[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:45pm | Denim Nightclub Basement]
Kim: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Angel Snow

With half the team already gone, Kim quickly wants to ask a few more questions.
"What will happen at 7pm?"
"Will we still get paid if we are 15 minutes late?"
"Will we get shot if we reach our destination?"

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:45pm | Denim Nightclub Basement]
PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

Cody waits by the doorway, for the two ladies to finish gathering their things and ask any final questions. At Kim's, he nods, wondering what the Johnson would like them to do, in the case of failure. "Likewise," he adds, "if worse comes to worse, would you prefer the package destroyed, rather than allow it to fall into the wrong hands?"

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:45pm | Denim Nightclub Basement]


"At 7:00, the contents of the package become null and void. Even fifteen minutes late is too late, and no, your destination is safe from such fireworks unless you are uncultured and bring them upon yourself."

To Cody he says "Ideally, you won't fail..."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:46pm | Denim Nightclub Basement]
Kim: PAN = active | Fake SiN = Angel Snow

"So, to sum things up. You need the envelope to be delivered before 7pm. You need this done by a skilled group. None of this group should have any connection to you, nor the party it’s to be delivered to. You have no backup package, group and plan.”

Kim puts on her shoes and coat, takes one of the credsticks and walks to the door.

“It just seems to me we’re your only option and someone willing to pay 15k would likely be desperate enough to pay 50 too. Just remember that when you refuse to talk to me again.”

[Monday, April 4th, 2072 | 4:45pm | Denim Nightclub Basement]
Doc Opheliac | Pan = Passive | SIN = Ophelia Smokehaven

Shrugging, she stood, picking up her things and the credstick, nodding once to the Johnson, she headed for the door, putting her coat, hat, and glasses back on. Heading up the stairs, she didn't even pause as she spoke over her shoulder... "Are you coming?" And with that she continued outside to the van.

[Monday, April 4th, 2072 | 4:50pm | Denim Nightclub Basement]

You make your ways up from the basement to the back door, alongside the bar proper, and out to find the van that you were given the necessary access key to operate. It is a bog-standard delivery van. Two seats, plenty of cargo room for others in the back.

As the last of you emerges, you gather at the back of the van, doors open, to load any remaining gear. Decisions remaining to be made include who is driving, who gets the other front seat, and who will remain in the back.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:50pm | Denim Nightclub Basement]
PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

After the two women left the room, Cody tucked the envelope behind his back, under his jacket - in a spot between his belt and shirt that he didn't think would bend or damage it too much, and which he was pretty confident nobody would spot it. He then made an apologetic smile to the Johnson and headed upstairs after his team.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:50pm | Denim Nightclub Basement]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

"Alright, I'm driving, and princess, you can take shotgun," Riot said, point at the elf. "Everyone else, get comfortable in the back. We need to be ready to defend ourselves, but not at the sacrifice of getting caught at the border. You all have my info, now I'd like to know what to call you...before I start coming up with nicknames," he said, popping open the front door and jumping in. The Johnson had forwarded him access codes for the van, and he started it, running a quick diagnostic to check the spec's. Hunk of junk, he thought, scrolling through the read out.

[Monday, April 4th, 2072 | 4:46pm | Denim Nightclub Basement]
Doc Opheliac | Pan = Passive | SIN = Ophelia Smokehaven

Getting upstairs and to the van, she doesn't even bother trying for the front, jumping up into the back with her bag, looking at the others as if to tell them to hurry it up.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:51pm | Denim Nightclub Alley]
Kim: PAN = active | Fake SiN = Angel Snow

Kim takes the front seat. "Angel" she says, while sending her contact information to everyone.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:51pm | Denim Nightclub Alley]
PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

Cody arrived at the van, tailing everyone else, with no sign of the envelope he had been holding. He was kind of hoping to call shotgun, but by the time he got there, Riot had already given the seat to the elf. He really couldn't blame him. If he were driving, he'd have done the same thing. He crawled into the back, only to find the dwarven Amerind glaring at him. Great start to the night. He took the seat adjacent to the door, right behind the elf, just as she introduced herself as "Angel".

Since everyone else was introducing themselves, he figured he would have to come up with a cool-sounding street alias, use his fake SIN's name - and burn it later - or trust the ork biker to pick a name for him. That last option sounded unacceptable, so once there was a break in conversation he spoke up. "I don't usually keep a name long after a job. I'm not really looking to make a reputation. Kind of the opposite, really." His hand was idly moving in his jacket pocket, running across the sticker on the small box he had in there. He had an idea, and it seemed rather fitting, since Kim Luk had been the one who sent him on this mission. "... but you guys can call me 'Kreskin', for now." He smiled at his own little joke. "As for my skillset, like I said inside, my specialty is misdirection - everything from larceny to legerdemain. In a pinch, I can spin a good yarn, which might come in handy tonight." He leaned forward, putting his head between Riot and Angel. "... and I doubt it will come up, tonight, but I've been told I am quite flexible." He then winked to his right and leaned back in his seat.

With a theatrical motion he waved his hands, and seemed to produce his glass from earlier out of thin air. "Not a magician in the traditional sense," he mused, "but I think I can make myself useful...."

[Monday, April 4th, 2072 | 4:51pm | Denim Nightclub Alley]
Doc Opheliac | Pan = Passive | SIN = Ophelia Smokehaven

"You can call me Doctor Opheliac or Doc Opheliac for short I suppose. One guess as to what my skills are." And with that she pulls out a second case from inside the large bag she was carrying and opens it, revealing a shotgun and several clips of ammo within. She seemed to be eyeing the clips, trying to decide which one should be loaded first.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:51pm | Denim Nightclub Alley]

When Wolf reached the van, he was dressed in full camo, katana slung over one shoulder, his bag over the other. His knife was strapped to his right, spare bolts for his pistol crossbow his left. The crossbow itself was slung at his waist.

Throwing his bag into the back of the van, he climbed in afterwards. "I am Wolf. I am Comanche."

[Monday, April 4th, 2072 | 4:51pm | Denim Nightclub Alley]
Doc Opheliac | Pan = Passive | SIN = Ophelia Smokehaven

"You are also drawing attention to yourself in a very bad way. Could you be any less a walking armory and look more like a normal person? Just for the sake of not having issues with the border guards?"

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:52pm | Van outside Denim]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

"Pleased to meet everyone. I'm headed out to the border. We're headed to the CAS to watch some Combat Biker. There's a bar just a block away from my place that I usually hang out at. That's our cover story for this first border. The spot's called Shinners. The Rattlers are playing New York at 6 tonight. Should be good enough to get us through." And with that, he took off, headed towards the border crossing.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:52pm | Van outside Denim]

"We are going through checkpoint now? Not using Coyotes?"

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:52pm | Van outside Denim]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

"Explains your get up. We got out voted. And we don't have time to argue. Figured we'd just roll with the flow."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:52pm | Van outside Denim]

Wolf glared at Riot, then the others as he pulled out his commlink. "I said finish argue. Did not mean lose. I call Coyotes." Pulling up the first of the commcodes the J had given them, he made the call.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:52pm | Denim Nightclub Alley]
PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

Cody reached into his pocket and flicks a few commands on his commlink to accept messages the requests his comm has been collecting. He didn't even notice the discussion had turned towards their cover story, or border guards until Wolf brought it up. When Riot explained, Cody smirked, and kept silent. He was curious who would protest first, the dwarf with the shotgun or the Amerind in the camo-suit in the back. Wolf didn't disappoint.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:52pm | Denim Nightclub Alley]
PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

"Look, obviously we're not going to get through the border with..." he gestured vaguely behind him, "... all of that. If I had know you guys rolled this hard, I would have never even suggested the border - but that's what happens when strangers go Running, amirite?" He looked around for some agreement. "We might as well hear what the coyotes have to say. If it sounds like a long detour, we can always..." Cody hesitated, but couldn't resist. "... split up."

[Monday, April 4th, 2072 | 4:52pm | Denim Nightclub Alley]
Doc Opheliac | Pan = Passive | SIN = Ophelia Smokehaven

"I crossed the border just fine, it's not unusual for a doctor to carry a weapon or two to protect herself or her clinic, and I have licenses for it. Not sure about the razor here though. He'll have to explain himself, as best he can I suppose." Switching languages, she tries her hand at Sioux as she turns to address Wolf. "You're obviously proud of your tribe, but your English is not that good. Do you speak Sioux?"

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:52pm | In A Seat Of The Van]
Kim: PAN = active | Fake SiN = Angel Snow

Kim’s in deep thought and has closed her eyes. All orcs are stupid and these two made no exception, but that doesn’t make them wrong. The image of her turning into a duck trying to cross the border was troubling Kim. Why of all the people trying to cross would she look like a duck? Mr. Johnson had thought everyone related to his or Suzuki’s side would be ducks, but she wasn’t one of those. Although… there were those calls. Finding the envelope on her would turn her into one, but that would require them to search everyone. Trying to cross unofficially would certainly turn her into a duck and of course a coyote saying she was a duck would too. Flying over the border like a duck would obviously have that effect too, but plan B would be way too easy. There just has to be something I’m missing, because the Johnson said a team would have a better chance than me alone. That certainly wouldn’t be the case at an official border crossing, so either he expects trouble with the coyotes or on the road. He didn’t expect anyone to know about the club nor the address, and with nobody knowing where we come from or where we’re heading it only really leaves the coyotes.

Kim sighs.

What if I had to stop a team and I knew only about the deadline and money would not be a problem.
Other than the border crossings there would only be speeding cars when the deadline gets close. Speed checks wouldn’t give me much hope of intercepting the team though, so that would leave me with the borders. It just seems the only thing to know for sure is that the package has to pass the border.
At border checkpoints I’d look for any SIN with known involvement with the two parties. I’d check everyone who looks like he could be a runner or just close the border till the deadline altogether.
I’d put word out so every smuggler knows about the big reward for info on the team.
I would definitely put most effort in catching anyone trying to cross the border by unofficial ways.

No, that wasn’t useful either.

The least I can do is check if plan B is as simple as I think. and with that thought Kim’s off in the astral to check the border.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:52pm | PCC, in the back of the van]

Kim slumps into a loose-limbed slumber and evacuates her body to check things out in the astral. As fast as thought, she shoots ahead to the border crossing. Things there are hectic, with many disturbed auras. Stress radiates from the group.



The one thing that becomes obvious immediately is that rush hour is a double-edged sword. High volume means less intense scrutiny, but high volume also means terrific waits. It looks like the wait would be at least a half hour once you arrive at the checkpoint and get in line.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:52pm | Van outside Denim]

@Wolf: The comm IDs that Johnson gave you include one for this border, the man called Striker, and another for the UCAS crossing. Striker replies to your call with a voice-only connection. "Striker" is his only greeting.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:52pm | Denim Nightclub Alley]
Keskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

Kreskin nods at the dwarf to his left. "Yeah, if we're all legit, its all good. I'm not, of course. I've got some heat on me, but for three-grand, I'll toss em out the car window, if its going to be an issue. Maybe someone with some experience at the border can tell us what to expect. They just gonna look in the windows and check our SINs, or are they gonna use some kind of scanner on us through the car?"

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:52pm | Denim Nightclub Alley]

Wolf looked as if he was about to answer Doc but then frowned as she switched to Sioux. Holding up one hand in the universal wait sign he spoke into his comm instead as Striker picked up his call.

"Name is Wolf. Doing favor for Koshari. Need to cross border, 5 people, 1 van."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:52pm | Denim Nightclub Alley]

@Wolf: "Aw, drek. Meet me at Sloan Lake. I'll keep an eye out for your van." You hear more muttered swearing as the connection is severed.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:52pm | Van outside Denim]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

"Kreskin, typically, they scan our SINs and just ask a few questions. Between me and Angel, I'm not worried about the convo. If everyone's got a decent fake, then we'll be ok. If things go bad, we'll all get scanned. Wouldn't be good considering the weapons we have. It could pick up any illegal chrome as well. Again, I'm all for the coyotes route. Wolfy, did you get a hold of that coyote? We better make a decision quick," he said, poking Angel's arm which had seemingly went limp.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:52pm | In the Van]
Keskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

"Either way, Boss. If we decide to go through, I can help fast-talk from the back. My SIN is good enough, and I'm not really carrying anything that wouldn't get me a slap on the wrist at worse." He paused for a moment, calculating odds - trying to look at the probabilities like a gambler. "If you think it might be in our favor to have a few of us cross on foot, I'll volunteer." He smiled, expecting his idea to be shot down, but he didn't really like the idea that if even one SIN wasn't up to snuff, or if one person said something stupid, the whole mission was fubar. Then again, Wolf was on the phone with a coyote, so there was a good chance the team wouldn't be going through the security checkpoint, anyway.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:52pm | Denim Nightclub Alley]

Putting his comm away, Wolf finally responded to Doc "Licenses not problem, sitting ducks is problem." Climbing into the van and closing the door he turned to Riot. "Sloan Lake. We go."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:53pm | Van heading to Sloan Lake]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

"Fuck it! Sloan Lake you said? Sorry y'all, making an executive decision. Like the man said, we'll be sitting ducks. And if there's a mishap at the border crossing, it's gonna take an hour to sort it out." With that, he changes directions, heading to Sloan Lake. At least someone has some sense about them.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:53pm | Van heading to Sloan Lake]
Keskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

"Don't apologize. Its your job to call shots. Speaking of which, can we go over jobs one more time?" He gestured to the back. "I'm guessing you're our Sam." He moved his gesture to Doc "...Medic." He gestured at himself. "...Face, and Fingers." He then reached forward to pat Angel on the shoulder. "She's evidently, some kind of Mage, Hacker, or narcoleptic." He then waved towards Riot, ".. and you're our Wheelman... and, it seems, the Boss."

"Did I paint everyone with an appropriately thin brush?"

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:54pm | Astral Space]
Kim: PAN = active | Fake SiN = Angel Snow

Kim quickly follows the border for 2km and checks for astral activity there, before returning to the van.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:53pm | Van heading to Sloan Lake]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

A very light adrenaline rush surged through his system, most likely augmented by the Cram he had taken not 10 minutes ago. Kreskin attempted to identify the various skills sets of the motley crew. "Wheelman is one of my many skills," Riot said, flashing a smile. "I was a semi-pro Combat Biker, captained the Davie Crocketts to 3 championships down in Texas a few years back. Needless to say, pretty well rounded....whatever is needed I suppose."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:53pm | Van heading to Sloan Lake]

Wolf snorted when Cody called Riot 'the Boss'

"Wanting does not make truth."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:53pm | Van heading to Sloan Lake]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

Wolfy's reply to the Boss comment by Kreskin elicited a reply from Riot. "One doesn't get respect immediately, I know this Wolfy. I prove my leadership by action, not talk. Been doing it for my Combat Biker teams since I started playing."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:53pm | Astral Space]

@Kim
The guards are obvious to your sight with their relatively calm auras. Many seem to possess one or more bit of essence-dissipating 'ware, but nothing too out of the ordinary in the run of the mill guards. There are a few awakened types in the masses of the crowd, but none that shine out brightly to you as major players.

Inside one of the control booths you see that there is someone who is awakened, also apparently part of the guard staff, but not actively working. He might just be called out at perceived need, but right now he's nearly horizontal inside one of the guard stations.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:53pm | Van heading to Sloan Lake]
Keskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

When Riot gave some background, Cody was pleased. "Good to hear. I'm a big fan of versatility." He kept quiet during the banter about leadership, but tried to bring things back on topic once both orks had said their piece. "Besides dipping and grifting, I've got a few other odd skills - things I don't expect to come up, like picking old mechanical locks, or slipping out of handcuffs, or forging a signature. Kinda archaic hobbies, really. I know a thing or two about gambling, though, again, I doubt that's a skill that is going to come into play tonight." He seemed to think for a moment, as though considering how he might make himself sound useful, again. "I'm pretty good at telling when someone's bullshitting me, and people seem to trust me enough that I can bullshit them. I think I'll be able to keep our dirty secret away from any prying eyes, and I'm pretty good at staying out of sight, or at least out of mind, when I aim to... if we ever get out of this van. I'm no combat biker, but if you want someone who can drive and look nonchalant about it, I wouldn't mind switching off at some point. You're.. ah.. taking these turns a little aggressively.... Not exactly... blending in." By the end, Kreskin was basically mumbling to himself.

Then, he remembered something, and got a bit louder. "Oh, and if we don't want to lug Angel around, all night, we may want to slow down so she can find her way back to her body - assuming that she went astral."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:53pm | Van heading to Sloan Lake]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

"Oh shit, she went astral! I thought she was just being a drama queen or was a BTL addict. I'll whip 'er back around. She never did say what kind of skills she brought to the table when I asked." Once she returns, he heads back out to Sloan Lake.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:55pm | Van heading to Sloan Lake]
Kim: PAN = active | Fake SiN = Angel Snow

Kim seems to come back to life.

“We’ve got a problem. The queue is at least half an hour and with a driving time of about 75 minutes we’ll be at least 10 minutes late. We might have to use the coyotes after all.”

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 4:55pm | Van heading to Sloan Lake]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

"Ha! If I knew you were a mage, we could have sent you 10 minutes ago to figure that out instead of arguing. We can do that for the next border crossing. Oh yeah, we're going to pick up wth coyote anyway. We got too much hardware back there."

@Kim - you detected no unusual magical activity in your fly back to your body. There are regular patrols of men on at least one side of the fences at any given time, however.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:04pm | Sloan Lake Park, PCC]

You pull the van into the parking lot of Sloan Lake Park, and as you pull into a spot, you see an older fellow heading your way on foot. He's pushing fifty, with silver in his thinning hair, but a katana over one shoulder and obvious cybereyes tell you he was likely a street samurai at some point. As soon as you have a window down or a door open, he asks, guardedly, "Which one of you is Wolf?"

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:04pm | Sloan Lake Park, PCC]

Wolf pushed the door open and stepped out of the back of the van, keeping his movements as unthreatening as possible but not bothering to hide the fact that he was sizing the older man up.

"I am Wolf."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:04pm | Sloan Lake Park, PCC]


The man is gruff in his demeanor, and he mutters something under his breath about "them getting younger all the time."

"C'mon, then, kids. There a seat in there for me, or do I get to rumble around in the back with the rest of you? Well, that figures..."

He climbs into the van and directs you from the rear to the edge of the park, where there is a large grating in place over an overflow drainage.

"Azzies built these tunnels back when they still held part of Denver, afore the dragon arrived. People say there's still Aztlaners down here, holding out and preparing for some manner of nastiness, but I ain't run into one. Yet."

He leads two of you out to move the grating away while Riot drives the van into the tunnel. The fit is close, with enough room to open your doors on both sides, but only a hair more than that. As you drive along, you see Aztec inspired symbols and other graffiti on the walls.

"You take it slow and steady, and we'll be through to the other side in twenty minutes more or less. Come right out in Cheeseman Park, and you'll be on your way.

You continue further along the tunnel way, navigating a tight turn. It gets wetter, with not just humidity, but real dripping water from down below, enough to force an occasional swipe of the wiper blades.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:11PM | Van heading to Sloan Lake]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

<<Riot to Wolf, Angel, Kreskin, & Doc: This approach seems to be working well. Should we place a call with the next one?>>

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:04pm | Sloan Lake Park]
Keskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

Kreskin doesn't do more than jerk his thumb towards the back when the coyote asks who Wolf is, and cast Riot a glance at the mention of Azzies running around in the tunnels. Like I figured. Taking our chances, either way.... As they make progress along the trail, he keeps an eye out for trouble from his seat in the van.

[Monday, April 4th, 2072 | 5:04pm | Denim Nightclub Alley]
Doc Opheliac | Pan = Passive | SIN = Ophelia Smokehaven

As the group drove, Doc Opheliac remained quiet, listening to everything being said and taking it all in. She kept her eyes on the Coyote as he came into the van, but also kept her eyes and ears out for the outside as well, keeping her shotgun close on hand.