::Date, Someday, Some year::
::Location, Unknown::

Darkling,Avi ,Holden,Kanako,Chorus:

The light bleeds across your face as your eyes burn with pain. The haziness of forced sleep washes away slowly, however the room around you begins to unfold itself. You are placed int he middle of a room facing to the center, to your right left and across from you are four other people, you can tell as your vision clears that they are all strapped to a chair, the wooden kind, with duct tape and they also are just coming awake. Then you realize, your strapped to a chair also and you can hear faint footsteps behind you.

All around the room are pieces of equiptment you cannot place right now, tubes machines screens and needles surround you. It would even seem that a few are still in you. wariness still fills your muscles and your strapped so tightly you are only now getting back the feeling in your arms and legs. Pain shoots thru your very core.

You see five men come towards you, one to each chair and each holding a syringe the size of a base ball bat. Or it mine as well be. They speak in some sort of language your dont understand, each raises his syringe but just as he brings it for your arm the ground shakes things turn to chaos and the world around you implodes. The walls of the room explode inward, smoke dust and light burns across the room. Your chair falls on its side and you are torn free. You feel yourself raised up and carried a sort distance then you begin falling, you don't know hat has happened...

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You find yourself with four others in a wooded area, there is smoke still billowing in the far distance, you are clothed but weary and worn. Where are you, what is going on and what has happened cross you mind.....

Holden McGregor hurt all over. He hurt in places he didn't even know he had, deep in his muscles and bones, his meat body felt he had just been tenderized by some butcher working for the Finnigan Family. As far as he could tell he was in the middle of a clearing in the middle of woods. He could be dreaming for all he knew, but then again he wouldn't hurt like he does if he were dreaming. He closed his eyes to the world and dove into himself, trying to pull up anything he could remember to help him figure out what the fuck was going on. Nothing. He couldn't remember anything from the last year, nothing definitive after his last major memory, celebrating a clean milk run down at Dante's Inferno. That was the last thing Holden could remember and that scared the drek out of him.

Holden reopened his eyes to the early evening light of the clearing. Judging by the location of the sun and the amount of light it was about 6:13 PM. He pulled himself from the sleeping bag he was wrapped up in and looked around. He didn't even want to think about how the hell he got there, why he was there, or why he was in a sleeping bag next to a fire with four other people in the same condition. He just wanted to get the frag out of there. He brushed his auburn red locks from in front of his eyes and dusted off his clothing: a well made trench coat, fashionable with functional armor plating in it's layers, worn over black jeans, business casual black shoes, and a white button down oxford untucked. It was the last outfit he could remember wearing, so it only made sense for him to be still in it. He reached into the pocket and reassuringly found an old hair tie still inside, which he promptly used to pull back his long red hair into a ponytail.

Holden's dark green eyes scanned the others in their sleeping bags warily, not knowing who or what they were, but they all seemed to be in the same situation. He kept his eyes on them as he moved closer to the fire, towards both the stew and the warmth of the fire. He pulled his coat closer around him and served himself up a bowl of the stew as he waited for the others to awake.

Avi found himself on the ground, looking up at the tree canopy. The pain was just now beginning to recede to a dull ache. the medium sized, olive skinned israeli picked himself up, and shook leaves off the long coat. As he did he felt around. The holster sown into the pocket was there, but empty. As were any ammuntion, or communications devices. Picking a leaf off his black sweater, and another from his short brown curly hair, before he looked up at the individuals standing beside him, but he chose not to say anything just yet.

A small black block appeared in the corner of his right eye as he accessed his image link. He searched his headware memory for any video his eyes may have shot up the point he last remembered, which was strapping into his seatbelt in Israel taking off for the UCAS.

Waking from her slumber, Kanako shivers as realise's that she's not a warm as her sleep would of indicated. Lying there her mind slowly starts to focus and things about her enviroment come to her. As she attempts to loosen her clothes where they have wrapped tight around her, she becomes aware of the sleeping bag. Why am in a sleeping bag and still wearing my clothes? I don't remember this. At least i'm not wearing any shoes in this thing. After she finishes streching, she rolls so that she can see out the top of the bag, off to one side is someone in a pair of black jeans, male from the look of the shoes she thinks. Mud, leaves and grass?! When did I agree to go camping? scanning round she see's trees, and a glimps of a dark sky line and something that does seem familiar. Something is definately not right, I would NOT bring those shoes on a camping trip. Feeling for the zip on the inside she opens up the sleeping bag, almost regretting it as what little heat escapes out in to the open air.

Standing up after streching her limbs some more, looking around more fully at the surrounding area, Well it's not a date, I would never agree to go out on a trip with these two looking thugs they're far too tall for me and not Japanese. Oh, is it a ???

Slipping on her shoes their small heel adding to make her small frame almost a meter and a half and look just that little bit more slender. Taking of her suit jacket in an attempt to shake out the crease's, with only marginal success, putting it back on she moves over to the pot of food cooking, looking into she wrikles her nose at it's off smell, finding a fork she reaches in and stabs at something trying to pass as a vegetable, after looking at it for a few seconds her stomach grumbling in agreement with her assesment of the food.

"Well I won't be having any of that." her accented English, perhaps sounding a little snotty.

After some brief concerntration and about 10 seconds of time, she feels and looks much better, well at least not looking like she just spent the night in a sleeping bag while still wearing her clothes. Well her clothes still look like that has happened I was creating something to deal with that, wheres my pocket secutary?. After turning over her sleeping bag looking for something she turns back to the two that are awake.

"So gentlemen, whom are you?"

Across the field in the distance you notice a shadow of a man working his way towards you as you wake.

A crack like lightening spews forth from the valley and the shadow falls.

Your heart beats as you think Who was he? Was he the one that saved me? What has happened?

Instinct kicks in, you must escape, but you don't know anything about this place and chances are, whoever that shot came from, is still out there after you...

As your mind races you notice two things, first there is a large wooden chest covered by a camo-blanket between two tree's a little to your right, second there is a pile of clothing and a leather jacket or secure ultra vest (take your pick) laying near your feet.

At least someone seems to have provided a little protection to help you out.

Chorus opened his eyes, the lids moving across the cybernetics like they were covered in cement. Attempting to regain his awareness, he turned his head to look around, becoming aware of only two things: his sloped back horns scraping furrows into the ground, and how much pain he was in.

Chorus found the zipper on his cocoon and opened it up. He rolled over and pushed up to his knees shedding the sleeping bag and moving out of it. Bringing himself his almost nine foot height, he does a self assessment. Checking the pockets of his baggy, tan cargo pants he finds nothing. His tennis shoes are covered in mud that he doesn't remember walking through. His blue western shirt is stained with blood and riddled with rips and holes. Chorus ran his hand through short red hair shaking leaves and dirt from his head.

Well, lets see what we can pull up on the grid. Chorus set his radio to flip through frequencies, hoping he could get anything out here, and that it wasn't being jammed.

Stretching and feeling only slightly better, the troll moved to where they others were conversing around what passed for food. Taking a portion for himself, he looked at the others who had gathered around.

When a lull in the conversation came, he asked, with a slight Texan accent: "Anyone know where we are?"

With a shock Darkling comes awake, just about restraining the urge to sit up in shock and look around. Okay.... torture.... implosion.... blackness.... now soft? strange smell.... pine? so am I in a car now? Flexing his body slightly and trying to hide it as just rolling over in his sleep he's surprised not to be bound anymore. Right, no duct tape.... that's good.

With the calming thought he cracks his eyelids open a little and peers about as best he can Right three.... no four others around.... don't look like the guards, ah well might be... a dream? nightmare? but if so how'd I get here? Outside in the forest? this isn't Seattle.... where's the buildings? Oh crap what if there's.... bears? hmmm guess I'll have to risk it.

Carefully unzipping the sleeping bag and rolling out of it he smoothly rolls to his feet, and stretches his human frame to his mid five foot height and then settles back to a relaxed stance although it looks as though he could leap away without having to move much. Running a hand through his short brown hair and down over his pretty non descript yound adult face, you nearly miss that his eyes never stop moving, almost as though he's trying to keep an eye on everyone.

Seeing the female transform her clothes and then ask after who they all were he was about to answer when the crack happens and he grabs the secure jacket and backs into the tree line.

"Well I guess we'd better get ta know each other later chummers. I ain't sticking around in the open with a sniper about.... 'specially with no buildings as cover." As he speaks you can really hear the inner city accents, and the langauge, although English, really is more the one know as cityspeak.

Strapping the armour over his torn gray T-shirt and urban camo'd trousers, he looks back "I'm know as Darkling by the way, no idea how the hell I got out here, nature stuff not really my thing.... now urban terrain, that's much better. Anyone hurt? Once we get some distance and/or decent place to hide up I might be able to sort it out although I'm no street doc." and with that he chuckles slightly. "As for where we are, frag knows, some frakkin' forest...." And you can tell he really not very comfortable out here, although that could be the rude awakening....

Avi dropped into a crouch instinctively as the crack of the sniper's rifle went off. He looked around but saw no evidence of which direction the shot had come from. Snatching the ultravest at his feet he set off moving at a run, headed to camo blanket covered box. When he got there he used the box for what he thought might be cover as he slipped the vest over his frame. then he set his attention to the magloc. Without the proper equipment opening it with anything short of brute force would be unlikely. But disinclined as he was to step out into the open as he was, there was always the possibility that there might be something of use inside the box.

Avi looked around for a rock or heavy branch to smash the lock with.

Diving as the rifle shot sounded, Chorus spilt his food, decorating his clothing further with designs of chaos.

"Well, this camping trip just turned fun." He says with no grin on his face.

Quickly tuning his ears, hoping for something that might give him some way to triangulate the source of the shot, he sprinted after the smaller human. Grabbing a leather jacket, the troll starts looking around for something to pry open the chest with.

Holden drops into a full defensive position at the first sound of gunfire, muttering in latin an archaic phrase under his breath. A shimmering green field of energy materializes around Holden's body, and with a slight shake of his head he is no worse for wear. Holden then quickly moves over to the crate on the ground, grabbing another of the secure vests and moving slightly farther into the forest, to the nearest tree that he could hide behind and don the armored vest.

Holden calls out from behind his tree outpost, "What the frag is going on out there? Any of you chummers know where the hell we are?"

Holden looks carefully back around the tree at the group trying to pry open the crate and says, "Name's Holden by the way, better known as Trigger in some circles."

Flinching some full two seconds after hearing the gunshot Kanako mutters something under her breath in Japanese.

After getting her wits back around her, Kanako turns to the Troll "Well I don't, but if you can carry me, I can try to find out. Can you pass me that?" Pointing to the jacket that is clearly too small for anyone else but still a bit large for herself.

Holden moves out from behind his tree hiding after a few seconds of no gunfire and moves over to the group of them around the crate, trying to keep as low a profile as possible. He continued to sustain the Armor around himself as he moved in near the Troll, a much larger target than himself.

"Why don't we just take the fraggin' thing with us?" Trigger offered as he looked in the direction of the man who had fallen in the field.

Avi looked at a thick tree branch, and than to the troll, than back to the tree limb. He bent down picked the limb up, and worked to slip it in between the lock and the box's top to serve as a lever.

"Give me a hand if you would." He asks the larger, and most certainly stronger metahuman

Noticing that everyone seems to be busy with other things. No one ever listens to the small Japanese women, typical males.

Moving to put a tree between her and the direction the man was coming from she crouches down and puts her back against the rough bark. Tipping her head forward she extends her consciousness to the Astral Plane, travelling off in the direction the man was coming from. Come on show me something useful to understanding this mess

Hmmm, there's a second mage... looks like a pretty magical group.... probably only a matter of time before people start assensing everyone...

Walking over to the tree the japanese lady leant against and concentrating for a short while to cover her with shielding of magic to stop hostile spells he turns to the others.

"Well it looks like she gone astral so moving her now without her knowing that we're doing it is probably not a good way our relationships. IF you want to know what's in there I'd suggest at least dragging it into the tree line so your not out in the open. So what kind of stew is it?" and not waiting for an answer he heads over and gets himself a bowlful and heads back to guarding the mage's body. "Oh don't worry if I get a bit tricky to see in a sec, I figure I'll need the cover if something happens but don;t worry I'm staying around...." and his voice drops to a much quieter level "at least for now."

Putting his bowl carefully on the ground he concentrates and his hands move in series of motions similiar to Tai Chi exercises as shown on the trid and then as his outline and body become blurred and much harder to pick out of the background, you can almost see a scaled and overall very toothy shape settle over his face for a moment. Then he tucks into the bowl of stew. Hmm, proper meat was wondering if that would become a problem out here.

Holden looked up from the group around the crate to see the one called Darkling use magic as well, as spell he guesses was some form of camo or another. Whatever floats your boat chum, I'll stick with my shielding thank you very much. Speaking of shielding... Holden extended his own spell shielding to the group around him, leaving out the other two mages, they with shielding of their own.

"So why are our hoops still out here in the open?" he asked sarcastically, hoping to prompt the rest of them to move farther into the woods.

Chorus looks down at Avi and the branch. "Sure thing," he replies. "I am not sure if it will hold my weight but I'll give it a try." Moving the biggest rock he can find nearby just in case the branch gives way and he needs a hammer, the troll leans forward slowly applying his weight to the makeshift lever.

Not really looking in the direction of the two magic users, Chorus says "The shot sounded like it came from the northeast, in the direction of those hills." He tossed his gargantuan noggin in the direction indicated.

"Northeast." Avi grunted to himself, as the troll went to work. "I hope whatever's in here is worth the effort."He grabs the box to help keep it from wiggling while the troll goes to work.

Holden raises his head up slightly from the task around the crate and looks towards the northeast, trying as he might to see if anything is off that way. He opens his eyes up to the astral plane as he does so, letting his eyes catch sights on both the physical and the mystic plane.

Speeding off towards the body of the dead man, Kanako floats effortlessly across the landscape the auras of all living things speeding past her. Arriving at the fallen body, looking at it attempting to decypher any clues as to the direction of his killer. Floating up higher into the astral realm looking around for living aura's in the distance, Come on give me something..

Double post.

The crate opens with a pop as the hinge shatters.

Inside you find a array of weaponry and gear, inside you also find a piece of paper with very ornate writing style that says"

"Welcome runners,

You have been freed, the captivity for you has ended and yet here we stand unable to help you furthur for if you are caught we in turn would be destroyed, i unfortunitly can give you no more information or assistance then what i have here.

What has been done to you is horibble, and i hope you gain your vengence.

Good Luck."

With that it ends, inside the envolope you find a key marked with the number 2-28.

/sigh EDIT DBL post

Avi didn't wait for permission before extending his hand and snatching up an Ares predator. Pulling back the slide he checked the weapon for any problems, then puts a magazine in, and cocks it, before putting three more magazines into his pockets. The weapon in his right hand, he reached out with the left, and took the key and the credstick and, when those were tucked away, an overcoat. Looking at the troll who helped him get the crate open.

"Don't worry, I'm not absconding with the stuff, I don't think there is anywhere to go with it anyway. It looks like either we were a team, or we're going to be one, no sense not playing nice. Right?" Avi's words has the proper, but slight accent common to those whose english is not their first language.

Double post.

"Seems fair enough to me, chummer. 'Least 'til we find out where we are and howinda 'ell we got here." said Darkling, his voice floating out of the foliage by the astral mage. "So 'ow many wiz's we got here? We prolly should organise our defences so we don't jump on top of each other. I can provide a small amount of cover, it's not really my specialty"

"I have some mojo too," replied Holden as he reached in and grabbed the shotgun, a Defiance T-250. He hoisted it in his hands like a veteran to the weapon, checking how much ammo was loaded in it because he didn't know if there was anymore left in the box. "So how we going to get out of this mess because I am most certainly not getting geeked in the middle of a forest that I don't know," a slight Irish accent crept into his voice as he looked towards the east, where the auras shone lightly far off.

EDIT: Holden dug farther under the remaining overcoat, guns and grenades to find a box of shotgun shells on the floor of the crate. Holden quickly scooped the box up and deposited it in his pocket, grinning as he hoisted his shotgun over the shotgun on his shoulder.

Chorus' face splits into a grin as the crate's hinges give way. "Gotcha!" As the other's hands move in for the gear, he watches as the grenades go untouched. When the others have had their fill he starts to shove the grenades in his pockets, taking all but two. The troll also grabs one of the Predators and two of the clips of ammo.

Slipping the magazine out of the Predator with a familiarity born of practice he examines the weapons and ammo. "I ain't got no mojo, just muscle, but I been around it enough to be comfortable with how it works. People call me Chorus, by the way."

Looking around at the others, "And I suggest we get moving now that we got the goody box open. No telling who or what might be looking for us if this letter is any indication. I suggest we make for some kind of vantage point where we can get the lay of the land and maintain concealment. I don't think heading in the direction of the gunshot would be the best idea, unless we can't find anything more suitable to visibility." He turns his attention to the asian woman. "You see anything that might give us some advantage while you were out?"

Seeing the aura's off in the distance Kanako heads off over towards them, speeding up and slowing in a STOP-GO motion almost making it look like she's teleporting between points. Getting close enough to count numbers and basic types before heading off at a different direction to her approach, then heading back to her physical form.

Kanako ---



Everyone not in astral---

You hear a howl and a scream in the distance, far away sounding. Several shots fire with resounding crack across the valley area. Then the sound cuts off.

Holden hoists his shotgun in the direction of the shots and the scream, his eyes daring towards every shadow, watching for any sign of movement. His green Armor spell still glows around him as he turns his head only slightly to everyone else in the group, "I think that is our fraggin clue that we ain't supposed to be standing around like we left our meats to play in space."

Avi nods as the discussion about moving, but his analytical mind is still trying to put two and two together to get four. Not enough data.

"I think we know that the first shot came from the Northeast, I don't know about those last shots. So my vote would be to NOT go that direction. Let's get ready to move, I say we set up a perimeter, and wait for the Lady," Avi jerks his head at the body of the Kanako. "to get back and tell us what she knows."

For a second or two Kanako stands there like a rabbit looking at headlights. Then snapping to, she heads off in direction not the way she came, speeding so that Astral Space becomes almost a blur, putting distance between her and the humanoids before angeling back towards her body.

Joining back with her body, she bolts up and forward as if somehow her astral velocity transfered to her physical. Stepping forward and taking a second to get her breath she turns to the group.

"The only creatures near by are in that direction" point towards where she saw the humaniods with her nose. " Don't know about paranormals much, but the source of the scream was humaniods with flaming red eyes." Looking at the now open crate, "So what has that told us? Anything worth while?"

Holden answered Avi's question as he looked back at the crate, "It told us that we have friends that we don't know about, and our friends want us to escape this forest with our hoops intact," to emphasize the point he cocked the shotgun in his hands, "and I am in the mood to agree with them."

Chorus jerked in the direction of the new gunshots. He looked around for anything that he could define as an immediate threat. "I hope that was our friends that were shooting, not screaming."

After the asian mage's debriefing he says "I don't know what that might be, but it doesn't sound good." Moving away from the box, he says "And I agree that we should not go in that direction."

Your options are few, you have dense forest tot he east and a large pond to the West that looks more like a lake in size and it curves to where it would be a long ways to go around it.

The valley to the north has a mountain range off to the east but that isnt exactly the best of areas.

The main exit seems to be to the south, though its still dense forest it seems like the other two waysa re mountains and lake, the call is yours.

Seeing the mage stand, Darkling steps forward out of the foliage dropping the camouflage spell as he does so. "Good ta see ya back, as the others said we'd better be gettin' our hoops outta here. No idea what ta critters might be but I'll 'ave a think and see if someat comes up, so anything left in that box? I can use a pistol but prefer up close.... much better there too, or a spell."

Glancing around and realising that all the directions look bad to his urban tuned eyes he turns to the others and askes the obvious question. "So which way we going? They all look like drek ta me but away sounds good." and grins a little.

Holdens's guess was probably as good as any of theirs, because by the look of it, none of the group looked as though they had much experience outside of a sprawl...ever. The south looked appeasing though, the direction oppposite of those pursuing them is always a good direction. Holden wasn't concentrating on the direction though because his mind was caught up on the flaming red eyed humanoid paranormals...it made him think of something he might have heard in a class back in his days at MIT&T.

Holdne spaced out slightly, looking off to the north towards where the howlign came from. "Wherever we go, we should go together," he said absentmindedly.

"Well, i'm good for any direction you choose. Not that one. But someone else should lead unless i'm getting carried."

Thinking about her legs, Kanako then adds "Which might be a good way"

"I'm for south. It's away from the gunshots, and whatever it is she saw,"Avi gestures with his head as he got up, pulling the predator from where he had tucked it away. "Shall we?"

Decided it was time to lead and see who followed, Avi took his first steps towards the south, weapon at a low-ready.

Hmmm, wonder if she really is askin' fer a lift... weeell would let 'er scout in astral... only one way ta find out

"Well, dunno how long I could carry ya , but willin' to give it a go if yer gonna scout the astral fer us. Course I could be gettin' the wrong end of the stick." and smiling good naturedly at that possiblity.

"Anyhoo unless anyone's a good shot with that last pistol mind if I carry it? Probably better than me trying to tickle fraggers with me stunbolt."

Reaching down into the crate he pulls out the last Predator and remaining clips, carefully slipping them into pockets. Hmmm 'nades, well might get someone to duck at least And after a pause pulls the two grenades and tucks them away.

Seeing Avi at least picking a direction and heading out, Darkling starts that way, then remembers he might be carrying the asian lady and waits.

"So we booking?"

Chorus shrugged, "This ain't the jungles of the Yucatan, but I figure I can get us around, at least I could keep us from going around in circles. I could take point if y'all want." Looking down at his shirt, he attempted to scratch some dirt from one of the pearl snaps. The effort did nothing to improve the appearance of his bloodstained shirt. "Or I could carry the little one if you don't want a nine foot target out front. I am sure I have carried packs heavier than her."

"I am of the opinion that it doesn't matter which way we go because we don't know where we are or where we are going, so south sounds fine to me."

Holden stepped southward, following the direction set by Avi. His shotgun was at the ready, along with him eyes, sweeping every which way, watching the world in both normal sight and in the astral at the same time. His mind was still slowly working on the mystery of the paranormals, but that was in the back of his head, like the focus of sustaining his armor spell. The rest of him was focused on the surroundings.

As they moved southward Holden realized he knew very little about the four meats around him, but this trek through the woods may give him a chance to figure more out about them. He turns to Darkling and asks, "So, what's your story chum?"

Looking at Darkling "I can walk it, but we have to move fast, which in my opinion we do, i slow the group down. As well, unless i'm doing something magical i am not doing anything. Besides my diet is working" Smiling sweetly at the last part.

Stepping forward after doing up and pulling tightly closed her oversized jacket.

Looking over to Kanako "No worries, chummer, I'm fine wid carryin' ya if needed, might be best to save it fer the time we really gotta be somewhere else tho'. Diet looks to be workin' great." and runs his eyes up and down appreciatively although his smiles show it to be just that rather than a leer.

Then replying to Holden as they start to move out "My story.... weeell, all I 'member is a real drekky dream... nightmare.... memory? of torture or some'at then the sleepin' sac thing and 'ere. If yer meanin' what I do, that one's more tricky. I'm a physical mage, tink dey call it a 'Mystic Adept' now tho'. Basically I'm a bit 'alf an' 'alf, bit o' spell slingin' bit of physadin'.... mostly sneaky tho'. You want into a buildin' then I can probably get yer in...." There a bit of a pause and his face gets an angry case "Drekkers, dey took me foci, crappit that's gonna make things 'arder. Frag, nothing to 'elp it I guess til I find the drekkers. Weeell, I'll be slightly less sneaky den, but still as sneaky as a croc lookin' fer food." and gives the group a big toothy grin, although it is better looking than a crocodile's.

I'm sure I'm forgettin' some'at real important tho' more important than who I'm gonna gut for dis 'ere crap 'ole we're in, just gotta work out what it is....

Avi listened to the banter of his... Teammates? traveling companions? fellow victims? They seemed to be getting chummy quickly. Avi hadn't pointed it out, but there was always the possibility that one of them was a plant, sent to find out through friendship what they apparently failed to learn through torture. He'd remain relatively tight lipped about... about what? He couldn't even remember what it was they (whoever they were) were interested in.

Trigger suddenly looked up, as if startled by a dragon commenting on how meaty he looked, and looked around.

"How many of you also had foci?"

The idea had hit him like a ton of bricks and it was a ton that he was going to capitalize on. He knew that Darkling couldn't do it, since the mystic adept couldn't go astral, but if any of the other mojo wielders had a focus then they just might be able to find the fraggers who got them into this mess. Trigger's hand grew clammy around the grip of his shotgun at the idea...he wanted to make them pay.