Malice throws back the drink, then tosses it over the bar where it shatters on the floor.
Congratulations, you bought your self a few more seconds of breathing. Now frag off.

Yeah, whatever. Enjoy... the drink.Taking another long drag off the cigarette, Lucky makes her way out of the bar. Anyone in her way earns her trademarked glare.
Goddammit, I knew I should have passed on that last drink.

The view outside in the predawn light is much different than the one coming in. Now the alleyway has it's fair share of squatters, and more than it's fair share of tough guys and gutter trash, all standing around and drinking.

When Lucky steps out in the the alley, it's like someone dropped a cat in to a dog kennel. A good half the man stop what they're doing to stop and watch her. As she takes her first steps in to the alley, a few men start detaching from the walls, moving in around her. The door closes behind her with a *clang*.

Yeah, here we go.
Using Quick Draw, Lucky pulls out the custom Hammerli 620s from it's place in the under arm holster.
Reaction Test

Keeping her back to the wall, Lucky levels the gun at the nearest man and fires.
Firearms

The first man goes down fast. A few of the men jump back, a few others jump forward to tackle Lucky.

Roll Reaction to dodge melee -2 for "Friends in Melee",-1 for heavy drinking

#1 Reaction

#2 Reaction

#3 Reaction

#4 Reaction

#5 Reaction

#6 Reaction

Resist Damage for attacks



Body + Strength Test to resist being pulled down

Damage Resistance #1 (against 6)

Damage Resistance #2 (against 5)

Body + Strength Test

One of the punches thrown connects pretty solidly, taking Lucky in the arm and knocking her back. One of the man tackling her gets her right around the waist, pulling her to the ground, with a couple of others piling in, wrestling for the gun.

Roll Initiative -2

Initiative

One man goes for the gun, to pull it away


Two more start pummeling, working on the arm, and tone going for the face
Roll Reaction at -2


Two more simply hold you down. One on the legs, one on your gun arm.

Fighting back as hard as she can, Lucky attempts to keep her gun.
Opposed Strength Test

Managing to hold onto her gun, Lucky attempts to brain one of the men with the butt of the gun.
Reaction

Unable to free her arm or dislodge the men on her shoulder. Lucky instead wrenches the gun to face the man atop her and fires.
Firearms

Resist 5DV damage twice

The gun goes off again ,and the man trying to pry the weapon away screams in pain. By now the men are shouting and yelling. A few more come and join the fray. You feel a pair of hands grab your boots, while another grabs for the swinging gun hand.

Initiative 9

Resist Damage #1
[ Spoiler ]
Body 4 + Armor 1: 5 Result: 5,5,5,3,4 Total: Three successes

Screaming in rage, Lucky swings her gun arm around and brings it to bear on the bastard that punched her in the face. She fires.
Firearms

The man barely moves aside as the gunn goes off, taking him square in the chest. He falls back, blood spraying. Two more men leap on to Lucky's gun arm, wrestling the pistol away.

Str Test again to hang on to weapon


Another man takes a kick at Lucky's ribs while she's down.

Once again, Lucky struggles to hold onto the gun.
Opposed Strength Test


Losing the gun, Lucky cries out, silenced by the sudden blossoming pain in her side.

Reaction


Resist Damage (against 6)

The gun is wrestled away finally, just as another man to the side delivers a painful boot to Lucky's side, knocking the wind out of her. Much swearing continues in Lucky's direction, as a few men hold her down.

One man looks down at her from his seat, straddling her stomach.

You litte slitch. Think you're too good for us eh? WE'll see about that, when we've all had our turn.

He starts to lean forward, when a flying body collides with his head, ,sending him sprawling in to the next man. The man on Lucky's next arm is the next to go, lifted bodily into the air and smashed in to the man holding her legs.

Instinct moves Lucky, and she grabs for the gun that the men have apparently forgotten.

Lucky and Malice go to work.

Initiative 7

Initiative: 11

Finding herself holding her gun and freed from the press of bodies, Lucky goes to work. Without thought, Lucky takes aim and begins firing. The first shot is aimed for the man that was on her stomach.
Firearms Shot #1

The next shot goes into the man that held her arm, now hurrying to get up from where he crashed into the man holding her legs.
Firearms Shot #2

The third and final shot follows the second.
Firearms Shot #3

The two men shot go down quickly. The first drops from the hed shot as he's rising, the second, from the double tap Lucky puts in to his chest. Her gun goes in to lock back.

Of the 8 men, 4 are still standing, three are dead on the ground.

Three of the remaing men rush Malice. She blocks the first, side steps the second, and grabs, then breaks the arm of the thrid man as he rushes by. She brings her boot up into a side kick, completely collapsing the man's rib cage and putting him into the brick wall. She turns to the third man, punching him solidly in the face,e and watches satisfied as his head flies back and teeth fly out.

The last man runs.

For the sake of completness, Lucky is tempted to Fireball his retreating backside, but the hassle of dealing with NOPS is enough to stop the thought.
Sliding the gun back into place and safetying the weapon, Lucky takes a look around.
Didn't get enough inside?Lucky wipes some blood off her leather jacket with digust. Listening, she waits for sirens... then realizes that she is definitely not in "that part of town".

Malice smiles back. A rather pleased looking smile.

I like to wait until the last pretty girl leaves. But I figured you'd do just fine for this crowd. Some times the herd needs a little thinning ya ' know.

I like your style ... no questions, just start shooting. You might need something that shoots a little faster though.

Oh, and a new shirt.


Malice regards the mostly torn shirt with amusement, then looks around at the bodies at the ground, apparently considering it a fair trade.

I l liked this shirt too. Yeah, well next time, I'll make sure I start out with the Fireball. Lucky zippers her jacket over her now exposed abdomen. Pulling out her Strikes, Lucky offers one to Malice.

Malice smiles and waves it off. Those things'll kill ya.

Fireball might be the way to go, but it won't save any of those pretty little shirts I'm sure.

What a' they call ya'? And don't say impressive.

Lighting her own cigarette, Lucky smiles. She loved this part.
Names Lucky.

Ironic.

Malice ewalks up and regards Lucky for a moment, apparently sizing her up.

So give me a ride to your place and get me a drink for saving your life. It's the least you could do.

Without waiting for an answer, she heads towards the street.

Laughing, Lucky heads down the street, following Malice. Those that were huddled in the corners and behind the dumpsters during the fight are now scrambling to pick over the bodies.
Vultures.Lucky knew that the nuns would urge her to be kind to those without homes, but they did just sit there and watch her almost get raped. Her sympathy was all tapped out.
Finding her truck in the same shape she left it in last night, Lucky deactivates the alarm system and swings inside. Waiting for Malice to follow, Lucky flicks her cigarette out the window.
Soon, the two are on the road. Lucky heads for the Lucky Strike. Once there, Lucky pulls up and heads inside, there's only a few people left. Mostly the janitorial crew and a few of the pit bosses cleaning up after their own after hours card game.
Walking over to the bar and sliding behind it, Lucky places both palms on the bar top and looks at Malice.
Whatdya have?

***Earlier that night... 10:00 p.m. *******


Lucky is waiting in her office, the Tombstones vs. Terminators game playing out on the AR display when Sinn arrives. A bottle of rum and a glass are already waiting, along with an uncut Cuban cigar.
As he walks through the door, Lucky leans forward and pauses the game.
Hey Sinn, where ya at? Did you see our unwashed friend outside, at the bar? He's clearing me out of several different flavors of vodka at the moment.
Lucky leans back, lighting her own cigar as she does.

Rayo - Monday, Aug 13th 1100
It's been a long day. Rayo's just come in from delivering a shipment of Carib League talesma up the Throat .. which is always fun. Nothing like delivering well preserved body parts to street shamans in St. Louis to make your day all shiny.
Then it's a quick trip back .. .body cavity search by a CAS patrol sargeant that decided he wasn't bribed enough, and back in the Big Easy. of course, it's raining, so there's no good fighing today. And Benny wants to talk about something.

On the plus side, gotta nice fat cred stick to the tune of 6,000. Promptly gave half of it back to Benny for the debt.

Mondays suck.

Benny wants to meet down at that club his boss owns, the Bar Rouge. Some kind of play off a name of some bar in Paris. At least the girls there are pretty. Maybe today won't be too bad.

Rayo
Nowadays Rayo always gets chills when Benny wants to talk about "something". Usually it's just business, but you never know when he wants talks to about some there is missing. Rayo sadly looks at his credstick.

Sorry buddy. You will never see tomorrow. Daddy has too many debts to pay.

Rayo again checks his cyberarm through his cybereyes. The AR note of monthly maintenance being late for three days is blinking. Well, whatever they say, you my friend are my number one priority today.

Abdul wasn't home, maybe he had to go to chapel or something. Rayo locked the boat hangar himself, walked to his car and started driving to the club. He let the autopilot do the work, enough driving for today already. At the way in Rayo calls to his doc about maintenance times. Sooner the better.

Rayo Monday, Aug 13th 1142
Soon enough, Rayo pulls up to the Bar Rouge. The club is a two story building of old red brick. The interior is of course all modern tech, but the exterior has purposely been left to match the surrounding buildings. The Rouge is part dance club, part bar, part strip joint. Seems half the clubs in new orleans fit that description lately.

Walking in side, Rayo barely manages to avoid clipping an ork carrying a keg passed the door. The ork simply glares and goes about his work. At this time of day, only employees are in. Unfortuantely it looks like all of the employees are cleaners or staffers. No dancers.

Benny is very easy to spot of course. The big man is sitting at the bar, munching down beer nuts, and watching the Predators Vs Screamers game. Benny loves his urban brawl.

Benny quickly catches sight of Rayo and waves him over.

Hey there chummer. Damn ... who pissed in your Soy-O's this morning? You look like Drek. Here, lemme set you right with a round.

Benny reaches over the bar and grabs a bottle of whiskey and a glass, and quickly pours a pair of shots.

A toast .. to crappy mornings. may we live to have a thousand more!

Benny throws back his shooter, slams the glass down, and smaks his lips. he takes a moment to enjoy the whiskey, then turns to Ralo.

Got some work for ya'. Seems one of the crews is spread a bit thin and needs some man power. I need you to hook up with a chummer name o' Mancuso. He's an important man, so he'll be calling you. Do his work good, and there'll be more coming your way. Lucrative kinda "more". Soka?

Rayo - Monday Aug 13th 1143
Rayo quickly takes a look of himself in the AR. Drek. How did my beard get that shaggy?! Rayo quickly wipes his face with his right hand and straightens his jacket with the left cyberhand as Benny is reaching for the drinks. Then he literally climbs to sit next to the big ork, taking a class of his own. Although being still a head shorter than the ork, he feeled right now equal.

I drink to that, chummer..

Although he owns a lot to Benny and Rayo has good manners, he knew that Benny wasn't an ork to be called "Sir". Rayo wasn't also in the mood of drinking, but he also knew that Benny wasn't an ork whose offers he could refuse, specially went it came to a free alcohol. So he took an example of the big man and poored down the shot in one quick motion.

Rayo was starting reach for his soon-to-be-empty-credstick when he heard that "something" was this time something positive. Rayo watches the urban brawl game same time as ork speaks and gives a little smile.

I got ya. Can you give any more info about this guy Mancuso?

Rayo theatrically patts his jacket, puts a hand inside past his automatic pistol in under arm holster, pulling away a small flat metal box with spanish words on top. Opening it he takes one mini-cigar to his mouth and offers the box for Benny.

Try them. They don't last as long as the big ones, but they've been bought straight from Havana.

Rayo started again patting his jacket muttering. Now where did I put my lighter. I know exactly where my dreking lighter is. In the pocket of that no good pig who had to check my whole boat for half an hour.

So.. Rayo started with pulling the poor credstick from the other pocket. I had long put good night. So if it's okey to you, I would shorten a bit of my.. you know.

Rayo slots the credstick into one of the credstick readers of the bar, dialing the code in AR and checking the sum of 3000 .

Lucky
Sinn takes his seat on the other side of the desk.
Never did like it much, reminded me of horse piss. The vodka too. He says with a wink and a smile.
Get anymore word on my killer? I did some legwork, didnt get much, I figure they'll come to me, I left some messages. I think I got everyone scared, even Snake looked a little worried.
He takes a sip of his rum, the old familiar, beutiful taste.
Havent had much in a while. Tryin to cut back, for Dante'.
Sinn takes a deep breathe and begins to speak again.
Listen, Lucky...He leans forward. Theres something I gotta tell ya. To be honest, you're the first person Ive trusted in a while. And the most unlikely of people, considering our past quarrels. So I feel I need to be completely honest and open with you about some things. Sinn takes another breathe. Lucky notices that for the first time, Sinn looks nervous. Its about where I was last night. Lucky, I joined up with the Voodoo Posse. I know how you feel about that, thats why Im not gonna keep a secret from you. I plan to repay the family, so they shouldnt worry. I know Oz plans to break ties with them, but I still plan to repay them. Also, Im not bringing them in on this job. Its all us, its gonna stay that way.
Sinn looks up, relizing what he's just told her. Actually he was suprised that he still had his testicles in tact.
Well? Where ya at?

Rayo

Benny appreciatively takes the cigar, then grabs a match book from the counter. he lights his own and tosses the matches to Rayo.

Good man Mancuso. Smart fragger. Knows hthe bussiness, if ya know what I mean. Connected man, like me, and then some. He's a breeder, but I don't hold that 'gainst 'im. Guy's got power in the right places.

And he pays fraggin' well. He asked me if I knew a smuggler that was discrete and knew his biz. naturally I thought of you. Him or one o' his will be callin' for ya' tomorra', or tonight. Be ready to go when they do chummer.

So that's it. Git er tail down there when they call, do some biz, earn some cred. 'Course Iget my 20% finders fee from the work once ya' get paid But that should leave you more than enough ta' buy the drinks next time.

Benny throws Rayo a wink.
'Nough talk 'bout work though.. Stick around, have some beers wit' me, we'll watch the game. 'Lest you got other work ta' do?

Knowing Benny, he's probably feeling for any more cred coming his way. But he seems content enough to sit and watch the game for now.

Cigars are great.

Lucky
For a long time there's nothing but silence. Lucky smokes her cigar and looks at Sinn. Finally, after what seems like hours, but is in reality closer to 5 minutes. She speaks.
Well, that's quite a change, Sinn. I appreciate you telling me. I bet it took balls to come in here and say that to me. I also appreciate that you're making the lines clear on this particular thing we're doing. I just hope that you're as free and clear as you're saying you are. I hope you know what you're doing, Sinn. I really hope you do.
Lucky takes another long pull off of the cigar and then stubs it out.
So, next matter of business. We have this thing to take care of, and now we have a new man on line. He's late. I've already explained to him that negotiations with the "Johnson" are off. He deals with us now. But I gotta know, is he in or is he out?

Lucky/Sinn Monday, Aug 13th 2322
Having said his piece, and finally released the breath he was holding, Sinn finally takes a chance to relex. Still can't help but wonder if accepting is the same thing as being square. Then Sinn notices, for the first time, someone else in the office.

Leaning againt the wall in the back corner is a large human man. Strange that he missed the big guy standing there. Mind not on the work apparently. The humans is a big man. Probably a made man by how serious he looks. His eyes are the solid chrome of silver. He's seems to be watching Sinn, but it's hard to tell without any iris to judge form.

I gt some of the information you asked abou Lucky. I figured you didn't want to make to many waves at this point, so I asked people quietly, or made sure they couldn't talk afterwards.

The krewe naturally moves a lot of stuff down the throat. Most of it is hardware. Rigger gear, guns , electronics, that sort of thing. Most coming inf from Detroit, but there's plenty of other producers that all funnel their wares down to St. loius, then down the river.

Most of their work is smuggling, with the occassional hijacking. That elf punk SYNtax that Blain has working for him gets all their intel. Blain knows the kid is a gold mine, so he keeps guards on him all the time. Doesn't let him out much, except for the occassional rave. The kid hacks systems, finds dirt on people, gives Blain leverage to coerce people to become smugglers where he can't find them, or convinces them to drop a bit "off the back of the truck". Sound familiar?

They move their goods on to little black market fronts, flea markt style for the most part. Electronics, car parts, all that drek ends up there. They sell it to a fence that moves it to the sellers that acutally sell the stuff.

The guns they keep, and they apparently have a few weapons dealers of their own out there on the street. That's how they have so much weaponry available. And worrst, peopel buying those guns that don't want their supply line to dry up, because they get them on the cheap.

Blain's main weapon is this little slip named "Eve".

At this, Bennet hits his commlink. An AR picture of a young woman pops up. She's approxiametly 5'9", with full shoulder length blond hair whe wears down, framing her face. She wears a hevy leather long coat, over leather pants, and a tank top, black on black on black. Even in this picture, the SMG she wears on he rback can be seen under the jacket. She also has a sawed off shtgun in a modified hip holster on her right side. She's wearing small circular sunglasses in the picture, smoking a cigarette, talking to someone.

Despite appearances, rumors say that sh'es really an ork. Don't know if she got work done or not. Either way it hasn't been confirmed yet. She's supposed to be an adept, good with automatic weapons. I'll look more in to her.

Blain, the main man behind the krewe, is only in his late twenties. WHich means if he's got them this organized, he msts be pretty smart. I hear he comes from Vegas area, but was muscled out. So he may have learned some of his skills from us. He's no slouch i a fire fight from what I hear. Seen his fair share. But he's more of a "man with the plan" type.

Don't have anything yet on where the doss down. Trying to keep things quiet. That's what I've got from tonight's work.

Good work. That gives us a lot to work from. I have a few other contacts that might be able to flesh some of the intel out for us... oh, I'm sorry, where are my manners? Bennett, this is Sinn. Sinn... Bennett. He'll be working with us on this thing, taking care of what needs to be taken care of.
Lucky sips at her whiskey, contemplating.
Okay, so that still leaves us with the matter of Streak. Any thoughts? This time, Lucky includes Bennett in the question.

Rayo - Monday Aug 13th 1144
Yeah. I hate talking business when watching the game. Rayo gives his cyberarms "Maintenance Late"-message one more look, waves it again off and closes his AR vision. Well, hope this Mancuso guy doesn't like to be too early on his timetable.

Well, Benny my old friend. I can't let you drink here alone. The beer always tastes much better when drinked in company. More the merrier, you know?

Rayo buffs his cigar and waves for ork behind the bar, maybe the same one he almost tripped before. Who knows, they all dress the same. Two long ones to me and big guy over here.. DREK! Rayo hits the fist to bar table, peanuts bounching a bit and he almost drops to the floor, barely keeping himself up with his cyberarm. Just before on screen Predators ball carrier had blown to pieces. Not there, you stupid keeb! Don't tell you made a bet on those losers! My grandma could run faster than that long ear! Rayo turns to look at Benny, graps his beer and drinks a hugh portion of it in one go..

Four beers, couple of smokes and a one great game later that finally ended for tight victory for Predators, Rayo slides off his stool and heads for the door. You're the best Benny, you hear? Rayo waves with another hand back to the ork and takes a balance with another from the wall. Rayo doesn't wait for the reply and checks his commlink on the way to the car.

Well, that went well. And now I need a lot of some freaking coffee. Dr. Tell tells me.. Tell tells.. well that's funny! Rayo slaps himself to the cheak. Get control of yourself man! Rayo slaps himself one more time and climbs into the backseat of his van. So Dr. Tell is available all day. As I think I said, you're my first priority of the day. Whatever some Mancuso guy wants.. He waves again one warning message away.

Freaking big shots.. Rayo mutters to himself as he jumps to VR, connects to his van and starts driving to Dr. Tells clinic, laying down at the backseat.

Rayo - Monday Aug 13th 1510

Going to Dr .Tell's clinic is always a strange exercise is walking the fine line of John UpRightCorpCitizen and Johnny B HaveBadlyRunner. Dr Tell's clinic is on the up and up. Or at least, parts of it are. H elost his license some time ago, and became indebted to the mob at the same time. Now they provide a front clinic for him to work out of, in exchange for patching up bullet holes and installin illegal cyber for their "good friends" and "associates".

The so called "Avery's Family Clinic" truely is a Family business. They also use it for getting a hold of a lot of gray market drugs and other supplies, as well as some accounting magic.

The plus side is that there's no sitting around in mold filled basements, or sub-par medical equipment. The down side is waiting rooms.

Rayo
Rayo picked up double espresso on the way to clinic. It tasted like motor oil, but at least it was cheap and his head felt a bit more sober. Rayo sits quietly in the waiting room while holding a cardboard cup with his both hands. He tried to use his commlink but somehow there was no signal. So all he could could do was to wait and hope that next sip from the coffee would taste better than the last one.

It never did.

Rayo - Monday Aug 13th 1555

Finally Rayo is called in to the examination room. Dr Tell has a nurse take hs vitals quickly, then moves him into the Diagnostics Room. As usual, Dr Tell is quick and prrofessional. Most of his "special clients" learn quickly that Dr Tell wants to get his work done and move on to the patients with "real problems". He tends to behave rather brusquely. It's not that he dislikes them. Simply that he's always a bit resentful of his situation and unconciously vents it on the "special clients"

Without a word, Tell hooks Rayp up to his diagnostic systems. He has wireless of course, but as he explained the first time, prefers to do diagnostics directly, to "remove as many variables as possible". He works quickly and efficently, muttering something about servos and timing. He then uploads the newest software update (why an arm needs updates to know how to move is anyone's guess), applies some new lubricants and heat gel, and gives Rayo a packey of cleaner.

You know the drill. Keep the joints clean, try to keep the wireless off, or at least run more virus protection, and for god's sake, eat a proper diet. Remember that these things run off of your bodies bioelectricity. That's why when you have too many beers, and not enough real food, your arm, and the rest of you, move more sluggishly. Keep eating fish. That should help. Otherwise, you can diet a diet supplement at most health and cyber stores. Something like Lec-Tro-U works fine.

You're probaby going to need to change out the corneal filters in your eyes in a few months as well. It looks like you have been getting a lot of sun. I can do it for you, or you can do it your self. The filters are only 30, and there's some very good self-diagnostic programs out there. Evo's put out an auto-maitnenace program that works wht cyber arms to do all the work for oyu. All you have to do is load the program, get the filter, a couple small tools, and switch the eye off. Takes about 15 minutes.

If there's nothing else, I have other patients to see.

Lucky/Sinn - The Lucky Strike - office - Monday Aug 13th 2325

Bennet shrugs Everyone's got some use. I don't really know this 'Streak' guy. If he can hold his own in a fight, that's better than nothing. Your call, you know him, not me.

Rayo - Home - Monday Aug 13th -2100

Rayo has finally made it home, spending a good amount of the day finishing errand that needed to be done before he left on the run in the first place. But of course, it was put off. Coming home to a fridge full of only condiments is always a hit on the moral.

Rayo finally manages to get himself set in his vibrating chair, beer in hand, Bass Masters coming on.

That's when the commlink rings. Of Course.

Rayo

No number. Crap, crap, crap, crap.. Rayo puts the beer down, finds himself a shirt on, silences the music, checks quickly if his hair is okey, tries to look as cool as he can (which is not much) and answers the call.

This is Rayo.

Rayo
The face of a human caucasian comes on to the screen. Green eyes, brown hair, a strong set jaw, probbaly in his early thirtiers, someone this serious looking has got to be a made man.

Rayo, my name is Julain Mancuso. I believe a fellow associate of ours informed you thwat I would be calling? I'd like to meet with you tonight, say 2200? There's a club on Draper street, The Kitten. Meet me there.Alright?

Rayo - Rayo's Home - Monday Aug 13th 2103

Sounds fine. We'll meet there.

Rayo let's Mancuso to hang the phone, then checks his mapsoft. The Kitten isn't too far away. I don't even have to hurry there. Speaking the devil, 5 pounds of black and white fur just woke up under the pile of clothes, stretching his back and says "Meow".

Hello, sir. Thought you wouldn't ever wake up. Rayo scratches Admiral behind the ear and picks up his beer. Tonight I'm going to see more Kitties than just you. Put you have to be a good boy and stay here to guard the house. Admiral answers back with a bit longer "Meoow".

Yes, yes, yes. Daddie gives you some supper. Rayo opens a can of cat food, dresses properly, packs his running gear and starts heading at The Kitten taking a van along.

Rayo - The Naughty Kitten - Monday Aug 13th 2148



When Rayo walks in , the whole place is alive and loud with business .The bouncers simply wave him in, apparently without bothering with the usual weapons check. One of them, a large human that looks liek he's had some muscle augmentation, leads him over t oa table in the back, on a slightly raised platform. The table has an excellent shared view of both the stage and the door.

It's a little hard to concentrate on business at hand with all of the young and nude or enticeingly dressed women walking around. SPAM for escorts, private dances, and more pop up in the side of Rayo's vision. The club is at least discrete enough to kep the spam out of his main field of vision. Probably because it would interfere with their main attraction.

The man in the back, which Rayos recognizes as Mancuso from the phone call, is already talking to a tall human man dressed in a suit. The man has a dark complexion, black hair on wel ltanned skin. A local then. He looks to be in his 40s. Rayo is made to wait by the bouncere for a few minut4es while they finish their converstaion.

Eventually they both stand, and shake hands. Mancuso walks the other man part way out of the club.

Mancuso:Thank you again for coming Michael. We'll have to do this again.

Michael:I'm sure not too often, as we have ... other things to consider. You have a good place here. I look forward to...

The rest of the words trail off into the back gorund noise as they walk past.

After a few minutes, Mancuso walks back, stands in front of Rayo, and looks him over for just a moment. He then extends his hand.

Rayo, pleasure to meet you in the flesh. Please, come , ahve a seat. Get you a drink?

As Mancuso leads Rayo over to his booth, he links him to the bar and the drinks list, while selecting a G&T for him self. Mancuso slides comfortably in to his booth, a king returning to his throne. Or at least the head of his table.

When it comes to business, I ususally prefer to get right to the point. I've got a piece of work going that needs a bit of extra helping a long. It seems that one of the people taking care of this thing for me went and got him self a little shot up. He lived, but it has slowed down plans that can't be allwoed to be slowed. These plans involve your specialty. I need you to provide some of your expertise t some of my people. They'll probably also need some of your trasnportational skills put to use.

A little matter of one thing coming in to some people that shouldn't have it, brought in by people that should know better than to bring it in. Get this matter handled properly for me, and I'll compensate you for your time. Say 8,000. Let me know if nuyen's a problem. I can handle dollars just as well.And if the associate I have handling this whole affair says good things about you after wards, more work will ocme your way.There's always work for someone that can be smart and discrete. What do you say?

Rayo - The Naughty Kitten - Monday Aug 13th 2153

Rayo tries to keep his dignity with all these "distractions" hanging right at his eye level. Surprisinly not with much success. Recorders in the eyes record a lot of goodies for later use, including the man named Michael. Seems that these boys really aren't friends, even though the conversation seemed to go well. Maybe somebody knows more about this Michael-guy.

Rayo shakes hands with Mancuso and keeps his coolness. Pleasure to meet you, sir. Rayo takes his seat and a moment to look at the drink list making a order of Wolfram. As Mancuso talks, Rayo again theatrically taps his jacket and pulls out the mini-cigar box, offering it first to Mancuso. Then he taps again his pockets and realises that he in fact had put Bar Rouge matches in the pocket of his jacket. He lights his own cigar and offers the matches to Mancuso, if he wants a cigar and he doesn't have a lighter of his own. Rayo starts to talk, but gets distracted by the waiter coming in with barely nothing on. With force he peels his eyes off back to Mancuso.

I promise to you sir.. you don't have to regret taking me into this job. And nuyens are just fine. The people I normally do business with manages with nuyens just fine. Rayo takes a sip from his drink, putting a silly umbrella aside and takes another long sip from his cigar.

So these associates of yours. Where do I find them? And how can you assure, sir, that they don't just put a bullet in to my head as I arrive? It wouldn't be the first time they called a new guy, kill him and sell his stuff in black market. Blame the new guy, he wasn't good enough for the welcoming party. And oh for the hell's sake, don't give me some stupid response that you're people don't use bullets for whacking people like me.

Rayo again gets very distracted with two elf girls who seem to really like each other - with whipped cream. Damn! I really need to come here more often..

Lucky
Eyeing Bennet a moment, looking him up and down. Then disregarding him without a second glance.
Streaks back, eh? Fine, let him play, as long as he knows Ill kill him without even thinkin about it if he blows this one. We'll work out some sort of deal with him. Charge him a late fee though.
Lights up a ciggarette.
Anything else?