," he says in the same soft voice used before.

[WinterRat1]

09:45:14 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Skylight Towers Condominiums, Bellevu

Mr. Wong simply smiles at John. "If you are aware of the exclusitivity of this supposed client list, and you believe that I am on this so called list, then you should also be aware that threatening me, if you work for who you say you are, does not make a whole lot of sense. If you wish to tear this place apart looking for something you believe will be helpful to you, neither I nor my wife am in any position to stop you."

He spreads his hand wide, palm up, showing they are empty. Calmly he calls, "Marina dear, please come out of the office, slowly, with your hands up, and make no sudden moves. Please sit next to me and allow these men to do what they wish."

If nothing else, this suit has some serious cool. I can't believe he's so calm about all this John thought.

Slowly walking from the office, hands up and open, showing they are holding nothing, Marina follows her husband's instructions, inching around the outside of the room towards him and the couch where he is seated.

Looking up at John, Mr. Wong says in that same calm voice, "You are in control here, go ahead and do what you came to do."

[grendel]

13:48:16 Thursday 11 January 2063 - Sea-Tac International Airport, Long Term Parking Terminal, Seattle, UCAS

The woman continues to murmur incoherently, repeating the same plea for "massada" with no change. She seems to have stabilized in the past minutes, but blood continues to leak from beneath the bandages Tony secured to her shoulder.

[Scrapheap]

09:47:05 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Skylight Towers Condominiums, Bellevue

John didn't know what to make of the suit's attitude, and despite what the guy said he certainly did not feel like they were in control of the situation. He had to assume that the Wongs had help on the way. Why else would they be so calm?

Reaching into his pocket, he removed a silencer and attached in to his Manhunter, his eyes never leaving the Wongs. "Mr. Jones? Why don't you go see if what we need is in the office. Remember, we have a lot of other people to visit today, so time is of the essence. I will keep Mr. and Mrs. Wong company."

[Slipshade]

09:47:35 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Skylight Towers Condominiums, Bellevue

'Oh hell, I'm going to jail.'

John's reaction both suprised and alarmed him, but he could tell by the look in John's eyes that he had better do as he was told.

Max stood and brushed off his suit before turning back to the Wong's.

"I am sorry things had to turn out this way, but the clinic or someone at the clinic that you went to has taken a friend of mine without her consent along with a number of others. If this were to get out and believe me it will, I will make sure that your name is on the top of the list of those being investigated. Whatever your condition is, doesn't give you the right to hurt others to save yourself."

Having said that he turns to leave and do a quick check of the other rooms.

[Scrapheap]

09:49:01 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Skylight Towers Condominiums, Bellevue

John watched from the corner of his eye as Max left the room. Reaching into his pocket with his free hand, he pulled out his cigarettes and shook the pack until he could remove one with his mouth. Exchanging the pack for his lighter, he lit the nicostick and took a deep draw. He exhaled a plume of smoke as he replaced the lighter. The Manhunter never wavered.

"Ya know," he said, dropping the coporate veneer from his speech, "he's right. We ain't from the fraggin' Clinic, and we sure as hell don't know the slag on that card. We tried ta do this the nice way, the easy way, and we still can, but one way or the other we need answers. Don't make me show you the hard way...

"You two seem decent enough, so I'll tell you true. We have friends who've been abducted by the Clinic, for what they know or saw. We want them back in the worst way. You answer my questions, and I'll not only play nice, but I'll make sure my friend keeps your name outta the scream-sheets when the drek hits the fan. Understand?

"So, what goes on there? Who runs it? Why were you there? Details and names, as much as you remember."

He took another drag and waited for their answer.

[bclements]

13:51:19 Thursday 11 January 2063 - Sea-Tac International Airport, Long Term Parking Terminal, Seattle, UCAS

Getting up from his crouch by the moaning woman, Tony walks over to Marquis, carrying the medkit.

Speaking low to his comrade, he says "Chummer, that lady over there is gonna die here in a bit, and I'd suggest that you not be here when she does. Bluff your way past the guards any way you know how. My personal suggestion is to tell them their security sucks hoop, and that you're flying from Portland from now on. That may buy you a couple of minutes to get the frag out of here. Your guns are under your seats, so be careful. If I'm stopped, you don't know me, and keep with the cover. I'll get ahold of you later on," he says, handing Marquis the medkit and walking over to his car.

Stashing the duffel bag and coat in his trunk along with his pistol, and having the name of Massada and Red Queen, and where does that name seem familiar running thru his head, he heads out of the garage in his Americar, seeming like the half stunned tourist he was trying to act like.

[WinterRat1]

09:50:51 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Skylight Towers Condominiums, Bellevue

Mr. Wong just laughs again. "And of course, if we just answer your questions, you'll let us go free." He shakes his head in amusement. "For someone attempting to play to our sympathies, you have a funny way of trying to convince us you're really trying to help some poor, innocent people," he sneers, sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"Tell me, is it standard operating proceudre for criminals to take as hostages people that they are trying to convince to help them?"

[Scrapheap]

09:53:02 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Skylight Towers Condominiums, Bellevue

John could not believe how cool this suit was being. This fragger must deal in some high-pressure situations on a daily basis. Course, his wife is at risk too. Maybe they just ain't got nothin' to lose. Maybe they're victims too.

"I may be a 'runner, but I ain't no murderer. This," John holds up the pistol, "Is just ta keep you from doin' anything stupid. And if there's a chance you'd help us without it, I'll gladly put it away. I'd fraggin' prefer it.

"We came in with our lame fraggin' ploy figurin' you two was patients at the clinic, and wouldn't be willin' to help us otherwise. I'm starting to get a sneakin' suspicion that maybe we was wrong. What did the clinic do to you? Or was it even you? Another family member? A child?"

[Slipshade]

10:15:02 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Skylight Towers Condominiums, Bellevue

Max finishes up his search of the other rooms, being cafeul to put things back where he found them nd returns to the living room.

"I am very sorry for the inconvienence Mr. and Mrs. Wong, but I have to try to find our friends. I don't believe the clinic is above killing people that get in the way of whatever it is they are up too and I don't think our friends have a lot of time left, if they arn't dead already."

He can see by the auras of the two suits that they could likely care less about what happens to himself or Scrap...or Nora or Keira for that matter. They were decieved and are being held hostage and have not reason to trust anything John or he has to say.

He looks at John and says.

"Lets go. Trust can't be built on a lie and we have given them..." He nods towards the Wongs. "...no reason to trust us. We can find them another way...I hope."

[grendel]

13:54:22 Thursday 11 January 2063 - Sea-Tac International Airport, Long Term Parking Terminal, Seattle, UCAS

Pulling into the exit lane of the parking terminal, Tony is mildly surprised to see a pair of maintenance vehicles parked on the inbound lanes. Half a dozen jumpsuited technicians mill about the automatic parking kiosks that line the entrance to the parking garage. The exit lanes are marked off with blaze orange traffic cones, and Tony is directed to the manual lane. The young attendant on duty scans the barcode on his ticket.

"Sorry for the delay, sir, the automated systems kicked off line but for some reason the failsafe alert didn't go off. We didn't know there was a problem until just fifteen minutes ago when people couldn't get out. Hope you weren't delayed any."

He hands Tony a receipt for the parking fee, then raises the gate to allow the Americar to exit.

[bclements]

13:57:41 Thursday 11 January 2063 - Sea-Tac International Airport, Seattle, UCAS

"No, no trouble at all," Tony says, externally neutral as he pulls off, but internally puzzled. They don't even know what was going on in there. That decker Todd ran up against must have done the work he thinks, pulling out onto the airport's meandering roadways leading to I-5.

Deciding to check the radio to see if any news from the event managed to get out, he tunes into one of the all-news stations he's preset, hoping to catch the local top-of-the-hour 'cast. And then, a nice, large drink.

[grendel]

14:10:37 Thursday 11 January 2063 - 15th Avenue East, outside the Unbottled Spirit, Capitol Hill, Seattle, UCAS

Tony listens to the end of the news cycle, noting several articles of interest, but nothing that remotely resembles the gunfight in the parking garage. One of the stories detailed the discovery of the bodies of two young men in an Everett warehouse. Details were inaccurate, of course, but foul play is suspected. No drek, smirks Tony, turning up the collar of his coat before stepping out into the blustery afternoon wind.

[bclements]

14:32:14 Thursday 11 January 2063 - 15th Avenue East, The Unbottled Spirit, Capitol Hill, Seattle, UCAS

Walking into the warm bar out of the chill wind, Tony tries to think thru the headache he still has. Just file the stuff away for now. Think later, you need some medicine

"Hoi there, Tony," Rebecca yells across the unoccupied space, bottle held up. A couple of guys are playing darts in the back, and a group of people in a booth linger over drinks from a late lunch, but apparently not many people in the area subscibed to Tony's 'It's 1700 Somewhere" attitude.

"Hey, just start pouring, I'll tell you when to stop," he says, moving slowly across the floor toward the bar. The ride from the airport had stiffened his muscles, but had cleared his head for a bit.

"Rough day at the office, dear?," Rebecca says smiling, putting a good measure of whiskey into the tumbler.

"Hah, ouch. Don't make me laugh hard Becca," Tony says. A couple of the gels from the parking garage had hit his ribs, and the securitech didn't do much to abade the impact.

"You ok? You need to see a doc or something?" she says lower, some concern beginning to seep into her normally cheery-but-cynical voice.

"No, I'm fine. Nothing this can't cure," Tony says, picking up the glass and sipping the amber liquid.

Putting the bottle back on the rack behind her, Rebecca keeps her voice low. "Well, you know what they say about cures..."

"What's that?" Tony says, taking another sip of whiskey.

"That they're sometimes worse than the disease." Rebecca said, looking at Tony via the mirror behind the bottle-wall.

Keeping his voice low, Tony replied, "Listen Becca, I respect your opinon. I really do, and I think of you as a friend. But, today, I've been shot at, I just found out my ex-girlfriend's in jail, and I'm lucky to be alive. No fraggin' way that bottle is close to that. So I'm gonna drink up." Tony said, draing the rest of the glass.

"Well, I'm not gonna pry. It's just that friends don't like to see other friends drink themselves into oblivion," Rebecca said softly, reaching for the bottle.

"I get 'ya. Right now, though? Oblivion's a pretty good idea." Tony replies softly, looking down at his empty glass.

"So toss me a refill, 'cause I'm having a bad day and I don't wanna think about it. How's your day going?" Tony ends with a smirk. Rebecca shakes her head as she pours another round.

[Bastard]

13:52:10 Thursday 11 January 2063 - Sea-Tac International Airport, Long Term Parking Terminal, Seattle, UCAS

Not saying too much to Tony, he nods in agreement. Talking would probably hurt his face and the reverb of his own voice would probably amplify his headache. He carries the medkit back to his car, the whole time thinking, "Who the hell is Mufasa."

Before droping the medkit in his trunk, Marquis quickly digs through it, looking for something that may be of help.

[WinterRat1]

10:17:02 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Skylight Towers Condominiums, Bellevue

At the mention of the word 'child', Mrs. Wong turns, ever so slightly, and looks at her husband. It's obvious from her aura that she's pleading with him, asking him, almost begging him, to come clean, to tell them what he knows. Finally he sighs, and shakes his head while looking at the floor, almost as if to himself. He looks very tired, and very old, in that moment.

After what seems like a long time but is really only a few moments, he looks up and meets their eyes. "You speak of trust, and hope. I need time to think this over and speak with my wife. So I will make you an offer. Your time is short, and the police on their way. We do not have time to have this discussion right now. If you will meet me at a time and place of my choosing, I will tell you what I know, and do my best to assist you, in exchange for your help."

Reaching out, he clasps his wife's hand gently in his own. "Our information in exchange for your ability to do what we cannot. I believe it is a fair trade, and if you are willing to help us, we will do our best to help you." His face hardens then, and his voice grows cold. "And if you are unwilling to help us, despite your own pleas for assistance, then don't waste our time and either pull that trigger or get out."

[Scrapheap]

10:19:53 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Skylight Towers Condominiums, Bellevue

John gives the couple a grim smile, stands, and holsters the heavy pistol. "No need ta get hard, Mr. Wong. They're gels anyways."

He quickly finds a piece of paper and scribbles his cell number. The Wongs already had Max's card, but no need to let them know that Mr. Jones was actually Mr. Steiner...if they didn't know already. Robert Wong seemed like a very sharp man.

"That's my number. Call whenever you make your choice." Turning to the shaman he adds, "We should slot-n-run, Mr. Jones. We've taken enough of these nice people's time. And they have a lot of thinkin' to do."

[Slipshade]

10:20:05 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Skylight Towers Condominiums, Bellevue


Max did not even hesitate to answer.

"Mr. Wong I will do everything in my power to help you. As you may have already guessed and as an offer of trust, I will tell you that my name is Max Steiner and that card I gave you has my cell phone number on it. I know I may not look like the man you once heard speak at the university, but what happened to me is a story for another time, I will leave my fate in your hands, either you can tell your security my name and have me arrested or I can help you, your choice. But in order to make that choice my friend and I need to leave safely. Could you tell me how to get to the parking garage unseen? And does your security have awakened on staff?"

[WinterRat1]

10:20:55 Tuesday 09 January 2063 - Skylight Towers Condominiums, Bellevue

Mr. Wong looks at his wife for a moment, and she nods. Turning back to them, he says, "Both the stairs and the elevators will lead you directly to the parking garage. Although there may be cameras in the stairs, there are almost certainly cameras in the elevators. I'm sorry, I don't usually pay attention to those types of things."

He pauses, then continues, looking at Max. "Good luck making it out. I will call you when my wife and I reach a decision. If nothing else, to give you time to run, Mr. Steiner. I don't know what caused you to fall into a life of crime, but for the man you were, at least, I feel I can do that much."