[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:02pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Hardpan]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

As Kreskin and Wolf pile into the van, Riot pings Kreskin to find out what happened. Telling Riot that they're finished at Hardpan and that Wolf said we can follow some of the other leads. Digesting this, Riot suggests that the team regroups, picking up Angel and head to Marcel's to follow up on the cigarette lead. As timing would have it, Angel sends Riot a text to come pick her up.

<<Riot@Team - First lead down. Angel, picking you up in 15. Then we'll check out Marcel's to see if these cigarettes lead us somewhere.>>

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:23pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]

The van pulls into the parking to pick up Angel. Riot feels somewhat fortunate that he's in VR, so he doesn't have to see her looking all pouty that they left her or that she's annoyed about some other esoteric incident. Everyone was so thin skinned, he thought. Especially Wolf. What the fuck was his problem lately? I try and be nice, invite him to watch the game. Then he tells me I can't call the bad guys (girls) Joytoys. That's troll-drek.

As soon as everyone settled in, Riot sent a command to have the van travel to Marcel's taking the long route, hopefully placing them there around 5:45. It would make a good stopping point for the probe on the commlink. He patched sound through his doberman drone so he could hear what the others said. It was likely to be interesting.

Saturday April 9th 2072 502pm Denver Sioux Sector The Hardpan"]

"Nothing useful huh?" Wolf said to Kim once she was in the van, continuing without waiting for an answer. "Riot, get anything on the knife?"

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:23pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

<<Riot@Wolf - Checking out this commlink first. Then I'll eval the knife. Thoughts on the cigarettes and the mafia lead?>>

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:23pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Kreskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

Kreskin smirked. "I think he might have been a bit distracted."

Shaking his head, he adds. "So far, a lot of dead ends. I don't think this mob-connection is going to pan out, but - ya know - it's the best lead we have." He considers the idea for a moment. "Anyone know what kind of place this is? If I walk in there in my street clothes, I doubt I'll get any warmer a reception than I did at the Sioux bar." He grins at Wolf, "... and I'd rather not spend the whole time in the bathroom, again."

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:23pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Kim: PAN = active | Fake SiN = Angel Snow

"Well, I found out they don’t have any security at the ranch, so that’s probably why someone chose this place for B’s extraction and although he knew they were coming for him, he wasn’t the one who contracted the females. Still, we can safely say that B will not come willingly with us.

So you’re right that it wasn’t really useful, but still better than going to talk to a guy that happens to smoke the same cigarettes as B. It’s a good thing B didn’t smoke a more popular brand or we’d be talking to millions of people.

Besides, doesn’t look like the visit to the bar got you anything more than beer."

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:23pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Kreskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

"Half a beer," Kreskin added, with a pout. "Wolf made me leave before I finished mine."

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:23pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]

"Bathroom thing worked, right? Think it'll pay off, too." Wolf replied, sounding reasonably certain. What he wasn't as sure about was whether the payoff would be a call or bullets through the window, but he chose not to mention that "

"Dunno about the Mafia, not my scene."

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:24pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

<<Riot@Team - We'll if we keep hitting all the leads, eventually one will pan out. Don't you guys watch Lone Star dramas? The first 3 people they interview they seem like dead locks for the crime are never the guilty ones. It will work itself out. We can't quit just because one lead doesn't pan out.>>

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:24pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Kim: PAN = active | Fake SiN = Angel Snow

"Do I even want to know what the bathroom thing is?"

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:24pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

<<Riot@Team - I would say something insulting, but I don't want to get punched while I'm in VR.>>

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:24pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Kreskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

Kreskin turned towards Kim, "Well, it wasn't as glamorous as it sounds..."

He took a second to catch up on the ARO indicators for Riot's messages. "I guess Riot is a fan of the shotgun approach. Normally, I'd agree, but mafia hangouts aren't exactly the kind of places guys like us just stroll into uninvited. Even if they've got nothing to do with this job, they won't think twice about geeking us all for asking around about their business."

[Saturday April 9th 2072 | 5:24pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]

"What we know about the guy? Why would Mafia be interested enough to piss off Ares?"

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:25pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

<<Riot@Team - Well I got an idea about that. I think that we can come in, ask for the guy who makes the cigarettes. Say we're here on behalf of Mr. B. Tell the mobster that Mr. B's stuck at a corporate retreat, but needs a new supply becauses he's pulling late nights prep'ing for a big meeting. Once we get this dude alone, we can find out more about the relationship. If this mobster looks like he likes Mr. B, we can tell him the truth and ask for his help. If not, we buy some cigarettes and peace out. Thoughts?>>

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:24pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Kim: PAN = active | Fake SiN = Angel Snow

"Could you all please stop talking like there is a connection between 2 people who smoke the same kind of cigarettes? You’re making me feel like I’m insane for not seeing it."

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:24pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Kreskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

Kreskin pauses, stunned, for a moment. "So... you thinkg B is in bed with the mob... and that they supply him... with cigarettes?"

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:24pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Kreskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

Kreskin nodded at Angel. "This mob thing sounds like 90% a hunch, that only Riot seems to have. Tell you what. if he wants to waltz into a mob restaurant and try to bullshit them.... I won't stop him. But he better not be planning for me to commit suicide, tonight."

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:25 pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

<<Riot@Team - That's not what's making you crazy Angel. But how many handrolled, mint flavored cigarettes do you think there are in Denver? When I hit my contacts, someone said that the pic looked like the ones this mobster rolls and smokes. Maybe this Mr. B is dirty, selling tech to the mob? Who knows? But it's a lead, and its better than sitting on our hands. I'll roll solo on this one if you all think I'm wack.>>

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:25 pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]

Now you want buy cigarettes from guy that maybe involved in snatch? You get hit on head playing Combat Biker?"

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:25 pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

<<Riot@Team - If he order the grab, he won't be at Marcel's, and then it won't matter. Regardless, we got no current leads besides this, might as well check it out.>>

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:25pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Kreskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

"That I can agree with. For now, can we all agree that we don't have any better lead, and nothing better to be doing while we wait to see if Wolf's plan pans out?" He shrugged, "I dunno about busting in and dropping names, but we're probably capable of finding out if the mafioso we're looking for is even at the place. We can probably do that pretty discretely, too."

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:25pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Kim: PAN = active | Fake SiN = Angel Snow

"Of course I have something better to do! Frag, anything is better!"


"What is Wolf's plan again?"

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:25pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]

"You go do that then. We do job."

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:26 pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

<<Riot@Team - We got 3k for a little more than a day's work. I think we can spare a few hours. Like I said, let's at least exhaust all our leads before we throw in the towel....>>

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:26 pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]

You cruise down to the southern part of the Sioux sector, heading for Marcel's. About five minutes into the drive, a message comes in over Wolf's comm.

<<@Wolf[Sandy]: South Platte Park, Northeastern Gate. 7:30 tonight.>>


[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45 pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]

At 9235 Brighton Road, Marcel’s is your classic American Diner meets Heavy Punk. A brief check online tells you they're “All the Street you can eat,” the restaurant gets by a lot on the shock value of their wait staff who are all heavily tattooed and pierced or have undergone body mod surgery. Changelings who underwent serious changes are also hired. The food is decent but higher priced than most diners. Primarily the patrons are corporate wage-slaves who want to add a little spice to their life by “slumming” it and teenagers who desperately strive for whichever type of youthful rebellion will upset their parents the most.

Things are beginning to pick up there, in terms of customers, as the dinner rush is just getting started.

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45 pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel’s]
Kim: PAN = active | Fake SiN = Angel Snow

Kim has been explaining how incredibly retarded this plan is the whole way over. By now, she’s very upset about the stupidity of the group.

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:26 pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, The Horse Trot Ranch]

"Wolf's plan meet Black Cats 7:30 South Platte Park"

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45 pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Outside Marcel's]

"This is Mafia?" Wolf asked once they'd pulled up outside, having been mostly ignoring Kim on the way over and making a mental note to buy some earbuds to tune her out with.

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Outside Marcel's]
Kreskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

"Maybe this particular guy just likes to get his strange on for dinner. That's a lot better than if this place was crawling with his business partners. Do we have a picture of the guy we're interested in?"

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Outside Marcel's]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

Popping back from VR, Riot shook his head, stretched his shoulders and replied, "No name or pic of this mafioso character. Anyway, I'm going in, if anyone wants to come, feel free." With that, Riot commands the side door to open and stepped outside and walked into Marcel's.

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Outside Marcel's]
Kreskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

Kreskin shrugged, "I'll come check it out with ya." He then exited the van, with Riot.

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Outside Marcel's]

As Riot and Kreskin enter the place, you see what they meant in the online reviews. The girl at the hostess stand is a real fox, right down to the ears and the tail. She takes you over to a four-top table and gives you your menus. The other staff is equally garish, some with lots of ink, others with obvious cyber, and still others with piercings that make you wince a little when you see them.

"Anything I can get you fellas right away?" she asks politely.

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Outside Marcel's]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

"Thanks sweetheart you can, but we're not here for the food. A friend of mine asked me to get some of these for him," Riot said, pulling out one of the mint cigarette butts. "My friend said I could get them here. Could you make this possible?"

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Outside Marcel's]
Kreskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

Kreskin smiled at their foxy hostess, as though their request was the most normal thing in the world. In fact, his guess was that the staff here were used to getting much stranger requests than that.

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]

"Huh," she says at last. "We don't sell cigarettes, but... I'll be right back. Oh, and your server will be right with you."

She heads into the back room, and you wait for a minute or three. A server comes to the table with glasses of water and departs. The hostess emerges and goes back to her post at the front of the restaurant, and shortly a broad shouldered, chicano dwarf comes out from the back room and heads towards your table. He's wearing a tight tanktop that shows you his arms are covered with sleeve tattoos that go all the way up to his neck and further. As he approaches, you see glints of chrome being thrown from his throat. As he arrives, you see he has a line of skin posts piercing him from his adam's apple on down to the collar of his shirt, and further down if the bumps are any indication.

"Alright, chummers. Rikki tells me you're interested in some quality smoke?"

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Outside Marcel's]
Kreskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

Kreskin gives a short laugh. "Me? I never touch the stuff - well, not never - but you know..." A sharp look from Riot cut him off, and Kreskin decided to let him say his bit. He looked past the dwarf and checks out one of the waitresses whose backside wasn't nearly as mutilated or mutated as some of the others.

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

"Hello. We're here to buy some smokes for Mr. Belenkiy. He's pretty busy, been smoking them like crazy. Needs to resupply. But he wanted us to tell you "Hey!" and to see how things were going. He said you'd be a chromed out dwarf...but he didn't mention your name. You good chummers with Mr. B?"

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]
Kreskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

Kreskin leans forward, curious to hear how the dwarf would respond.

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]

The dwarf's face goes from that of the friendly salesman to closed and dark.

"I'm not sure what your game is, ladies, but deal me out."

He begins to stand up from the table.

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

Surprised, Riot but trying not to let it show, "Ummm...where are we supposed to get this mint tabacco for Mr. B? Maybe the hostess directed us to the wrong guy? But you look exactly like he described and at the location that he said.....I'm honestly confused. We'll sorry for wasting your time." Looking to Kreskin, "Man, he's gonna be pissed." And the stood up as well, trying to tower over the dwarf just a bit.

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]

He stops and turns back to face you. "Look, man, you may know Belenkiy, but you ain't here on his business. So blow!"

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:46pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]
Kreskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

"Didn't even get a chance to order my beer at this one," Kreskin muttered, standing to leave as well, waving slightly at the waitress who seemed to notice him staring at her, earlier. He waited for a moment to see how the dwarf would react to Riot's desperate attempt to salvage the ruse. When he did, Kreskin raised an eyebrow. Even if this lead didn't go anywhere, it seems the dwarf did actually know B, and also that he was confused and not quite sure

"Tipped your hand a tad early," he added to Riot as he put his jacket back on, not seeming to care if the dwarf overheard him. "Now he's folding, before we've even anted up." He produced a credstick, twirled it across his fingers, then back again, then set the thing down on the table, with one finger holding it in place, while he eyed the dwarf to see if the credstick held any interest for him. "Tell ya what. Hear us out, and we'll put our cards on the table...." Kreskin suspected that, at this point, the dwarf was curious what was going on, and might be tempted to find out. He wasn't sure they should tell him, necessarily, but they needed to keep him interested, or he would walk away - and potentially tip off someone the team wouldn't want tipped off. He looked down at the credstick, "... and if you can help us out, or even forget we ever talked to you, we can make it worth your while."

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:48pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]

He doesn't walk away, but he doesn't sit back down, either. Arms crossed across his chest, he regards you coolly. "You've got one minute to convince me not to have you geeked."

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

Deciding to lay all the chips on the table, Riot takes a leap of faith, "I'll assume, by your wariness and concern, that you're at least an acquaintance of Belenkiy. What you don't know is that just vanished less than 8 hours ago and we're trying to track him down. We think he might be in danger. If you are a friend of his, we could certainly use some help. And as my friend said, we can make the effort worth your while."

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]

He walks back over and sits down. "Alright, you've got an extension. Five minutes. Break it down for me."

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:45pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

"Alright. Thanks for your time...sir. We believe he was kidnapped this morning by a group of female Amerind 'runners known as the Black Cats. We believe they are holding him still. We have footage of them and what we believe is their calling card, either an obsidan knife or a feather wrapped in a leather pouch. He's being held at ransom. We're unsure of the motives surrounding the kidnapping, but we also don't really care. We just want to retrieve him, safe and sound. Where you come in is helping us place where the Black Cats might be. Since you have more intelligence in this sector, my hope was that maybe one of your people has seen one of the Black Cats within the past couple hours. If so, it might narrow down their possible locations of the safehouse were they are holding him. Think you can manage making a couple calls for us?"

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:48pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]
Kreskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

Kreskin looked to Riot, as though to suggest he jump in now, but Riot continued on. Kreskin didn't feel entirely comfortable letting his fate rest in Riot's hands, just now. The guy was a decent talker, but was likely to say too much - he already dropped the B-bomb a bit too early for Kreskin's taste. However, as the conversation went on, Riot seemed to catch the dwarf's attention again, confirm that they're at least acquaintances, and break down the situation pretty well (although Kreskin would have kept a few key details to himself, just a bit longer). He relaxed a little, and decided to let Riot finish out this meet, since it was his lead, and everything, and he seemed to be doing fine.

If he was going to earn his paycheck, though, Kreskin decided he was going to have to insist on doing the talking at one of these meets. Maybe with the Cats.

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:48pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]

"Jesu Christo" he mutters under his breath. "Give me a minute." He gets up and goes through the back door from which he came. The wait seems interminable, as you sit, unsure of what'll come of the situation. Your attention no longer focused, you notice a few bruiser types have come into the room and are situated in the corners, their attention on you, but not moving or otherwise hostile.

After a few minutes, he returns. "One of my guys seen one of these Black Cats. Lena Walks-with-ghosts she goes by. Saw her up at Adams City Park, and those chicas don't tend to get too far apart, y'dig. You'll be looking for a safehouse somewhere near there - I only know of one, a place called DIY storage and lodging."

He inclines his head at the thugs in the corners and they move out of the room. "You guys know that Belenkiy's chipped, right? Broadcast ar-fid. I dunno the freq, but you might be able to use that to at least verify a body."

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:49 pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

Upon hearing the dwarf verify Black Cats were currently at a safe house and then giving the location of the safehouse, Riot was extremely relieved. No they weren't out of the woods yet, but they had a location. And now that the Black Cats would be split up at 7:30 for their meeting with us, Riot knew that a swift strike then would improve their chances tremendously. "Wow! You came through for us mister... For your troubles, what can we do for you?"

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:49 pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]

He waves away the credstick. "You just see that he gets back home in one piece, and we'll call it good."

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:49 pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]
Riot: PAN = passive | Fake SiN = Jim Smith

"Sounds good," Riot said, pausing to shake the dwarf's hand. "Let's get back to van. I'm going to jump on the commlink right away. You relate the update."

Riot walks briskly out of Marcel's and heads to the van, commanding the doors to open for both Kreskin and Riot. Jumping in the back, he whips out the commlink, jumps into VR and starts the probe again.

[Saturday April 9th, 2072 | 5:49pm | Denver, Sioux Sector, Marcel's]
Kreskin | PAN = passive | Fake SIN = Cody Demasi

Kreskin nods at the dwarf as he and Riot take their leave, surreptitiously palming his credstick as he did so, since the dwarf wasn't interested.

Back in the van, Kreskin turns to the rest of the team. "You guys aren't gonna believe this." He looks to Riot to give the rundown, but sees he has already left his meat behind. "Well, Riot sang like a canary, but we got a tip on a safehouse the bee-sees might be using. Total drek-shot, but I don't think we have to worry about the mob. Now I guess he's gonna try to break into B's commlink... which I think is a terrible idea, but... every time I advise against something, he does it anyway, and it works out." He shrugged. "So, how do you guys wanna kill the next hour or so? We could swing by the safehouse and do a little recon...."