<Sure, you're the expert here, when it comes to magic. Can we?>

<Sorry, can we what?>

<Start.>


OOC:

20:24:00, June 1, 2070
In front of Club Denim
Felice

Felice then drives her bike into the traffic, with Shiver sitting on the edge of the seat behind her, and takes a random route towards Sloan Lake Park, which will get them there about 10~11 minutes later. She drives reasonably slow and careful.

<Sorry, thought you were referring to "start using a magical skill", I was most confused, by all means drive on, I have your six>

Felice and Shiver

Shiver looks around the darkening park. He pulls on a respirator, then wanders behind a nearby bush to change. There is some rustling, and then he steps out again wearing nearly identical brown flats to the ones he was wearing when he went behind the bush, the only change being he is no longer wearing his duster, and his stuffa bag is looking fuller

"Well, if anybody followed us, I reckon they are good enough to be a serious threat, I reckon the MK 1 vocal chords should be used until we can be sure our comms are not being monitored."

"Oh, looks like I'm riding then as well. Alastor, do you have space available? I am fairly light, so it shouldn't hurt the handling too much." Eury climbs onto the bike behind Alastor and holds on.

<Ready?> Alastor turns his head to check that Eury is secure on the bike, revs the engine a couple more times and heads out, taking a fairly random but not too scenic route to get to Sloan Lake Park. He heads along at a fairly moderate speed, because of Eury's presence and due to his lack of helmet, and arrives at the meeting point after about 10, 15 minutes, the added time due to the extra passenger, something the bike wasn't exactly keen on having.
Eury:

Eury hangs on to Alastor so as to not fall off, and keeps a sharp eye out for followers as they ride.
Alastor:

Eury:

Alastor and Eury

At 2039 Felice and Shiver arrive. You signal to each other and join up, three of you keep watch as Shiver does a quick change act. A quick look around the park shows no obvious threats, beyond a young couple heading to third base on a bench at the far end, None of you can see any sign of Reg's tunnel entrance.

Alastor keeps watch, his hands apparently casually slipped inside his pockets in his coat. He looks at first glance to be standing round pretty casually, but he's actually keeping watch for anything that happen, ready tp spring into action if need be.

Alastor:

Eury:

Alastor:

Eury:

Reg and Sander


Everyone

Reg and Clark arrive later than anyone else. You haven't seen any threats waiting for you here. Reg scans the park quickly, looking for the entrance to the route. A couple of nervous minutes pass, until all of a sudden Reg signals you to come over. Hidden in a small stand of trees is an entrance to some some service tunnels, big enough to fit a small van into. Its gated but Reg sorts the maglock with consummate ease and you enter the darkened tunnels.

Alastor follows Reg into the darkened tunnel, pushing the visor on his helmet up so that he can see as well as possible in the dark tunnel. He stands still for a few moments, allowing his eyes to adapt to the low light, which shine with a cat's eye gleam as he turns his head towards the tunnel entrance. <Is there anything to be warned about before we head any further in?> he says over the link.

<From the look of the place yes... but don't ask me what.>

Reg opens the gate, then goes to retrieve the bike.
"It's a long run, best to keep mounted. As for what's in there, it's an old Azzie bipass tunnel passing the Hub, it was to be a subway or some sort at some point I guess, but never got that far. Makes for a good smuggling route though."

Pulling the bike up to the entrance. Reggie mounts. "Lets hope all we have to worry about is squatters, we had enough trouble with someone trying to follow us already, once inside there are very few routes out, none of which are vehicle friendly." The look on Reg's face is grim. Pushing the thought asside... "Lets get rolling, we have a schedule to keep, it's a long ride into the CAS from here."

Hopping off the bike, Sander stretched about for a few minutes. His neck was sore and so was his back. One thing he was sure of was that this Reg guy knew his stuff: as soon as they had picked up a tail, he had evaded it. A real pro.

Brushing his shoulders with the tip of his fingers, as if he was flicking dust off, Sander approached the tunnel. As he got near enough to peer into it, his cybereyes compensated for the lack of light, boosting up the luminosity.

"Well, lets be on our way." he said to the team with a large smile.

Althought he seemed rather composed and happy, Sander felt totaly naked. His suit was packing enough armor to protect him, but his weaponry was ridiculously light. If they came upon some sort of resistance, he'd have to improvise.

Putting a hand on Reggie's shoulder, he got back unto the bike.

Alastor nods, ands mounts back onto his own bike, which he had wheeled into the tunnel entrance. He looks over to Eury, signalling for him to get back onto the bike. He was very glad that he had both of his preds with him, just should he need them. However, he was thankful that he had other weapons quickly to hand should it be a bad idea to try shooting at anyone at any time. He grins to himself. This was going to be tricky but fun.

Moments after the six of you enter the tunnel, the only noise you can here is the growl of your own engines, there is no light but the light of your headlights. There appear to be no squatters living in this first section of the tunnel. Judging by the shallow running of the tunnels, it seems that this is no subway to be. You can't be more than twenty meters underground. The walls are mostly bare concrete, sometime's decorated with some sort of mural depicting Aztec Gods, battling dragon like demons. In a couple of places there are niches cut in the wall big a enough for a man or corpse to lie in. They are all empty.

The air is hot and oppresive, only moistened by steam creeping through vents in the floor. Still there is no sound other than your bikes, a distant sound of water dripping, and the scurry of Devil rats out of your sight.

Eventually the tunnels change, becoming riddled with low walls and concrete blocks tightning the tunnels into chokepoints. Any car that fit down here would need an expert or lunatic driving it. You glad your on bikes. This second part of the journey takes almost twice as long as the first. The tunnels should emerge from another maintenance enterance, this one in the CAS. The tunnels begin to head towards the surface, and then, it's there moonlight glittering on the floor ahead, up that ramp and your free.

A glance up the ramp shows Reg that the gate out is hanging open, seems like the last smugglers to use this route forgot to lock up behind them. Being in the lead the bike with Reg and Sander slows down to wait for the others.

<Hold on there, let's check the outside first, before heading through!>

Felice quickly drives the bike up near the exit, but hits the brakes before reaching it.

“If someone saw us drive in here, they will be waiting here... I won't get out there without at least some cover,” she says to Shiver. “Maybe you can turn a ghost and take a quick look, whether it's clear?”

Then Felice dismounts and moves to the open gate, but keeping herself hidden for now and waiting for her teammates.

Alastor pulls slowly up towards the tunnel entrance, stops and dismounts. <Best to walk the last few meters, Eury,> he says over the commlink. He pulls down the vizor of his helmet wheels the bike to the tunnel entrance, before propping it up by the entrance wall. He quietly and carefully sneeks his way through the undergrowthas best he can, to take a look, readying his preds. Man, he wished he had his sword with him too- it was much quieter than guns.

<One minute.> Eury starts muttering under his breath. Right you, I know you're being a pain, all I need is one of your friends for a little bit. Come to me now, demon of air. Eury focuses for a second, and then there is a feeling of darkness and smothering dread around him, which then leaves. {Right then, come to the physical plane fully now, so you are more able to effect any attackers for me.}

A dark cloud of smoke with the shadowy image of a humanoid tiger inside it appears behind Eury, and glowers at it's surroundings.
<We now have some magical backup.>

<Thanks.> Alastor grins, fully appreciating the form that the summoned spirit has taken. He himself feels the adrenaline starting to creep up in levels, his stomach churning. He stands still a moment, focusing himself, ready to call upon his own little tricks if need be. He creeps forward just a couple of steps ahead of Eury, looking out for the others and for anyone else who might be there.

Alastor


Everyone
Alsator takes a half step out of the gate, scans the area and then suddenly grabs his lower torso and starts screaming, loudly.

Alastor closes his eyes, glad for the cover of his helmet, as it does more than just muffle his scream of pain. <The... there's something in the bushes! Care...ful!> he sends out over the link, clearly in pain.

Ophis:

<Pull back!>

Felice reaches under her jacket, behind her back and produces a Colt Manhunter heavy pistol from the concealed holster hidden there.

Keeping close to the gate and within the shadows, her eyes and ears try to make out any movement outside.

Getting off the bike for a second time, Sander was more than happy to touch the ground. Riding on the back of Reggie's vehicle wasn't the most comfortable thing he had ever done. Kicking a rock on the ground, he cursed silently for leaving his car parked near the Denim. It was his only vehicle, and he didn't have the budget to back up the purchase of a new one if something happened. Calming down, he reminded himself that his car would have never fit in the narrow tunnels.

Sander was walking slowly along one of the walls of the tunnel, brushing his finger tips on it as if he was caressing it when Alastor's scream echoed in. Activating his wired reflexes, Sander took a few steps back and disappeared into the shadows of one of the alcoves.

Shiver Pulls his low light optical binocu-goggles over his eyes, and expends his one spirit service thusly. "This is a remote service; Locate and incapcitate the person or persons causing Alasor there what appears to be some discomfort, I leave how to your discretion, but advise that your job would be over quicker if you helped us help you do so, and did not get in our way of doing the same."

He then starts doing his damndest to break the hex on Alastor, while maintining good cover.

The gate's open, I don't like the feeling of this, smugglers are to keep the doors closed to stave off squatters and larger creatures from clogging the entrances.

Then Felice voices Reg's concerns and the elf stops short of the up-ramp to let people scout ahead. They have the package after all.... best not risk it dashing out into the open unchecked.

Sander dismounts so Reg turns off the bike, allowing those scouting ahead can see and hear better. The elf is watching the rear for any signs of persuit pulling a pair of glasses out of a breast pocket to have the Smartlink benefits, suddenly Alastor doubles over, Drek, nothing like intuition to ruin your day! Pulling a Ruger out of an inside pocket, there's an audible click of Reg's weapon as the elf readies the gun and seeks some cover; scanning the region for any possible wireless signals. The drone Reggie called as they were reaching the surface won't be here in another 30 mins, a lot can happen in that time...

{Make whoever did that leave, and anyone who appears friendly to them leave as well. Once the area is clear, come back to me. You can take your time if you wish, and there may be more people to break later.} Eury then ducks down, extending his magickal shielding over the rest of the group in front of him, and focuses on somewhere else.

Feeling sick from the pain, he just wanted to stay where he was. But it was safer to try and get out of the way. Steeling himself, he tries to get up to get back into the tunnel, or at the very least /crawl/ drag himself the few feet back into shelter. He didn't like it, but he knew that he was too incapacitated to try and fight, as much as his blood was calling out for the fight.

Reg edges towards the tunnel entrance. The elf is probably one of the most armored of the lot. Need to get Alastor where it's safe to he can be healed.

Provided nothing hopes into the tunnel opening, Reg will reach form him and help pull him into the tunnel where there's a little more cover.

Alastor reaches for Reg, gladly taking Reg's arm to help pull himself into the tunnel. He collapses against the tunnel wall, allowing himself to slide down it to the ground in agony, his back to the tunnel entrance and to everyone else. He somehow pulls his helmet from his head, his white mane spilling down his back, partially pulled out from the neat ponytail it had been in. A white curtain falls over his face, which is facing downwards. Arms are crossed over his body, wickedly clawed hands curled over each shoulder. Pained breaths come from him.

“Any idea what's out there?”

Felice doesn't waste more than a cursory glance towards Alastor, her eyes fixed on the outside and the spirits, Eury and Shiver had sent.

<Alastor, indicate if you do not require medical attention, or I shall assume you do. All others, that was a magical attack, please keep spread out and in LOS of a mage.>

Alastor fails to respond to Shivers question, however he shows no signs of wounds other than the moaning in pain.

After pulling Alastor in, Reggie looks at him with concern. Handing the Ruger over to the currently unarmed Sander, Reg makes the comment "I want this back." before dashing for the bike. Popping open the trunk, the elf pulls out a medkit to see what can be done for Alastor's wounds, he won't be able to ride a bike in his condition if they need to get out of the tunnel fast.

"It's magic!" Alastor snarls as the others approach him with the medkit, whipping his head round to face the others. Eyes glare a fierce, burning crimson, and twin pairs of deep purple-ish slash marks run down each cheek from about ear- height. As he snarls the words, a pair of long, very sharp fangs are bared to the others.
He winces in pain from his quick movements. "Break... break the spell."

Concentrating on another place, a shadow'swidth from this one, Shiver percieves the threads of magic around Alastor. Interesting... he grabs a thread and tugs.

Feeling a jolt, Alastor slumps slightly, puts both hands on the ground, and pushes himself to a standing position. "Thanks for that." He grins wolfishly, flexing his hands before cricking his neck. "I really want to kill that thing! It's really pissed me off." He curls his claws into almost fists.

Felice sticks her head out just enough to see a unusual scene playing out beneath the trees, A lone being stands against two opponents, it looks human but at first but the trees behind it are visible hazily through its body. Its eyes glow am eerie green.

Its opponents are no less odd, a humanoid figure with bone white skin wearing dark hooded robes that move to a wind on some other plane, and a tiger like creature surrounded by black smoke.

As Felice takes in the scene the tiger roars and releases an arc of pinkish purple lightning from it's mouth towards its enemy. The ghostly human writhes with agony as the lightning strikes it. The hooded figure extends a hand and the ghostly one still reeling from it's electrocution becomes more agitated and jumpy. It seems to focus it's attention on the tiger creature which starts to retreat back into the tunnel it's tail between it's legs.

The robed figure closes on the ghost and from out of no where holds a rapier with which it slashes it's foe. With a silent scream the spirit dissipates. The robed figure turns an looks Felice in the eye before bowing just a shade and vanishing into nothingness.

In the tunnel a cowed seeming tiger spirit drops into a position behind Eury clearly scared by something outside. Alastor feels with some relief the last of the stabbing pains in his stomach subside.

Felice sends a video feed into the private network, so the others can see what she is seeing as well.

<The robed one was on our side? Looks like whatever that eerie-eyed one was is gone now. I'll take a look, whether there are any more surprises waiting out there. Cover me.>

Then Felice slowly advances further.

Alastor mentally sighs with relief as the pain disappears. Now.... what was that thing exactly? He wracks his brains to try and remember. <Shiver, was that your spirit, the robed one?> he asks over the link as he puts his helmet back on, his features still changed. He then adds, <Felice, I'll flank you. I'm fine now that that thing's gone.> He pulls out his other pred, and retrieves the one he dropped when he was affected by the spirit's spell.

Out loud

"Indeed, that was mine. believed that there was something out there worth damaging when you collapsed in pain. Thank the lightbringer it was not more powerful."

Shiver pauses a moment, then makes a few passes with his hands. Nearby shadows begin to slip from their moorings and approach him, flowing up his legs and over his impassive face. He begins muttering to himself as the shadows reach his nose and mouth. Shiver inhales deeply drawing the shadows into himself, then exhaling mutters "form of my form, be made."

He doubles a little and coughs a few times before straightening.

The shadows are back to their normal places as though nothing has changed.

<I just hope now that I can calm down enough soon should we end up having to meet any border patrols. I don't particularly want to head through one looking as I do.>