Belinda's Flat
Saturday 08/16/70 08:45:00
"Ah, the Carillo girl," Carla remembered after a quick look through the patient log. Belinda Carillo was a vibrant young woman who hung around the Los Locos boys a lot. The nuns at the clinic had told Carla on more than one occasion that, for at least the past two years, everybody in the community had expected the girl to get married (as was the norm for attractive young women who weren't planning on joining the Church.) The months continued to pass by, however, and Belinda didn't seem to be doing anything with her life - as if getting married and having children counted as "doing something" with one's life...
Anyway, the older residents seemed to have formed the opinion that the girl was some sort of immoral maverick, wasting her God-given gifts of beauty and brains (and fertility) just to hang out with troublemakers like Los Locos. Carla had a somewhat different view of the situation; although she had only treated Belinda once, she had easily noticed Belinda's curiosity and independence of spirit. She could tell that Belinda was too headstrong and too ambitious to make a happy, submissive wife (or nun.) For a smart, independent woman looking for some excitment in her life, the barrio offered few options other than joining up with Los Locos.
Belinda's address wasn't in the log, but Carla knew which part of the neighborhood she was most likely to be found. Keeping Krait's package carefully concealed beneath her cloak, Carla traveled a few blocks up the road from the church, where young Los Locos recruits could usually be found playing basketball.
"Do you know which is Senorita Carillo's flat?" Carla asked one of the young men sitting on the sidelines. Recognizing the inquirer as Dona Carmen, the man eagerly complied by pointing at one of the apartment buildings down the street. "1B" he said. Carla bowed her head in thanks and continued on her way.
Standing at the front door of the building, Carla was surprised to find the entrance locked and a working buzzer on the adjacent wall. She pushed the button for apartment 1B. "Hello? Senorita Carillo? This is Carmen, from the clinic. I have something for you."
Full Version: Hitting Bottom - First Wave
Pages: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35
Belinda's Flat
Saturday 08/16/70 08:45:05
"Si, Dona Carmen?" The face that appeared as the double-chained door opened a crack looked puzzled. "Can I help you with something?" she asked in Spanish.
Saturday 08/16/70 08:45:05
"Si, Dona Carmen?" The face that appeared as the double-chained door opened a crack looked puzzled. "Can I help you with something?" she asked in Spanish.
On the road
Friday 08/15/70 19:37:22
After dropping off Carla, Conall had nodded the woman a farewell, and driven off into the creeping. While they had driven around the barrio, it seemed to him like too many questions were starting to find their way inside his skull. Coincidences were beggining to amount too quickly, and in too great of a number. Lost in his thoughts, his body simply kept on pushing the bike faster and faster, speeding off unto the wet road, the sprawling city quickly swallowing him. Faster and faster; the bike ate more pavement, splashing puddles left and right, gracefully glinding between cars and remote operated freight trucks. All around him, the metroplexe's light danced off his black visor, flowling like water around the curves of the sleek racing bike.
The young irish didn't know exactly what was amidst, but he knew very well, all too well, that something was wrong. And it wasn't the general feeling of uneasiness this new world that swirled around him gave him... It was something else. Something much deeper he couldn't quite put his finger on. Even muffled behind the thick helmet, he could hear the rush of the wind brush by. Part of him wished ever so deeply he could feel the same wind on his face. Part of him wished he could smell the ocean just off the coast of his island. Conall had rarely felt anything akin to this uneasiness. His stomach turned over and over on itself, and a heavy lump kept blocking his throat. He was nervous. Anxious. Afraid. Maybe... He didn't quite know it himself.
It wasn't the corpse he had dismembered, that, he was sure of. The only thing that had slightly bothered him concerning the morbid affair, was that it actually didn't bother him at all. Maybe ripping the throat out of someone, while their screams echoed in a dark Belfast alley, did harden the soul to a certain extent. Maybe, when something had broken inside his sister, something had broke inside of him as well.
The whole shedim affair didn't quite bother him either. He wasn't an idiot; he knew all too well that his employer was probably hiding something. But, the young elf couldn't bring himself to actually hold a grudge against her. If Miss Johnson, or whatever her name was, had something she didn't want others to know, it was her right. Strangely, as the young shaman's thoughts drifted toward Carla, he realized she was, oddly enough, the only person he had actually “conversed� with. He had spoken with Frank many times, but never had he had an actual conversation. It was always, and only, business related. But, with Carla, it was different. Conall felt at ease. He felt confident. He trusted her with a strange trust he gave very few people. He hadn't known her for that long of a time, but her character seemed tried and true... especially for a woman who probably wasn't that much older than him. Behind his covered face, Conall laughed softly, thinking of what Declan would have been saying. Especially about older women. Damn did he miss the bastard. The new world he had stepped in made him wish there was someone to watch his back, and fight side by side with him. Someone who could take care of Etain if anything ever happened to him.
Around him, the small housing projects of the barrio had been replaced by the high fences of cargo container courts, and distant roaring of planes. Looking off into the sky, Conall could see the blinking lights of arriving and departing planes. Overhead, thousands of people were off to somewhere else. Off on a business trip. Off to see distant relatives. Going back home. They were free. Conall envyded their freedom. He envyed the luxury they had of being able to roam where ever they wished. The young elf, altought held by no visible bonds, lived in a prison. Seattle was to be his prison. When he had left Ulster, his father had spoken words which filled him with hope. He had spoken in a way to turn the entire thing into something akin to an adventure. To a quest.
In the first few days, when he had found himself alone, staring at the ceiling of his rotten room in his rotten motel, he had heard his father's voice echo in his head. He had repeated them over and over.
Brane Deigh saw some purpose for you there, and it should be pursued nobly.
Coming to a stop on the side of some service road, Conall slipped out of his helmet, resting his two hands on it. Closing his eyes, he let himself be carried by the feel and sound of the night's stormy wind. Taking in a few deep breaths, the air in his lungs feeling with the wet feeling of the past rain, he opened his eyes again, raising them to the sky. Off into some distance, he simply stared at the busy Sea-Tac lights; watching flights line up on runways, and push off the ground.
Someday, somewhere, someone would show on his doorstep. A familiar face. His exile would be over, and things would be allowed to go back to their rightful places. Unfortunately for him, his place, here and now, was right where he was standing. At least, he could comfort himself in knowing that he had held true to Paddy's last advice: let justice be your guide. In the next days, justice was going to be handed out, and by an O'Neill's hand.
Twin's Flat
Friday 08/15/70 21:08:57
His dirtied boots thudding loudly in the small hallway, Conall made his way toward the door, sighing lightly before pushing it open.
Friday 08/15/70 19:37:22
After dropping off Carla, Conall had nodded the woman a farewell, and driven off into the creeping. While they had driven around the barrio, it seemed to him like too many questions were starting to find their way inside his skull. Coincidences were beggining to amount too quickly, and in too great of a number. Lost in his thoughts, his body simply kept on pushing the bike faster and faster, speeding off unto the wet road, the sprawling city quickly swallowing him. Faster and faster; the bike ate more pavement, splashing puddles left and right, gracefully glinding between cars and remote operated freight trucks. All around him, the metroplexe's light danced off his black visor, flowling like water around the curves of the sleek racing bike.
The young irish didn't know exactly what was amidst, but he knew very well, all too well, that something was wrong. And it wasn't the general feeling of uneasiness this new world that swirled around him gave him... It was something else. Something much deeper he couldn't quite put his finger on. Even muffled behind the thick helmet, he could hear the rush of the wind brush by. Part of him wished ever so deeply he could feel the same wind on his face. Part of him wished he could smell the ocean just off the coast of his island. Conall had rarely felt anything akin to this uneasiness. His stomach turned over and over on itself, and a heavy lump kept blocking his throat. He was nervous. Anxious. Afraid. Maybe... He didn't quite know it himself.
It wasn't the corpse he had dismembered, that, he was sure of. The only thing that had slightly bothered him concerning the morbid affair, was that it actually didn't bother him at all. Maybe ripping the throat out of someone, while their screams echoed in a dark Belfast alley, did harden the soul to a certain extent. Maybe, when something had broken inside his sister, something had broke inside of him as well.
The whole shedim affair didn't quite bother him either. He wasn't an idiot; he knew all too well that his employer was probably hiding something. But, the young elf couldn't bring himself to actually hold a grudge against her. If Miss Johnson, or whatever her name was, had something she didn't want others to know, it was her right. Strangely, as the young shaman's thoughts drifted toward Carla, he realized she was, oddly enough, the only person he had actually “conversed� with. He had spoken with Frank many times, but never had he had an actual conversation. It was always, and only, business related. But, with Carla, it was different. Conall felt at ease. He felt confident. He trusted her with a strange trust he gave very few people. He hadn't known her for that long of a time, but her character seemed tried and true... especially for a woman who probably wasn't that much older than him. Behind his covered face, Conall laughed softly, thinking of what Declan would have been saying. Especially about older women. Damn did he miss the bastard. The new world he had stepped in made him wish there was someone to watch his back, and fight side by side with him. Someone who could take care of Etain if anything ever happened to him.
Around him, the small housing projects of the barrio had been replaced by the high fences of cargo container courts, and distant roaring of planes. Looking off into the sky, Conall could see the blinking lights of arriving and departing planes. Overhead, thousands of people were off to somewhere else. Off on a business trip. Off to see distant relatives. Going back home. They were free. Conall envyded their freedom. He envyed the luxury they had of being able to roam where ever they wished. The young elf, altought held by no visible bonds, lived in a prison. Seattle was to be his prison. When he had left Ulster, his father had spoken words which filled him with hope. He had spoken in a way to turn the entire thing into something akin to an adventure. To a quest.
In the first few days, when he had found himself alone, staring at the ceiling of his rotten room in his rotten motel, he had heard his father's voice echo in his head. He had repeated them over and over.
Brane Deigh saw some purpose for you there, and it should be pursued nobly.
Coming to a stop on the side of some service road, Conall slipped out of his helmet, resting his two hands on it. Closing his eyes, he let himself be carried by the feel and sound of the night's stormy wind. Taking in a few deep breaths, the air in his lungs feeling with the wet feeling of the past rain, he opened his eyes again, raising them to the sky. Off into some distance, he simply stared at the busy Sea-Tac lights; watching flights line up on runways, and push off the ground.
Someday, somewhere, someone would show on his doorstep. A familiar face. His exile would be over, and things would be allowed to go back to their rightful places. Unfortunately for him, his place, here and now, was right where he was standing. At least, he could comfort himself in knowing that he had held true to Paddy's last advice: let justice be your guide. In the next days, justice was going to be handed out, and by an O'Neill's hand.
Twin's Flat
Friday 08/15/70 21:08:57
His dirtied boots thudding loudly in the small hallway, Conall made his way toward the door, sighing lightly before pushing it open.
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 12:41:40
Krait – Team Meeting
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (Signal 1), Moai offline
As the ugly metahuman vanished in the bathroom, the more attractive one casually searched the basement for wireless bugs, waving his hand with the captured radio signal scanner around, as much to test the device, as to double-check that there were no more unknown active tags and sensors. After giving the whole room and equipment a rough once over, he gave the ruined bike another close look, thinking about how long it would take him, to remove the vehicles central node, without doing any other damage to the scrap parts that were the Los Locos´ to claim. When the ork returned, the elf answered to his request.
Frank: “I guess, you could find some at the ‘grocery store’ – left hand down the street, then second road left. I´m not sure that´s a good idea, however. We are on good terms with the Locos and the locals seem to mind their own business, but a huge stranger in bloodstained cloths is bound to turn some heads in the middle of the day. We are supposed to conduct our work as low key, as possible and Ms Johnson also has to uphold an image in this community. Maybe it´s better, if the others bring along something for you. They should arrive before too long, I can give them a call and relay what you need!�
Saturday 08/16/70 12:41:40
Krait – Team Meeting
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (Signal 1), Moai offline
As the ugly metahuman vanished in the bathroom, the more attractive one casually searched the basement for wireless bugs, waving his hand with the captured radio signal scanner around, as much to test the device, as to double-check that there were no more unknown active tags and sensors. After giving the whole room and equipment a rough once over, he gave the ruined bike another close look, thinking about how long it would take him, to remove the vehicles central node, without doing any other damage to the scrap parts that were the Los Locos´ to claim. When the ork returned, the elf answered to his request.
Frank: “I guess, you could find some at the ‘grocery store’ – left hand down the street, then second road left. I´m not sure that´s a good idea, however. We are on good terms with the Locos and the locals seem to mind their own business, but a huge stranger in bloodstained cloths is bound to turn some heads in the middle of the day. We are supposed to conduct our work as low key, as possible and Ms Johnson also has to uphold an image in this community. Maybe it´s better, if the others bring along something for you. They should arrive before too long, I can give them a call and relay what you need!�
Los Locos' Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 12:42:00
Jack "You make a good point Frank. Now dat you're here I won't be as bored. Kinda gettin' cabin fever, ya know.
Could ya have one a dem pick up a shirt XXL and pants 40/34? I'll pay 'em back when they get here.
I'll start washing da blood offa dis jacket, best I can.
He dug in his grocery sacks for a roll of paper towels and went back to the bathroom to work on the jacket.
Saturday 08/16/70 12:42:00
Jack "You make a good point Frank. Now dat you're here I won't be as bored. Kinda gettin' cabin fever, ya know.
Could ya have one a dem pick up a shirt XXL and pants 40/34? I'll pay 'em back when they get here.
I'll start washing da blood offa dis jacket, best I can.
He dug in his grocery sacks for a roll of paper towels and went back to the bathroom to work on the jacket.
Los Locos´ Basement, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Friday 08/15/70 13:08:12
The tossing back and forth of testosterone-laden veiled insults was enough to temporarily distract Etain from the disappointment of the Trog they called Jack not carrying anything heavier than perhaps an aspirin. She frowned at her brother’s constant jabs towards Jack’s race. While she was hardly above the fray when it came to racial hierarchy, she at least carried herself with a bit more tolerance than her slightly elder brother.
Frank of course had to get his two nuyen in before the matter seemed to be tabled and the good Sister had returned with apparent goods in tow. It was inevitable that the conversation in the room became much less about jovial volleys of insults and much more cold and down to business, Carla mentioned the body again, something Etain had done well to forget about, and her blood ran cold.
The chilled feeling was only reinforced when her brother suggested she disappear for a while before she see something she would likely never forget. The words even while wrapped in the beauty of traditional Elven tongue did little to cast her concerns aside. Watching her brother unpack the things Carla had retrieved for him with meticulous and military precision confirmed to her she wanted no part of what was likely to happen next. Without meaning to she glanced over sideways towards where the body was chained to the pipes and she had to choke down the bile that rose in her throat as she made a bee-line to and out the door of the basement hideout.
The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Friday 08/15/70 15:47:51
Once outside the basement and back up on the street level, she flattened herself against the wall and drew a slow succession of deep breaths as she closed her eyes. The latter move was what tripped the full on panic. Behind her closed lids flashed images that were still to raw, to real to handle. The smell of a temperate evening mixed with rotting garbage and the pungent scent of the Belfast canals filled her nostrils. The longer she stood there with her eyes closed, the more intense the scents became until the insides of her mouth and nose were coated with the thick, iron-filled, metallic richness of blood. She was transported back, just a mere three weeks ago, to that darkened alley where her life changed in an instant. Back to where her life was stolen from her. Back to broken and bloody, brutality. Back to where her brother sat in the middle of the carnage, decorated in the blood of three different men.
Her eyes snapped open and before she could stop herself she emptied the limited contents of her stomach onto the sidewalk. She heaved until she choked, nothing left inside of her to come out yet she still could smell the blood. Perhaps it was truly the scents that weren’t covered by a mask of cigarette smoke coming from the basement below but it rooted her back in the Belfast alley the longer she stood there. Something primal inside of her took over, her fight-or-flight response kicking in as she chose flight and headed in one direction without thought or care as fast as her feet would carry her.
She ran through the Barrio, down twisting streets and dead-ending alleys, until she could no longer breathe. Her face was stained with tears she didn’t even remember shedding and her throat was raw from choking screams she didn’t remember hearing. She slowed herself to a stumbling pace before she collapsed onto a crumbling stoop of a building and put her head in her hands. She had been fooling herself for the last three weeks. She was far from strong, far from “okay� by any definition of the word. She felt defeated. Right now the only thing that could soothe her was something that in reality contributed to her downward spiral. A hit of Bliss or Nova would take the edge off, would stop the memories from tearing her apart.
Trying to calm herself down enough to actually try to seek out someone who could help her get the fix she was in desperate need of, she took the time to look around her and tried to make heads or tails of just where she had ended up. The Barrio was a small and otherwise ugly place when you had all of the Tir to compare it to. Perhaps to some who simply had a roof over their heads it was like the Taj Mahal but to Etain it was lifeless, cold and empty.
In the Barrio it was obvious Los Locos ran the show. Whether it was because she was an Elf, because her brother and her had been seen in the neighborhood for a while now or even if Sister Carmen had brought it to the attention of the gangers, no one seemed willing to sell Etain her fix no matter who she approached. She was in such bad shape she couldn’t even manage to will someone to “help� her with the aid of Moon Maiden. Defeated she continued to walk the streets of the Barrio, hoping to cross paths with someone who would help her in her plight as she made her way back towards the Church and the twin’s apartment.
Twin’s Flat
Friday 08/15/70 18:09:13
By the time she walked the narrow hallway and the door to the tiny apartment she now called home had come into view she had given up counting all the times she had struck out trying to score. She fumbled for a key to let her inside before slipping into the apartment and locking the door once again behind her. Her fingers trembled as she slid out of the jacket she had been wearing and she began taking stock of what was inside the apartment. Truth be told there was very little. Carla had led a simple life and therefore there weren’t too many items or things to rifle through, but Etain was growing more desperate by the second. Need gripped her in a way she had never felt before, her mind was acutely focused on one thing and one thing only and that was getting high as soon as possible. She needed the escape and escape would bring her the peace she so desperately sought.
Knowing Carla’s position at the church she started to wonder if by chance the woman would have had a stash of drugs or other pharmaceuticals stashed in the apartment. It wasn’t long before she was ripping open drawers and dumping them out onto the floors of the apartment, tearing open cabinets and sweeping out their contents with one long graceful arm and descending to her knees to dig through her bounty only to continually end up empty handed. As her search went on, her thoughts became more and more delusional, convinced her brother had found her stash and hid it from her she tore through what little articles of clothing and personal effects he had carried with him from the Tir. She was in a near manic state at this point, her attention focusing on one item after another, tearing things apart with her fingers looking for some hidden content that would never materialize.
She tore through her bag, turning it completely inside out and ripping open zippers and pockets before shaking the entire thing upside down as if her life depended on it. Perhaps her sanity did. She begged and pleaded with whomever was listening for help. Not help to beat her addiction, no she was asking for help for another fix. Fortunately for her someone was listening. With one final shake of her bag her prize fell to the floor with a flutter. There atop a t-shirt and a container of crisps was a small baggie filled with a shimmering white powder. Her last of a set of gifts from Tuesday. She snatched up the bag and held it in her hand so tightly it nearly burst from the pressure. She shook from the excitement and exhaustion that wracked her body. It wasn’t long before the murky depths of Seattle were washing away in brilliant shimmering waves of light and her spirits lifted as quickly as a bird flying across glittering waters. She leaned back against the wall, a smile slowly forming on her full lips as her eyes started to glaze over. It wasn’t long before she started to slide down the wall to the floor, eyes closed and her hand still clinging tightly to that little plastic bag which now only contained residue…
Twin’s Flat
Friday 08/15/70 21:09:13
There were soft-felled footsteps outside the door, but Etain didn’t hear them. As the door opened slowly and with a pause, the light from the hallway cast a narrow band of illumination into the otherwise darkened room. In that thin swath of light clothes could be seen strewn around the room and for a moment Conall could almost swear he was stepping through the heavy wood doors into his sister’s room back in the Tir. That was until he could see all the other items strewn across the floor as well; drawers had been upended, their contents strewn about the room, various foodstuffs had been flung from their cabinets and made their beds upon papers and bottles and personal effects of the twins as well as the apartment’s previous owner.
Conall’s heart skipped a beat as he kicked in the door, a sense of panic mixed with fear washing over him as he saw the chaos that had become the apartment. It wasn’t till he flipped on the lights that his heart started to slow. There curled up on the floor, atop of the mess of clothes and other items at the end of bed laid the mirror image of his face in feminine form, completely oblivious to his entrance or the fear that gripped his heart.
Friday 08/15/70 13:08:12
The tossing back and forth of testosterone-laden veiled insults was enough to temporarily distract Etain from the disappointment of the Trog they called Jack not carrying anything heavier than perhaps an aspirin. She frowned at her brother’s constant jabs towards Jack’s race. While she was hardly above the fray when it came to racial hierarchy, she at least carried herself with a bit more tolerance than her slightly elder brother.
Frank of course had to get his two nuyen in before the matter seemed to be tabled and the good Sister had returned with apparent goods in tow. It was inevitable that the conversation in the room became much less about jovial volleys of insults and much more cold and down to business, Carla mentioned the body again, something Etain had done well to forget about, and her blood ran cold.
The chilled feeling was only reinforced when her brother suggested she disappear for a while before she see something she would likely never forget. The words even while wrapped in the beauty of traditional Elven tongue did little to cast her concerns aside. Watching her brother unpack the things Carla had retrieved for him with meticulous and military precision confirmed to her she wanted no part of what was likely to happen next. Without meaning to she glanced over sideways towards where the body was chained to the pipes and she had to choke down the bile that rose in her throat as she made a bee-line to and out the door of the basement hideout.
The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Friday 08/15/70 15:47:51
Once outside the basement and back up on the street level, she flattened herself against the wall and drew a slow succession of deep breaths as she closed her eyes. The latter move was what tripped the full on panic. Behind her closed lids flashed images that were still to raw, to real to handle. The smell of a temperate evening mixed with rotting garbage and the pungent scent of the Belfast canals filled her nostrils. The longer she stood there with her eyes closed, the more intense the scents became until the insides of her mouth and nose were coated with the thick, iron-filled, metallic richness of blood. She was transported back, just a mere three weeks ago, to that darkened alley where her life changed in an instant. Back to where her life was stolen from her. Back to broken and bloody, brutality. Back to where her brother sat in the middle of the carnage, decorated in the blood of three different men.
Her eyes snapped open and before she could stop herself she emptied the limited contents of her stomach onto the sidewalk. She heaved until she choked, nothing left inside of her to come out yet she still could smell the blood. Perhaps it was truly the scents that weren’t covered by a mask of cigarette smoke coming from the basement below but it rooted her back in the Belfast alley the longer she stood there. Something primal inside of her took over, her fight-or-flight response kicking in as she chose flight and headed in one direction without thought or care as fast as her feet would carry her.
She ran through the Barrio, down twisting streets and dead-ending alleys, until she could no longer breathe. Her face was stained with tears she didn’t even remember shedding and her throat was raw from choking screams she didn’t remember hearing. She slowed herself to a stumbling pace before she collapsed onto a crumbling stoop of a building and put her head in her hands. She had been fooling herself for the last three weeks. She was far from strong, far from “okay� by any definition of the word. She felt defeated. Right now the only thing that could soothe her was something that in reality contributed to her downward spiral. A hit of Bliss or Nova would take the edge off, would stop the memories from tearing her apart.
Trying to calm herself down enough to actually try to seek out someone who could help her get the fix she was in desperate need of, she took the time to look around her and tried to make heads or tails of just where she had ended up. The Barrio was a small and otherwise ugly place when you had all of the Tir to compare it to. Perhaps to some who simply had a roof over their heads it was like the Taj Mahal but to Etain it was lifeless, cold and empty.
In the Barrio it was obvious Los Locos ran the show. Whether it was because she was an Elf, because her brother and her had been seen in the neighborhood for a while now or even if Sister Carmen had brought it to the attention of the gangers, no one seemed willing to sell Etain her fix no matter who she approached. She was in such bad shape she couldn’t even manage to will someone to “help� her with the aid of Moon Maiden. Defeated she continued to walk the streets of the Barrio, hoping to cross paths with someone who would help her in her plight as she made her way back towards the Church and the twin’s apartment.
Twin’s Flat
Friday 08/15/70 18:09:13
By the time she walked the narrow hallway and the door to the tiny apartment she now called home had come into view she had given up counting all the times she had struck out trying to score. She fumbled for a key to let her inside before slipping into the apartment and locking the door once again behind her. Her fingers trembled as she slid out of the jacket she had been wearing and she began taking stock of what was inside the apartment. Truth be told there was very little. Carla had led a simple life and therefore there weren’t too many items or things to rifle through, but Etain was growing more desperate by the second. Need gripped her in a way she had never felt before, her mind was acutely focused on one thing and one thing only and that was getting high as soon as possible. She needed the escape and escape would bring her the peace she so desperately sought.
Knowing Carla’s position at the church she started to wonder if by chance the woman would have had a stash of drugs or other pharmaceuticals stashed in the apartment. It wasn’t long before she was ripping open drawers and dumping them out onto the floors of the apartment, tearing open cabinets and sweeping out their contents with one long graceful arm and descending to her knees to dig through her bounty only to continually end up empty handed. As her search went on, her thoughts became more and more delusional, convinced her brother had found her stash and hid it from her she tore through what little articles of clothing and personal effects he had carried with him from the Tir. She was in a near manic state at this point, her attention focusing on one item after another, tearing things apart with her fingers looking for some hidden content that would never materialize.
She tore through her bag, turning it completely inside out and ripping open zippers and pockets before shaking the entire thing upside down as if her life depended on it. Perhaps her sanity did. She begged and pleaded with whomever was listening for help. Not help to beat her addiction, no she was asking for help for another fix. Fortunately for her someone was listening. With one final shake of her bag her prize fell to the floor with a flutter. There atop a t-shirt and a container of crisps was a small baggie filled with a shimmering white powder. Her last of a set of gifts from Tuesday. She snatched up the bag and held it in her hand so tightly it nearly burst from the pressure. She shook from the excitement and exhaustion that wracked her body. It wasn’t long before the murky depths of Seattle were washing away in brilliant shimmering waves of light and her spirits lifted as quickly as a bird flying across glittering waters. She leaned back against the wall, a smile slowly forming on her full lips as her eyes started to glaze over. It wasn’t long before she started to slide down the wall to the floor, eyes closed and her hand still clinging tightly to that little plastic bag which now only contained residue…
Twin’s Flat
Friday 08/15/70 21:09:13
There were soft-felled footsteps outside the door, but Etain didn’t hear them. As the door opened slowly and with a pause, the light from the hallway cast a narrow band of illumination into the otherwise darkened room. In that thin swath of light clothes could be seen strewn around the room and for a moment Conall could almost swear he was stepping through the heavy wood doors into his sister’s room back in the Tir. That was until he could see all the other items strewn across the floor as well; drawers had been upended, their contents strewn about the room, various foodstuffs had been flung from their cabinets and made their beds upon papers and bottles and personal effects of the twins as well as the apartment’s previous owner.
Conall’s heart skipped a beat as he kicked in the door, a sense of panic mixed with fear washing over him as he saw the chaos that had become the apartment. It wasn’t till he flipped on the lights that his heart started to slow. There curled up on the floor, atop of the mess of clothes and other items at the end of bed laid the mirror image of his face in feminine form, completely oblivious to his entrance or the fear that gripped his heart.
Belinda's Flat
Saturday 08/16/70 08:45:05
"Buenos dias, Senorita," Carla answered, "I have a package from, um," Carla suddenly realized that she didn't know which alias Belinda knew Krait by. Heck, she didn't even know if Belinda had ever (knowingly) seen Krait. "A package was left for you at the church. Were you expecting anything?"
Saturday 08/16/70 08:45:05
"Buenos dias, Senorita," Carla answered, "I have a package from, um," Carla suddenly realized that she didn't know which alias Belinda knew Krait by. Heck, she didn't even know if Belinda had ever (knowingly) seen Krait. "A package was left for you at the church. Were you expecting anything?"
Belinda's Flat
Saturday 08/16/70 08:45:05
"Not from the church," the girl replied.
"Hmm, perhaps it's a token from a secret admirer," Carla teased as she handed over the slim package. "Well, I have to get back to work; enjoy your day, Senorita."
Carla had turned around and taken a few steps down the road when Belinda called for her to wait a moment. "I've been hearing some gossip about you," she said. "People say you're not spending as much time at the clinic as you used to; they say you're either with those strange elves, running around town like a busy body, or you're no where to be found."
"Things should be back to normal very soon."
"But people say you used to spend the entire day at the clinic. You working on something new, Dona Carmen?."
Carla brainstormed for an excuse. "Those 'strange elves' you refer to are friends of mine from out of town. Out of the continent, in fact. I asked the padres for permission to take some time off while I help them settle in and find a place to live....who did you hear this gossip from?"
"Oh, you know," Belinda answered coyly, "just some people."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Esmeralda's Flat
Saturday 08/16/70 012:50:05
Not expecting Don Ricardo's delivery until the afternoon, Carla decided to spend her morning hours at the clinic. Part of her decision was a reaction to what Belinda had told her, but for the most part, she was working there because she felt a duty to do so. Not a duty to cure sick people, per se, but a duty to serve the community; although Don Ricardo and her grandmother were largely responsible for her survival thus far, Carla couldn't have made it this long in the shadows if the barrio's residents hadn't been so accomodating to her. And even if the residents were just taking orders from Don Ricardo to be nice to her, well, she still owed them for their cooperation. Working in the clinic was the least she could do in return.
Shortly after noon, Carla excused herself from her duties in order to receive Don Ricardo's delivery. Don Ricardo had never specified where he would send the goods; Esmeralda's flat? Carla's flat? The church? Well, probably not there. In any case, Carla headed to Esmeralda's so she could shower off the stench of the clinic. Upon entering the living room, however, she was greeted by the sight of a number of large duffel-bags.
One@Team: I'll meet you all in the basement in 10 minutes.
Saturday 08/16/70 08:45:05
"Not from the church," the girl replied.
"Hmm, perhaps it's a token from a secret admirer," Carla teased as she handed over the slim package. "Well, I have to get back to work; enjoy your day, Senorita."
Carla had turned around and taken a few steps down the road when Belinda called for her to wait a moment. "I've been hearing some gossip about you," she said. "People say you're not spending as much time at the clinic as you used to; they say you're either with those strange elves, running around town like a busy body, or you're no where to be found."
"Things should be back to normal very soon."
"But people say you used to spend the entire day at the clinic. You working on something new, Dona Carmen?."
Carla brainstormed for an excuse. "Those 'strange elves' you refer to are friends of mine from out of town. Out of the continent, in fact. I asked the padres for permission to take some time off while I help them settle in and find a place to live....who did you hear this gossip from?"
"Oh, you know," Belinda answered coyly, "just some people."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Esmeralda's Flat
Saturday 08/16/70 012:50:05
Not expecting Don Ricardo's delivery until the afternoon, Carla decided to spend her morning hours at the clinic. Part of her decision was a reaction to what Belinda had told her, but for the most part, she was working there because she felt a duty to do so. Not a duty to cure sick people, per se, but a duty to serve the community; although Don Ricardo and her grandmother were largely responsible for her survival thus far, Carla couldn't have made it this long in the shadows if the barrio's residents hadn't been so accomodating to her. And even if the residents were just taking orders from Don Ricardo to be nice to her, well, she still owed them for their cooperation. Working in the clinic was the least she could do in return.
Shortly after noon, Carla excused herself from her duties in order to receive Don Ricardo's delivery. Don Ricardo had never specified where he would send the goods; Esmeralda's flat? Carla's flat? The church? Well, probably not there. In any case, Carla headed to Esmeralda's so she could shower off the stench of the clinic. Upon entering the living room, however, she was greeted by the sight of a number of large duffel-bags.
One@Team: I'll meet you all in the basement in 10 minutes.
Twin’s Flat
Friday 08/15/70 18:09:13
It felt as if all of his warm blood had suddently retreated from his body. The air inside his lung felt stale and raw, the inside of his mouth completely dried up. For an instant, Conall felt as if the world had simply turned up side down, and he was dangling right over the abyss.
He stood amongst a mess that echoed parts of their former life, not knowing what to do or what to say. Not knowing if he was supposed to say or do anything. He had been trained and prepared to face countless trials... and he had faced them. But this; this he had never prepared for. Watching his sister a few steps away, sunken inside her very own blissful world, Conall felt powerless. He crossed over, sitting down quietly beside his twin, and pulling her head into his lap. It was all his fault. All of it. He had failed to protect her from a predator when it had first approached her. He had failed when he had let his own feelings cloud his jugement. He should have been there, day in, day out, no matter what choice Etain had done. Instead, out of misplaced anger, he had abandonned her, allowing Patrick to get closer and closer to her hearth. And then, he had miserably failed when she had been attacked by the very threat he had decided to ignore. He hadn't been there when what he loved the most had been destroyed. And now, because of his inaction, because of his temper and cowardice, she had been ripped away from the life she had been destined to. Because of what he hadn't been able to do, Etain had followed him straight to Seattle, and slipped into the city's pugnant mess.
He felt her stir in her half sleep. She turned her face upwards toward his, batting her eyes slowly as if in a daze. She smiled genuinely at him, her hand coming to to his cheek. Conall had a hard time swallowing, as he felt the brim of his eyes swell up. He had been so blind... so blind to all the damage he had caused. The rough hand he ran through her soft hair was shaking.
“Hey sis...� whispered Conall his voice shaking like it never had.
Conall had no idea how he was going to fix the mess he had caused, but by Wolf he was going to...
Friday 08/15/70 18:09:13
It felt as if all of his warm blood had suddently retreated from his body. The air inside his lung felt stale and raw, the inside of his mouth completely dried up. For an instant, Conall felt as if the world had simply turned up side down, and he was dangling right over the abyss.
He stood amongst a mess that echoed parts of their former life, not knowing what to do or what to say. Not knowing if he was supposed to say or do anything. He had been trained and prepared to face countless trials... and he had faced them. But this; this he had never prepared for. Watching his sister a few steps away, sunken inside her very own blissful world, Conall felt powerless. He crossed over, sitting down quietly beside his twin, and pulling her head into his lap. It was all his fault. All of it. He had failed to protect her from a predator when it had first approached her. He had failed when he had let his own feelings cloud his jugement. He should have been there, day in, day out, no matter what choice Etain had done. Instead, out of misplaced anger, he had abandonned her, allowing Patrick to get closer and closer to her hearth. And then, he had miserably failed when she had been attacked by the very threat he had decided to ignore. He hadn't been there when what he loved the most had been destroyed. And now, because of his inaction, because of his temper and cowardice, she had been ripped away from the life she had been destined to. Because of what he hadn't been able to do, Etain had followed him straight to Seattle, and slipped into the city's pugnant mess.
He felt her stir in her half sleep. She turned her face upwards toward his, batting her eyes slowly as if in a daze. She smiled genuinely at him, her hand coming to to his cheek. Conall had a hard time swallowing, as he felt the brim of his eyes swell up. He had been so blind... so blind to all the damage he had caused. The rough hand he ran through her soft hair was shaking.
“Hey sis...� whispered Conall his voice shaking like it never had.
Conall had no idea how he was going to fix the mess he had caused, but by Wolf he was going to...
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 12:57:28
Krait – Team Meeting
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (Signal 1), Moai offline
John knew as much about Automotive Mechanics as the regular pencil-pusher, which was almost nothing at all – his Hardware Softs didn´t really help, either. However, taking the thing apart –at least enough to get to the electronic dog-brain- without causing any damage, couldn´t be that hard, as long as he didn´t have to put it back together. On the other hand, the vehicle was badly mangled, which could complicate things. Maybe it was easier to wait for the gangers to start their work.
Turning his thoughts on other things, he picked up the AR Glasses and zapped through the eastern action trids he had put on it for Jack, before he´d whip the storage again, and quickly recognized that the ork was right about their entertainment value. Next time he would spend a few minutes to compile a more decent collection, instead of just dumping some free source archive. While he skipped through the low to medium quality flicks, he compiled a quick run-down of his latest findings for his team-mates, and a message containing the ork´s needs.
Frank: “I´ll send a request. 40/34 pants, XXL shirt, A´ight!�
Just, as he was about to mentally hit the send-icon, he received a text-message from Ms Johnson.
One@Team [12:50:05, 16.08.70] <<I'll meet you all in the basement in 10 minutes.>>
Two@One [12:50:07, 16.08.70] <<Could you please bring along some clothes for our friend or ask the others to do so? Shirt XXL, pant-size 40/34. Anything reasonably clean will do – refund on arrival.>>
Frank: “So, you like photography?�
Saturday 08/16/70 12:57:28
Krait – Team Meeting
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (Signal 1), Moai offline
John knew as much about Automotive Mechanics as the regular pencil-pusher, which was almost nothing at all – his Hardware Softs didn´t really help, either. However, taking the thing apart –at least enough to get to the electronic dog-brain- without causing any damage, couldn´t be that hard, as long as he didn´t have to put it back together. On the other hand, the vehicle was badly mangled, which could complicate things. Maybe it was easier to wait for the gangers to start their work.
Turning his thoughts on other things, he picked up the AR Glasses and zapped through the eastern action trids he had put on it for Jack, before he´d whip the storage again, and quickly recognized that the ork was right about their entertainment value. Next time he would spend a few minutes to compile a more decent collection, instead of just dumping some free source archive. While he skipped through the low to medium quality flicks, he compiled a quick run-down of his latest findings for his team-mates, and a message containing the ork´s needs.
Frank: “I´ll send a request. 40/34 pants, XXL shirt, A´ight!�
Just, as he was about to mentally hit the send-icon, he received a text-message from Ms Johnson.
One@Team [12:50:05, 16.08.70] <<I'll meet you all in the basement in 10 minutes.>>
Two@One [12:50:07, 16.08.70] <<Could you please bring along some clothes for our friend or ask the others to do so? Shirt XXL, pant-size 40/34. Anything reasonably clean will do – refund on arrival.>>
Frank: “So, you like photography?�
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 12:59:00
Jack: "Kind of. I been a lot a places and most folks don't believe me. I don't look like a world traveller, ya know? So if I tell somebody I been ta Berlin and they don't believe me, I show them da pics. I try ta make sure I'm in one so they know it ain't fake. Course these days you can fake damn near anything if ya got da skills. Not dat anybody would seriously think I had da skills for dat kinda work, ya know?
It also helps my memory to look back at da pics. My old line a work can turn into a blur of airports and hotels and meeting rooms. Frag, if I had a nuyen for every dive bar I had ta stand around in and look tough, I'd be a considerably richer ork.
Saturday 08/16/70 12:59:00
Jack: "Kind of. I been a lot a places and most folks don't believe me. I don't look like a world traveller, ya know? So if I tell somebody I been ta Berlin and they don't believe me, I show them da pics. I try ta make sure I'm in one so they know it ain't fake. Course these days you can fake damn near anything if ya got da skills. Not dat anybody would seriously think I had da skills for dat kinda work, ya know?
It also helps my memory to look back at da pics. My old line a work can turn into a blur of airports and hotels and meeting rooms. Frag, if I had a nuyen for every dive bar I had ta stand around in and look tough, I'd be a considerably richer ork.
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:00:00
"I come bearing gifts," Carla said, lugging two large duffel bags over her shoulders and dropping them onto the bed. "Make sure you got what you asked for," she told Krait, gesturing to the bags.
"Unfortunately, I don't have any clothes that will fit you, Mr. Jack. But Ayrin knows a magic trick for modifying clothing; doesn't she, Krait?"
Saturday 08/16/70 13:00:00
"I come bearing gifts," Carla said, lugging two large duffel bags over her shoulders and dropping them onto the bed. "Make sure you got what you asked for," she told Krait, gesturing to the bags.
"Unfortunately, I don't have any clothes that will fit you, Mr. Jack. But Ayrin knows a magic trick for modifying clothing; doesn't she, Krait?"
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:02:59
Krait – Team Meeting
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (Signal 1), Moai offline
Frank: “I see. Ever been to Seattle before?�
The technician answered to the former bodyguard, before his ears picked up some heavy footsteps outside and he motioned the ork to keep quiet and take up a defensive position, just as he did. When a heavily laden Ms Johnson entered, he took the second to cast a good look at her aand listen for any other sounds outside, before he stepped forward to help her with the bags. Immediately following her request to check the gear, he carefully opened the bags and started to sort through the contents, checking the presence and quality of all requested items and the amount of ammo provided, meanwhile answering to her question.
Frank: “Yes, I guess she could help out with that problem given sufficient material to work with.�
He started to investigate the optical chips he had found and analyzed the programs they held, then went on to put the non-linear junction detector to use in tandem with the radio-signal scanner, to find any bugs or RFID tags, first on the new gear, then on the scavenged goods. He subjected the tag eraser to a test, by whipping out a packaging RFID from the groceries.
Frank: “Looks like everything has been included, except the Shin-Hyung. I have dug up some new information that may shed some light at the unusual frequency and quality of shedim incidents we had to deal with, though the link to Sister Esmeralda is still vague at best.�
Inwardly, the former corporate power-player cringed a bit at the thought that he might well have been able to get even more useful equipment from Dona Carmen´s mysterious backer, if he hadn´t confined his list of requests to the most pressing items.
Saturday 08/16/70 13:02:59
Krait – Team Meeting
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (Signal 1), Moai offline
Frank: “I see. Ever been to Seattle before?�
The technician answered to the former bodyguard, before his ears picked up some heavy footsteps outside and he motioned the ork to keep quiet and take up a defensive position, just as he did. When a heavily laden Ms Johnson entered, he took the second to cast a good look at her aand listen for any other sounds outside, before he stepped forward to help her with the bags. Immediately following her request to check the gear, he carefully opened the bags and started to sort through the contents, checking the presence and quality of all requested items and the amount of ammo provided, meanwhile answering to her question.
Frank: “Yes, I guess she could help out with that problem given sufficient material to work with.�
He started to investigate the optical chips he had found and analyzed the programs they held, then went on to put the non-linear junction detector to use in tandem with the radio-signal scanner, to find any bugs or RFID tags, first on the new gear, then on the scavenged goods. He subjected the tag eraser to a test, by whipping out a packaging RFID from the groceries.
Frank: “Looks like everything has been included, except the Shin-Hyung. I have dug up some new information that may shed some light at the unusual frequency and quality of shedim incidents we had to deal with, though the link to Sister Esmeralda is still vague at best.�
Inwardly, the former corporate power-player cringed a bit at the thought that he might well have been able to get even more useful equipment from Dona Carmen´s mysterious backer, if he hadn´t confined his list of requests to the most pressing items.
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:03:30
A few minutes earlier, upon arriving at the hideout, Carla had been surprised to find a van parked near the entrance. No one on the team owned a van, so Carla could only assume that the van belonged to visitors. And unexpected visitors were usually not good news for Carla. She had stopped for a moment to peek inside the front window to see if she could notice anything unusual inside, but the front of the van's interior was surprisingly clean and empty. A blip on her AR display distracted Carla from her an investigation, however, and Carla paused to read the new message when she realized it was from Don Ricardo.
<<This has obviously developed into much more than a simple manhunt, and a laborer is worthy of his hire. As I suggested earlier, you would do well to be sure your henchmen know that this delivery constitutes payment in full for the remainder of this mission - a mission that should be seen to its end, for I am not a man to shortchange. But in the end, how you deal with them is up to you.>>
Getting a hunch where the van came from, Carla picked up her bags and took them to the other side of the van where she could get a bit more privacy. She unzipped the first duffel and rummaged around for a minute, finding nothing but strange-looking weapons and equipment she hardly recognized. She then unzipped the second duffel and, as she had expected, found what looked like an automotive passcode inside; Carla typed it into the rear door of the van, and the sound of a heavy lock unlatching confirmed her suspicion that the van was now hers.
Taking a moment to peek inside the rear, Carla learned that the van was not in fact empty at all. And as both a daughter and a sister to mages, it did not take Carla long to recognize the boxes full of equipment were materials for building a force lodge.
Damn, Carla thought, He really delivers. Carla wrote a quick response to Don Ricardo:
<<You are exceedingly generous. Next time we speak, we will be reunited with our sister.>>
Carla wasn't all that worried about the altered payment; Paddy and Ayrin weren't getting cash anyway, so they weren't a problem. Jack had signed on for 2,000 nuyen, which was only half the worth of the the materials Carla had bought herself. That left most of Don Ricardo's "donation" to cover Krait's payment, which was certainly more than enough. And even if Krait didn't want to keep the equipment, certainly he was the kind of guy who knew how to make a buck off of it. Of course, the only person left getting screwed was Carla herself, but deep down inside, Carla didn't expect to survive this game much longer. Realistically, there was no way she was ever going to save up thousands of nuyen to pay off the Black Cat and get this spell lifted off of her. There was no point to keeping grand, long-range goals or plans in a place like this. For now, all Carla was concerned about was finishing this job.
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Frank: “Looks like everything has been included, except the Shin-Hyung. I have dug up some new information that may shed some light at the unusual frequency and quality of shedim incidents we had to deal with, though the link to Sister Esmeralda is still vague at best.�
"Stop," Carla told Krait. "We need to renegotiate your compensation; the funds for these materials came out of the cash prize for finding Esmeralda, which means you won't be receiving any more money at the end of the mission. The equipment itself is now your reward."
"I've already made separate arangements with Paddy and his sister, so that leaves much of the equipment in yours and Jack's hands to keep. Of course, I realize that the present value of the equipment is not likely to be the same as the value of the equipment after we're through using it, so this leaves you some uncertainty regarding just how much you stand to profit from this job."
"Now, I understand that this isn't what we initially agreed upon, and I can perfectly understand why you might consider just walking away from the job at this point, but you should know that our...benefactor would not have invested in this equipment if he doubted you would see the job through to the end. And given the kind of weapons he has access to, I think you can imagine why he is not the type of man you would want to cross."
"On the other hand, should you stick around and complete the job successfully, you will undoubtedly have impressed a very powerful man - in both your professional and personal virtue. I cannot put a precise monetary value on that bonus, but I hope you do take it into consideration before making any rash judgments."
"So what do you stay? Are you still in?"
Saturday 08/16/70 13:03:30
A few minutes earlier, upon arriving at the hideout, Carla had been surprised to find a van parked near the entrance. No one on the team owned a van, so Carla could only assume that the van belonged to visitors. And unexpected visitors were usually not good news for Carla. She had stopped for a moment to peek inside the front window to see if she could notice anything unusual inside, but the front of the van's interior was surprisingly clean and empty. A blip on her AR display distracted Carla from her an investigation, however, and Carla paused to read the new message when she realized it was from Don Ricardo.
<<This has obviously developed into much more than a simple manhunt, and a laborer is worthy of his hire. As I suggested earlier, you would do well to be sure your henchmen know that this delivery constitutes payment in full for the remainder of this mission - a mission that should be seen to its end, for I am not a man to shortchange. But in the end, how you deal with them is up to you.>>
Getting a hunch where the van came from, Carla picked up her bags and took them to the other side of the van where she could get a bit more privacy. She unzipped the first duffel and rummaged around for a minute, finding nothing but strange-looking weapons and equipment she hardly recognized. She then unzipped the second duffel and, as she had expected, found what looked like an automotive passcode inside; Carla typed it into the rear door of the van, and the sound of a heavy lock unlatching confirmed her suspicion that the van was now hers.
Taking a moment to peek inside the rear, Carla learned that the van was not in fact empty at all. And as both a daughter and a sister to mages, it did not take Carla long to recognize the boxes full of equipment were materials for building a force lodge.
Damn, Carla thought, He really delivers. Carla wrote a quick response to Don Ricardo:
<<You are exceedingly generous. Next time we speak, we will be reunited with our sister.>>
Carla wasn't all that worried about the altered payment; Paddy and Ayrin weren't getting cash anyway, so they weren't a problem. Jack had signed on for 2,000 nuyen, which was only half the worth of the the materials Carla had bought herself. That left most of Don Ricardo's "donation" to cover Krait's payment, which was certainly more than enough. And even if Krait didn't want to keep the equipment, certainly he was the kind of guy who knew how to make a buck off of it. Of course, the only person left getting screwed was Carla herself, but deep down inside, Carla didn't expect to survive this game much longer. Realistically, there was no way she was ever going to save up thousands of nuyen to pay off the Black Cat and get this spell lifted off of her. There was no point to keeping grand, long-range goals or plans in a place like this. For now, all Carla was concerned about was finishing this job.
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Frank: “Looks like everything has been included, except the Shin-Hyung. I have dug up some new information that may shed some light at the unusual frequency and quality of shedim incidents we had to deal with, though the link to Sister Esmeralda is still vague at best.�
"Stop," Carla told Krait. "We need to renegotiate your compensation; the funds for these materials came out of the cash prize for finding Esmeralda, which means you won't be receiving any more money at the end of the mission. The equipment itself is now your reward."
"I've already made separate arangements with Paddy and his sister, so that leaves much of the equipment in yours and Jack's hands to keep. Of course, I realize that the present value of the equipment is not likely to be the same as the value of the equipment after we're through using it, so this leaves you some uncertainty regarding just how much you stand to profit from this job."
"Now, I understand that this isn't what we initially agreed upon, and I can perfectly understand why you might consider just walking away from the job at this point, but you should know that our...benefactor would not have invested in this equipment if he doubted you would see the job through to the end. And given the kind of weapons he has access to, I think you can imagine why he is not the type of man you would want to cross."
"On the other hand, should you stick around and complete the job successfully, you will undoubtedly have impressed a very powerful man - in both your professional and personal virtue. I cannot put a precise monetary value on that bonus, but I hope you do take it into consideration before making any rash judgments."
"So what do you stay? Are you still in?"
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:04:00
Just as Jack was about to tell Frank that yes he had been to Seattle before, on business, the elf motioned him to be quiet. He positioned himself with a clear shot at the door. The crosshairs of his smartgun aimed precisely, Jack ready to fill any hostile with APDS rounds the way he had been shot the day before only he wasn't going to let the intruder live.
Then Carla opened the door carrying two very heavy looking duffel bags. Jack relaxed and hoped the doc wouldn't be alarmed at walking into the basement to see her new employee aiming a sophisticated SMG at her. He sat down on the cot and let the others converse.
When addressed Jack answered in turn:
"So yea Frank I been ta Seattle before. Anyone in my former line a work winds up in Seattle at least once in their career. Now living here is another story. I always saw it as a kinda nice ta visit but I wouldn't want ta live here place, ya know?"
"Ya know doc, ya don't need ta call me Mr. Jack, Jack will do nicely. I ain't never had magic clothes before. Do you wash those in cold, warm or hot water?"
He then listened to the rest of the conversation play out. Then he threw in his two cents worth:
"Yea Frank, you in or out? I'm hoping in, on accounta your da type a person whose fat I like ta keep outta da fryer, ya know?"
Dat's some pretty wiz bang lookin' gear she brought here. Maybe I shoulda asked for more. Naw, best ta prove myself first. he thought.
Saturday 08/16/70 13:04:00
Just as Jack was about to tell Frank that yes he had been to Seattle before, on business, the elf motioned him to be quiet. He positioned himself with a clear shot at the door. The crosshairs of his smartgun aimed precisely, Jack ready to fill any hostile with APDS rounds the way he had been shot the day before only he wasn't going to let the intruder live.
Then Carla opened the door carrying two very heavy looking duffel bags. Jack relaxed and hoped the doc wouldn't be alarmed at walking into the basement to see her new employee aiming a sophisticated SMG at her. He sat down on the cot and let the others converse.
When addressed Jack answered in turn:
"So yea Frank I been ta Seattle before. Anyone in my former line a work winds up in Seattle at least once in their career. Now living here is another story. I always saw it as a kinda nice ta visit but I wouldn't want ta live here place, ya know?"
"Ya know doc, ya don't need ta call me Mr. Jack, Jack will do nicely. I ain't never had magic clothes before. Do you wash those in cold, warm or hot water?"
He then listened to the rest of the conversation play out. Then he threw in his two cents worth:
"Yea Frank, you in or out? I'm hoping in, on accounta your da type a person whose fat I like ta keep outta da fryer, ya know?"
Dat's some pretty wiz bang lookin' gear she brought here. Maybe I shoulda asked for more. Naw, best ta prove myself first. he thought.
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:04:00
Hands deep inside his jacket, only a few steps in front of Etain, Conall pushed the door open with his shoulder. He felt cramped all over, and could tell his general attitude was in some of its worst form. His hair seemed rougher than usual, and his eyes were definitly deeper inside their orbit. He wore dark bags under them, giving off the impression last night had been long.
“Top o' day...� he simply said, his voice sounding coarse even to his own ears.
Saturday 08/16/70 13:04:00
Hands deep inside his jacket, only a few steps in front of Etain, Conall pushed the door open with his shoulder. He felt cramped all over, and could tell his general attitude was in some of its worst form. His hair seemed rougher than usual, and his eyes were definitly deeper inside their orbit. He wore dark bags under them, giving off the impression last night had been long.
“Top o' day...� he simply said, his voice sounding coarse even to his own ears.
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:04:30
"Merry Christmas," Carla tossed Paddy the note with the van's passcode. She paused for a moment, taken aback by how exhausted he looked, but decided not to comment on it; Paddy often didn't appreciate personal inquiries. "I got you some materials to build a force lodge; do you know where you're going to set it up?"
Carla wondered what Paddy could possibly be so tired from. Shootouts and shedim brawls lasting well into the night had never left him such a mess the following morning; now she gave him a night off and he looked terrible.
"And you," Carla turned her attention to his twin. Keeping Paddy's temperament in mind, however, she decided to be a bit nicer to the elven beauty. "I mean, Ayrin; our new friend needs some clothes. Do you think you can help him out?"
Saturday 08/16/70 13:04:30
"Merry Christmas," Carla tossed Paddy the note with the van's passcode. She paused for a moment, taken aback by how exhausted he looked, but decided not to comment on it; Paddy often didn't appreciate personal inquiries. "I got you some materials to build a force lodge; do you know where you're going to set it up?"
Carla wondered what Paddy could possibly be so tired from. Shootouts and shedim brawls lasting well into the night had never left him such a mess the following morning; now she gave him a night off and he looked terrible.
"And you," Carla turned her attention to his twin. Keeping Paddy's temperament in mind, however, she decided to be a bit nicer to the elven beauty. "I mean, Ayrin; our new friend needs some clothes. Do you think you can help him out?"
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:05:11
Krait – Team Meeting
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (Signal 1), Moai offline
John did let some of his disappointment shine through, as he gauged the monetary value of the equipment. He was unsure which part of it would be his claim, but the stuff he had put on his list was probably a good guess. The stuff would cost a bit over eight-thousand all together, but the resale value was more likely less than two grand, provided some legwork would be put into finding a buyer.
Frank: “I have no intention to cross you or your backer, regardless of his resources and influence – no need to resort to veiled threats. The gear is all fine, combined with what I already received, it´s easily in the range of what we negotiated, but I have to pay bills as well and re-sale won´t net nearly as much.�
The elf´s features softened up again, after he had vented his annoyance about the alluded intimidation attempt a bit.
Frank: “However, I have been prepared for a low pay-off mission and agreed to participate on the premise, that I could make some new contacts and I´m very eager to build a reputation with the right people. So, I´ll stick with you, but I´d appreciate to meet our mysterious benefactor, when this hunt is over. I know this is not yours to decide, just give him the word.�
He gave the ork a respectful nod in response to his support, then very obviously turned his attention to the door, as he heard Paddy trot down the stairs. He lifted his chin and eyebrows slightly, in response to the combat-shamans greeting, while Ms Johnson addressed the other elf.
Saturday 08/16/70 13:05:11
Krait – Team Meeting
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (Signal 1), Moai offline
John did let some of his disappointment shine through, as he gauged the monetary value of the equipment. He was unsure which part of it would be his claim, but the stuff he had put on his list was probably a good guess. The stuff would cost a bit over eight-thousand all together, but the resale value was more likely less than two grand, provided some legwork would be put into finding a buyer.
Frank: “I have no intention to cross you or your backer, regardless of his resources and influence – no need to resort to veiled threats. The gear is all fine, combined with what I already received, it´s easily in the range of what we negotiated, but I have to pay bills as well and re-sale won´t net nearly as much.�
The elf´s features softened up again, after he had vented his annoyance about the alluded intimidation attempt a bit.
Frank: “However, I have been prepared for a low pay-off mission and agreed to participate on the premise, that I could make some new contacts and I´m very eager to build a reputation with the right people. So, I´ll stick with you, but I´d appreciate to meet our mysterious benefactor, when this hunt is over. I know this is not yours to decide, just give him the word.�
He gave the ork a respectful nod in response to his support, then very obviously turned his attention to the door, as he heard Paddy trot down the stairs. He lifted his chin and eyebrows slightly, in response to the combat-shamans greeting, while Ms Johnson addressed the other elf.
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:05:11
“Swell...� simply said Conall, taking the note from Carla's hand with little emotion, and pocketing it after a casual glance.
Taking a deep and tired breath in, the young elf rubbed the back of his neck.
"I got you some materials to build a force lodge; do you know where you're going to set it up?"
“In any wee quiet spot I can find. Which makes me think; the roof ye got me... ye'll be able to get it back soon.�
Conall gave a brief look over at the bags that were sitting on the floor next to his employer.
“Did yer mate got hold of the entire list?�
Saturday 08/16/70 13:05:11
“Swell...� simply said Conall, taking the note from Carla's hand with little emotion, and pocketing it after a casual glance.
Taking a deep and tired breath in, the young elf rubbed the back of his neck.
"I got you some materials to build a force lodge; do you know where you're going to set it up?"
“In any wee quiet spot I can find. Which makes me think; the roof ye got me... ye'll be able to get it back soon.�
Conall gave a brief look over at the bags that were sitting on the floor next to his employer.
“Did yer mate got hold of the entire list?�
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:05:11
"For the most part," Carla answered. "Now, after Frank tells us what he's learned in the past twenty-four hours, we can put together a plan and get this thing over with."
Saturday 08/16/70 13:05:11
"For the most part," Carla answered. "Now, after Frank tells us what he's learned in the past twenty-four hours, we can put together a plan and get this thing over with."
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:05:17
Etain had slunk into the basement hideout after her brother as quiet as a mouse. Her normal effervescent self was flat and heavily muted as she kept quiet and stuck to the wall just inside the doorway. Normally she would have taken affront to being called simply "you," however instead she just nodded at Carla's question even though casting any spell was about the last thing she wanted to do at the moment.
"I'll nade fabric enoof ter cover waaat needs ter be made for 'imself. sheets perhaps might work if they're available."
Her voice was soft and had a near defeated tone to it as she answered Carla's request simply enough. Her head and her heart were aching as she couldn't stop feeling this void between her and her brother growing ever larger. The morning had been brutal for her, wrapped in silence and yet full of emotions. The twins had said but a word to one another all morning but Etain hadn't needed to cast a link between her and her brother to know what was going on in his head. The emotions were written plainly on his face and could be read when she could hold his gaze; fear, disappointment and anger had now given away to guilt. No words she could speak could relieve him of that burden, it was something only time and his own heart could heal.
Saturday 08/16/70 13:05:17
Etain had slunk into the basement hideout after her brother as quiet as a mouse. Her normal effervescent self was flat and heavily muted as she kept quiet and stuck to the wall just inside the doorway. Normally she would have taken affront to being called simply "you," however instead she just nodded at Carla's question even though casting any spell was about the last thing she wanted to do at the moment.
"I'll nade fabric enoof ter cover waaat needs ter be made for 'imself. sheets perhaps might work if they're available."
Her voice was soft and had a near defeated tone to it as she answered Carla's request simply enough. Her head and her heart were aching as she couldn't stop feeling this void between her and her brother growing ever larger. The morning had been brutal for her, wrapped in silence and yet full of emotions. The twins had said but a word to one another all morning but Etain hadn't needed to cast a link between her and her brother to know what was going on in his head. The emotions were written plainly on his face and could be read when she could hold his gaze; fear, disappointment and anger had now given away to guilt. No words she could speak could relieve him of that burden, it was something only time and his own heart could heal.
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:05:20
Jack eyed the Tir elves cautiously as they arrived. They both looked like drek warmed over, though he figured he probably didn't look much better. One of the advantages of being ugly was that even if you looked terrible nobody really noticed. While for the handsome and beautiful elf twins looking terrible really stood out. He considered his words very carefully.
"Good ta see ya both." he said, nodding his head.
"I figure da sheets and blankets offa these cots should be enough for da clothes. I ain't never had magic clothes made for me by a beautiful elf. Dis will be quite a honor. I guess I'll have ta pay da gang back, ya know?"
She probably got high last night, he thought. I wonder what his problem is? Best not ta speculate, ya know?
Well, whaddaya need me to do miss Aryin?
Saturday 08/16/70 13:05:20
Jack eyed the Tir elves cautiously as they arrived. They both looked like drek warmed over, though he figured he probably didn't look much better. One of the advantages of being ugly was that even if you looked terrible nobody really noticed. While for the handsome and beautiful elf twins looking terrible really stood out. He considered his words very carefully.
"Good ta see ya both." he said, nodding his head.
"I figure da sheets and blankets offa these cots should be enough for da clothes. I ain't never had magic clothes made for me by a beautiful elf. Dis will be quite a honor. I guess I'll have ta pay da gang back, ya know?"
She probably got high last night, he thought. I wonder what his problem is? Best not ta speculate, ya know?
Well, whaddaya need me to do miss Aryin?
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:06:00
Krait – Spreading the news
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (Signal 3), Moai offline
The elf nodded to their employer, after he had plugged his custom Comlink into the wifi enabled Metalink, using the deceased hispanic´s com as a proxy, to use it´s IP, when he would start a trace on the Johnson´s comcode. Then he looked at the other elf inspecting the equipment and dropped the modified Airware next to the bag, as well as three firmware chips and handed two chips each to the two women.
Frank: “Got you some presents as well. Insert the blue chips into your com´s team-mode ports and give me the old ones. The red ones are back-ups, keep them handy at all times and insert them, when I talk about changing underware! The Sensei and the new Airware are already up to date, but keep your Metalink up to speed, as well, bro´. If you don´t mind, remove your personal stuff from it, we may need it.�
As he talked, he analyzed the new Track utility one more time before he´d start to run it and home in on the location on the Japanese com. With his Agent on the prowl, he concentrated on the collected information. He put the file he had compiled onto a credstick and let it make the round, until everyone had the data on their com.
Frank: “At the beginning of the file, you find a short news-flash and re-cap. All the details are appended!�
Saturday 08/16/70 13:06:00
Krait – Spreading the news
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (Signal 3), Moai offline
The elf nodded to their employer, after he had plugged his custom Comlink into the wifi enabled Metalink, using the deceased hispanic´s com as a proxy, to use it´s IP, when he would start a trace on the Johnson´s comcode. Then he looked at the other elf inspecting the equipment and dropped the modified Airware next to the bag, as well as three firmware chips and handed two chips each to the two women.
Frank: “Got you some presents as well. Insert the blue chips into your com´s team-mode ports and give me the old ones. The red ones are back-ups, keep them handy at all times and insert them, when I talk about changing underware! The Sensei and the new Airware are already up to date, but keep your Metalink up to speed, as well, bro´. If you don´t mind, remove your personal stuff from it, we may need it.�
As he talked, he analyzed the new Track utility one more time before he´d start to run it and home in on the location on the Japanese com. With his Agent on the prowl, he concentrated on the collected information. He put the file he had compiled onto a credstick and let it make the round, until everyone had the data on their com.
Frank: “At the beginning of the file, you find a short news-flash and re-cap. All the details are appended!�
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:07:00
Krait – Spreading the news
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (Signal 3), Moai offline
As everyone stared at their displays, John tended to his tracking attempt. He had not been sure about including the Friday-night incident at the clinic, but decided that the other teammates deserved to know and that it would possibly promt Ms Johnson to be a bit more forthcoming with information regarding the repeated shedim attacks.
>>Feb. 2070, six months ago, Dr. Hector Delarossa* arrives as the new head of research at Matsuko Precision Equipment**
[more]
>>Wednesday 3/20/70, After an extraction gone bad at Matsuko Precision Equipment** was aided by Doc Wagon, Aztechnology is rumored to have put out hits on all the surviving runners and the Doc Wagon crew, a message that was received by Doc Wagon - no more medevacs from that site. Victims were killed in a brutal street attack and also inside a Doc Wagon medical facility.
[more]
>>Thursday 3/27/70, an ambush for the Doc Waggon team is set up on Los Locos´ turf.
Media reports from that night said that the gang was implicated in the slaughter of an uptown elf woman, her baby, and a Doc Wagon Ambulance with a team of four people (wounded or slain, the reports did not say, giving the usual excuse of waiting for notification of families) several months ago, but attempts to track down the case disposition ran across a lot of Lone Star GridSec warnings. After those initial reports, there were no more - a total media blackout on the incident.
Los Locos claimed they had nothing to do with that attack, that they were framed, that the actual attackers were Aztechnology Jaguar Guards, FBI agents, a number of rival gangs, free spirits, and out of town mercs.
Sister Esmeralda provided medical aid to a critically wounded troll, even at gun-point by the Hispanic***
The troll, Warren Hollanger, was the attacks sole surviver and also survived a poisoning attempt at the DocWagon's ICU, that killed two patients from the Matsuko Precision Equipment** extraction, after which he was relocated by a friend and vanished
[picture] [more]
>> Friday 6/20/70, some sort of violent incident -possibly of a magical nature- happened at the church's clinic, but any online information about it has mostly been corrupted. There was a significant spate of funerals - twelve more than the area's weekly average - in the days following the incident.
[more]
>>Saturday 07/05/70, Esmeralda is kidnapped by Evil Jones´ and Vanity´s team after a visit to GroundZero.
[more]
>> Wednesday 8/14/70 23:04:00 On-site investigation was interrupted by a massive Shedim outbreak, apparently aimed at destroying visual evidence in Vela´s headware, a member of the HeartBreakers, showing the target´s abduction
[video1] [video2] [more]
>>Thursday 08/14/70, the effort to talk to Evil Jones at Humpty's Dump is intercepted by the Hispanic*** (which initiated another attack later that night), but still leads to the capture of Vanity and acquisition of a private comcode for a Johnson, real first name apparently Kenichi, a well-dressed Japanese guy.
[more]
>> Friday 08/15/70, Hispanic*** is possessed by some kind of shedim or similar entity, attempting to kill Ms Johnson. Translation of some expressions used by the entity provided another link to Dr. Hector Delarossa*
[audio]
Starting replay …
Jack: “Queztpactyl cacapica garthmaash revenger mecopal power POWER POWER....Whyyyyyy must you torture us you must die your light too loud what do you think why do you seek her we will use her we will tip balance o revenger of souls huetzcal yutaca eaten sucked scoured savored stripped slavered succuluent souls how long can you live not revenge but death and your own soul devoured why why why what do you want?????�
…
Jack: “Your shrieks stink in this mactactucl's ears choking on the white hate you hate hungry but its soul still bound to meat why do torment us revenger your agony will be eternal for we are only true oaxtepl.�
…
Jack: “Done nothing done nothing you seek the mixtapotl revenger lies white lies white lies kill the precursor the link the gate to feasting I will give her to you but give me this one.�
…
Jack: “I will give her to you if you slay me this mactactucl.�
…
Jack: “I would do it myself, but he is best intact. Asphyxiate him for me. I will see he does not resist. Then she shall be yours.�
…
Jack: “You presume too much, Revenger.�
…
Jack: “But perhaps there is some common ground here.�
…
Jack: “I think there are things you do not yet understand. I think it would be mutually beneficial for me to tell them to you. But they are secrets not meant for common ears. The truths would be...hard...for them. Bid your minions leave us, and I will open your eyes.�
End of replay
Queztpactyl - likely some expression of extreme fear and hatred
cacapica - expression of frustration
garthmaash - unknown - almost certainly NOT of Meso-American origin
mecopal - opposition/dichotomy/yin-yang/light-dark/juxtaposition
huetzcal yutaca - expression to bolster courage
mactactucl - vessel/intermediary (Aztlaner mages liked to use the mactactucl word when discussing those possessed by shedim)
mixtapotl - bridge
cabron - modern Spanish/Aztlaner - extremely derogatory; suggests pimping ones own wife
[more]
*Dr. Hector Delarossa, Born 2029 in Guadalajara, elite educational track, magically active and PhD in Metaplanar Physics from the Sorbonne. Entered Aztechnology after graduation. Lots of rumors about involvement with the nastier forms of magical research - blood magic and so on - most of the people posting these rumors don't understand the concepts enough to do more than wildly conjecture about the nature of the work. Officially disaffiliated with Aztechnology in '63, but that seems to be so that he can keep working for them on hidden projects like the one at Matsuki Precision Equipment.
Filed an internal Aztechnology report in 2065, suggesting that current efforts at using "magic" to harness "otherplanar forces" where not the best use of resources. His thesis was that the "current work" was focused on forces that occured too infrequently at current mana levels, and so had relatively limited potential return. He suggested that the new phenomenon known as shedim offered a much more abundant resource.
Tall, slender, pattern baldness, a monocle, and what appears to be burn scarring on his neck. No reference to any family or personal habits.
[picture]
**Matsuki Precision Equipment is a registered corporation in the Seattle Metroplex. Although far from a AAA, it enjoys extraterritorial status as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northwest Silifactate Holdings (NSH). NSH also is far too small for extraterritoriality, but it enjoys that status through ITS owner, and so on and so on through a twisted web of about thirty shell holdings spanning several continents it is finally owned by Aztechnology.
It's security is rumored to be headed by a contingent of Leopard Guards.
The place has a very bad background count.
MPE has a very small public node through which clients place orders for the microservos it produces for use in dental drills. Since the company is not publicly traded, it posts no public earnings reports. Industry figures say they have approximately 7% of the world dental drill microservo market. The product is reputed to be average at best, and the business the company still does is, upon further digging, only with other Aztechnology subsidiaries.
Unusually for such an apparently mundane company with relatively low security needs, it appears that most of its staff lives on-site, as reported to the Metroplex Housing Bureau. Exact numbers are not publicly available, but there are not many comings or goings from the place. A few staff, and an occasional truck with supplies or shipments.
The place occupies a square block of land. It is a black glass cube, with no visible external features but the front doors and a loading dock in back. It is surrounded by a manicured green lawn and a small parking area, all within a high wall. Outside the wall is more lawn and well-kept sidewalks.
***ID says Gabriel Victor, but addresses, age and all that stuff are probably fake. Payed a visit to the Aztechnology Pyramide in Seattle, not too long ago, according to soil samples from his boots. Clearly this person is regularly erased by someone with a lot of juice. Even the sec cams at the bar have been wiped clean.
[picture]
[more]
Saturday 08/16/70 13:07:00
Krait – Spreading the news
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (Signal 3), Moai offline
As everyone stared at their displays, John tended to his tracking attempt. He had not been sure about including the Friday-night incident at the clinic, but decided that the other teammates deserved to know and that it would possibly promt Ms Johnson to be a bit more forthcoming with information regarding the repeated shedim attacks.
>>Feb. 2070, six months ago, Dr. Hector Delarossa* arrives as the new head of research at Matsuko Precision Equipment**
[more]
>>Wednesday 3/20/70, After an extraction gone bad at Matsuko Precision Equipment** was aided by Doc Wagon, Aztechnology is rumored to have put out hits on all the surviving runners and the Doc Wagon crew, a message that was received by Doc Wagon - no more medevacs from that site. Victims were killed in a brutal street attack and also inside a Doc Wagon medical facility.
[more]
>>Thursday 3/27/70, an ambush for the Doc Waggon team is set up on Los Locos´ turf.
Media reports from that night said that the gang was implicated in the slaughter of an uptown elf woman, her baby, and a Doc Wagon Ambulance with a team of four people (wounded or slain, the reports did not say, giving the usual excuse of waiting for notification of families) several months ago, but attempts to track down the case disposition ran across a lot of Lone Star GridSec warnings. After those initial reports, there were no more - a total media blackout on the incident.
Los Locos claimed they had nothing to do with that attack, that they were framed, that the actual attackers were Aztechnology Jaguar Guards, FBI agents, a number of rival gangs, free spirits, and out of town mercs.
Sister Esmeralda provided medical aid to a critically wounded troll, even at gun-point by the Hispanic***
The troll, Warren Hollanger, was the attacks sole surviver and also survived a poisoning attempt at the DocWagon's ICU, that killed two patients from the Matsuko Precision Equipment** extraction, after which he was relocated by a friend and vanished
[picture] [more]
>> Friday 6/20/70, some sort of violent incident -possibly of a magical nature- happened at the church's clinic, but any online information about it has mostly been corrupted. There was a significant spate of funerals - twelve more than the area's weekly average - in the days following the incident.
[more]
>>Saturday 07/05/70, Esmeralda is kidnapped by Evil Jones´ and Vanity´s team after a visit to GroundZero.
[more]
>> Wednesday 8/14/70 23:04:00 On-site investigation was interrupted by a massive Shedim outbreak, apparently aimed at destroying visual evidence in Vela´s headware, a member of the HeartBreakers, showing the target´s abduction
[video1] [video2] [more]
>>Thursday 08/14/70, the effort to talk to Evil Jones at Humpty's Dump is intercepted by the Hispanic*** (which initiated another attack later that night), but still leads to the capture of Vanity and acquisition of a private comcode for a Johnson, real first name apparently Kenichi, a well-dressed Japanese guy.
[more]
>> Friday 08/15/70, Hispanic*** is possessed by some kind of shedim or similar entity, attempting to kill Ms Johnson. Translation of some expressions used by the entity provided another link to Dr. Hector Delarossa*
[audio]
Starting replay …
Jack: “Queztpactyl cacapica garthmaash revenger mecopal power POWER POWER....Whyyyyyy must you torture us you must die your light too loud what do you think why do you seek her we will use her we will tip balance o revenger of souls huetzcal yutaca eaten sucked scoured savored stripped slavered succuluent souls how long can you live not revenge but death and your own soul devoured why why why what do you want?????�
…
Jack: “Your shrieks stink in this mactactucl's ears choking on the white hate you hate hungry but its soul still bound to meat why do torment us revenger your agony will be eternal for we are only true oaxtepl.�
…
Jack: “Done nothing done nothing you seek the mixtapotl revenger lies white lies white lies kill the precursor the link the gate to feasting I will give her to you but give me this one.�
…
Jack: “I will give her to you if you slay me this mactactucl.�
…
Jack: “I would do it myself, but he is best intact. Asphyxiate him for me. I will see he does not resist. Then she shall be yours.�
…
Jack: “You presume too much, Revenger.�
…
Jack: “But perhaps there is some common ground here.�
…
Jack: “I think there are things you do not yet understand. I think it would be mutually beneficial for me to tell them to you. But they are secrets not meant for common ears. The truths would be...hard...for them. Bid your minions leave us, and I will open your eyes.�
End of replay
Queztpactyl - likely some expression of extreme fear and hatred
cacapica - expression of frustration
garthmaash - unknown - almost certainly NOT of Meso-American origin
mecopal - opposition/dichotomy/yin-yang/light-dark/juxtaposition
huetzcal yutaca - expression to bolster courage
mactactucl - vessel/intermediary (Aztlaner mages liked to use the mactactucl word when discussing those possessed by shedim)
mixtapotl - bridge
cabron - modern Spanish/Aztlaner - extremely derogatory; suggests pimping ones own wife
[more]
*Dr. Hector Delarossa, Born 2029 in Guadalajara, elite educational track, magically active and PhD in Metaplanar Physics from the Sorbonne. Entered Aztechnology after graduation. Lots of rumors about involvement with the nastier forms of magical research - blood magic and so on - most of the people posting these rumors don't understand the concepts enough to do more than wildly conjecture about the nature of the work. Officially disaffiliated with Aztechnology in '63, but that seems to be so that he can keep working for them on hidden projects like the one at Matsuki Precision Equipment.
Filed an internal Aztechnology report in 2065, suggesting that current efforts at using "magic" to harness "otherplanar forces" where not the best use of resources. His thesis was that the "current work" was focused on forces that occured too infrequently at current mana levels, and so had relatively limited potential return. He suggested that the new phenomenon known as shedim offered a much more abundant resource.
Tall, slender, pattern baldness, a monocle, and what appears to be burn scarring on his neck. No reference to any family or personal habits.
[picture]
**Matsuki Precision Equipment is a registered corporation in the Seattle Metroplex. Although far from a AAA, it enjoys extraterritorial status as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northwest Silifactate Holdings (NSH). NSH also is far too small for extraterritoriality, but it enjoys that status through ITS owner, and so on and so on through a twisted web of about thirty shell holdings spanning several continents it is finally owned by Aztechnology.
It's security is rumored to be headed by a contingent of Leopard Guards.
The place has a very bad background count.
MPE has a very small public node through which clients place orders for the microservos it produces for use in dental drills. Since the company is not publicly traded, it posts no public earnings reports. Industry figures say they have approximately 7% of the world dental drill microservo market. The product is reputed to be average at best, and the business the company still does is, upon further digging, only with other Aztechnology subsidiaries.
Unusually for such an apparently mundane company with relatively low security needs, it appears that most of its staff lives on-site, as reported to the Metroplex Housing Bureau. Exact numbers are not publicly available, but there are not many comings or goings from the place. A few staff, and an occasional truck with supplies or shipments.
The place occupies a square block of land. It is a black glass cube, with no visible external features but the front doors and a loading dock in back. It is surrounded by a manicured green lawn and a small parking area, all within a high wall. Outside the wall is more lawn and well-kept sidewalks.
***ID says Gabriel Victor, but addresses, age and all that stuff are probably fake. Payed a visit to the Aztechnology Pyramide in Seattle, not too long ago, according to soil samples from his boots. Clearly this person is regularly erased by someone with a lot of juice. Even the sec cams at the bar have been wiped clean.
[picture]
[more]
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:10:00
Jack slowly read the file. He was completely unfamiliar with many of the names and incidents. The two things that stood out in his mind were leopard guards and Aztechnology. He put it all together and realized that he had signed on for a counter extraction of a woman named Esmerelda.
Whether Aryin made him new clothing was now the farthest thought from his mind.
Holy frag! he thought. What a way ta start a new career.
"So Paddy, what's your take on getting dis lady outta dat cube building? We're gonna have ta bring our A game ta dis mission." He looked at Frank, "Dat's where ya figure she is right?"
Saturday 08/16/70 13:10:00
Jack slowly read the file. He was completely unfamiliar with many of the names and incidents. The two things that stood out in his mind were leopard guards and Aztechnology. He put it all together and realized that he had signed on for a counter extraction of a woman named Esmerelda.
Whether Aryin made him new clothing was now the farthest thought from his mind.
Holy frag! he thought. What a way ta start a new career.
"So Paddy, what's your take on getting dis lady outta dat cube building? We're gonna have ta bring our A game ta dis mission." He looked at Frank, "Dat's where ya figure she is right?"
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:10:20
Krait – Spreading the news
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (proxy), Metalink hidden (Signal 3), Moai offline
While his teammates where preoccupied reading, the elven technician set up Sophie on sentry in the Metalink and had her encrypt the com in a minute, armed and armored her. He also kept an unobstrusive eye on ‘Dona Carmen’, to judge her reception of the presented information.
Frank: �It´s my best guess at the moment, but that Mr Johnson may be able to enlighten us once we caught him.�
Saturday 08/16/70 13:10:20
Krait – Spreading the news
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (proxy), Metalink hidden (Signal 3), Moai offline
While his teammates where preoccupied reading, the elven technician set up Sophie on sentry in the Metalink and had her encrypt the com in a minute, armed and armored her. He also kept an unobstrusive eye on ‘Dona Carmen’, to judge her reception of the presented information.
Frank: �It´s my best guess at the moment, but that Mr Johnson may be able to enlighten us once we caught him.�
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:10:25
"This is excellent work," Carla commended Krait. "Was there any word on what was trying to be extracted from Matsuko in the first place? Do you think they were after Delarossa?"
Saturday 08/16/70 13:10:25
"This is excellent work," Carla commended Krait. "Was there any word on what was trying to be extracted from Matsuko in the first place? Do you think they were after Delarossa?"
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:10:33
Krait – Spreading the news
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John shruged his shoulders.
Krait: "No idea. All the people DocWaggon extracted have been killed, what that Team has been there to do is anyone´s guess."
Saturday 08/16/70 13:10:33
Krait – Spreading the news
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John shruged his shoulders.
Krait: "No idea. All the people DocWaggon extracted have been killed, what that Team has been there to do is anyone´s guess."
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:10:25
"They were all killed except for that Hollanger fellow - unless you were using 'vanished' as a euphemism for 'deceased.'"
Carla pondered allowed. "The shedim said we might share some common interests. Perhaps Delarossa's conducting some experiments that the shedim aren't too fond of...perhaps they'd be willing to help us get inside that glass fortress."
Saturday 08/16/70 13:10:25
"They were all killed except for that Hollanger fellow - unless you were using 'vanished' as a euphemism for 'deceased.'"
Carla pondered allowed. "The shedim said we might share some common interests. Perhaps Delarossa's conducting some experiments that the shedim aren't too fond of...perhaps they'd be willing to help us get inside that glass fortress."
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:11:00
Krait – Spreading the news
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The elf´s features darkened considderably - this 'nun' was discomfortingly willing to deal with the devil...
Krait: "Perhaps that thing WAS Delarossa! You have read about Ibn Eisa, haven´t you? In any case, I don´t think It can be trusted to uphold it´s side of a deal."
Saturday 08/16/70 13:11:00
Krait – Spreading the news
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The elf´s features darkened considderably - this 'nun' was discomfortingly willing to deal with the devil...
Krait: "Perhaps that thing WAS Delarossa! You have read about Ibn Eisa, haven´t you? In any case, I don´t think It can be trusted to uphold it´s side of a deal."
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:11:00
Etain swallowed hard as she watched the videos and read the information that Frank had gathered for them. She was in way over her head and by the looks of things they all were, including her brother as well. As the rest of the group started talking about strategies of how to rescue the missing nun, she kept herself quiet as she tried to instead focus on the immediate task at hand, getting Jack some new clothes.
“Please stan' up for me, oi canny chucker dis witcha sittin' down.�
She got to work draping the various sheets around his large waist and then struggling to get another blanket around his shoulders. Once the material was in place, she gently took Jack’s free hand and placed it where she needed his help holding the material. She started to ask a question but stopped herself short, realizing there wasn’t any point in asking the Ork just how he’d like his clothes styled. Instead she’d just draw from the people she had seen over the past few days for inspiration, a mix of ganger and dockworker would likely suit him just fine in the immediate future. Besides she couldn’t actually armor any of the clothing or truly change it’s value in any way beyond it’s appearance.
She drew a deep breath, almost as if to center herself, before a rush of softly spoken and beautiful words tumbled from her full, but chapped lips. Sperethiel seemed so out of place and disturbingly beautiful in a dirty and foul-smelling basement such as this.
Incredibly as sure as she stood before Jack, her slender fingers lightly gripping the blanket around his shoulders the fabric started to come alive. Its texture changed slightly from a rough woolen blend to an almost cotton type feel. It no longer draped over Jack’s shoulders as much as it started to stretch and contract around the large man as if it was hugging him. Soon the blanket was gone and he was left wearing what appeared to be a well-worn and perfect fitting sweater in a drab olive-grey color. Satisfied with the result she moved her hand and let it rest gently on Jack’s hip as she got to work on the pair of pants. Again the words spilled from her lips and while the result was a successful reproduction of a pair of heavy-weight canvas-like black cargo pants, they didn’t have the same fit and finesse that the sweater had, perhaps something distracted Etain while she was casting and thinking about their appearance. They weren’t runway-perfect, but in the barrio of Seattle, they’d do.
“'Ope dat 'elps yer oyt big guy. they'll stay loike dat forever nigh, naw worries aboyt gettin' caught oyt an' aboyt wearin' only scratcher clothes.�
She flashed him a slight smile and as quickly as it appeared it was gone and she had turned all her attention back to the commlink she withdrew from her pocket as she moved back towards one wall of the room.
Saturday 08/16/70 13:11:00
Etain swallowed hard as she watched the videos and read the information that Frank had gathered for them. She was in way over her head and by the looks of things they all were, including her brother as well. As the rest of the group started talking about strategies of how to rescue the missing nun, she kept herself quiet as she tried to instead focus on the immediate task at hand, getting Jack some new clothes.
“Please stan' up for me, oi canny chucker dis witcha sittin' down.�
She got to work draping the various sheets around his large waist and then struggling to get another blanket around his shoulders. Once the material was in place, she gently took Jack’s free hand and placed it where she needed his help holding the material. She started to ask a question but stopped herself short, realizing there wasn’t any point in asking the Ork just how he’d like his clothes styled. Instead she’d just draw from the people she had seen over the past few days for inspiration, a mix of ganger and dockworker would likely suit him just fine in the immediate future. Besides she couldn’t actually armor any of the clothing or truly change it’s value in any way beyond it’s appearance.
She drew a deep breath, almost as if to center herself, before a rush of softly spoken and beautiful words tumbled from her full, but chapped lips. Sperethiel seemed so out of place and disturbingly beautiful in a dirty and foul-smelling basement such as this.
Incredibly as sure as she stood before Jack, her slender fingers lightly gripping the blanket around his shoulders the fabric started to come alive. Its texture changed slightly from a rough woolen blend to an almost cotton type feel. It no longer draped over Jack’s shoulders as much as it started to stretch and contract around the large man as if it was hugging him. Soon the blanket was gone and he was left wearing what appeared to be a well-worn and perfect fitting sweater in a drab olive-grey color. Satisfied with the result she moved her hand and let it rest gently on Jack’s hip as she got to work on the pair of pants. Again the words spilled from her lips and while the result was a successful reproduction of a pair of heavy-weight canvas-like black cargo pants, they didn’t have the same fit and finesse that the sweater had, perhaps something distracted Etain while she was casting and thinking about their appearance. They weren’t runway-perfect, but in the barrio of Seattle, they’d do.
“'Ope dat 'elps yer oyt big guy. they'll stay loike dat forever nigh, naw worries aboyt gettin' caught oyt an' aboyt wearin' only scratcher clothes.�
She flashed him a slight smile and as quickly as it appeared it was gone and she had turned all her attention back to the commlink she withdrew from her pocket as she moved back towards one wall of the room.
[Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:00
Krait – Spreading the news
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Careful, to let everyone have the opportunity to speak their mind about the idea, the elf waited a bit, and judged his teammates reactions, before he threw another question into the round. In his former life as a lawyer, John had struck deals with his share of human monsters when it appeared to be the lesser evil, but he had no intention to ad these decidedly inhuman abominations to his list of allies.
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:00
Krait – Spreading the news
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Careful, to let everyone have the opportunity to speak their mind about the idea, the elf waited a bit, and judged his teammates reactions, before he threw another question into the round. In his former life as a lawyer, John had struck deals with his share of human monsters when it appeared to be the lesser evil, but he had no intention to ad these decidedly inhuman abominations to his list of allies.
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:10:25
"It was just a thought," Carla clarified, "I just figured that, as long as we're going to keep running into these things, we might as well try to take advantage of them somehow."
"Anyway, what else do we know about Kenichi? Are we going after some kind of kingpin here, or is he relatively small-time?"
Saturday 08/16/70 13:10:25
"It was just a thought," Carla clarified, "I just figured that, as long as we're going to keep running into these things, we might as well try to take advantage of them somehow."
"Anyway, what else do we know about Kenichi? Are we going after some kind of kingpin here, or is he relatively small-time?"
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:10:25
"It was just a thought," Carla clarified, "I just figured that, as long as we're going to keep running into these things, we might as well try to take advantage of them somehow."
"Anyway, what else do we know about Kenichi? Are we going after some kind of kingpin here, or is he relatively small-time?"
Saturday 08/16/70 13:10:25
"It was just a thought," Carla clarified, "I just figured that, as long as we're going to keep running into these things, we might as well try to take advantage of them somehow."
"Anyway, what else do we know about Kenichi? Are we going after some kind of kingpin here, or is he relatively small-time?"
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:15
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Frank: "I´d be all ears for ideas to play these things against our opposition, where we can´t avoid their involvement. I just don´t think we can strike a deal with them and end up on top. How do you all feel about it?"
His eyes wandered along the line of teammates, from Paddy, whose oppinion he was most interested in, to Jack, where it lingered a bit, to evaluate Ayrin´s work and finally -with a soft smile of appreciation- to the elven girl, that was seemingly taking herself out of the conversation.
Not to let Ms Johnson´s question unanswered, he quickly added.
Frank: "Concerning the Johnson, we don´t know much, except that V judged him professional and had worked for him on several occasions, otherwise we only have a description of his car and face -which she was sure, wasn´t his real one- and of course the name and node."
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:15
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Frank: "I´d be all ears for ideas to play these things against our opposition, where we can´t avoid their involvement. I just don´t think we can strike a deal with them and end up on top. How do you all feel about it?"
His eyes wandered along the line of teammates, from Paddy, whose oppinion he was most interested in, to Jack, where it lingered a bit, to evaluate Ayrin´s work and finally -with a soft smile of appreciation- to the elven girl, that was seemingly taking herself out of the conversation.
Not to let Ms Johnson´s question unanswered, he quickly added.
Frank: "Concerning the Johnson, we don´t know much, except that V judged him professional and had worked for him on several occasions, otherwise we only have a description of his car and face -which she was sure, wasn´t his real one- and of course the name and node."
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:18
"I'm much obliged Miss Aryin," Jack said, in a horrible imitation of John Wayne. "These will do nicely."
He did a couple of jumping jacks, some windmills, then dropped to the floor for 25 push ups. Upon standing again he said, "Yea, these will do quite nicely. Thank you very much."
Adressing the rest of the team, "I gotta tell ya, I don't think creepy spirit things make good allies, especially if dey was tryin' ta kill us yesterday. But hey, dat's just my opinion. What do I know about magic, ya know?"
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:18
QUOTE (Vegas @ Feb 3 2009, 09:33 AM) 
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:11:00
“'Ope dat 'elps yer oyt big guy. they'll stay loike dat forever nigh, naw worries aboyt gettin' caught oyt an' aboyt wearin' only scratcher clothes.�
Saturday 08/16/70 13:11:00
“'Ope dat 'elps yer oyt big guy. they'll stay loike dat forever nigh, naw worries aboyt gettin' caught oyt an' aboyt wearin' only scratcher clothes.�
"I'm much obliged Miss Aryin," Jack said, in a horrible imitation of John Wayne. "These will do nicely."
He did a couple of jumping jacks, some windmills, then dropped to the floor for 25 push ups. Upon standing again he said, "Yea, these will do quite nicely. Thank you very much."
Adressing the rest of the team, "I gotta tell ya, I don't think creepy spirit things make good allies, especially if dey was tryin' ta kill us yesterday. But hey, dat's just my opinion. What do I know about magic, ya know?"
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:21
Jack continued thinking out loud.
"Maybe we should track done this Kenichi guy and find out what he really knows." he said with a toothy grin.
"I'm just da dumb ork with a gun, ya know?" he said looking in turn at Carla, Frank, and Paddy, "but now dat I'm up and able we should maybe get started for real. I like gettin' more info, let's bag Kenichi."
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:21
Jack continued thinking out loud.
"Maybe we should track done this Kenichi guy and find out what he really knows." he said with a toothy grin.
"I'm just da dumb ork with a gun, ya know?" he said looking in turn at Carla, Frank, and Paddy, "but now dat I'm up and able we should maybe get started for real. I like gettin' more info, let's bag Kenichi."
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:30
Krait – Spreading the news
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Frank: “Agreed. I´m tracking the com and could access it, but thought it would be more wise, to not do so, until we have cornered our target, to give no advance warning and lose our only way to find it.�
While they discussed their next steps, John asked Sophie to hard-encrypt his Metalink proxy with a processing-interval of ten minutes and added the same task to his other agent, to secure the custom comlink in the same way, as the tracking was compleated.
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:30
Krait – Spreading the news
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Frank: “Agreed. I´m tracking the com and could access it, but thought it would be more wise, to not do so, until we have cornered our target, to give no advance warning and lose our only way to find it.�
While they discussed their next steps, John asked Sophie to hard-encrypt his Metalink proxy with a processing-interval of ten minutes and added the same task to his other agent, to secure the custom comlink in the same way, as the tracking was compleated.
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:45
"Good," Carla said, "I'm going to take a step outside; let me know when you've found something, Frank." She opened up the door and signaled to the twins. "Would you both mind joining me for a moment?"
Once they had some privacy, Carla looked them both squarely in the eyes, one after another. "What's the matter with you two? You were perfectly fine when you dropped me off last night, Paddy. Now you both look like crap."
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:45
"Good," Carla said, "I'm going to take a step outside; let me know when you've found something, Frank." She opened up the door and signaled to the twins. "Would you both mind joining me for a moment?"
Once they had some privacy, Carla looked them both squarely in the eyes, one after another. "What's the matter with you two? You were perfectly fine when you dropped me off last night, Paddy. Now you both look like crap."
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:45
While Frank and their boss were busy discussing the finer details of what was to come, Conall busyed himself scrolling through all the collected data. He knew most of what had happened quite well... even tho most of the things about the troll and DocWagon was somewhat new to him. But then again, he had never paid “that� much attention to what Frank had been saying before.
When Jack pointed out he was a dumb ork with a gun, Conall actually smiled, agreeing with the statement whole heartedly.
It wasn't until Carla asked him outside, with Etain, that the young shaman lifted his eyes from his commlink. He took a deep breath in, trying his very best not to sigh.
Once they had some privacy, Carla looked them both squarely in the eyes, one after another. "What's the matter with you two? You were perfectly fine when you dropped me off last night, Paddy. Now you both look like crap."
Looking briefly up and down the street, doing his best to avoid his employer's eyes, Conall gave a quick sniff.
“Thats quite a call on our looks yer makin'.�
He tilted his head to the side slowly, making something in his neck pop loudly.
“Loud neighbors.� was all he said after a few seconds of silence.
The young elf's attention finally drifted back to Carla, as he tried to stand a little bit straighter.
"Don't ye worry about our wee state mam'. Looks might lack, but we'll still perform as we should."
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:45
While Frank and their boss were busy discussing the finer details of what was to come, Conall busyed himself scrolling through all the collected data. He knew most of what had happened quite well... even tho most of the things about the troll and DocWagon was somewhat new to him. But then again, he had never paid “that� much attention to what Frank had been saying before.
When Jack pointed out he was a dumb ork with a gun, Conall actually smiled, agreeing with the statement whole heartedly.
It wasn't until Carla asked him outside, with Etain, that the young shaman lifted his eyes from his commlink. He took a deep breath in, trying his very best not to sigh.
Once they had some privacy, Carla looked them both squarely in the eyes, one after another. "What's the matter with you two? You were perfectly fine when you dropped me off last night, Paddy. Now you both look like crap."
Looking briefly up and down the street, doing his best to avoid his employer's eyes, Conall gave a quick sniff.
“Thats quite a call on our looks yer makin'.�
He tilted his head to the side slowly, making something in his neck pop loudly.
“Loud neighbors.� was all he said after a few seconds of silence.
The young elf's attention finally drifted back to Carla, as he tried to stand a little bit straighter.
"Don't ye worry about our wee state mam'. Looks might lack, but we'll still perform as we should."
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:45
Carla turned her attention to Ayrin for a moment, but she doubted the loyal sibling would divulge any more information than her brother. Not being a skilled interrogator by any means, Carla knew it would be a waste of time to press any further. She changed the subject.
"Do you know what you're going to do once this job is over? I mean, it's not my business to ask, but all you're getting out of this is room and board. Do you have some place to go afterwords?"
The conversation didn't last very long. Carla wasn't quite sure what she expected to get out of the whole endeavor; maybe a little insight into two of her employees? At any rate, she let the twins to themselves on the sidewalk and returned to the basement.
"Any progress yet?" she asked the men inside.
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:45
Carla turned her attention to Ayrin for a moment, but she doubted the loyal sibling would divulge any more information than her brother. Not being a skilled interrogator by any means, Carla knew it would be a waste of time to press any further. She changed the subject.
"Do you know what you're going to do once this job is over? I mean, it's not my business to ask, but all you're getting out of this is room and board. Do you have some place to go afterwords?"
The conversation didn't last very long. Carla wasn't quite sure what she expected to get out of the whole endeavor; maybe a little insight into two of her employees? At any rate, she let the twins to themselves on the sidewalk and returned to the basement.
"Any progress yet?" she asked the men inside.
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:45
Jack watched the others after he said his piece. He was not surprised at Paddy's reaction to his self-deprecating comment. He knew the elf had no respect for him and his reaction proved it.
He liked Frank's comment about cornering the target and not giving him any warning and nodded his head yes to it.
"Good," Carla said, "I'm going to take a step outside; let me know when you've found something Frank. She opened up the door and signaled to the twins. "Would you both mind joining me for a moment?"
As the door closed, Jack looked at Frank and said, "Guess da doc don't appreciate sloppy employees, ya know?" He grinned.
Saturday 08/16/70 13:12:45
Jack watched the others after he said his piece. He was not surprised at Paddy's reaction to his self-deprecating comment. He knew the elf had no respect for him and his reaction proved it.
He liked Frank's comment about cornering the target and not giving him any warning and nodded his head yes to it.
"Good," Carla said, "I'm going to take a step outside; let me know when you've found something Frank. She opened up the door and signaled to the twins. "Would you both mind joining me for a moment?"
As the door closed, Jack looked at Frank and said, "Guess da doc don't appreciate sloppy employees, ya know?" He grinned.
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:13:20
Krait – Sniffing the trail
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When Ms Johnson lest the room with the elven siblings in tow, the tech-head did not turn down his cyberears, which were listening for approaching trouble on the outside - his eye-brow lightly furrowed, as he had another point of inquiry to make. As the ork spoke up however, he cast him a slightly concerned look. Even the self-proclaimed memory impaired metahuman would not have forgotten Ayrin´s first words to him, the night before.
Frank: “All, their business – until it interferes with our´s.�
What the fuck have you gotten yourself into here, Johnny?! Worries about undead, toxic blood-bugs swelled up in his mind again and he couldn´t stop himself to wonder, whether Thomas Dean had his part in this, but quickly buried the bout of paranoia deep inside.
Saturday 08/16/70 13:13:20
Krait – Sniffing the trail
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (proxy), Metalink hidden (Signal 3), Moai offline
When Ms Johnson lest the room with the elven siblings in tow, the tech-head did not turn down his cyberears, which were listening for approaching trouble on the outside - his eye-brow lightly furrowed, as he had another point of inquiry to make. As the ork spoke up however, he cast him a slightly concerned look. Even the self-proclaimed memory impaired metahuman would not have forgotten Ayrin´s first words to him, the night before.
Frank: “All, their business – until it interferes with our´s.�
What the fuck have you gotten yourself into here, Johnny?! Worries about undead, toxic blood-bugs swelled up in his mind again and he couldn´t stop himself to wonder, whether Thomas Dean had his part in this, but quickly buried the bout of paranoia deep inside.
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:13:21
"Yea Frank, dat's true enough." Jack replied.
Frag, he thought. Creepy undead spirits, Aztechnology, and a drug addict as a team mate. Mr. J would never let this kinda drek fly on his team. He might hire runners with these kinds a problems but he would never hire dem for his personal staff. I wonder how Mr. J is doing?
Saturday 08/16/70 13:13:21
"Yea Frank, dat's true enough." Jack replied.
Frag, he thought. Creepy undead spirits, Aztechnology, and a drug addict as a team mate. Mr. J would never let this kinda drek fly on his team. He might hire runners with these kinds a problems but he would never hire dem for his personal staff. I wonder how Mr. J is doing?
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:13:50
Krait – Sniffing the trail
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With a completed trace, John intended to monitor the nodes location and find out something about it´s surrounding, maybe even gathering some remote surveillance. As he watched the progress of his expert programs, the elf´s thought´s lingered in the past. Only when Ms Johnson re-entered the room, did his mind return to the problem at hand.
Frank: “Not running into any problems so far. There is one more thing I´d like to discuss.�
He paused for a moment, as much for dramatic effect, as to see, whether the magical siblings would join in on the meeting again.
Frank: “Do you know, what went down at the clinic on Friday, the 20th of June - could it have had anything to do with our friend´s disappearance? Maybe the troll was not the only link.�
Saturday 08/16/70 13:13:50
Krait – Sniffing the trail
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (proxy), Metalink hidden (Signal 3), Moai offline
With a completed trace, John intended to monitor the nodes location and find out something about it´s surrounding, maybe even gathering some remote surveillance. As he watched the progress of his expert programs, the elf´s thought´s lingered in the past. Only when Ms Johnson re-entered the room, did his mind return to the problem at hand.
Frank: “Not running into any problems so far. There is one more thing I´d like to discuss.�
He paused for a moment, as much for dramatic effect, as to see, whether the magical siblings would join in on the meeting again.
Frank: “Do you know, what went down at the clinic on Friday, the 20th of June - could it have had anything to do with our friend´s disappearance? Maybe the troll was not the only link.�
Los Locos Basement
Saturday 08/16/70 13:13:50
Jack, hadn't noticed the twins return but after Frank's question he too looked to see how they would react. He felt a bit lost, not being familiar with the back story.
I don't suppose any a da runners Mr. J hired had the benefit of a lot a information either. Dat's life in da shadows. he thought.
Saturday 08/16/70 13:13:50
Jack, hadn't noticed the twins return but after Frank's question he too looked to see how they would react. He felt a bit lost, not being familiar with the back story.
I don't suppose any a da runners Mr. J hired had the benefit of a lot a information either. Dat's life in da shadows. he thought.
[bLos Locos Basement[/b]
Saturday 08/16/70 13:13:50
"June 20th?" Carla hardly kept track of the date. She hardly even kept track of the days of the week. There was no point, really; every day was the same.
Of course, the only event at the clinic that could have possibly attracted Krait's attention was the one he had mentioned in his little history report; the shedim attack. Well, Krait didn't know it was a shedim attack, but Carla saw no reason to keep it from him. She had short-changed him enough as it was.
"Yes, I remember," Carla answered after a moment's recollection. "There was an automobile accident just outside the clinic that day. I don't know the particulars surrounding it - I don't know how it happened. The passengers were killed though, and their bodies were possessed by shedim spirits. They attacked the clinic and killed a number of patients inside."
"Esmeralda was there that day. I had to pry her away from one of the victims before the shedim got to Esmeralda herself. I don't think she was harmed or infected...well, I know she wasn't harmed. Whether she was secretly possessed is anybody's guess, but I have no reason to believe anything of that sort happened to her."
Unless her nocturnal activities had anything to do with it.
"In any case, we managed to gate the shedim off and destroyed them by detonating our spare oxygen tanks. We've had a strict policy of incinerating corpses ever since. And aside from yesterday's enounter, we haven't had another shedim incident in the barrio since then."
Saturday 08/16/70 13:13:50
"June 20th?" Carla hardly kept track of the date. She hardly even kept track of the days of the week. There was no point, really; every day was the same.
Of course, the only event at the clinic that could have possibly attracted Krait's attention was the one he had mentioned in his little history report; the shedim attack. Well, Krait didn't know it was a shedim attack, but Carla saw no reason to keep it from him. She had short-changed him enough as it was.
"Yes, I remember," Carla answered after a moment's recollection. "There was an automobile accident just outside the clinic that day. I don't know the particulars surrounding it - I don't know how it happened. The passengers were killed though, and their bodies were possessed by shedim spirits. They attacked the clinic and killed a number of patients inside."
"Esmeralda was there that day. I had to pry her away from one of the victims before the shedim got to Esmeralda herself. I don't think she was harmed or infected...well, I know she wasn't harmed. Whether she was secretly possessed is anybody's guess, but I have no reason to believe anything of that sort happened to her."
Unless her nocturnal activities had anything to do with it.
"In any case, we managed to gate the shedim off and destroyed them by detonating our spare oxygen tanks. We've had a strict policy of incinerating corpses ever since. And aside from yesterday's enounter, we haven't had another shedim incident in the barrio since then."
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:14:42
Krait – Sniffing the trail
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (proxy), Metalink hidden (Signal 3), Moai offline
Krait: “I see. I didn´t find any pattern connecting shedim or other magical occurrences to this neighbourhood. Still, this event suggests that the Hispanic´s presence at the Doc Waggon ambush was not the first contact of our friend with a parties involved.�
While they discussed their case, the tech-elf inspected the new gear once more, subjecting the case-less capsule and gel ammo to a MAD-scan, to confirm his hope that it did not contain any metal.
Krait: “The safe disposal of the deceased is surely a sound move. Though I thought to remember, that a traditional religious funeral was enough to ward off shedim possession, it´s probably better to be safe than sorry.�
The former corporate lawyer longed for the advice and assistance of his magical friend Manolo.
Krait: “Speaking of corpses, did your work fetch any salvage?�
Saturday 08/16/70 13:14:42
Krait – Sniffing the trail
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (proxy), Metalink hidden (Signal 3), Moai offline
Krait: “I see. I didn´t find any pattern connecting shedim or other magical occurrences to this neighbourhood. Still, this event suggests that the Hispanic´s presence at the Doc Waggon ambush was not the first contact of our friend with a parties involved.�
While they discussed their case, the tech-elf inspected the new gear once more, subjecting the case-less capsule and gel ammo to a MAD-scan, to confirm his hope that it did not contain any metal.
Krait: “The safe disposal of the deceased is surely a sound move. Though I thought to remember, that a traditional religious funeral was enough to ward off shedim possession, it´s probably better to be safe than sorry.�
The former corporate lawyer longed for the advice and assistance of his magical friend Manolo.
Krait: “Speaking of corpses, did your work fetch any salvage?�
Los Locos Basement, The Barrio
Saturday 08/16/70 13:14:45
"Oh crap," Carla answered, "I forgot about that project when I went to pick up the weapons. Paddy diced up that guy's body pretty thoroughly, so the only worthwhile parts we might get out of him are small ones. I'll give it a look nevertheless."
Naguel's remains had been left tightly packaged and wrapped-up in the corner of the basement to minimize the odor. Using the instruments from the medkit that had been left there earlier, Carla started sifting through the garbage bag specifically for any head parts, where she was most likely to find anything of value.
"This is going to smell rather unpleasant," she warned her teammates. Addressing the twins she asked, "Say, shouldn't you two start setting up that lodge of yours?"
Saturday 08/16/70 13:14:45
"Oh crap," Carla answered, "I forgot about that project when I went to pick up the weapons. Paddy diced up that guy's body pretty thoroughly, so the only worthwhile parts we might get out of him are small ones. I'll give it a look nevertheless."
Naguel's remains had been left tightly packaged and wrapped-up in the corner of the basement to minimize the odor. Using the instruments from the medkit that had been left there earlier, Carla started sifting through the garbage bag specifically for any head parts, where she was most likely to find anything of value.
"This is going to smell rather unpleasant," she warned her teammates. Addressing the twins she asked, "Say, shouldn't you two start setting up that lodge of yours?"
Temporary base of operation, The Barrio, Seattle, Sea-Tac
Saturday 08/16/70 13:14:50
Krait – Sniffing the trail
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (proxy), Metalink hidden (Signal 3), Moai offline
Krait: “Ok, then I can take this tracking safe and slow. I´ll have the first positioning in about 6 hours, unless he´s offline. It´ll take some time to profile his movements, though.�
With a sigh, the elf braced himself for another boring afternoon of watching his agents work the waves. After setting up his spy-cam, he turned the air-freshener up a bit and lay down, shutting out all physical senses, except the audio-feed from his ears and the cam´s life stream.
Saturday 08/16/70 13:14:50
Krait – Sniffing the trail
PAN Icon offline, Custom hidden (proxy), Metalink hidden (Signal 3), Moai offline
Krait: “Ok, then I can take this tracking safe and slow. I´ll have the first positioning in about 6 hours, unless he´s offline. It´ll take some time to profile his movements, though.�
With a sigh, the elf braced himself for another boring afternoon of watching his agents work the waves. After setting up his spy-cam, he turned the air-freshener up a bit and lay down, shutting out all physical senses, except the audio-feed from his ears and the cam´s life stream.
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