Saturday March 2, 2070; 07:05:21; Hell's Kitchen - Puyallup

The spirit does as Cynic asks and the effects are immediate.
As Collateral looks in his rear view mirror he sees the suburban shimmer and mostly fade from view, now a ghostly reflection of its former self. He quickly finds himself having to concentrate on the road to make any speed and keep control of the bike on extremely dilapidated road.

Aeryn concentrates on driving seeing shimmering as well, but unlike Collateral the shimmering does not change what she sees... just how she sees it.

Zion watches the blockade out the read window as the team pulls away. Several vehicles are stopping at the blockade as they pull off into the distance.

Saturday March 2, 2070; 07:05:21; Hell's Kitchen - Puyallup
Zion;PAN=passive[LTG] SIN=gabe Moore(broadcasting)

Zion looking back towards the blockade relays what he see's <Zion @Team"heads up several vehicles just rolled up to the blockade i figure we have a few miles on them, they will probably give chase once they see the path we made. Aeryn if you could relay any routes from here to a safe location that we can meet up at to Collateral, We can hang back a few and if the other vehicles persue we might be able to fall behind them and get a jump on them from behind if they choose to start a fight"> with that being said Zion readies his Ingram for action. I like having elemental protection its a change from being the target all the time

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:05:22; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Aeryn; PAN = passive [LTG, Skinlink, Datajack]; SIN = Selina Seymore (not broadcast)

< [Aeryn] Wonder if they are the ones who set up the barricade... >

Saturday March 2, 2070; 07:07:00; Hell's Kitchen - Puyallup

The road is in horrible shape and it makes for slower travel than anyone would like to stay safe. At one point, Collateral is forced to make a pretty violent course correction to keep from falling into a sinkhole. Aeryn then has to compensate for both the sinkhole and Collateral's only escape route matching hers, but the driving skill of all involved pulls the vehicles out of a potentially nasty situation.

Whoever they are at the blockade, it doesn't take them long to realize what happened. As the team starts moving out of sight, Zion sees them following around the blockade. With his rangefinder, the range is estimated at 1.75 klicks. They are not law enforcement. They are Ass Hats.

The barren, desolate landscape is now all that the team can see in any direction. The only wireless signals, other than a GPS signal, are those of the team's coms, vehicles and smart-weapons. With the road continuing to deteriorate and the rain intensifying, the sloppy ash based mud has coated both vehicles as well as Collateral. Something in the back of you mind has to be asking.. will I become someone's hat?

Saturday March 2, 2070; 07:07:00; Hell's Kitchen - Puyallup
Zion;PAN=stealth[LTG] SIN=gabe Moore(not broadcasting)

Zion lets out a sigh seeing the rotten flesh of the ass hats start their pursuit. <Zion @ Team "well we have some Ass Hats coming our way looking for new accesorries, they are making their way towards us. Collateral if you dont mind i'll use your gernade launcher to give them a hard time once they get in range.">

Zion thinks to himself"if i have to deal with another gang before we get back it will be to soon"

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:07:00; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Aeryn; PAN = passive [LTG, Skinlink, Datajack]; SIN = Selina Seymore (not broadcast)

Aeryn continues to drive, plugging into the rigger controls now, to have a better feel for the underground and being able to better steer the car.

She goes as fast as the circumstances permit without taking serious risks.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:07:06; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Collateral; PAN = passive [LTG, Datajack]; SIN = Theodore Faron (Broadcast)

Collateral's bike bumps over the treacherous road as the conditions remain poor. He bends down further, getting nearer to his bike, attempting to keep his full focus on keeping his bike upright, and staying fast.

If I'm having trouble driving, then here's hoping they are too.

<@Team[Collateral] Hey Zion, I'm fine with you using the launcher as long as you know how to use one of those things. I'd prefer to just outrun them, free and clear, though. How much longer do we have in this dump?

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:07:06; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Zion;PAN=stealth[LTG] SIN=gabe Moore(not broadcasting)

Zion looks at the up coming gangers<Zion @ Team"Collateral i don't think we will be out running anyone on these roads, i am looking to maybe just deter them a little if wizkid could throw something their way before they get close enough for me to throw some heat down range i think they will have second thoughts about who they are dealing with.">

Saturday March 2, 2070; 07:07:30; Hell's Kitchen - Puyallup

It is quickly apparent the gangers are following. Not only are they following, but there are several large vehicles better designed for the road conditions than Collateral's bike. The the right (west) of the vehicles, the Puyallup River is visible through the drizzle.

Zion's range finder places the closest vehicle at nearly one and a half klick right now.

Collateral: You're moving nearly thirty kilometers an hour... and getting beat to death. The road, or lack there of, is horrid. Makes you remember why you quit living East of the Puyallup River.

Aeryn: Up ahead is a bridge. Given the condition of the road, what condition might the bridge be in..? Referencing the GPS to your downloaded maps it does not appear as though going around the bridge is any better option that going across. There do not appear to have been any roads around Mt Rainer on this side of the river. You are remembering more reasons why this route is so rarely used by smugglers and so lightly patrolled by border patrol.

Cynic: Your spirit is happily working its magic on concealing the vehicle as best it can. It is not affecting the sound or the tracks the vehicle is leaving though.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:07:30; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Aeryn; PAN = passive [LTG, Skinlink, Datajack]; SIN = Selina Seymore (not broadcast)

"The bridge seems like the only viable solution right now... let's hope that it holds."

Aeryn drives towards the bridge, carefully judging its state as she comes closer.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:07:30; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Zion;PAN=stealth[LTG] SIN=gabe Moore(not broadcasting)

Zion considered the question before asking "Aeryn is that bridge the only way across, if so ill make sure it collapses after we pass by it. we'll have to hurry it up though they are gaining quick."

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:07:33; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Aeryn; PAN = passive [LTG, Skinlink, Datajack]; SIN = Selina Seymore (not broadcast)

"Cynic, since that concealment stuff didn't quite work out, apparantly, maybe one of your friends can help secure the bridge while we are going over it? And afterwards we could need some help tearing it down to cut off pursuit. Can you do that?"

Aeryn then steers the car towards the east side of the bridge.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:07:38; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Collateral; PAN = passive [LTG, Datajack]; SIN = Theodore Faron (Broadcast)

Collateral was now nearly covered head-to-toe in Hell's Kitchen's acidic, caked-on mud. He'd spent some time in HK before, (as little time as possible, usually), but he'd never tried to ride his bike pedal to the metal in the middle of a downpour. The Ass Hats' vehicles were much better equipped for the weather and the terrain, but by Collateral's estimation they'd still be able to make it across the rickety bridge before the Hats caught up. If they made it across the bridge, of course.

Nothing for it but to go balls out. Time for Hez, not for thinking. Luck's got me out of shittier situations than this.

Collateral angled his bike towards what looked like the best part of the bridge, knowing that he'd be hard pressed to stop in time if the bridge wasn't in the best condition...

@Collateral

Saturday March 2, 2070; 07:07:45; Hell's Kitchen - Puyallup District - Seattle

Cynic drew a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Sure, no problemo chica."

Sure, the young mage thought, just whip up another elemental powerful enough to bring down a bridge. Nothing big.

It wouldn't do to let the other runners know just how mediocre his summoning skills were though so instead of complaining he simply released the air elemental and got to work.

He sank into the seat and imagined the feel of moist earth under his feet, the smell of the ground after the rain, the gritty taste of sand on his tongue, the stubbornness of the ground being dug, the harsh unforgiveness of the concrete during a fall. He brought his will to bear and gave life to those qualities, pulling those aspects into a coherent being made of mana, shaped by his mind, bound by his will, with the qualities of Earth.

The elemental being took shape on the astral plane in front of him meat form, it's energy pushing against his hold with all the stubborness of rock, the excess grounding out into his physical body like a static shock, causing the world to waiver for an instant, and a headache to blossom even faster.

Your Will Master The elemental's voice in his head sounded like rocks clattering together.

My companions are being pursued by enemies. After the two wheeled vehicle directly behind the vehicle my meat body is in passes over the bridge you are to prevent any others from following. You may destroy the bridge if that is the only way to prevent the others from following.

Saturday March 2, 2070; 07:10:00; Hell's Kitchen; Puyallup District; Seattle

Collateral gooses his bike, keeping to the left side of the bridge as advised by Aeryn. He manages to avoid the numerous places that appear devastating to his attempts to stay upright and somehow makes it out the other of the bridge.

Aeryn has a much easier time navigating the bridge being jumped into the vehicle and having Collateral effectively as a spotter.

The earth elemental rumbles up from the ground beside the bridge as the suburban passes. As the first vehicle reaches the bridge it merely pushes upwards on the front drivers tire from underneath, flipping the vehicle. The second vehicle suffers a similar fate as swerves left and dives into the river. The other vehicles a little farther behind come to stop before the elemental can be their undoing.

As the team's vehicles race away from the scene, Zion watches as two trolls from the first vehicle descend upon the earth elemental.

Saturday March 2, 2070; 07:13:00; Hell's Kitchen; Puyallup District; Seattle

The team has been racing away from the bridge for a full three minutes. The road T's to the south and the northwest. As the vehicles turn south, Cynic knows his elemental has been defeated.... but it gained them at least three minutes of hard travel.

Saturday March 2, 2070; 07:20:00; Hell's Kitchen; Puyallup District; Seattle

Several more minutes travel through six inches of ash tells the team no one travels out here. No one... and they've just ran into their next challenge: They've traveled down Orville Rd (or at least what used to be it) and reached the point where there used to be another bridge as the junction with Brooks Rd. Problem is the bridge is gone and Brooks Rd heads east south east towards Mt Rainer.... There appear to be two choices: Try to find a spot to cross the river without a bridge or try to navigate Brooks road through the deepening ash... and an inability to see the road..

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:20:00; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Aeryn; PAN = passive [LTG, Skinlink, Datajack]; SIN = Selina Seymore (not broadcast)

< [Aeryn] Damn! Looks like we need to find another way across. This bridge is no more. At least it seems our pursuers have given up the chase by now. I guess it's better to head away from Mt Rainer, so how about going westwards and trying to find a way over the river there? Either way, we should keep moving. >

Using her maps as a guide, Aeryn tries to locate additional points where they might be able to cross the river.

Saturday March 2, 2070; 07:20:08; Hell's Kitchen Seattle

His head still pounding from the drain of summoning the earth elemental, Cynic takes a long pull on his energy drink, trying hard to hide the tremble in his hand.

"I don't care which way you go at this point, I'm going to rack out for at least an hour. My head is killing me."

With that he shifted around to find a comfortable position and tried to catch some sleep, maybe enough to even get rid of the after effects of his magical activities.

@Aeryn

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:20:10; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Aeryn; PAN = passive [LTG, Skinlink, Datajack]; SIN = Selina Seymore (not broadcast)

< [Aeryn] Alright, I think we should head westwards and try to locate a spot where we can cross the river. Or we find a section where the river is narrow, build a ramp and jump over it. ;-) >

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:20:18; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Collateral; PAN = passive [LTG, Datajack]; SIN = Theodore Faron (Broadcast)

Now safely across the bridge, Collateral was about to take in a deep breath of Hell's Kitchen's acrid air when he stopped himself.

I could really go for a fucking smoke right now, but there's not much point out here. Now I remember why I don't live here; the place deserves its name.

He kept his bike rolling along the decrepit road at what was now a reasonable pace.

<@Team[Collateral]My bike is not the best for getting across rivers, but if we find a good place I'm not going to object to that route.>

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:20:20; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Aeryn; PAN = passive [LTG, Skinlink, Datajack]; SIN = Selina Seymore (not broadcast)

Since there are no objections, Aeryn follows the proposed route westwards along the river, keeping her eyes open for any possible ways to cross this obstacle.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:20:20; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle

As the team prepares to move on, Aeryn is struck by the feeling of something being out of place. She then figures out what it is; A shiny piece of metal that catches her eye in the wreckage of the bridge.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:20:20; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Aeryn; PAN = passive [LTG, Skinlink, Datajack]; SIN = Selina Seymore (not broadcast)

Aeryn takes a closer look, zooming in and (of course) streaming video right to her memory to be able to show the others whatever she found there.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:20:26; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle

The suburban's sensor suite includes vision magnification as a part of its upgrades. Using the sensors to zoom in on the reflection, Aeryn finds that a submerged portion of the bridge about 15 feet from the bank shows signs of recent repair..

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:20:30; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Aeryn; PAN = passive [LTG, Skinlink, Datajack]; SIN = Selina Seymore (not broadcast)

After letting the rest know... < [Aeryn] So what do you think? Maybe the bridge will hold after all? Looks like it has been repaired, probably left in this state, so it's not too obvious, that there actually is a way across right here... >

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:20:30; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Zion;PAN=hidden[LTG] SIN=Gabe Moore(not broadcasting)

Zion looking around waiting to be jumped by the gangers that were following them . <Zion@[Team] "everyone there are atleast two trolls that were jumping onto wiz kids helper, i figure they are magical in some nature and there are probably more of them any route that will move us away from them and into more familiar territory.">

I wish we had a VTOL we wouldn't have to deal with stupid ass hats or any gangers for that matter.

Zion leaned over from the back seat speaking to Aeryn"would you like me to get out and see if the river bridge is still intact and actually functional?"

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:20:18; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Collateral; PAN = passive [LTG, Datajack]; SIN = Theodore Faron (Broadcast)

Collateral pulls his bike near to the portion of the bridge that Aeryn so keenly spotted.

<@Team[Collateral]I'll investigate this bridge section. Hopefully it can handle our SUV, I'm sure my bike will be light enough.>

Being cautious once again, Collateral moves towards the sunken portion of the bridge, seeking to test it's ability to hold weight.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:21:30; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle

Being early March, Collateral finds the river water very cold. The bridge seems to be submerged pretty deep. There's no way his bike is getting across and if the suburban doesn't have a sealed engine compartment it probably won't either.

Zion gets out of the suburban and heads down to the riverbank to assist Collateral. As he makes his way down, he nearly trips on a mostly buried metal box.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:21:30; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Zion;PAN=hidden[LTG] SIN=Gabe Moore(not broadcasting)

Zion look down at his sore toe, noticing the metal box he puts his attention to the box burried in the river bank. Zion starts to remove the dirt around the box to ensure there are not any surprises waiting for him then examines the box.

<Zion @ team " i found a metal box here in the dirt, give me a sec Collateral and ill help check out the river bridge.">

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:21:15; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle

@Zion
The box appears on closer inspection to actually be a lid of sorts. There are a pair of catches on opposite sides just below the soil.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:21:15; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle

Zion flips the switches and reflex takes over and he flinches back before he flips the lid open

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:21:18; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle

Inside is simply a plate, mounted to the ground with a lever and a little stub.... actually a valve stem.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:21:18; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Zion;PAN=hidden[LTG] SIN=Gabe Moore(not broadcasting)

Zion looks at the bridge then then to Collateral and the suv <Zion @ team " stand bye one minute all, i might have found a way over that gap. bear with me"> with that said Zion find a rock and places it on the metal plate and twist the valve open and stands back and watches to see what happens.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:21:19; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle

The valve stem does not move. When Zion presses his finger against the inner spring, he finds that there is no air pressure.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:21:19; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Zion;PAN=hidden[LTG] SIN=Gabe Moore(not broadcasting)


Zion feels no pressure wondering<Zion @ team "dont suppose anyone has a air compressor?" there is a valve stem here that probably has to do with the bridge">

Zion starts to look around for any hidden air compressor or generator unit that would look to do the same thing.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:21:20; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Aeryn; PAN = passive [LTG, Skinlink, Datajack]; SIN = Selina Seymore (not broadcast)

"Air compressor... sure... always got one in my handbag... no, sorry man. Car has one, though, maybe we can use that?"

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:23:00; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle

Aeryn moves the suburban down towards the bridge, till the back is lined up to the valve stem. She then opens the back doors and a panel on the inner sidewall at the back of the vehicle. She then proceeds to pull out an air hose, handing it to Zion. The elven street sam then proceeds to connect it and being transferring air.

Collateral keeps watch while Cynic sleeps off his summoning induced migraine.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 07:38:00; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle

The team is just about to give up when Aeryn confirms that there has in fact been movement of parts of the collapsed bridge. At this rate it appears there is nothing to do but wait.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 08:46:00; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle

After over an hour, it appears that the bridge has raised to its highest level. Several struts and side rails are up to a meter above the surface of the water and the portion to be driven on is within centimeters of the water surface.

It appears that all is left is to simply the need to drive across....

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 08:46:00; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Zion;PAN=hidden[LTG] SIN=Gabe Moore(not broadcasting)


Zion looks to Aeryn
"suprised those gangers didnt catch up to us. should we make sure no one follows us over? we could rig the box to blow after we leave."

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 08:46:18; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Collateral; PAN = passive [LTG, Datajack]; SIN = Theodore Faron (Broadcast)

Still within earshot, Collateral replies to Zion.

"Maybe we should keep it up in case we need it later. If those gangers were going to catch up I'd think they would have done it by now."

Seeing that the bridge is fully functional, Collateral heads back to his bike.

"By the way, how are we doing for time, in your estimation, Aeryn?"

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 08:46:30; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Aeryn; PAN = passive [LTG, Skinlink, Datajack]; SIN = Selina Seymore (not broadcast)

"We shouldn't destroy it. It has probably been installed here by smugglers and they might still need it, yaknow. Maybe there is a similar valve on the other side. There must be some way to get it back down as well."

"We should still be good with our time schedule."

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 08:46:45; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Zion;PAN=hidden[LTG] SIN=Gabe Moore(not broadcasting)


Zion realizes what he said" what are you thinknig destroy it? wow im more tired then i thought" Zion jumps back into the SUV when the bridge is up and ready to cross activly looking for another metal box as they cross to lower the bridge.

"lets roll, this place is starting to give me the creeps"

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 09:03:21; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle

Collateral eases his bike out onto the bridge, finding as he goes across that the smuggler's bridge makes use of parts of the original bridge in places and newer construction in others. It is never more than one lane wide and in places the center of that lane is missing, forcing him to keep to one side of the lane. He stops several times, trudging through the water to check the path in order to insure to feel comfortable that the suburban can make it.

Once the suburban begins onto the bridge, it submerses the bridge nearly half a meter. The entire team' hearts all skip a beat at the same moment, but it does not submerge any farther; The only harm done is that Collateral is now wet past his tail bone and his bike has stopped.

The suburban backs off the bridge and it rises again. Collateral pushes his bike on and off the other side, then the suburban follows. Aeryn has her concerns but keeping slow the navigation is no problem and though the water is higher than she'd like, she is able to override the load-leveling system and raise the suburban to the top of its suspension system.

The team makes it safely to the other side, though Collateral can feel the effects of the cold on his lower body. Riding in the rain was one thing, sitting in the river another. On the positive side, his bike starts again and seems no worse for the wear.

Meanwhile, Zion locates another box and identical controls... As the drizzle begins anew he realizes he never covered the box on the other side....

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 09:03:25; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Zion;PAN=hidden[LTG] SIN=Gabe Moore(not broadcasting)

Zion realizing he didn't cover the bridge box looks back over his shoulder" Aeryn i didnt cover the valve, ill be right back." Zion takes off his gear so it doesn't get wet and starts to make his way back across the bridge on the parts that are only centimeters under the water trying to make it back so he can cover the box with the valve.

"I cannot believe i forgot to cover the box" Zion thinks himself dissapointed that he forgot such a small detail

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 09:12:00; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle

Zion makes his way over to the other side, secures the cover to the the controls and back again without further incident.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 09:03:30; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Aeryn; PAN = passive [LTG, Skinlink, Datajack]; SIN = Selina Seymore (not broadcast)

"Oh dear, sorry Collateral. Thought the bridge would be more sturdy."

What drove in me there... should have waited for him to make it safely across before getting on that bridge with the car...

While Zion is taking care of the box on the other side, Aeryn checks what they have to do, in order to let the bridge submerge back into the river, leaving everything here clean and tidy - if you can speak of that in this part of town.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 09:03:45; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Collateral; PAN = passive [LTG, Datajack]; SIN = Theodore Faron (Broadcast)

Collateral mutters something unintelligble about his wet pants, vainly attempting to wring them out a bit.

It's been quite an adventure already, this mission. Not as smooth as I'd like. Still, smoother than the avatars would have done it, and I haven't had to blow anything up yet. At least the suburban made it across the bridge... and we can leave Hell's Kitchen soon, with luck.

Collateral yells over at Zion.

"Almost done?"

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 09:03:45; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Zion;PAN=hidden[LTG] SIN=Gabe Moore(not broadcasting)

after covering up the valve and making his wet way back while looking for the opposite swith that will lower the bridge Zion looks towards Collateral yelling back him " almost just need to find the valve that will lower the bridge so no one knows we were here" then goes back to looking for the metal box.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 09:05:15; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle

Zion makes his way back to the controls on the west side of the river. After several minutes he is able to pull the lever up and hears the hissing of air as the pressure begins to release from the system. It will take several minutes to bleed the system though.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 09:05:15; Hell's Kitchen, Puyallup District, Seattle
Zion;PAN=hidden[LTG] SIN=Gabe Moore(not broadcasting)

as the bridge starts to lower Zion quickly makes his way back accross the bridge before he gets to wet <Zion @ team" Bridge is lowering lets get the hell out of here ASAP im tired of fooling around in this ashe and filth. ">