Dual:

Bubbles

approx 3:00 PM Wednesday, March 5th, 2070. Seattle, Impish Delights, Early Afternoon. Cool and Overcast

A troll enters the room, in contrast to the bouncer by the door, she seems small. More then size differentiates the two of them, her outfit is a four color Dazzle pattern camouflage jumpsuit in Glowing Puce Green, Violent Magenta, Tokyo Neon Yellow, and California Blazing Orange, which contrasts with the plain black pants and white shirt of the bouncer. Her clear plastic slip on shoes expose colorful painted toe nails with moving graphics, and she chews rapidly on something as she scans the room.

After a tap or two of her feet in time with the music she walks in time to the beat to the one of the occupied back tables where she grabs a nearby chair and seats herself across from the man with a half eaten sandwich and blows and pops a bubble gum bubble.

@Anyone at the table


The troll grins displaying her rather large teeth.

Dual

Snapp takes a look at the sign and considers for a second keeping his coat. It's only a piece of cloth.

Shrugging out of his long coat, Snapp inquires of the bouncer in the white shirt, "Has Dirty Jimmy arrived yet?"

Snapp

Dual

Dual

Dual

Snapp


Snapp, once inside

Dual

Giving the doorman one last smile, Snapp strides over to the man eating the sandwhich.

(Anyone that can overhear me)

Wednesday, March 5th, 12:50

Quickly grabbing his jacket and taser, Spook heads out the door and off to the meet, running to catch the bus just as it pulls up.

He waits impatiently as the bus system takes him to his destination...

Wednesday, March 5th, 2:30 PM

As he steps off, the bus, Spook approaches the club, trying to look like he's not in a hurry. Once he gets to the door, he readily pays the entrance fee, and sets up a pending transaction to the bouncer for 50

"I was wondering if you could do me a favor... I have a business meeting with a man who goes by the name Dirty Jimmy at 3:00. If you could be so kind as to let me know when he is ready to meet, and where the meeting is, i would greatly appreciate that... or is that a problem?"

Codger walks over to the bar and orders a whiskey, which turns out to be moderately good. He surveys the crowd while sipping the drink, playing a private game of 'spot the Johnson' he does before every meet.

Obviously not any of the stage girls. Not the construction worker, not the huge one, not the Asians. Probably not the snappy dresser, or the one with the umbrella drink- neither seem likely candidates for the name 'Dirty Jimmy'. That leaves the blonde and the sammich eater. Even money says that-

His train of thought is scattered by the plumage of the kaleidoscopic miniature troll that breezes in the door.

Jesus Herbert Walker Christ on a fraggin' trapoline. A "shadowrunner"- too out-of-place to be anything else. And here I thought Yao was joking when he told me I'd be 'babysitting cybered-up teenagers'! She's going to ruin my fun, too- altogether too obvious to have done anything but up and ask the management where the Johnson is. Yup...yup...making a beeline to sammich-guy. He was my first choice all along.

Finishing the whiskey with a gulp and a grimace, Codger pays for the drink and sits down at Dirty Jimmy's table.

"I hear you need some business done?"

Dual

Jaid

Everyone sitting down with Jimmy

Spook shrugs and says "Well, if you don't need it, i guess i can find a use for it. Thank you kindly for your help."

As he heads in, Spook keeps his jacket on -- it may be warm in there, but at least if the taser is hidden underneath it, people can *pretend* he's not armed. He also does a quick sweep of the people on the floor to check if any of them are armed, or look like they might either be there to cause trouble at the meet or as backup for the Johnson. He also sets his earbuds to scan for anyone using his name.

can't be too careful without my armor here

Making his way over to the table where the man with the sandwich is sitting, he politely nods his head and says "Good afternoon, sir. You must be Dirty Jimmy. I am called Spook, and I believe we have an appointment in about half an hour, but the doorman said i may as well ust join you now... if that's alright with you, that is."

Dual

Dual stands up as Carolyn leaves, and after watching her walk away he turns and heads towards Dirty Jimmy's table with a smile on his face.

As he approaches, he sees two other people already sitting there, next to the man with the sandwich, and begins looking everyone over - attempting to be a little more discreet than he was with Carolyn. When he gets to the table, he looks at Dirty Jimmy and nods, "Call me Dual." Without saying anythign else he takes a seat. As he does, he seems distracted by something near the entrance - a flashy female troll strutting into the room. Under his breath, but loud enough that the rest of the table can hear, Dual mutters, "You have got to be kidding me...."

As she heads over to the table, Dual keeps his eyes trained on her, but quickly flicks them to the older man who had begun following her.

Wendesday, March 5th. Impish Delights, Renton, Seattle. Just after 3pm. Overcast and cold outside, warm and music with a heavy bass beat inside.


Dirty Jimmy has, by this time, finished his sandwich, and the plate has been taken up by the dark haired waitress. He straightens in his booth seat, smoothes his jacket, and then leans back again slouching into almost the same position as before all this straightening and smoothing, with his hand slung over the back of the booth.

Dirty Jimmy looks around the group, eyeing each of you as he speaks in his heavy “new Bronx” accent. “So, you all are the. . .” he pauses as his eyes rest on Bubbles. *pop* He frowns slightly, and quickly turns to the next in line “talent that the various n sundry fixers I contacted found. It looks like I’s got what I was lookin’ for; a good mix of experience and new talent. You new guys are important, because the job I’s got in mind requires something more than, well more than the type of response I’d be expecting from hardened street professionals. That’s not to say I don’t expect you to be. . .” again his gaze falls on the brightly colored troll, who gives him a toothy troll grin. “ah, professionals. It’s jus that this job has a bit more of, ah, what would you call it? A human element to it, ya know?”

Jimmy’s face wrinkles up slightly, as if he isn’t quite satisfied with this explanation. “Maybe I’d jus better get to the job and that’ll explain it better. I can talk to you about it before you agree, see, ‘cause what I’m asking isn’t even technically illegal or nothin’. It’s . . . well. . . “Jimmy looks very uncomfortable with this situation. A squeamish Johnson? This must be a first. “What I needs” he says, regaining his resolve at the expense of a heavier accent “is for you to keep my Aunt from getting geeked.”

“Now, I know even that’s gonna leave you with a lot of questions, foremost is who’s try’n ta geek ‘er. Well, I’ll tell ya that answer’s gonna leave ya wit more questions still. See, the guy who I want you to protect her from first is a guy by the name of Doc Severinsen. He’s a real Doc, sorta, ‘least as near as I can figure. But he’s not the ‘set my leg’ type a’ doctor. He’s a local, ah, what do the trids call it? Kavorkian. Death doc, one of those who comes in on his high and mighty horse ranting about relieving suffering, then offs yer family sure as a Yak hit squad. And, Doc Severinsen’s got a contract out on, er, business arrangement, wit Ida – that’s my aunt.”

“So, ah, here’s what I need, what’s I’ll be pay’n ya for.” Jimmy continues, still somewhat uncomfortably. You definitely get the impression he’s not comfortable with talking about his family problems to strangers. “First, I need you to make sure Ida and this so-called Doc never meet. My sources have worked out that he’s supposed to do what he does tomorrow afternoon.” Jimmy looks around, trying to gauge everyone’s reactions before continuing. “Next, I need you all to get her to a real doctor; maybe get this mess straightened out. I’ve found one that I trust – and that’s a rare thing – that’ll take her in Saturday morning. ‘Course, Ida really believes this whole mess, and if I thought she’d want to get to a different doc, I wouldn’t need you guys. But she’s got this notion in her Sicilian head, and there ain’t no changin’ it.”

Dirty Jimmy hunches over the table, and puts his palms flat. His face has a very ‘down to business’ look on it. “Now, I know you’s got to have a pile of questions, and thas’ good. Ask enough questions, and there won’t be any screwups. And I’m sure you can see I don’t want no screwups when family’s on the line. So, le’s have ‘em.” he says, thumping his open palms on the table.

Dual brings up a calendar in his field of vision. Wednesday. Today is a Wednesday, so she's supposed to meet her "doctor" tomarrow - Thursday. We gotta keep her safe until Saterday. That's three days of babysitting some Geriatric, with a bunch of people I've never met. Dual's face scrunches up a bit as he thinks about this.

"What's she got?" He asks, just before anyone else was about to speak. "Er, if you rather, what does she think shes got?" Dual imagined horrible scenes of changing some old lady's diapers, or having to push her to the getaway car in a wheelchair.

"Also, most importantly, what sort of... 'reimbursment' are you offering for a 3-day job?"

Bubbles chews rapidly, pauses, opens her mouth as if to speak, her brow wrinkles and she looks away briefly before resuming just looking at whomever happens to be speaking. From under the table the mild tapping of her feet on the ground to the sound of the beat can be felt.

Knuckles said I look smarter if I keep my mouth shut. Just let these old folks talk. Knuckles said the old ones are the ones that have survived, they all mean and nasty, so don't make them feel bad. Wonder if it's makeup makes that guy look old, like a disguise or something. What's this, there's a doctor that goes around killing people!? They have an oath to help people, he's an oathbreaker! He deserves what we are going to end up doing to him.

Sounds a bit boring watching the aunt, unless it's like that sim where we got to watch, but not let them know we are watching, like replacing all the neighbors and not letting her know we are there. Be a lot more fun we don't let her know we her guardian angels.

Keep watching, let's see how all these old folks help each other out here.

One day for legwork. Three days of babysitting. With what.... a playboy that chases strippers, a senior citizen, a teeny-bopper bullet magnet, and one that looks ok.

Listening to Dual speak, Snapp thinks to himself, At least the playboy has some brains.

"Mr. Jimmy, one day is fairly short notice. We'll need all the information you have on this doctor Severinsen. Where is his office? Is he meeting your Aunt there or somewhere else? Who does doctor Severinsen work for?

Also, about the doc you would like us to take your Aunt to... Who is the good doctor, and where would we be meeting him to drop off your Aunt?"

Dual nods in Snapp's direction as he brings up some other good questions. For a second he though the troll girl was about to ask something, but it looked as though she thought better of it. Probably for the best, thought Dual. His experience has always been that elves made better 'faces' than trolls. If this was an established group, like the kinds he usually runs with, he'd have expected the group to meet beforehand and discuss who would talk to the Johnson, and who would keep their mouths shut and look tough. Dual has played both of those roles before, but his sharp mind and quick wit usually hindered him as much as it helped. Still, he liked to get his two-nuyen in when it was time to ask questions, and he fully expected this group of total strangers to feel the same way.

Dual imagined, for a second, Dirty Jimmy becoming overwhelmed by questions from all directions. These Shadowrunners were probably used to working alone, have never worked before, or are all that's left of another team that fucked up so bad they got wiped. In either case, Dual didn't feel like he could trust anyone else at the table - neither to ask the right questions, nor to possess the skills necessary to get this job done right. He also knew they probably all felt the same way about him. This was going to be messy. Without making a very unprofessional scene in front of the Johnson, they would all just have to go with their guts, and get to know one another later. One day until the job isn't a lot of time to get to know your team.

Not wanting to look too eager about this job until he hears some more of the details he gives the Johnson a moment to address the questions already posed - but in his mind, he was already quickly forming a laundry list of things he'd want spelled out. He would have to trim them down if everyone wanted a chance to speak - but otherwise, he felt more than confidant in this mission, and was already beginning to form a few plans. The thought suddenly occured to him that everyone at the table would have to "buy in" individually, since no one can speak for the whole team. That's going to make planning anything hard until we see who's up for it, and what we have to work with. Damn, this is easier with a real team.

While waiting for Dirty Jimmy to respond, Dual took a moment to look around the table at who he would be potentially working with....

(Most of his thoughts are hidden as spoilers since they would be giving away OOC information about equipment. I could care less if people want to read them, but to be fair to everyone, I thought I would tag them. Feel free to read your own section at least, if you think you might get a kick out of hearing what Dual thinks)

First, there was the elf. He looked respectable - perhaps a bit bland, but, in this buisness, a lot of times, that is good.

Sitting beside him was a human, dressed buisness casual.

Then there was the old man. Dual has never been great at guessing people's ages - and he suspected that Shadowrunning would make someone appear older, but Dual would guess this guy was about twice his age. Great, maybe him and Aunt Jimmy will hit it off. His silent joke didn't make him feel a lot better, Dual's idea of his life as a Shadowrunner being glamorous, dangerous, and exciting was quickly turning into a bad sim-plot.

Last, there was the troll. Oh god, the troll. On the surface, Dual didn't want anything to do with her. When she came in, and half the room turned to look at her, red lights were flashing all over in his mind.

The man who came to the table last is the first to ask a question. “What’s she got?” repeats Jimmy, almost muttering. "Auto-cardio-immuno-neuro something or another. I gotta admit, medic’n just ain’t my field, and she only told me th’ once. But it doesn’t matter what she thinks she’s got so much as what this new doc says, once yous get her to him. Whatever it is, I can’t imagine it’s as serious as what-all she makes it to be. She seemed fine when I visited her last week, but she always hated showing anything that made her seem weak - which is why I never imagined her giv’n up the fight. Still, as her family, you’d think I’d know, eh?” Jimmy suddenly slaps the table, and leans back. “Look at what a mess this is. Here I am, rambling about family stuff to strangers. But this thing’s really got me a mess, ya know?”

“As for payment, well, I suppose we ought to get that over up front, eh? Okay, here’s what I was thinkin’. . .” Jimmy launches into what seems a somewhat practiced negotiation, which side-tracks other discussion for a good five minutes. You quickly find that the so-far mild-seeming, polite elf is a skilled negotiator, deflecting would-be advances with polite and complimentary rebuttals and dominating the conversation with a genuine magnetism. It seems the best course of action to just let him negotiate the salaries of the whole group – if you decide to accept, which still remains to be seen.

*gamemaster’s note: I’ll post these results after the negotiation test.*

After negotiations, Jimmy returns again to fielding questions. The slightly scruffy but very polite elf is the next to speak. Jimmy answers with a chuckle: “Mr. Jimmy. Heh, I think I like that. Anywise, yea I know it’s short notice. I only just found out myself. I guess these docs don’t like to give a lot of time to reconsider that you’re fragg’n signin’ up ta die, ya know? Wouldn’t get a lot of biz then I suppose.”

“Now, Severinsen, I ain’t got much at all on him. Didn’t have much time to do any look’n, ‘cause I had ta’ find yous all first, and as I said before, I didn’t get much notice myself. All I really know about him is that he’s got a reputation for this Kavorkian thing goin’ back at least a few years here in the ‘plex. Second is that his office is somewhere out near Loveland, in the Puyallup district. Wish I had more on ‘im, I really do. But I don’t, so… there ya go.”

“Now the doc I’ve got for you to take Ida to, he’s a different story. He’s a doctor Reed, works out of Everett. He comes bona fide, with recommendations from people who’s recommendations I trust. He wants you to meet him behind the building his office is in, before they open. All this sneaking around seems a bit silly; but this whole mess is kind of an embarrassment, ya know? The fewer people in my circle that know about what my Aunt planned, the better. Which reminds me; try to keep this discrete, if possible. ‘Course, if it comes to discrete or harm to my Aunt, I’m sure you can guess which way to err. And yea, when the meets done, I’ll wire you the address of both the Doc and my Aunt before I go.”

“So,” says Jimmy, leaning forward over the table again “more questions?”

Dual seems releived when the elf starts taking charge of negotiations. He's more than happy to let him discuss payment, as he has as much to lose as the rest of us. He's also happy to see that everyone else seems of the same mind, in that respect (although a few of them thought to keep out of it before Dual did).

Afterwards, when more questions are called for, he looks around a bit, making sure the other patrons are keeping to themselves, before asking, "how sold are you on this 'isn’t even technically illegal' thing? I mean, I'm sure you don't want your aunt treated badly if we can help it, and probably don't want your family associated with any, 'disappearances' - but whether we're talking 'extraction' or 'kidnapping', we gotta know where our boundries are."

"Lets say your aunt was to 'disappear' for a few days (for her own good), how likely are people to notice (besides the Doc)? Does she have a nurse? Family or friends in the area that visit often? A job? Is taking her by force out of the question?" Meanwhile, Dual changes the load-out of programs, spoofs a commcode ID and has an Agent start looking up information on Dr. Severinsen in the background.

“You’ve stumbled onto one of the two reasons I went for help that doesn’t file income tax. See, what’s most important is that we get my Aunt somewhere they can help her – that starts with away from this Doc Severinsen fellow. And if I thought just a polite conversation was going to do it, well, I can be polite too. But I need this done, without any. . . ah. . . legal loopholes slowing things down.” Jimmy nods affirmatively to add emphasis.

“Now, since I said two reasons, I’ve probably got you wonderin. And the other thing you might be wonderin is why I don’t just call the ‘star on Severinsen. Eh.. the star, or da feds, dey could come talk to her, sure. dey'd poke around in her business, in my business, and the families' business, looking for reasons and excuses. You ever try to reason wid' a Sicilian woman while digging through her past? It just ain't happen'n, even if I didn't mind 'em digging through our history -- and I do mind, as you might guess.

Besides, after all that digging, at the end of the day any fed or star is goning to tell you the same thing -- no jury has convicted anyone for euthanasia in the UCAS in three decades. Sure, it's still illegal, but wit da overcrowding in the 'plex, and good will for yer fellow man at an all-time low, juries just ain't gonna convict something like that. So the feds, they don't bother prosecuting it. Some world, eh, when some knows-nothing doctor can off yer family and be all squeaky wit' da law, but my work'd could land me time.”

“So I needs someone that'll get the job done witout involving juries, and without worrying about what the neighbors think too much, ya know?”

“Now, as to the specifics – I don’t think Ida’s had too many friends up where she’s staying. It’s an apartment complex, sorta, and live-in medical care, sorta. There’s a nurse there, but Ida’s free to come and go and what not – she’s not that old, and if it wasn’t for this sickness of hers I’m sure she’d be out running around town, causin’ all sorts of trouble just like in her younger days. But I moved her to this place, figuring that if the illness took a turn for the worse, there’d be help on hand. Turns out it was a mistake, the help was awful. Homeotheropy and all that crap is what they tried. I’m all for the old folk remedies meaning something when magic’s in the world, but this place just ain’t got it.”

“So, no friends there – too man of the other patients are really old or sickly, and she hates that. No real doctor to check on her either, just a nurse. Will da nurse notice she’s gone? Yea, but I wouldn’t worry ‘bout that none. I can’t prove it, but my gut says she’s the one that got Ida in touch wit dis so-called doc in the first place. Oh, and for the last part, nah, Ida don’t work, she’s got some ‘old money’ in the bank to pay the bills wit.”

Codger's picture of the team is beginning to fall into place.

The troll is not so bad compared to some of what I've had to deal with. She's not the nightmare Feral was, at least. But then again, very little could compare to a shapeshifter with a stimulant addiction...
Ah, but he's starting to speak.

He activates his white noise generator with a discreet push of a button, and wonders whether it was neccesary as he gives the details of the job.

Hrrrm. Not really a typical job for a shadowrunner- but it's even less of a job for anyone else, which is why he came to us.

He remains silent through negotiations and the first few questions, but speaks up when Dual does.

"Come on, now. There's really no need to resort to that kind of thing. I can think of quite a few more subtle methods of doing this that won't neccesitate anything like that.
As for your Aunt Ida...is there anything we should know about her? An esteemed position in the Family, Tir Wildcat training, anything like that?"
Because it still strikes me as odd for this guy to hire a full team of runners for this. A sammy, a decker, mage, or face could all handle this solo, with a different application of their specialities.
Maybe he's just worried?

After the negotiations, Snapp smiles inwardly. Yep, still got. Codgers words, however, break him out of his self congratulatory state.

Sensing the possibility of an argument breaking out, "There are many possible routes for accomplishing this task. They all have there upsides and downsides, which we can discuss after we all feel satisfied we have enough information to make a decission on the best course of action."

That wasn't very subtle Snapp, but then again I want them to take the hint. These people obviously haven't worked together before.

Dual gestures to Codger, but seems to be responding to Snapp, "Well, I definatly agree with him - there are quite a few more subtle ways of getting this job done - ones I would definatly prefer trying first. However, before I agree to anything, I like to know what my boundries are."

"I hope it didn't sound like I was suggesting we taser her and throw her in the trunk of a car or anything... but if it came to that, I would like to know up-front if Jimmy, here, would prefer that to letting the Doctor get his hands on her. If it is going to become a stipulation of the job that no harm is to come to her, or that we were not to alert her neighbors or care-takers that anything is out of the ordinary, then this job becomes appreciably more difficult, and I'd like to get that on the table while we're still negotiating... I definatly didn't mean any disrespect." And with that he bows his head towards Dirty Jimmy as if to silently apologise.

Bubbles blows a small bubble, pierces it with a thumbnail to deflate it and starts chewing rapidly again as she swivel her head to follow the conversation. Abruptly she scans all the faces at the table, then nodding to herself, straightens up to her full seated height. Tilting her head so her ears are tilted into the table, obviously listening, she starts scanning the room with her eyes over everyone elses head.

@Anyone viewing AR at the Table.