IC : STARDUST, In-Character thread for Stardust Options

[FrostyNSO]

Gun

[ Spoiler ]

"I would lean towards two. Anything beyond that I am willing to fully compensate you for, however."

[Shadow]

[ Spoiler ]

"Ok then, were in agreement. Body guard work in one week at 'Matchsticks' for the period of two hours for 1k. Anything beyond that will be 1K an hour. If you wish to retain my services for a longer period we can renegotiate at that time based on the requirements you need. The clock starts 2 minutes after I arrive on premisses. What time would you like me to be there?"

[FrostyNSO]

Gun

[ Spoiler ]

"Your terms are more than acceptable, sir." The man agrees. "I will contact you when the exact details of date and time are nailed out. Is there a method of contact that you would prefer?"

[Shadow]

[ Spoiler ]

"The number on your caller ID is fine. I will expect your call soon."

Gun disconected the call. He reached over to the glass of water on the desk and took a sip. It wasn't really the money. Hell he had plenty of that. 7 years as an Enforcer for the top Don in Frisco made you wealthy if not rich.

The atmosophere though, the unkown, the precision of it all. That he enjoyed. And a extra week in Seattle, a town he was starting to like as much as Frisco, hell what could be bad about that?

[Slacker]

[ Spoiler ]

A little leary of accepting a job subject to this amount of uncertainty and possible change, Wormwood says 'Ok...Guess I'll give this guy a call and find out the details from him directly. I assume this guy is expecting my call?"

After his fixer answers the question, and almost as an afterthought, he finishes by saying "Thanks for thinking of me for this. Once I find out the details, I'll give you a call back to tell you if I am accepting the job."

Ending the call there, Wormwood decides to go ahead and call the number given to him. Better to find out now if I am going to take the job, he think to himself

Upon getting answer, he begins speaking before the person on the other end can even say hello. "It is my understanding that you are in need of someone with talents of a particular nature. I might just be such a person. This is not a particularly secure channel of communication, but what details can you give me?"

[FrostyNSO]

Wormwood

[ Spoiler ]

"A man who get's right to the point. I like that in a prospective employee." Answers the man on the other end of the line. "I apolagize if I am short on details at the moment, I understand men in your profession dislike that sort of thing. My apologies." After a brief sigh, he continues, proceding in a calm, collected tone. "Recently, one of my clients ran into some trouble, and I think there might be somebody out there trying to hurt my business. In about a week I am scheduled to meet with a prospective client and I would like you sir to be there. Not as bodyguard mind you, but for surveillance. The meet will be at Matchsticks, though the exact date and time are not set up yet, as it partly depends on my client. I need you to be there before we arrive, discreet, and in a position to record our conversation and take some pictures. I have a table set aside for me in the corner to the right of the first door...We will sit there. I will provide :nuyen: 2,000 for your services, payed to your fixer to hold until I notify him that you have completed what I have asked, though I suspect someone of your reputation will have little problem in that department. Do you have any questions or have I overlooked anything?"

[Slacker]

[ Spoiler ]

Wormwood can't help but feel that this guy sounds like a professional. "The terms are acceptable: 2000 :nuyen: for surveillance during your meet. I will of course expect additional payments for anything beyond that, i.e if I am needed to handle unwanted guests. You did say that you don't need me for that sort of thing, but if I see your security is having difficulties I will step in."

"That reminds me, whether or not you are contracting out your security detail, I would like to at least meet them so that I know who is safe and they will not take me for somebody trying to eavesdrop on your conversation. Furthermore, I'll be checking out the setup of Matchsticks between now and whenever the meet is. If you already know the security details of the place, I could verify/test them while I am there...for a small additional fee."

Wormwood inwardly chuckles at that, thinking Sure, I'm going to do that anyways, but he doesn't know that. Besides, unless he's already got somebody else handling that, it is something that should be done.

[FrostyNSO]

Wormwood

[ Spoiler ]

"Very well, if I require your services for anything beyond what I have specified we will negotiate further payment comensurate with what is required at that time." The man replies confidently. "I do not require that you be there to step in should problems arrive. If you can do so without compromising the quality of your recordings and photography, then by all, means, go ahead. Mostly, I want good surveillance." You ask the man about his security detail to which he replies: "I believe a meeting can be arranged. I was planning to have my security meet me at my residence earlier on the day of the meet. You are more than welcome to stop by and we can talk face to face. About Matchsticks, I am unsure of what security they possess...it is not my area of specialty to know."

The man's last two sentences strike odd. Perhaps he was not so professional in these endeavours, but rather merely a professional businessman. But then, he isn't contracting anything illegal either...

[Slacker]

[ Spoiler ]

As the man mentions dropping by his residence, Wormwood suddenly realizes this man most certainly does not reside within the shadows often. All the more reason to be prepared for anything , he thinks to himself.

"Understood. You can reach me at this number when you have the details for the meeting."

Ending the conversation there, Wormwood dials up his fixer. "I believe I will have no problems with this man. He certainly sounds the part of a true professional...a professional what? I'm not sure...but a professional none-the-less."

Not particularly expecting a response, Wormwood asks the fixer, "Out of curiosity, have you ever worked with this guy before? He didn't strike me as a man of the shadows, and yet he was quite comfortable with dealing with one. Definitely not what I would expect from a corporate suit."

After confirming that he had accepted the job with his fixer, Wormwood decides to go ahead and checkout Matchsticks. The only thing he's heard about it previously was that they have good music.
He decides to foregoe the Armante suit for now. Returning it to the closet, he pulls out his other suit. Pulling it on over his form-fiiting armor, Wormwood checks himself in the mirror. Yes, this should do just fine.

[FrostyNSO]

Wormwood

[ Spoiler ]

Though you half-expect nothing useful, your fixer comes forth with some information. "He is a manager who has models. I read it in the scream sheet once and recognized the name, which he told me straight forward if you believe that. I figured he was an alias of some sort." He pauses while you ask about the man dealing in the shadows, pausing before giving a well-thought out answer. "I only know of him from a contact of mine. I have senses for these things, friend, and let me tell you: Dealing with the shadows is certainly as dangerous as dealing with the types those corporates have to deal with these days. He is probably used to business. To gain the advantage, a strong man uses the most effective means to reach an end. Sometimes, that means is found outside regular channels." Your fixer interrupts himself with a very rare (for him) chuckle. "Beside, if the job is good, the job is good. No matter the source, right?"

After concluding your business with your fixer, you head out to Matchsticks at an apporopriate hour so as not to stick out too much.

The cabbie drops you off a short way from the club itself at your request. Snapping the driver fare and a tip, you hop out and scope out the immediate surroundings.
Directly adjacent to the club is a decent sized parking lot with overhangs over the section closest to the club and a valet booth at the driveway. In the booth, you see two young men chatting, wearing dress appearal. The entrance to the club is a set of double doors, wedged open below a flashing red and yellow neon sign depicting the word Matchsticks in a cursive yellow hand and a stack of (you guessed it) matchsticks igniting with red neon "flame". Bollards with velvet rope mark the line to get in, with an ork in classical formal attire keeping a vigilant eye on comings and goings, as a similarly dressed man determines who goes in and who walks away.

You inconspicuously make your way to the line and a very short while later stand before the "gatekeeper". Crooking an eyebrow your way, he addresses you in a strong, rough voice. "There's a seventy-five cover tonight. You got it or what?"

[Slacker]

[ Spoiler ]

Wormwood thinks to himself, Ouch, 75 :nuyen: wasn't expecting that much of a cover. Oh well, its part of the job.
In response to the gatekeeper, he says "Sure thing, chummer." As he pulls out his credstick he asks, "So who've you got playing in there tonight?"

[Shadow]

If Gun was going to protect this man it might be a good idea to check out the place. It was well after dark and the Seattle skyline was vibrant and alive. Gun called the concierge desk.

"Hilton concierge, Carl speaking."

"Carl, I am looking for a club called Matchsticks, I would like a route on a chip for my rental in five minutes."

Gun disconnected the call and prepared for his trip. He ditched the black biz suit he had been wearing in favor of a dark blue shantung silk suit with a white Egyptian cotton shirt. He went without a tie to take the edge of the suit.

He picked up the route and was in his rented Eurocar in the promised five minutes.

[Qillin]

Jacky Grabs his gun that was sitting next to his beer on the side take, With the nod from Ludi and not seeing Hank anywhere he gets up and walks up to the door from the side.

"Who's there?

[FrostyNSO]

Jack, Ludi, and (Hank)

[ Spoiler ]

With everyone in place, Jacky D issues his challenge to the knocker. Hank whispers to Ludi:
"Thoser fuckers are probably going to try and catch us off guard. I'd rather be safe that have to save all your asses too. I'm going to check the back windo- Erg!" As Hank makes a pointing motion towards the back of the apartment, his back arches in a violent siezing motion.

Ludi, immediately suspecting an assailant from behind turns quickly to assass the situation, but Hank stops her. "I can't fuckin' believe it. I pinched a nerve in me back again." He mutters, obviously in extreme pain as he slowly lowers himself the ground, using the door frame to avoid falling over completely.

As Hank gets settled into a prone position, unable to move, the voice on the other side of the door answers. "Ernie sent me, he gave me a letter...or that is, he asked me to write one for him and deliver it." The voice is meek and a bit high, like that of a young boy's. Whoever was behind this frag-up wouldn't stoop to using a kid to get at them would they?

Wormwood

[ Spoiler ]

"Celia Starr." The bouncer answers back as he takes your cred. "Don't cause any trouble tonight." You see the ork bouncer place a finger to is ear.
You nod and proceed in with the bouncer's blessing and catch the ork leaning over and whispering something in the human bouncer's ear as you pass.
The place is dimly lit by scattered torchier lamps along the walls and hums with a tired din of conversation. The floor is some kind of high traffic carpet in deep crimson. High traffic, but still quite nice. In the center of the back wall of the club is a small stage, on which a grnad piano is set up, though nobody is playing it at the moment. Off to the side of the stage, an african-american (i hate that word) female elf is talking with a man in black formal wear. The floor is littered with round tables of some no-doubt fancy dark wood, with matching chairs custioned with crimson velvet pillows matching the carpet. In the corners, are larger, half-secluded booths matching the decor of the place. Their cushioned seats wrap around a central table and almost close off the center from observation...almost. All of them are full at the moment, occupied by various individuals of all sorts, though almost all are obviously wearing fashion of corporate cut and fit. Along the left wall there is a well-stocked bar where the waitresses move to and from as they ferry drinks to the clubs many patrons tonight. Serving the patrons at the bar directly, is a scrawny, pale elf with a crimson apron and black (well-groomed) ponytail that falls almost to the middle of his back. Finally, you spot a heavy-looking wooden door in the right-rear corner of the club. Outside, a man in blacktie picks at his smug grin with a toothpick. After what must have been just a short break, you see the black elf female take the stage and sit down at her piano, while the man she was talking with picks up a clarinet. Appearing from behind the wooden back-door, another balck elf, this time a male, takes the stage, picking up an electric guitar from a rack. After settling in, the trio plays a rendition of Bill Evans' "Come Rain or Come Shine", and soon the music completely supplants the drone of conversation as patrons pause to listen to the soulful jazz classic. The woman on piano plays beautifully, even while carrying the song's vocals, and her companions' play compliments the music perfectly.

Gun

[ Spoiler ]

As you exit the lobby, you are met by the valet with the keys to your rented Eurocar. The pimply-faced kid hands you the keys and wishes you a good night on the town. "Also," he adds, "The chip is in the autonav, and they should be expecting you at the club."
You nod and continue.
A short drive later, you arrive at Matchsticks and are met by a prompt valet who welcomes you warmly, and smiles ear to ear as he takes stewardship of the powerful sports car. No worries, it's a rental. You proceed to the entrance where you see a long line beginning to form. Rather than wait like the other dregs, you smoothly approach the ork bouncer, who eyes you suspiciously. "Nice threads, brother." The ork compliments you in his throaty voice. He is obviously impressed. "How can I help you dis evening?"

[Qillin]

Jacks going to reach over and open his light 3'x3' peep door, wait a sec then move his head over and look threw to se who's there.

[FrostyNSO]

Jack, Ludi, and Hank

[ Spoiler ]

After opening the peep door, Jack slowly inches towards the opening to see who is on the other side of the door. As the hallway outside of the apartment comes into view, AUTOMATIC GUNFIRE erupts from the hallway, a hail of bullets tearing through the door! Jacky D immediately falls to floor, badly wounded as the Lone Star strike team makes entry!

[ Spoiler ]

Juuuuuuust Kidding. The real one is below. Sorry for despoiling the IC thread with that. I needed a little levity

[ Spoiler ]

After opening the peep door, Jack slowly inches towards the opening to see who is on the other side of the door. As the hallway outside of the apartment comes into view, Jacky doesn't immediately see anybody. Lowering his gaze towards the floor, a grungy street urchin comes into view with puppy dog eyes and scraggly dark hair. His clothes are dingy, and in one of his hands is what looks like a cocktail napkin.

[Shadow]

Gun smiles at the ork. He longed for San Fran, where every club owner knew him by name.

"Thanks, Charles Gun, I have a pass." The ork checked his list and waived the well dress man in. Gun nodded and handed him a twenty as he passed. Etiquette was etiquette, regardless of what city you lived in.

Gun gets in just in time to catch the opening of the jazz number. He smiles as the music plays. The melody bringing back fond memories of his special someone in San Fran.

He gets a scotch, strait up, from the barkeep and knocks it back in one smooth motion. After that its just water for him. He keeps his eyes open and his ears peeked as he moves around the place. Body guarding in a club was always trouble, so many avenues of attack.

[Qillin]

JAcky turns to Ludi,"Looks like the kids on the level, He appears alone and has a note of some kind cover me while I open up." Jacky unlocks his 2 deadbolts and opens the door and pulls the kid in fast and shuts the door behind him. locking it.

[Mister Juan]

With a heavy sigh, Ludmila switched the safety back on her gun and holstered it before the kid could lay eyes on her. With a quick pace, she got next him, pulling the note right out of his hands without saying something.

Everyone could feel it: the russian was deeply annoyed.

[Slacker]

Hmm...looks like my Armante wouldn't have been out of place here. Good, I hate going into these situations light.

Moving slightly in rhythm with the music, Wormwood heads in the general direction of the bar, surreptitiously glancing around the place to get a feel for the layout.

As he reaches the bar, he calls the bartender over with small gesture of the hand. While waiting for the bartender to finish fixing a drink for another customer, Wormwood makes a show of glancing around the place, but really he is paying most of his attention to the corner to the right of the entrance. Hmmm...the guy said his meeting would be over there, so where will be the best place for me to be during it....Maybe overthere? nah, I'd be too obvious there....maybe that place?...hmm...............

The bartender eventually comes over and interrupts his thoughts. Greeting him, Wormwood says, "Bonsoir, you wouldn't happen to stock Absinthe, would you?"

[FrostyNSO]

Jacky D, Ludi, and (Hank)

[ Spoiler ]

Ludi grabs the cocktail napkin from the kid and takes a quick glance, hoping the napkin would also have some logo or other clue as to where it was from. On closer inspection, it was just an ordinary one which could have come from just about any bar in the metroplex. On it, however, was some poor handwriting, bled through at points where a moist ring from a drink had formed. The writing was done after the drink was set on it...if it matters.

I tracked the blood on the cloth with Micky. It went to Stone's place. One of his men. Someone called Lars is what I heard while I peeped around. Get out of town while you can. I'm gone.

p.s Girly was it as good for you as it was for me?

"What's happening?" Hank interrupts frantically, still lain out on his stricken back.

Gun

[ Spoiler ]

You move casually throughout the club while maintaining the appearance of someone just out to enjoy some good music. Hopefully, Stone chooses to conduct his business in one of the corner booths rather than any one of the tables. Secluded in such a way as to restrict access to a small area which you could control, You could easily maintain vigil on the meeting, and intercept any interlopers before they got to the principle.

The tables would be a different matter, Depending on which table Stone chose if he went that direction, it would probably be better to stay out of view but in a position to maintain a wide field of the place.

Behind the bar, you spot a set of swinging doors which you casually observe. As a waitress passes through them, you see what looks to be a storage room with some kegs lined up and two more doors, one at the back of the room, the other on the right-side wall. The door in the rear right, just right of the stage, you find leads to a short hallway with 5 doors, two on the right, two on the left which are the men and women's restrooms, and one at the back with an "exit" sign above it. Outside of the back-left door, you see a tall Asian gentleman with dark sunglasses and a shaved head covered in tattoos. He adjusts the tie on his chic suit and eyes you as you pass him on your way to the men's restroom on the right. You gather that the doors on the right must be some kind of private rooms, your experience knows so.

All things considered, the private rooms may not be the safest place to conduct the business, due to the easily availability of a door assaialants could use to get in and out of the place. All other factors aside, and from a strict "protection" standpoint, the booth looks like the best option. Public, but at the same time, restricted.

Wormwood

[ Spoiler ]

"Absinthe?" The bartender repeats back. "We don't stock electronics." The bartender laughs at his own stupid joke and you notice an absolutely hideous black mole the size of your thumb at the corner of his left cheekbone. Trying to prevent yourself from reeling in suprise, you ask him for the special instead. "One gin and tonic it is."
After the bartender mixes the drink you slide him some cred with a good tip to maybe get himself that mole removed. To his credit, the gin and tonic is superb.

You proceed to view the appropriate booth and remain inconspicuous while searching for a good position from which to work. Since many of the tables are occupied, you start by looking for a place where you could place a bug if needs be. There was always under the table...could be found if someone wanted to look. Somewhere in the seat? The cushioning...might trash the sound quality. You then spot the torchier lamps at either side of the booth. The torchiers would be the perfect perch for a well-concealed bug if they were just on the edge of the dish's topside. But the bulb could fry the bug if it burned hot enough. Another option was whoever else your employer was hiring. Maybe they would where a wire?

As one of the tables you were waiting for empties, you pause your musing and move into the vacated position, nursing your drink along the way. A perfect view of the booth, with a straight shot in between the seats which could provide a good picture of the action. If you chose to use your eyes, whoever was there might notice the extra attention, as this table was almost a straight shot to the booth.
You try two more tables, more removed from the "action" From either, you would be able to get a shot, though not nearly so high quality. Also, depending on the seating arrangment (where each person chooses to sit), you may only be able to capture a portion of the group.

[Mister Juan]

Ludmila red the note over and over. Once her eyes had been glued to the napkin for countless seconds, she red it again to make sure. As if moved by an invisible puppeteer, she watched her hand close around the message, transforming it into a tiny ball. Her fist was trembling; her kuckles we're turning white. Stone either had a mole in his crew... or he was the one who had doubled crossed them.

Lighting the paper on fire with her lighter, she threw it Jacky's garbage, before setting her gaze back on the boy. Gently and calmly, she walked to him and kneeled down to his level.

"Listen kid; you did a good job. Now, go home, and forget us."

She looked up to Jack. "Tip this young boy will you." Ludi smiled at the boy, trying to put him at ease.

It was once he was out that the russian woman exploded. Cursing in her mother tongue here and there, she violently punched one of Jacky's wall, not even carring about any damage she might have done.

"They think they frag with us like that? I dont give a damn about the nuyens any more... this is fraggin personal." she looked at both men "if you guys want out, its now... because if we go through with this, there is no turning back. We probably won't see a dime, and we are entering dangerous ground. It's either you stay and fight for your rep and to clean our names... or you run somewhere and start all over again. I sure as hell am not going to let some fruity high class pimp drive me out of my home and bloody my hands with a crime I never commited."

She sat down on the couch, trying to calm herself down. Her eyes fixated upon the carpet, she continued.

"This is probably.... no.... This IS going to end with bodybags.... it's up to us to see who's in them. Us... or Them. In one week, we aren't just going to meet with Stone... we're going to make him talk." she looked at the troll "if you have any friends of backup, now is the time. We'll get your decker friend to work on that Lars guy. We're going to lay low until I get my hands on the Star's report... and we can plan the meet at the same time."

She got up and started walking toward the door, quoting something in russian.

"May those who love me, follow me"

[Qillin]

Jacky tips the kid any opens the door. "Latez " Locks back up and after Ludi makes her peace he says

" Frag yeah, lets get this fraggers dead". Jack goes back into his room and grabs all his gear and brings it out, "This is all i got here but we can always go shopping."

[Slacker]

Hmm...looks like I could probably set one of my micro-camcorder under the table with the good view and set myself up at one of the others so I can record the audio and get the occaisonal photo. Wouldn't hurt to have a secondary camcorder set up there too. Its' always good to have a second perspective.

That decided, Wormwood relaxes a bit. He leans back in his seat and filters out the sounds of the other people in the club, to better enjoy the music of Celia Starr. Not bad. Not normally what I'd listen to, but I could certainly learn to appreciate it.

Wormwood sticks around for a while listening to the music. When the group finishes up for the night he makes his way for the exit with thoughts of getting some rest.

As he nears the exit, thoughts of the job interrupt his revery. Still not too sure about the security situation. This place doesn't seem too concerned about weapons. Oh well, not what I am being hired for. At least, with using the camcorders to record visual, I'll be able to keep an eye out for what's going on in the rest of the club.

With that thought, he leaves Matchsticks and heads back to the hotel.

[FrostyNSO]

Wormwood

[ Spoiler ]

From the hotel, you hook up to the provided cyberterminal in your room and plug in the address the Johnson gave you earlier. Maybe it was a bit obvious, but you start with the public residential listings, and to your suprise, the address pops right up!
Richard Stone. At least that's who it has listed at the address. With a little more to go on, you do a search using the name.

Although, you find little information that would be of use to you regarding Richard Stone, you do find quite a trove regarding Rick Stone. Most of it is scream sheet reviews and the occasional interview in a fashion mag. More recent news covers the arrest of Stone's associate, Mr. Charles Whttington, for connection to the murder of Stone's hottest model, Kote. Whittington is being charged with conspiracy to commit murder and is currently being held by Lone Star. One furious Kote fan on a blog states: "Why would Whittington kill Kote? Her contract with Stone was up, and she was going to sign with him."

Interesting. You follow the trail of screamsheets and rumormills and by pure luck stumble accross an article regarding another of Stone's models, Anne Keller. Found floating face down in Puget Sound, there was never an investigation due to Keller's SINless status. Your interest piqued, you dig deeper, but find nothing conclusive, only a few scattered rumors that Stone may have been involved in Keller's death.