Carter winced as he pushed himself up. The shoulder would heal faster if he stopped using it, but somehow he didn't think that would happen anytime soon.

"Priye can you get there from anywhere, or do you need something special?

" Everyone else, I'd like to have a decision made in the next twelve hours for where we are going. It doesn't have to be our final destination, but we should start moving if we want to keep UO off our back in the short term. Are there any countries or methods of transportation that we need to blacklist? I don't care why, just throw it out there now so we don't have surprises later. Personally, I need to stay out of the Duchy of Pomorya. I've travelled a lot, and know people just about everywhere. Once we start figuring out where we want to go, I can lay down some groundwork."

Meanwhile, I need to find a way to come up fifteen large before Vinnie tries to skin me for jumping town. He isn't known for trusting junkies and thieves.

"Okay," I said, and dialed Lav.

Pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up...

A message popped up on my comlink.

Sorry, my Galahad, tending to my garden. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. --XOXO, Lady Lavender

Damn it all, okay how about you, Geoffrey...pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up...

Geoffrey's androgynous voice---a mix between a prepubescent boy and a tomboyish teeny-bopper---launched into its upbeat recorded message.

"Yo, yo, yo! You've reached Cosa Nostra Pizzerias---the ONLY pizzeria that guarantees deliveries in 30 minutes or THE PIE IS FREE! Unfortunately, all of our lines are busy so just hang out for a bit and we'll put you down for a pie as soon as---"

I turned off my comlink, knowing that the call register would be enough to let Geoffrey know that I had tried to get in touch with him.

"Well, so much for my friends. Anyone else have any luck?"

Tig put away his now-empty plate and yawned, stretching his arms and upper body with decidedly cat-like movements. Then he slumped back against the wall and closed his eyes.

"I don't really know anyone that could help us get away. Sorry..."

Priye brightens up at being talked to directly. "I can travel anywhere with no problems. My safe place is in this city though."

There is a pause as she thinks a bit then asks. "I have a friend in the dead things - the neverborn you carry.' She gestures to the nearest comm. "He might be able to help if one of you could help me use it."

I glanced over at Priye, somewhat taken aback that she did not know how to use a comlink. I shrugged, and keyed up the dial.

"Sure," I offered. "Tell me a name or number and I'll get your friend on the line."

J.D.'s conversation with Sister was as short, clipped, and awkward as could be expected. Although, the rest of the gathered people were probably only privy to the occasional electronically distorted sighs coming from the courier. Shaking her head, J.D. started dialing up the next number on her list. Hermes's phone rang. And rang. J.D. began pacing up and down the far wall of the living room in slow, measured steps.

"Your safe place might be a good idea for the time being, especially before we can make a move somewhere out of the city--preferably somewhere into another corp's turf. Extraterritoriality will be on our side," she nodded towards Priye. And the talislegger's phone continued to ring. The courier left a short message at the tone, and cued up Sergei's number next. If Hermes was too busy to answer her comlink, then the black-marketeer was J.D.'s only real hope of finding a good place to go to ground. The Russian picked up on the third ring.

"Hello, this is Sergei! Who is this?" Sergei's chipper voice came through clearly. Although, there was an odd bit of background noise to the call, some sort of hissing that J.D. couldn't quite place.

"Sergei, it's J.D."

"Oh, J.D. you haven't called me for months--not after you bought that morphing license plate. A wonderful choice. What can I do for you, today?"

"I know this is going to be a bit out of the ordinary, Sergei. But, I need a place to disappear. Me and several others,"

Priye steps towards Krsnik and leans her face towards the offered comm. She speaks in a overly loud voice as she shouts at it.

"NETZACH! I NEED HELP!"

She leans back and smiles at the street samurai. Her face is red with a blush as she stammers in a conversational tone.

"It will be a moment as he finds me. Do you know what we will need when he arrives?"

Krsnik - Your calls are met with the cheerful automated avatar with the ridiculously large chest that filters Lav's calls when she's busy. It informs you that your call is very important, and will be returned as soon as possible.

Geoffery's unfailingly polite voice offers similar condolences, also indicating that your call would be returned just as soon as was possible.

J.D. - Sister's gruff voice crackles onto the line from the substandard comlink just before the automated messaging feature would have kicked in.

"I know, I know you're not callin' to tell me you fucked up mah' place. Ah have got enough drek with these UO flunkies crawling in and out of every pipe down here without hearing that suddenly I don' have a safe place tah' lay mah' head." The tone doesn't leave much room for disagreement, apparently despite what the situation on the other end might have been.

On a separate line, the faceless avatar of Mr. Fixes public comm number picks up promptly on the second ring, as always. As soon as the caller is visually identified, the faceless avatar melts away, leaving the polite and bland face of the paperman staring back. An actual visual was something Arthur restricted for those clients he had at least a modicum of respect and trust for.

All - Jennie bustles around as you talk, cleaning up, offering out second and third plates of food as people finish. She tries offering Pyrie a sandwhich, but withdraws fairly quickly when the young woman bumps the food against her mouth several times, apparently having not noticed the additional step of parting teeth and lips in the eating process. The twins wake up somewhere amid her bustling, and are immediately wrapped in more blankets and given cups of something that smells suspiciously like real hot chocolate and sandwhiches. The spend the first half an hour or so looking around avidly, smiling at everyone, and occasionally giggling between themselves at some joke that only exists in the space between twins. Eventually, food and drink finished and dishes put away, they scoot simultaneously to the edge of the cot and look to the group.

"What are we going to do now?" Nosh says.

All - There's a burst of static from everyone's commlinks, and everybody but Nosh either winces or has to fight the urge. Nosh looks around interestedly instead.

"NetZach?" she calls out.

"Nosh? Pryie? Where are you? There's a blackout on the half the greater Seattle grid right now. Anything with your name, description, or picture tagged to it disppears down a very deep hole." the voice echo's tinnily on the commlinks built in speaker.

I resist the urge to flinch as Priye shouts into the comlink.

Wouldn't be the way I'd answer the phone, but maybe the rules are different for...whatever it is she is...

When Priye asks about what we should bring, I shrug my shoulders and say the first things that come to mind.

"Food, water, and light if your hideout doesn't have any... Oh, and ammo. We could probably use more of that, too."

J.D. sighed. At least Sister was still cordial—at least as cordial as she could get.

“I’m truly very sorry, Sister. The situation got out of hand, and I would gladly do what I could to make it up to you. But, I’m afraid that any further hints of my presence would just make life more difficult for you,” the courier’s tone was genuinely apologetic. And Sister would know well enough that J.D. hated inconveniencing people. But, even if J.D. rarely brought trouble home—when the courier did bring home trouble, she brought it in spades.

On the other line, the young woman nodded at the paperman.

“Good morning, Mr. Fix. I assume you’ll want to get right down to business, as usual. I’m in need of a few fake SINs, passports, etc, and as quick as possible,” J.D. then turned back towards the gathered runners in the living room. Depending on how my bank account is looking, I may want a new SIN as well. U.O’s going to get a tag on the two I’ve been using pretty quick, the thought was almost enough to make her sigh again. Money was looking a bit scarce after this little adventure.

“I know we’re going to need at least two sets of paperwork for the kiddies. Who else is going to need a new identity? I won’t be able to pay for you, but I’ve got someone on the line who’s pretty good with these---aaaugh!” The courier about jumped two feet into the air as the burst of static hit everyone’s comlinks.

Priye seems to relax visibly at the sound of the voice coming from the comm.

"We need shelter - somewhere secret and safe.These Hes and She need neverborn things to kill with. The small hard things that tear and rip flesh - maybe other things. Can you help us?"

"EX-Explosive small and hard things that fit Savalette Guardians, if you have 'em," I quickly tagged on to Priye's comment.

Still holding my comlink out to Priye, I looked over to Carter and said, "I should be good to go just about anywhere, so long as it's not filled with Raks or other gangers.

"And I should be set with IDs and licenses for the time being," I finished, answering J.D.'s question.

What in the world have I gotten myself into?

Still wincing from the burst of static, not that the others would be able to see her facial expression, J.D. shrugged a shoulder in Carter's direction.

"My blacklist is blank outside of this state. And I don't have much to move. Give me twenty minutes, and I'll have everything I need to bug out," the courier took a moment to confirm the location of her hidden motorcycle and the remainder of her supplies, which wasn't much. She'd just need to call the contrail over, or give it another address to move to. J.D. nodded towards Krsnik and Priye, folding her arms across her chest and sliding her attention back to her calls.

"See if your friend can grab us a medkit, too, while we're making a grocery list," she added. For a moment, J.D. wondered if Priye was referring to Nosh, herself, or if the peculiar girl had just outed the courier's gender to everyone in the room. Pretend you didn't notice it. Everyone's got bigger things on their minds right now. No one's going to catch it, if it means anything at all. And Tig's not going to out you. Switching her attention to the calls, J.D. closed her eyes and took a slow, deep breath. Magic.

Netzach's voice is a little tinny and has a slightly stilted quality to it, similar to something computer generated like, 3 decades ago.

"Look, I've got nothing here in the city right now that's going to handle what's moving around out there. You guys need to jump state...Start in Spokane. I've got a friend there, Dragon's Tears, he can take care of you, get you supplied. Look, you've got to get out to Seattle quick, I'm not even sure how long I can....ah, damn, look, I've gotta...drek."

Netzach's words are followed by a resigned sounding sigh and a burst of static.

J.D.

Sister's voice goes a little softer, surprisingly, and there's an almost maternal gruffness lingering at the edges of her tone.

"Well look, don't choo worry 'bout me. You do whatcha gotta. Thanks for the heads up."


Mr. Fix definitely doesn't boast a maternal side, but sometimes professionalism is just as comforting, when you're living in the shadows.

"Well, I'll need pictures, highest quality you can acquire. Genders, races, and origins, or I can make it up if you like. I'll also need to know if these are intended to be single use, occasional use, or new permanent identities. Price obviously is commiserate with need."

Mal gets up from the couch, speaking quietly with Jennie in one corner of the kitchen. The woman comes back out with a small nylon bag, and, at a nod from Mal, tosses it on the floor in the middle of the group. Dozen's of credsticks spill out, of all imaginable shapes, sizes, and colors. Some obviously swag from corporate events and bank openings, some personal issue from private banks, all of them certified.

"There's 126,789.99 nuyen there." Mal says, sitting back on the edge of the cot next to Nosh, wearing a particularly self satisfied grin on his face.

"We've been squirreling it away for a rainy day."

Priye looks disappointed as Netzach departs from the machines.

She turns to Carter and asks quietly, trying to avoid the others hearing her question.

"What is a blacklist?"

"Thank you, Sister. You take care of yourself as well," J.D.'s gaze momentarily swept over to the twins and she paused for the span of a few seconds before beginning a document for Mr. Fix. Drek, with that kind of money, she could get some of the really good stuff. And that would make traveling around a hell of a lot easier.

"Ghost, kid. I wish I had known sooner," she sighed. It would have saved her a bit of stress thinking about the finances involved in this mess. A rainy day, indeed, if raining bullets counted. Turning her attention back to the call with Mr. Fix, J.D. began her shopping list.

"Alright, we're looking at another decent quality bit for me, the usual. Passports and travel documents for the following individuals would be excellent. We'll probably want a single use, and an occasional use for each person. Just in case, you know--" a handful of pictures of the young woman's new associates began transferring to the paperman, along with generic information such as age, sex, and metatype. "And one throw-away and two occasional identities each for these two--" The courier snapped a few pictures of each of the twins before attaching them to a file. "I'll need a back story for them. Make something up that's nice and convincing. Whatever is good,"

Carter jots short notes into his commlink as the group talks.

"Priye, a blacklist is a place where one must not return to.

"All, sounds like Spokane is the first step. How much time will it take for people to gather whatever they need? Presume that anything left behind is burned forever. Also make sure, that you don't leave anything that can be used to track back to you. Everything I need is in my backpack."

Priye nods at the explanation and you see her digest the information given.

"I am a blacklist where we just left and I have everything I need right now. I can help others if they need to gather things to bring along."

"Burned forever?" Shit, I hope that's not the case.

With Priye's friend apparently gone, I flipped the phone back into a pocket and sat back against the wall---towel still in place to protect the wall. I took a breath and slowly blew it back out, trying to figure out what that meant. I had fully expected to go back to "business as usual" once all of this twin stuff was over. Seattle is my home...and I owe it to Radix and the others to stick with the hero shtick, no matter the dangers.

Ugh, fuck those doubts, I'll be back. It just might take longer than I thought.

"I've got some gear I need to pick up if I'm leaving town. I've got a ride that can get me there, but I might need some help hauling it back. It's mostly ammo, repair kits and stuff like that, but I'm tapped out nuyen-wise and I really do like my blade kit. It was a gift."

The twins look at each other, the motions repeated in each of the head movements like reflected sides of a mirror. They stare at each other for a moment, and nod. As they turn back to the group, Nosh speaks.

"We should go. Now." Her tone isn't panicked, but it sounds urgent, and there's no wavering or uncertainty.

Jennie immediately begins throwing items into the back of the truck. Blankets, medkits, anything within arms reach. She shouts at anyone not immediately getting into motion, the older woman obviously panicked and undoubting of the immediate necessity of travel.

"Go, now! Why are you not moving? Take the truck, half of you don't have wheels and it sounds like you need to pack along some stuff that's not going to fit on the back of your little toy bikes."

J.D. paused. She was in the middle of pondering whether or not to volunteer to help Krsnik pick up his gear when the twins spoke, and Jennie flew into action. Had she had an old-fashioned telephone receiver, she would have placed a hand over as she commented, "I like my toy bike."

The clone took a moment to finish up her call with Sister, and reevaluate the gear situation. J.D. could technically leave everything, if she had to. But, she wouldn't be happy about abandoning that motorcycle. Aside from being expensive and in nuyen, time, and favors, it had the kind of illegal modifications that would take a considerable amount of time, money, and favors to replicate. But, at least the Contrail could move itself.

"Ok. Ok. I'm going. Does someone want to give me an address, or a street, or a vague direction to drive in, or what?" She inquired, moving over to the truck and opening the driver-side door.

Priye stands and helps move things into the back of the truck. She anxiously looks to each person to make sure they are leaving as well. The concern for their safety clearing written on her face.

"I will follow you from the astral - there will be more room in the...........thing you will ride." Her voice telegraphs her fear and apprehension at the thought of encasing herself in a neverborn machine. "I will make sure none of my kind follow us as well."

Heh, so much for getting a chance to think things through...

I got up from where I was sitting and quickly pulled my armor back on. Patching through my comlink to my ride, I sent it coordinates to meet me about five blocks away from here. After all, no need to make things any easier for the big bad evil that's chasing our tails.

"Okay," I replied, switching my voice mask back on once I pulled on my armor's cowl. "You all have my number. Let me know who is coming to help pick up some firepower."

I walked over to one of the apartment's windows, looking for ledges, handholds or any other spot a grapple hand could grab.

"Anything else I should know before I go?"

Carter nodded as Nosh said to start moving. He swung the backpack that carried everything he would need, grimacing as the weight settled against the fresh bandage on his shoulder. Now wasn't the time to have pain narcotics muting his reflexes. He followed J.D. out back to the truck and blooming go-gang.

Stepping on to the bike, Carter surveyed the rest of the team. "Everyone, grab what you need and be at the Body Mall in two hours. Can someone help Krsnik, otherwise I will go? J.D. work with Priye, make sure you aren't followed and stay on the move. We'll meet at the rendez-vous, at the same time. From there, we go black and head south."

J.D. nodded to Carter, "Good enough for me. I know a couple of routes out that way." As the clone took her place at the driver's seat, she whipped up a few commands to Iggy. The agent would be able to bring her bike out of its hidey-hole and down to the appointed meeting place. Hopefully no one would try to steal it along the way. J.D. was in no mood for those types of annoyances after a night like this. She nodded towards Krsnik, and the person going with him, as they prepared to leave and retrieve the rest of the sam's supplies. But, she didn't offer any information.

"Someone want to help me keep a lookout up here, or what?" the clone indicated the front passenger seat.

It was an odd development in the group, the clone considered. Up until now, she had essentially been following Burner's ideas, if only because the dwarf had some serious dirt on her. But, if Carter was going to take charge of the team, and the dwarf was going to keep quiet, the clone supposed that was fine, too. It's not like she had much experience in working in groups in the first place. And the older human seemed to have a good sense of procedure. She'd go along with it. For the moment.

Not really thrilled about having to give someone my address...but looks like I don't have any other choice...

I quickly jotted down the address on a free scrap of paper that I found in Jennie's place. I released the lock on my grapple hand, and it slithered across the room with the note and handed it to Carter.

"That's the place. I'll give you a buzz when I have the place open. Shouldn't take us too long to get everything. Most of it is still packed from the last time I moved."

Heh...and by "last time I moved" I mean, of course, when the Raks blew up my hideout.

"See you there," I added, whip-snapping my hand back into place as I casually flipped open the window with my other hand and turned on my suit's chameleon effect.

That looks good...yeah, that'll do nicely

My grapple hand shot towards a free ledge, and a few milliseconds later I found myself flying through the air towards the ledge. Once I reached it, I kicked off of that handhold and launched myself in the direction of my bike through the familiar routine of grapple shots and acrobatics. After what happened earlier tonight, it felt good to get back into the regular "swing" of things.

Hopefully, the ride home'll be nice and easy.

The ride back home was relatively uneventful. I prefer driving back via side streets and back alleys---higher likelihood of catching would-be criminals in the act---and such habits are hard to break. It almost felt like I was performing my swan-song, since I had no idea when I would return back home. I wanted to make this run actually count.

I ran into five different skirmishes: two attempted muggings, two attempted batteries and an attempted homicide. The key word being "attempted." I don't like to brag, but I was GOOD tonight. Probably due to leftover adrenaline from the breakout. Gel salvos perfectly lined up, blade slashes well-placed, and grapple-hand punches timely launched. Five happy saved souls and about two dozen clobbered punk-asses later, I pulled up to Aleksander Ceh's bachelor pad.

I kept the suit's chameleon program running as I sneaked into my own place. I generally try to keep Ceh and Krsnik as far away from each other as possible, but I still hadn't found a good base of operations since the Raks crashed my last one. Long story short: I was operating out of my garage. This generally worked since I would sneak in and out with small amounts of equipment, and I could keep my bike cruising around or stationed elsewhere. However, I hadn't considered the possibility of having to pack and go at a moment's notice.

I grabbed a loose backpack and a suitcase, tossing ammo and grenades into the bag and spare tool kits and medkit refills into the suitcase. When I was done, I sent my helping hand a quick text.

Got my stuff ready for pickup. Meet me outside the address in 5.

I gave my place a quick once-over, looking at a home I probably wouldn't be seeing for a while.

Lot of good memories...

I saw a picture of me with my mom and dad, taken before they were killed. I started to go for the picture, to take it with me, but I thought better of it.

While Ceh is Krsnik, Krsnik is not Ceh...better leave this here...it'll give me another reason to come back.

I sneaked back out of my place, backpack and suitcase in tow. I tossed the suitcase to my new pal and got back on my bike.

"See ya," I said, voice mask in place, and kicked the bike into full speed. Time to hit the rendezvous point and find out what lies in store for the rest of us...

Carter had just arrived when Krsnik was coming out of the side yard of a house. Well, I certainly wouldn't look in suburbia for a masked vigilante--unless they were Humanis. He lashed the suitcase down with motorcycle ties and kicked the bike into gear.

He drove in the direction of SEA-Tac, anyone looking at him, would think that he was taking a flight. As he drove, he began plotting in his head different paths to get back to the rendezvous point.

I pulled my bike up to the rendezvous point. Getting there took a little longer than I had expected due to another attempted mugging. Gel shots to the temples stopped the two would-be muggers, allowing the vics to get free. I took a different route from Carter to make it harder for potential shadows to follow us.

Everyone was there when I arrived.

"Sorry it took me a while," I said, "had a few run-ins with crooks who needed to be put down. So...what's the plan?"

When the street sam arrived at the rendezvous, J.D., the van, and its load of travelers were already present. The courier wasn't at the wheel. Rather, she was tsking over a familiar black Contrail. There was a bit of a question of where exactly J.D. was going to stash the bike while the team was on the move. Yes, she could leave it in the truck bed. But, that'd make things more cramped. And the clone hadn't exactly seen the driving of anyone else on the team enough to trust them with the wheel of the truck, or her precious toy bike.

"I'm waiting on my paperman and some new IDs for our little friends," J.D. replied with a shrug. "After that, I'm pretty much good to go wherever, whenever."

"Sounds good," I answered. "I guess I'll just check my blade and guns and then grab a quick nap while we're waiting."

I dropped my backpack on the ground and sat down next to my bike, drawing the katana out of its scabbard so I could check the blade for nicks. Despite tonight's excitement, the edge was still as sharp as ever. Great, I don't have to whet on the fly. I replaced the blade in its sheath and turned my attention to my Savalette Guardians. I popped the clips out and checked for any stray gunk---like stray blood, tar flecks or char---that might end up jamming the guns. Satisfied that there was nothing there, I refilled the clips with spare ammo from my backpack. I filled five with gel rounds and another five with EX-explosive rounds. I snapped the clips back into the guns, returned them to their holsters, tossed the spare clips in the backpack and closed it up.

I sighed and leaned back against the bike. I was still a little shaken up with having to leave my home and mission behind.

It's for a good cause. If these kids can make a difference, then it's worth it. If not... Ugh, I'm too tired to think about this. Might as well grab some shuteye and deal with that possibility if it ever comes.

I let my head drop back against the bike with a soft clunk---thank goodness for gyro stabilizers---and closed my eyes.

"Wake me if there's trouble. My PAN's online, so even a text should jolt me awake." With that, I forced myself to ignore the adrenaline and flood of second-guesses and just go to sleep.