CHAPTER I: The Gospel Of John

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.

And from the light and the darkness, shadows were born.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.




And God turned away.

03:12:37 Monday April 4th 2070 – Somewhere in Bellevue

“So, what do you suppose we got here?” said Lonestar detective Bill Yates, drinking a now cold and oily tasting coffee, sitting with his back resting on one of the responding patrol cars. His shoulders were already starting to be covered with ashes falling like snow from the sky.

“Well, it could be a number of things.” answered back his partner, Brian Wrights, as he dodged around one of the hoses being rolled out from one of the numerous fire trucks.

Around the Lonestar officer, small windows filled with semi transparent text started to scroll around.

“Initial emergency call was placed by the next door neighbor. He said he heard a woman scream, and a few seconds later gun shots.”

Wrights toyed around with a few AR objects, flipping his own virtual notepad to the next page.

“First officers on the scene report that the house was already on fire.”

Yates took another sip of his coffee, large wrinkles digging in his forehead. Lifting his eyes from his plastic cup, he contemplated the giant blaze raging across the street. What used to be a large and cozy three stories high luxury house had been transformed in a ball of flame. Now, it had been burning for almost two full hours. The intensity of the heat was so that firefighters had started to coat the surrounding houses with cold water, afraid that the heat would ignite them as well.

He contemplated the flames for a few minutes, the smell of smoke choking the ambient air, the sound of cracking furniture and walls, the hissing of water evaporating. He watched, as someones life was being burnt to rubbles. The strange ballet of the flames enthralled him.

Brushing the ashes off of his coat, he lit himself a cigarette.

Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people
Exodus, 24:17

03:12:37 Monday April 4th, 2070 - 2515 5th Ave. Penthouse C, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

"Lights, soft." A voice commands in the early morning darkness. Almost instantaneously the main living area of the apartment is bathed in a rich amber glow.

Bare feet sink into plush carpeting with each step. From the kitchen wafts the rich bold aroma of a French roast coffee. The brewing cycle complete, the carafe maintaining the perfect temperature for drinking. Blue eyes cast a glance at an angrily flashing telecom message light. With a defeated shake of a head tendrils of damp jet black hair begin to sway and move almost waking to a life of their own.

Coffee... must have coffee.

Work would have to wait, besides the previous day and its business hadn't completely come to a close yet.

Long and elegant fingers wrap around an oversized cafe au lait mug as the other hand wraps around the handle of the stainless steel carafe and begins to pour the heady elixir of wakefulness. With the carafe replaced on its base it returns to maintaining the perfect temperature of the remaining coffee.

Feet move from the tile of the kitchen to sink once again into the carpet as long legs wrapped in simple loose-fitting black cotton take only a few strides to reach the center of the living room. Sinking into the plush leather of the couch, one finger flicks out to stab a button and the TriD screen on the wall explodes to life in a flash of light and muted sound of the earlier evening news. Another flick of a button and it's muted all together.

A long slow sip of coffee.

A satisfied sigh and the closing of eyes.

Another button pressed.

"Messages retrieving.......retrieving.......You have 15 new messages........"

Eyes opening again to view the caller ID list displaying in the corner of the TriD screen, covering the KONG logo. Some calls could wait until after a few hours of sleep had been procured. Other calls however, always took precedence. A particular call is highlighted and the telecom begins to retrieve the message.

"Retrieving message 8 of 15......"

"Hey love, it's me... Hell of a job you got me roped into. Things are quiet for now so I wanted to check in with you... make sure that, you know, you're ok tonight... "

Wet hair is pressed against leather as a more comfortable position is found, eyes closing as the message continues, the concern in the callers voice evident and sincere as it goes on.

A slow and contented smile plays on her full lips.

07:30:21 Sunday April 3, 2070 - 1980 W Raye Street, #106 - Seattle, UCAS

Flicker glanced up and down the street, and he could see all the way to the walls surrounding the cemetary from the front of his apartment building, before heading inside.

He entered the apartment and stroked the air in front of his face, manipulating the AROs which told his commlink to transfer the data feed to the trideo screen on the wall of his apartment, then he slid the electric shades which he habitually wore off his head with an audible sigh of relief.

He was tired, having spent yet another useless night touching base with all of the names that his fixer had suggested in order to get his name out there. Of course no one knew anything about any work, not for some newbie with no rep, but Ineki said that was how a new shadowrunner began so that is what Flicker would do. He understood patience, his studies had taught him the value of patience.

He fixed a simple meal of rice and soy and prepared himself for a day of rest. Tomorrow he would begin again.

03:12:37 Monday April 4th, 2070 - Renaku Arcology, Seattle, UCAS

The corridor seemed to reverberate with the thunderous beat of synthisized music. Dual's head moved with the rhythm as he looked over the cryptic symbols spilling across an AR window in his peripheral vision and at little red and blue dots moving around a green wireframe map floating in the air in front of him. A small timer ticked down, less than 20 minutes to go. Plenty of time.

"Alpha Team. Report." he muttered into his mouthpiece.
"Location secure. No enemy contact." The response was clear, dispite the background noise, but in contrast to the words being spoken, the speaker seemed excited and almost shouting. Definatly have to work on that later...

He inched closer to the doorway. "Eyes on. Room 1145." Another AR window appeared in his field of view, showing a low-res image of the next room. There it was. Amid the chaos of the laboratory, a glowing tube of unknown and inconsequential contents sat seemingly unguarded. "Laser grid down, yet?" he asked, while cycling through various vision options to check for himself.

"No dice, Dual," came a familiar voice, in a tone that said it wasn't going to come down any time soon. "They've taken the security host. We've got about 3 minutes before they turn this whole place on us." Sure enough, Dual's viewport reached a setting where a number of laser lines cut across the room.

Suddenly the lights went out, and the sounds of gunfire shot through Dual's earpiece. Surprisingly, Dual laughed. "3 minutes, eh?"

Low-light vision kicked in as he rounded the corner into the room. Red lines spiderwebbed out across his green vision indicating the locations of the lasers. Almost in step with the music Dual began to jump and dive making his way to the tube. He made it pretty far before accidentally crossing one, which activated a number of sentry-drones mounted in the ceiling. Bullets began to fill the laboratory.

"Enemy contacts detected," shouted the first voice.

Thanks

As Dual reached out for the glowing tube, the doors on the opposite side of the walls opened - then everythign went black.

"Got it." Dual's voice rang out in the darkness, followed by a number of congratulatory remarks from other disembodied voices.


Moments later he found himself in his living room, again. The scoreboards lit up the far wall of the room, but Dual didn't bother to look, he was already loggin into the next game. He was on a roll tonight....

1400 Monday April 4th, 2070 - Club Zero, Seattle, UCAS

Gun approached the entrance to the Lake Washington club from the south parking lot. It was April and raining, the usual weather for this time of year. The 33 year old enforcer was wearing his usual clothes, dark slacks, dark shirt, maroon tie, covered with a thigh length black leather Versace coat. He ended his ensemble with real leather loafers.

Rain pelted off his razor clean head. The doorman, a 20-ish looking muscle beach type, held out his hand to stop him.

"Club employees only befo..." Gun slipped his hand around the young mans, pushed his thumb into the knuckle between the index and middle finger, applied pressure and twisted. He left the muscle head on his knees panting for breath. Gun stepped into the closed door, knocking it off it's hinges.

Utter silence greeted him. Two men were sitting at the bar, an older fat man named Ricardo Goval, and some young punk who Gun didn't recognize.

"Ah, senior Gun, hola."

The man's facade of a Spanish accent grated on the Enforcer. Gun walked wide of the bar and approached the two head on. The younger man hopped off the stool and straitened his coat. He stepped between Gun and Goval.

"This here is Mister Goval, he is not to be spoken to, you speak to me, you understand?"

Gun wasn't tall or short really, 5'11 was about average. The man speaking to him was an ork and probably had 5 inches on Gun and a hundred pounds.

"You're good at what you do kid?"

The young punk smiled and turned to Goval, as if to re-assure the man he had it taken care of. The instant his head turned Gun rammed his knee into the mans crotch. Gun's bio-engineered muscles flattened the ork's manhood and sent the remains into his stomach. Gun simply twisted and tossed the ork down to the floor. He was in to much pain to even scream, just whimper and moan.

Goval's face fell. He couldn't take his eyes off the 3k a day body guard, lying on the floor like a little girl.

"Look at me Goval," the man did so. Gun was standing six inches away from him.

"Two weeks ago Mr. Giovanni's god daughter was "entertained" in this club. Needless to say he is very unhappy with this establishment in the way that you have tried to cover up this unfortunate happening. Now, I want the names of the individuals involved, I want their home addresses, I want their Credstick numbers, I want it all."

Goval looked at the mans coal black eyes and saw nothing there. No emotion of any kind. He imagined himself as a flee, annoy him and he would kill him, and he would sleep very well at night.

"Who are you?"

"I'm the guy telling you the way it's going to be."

Fifteen minutes later Gun exited the club with all the names of the men who had been involved. Punishment for their crime was not his area, getting the information was. It looked like the rain was stopping. Could be a good time to get a slice at Palligacci's.

14:31:22 Monday April 4th, 2070 - Palligacci's, Seattle, UCAS

Gun had just parked his rented wheels in front of Palligacci's when the commlink clipped to his belt start to gently buzz. It was too early to be Mr. Giovanni already checking up on the work day of the enforcer. The caller ID flashing in Gun'scybereyes was familiar… and either meant a very good thing, or a very bad one.

Michael Cesarino.

Cesarino was one of the so called Sottocapo, and underboss, for the Finnigan family. It was well known amongst “la Familia” that Cesarino was one of Rowena most trusted associate. He was “the man” when it came to damage control. A call from him either meant that Gunhad inadvertently stepped on some Finnigan toes… or that someone needed to have their toes bashed to jelly.

Thumbing the answering button, Cesarino’s Italian accented and deep voice echoed in the confine of the car.

“Good evening Gun. It has been quite some time since we’ve seen you. I hear from our Bigos and Ciarniellos friends that you are doing quite well.”

“What can I do for the Finnigans?”

“Straight to the point. I like that in a man. Here’s the story. The family of a friend of ours have the unfortunate victim of an accident. This friend of ours has done many things for us. Things for which we are very grateful. We need to know who is behind this “accident”… If someone is bringing another war on our door, we’d rather know as soon as possible. We’re putting a team together; outsiders mostly. But we need someone we can trust to watch things; one of us. The meet is this evening, 17 sharp at The Sport Bar. I’ll be there with our friend.”

09:44:12 Monday April 4th, 2070 - 2515 5th Ave. Penthouse C, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

A’ja was woken up by the steady pulse of her answering machine. Somewhere during the early ours of the morning, she had dozed off… and calls had accumulated themselves. Lots of them.

With a sigh, she scrolled her way through the AR list hovering in the air in front of her. Most of the calls were from “local talents” looking for work. A few more were from people searching either for a fence, information or gear. The usual. The very last call, on the other hand, was a bit more… unexpected.

Most caller Ids in the list were either unreadable or spoofed. But, this one was different. It’s origin was clear and precise. The caller wanted to make sure A’ja knew who he was.

The young woman had never spoke to the man. She did handle some business for the organization he represented… but always in an rather indirect manner. Michael Cesarino, a well known and well connected underboss of Seattle’s mafia.

With a slight tint of hesitation, A’ja ran the recorded message.

“Good morning Miss Rose. I am certain you know who I am, and so, I will skip the presentation. We would like you to handle some business for us. I cannot discuss the details of such business on the line, and so, I would very much like to meet you in person. We also need the services of two other operatives. We know you are very well connected, and so, we’ll trust your own judgment in this matter. The meeting will take place at The Sport Bar, 17 sharp, today. I trust it you’ll be there.”

And he hung up.
Somehow… the last part of the message didn’t sound like a plea.

Gun let a beat fly by.

"As Mr. Giovoni's personal Enforcer I am happy to address this issue for you. I will of course have to ask permission. The Giovoni's are always happy to help out our Seattle cousins."

Gun let the phone disconnect and thought about what he said. He had come to Seattle nearly five years ago and ended up staying. He still did a lot of jobs for both the Seattle and San Fran mobs. Lately it has been looking after Giovoni's grand daughter. A task which he was just recently put on. Now this. His plan to break out of the mobster role had fallen considerably short. Still he strived for it. Something was missing in his life and he would continue to strive for it. He put a call into Giovonis secretary, not wanting to disturb the elderly man.

09:53:36 Monday April 4th, 2070 - 2515 5th Ave. Penthouse C, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

A’ja looked at the caller ID one more time and shook her head as she rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes.

“Goddamnit.” They never made it easy.

She wasn’t surprised in the slightest that she was now in Michael Cesarino’s little black book, but it was interesting that he was turning to her for a talent search. She always figured the Mafia had an in-house stable of people to call on in times like these. They usually only hired out when it was more important that the job wasn’t easily tied back to the family.

That was the first indication that things were about to get interesting, at least enough so that the little hairs on the back of her neck were trying to get her attention. She didn’t blame Cesarino for not discussing the particulars over the line, considering he made no effort to hide his tracks when he called her. 5 pm, tonight. Short notice, but she wasn’t about to let a Mafia underboss down. At least not one with whom she wanted to keep a working relationship with.

She glanced at the clock as she was already starting to thumb through her mental rolodex of names, numbers, fixers and their respective talent. She started talking softly to herself as she paced about the apartment, talking things through as she made her decisions.

“Seven hours and counting. Gotta lock these two spots up within 4. Muscle is easy to hire on short notice. Takes more time to find magical and technical support.”

She marks off a good piece of her network, keeping a few people in mind should the details of the job call for more of an combat-oriented angle. Thinking of the other fixers she’d worked well with in the past and were more than willing to reciprocate favours when the time was right and who might be sporting some talent who could fit her needs she decides to give Ineki and Shara a call.

Nearly an hour later she’s got two names, complete with contact information, that might fit the bill and would likely be willing to work on such short notice. Dual and Flicker.

“Well, here goes nothing.”

More videophone calls are placed and messages are left for Dual and Flicker as the Elven woman continues to pace the plush carpets of the apartment. The messages are almost identical with the limited details that she had to provide them; the fact she had gotten their names from their respective fixers, the mention for a possible hire-on for a job that could make use of their particular skills and that their interview would take place at The Sport Bar at 17h tonight, to look for her and to show up early if they wanted her to take them seriously.

She liked to butter them up, even if she had to cut them loose later. It was just easier that way.

14:33:12 Monday April 4th, 2070 - Palligacci's, Seattle, UCAS

"But of course. Please give Mr. Giovoni our best of wishes. " replied Michael.

Gun could almost hear the underboss smile across the line.

Getting a hold of Giovoni's secretary was a piece of cake. Her bubbly and delicious voice came through the commlink's speaker phone like sweet music.

"Good evening Mister Gun. What can I possibly do for you on this beautiful day?"

12:15:28 Sunday April 3, 2070 - 1980 W Raye Street, #106 - Seattle, UCAS

Flicker looked at the two messages on his trideo screen, having spent the first ten minutes dumping the spam and auto-dialed solicitations, and wondered about his decision.

His fixer had called to verify that someone might be looking to hire him and that he'd passed on the message drop to that person, a local named A'ja. The other message was from this person, indicating that a job opportunity had arisen that called for someone of his talents.

Such a job could mean anything, no matter how deep the shadow pool a mage's talents could always be used, no matter how thin his resume. Of course he would be there, he needed the money and this would be the first of many jobs. He had a reputation to make and a fortune to amass.

14:34:00 Monday April 4th, 2070 - Palligacci's, Seattle, UCAS

Gun waived the cute teenage waitress over and then held up his hand as the secratary came through.

"The local familly has asked me to work a job for them, I just wanted to make sure it was right with the old man."

Gun looked up into the blue eyes of the serving girl, "Pesto Primo, and glass of Athabaskan Amber," he slipped a 20 out of his pocket and handed it to her. She smiled the big smil that girls get when you give them to much money, and ran to get his order.

12:45:08 Monday April 4, 2070 - 1980 W Raye Street, #106 - Seattle, UCAS

Flicker stepped back and examined the now cleared living room of his apartment with a critical eye.

He'd spent half an hour preparing the area for his summoning and binding ritual, carefully preparing a binding circle utilizing some of the material from his small store of "borrowed" binding materials. He could trust these materials since they'd come from Professor Duncan's stores at MIT&T six months ago, which meant they beat anything he could get at one of the commerical talismonger's shops. The circle used a Garrett-Hui base but Flicker had added his own touch by also crafting a classic perfect double octogram within the G-H binding circle's diameter and filling the vacant area within the octogram with the equation recommended by the Asano-Whiteagle text for dealing with air elementals. Although his summoning study group had often debated the value of the double octogram patern Flicker had always used it, simply because it felt right for him.

Finally comfortable with the preparations he prepared the incense sticks and placed them within the small saucer's he would use as candle holders, placing each incense stick at a point of the octogram where it touched the G-H binding circle, and knelt just outside the circle to begin the ritual. He breathed and opened himself to astral space and began the ritual, slowly connecting his own energy patterns to the free mana energy in the air around him and easing it into the long memorized patterns in his mind.

15:45:08 Monday April 4, 2070 - 1980 W Raye Street, #106 - Seattle, UCAS

Flicker brought his hands down from shoulder height and clasped them in front of his chest, completing the somatic part of the ritual and feeling the energy patterns alter within the binding circle implode in response. He watched the latice form, waving altering lines instead of straight interlocking ones, twisting helix patterns rather than the solidity of earth; perfect. The air elemental formed into a whirling twisting shape within the binding circle looking like a tornado given arms and a face, fighting by its very nature to be free of the constraints placed upon it by the patterns and rituals and enforced by the strength of his will. Flicker could feel the energy patterns lock the elemental into his service and knew instinctively that this summoning and binding was a powerful success, binding the elemental into a number of services. The power of the summoning backlashed across the link between Flicker and the newly summoned spirit, the result of the elemental's struggle to resist, overloading the biological circuit within his genes that allowed him to channel mana and effecting as a mild head ache. Flicker shrugged off the discomfort, as a small price to pay, and addressed himself to the elemental.

"You shall serve me as I command, in this you are bound by the very forces of the universe. Nature's laws, which bind us all, bind you as my servant. Do you dispute this?"

The elemental drew in on itself and then expanded and settled, forming an astral shape that flowed and shifted but always within the bounds of the binding circle. This time the elemental attempted to slip away from the bounds of his binding ritual, to evaporate between the cracks. Flicker clenched his will, powering the binding ritual by his own determination, focusing the energy patterns into the element's very nature. The backlash hit him between the eyes like a Troll's punch and his vision blurred. His minor headache exploded into a full grown migrane but he refused to bow to the pain and locked the binding ritual into the elemental's being.

Eventually the elemental ceased its struggle and it spoke. When it spoke its voice sounded like the shriek of a strong wind blowing through the gutters along his old boarding school in Chicago, high pitched and harsh but distinctly feminine in pitch.

Yes, Master, I shall serve as my nature demands.

The voice existed as much instead his head as was heard with Flicker's physical senses and he replied in pure thought and will.

What are you called, that I may address you with specificity?

I am called Ariel, Master.

Very well, Ariel. You may return to your place of rest until I summon you further.

With one last whistling shriek the elemental spun into a swirling energy vortex and disappeared from the astral space around him. Tired, and now feeling the headache, Flicker returned his perceptions to the purely mundane realm of visible light. He noted that several hours had passed and as normal all of his hoarded materials had been consumed. Sighing a small satisfied sigh, the young Ork mage rose and headed for the small bedroom. He could take a short nap to recover and still have time to get to the meet if only barely and now he would have the comfort of knowing he had back up available if he needed. The young mage staggered off to the bedroom for a deserved rest.

14:34:12 Monday April 4th, 2070 - Palligacci's, Seattle, UCAS

"Could you just hold on a second." she said in the same bubbly voice.

A few moments passed by. The little bell hung over the door jiggled once or twice. Somewhere a knife scrapped agaisnt a plate. The sound of something boiling filled the room for a second as the door to the kitchen opened and closed behind a waiter. A kid was laughing.

"What is this Gun? You call and can't take the time to say hello?" said Giovoni in a joking tone.

"How are you doing lad? Did you have a talk with our mutual friend?"

14:34:12 Monday April 4th, 2070 - Palligacci's, Seattle, UCAS
"Sorry sir, glad to hear you are feeling well." Of all the people in the world, Giovoni was the only man Gun looked up to, almost like a father. Not that either of the stubborn men would ever admit anything like that.

"I sent the names over to the security team, things will be taken care of. Mr. Goval expresses his deepest concern and when he gets out of the hospital will do his best to rectify it."

Gun paused as the old man chuckled a bit.

"as for why I am calling now, I have been asked to help out on a local family matter, I wanted to make sure it was okay with you before doing so."

14:34:30 Monday April 4th, 2070 - Palligacci's, Seattle, UCAS

"That is very good news. Almost music to my ears."

The older man chuckled at the other end of the line. He had known Gun for quite some time now... and had never seen him as one of his employee, or gun for hire. He was his friend. His dear friend. The son he never had.

"You are in no way my retainer lad. You are a free man. If you feel like you can be of help to deal with this matter, please do."

A few seconds passed as Giovoni coughed. The old man smoke too much for his own good.

"If you happen to cross path with Rowena, please give her my greetings." he said in a now raspy voice.

14:35:26 Monday April 4th, 2070 - Palligacci's, Seattle, UCAS

"Of course, now get some rest, and listen to your nurse, she more than a pair of legs."

The two exchanged goodbyes, but it was brief. Giovoni was coughing so hard he could barely whisper. It pained Gun to hear the old man in such a way. For twenty years he ruled the San Fran Mob with an iron fist. When he was gone, well there wouldn't be any reason to go back.

He had till five to pick up the gear he needed and then get to the meeting, shouldn't be a problem at all. A quick stop at his apartment and he had his extra knives and a bandolier of throwing blades.

11:01:07 Monday April 4th, 2070 - 2515 5th Ave. Penthouse C, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

So far she was holding up her end of a deal she never got a chance to agree to but really didn’t see a reason not to at least make the meet and show up with what was requested of her. Closing her eyes, she was even more aware of the clock ticking the seconds away in the corner of her vision in a tasteful, but still glowing shade of pink.

There was a bit of legwork to do before this evening’s engagement rolled around, she needed to gather up any info on Cesarino and the Family that she could. She wanted to be prepared for anything walking into the bar tonight, it wouldn’t do well if she was thrown a curve ball and she hadn’t done her homework. She started putting out feelers, to those with their ears to the streets and seeing just what she could skim off the surface about anything that was going on in the ranks these days. A couple of calls to lower level gang guys, they always managed to know what was going on with everyone else’s dirty laundry. Hell these guys were worse than the screamsheet gossip columnists sometimes. Phayzal and Jinx usually came through for her in a pinch and no one was the wiser since they worked their networks as well as she did on a regular basis. They both knew she was good for the info, she’d make it up to them soon enough she was sure.

With her requests made, she figured she had a good couple of hours before she’d hear back from either of the boys, and she had some primping and stress-relieving to do before arriving at the bar. Besides, an insanely hot bubble bath was calling her name and she still had to run a few other errands for business that wasn’t related to tonight’s meet.

14:05:25 Monday April 4th, 2070 - 3719 8th St. Apartment #14, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

Dual awoke, around 2 in the afternoon, to the sound of a woman saying his name and gently nudging him. "Dual, its past two. You have a message." He rolled over in bed, away from the voice, but smiled. He liked that she called him "Dual." Unfortunatly she didn't have a "snooze" button. His nose filled with the smell of bacon and breakfast and he knew his simsense programs wern't going to let him sleep much longer than this. The reality of Monday was going to attack his senses until he had no choice but to get out of bed and experience it.

"The message is on your 'work-line'." She said.

That got his attention.

As he sat up in bed, the lights in the gigantic aquarium taking up the wall on the other side of the room slowly came on. They bathed the room in a warm blue glow that was easy on his eyes. Sure enough, of the hundreds of fish swiming around in there, one of them was larger than the others, and flashing red with some sort of inner-glow.

Dual reached out with both hands and drew a rectangle in the air. Glowing blue lines outlined the shape, and then filled it in with a two-dimensional window showing a lot of data. The important part, the sender of the message, didn't ring any bells with Dual. His programs cross-referensed the number with his contact-lists and came up empty. Not surprising. Its probably spoofed.

He tapped the window, and the video-recording came to life. Some woman Dual didn't recognise said she found him through Shara. The meet was at 5. Come early.

Well, it'd be nice to take a real job, again - but there wern't a lot of details....

Dual double-checked that there wern't any other messages (specifically from Shara) and decided to give her a call to make sure this was legit.

In response to his desires, an attractive dark-skinned woman walked into his room. "If you have this number, you know the drill...." She said, keeping her eyes on Dual. "...BEEP." The expression on her face when she beeped was priceless, and Dual couldn't help but laugh. He would have to adjust the voice-mail settings on his virtual represenation of Shara, since he spent a lot of time talking to her voice-mail.

"Hey, Shara. It's Dual. I got a call from woman about a job and a meet at a sports bar - said she found me through you. Just checking that everything's on the up-and-up." Dual shrugged, and the woman vanished. Might as well get ready to go. The meet is in a nice public place, what is the worst that could happen?

He opened up another window in mid-air, and started composing a response to the voicemail message as he walked into his kitchen to get some food. He designed it to be impersonal - the video feed would be a stock image of a roman numeral "two" accomanied by the text "I'll be there by 4." He thought about asking a few other questions - but decided against it. Might as well do this one by the books. He had seen the woman in her video-message, so he had some idea who to look for. Now he just had to get ready.

His applianced had already flavored his soy-breakfast - and his ARE programmings masked the rest of the experience. Dual enjoyed a nice omellete.

15:00:01 Monday April 4th, 2070 - 2515 5th Ave. Penthouse C, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

By fifteen o'clock, both Phayzal and Jinx had reported back in. And both seemed beaten, like they had spent all night out... and most of the morning. In a strange coincidence, some caporegimes, Mafia captains, had hired some Ancient gangers to guard a warehouse, while the Cutter had been to watch a bunch of dock workers unload some cargo.

After talking with both gangers, she had been able to amas a rather nice sum of information.

First, she now knew vaguely what Michael Cesarino looked like. A human, in his late forties, said to be strong as a bull, small and stocky and salt and pepper hair. One of the four Sottocapos (underboss) for the Finnigan family in Seattle, street buz about him said he was one of Rowena O’Malley’s must trusted men, and so, he’s usually the one who handles the delicate business of the family. A very careful man who also has a strong tendency to use “associates” instead of made men for his work… which is something other sottocapo and family members don’t really like.

Jinx also pointed out, cleverly that the hiring of outsiders was usually handled by Caporegimes, or captains… which meant that if Cesarino was reaching out himself, chances were it was a touchy matter.

On the account of the Mafia and Finnigans in Seattle, what A'ja got was pretty much what she already knew. Some of that stuff had even been printed in the papers a few years back. There were three families established in Seattle; the Finnigans, Bigios and Ciarniellos, with the Finnigans mostly running things. Rowena O’Malley was “Don” of the Finnigan family, ever since her father was killed by assassins about 7 years ago. She still hasn’t been able to get official recognition from the other families, and is still fighting to get the Capo position: the head of all the families in Seattle.

Rumors say that recently, the UCAS Federal Bureau of Investigation has been snooping around the Finnigans, trying to break inside their circle. Rowena hasn’t been seen in a few weeks.

"Some say she dead. Others, that she was arrested. But if she’s out of the picture, why are things still running that smoothly?"

Since yesterday, Mafia muscle presence seems to have double at every single of their joint. According to Phayzal in other gangs, many gangers have been hired to guard warehouses, and the usual mafia hangouts are either deserted or heavily guarded.

"Something spooked a lot of people. Not sure if it’s related… but the Yaks are also beefing up their own security. Smells like a war might be coming. If you in biz with the organized boys, you might want to watch your back A'ja."

15:15:04 Monday April 4th, 2070 - 2515 5th Ave. Penthouse C, Downtown Seattle, UCAS

“Thanks Phayz, I’ll keep an eye on my six. I owe you one for all of this. Give me a call when you and your boys need to have something fall off the back of a truck somewhere ok?” She was sure Phayzal could hear the smile on her face right before she terminated the call.

This was shaping up to be a very delicate matter indeed. She’d have to step carefully tonight, watching Cesarino for any clues he was trying to screw them, and just what she was getting herself into. She momentarily cursed herself for using “take-out” talent instead of the regulars from her own lists, but she already had most of them out on jobs already. She forced herself to take a deep breath and decided to run a quick lookup online about The Sports Bar. Even the most cursory of searches returned to her not only the location and LTG number, but the recently updated menu as well as it’s apparent Family ties. She also takes note not to eat there anytime soon off the clock.

Checking the time she decides it’s now or never. She heads into her bedroom and starts to get ready, already having decided what outfit would rise to the occasion for the evening. One thing she was certain to always do going into a meet was dress to impress depending on who she was meeting. She second-guessed herself and at the last moment slipped her Slivergun into a concealable holster and settled it at the small of her back, the cut of her clothing, making it’s presence almost invisible.

Once she was truly dressed and ready, she unnecessarily reviewed the information on Cesarino and the Finnegans one last time after committing it to memory earlier, before heading downstairs to the car waiting at the front door that the doorman Thom just buzzed to let her know had arrived.

16:37:25 Monday April 4th, 2070 – The Sport Bar at University Street & Terry Avenue, Seattle, UCAS

As a light and acidic rain was falling over a dreary and grey Seattle, a black sedan with tinted windows pulled up outside the bar, the car screamed stereotypical government agent, however the woman who stepped out of the back, was anything but.

Long legs ending in a smart pair of Jimmy Choo II’s were wrapped in a pair of clean-line charcoal grey Giovanni trousers. A matching suit jacket tailored to fit and accentuate every curve of her upper body with a deep enough V-cut to the lapels and no visible blouse underneath, made it pointedly clear she wasn’t just another woman working in the government ranks, she was something else entirely. The only colour on the woman from head to toe was a tiny swatch of crystal blue fabric tucked into the breast pocket of the suit jacket.

As she stood across the street from the bar, she pushed a pair of designer sunglasses to onto the top of her head, revealing a pair of eyes that matched the blue on her lapel. The eyes moved from one side to the other, slowly taking in every detail of the exterior of the place before she stepped off the curb and crossed the street to enter the restaurant to meet her party.

16:50:18 Monday April 4, 2070 - Outside the Sport Bar - Seattle, UCAS

Flicker still could feel the vestiages of the headache hovering behind his eyes, not really painful but like a nagging itch that distracted him. It was a sensation that he'd felt so many times before he wore it like an old shirt, something familiar if not terribly comfortable.

He got out of the taxi, paying the bonus he'd promised for violating the traffic laws. Flicker had over slept, recovering from the summoning and binding earlier and had almost missed his meeting. He'd been lucky to find a cabbie willing to ignore almost every traffic law ever written in getting him to the meet.

The young Ork mage turned his PAN to hidden mode, figuring it wouldn't cause much attention here and not wanting to leave too obvious a data trail, then adjusted the Seattle Outlaws combat biker cap he wore so the bill almost touch the back of his neck. The ballcap matched the T-shirt he wore under his armored jacket and the blue jeans and black with blue sneakers he wore. He knew the baseball cap and heavily armored brand new synthleather jacket made him look a little odd but the idea was to create an image that drew people's eyes to his clothing rather than his face, just in case Lone Star ever decided to try and assemble a ID profile.

He hustled towards the front doors of the bar, hoping he'd find his contact inside quickly so they could go over whatever needed to be said before the meeting.

15:25:18 Monday April 4, 2070 - En Route to the Sport Bar - Seattle, UCAS

Dual stood on the bus, quietly, just like everyone else. His eyes wandered around, taking are not to meet the stares of anyone when he could avoid it. Dispite his attempts to look like he wasn't interested in them, his eyes were gathering more information than they knew. Millimeter waves penitrated their clothing revealing whatever they were carrying around with them, while his radio scanners began to catalogue their commlink data, and snapshots of their faces found their way into his memory. He wasn't really looking for anythign in particular, but beter safe than sorry. He made note of a man (a buisnessman by the look of him) with an artificial arm, a young woman with a surprising number of datachips in her purse, a few people carrying concealed pistols, and two gangers armed with knives. The scan results were crossreferenced with the databases he had on various weapon and cybernetic models, and they became highlighted in his field of view with the important information appearing as a tooltip when his attention drifted there.

Once he was satisfied with his situaltional awareness, and had set his select sound filters to drown out the ambiant noise and focus in on the people of interest - his attention wandered back to the virtual world. The rest of the bus-ride was a blur, as he became lost among the various matrix iconography around him - but his attention was drawn back to the real world when one of his filters announced the bus's arrival at his stop.

15:59:29 Monday April 4, 2070 - The Sport Bar - Seattle, UCAS

Dual hustled down the street and finally found the Sports Bar. Normally he wouldn't have bothered jogging, but he told A'ja he would be there by 4, and it was nearly 4 now. he slowed his pace as he reached the front door, catching his breath. Cutting it close....

15:59:29 Monday April 4, 2070 - The Sport Bar at University Street & Terry Avenue, Seattle, UCAS

Dual


16:37:25 Monday April 4th, 2070 – The Sport Bar at University Street & Terry Avenue, Seattle, UCAS

AJA

16:39:21 Monday April 4th, 2070 – The Sport Bar at University Street & Terry Avenue, Seattle, UCAS

A’ja had to hold a low whistle to herself as she spotted one after another, the Mafia men scattered amongst the patrons of The Sports Bar. No wonder the place was packed without available tables. She worked her way through the bar area, grabbing an open seat to one side of Dual. She doesn’t speak to him, but flags down the bartender instead.

“Tall amaretto sour, please.” Her soft voice purred as she flashed a smile to the bartender.

Once the bartender had left earshot she kept her eyes glued on the screen before her, feigning interest in the basketball game as she speaks softly to the man beside her.

“Glad to see you came early. We’ll wait a few more for our third and then we’ll get down to business.”

16:54:00 Monday April 4th, 2070 – University Street & Terry Avenue, Seattle, UCAS

Gun

16:50:18 Monday April 4, 2070 - University Street & Terry Avenue, Seattle, UCAS

Flicker

15:59:29 Monday April 4, 2070 - The Sport Bar at University Street & Terry Avenue, Seattle, UCAS
When Dual entered THE Sports Bar, his eyes darted around of their own accord, taking note of various things that he had programmed them to look for. As he passed by, the patrons and staff lit up with AR menues and data boxes. Various gear becamed outlined underneither their clothing, and color-coded for ease of classification. Guns, communicaiton gear, a bit of cyber here and there - the securty men were easier to spot than the sports fans thanks to Dual's twin cyberscanners.

The fact that the bar was packed made his job that much easier. He took up a seat in one of the rooms, messaged A'ja and ordered himself a drink. Rather than paying attention to the game, he payed attention to the people around him, and to the establlishment's comm-center, which he had connected his public commlink to.

Whatever this meet is about, Dual thought to himself. She picked one hell of a place to hold it. Maybe it was all the suspicious looking people around, or the fact that he was here to meet strangers that he was going to have to work with - whatever it was, the air felt tense, like something big was about to go down, and when it did, Dual was going to be ready for it.

16:37:25 Monday April 4th, 2070 – The Sport Bar at University Street & Terry Avenue, Seattle, UCAS

Well, a half-hour ago he was ready for it. By 4:30 he was mostly engaged in an online game involving various abstract shapes that responded differently to different thought-patterns. He had a couple-dozen AR windows opened up on the bar in front of him that he flipped through like thick sheets of paper. He was catching up on the posts of some of his favorite matrix nodes when someone sat down beside him.

The first thing he noticed was her smell. He turned, ready to greet this strange woman and offer her a drink, when he saw it was A'ja. Play it cool, Dual. He smiled at her, but otherwise didn't acknowledge that he recognised her. As he slid his imaginary papers away, he wondered if she had cought onto his clue.

A moment later, he got his answer when he heard her talking to him under her breath. He set his select-sound filter to pick up her voice, but then went about pretending he didn't know her. Rather than reply out loud she recieved an request to form an encrypted audio feed from the same commcode ID that messaged her earlier.

If she accepts:

16:40:03 Monday April 4th, 2070 – The Sport Bar at University Street & Terry Avenue, Seattle, UCAS

The bartender set her drink before her at almost the same time Dual's feed request came into her field of vision. She flashed a smile to the man who placed her drink before her as she withdrew a certified credstick from a pocket in her blazer. Handing it over she accepted Dual's request and subvocalized her response when she was connected.

16:40:33 Monday April 4th, 2070 – The Sport Bar at University Street & Terry Avenue, Seattle, UCAS

Dual continues to keep his attention split between the game, and some AR objects that nobody else can see.

16:54:00 Monday April 4th, 2070 – University Street & Terry Avenue, Seattle, UCAS

Gun held his finger up pressing against the waitrresses lucious lips. "It's okay baby, I'm related to the owner."

Gun smiled gave her a lopsided smile and walked passed her. He briefly thoguht about saying something to Tommy, but he didn't want to disturb the mans work. That brought a pause to his feet. What if the 'work' was himself. He let the thought pass and continued on his way to the back.

16:40:56 Monday April 4th, 2070 – The Sport Bar at University Street & Terry Avenue, Seattle, UCAS

A'ja momentarily questioned herself once again for her hasty call for talent as she cast a casual glance back at the front door over her right shoulder. She takes a long pull from the tall glass, the cool sweet liquid tasting and feeling wonderful as it went down. She hated playing 20 questions when she didn't have the answers in the first place, and she was hoping it didn't show.



Frowning slightly at the score of the basketball game, A'ja stands and leaves her half-finished drink on the bar as she heads up towards the hostess stand. Once the young girl is done with the family that just walked in she steps up before her with a smile on her lips to match the one the girl flashed when she walked in.

"Hi, I just wanted to confirm a reservation for 17:00, might be under Rose or Cesarino." She paused, "I trust that our host will be made aware of our arrival and that once our third party shows we'll be shown to our table? We'll be at the bar."

16:40:56 Monday April 4th, 2070 – The Sport Bar at University Street & Terry Avenue, Seattle, UCAS

Dual senses the woman doesn't really want to talk to him about the job until everyone gets here. That's fine, he thinks to himself. Saves her having to say things twice. He got the information he wanted already, anyways. She got his name on his technical merit - and this "third's" name is Flicker, and he'll be in charge of magic. If the run requires muscle, she'll get some from the owners. Dual didn't quite figure out where she fit into the picture, but since she was put in charge of making all these arangements, he figured she was playing the role of "face." That's good. It fits her.

A'ja gets up to leave, and Dual pays it no attention. The connection is left open, so she want to get ahold of him when everyone arrives, she can - but Dual got the impression that she was loosing patience with him. Might as well leave her alone. He is beginning to wonder when Flicker was going to arrive. He assimed A'ja gave him the same "come early if you know what's good for you" line that he got in his message, but it was less than 20 minutes till the meet and he wasn't here.

16:51:08 Monday April 4, 2070 - Outside the Sport Bar - Seattle, UCAS

Flicker moved towards the bar and the woman whose features he recognized from her earlier message.

I wonder if 10 minutes is considered "early" in shadow parlance?

He doubted that the young lady his fixer had put him in contact with would consider it early but in some cultures arriving even three or four minutes would be early enough. When efficiency is the key word then wasted moments are almost as much a sin as tardiness. Still, the reality was he'd overslept from the drain of his earlier summoning and binding rituals, and he had no good excuse. He'd pretend he meant to arrive at this time and try and brazen it out. He smiled a small polite smile at the woman.

"Hello, I'm Flicker is this seat taken?"

16:51:34 Monday April 4, 2070 - Outside the Sport Bar - Seattle, UCAS

A'ja had returned to her drink and the empty seat beside Dual to wait however long it took the hostess to let their Mr. J know their party had arrived. She was working up an excuse as to why she showed up with only two people when the deal was for three when a voice making some kind of introduction interrupted her. She barely turned her cheek but her eyes were trained on the face of the young man taking a seat beside her.

"It is now. Glad you could make it. Hopefully now our host will be more willing to invite us to his table now that we're all here." She cut her otherwise curt words with a slight smile.

16:51:38 Monday April 4, 2070 - Outside the Sport Bar - Seattle, UCAS

Flicker gave the elegant lady a slight shrug and instinctively began a small bow before he caught himself.

"I apologize for the delay, it was unavoidable. I can assure you that my behavior will demonstrate my professionalism for the rest of this job."

The young Ork requested a bottle of mineral water, and when it arrived immediately began sipping from it, hoping the additional fluids would help to alleviate the lingering headache.

Flicker took the opportunity to slip into astral view and examine the room as well as his two companions.

16:54:00 Monday April 4th, 2070 – THE Sports Bar, Seattle, UCAS

Mixed between confusion and bewilderment, the elven hostess could do nothing but watch Gun as he walked away from her. Even though the place was packed, with patrons getting up and sitting down, waiters and waitresses slaloming between tables with trays filled with combinations of food and drinks, nothing touched Gun. No one bumped into him. He walked to the kitchen’s double swinging doors as if he owned the place.

The air in THE Sports Bar’s kitchen was hot, humid and thick with vapours from every kind possible. A heavy sweet odour of rib sauce hung around, cutting here and there on the perfume of grilling meat. Flames rose high and low on the numerous grills as the kitchen staff ran from left to right in some form of organized chaos, with most of their actions punctuated by the tinting of bells. A busy day.

None of the cooks paid the slightest bit of attention to the enforcer when his neatly polished and waxed shoes started creasing on the white tiles of the room. After all, they had better things to do than worry about mobsters strolling around in their world. It was either that or the fact they were simply used to sharply dressed gangster looking men strolling around in their realm. Dodging around the busy staff, the man made his way to the very far left of the kitchen, where he knew from previous visits, he would find the manager’s office. Gun wasn’t the least bit surprised to find what could only be described as two goons standing guard by the door. Whatever happened, the Finnegan’s were definitely not kidding around with security… something that was both worrying and reassuring. He had only made a few steps toward the door that it open, Cesarino stepping out. His light blue tie was slightly undone, and both cuffs from his shirt were unbuttoned. He held his jacket in his right hand, while the left one was busy slicking his hair back. He hailed Gun with a slight nod from the head, motioning him to follow him as he walked through the kitchen again. The two men that stood side by side went into the office. As the mobster approached Cesarino, he caught the glimpse of what looked like a Japanese man, slump on a chair with his white shirt bloodied.

Cesarino slid his jacket back on, and begun to redo his cuffs as he spoke.

“I’m glad you could make it Gun. Dependable and trustworthy men like you are becoming rare…especially in these troubled days.”

Looking at his reflection in one of the large metallic refrigerators, the underboss started to retie his tie.

“Before we talk business, I want you to know that we are all grateful for your help in dealing with this… incident. Things are heating up, and the action pie is getting smaller… but there’s a lot more mouths to feed nowadays.”

Satisfied his tie was now rightly done, Cesarino began to walk toward the kitchen doors leading to the closed off area. His large arm came up and around Gun’s shoulder. He spoke in a hushed tone, his head low and next to the enforcer’s.

“I won’t lie to you. War might be coming down on us. And very soon. That and the Bureau has started to sniff around our affairs… again. Which is why we need you. They don’t know you. You’re a fresh face.”

Pushing the door open with his free hand, Cesario and Gun walked into the almost deserted room. The sign on the outside door flagged the room as being under renovation. Far from the truth. The curtains were all drawn, and thermal blocking plastic covers had been draped over the windows. A few tables were covered with an assortment of electronic gear and consoles. Technicians and Mafioso alike worked keyboards, some listening intensively to recordings, others watching bank of monitors. This place looked like a state of the art mobile command post. None of the people present in the room paid the slightest attention Cesarino and Gun. One of the section of the room was empty… at the exception of a single lone man sitting a table. His hair was a mess, and his tie was worn around his neck in the manner of an undone scarf. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled all the way up, with his creased jacket sprawled in a ball on the seat next to him. He wore a pair of AR gloves, and was apparently rather busy doing something only he could see.

“John! My friend, you need to get some rest!” said Cesarino, as Gun and himself approached the lone man.

John’s unfocused gaze seemed to go back to normal as he turned toward the two men approaching his table. Getting up in a hurry, he extended a hand toward Gun.

“John, this is Gun. Gun, this is John, one of our most trusted consigleri.”

Gun wouldn’t have needed any introduction. The 40ish tired man standing in front of him, shaking his hand, was criminal lawyer turned lawyer criminal John Lassiter. After having made a name for himself by discrediting police work and turning free people obviously guilty, Lassiter had become the man bigshot criminals would turn to in time of need. It was said you could shoot the Star’s commissioner on live trideo and get away with it if you had the cred to pay Lassiter.

Although he was obviously tired, and troubled by something, his hand shake was firm and his smile still charming. The way Cesarino looked at him, it was difficult to say who was higher in the mafia food-chain.

“Please Mister Gun, have a seat” said John, motioning him to the seat in front of him.

When all three men were seated, John began to clean the table from the papers and pieces of electronic gear. Cesarino snapped his fingers and from pretty much nowhere, a young man, probably Italian by the looks of it, came to the table, a bottle of red in his hand. Seconds later, all three men were served.

John didn’t touch his glass. His expression, although still tired looking, slowly darkened as he spoke. His voice kept breaking from the emotion.

“My dear sister and nephew have been murdered… and the Star won’t do a thing about it.”

Cesarino’s hand went to the man’s shoulder, slightly rubbing it as John tried to continue his exposé.

“Last night, their house burned down. They found both their bodies… throat slit. They said it was a murder suicide case and closed it…. Those sons of bitches…."

“It’s alright John. I told you, we’re going to take care of this.” said Cesarino, looking up at Gun for approval.

“You need some downtime John. Go get some fresh air out the back. I’ll handle this.”

John nodded slowly, got up from his chair and dragged his feet away toward the kitchen door.

“What a shame, don’t you think? So, here the situation: we think this might be the first warning shot of a serious syndicate war. The cops either hope we’ll wipe each other away… or some people have more and higher connections than we thought. I promised John we’d get who was behind what happened to his family… but you know how these things can turn. If these is the first shot of a war, we want to know who’s coming after us, and why.”

Cesarino leaned forward across the table.

“If we have to gear up, we want to know as fast as possible. Trouble is, the Bureau is already on us, so we can’t really go around snooping ourselves, capiche? You’ll have extra help. We’ve already gotten a hold of three others. So, what do you say?”

16:40:56 Monday April 4th, 2070 – THE Sports Bar, Seattle, UCAS

The hostess fiddle with a few AR displays before going back to A’ja. She smiled the exact same perfect smile she had used before.

“Miss Rose, I’ll send someone to get you as soon as your table is available. I’m terribly sorry for the delay.”

16:58:40 Monday April 4, 2070 - THE Sports Bar- Seattle, UCAS

A’ja had returned to her seat for a good 20 minutes before the only other individual present at the bar approached the trio. It was easy to notice the small white earpiece he wore, and the small microphone attached to his collar. What he said wasn’t exactly what everyone was expecting…

“He’s ready to see you.” He said in a sharp and dry tone, his head nodding toward the door to the closed off section.

"As long as you don't mind the answers, I'll ask the questions. Let's see the people."

16:52:00 Monday April 4, 2070 - Outside the Sport Bar - Seattle, UCAS
Dual hadn't really noticed the arrival of their third, and only drew his attention out of the cloud of matrix activity visually represented in front of him when his select sound filters brought A'ja's voice to the forefront of his perception. He glanced slightly over her shoulder at the man that sat down next to them, and smiled before turning his attention back to the game.

As he turns his head back, A'ja hears his voice comming in on their connection, although it seems to be a little faster than before, and more monotone.

16:58:35 Monday April 4, 2070 - THE Sports Bar - Seattle, UCAS

Laughing out loud in a quite honest manner, Cesarino hit the table with both his palms.

“Let me tell you; they were damn right about you. We could definitely use more men like yourself Gun.”

Without letting the enforcer answer back, Cesarino whistled a snapped his fingers at the nearest sharp looking gangster. The man quickly headed the call of the underboss, crouching down to his seated level as he spoke something in his ear.

Seconds later, the soldatos spoke in his collar microphone, sending some sort request over the invisible waves of radio signals.

16:58:40 Monday April 4, 2070 - THE Sports Bar- Seattle, UCAS

A’ja Rose opened up the walk, followed by Dual and Flicker. As they walked up to the closed door, the bar’s staff parted ways and stopped in the their tracks, turning a blind eye to the team. Odds were, they had seen worst. Or maybe better. Depends which way you looked at it. Arriving at the door, the large gangster who had been quietly reading the latest news bulletin simply got up from his seat and opened up the way for them. His attitude was just like everyone’s: he, in no way, acknowledges the presence of the three runners. He opened the door without a word or a single gesture to their attention. It was a if they simply did not exist.

Crossing into the closed off section with them, he closed the door behind his large back. The soft click of a maglock sealing itself echoed in the air.

The second section of THE Sports Bar was very different from the first one. The elaborate trideo and audio suite was turned off, and even with the lights on, the whole place was in a mere dimmed lighting. Most of the table had been bunched up together to accommodate a rather impressive amount of electronic gadgets. Monitors banks showing numerous fixed and drone mounted video illuminated the place in an ever-changing pattern, showing a myriad of locations. About a dozen men were sprawled amongst the consoles, all deeply enthralled in some tasks. Further away, in a booth at the far end of the room, sat two men. A’ja immediately recognized Michael Cesarino… both the man sitting across from him was a new face. At least, to her. She made a step forward but froze on the spot when a large hand gripped her shoulder firmly. The doorman, who had followed them in, motioned her toward the wall next to the door. In his left hand, he held a small and long black and yellow MAD detector. He began to inch the scanner over her arms, down her waist and leg, in a trained motion he must have done thousands of times.

16:58:50 Monday April 4, 2070 - Inside the Sport Bar - Seattle, UCAS
As the team gets up to cross the room, Dual tasks his eyes with a millimeter-wave scan of those in the progression. Might as well see who I'm working with. In his FOV, the team becomes pock-marked with AROs indicating various equipment of note concealed beneith their clothing or implanted into their bodies. As he passes by the bar's staff, who turn a blind eye to him, their communication equipment and concealed weapons are also highlighted and super-imposed on their bodies.

In the next room, Dual tasks his eyes to complete their scan of everyone in attendance, and, ironically, becomes a little annoyed when a grunt pulls out an old-school hand-held MAD detector and starts waving it around him - his way of doing this was much more descrete, and probably quite a bit more effective.

Still, he was sure the thing wouldn't have any trouble finding the light pistol he had strapped to his right arm. The question was, would these guys care. Certainly they didn't expect Shadowrunners to come unarmed - and if they did, that's the sort of detail a Johnson should pass along when arranging a meet.

16:52:00 Monday April 4, 2070 - Outside the Sport Bar - Seattle, UCAS

When she got Dual's request, she complied, supplying Flicker's comcode to at least hopefully give the decker a bit of a calming effect since he could now be in contact with all of the "team" in one fell swoop. With Flicker's late arrival, it made it almost impossible to discuss the details of the job, not that there was much to share. Right now, they'd have to wing it, at least she didn't feel like she was holding anything back from her new "teammates" because if they couldn't figure out from looking around just who they were about to get into bed with, they didn't deserve to be here in the first place.

When their "escort" arrived and curtly told them that their host was ready, she stood and smoothed her trousers before taking confident strides behind the suit, noticing where they were headed and how the rest of the bar suddenly knew why they were there. No longer were they just stopping in for an evening drink and a bite to eat after work, they were here for the work. A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she kept walking right inside the "under construction" area.

16:59:31 Monday April 4, 2070 - Outside the Sport Bar - Seattle, UCAS

Stepping into the second area of The Sports Bar, she was pleased that her low-light kicked in immediately making it possible to shift from one room to the other with almost no change in visibility. She spotted the two men on the other side of the table and took it in stride. She started to step forward to make her formal introduction as would be polite when she was forceably stopped.

A'ja visibly stiffened as the hand went to her shoulder, her body tensing up like she wanted to move and move quickly but instead the tension just melted into a warm smile sent in Cesarino's direction as her head tilted just slightly almost questioningly.

Hmm... Looks a little more worn out than the latest photo, something's really spooked the Family.

She turned her head over her shoulder turning her smile on the goon behind her as the MAD scanner made it's first pass down her long left leg.

"I'll save you the trouble slick, small of my back, I'll even let you pull it out and hold it if you'd like."

16:52:00 Monday April 4, 2070 - Outside the Sport Bar - Seattle, UCAS
After recieving Flicker's information, Dual will attempt to open an encrypted audio connection with the late-comer.

16:59:31 Monday April 4, 2070 - Outside the Sport Bar - Seattle, UCAS
Dual laughed as A'ja pointed out her weapon to the goon, when it came to be his turn, and the man started scanning him, he pointed at his arm. "Right arm, " he mumbled. He makes no move to remove the weapon, or offer his arm to the man, however.

Although he liked A'ja's style, already, he'd rather keep his own gun on him unless forced to give it up.

16:52:02 Monday April 4, 2070 - Outside the Sport Bar - Seattle, UCAS

The request for subscription seemed perfectly normal so Flicker told his commlink to subscribe to the private network, even though working with AR while perceiving astrally did nothing except worsen the headache he was feeling. He let it go, returning his senses to the mundane.

16:59:33 Monday April 4, 2070 - Outside the Sport Bar - Seattle, UCAS

The mage followed the other members of his "team" into the back area and stopped when requested to do so by the obvious gangsters. Being among this many members of La Familia instinctively made him cringe, he'd spent the first 11 years of his life growing up among these people's primary rival and that kind of indoctrination didn't disappear easily.

Be easy, this is purely business, a simple contract for services from an independant contractor to an employer, nothing more.

The open tension and hostility demonstrated by the goons caused Flicker's own hackles to rise but he stood passively as they found the Predator on his right hip. They could take the gun, he had other weapons not so easily seized at his disposal.

17:00:26 Monday April 4, 2070 – THE Sports Bar, Closed Section - Seattle, UCAS

One by one, each of the runners were stripped of their respective weapons, which the “doorman” carefully placed on one of the nearby restaurant’ table, clip out and chamber locked back.

He parted his jacket, hooked the handheld weapon detector to his belt through a loop, and motioned the trio toward the two men sitting away from the general mass of people. As the neared the table, the older of the two got up from his seat, a large and calm smile drawing itself on his face as he extended a large hand toward A’ja. He took her delicate and manicured hand, reached over and kissed her on each cheek.

“Miss Rose.” he said while drawing himself back “I’m glad you could make it.” he finished in a deep, yet gentle voice.

Turning his attention to the two men, he motioned them to take a seat.

“Please, please. Grab a seat.”

The “doorman” had followed them up to the table, and was also about to take a seat when Cesarino discreetly shook his head. With a polite bow, the “doorman” excused himself, took a few steps back and simply crossed and simply stood guard a few meters off.

Snapping his fingers a few time in the air, the mob boss tried to gain the attention of one of his nearby goons.

“Anthony, go get us some more wine glasses, and another bottle of red. And a plate of spaghettis.”

The imposing mobster sat back in his seat.

“Would any of you like something? Anything you like” he said with a smirk, and added, with a small laugh “It’s on the house.”

17:00:55 Monday April 4, 2070 – THE Sports Bar, Closed Section - Seattle, UCAS

A'ja was quitely thankful that the goon, now named Anthony didn't try anything while taking her gun from her. Strangely enough she didn't feel "naked" in the presence of the two men across the table without it.

She returned the older gentleman's plesantries with ease, smiles and kisses as well.

"Il piacere è tutto l'il mio Cesarino di Signore." She replied with a demure nod of her head as she took the proffered seat across from Cesarino and his mystery man.

Switching back to English, her point made with casual Italian and a smile, she graciously accepts the man's offer as Flicker and Dual took seats on either side of her.

"I would be honoured to share a glass of a house red with you Signore."

17:00-ish Monday April 4, 2070 – THE Sports Bar, Closed Section - Seattle, UCAS

Gun leaned back in his chair, twisted slightly to the right with one leg folded over the other. With his right hand he propped his head up. He gave A'ja a nod at her very good Italian. He couldn't be sure, but it sounded real, not learned from a chip. He gave the other two a curt nod as well. The three of them seemed competent enough. Of course, investigating a murder was the not the sort of thing he usually did. Cesarino seemed to have a relationship with the one called A'ja, so it would seem that he probably wasn't being set up with disposable runners. In the end he decided to sit back and let the mob boss handle the briefing.

17:00:26 Monday April 4, 2070 – THE Sports Bar, Closed Section - Seattle, UCAS
As the goon reached out for Dual's right arm, Dual wondered how exactly he was planning to get it out. He breifly imagined the doorman trying to reach his thick meaty arm up Dual's sleeve, but figured it was more likely he would just take the entire coat. Rather than have that happen, Dual smirked and said, "I'm going to release the weapon so you can take it - don't be alarmed." He then commanded his arm slide to dorp the weapon into his hand, and commanded the weapon to disable its anti-tampering software. He coudlnt' actually prevent anyone from manipulating the weapon manually through software - but his gun would have normally sent a wireless alert to him that this was happening, and he didn't really need that notification. As the gun dropped into his hand, he carefully pointed it at the floor and held it out for the goon.

17:00:55 Monday April 4, 2070 – THE Sports Bar, Closed Section - Seattle, UCAS
Dual took his seat on one side of A'ja, crossed his arms and waited for everyone to get through the pleasentries and get down to buisness. Whatever little doubt there was before about the source of this job was gone now, and, dispite his earlier concearns, Dual felt he would rather be staring across the room at a typical faceless Johnson. He and A'ja seem to think highly of one another, at least. That did make Dual feel slightly more comfortable about the whole situation.

When food and drink is offered, Dual accepts some wine, simply out of etiquette. He'd rather have a beer, or some soda or something, or even just artificially flavored water, but he didn't want to accidentalyl offend this important-looking mobster by turning down his offer, completely - and Dual didnt think there was any way he could eat spagetti in front of this man, and maintain a professional dignified appearance.

I didn't realise this was going to be a meal-long meet, Dual thought. I'd rather get ot the point, get back my gear, and get out of here.... That's why I prefer attending things remotely - but that always looks bad the first time you're being put together. He stared straight ahead, but vocalized his thoughts on their secure channel (partially to test out that it was going to work, in this meeting room)

17:00:33 Monday April 4, 2070 - Outside the Sport Bar - Seattle, UCAS

Flicker seated himself quietly, taking a position to A'ja's left and with his chair turned ever so slightly towards A'ja to let these mobsters know where his loyalty lay. He doubted that they would understand the subtle 'body language' they way his family would have but most people would pick up the clues unconsciously. He declined the wine, not needing to add alcohol disorientation to his headache.

"I'd prefer a bottle of mineral water if its available, the Elaniatis Springs Tir brand if its available."

He breathed himself into astral perceptions in order to be able to help read the Johnson's intentions.