Caliph/Nix - 0348 hours, Saturday 14 August - Orem - Orphanage - 1st floor/Office

Windows and messages scroll by as Spider quickly hacks the computer, apparently meeting some resistance, but not anything he can't handle. Soo he brings up some of the highlights, including financial records, and intriguing donations of abnormal size from anonymous persons. There is definitely someone with an interest in keeping this otherwise insignificant orphanage running.

Spider highlighted the information, along with account information, including account numbers for accounts linked to banks with names like "Cayman International" connected to them.

<<<<Big stuff for a little orphanage in a podunk town. What's a dink little orphanage need with tax shelters I wonder?>>>>

Caliph - 0348 hours, Saturday 14 August - Orem - Orphanage - 1st floor/Office

Start getting frustrated - hadn't expected nothing, and I'm cranking on 10 minutes on the objective right now. This is dangerous. Pop a hook-up into Kuruk and the other guy's commlinks...

To Spider - <<@Spider (Caliph) - That is future Caliph's problem. Present Caliph is concerned on whther there's anything shady going on/near/associated with this orphanage right about now. Pop through these two nodes real quick and see if you can see anything related to wierdness scheduled for today or recently... Trucks, pickups, comms, whatever.>>

<<<< There's records of meetings, interviews for orphans. No one's been picked up the last two days. Just meetings. Seems Sister Swallows only gets her info on the kids second hand from the other office workers.

Looks like she does access a few files regularly. She's got ... looks like a dozen or so kids low jacked with tags, keeping track of where they're at. Here, hold on.>>>>>

Spider brings up an AR map, including the racks where the children sleep. All the beds highlighted are on the second floor, with tracers showing the exact location of a dozen children. Spider brings up another file, linking the names to the tags on each rack. All of the names are first name only, one listed as Jonas.

<<<<Hey, thought you might wanna know .... none of these kids are on their "official roster". Not up for adoption apparently.>>>>

Caliph - 0348 hours, Saturday 14 August - Orem - Orphanage - 1st floor/Office

Smile... bingo. <<@Spider (Caliph) - Beautiful. Break off the machine, I'm cutting the link. Pop to outdoors, it's external security time.>>

Dump the computer's data into my arm. Pull the plug, power down the machine. Grab Nix with my cyberhand, skinlink Spider's overlay to him along with a quick message - <<@Nix (Caliph) - Check the kids. Try not to wake him up. Note the name Jonas - that's your first priority.>>

Debate, hard , on the idea of whether or not to call johnson, but that's jumping the gun... Move up to the stairs, and position for security halfway in between.

Nix returned from rounding the first floor looking for a basement to find Caliph entering the office. Things were moving fast now. Very fast. Nix realized he was taking way too much time and being too methodical, causing him to not get to the details that mattered fast enough.

He had laid down on the floor and was about to step out of his body for an astral run through the building when he felt Caliph.
<<@Caliph [Nix] Jonas? On it>>

He jumps up, running quietly down the hall. We he reaches the steps he casts levitation and glides up the stairs and towards the targeted bed, looking for Jonas.

Guided by the AROs Spider provides,Nix finds the bed easily. Asleep under the slight covers is a boy of perhaps five years who looks more or less like the boy in the pictures provided by their client, save that his head is shaved.

Looking at the child, Nix shifts his perceptions to the astral. He needed to know for sure that this was the child.

Assensing: [3,1,5,2,5,3,6,5,4] = 4 hits

He looked at the subtle ripping of the child's aura, studying for things out of place.

His aura does show the signs of recent emotional turmoil, as well as the trace of magic that has recently affected him. Nix can also see that his essence is charged with the Talent, unusual for someone so young, although it does fit with what Arthur Dances on Clouds said of his son's budding talent.

Pulling his mini-camera from his pocket, Nix records the child. He then directly called their Johnson. Time for the man writing the check to make the call.

Nix - 0352 hours, Saturday 14 August - Orem - Orphanage - 2nd Floor
It takes a few rings before the face of Arthur Dances on Clouds appears on the screen. His face is confused and a bit upset lookign at first until he recognizes his called.

Mr Nix?! I'd been expecting a report of some kind, but this is an unusual hour. Do you have something for me?! His voice sounds eager, as if daring to hope.

Nix - 0352 hours, Saturday 14 August - Orem - Orphanage - 2nd Floor

<<@Arthur Dances-on-Clouds [Nix] Arthur, we have located a boy matching the description of your son. I need a positive identification from you before proceeding with an extraction.>>

// Spool video file xetfssrsf-700814035147.mpg

Nix holds his breath in anticipation. He was on the edge of his nerves and like a high stakes poker game, he had just displayed his cards revealing king-high two-pair. His hand was good. It was solid enough to warrant going all in, but unlike a royal-flush, it was not a sure thing. Summoning his confidence, he asked the question.
<<@Arthur Dances-on-Clouds [Nix] Is this your son?>>

<<<Jonas! Mr. Nix, that's my son! BRING HIM HOME!>>>>

After all he's been through, the cry of a relieved and hopeful father actually strikes a chord in Nix's heart.

<<@Team [Nix] We have the child.>>

To Nix, it now got dangerous. He looked around at the rest of the children in the room. He knew a number of them were kidnapped orphans as well. He knew members of the police force were involved. He immediately turned to his air elemental. Caliph, myself and the boy are leaving. Let no one hinder our exit.

Using service from bound Air Elemental F3 (power: fear)

He knew the spirit could not cross the barrier, but the unbound spirit was still awaiting their return. It was much larger and better equipped to defend them, but like his quickened spell, the barrier hindered its entry.

<<@Team [Nix] Check the records. Are there any other awakened children on the list?>>

The spirit prepares it's self, taking a guarding position in front of the mage.

Scanning through the list that Spider provides, Caliph sees that there are no notations for awakened children.

He didn't know any other way to identify children at risk and time was definitely of the essence. He winced. There was no way to know if the kid was going to freak. He places a hand over the boy's mouth and gently shakes him. "Jonus" he whispers. "Your father sent me. Time to go home."

The boy wakes up groggily, not really responding for a moment, then wakes up. He seems to hear what Nix says, but is apparently having a hard time being reassured with a hand over his mouth. Five year olds ren't exactly known for keeping their cool.

Caliph - 0352 hours, Saturday 14 August - Orem - Orphanage - Covering Nix

Bingo. Nix confirms the target. Smile, and hit a maximum priority message straight out to Dances-on-Clouds, CCing Nix <<@Dances-On-Clouds (Caliph, Nix) - Sir: need a quick decision. Us extracting is quietest but not safest. Alternatives: Alert your corpsec quick response force. Cite direct threat to corporate members. If you send your corpsec with a hasty territorial clearance and a heads up to PCC NATIONAL police, the national cops will be forced to escort and trump local jurisdiction. We'll surrender the kid to you and corpsec and the others to national. Give me a heads up immediately if that works. Otherwise, does your son have a DocWagon or equivalent contract?>>

Sputter a bit as Nix wakes the kid up - sit down on the urge to shout "NO!", though it takes some willpower. It distracts me too much from the front door - I have no idea when the guard is coming back.

As the boy does not attempt to scream as his first instinct, Nix relaxes his hand, though he keeps it at the ready. "Jonus. Your father sent us." He pulls out one of his ear buds and moves it to the boy's ear.

<<@Dances-On-Clouds/Team [Nix] Though you can't hear him, your son can hear you. Please reassure him that your sent us. Also be advised. Local police forces are involved in this operation. Your corporate security forces might want to delay their notification until challenged.>>

Nix- Make Leadership (S) Persuasion Test ( -1 Modifier)

Charisma(5) + Default(-1) + Penalty(-1): [1,2,5] = 1 hit

Jonas seems still on the verge of panic, not really sure what is going on. But as Nix gets the earbud in his ear, the muffled words comin out seem to excite him more than anything. His scared expression turns to excitement as he begins to scurry out of his bed.

Mr. Nix, you gonna take me home now!?

The message comes flashing back to Caliph and Nix almost immediately.

<<<<@ Caliph/Nix [Dances on Clouds] Bring my boy home now!>>>>>

"We're going now." Nix whispers to the boy. He collects up the boy and turns to Caliph.
<<@Caliph [Nix] Time to motivate. We're right behind you.>>

Caliph - 0352 hours, Saturday 14 August - Orem - Orphanage - Covering Nix

Blinding spot of rage flashes across my eyes, but set out quickly. Quick message to Nix. <<@Nix (Caliph) - Fuck that. We go at my pace, and I got to get shit straight. Ask the boy whether there are any other kids like him - abducted, strange, whatever. Go to the AR markers and take pictures of the kids there. Without waking them up, this time. Once you got the pictures, send them to me. I'll clean up after myself. You got 8 minutes. Be prepared to go to the stairs and knock the missing guard out if he comes back in. I'm gonna tell the guard I hog-tied to play cool.>> Send a quick message to Spider - <<@Spider (Caliph) - Start cleaning your datatrail. We're pulling out. Leave the back door on the alarm, more guidance to follow.>>

Go to Kuruk, sidle up behind him, so he can't see my features. Speak quickly and quietly. Put a pocket knife in front of him. "Here's the deal. You've played cool, so I'm taking a risk on you. Your boy downstairs is alive, but he'll be smarting in the AM. There's a kid here who's leaving. There may be trouble coming for this orphanage. I don't care what you do - but if you and the other guards ain't in on it, you better get your stories straight. But if you sound an alarm, alert the other guard, anything that causes me trouble while I'm leaving, so help me god my people will come for you. I got your commlink, and I got all the data backed up at other locations. This job ain't worth you having to leave your home and your city, take a new life, go underground. Play cool for a week, and someone will drop you and your boy's commlinks off to you. That'll be the sign that we're straight. I'm going to release ONE of your hands. You can cut through the restraints after we leave. Remember, play cool. Wait till you hear me leave, because I don't want to hear you squirm.". Release one of the restraints - his off hand.

Check out the exterior windows. Carefully, thoroughly, using the smartgun cam on my AK; looking for surveillance, ambush. This part is the hardest one, and since Nix woke the kid up we can't just shove him in a bag and keep him under control.

Check on Nix to see if he's ready, if he's got the pictures. Motion for him to send them to me, and then stack at the original window.

Caliph - 0400 hours, Saturday 14 August - Orem - Orphanage

Nix had wanted to save as many children as possible as well, Caliph didn't understand though. Taking additional children would be like herding cats.... and while he didn't believe any children who had been subjected to the merging would be here, he could not rule out the possibility. The mask covering his face was not completely reassuring.

He whispered to the boy, "We had one thing to do. Come with me quietly." He moves around with the boy, going from boy to boy collecting video and assensing the children. He flags any awakened children on the video with the simple phrase, "This one"

When completed the pair head back to Caliph.
<<@Caliph [Nix] Cataloged. We can't take anyone else though, the risk is too high... and you know I of all people want to stop this abomination...>>

<<@Nix (Caliph) - Did you get pictures? Skinlink them to me.>>

Nix - 0403 hours, Saturday 14 August - Orem - Orphanage - 2nd Floor
The boy climbs out of his bunk, clinging to Nix closely like a third leg. Nix begins assenssing the children listed as having the tags, examinging their auras. To his surprise, each of them has some trace signs of magical Talent in their auras.

<<@Caliph [Nix] Skin link? Oh yea, that body electrical field, touch interface thing, right? No. No skin link. Bad news though. Every single boy here is awakened to some degree.>> He offers the file as an direct com, ARO transfer instead.

Looking at the boy, then back to Caliph.
<<@Dance-On-Clouds [Nix] What is the ETA for the security forces? Also, be advised. The room is potentially several kidnapped children.>>

As the results from the cross reference come back 1... 2... 3... 4.... 5.... 70% match? OMG... I can't even chance that the last two aren't kidnapped as well...

<<@Caliph [Nix] Oh hell... We got a game changer. Of the seven others, I ID'd five of them from my research as kidnapped children.>>

He quickly pulls up two pieces of information on the five. First, when were they kidnapped and second.... Is there a reward?

Nix - 0406 hours, Saturday 14 August - Orem - Orphanage - 2nd Floor

Most of the dissapearances occured within the last month to two months. Some research does show rewards listed for the majority of them as well, listed in the 5 figures. Looking over the lists of the families, the families are mostly well to do families, a couple what you could call wealthy.

Caliph - 0400 hours, Saturday 14 August - Orem - Orphanage

At the 8 minute mark, I grab Nix, show him that I'm moving to the stairs, to cover the door. I expect the other cop will be showing with the pizzas quickly, or we've got bigger problems because he's bailed for help. Grab Kuruk and frog march him with me, don't explain and make it abundantly clear that he shouldn't ask for one. Rest the AK comfortably, pointing right at center of mass of a dude walking through the door. Queue a quick dump of the feedback from the MG on the roof, see what's going on.

Caliph - 0404 hours, Saturday 14 August - Orem - Orphanage

When Nix comes back to me, trailed by the kid and his understandabily freaked-out reaction at seeing the security guard hog tied in a corner. When Nix explains the crap to me, I switch to vocal. Have to switch my inflections, because of the kid. "No sh- squat... dude. That's why I asked for the pictures. Here's the deal." To Jonas: "I'm going to talk to your dad. There's some other kids here who were taken from home. Your dad wants us to take you home, because he's worried about you. I can't do that without something for the other kids. I know this is wierd, and scary, but I need you to be a man with us on this one, because those other kids dads are just as worried as yours is." To Nix: "Get ready to send all those pictures and a high priority emergency call to the Pueblo Federal Missing Persons hotline. We need national cops in on this, because of Walkinghawk. Depends on Mr. Da... the boss's reaction how we go." To Kuruk: "You're hearing this because I'm taking a stand. The shit's about to go down - sorry Jonas, don't talk like that - and unfortunately you're in the middle of it. I feel bad for you, but we need help if we're going to keep this from spinning out of control. If your boy walks through that door with the pizzas and causes trouble, I will kill him. You can help me keep him under control. You help out, you'll be protected, I'll testify for you."

Prep, and send a message to Dances on Clouds: <<@Dances-On-Clouds (Caliph): Sir, we've ID'd at least 5 other kindapped boys, just like yours, at our location. Knowing what I know about the kidnappers, we feel that we morally cannot leave without these other boys. We have two options: either I can arrange for an air extraction from here, which will be extremely risky; or we can get your corpsec and the pueblo national police on scene to prevent the bad guys from acting. The second option is physically safer, but will involve follow up for you and your son and legal fallout for us. I prefer the second option, but the first can work. I'm not going to leave without the other kids. Please advise.>>

Send a message to Raul and the Smugglers - <<@Raul (Caliph) - got a high priority air extraction, plan 2 pax and 8 non-hostile pucks, in Orem city limits. I'm bidding high. This is big, but needs speed and discretion.>>

The view from the gun cam does not show the thrid security guard anywhere that Caliph sees. Kuruk doesn not resist as Caliph moves him around the building.

<<<<@Caliph [ Dances-On-Clouds] My priority, and yours, is my son. I cannot in good conscience leave others to the same horror we have been enduring however. Notify whom ever you need to, but get my son out first. Do it quickly. Please.>>>>

<<<<@Caliph [ Raul ] Chummer you must lead an interesting life. I can get a bird out there, but you're looking at 20-30 minutes. Next time try messaging us when we aren't all in our racks. That meet your time frame?

Nix - 0406 hours, Saturday 14 August - Orem - Orphanage - 2nd Floor

The time frame of the disappearances was an initial concern to Nix. Anything over 30 days was a concern, though the fact that there seemed to be a sixty day window served to ease that somewhat. Hopefully that means they haven't been processed...

He was in a fundamental disagreement with Caliph. The inclusion of any police force is a threat. We have no idea how far the conspiracy runs. No idea how deep.
<<@Caliph [Nix] I much prefer the extraction method to any police force at any level.>>

Additional rewards are nice, but this sickening abomination of these children is horrifying. When will this end?he mused as Caliph made the second call. The proximity of the police station is a concern. The t-bird could be in and starting to vacate before the they were able to react, then Clouds could deal with air traffic when we reach his estate.

Whispering to Caliph, "Its looking like we have a few more minutes.. in any case." looking around, "are you missing a guard?"

Caliph - 0406 hours, Saturday 14 August - Orem - Orphanage - 2nd Floor

Nod as Nix mentions his deal. Less legally complicated, anyway.

To Raul - <<@Raul (Caliph) - Aight, execute. Bonus if you can make it in less than 15. Location attached. Contact me direct when you get within 5 km and I'll guide you to a PZ.>>

To Nix: "Kuruk here sent one of the guards for pizza, to make my job less messy. If he comes back, we're gravy. If not, might be a hot PZ."

<<<@Caliph[Raul] Alright. 15 minutes. We'll be coming in hot, and I mean hot, and heading back out to desert. Be ready to move, and travel light. You want us that quick, we're coming in a banshee, not a chopper. They tend to not like those blowing into the city. Cost you. 10K.

Things were getting tight. Nix started playing out each second of the last minute onsite and the first minute offsite. He hit a question and a snag.
<<@Caliph [Nix] Team fund is at 7,640 . We're gonna have to dig into personal accounts to pay off a COD extraction. Next topic. When they get within 30 seconds, I'll gather the other seven children. Are we going out the window we came in?>>

Caliph - 0409 hours, Saturday 14 August - Orem - Orphanage - 2nd Floor

Pause for a minute check to see unless Nix has a deal breaker for the plan, and prepare a message to blast back to Raul - <<@Raul (Caliph) - 10K it is. I'll dial you in. Remember, we've got multiple pucks. Need room for them. Prepare for magical threat, PZ is clean now but if it gets hot that's how it's going down.>>

Nix blasts his thing, and I'm cool with that. Send the message out to Raul, and turn to the group.

"Negative, need to start waking them up soon. Jonas, I need your help too. Go the bathroom and get a roll of toilet paper, and when we wake them up, get the sheets off all the boys beds. I want yall to tie the sheets together and make a rope to hold on to. When the bird gets close, I want everybody lined up, holding onto the rope of sheets, with the rope tied around Nix's waist. You'll be lined up right by the door, and run straight out into the back of the bird. It will be awesome, but louder than anything you've ever heard, and scary, so the rope is really important. Use the toilet paper to make earplugs."

"Can you have the ghost start looking for people outside? Now's the sensitive time. In about 3 minutes I'm going to sneak out and start clearing a path, so it's a straight shot to the bird."

"Nix, you got anything in the car you need?"


All the while, I start reviewing the feed from the MG, looking for trouble. Send a message to Dances on Clouds - <<@Dances on Clouds (Caliph) - we're preparing. Sir, have your people immediately start to secure a landing zone in a neutral area, and be prepared to meet us there. I want to deliver the boys into the arms of your security. I need the commcode info for the head of the LZ security as soon as they have him designated. It's moving quick now.>>

My little spiel takes some time, so unless they pipe up I need to start clearing the outside.

As they wait, Caliph sees an old jackrabbit he saw in the parking lot previously drive back towards that area off screen. Apparently the pizza man has arrived.

Nix pops of an 'thumbs up' ARO to Caliph and turns his attention back to the room. Its going to be fifteen of the longest minutes in the past 17 months. Spirits in place inside and out, Nix keeps his senses attuned to the current quiet, hoping for peace during the extraction.

The cam shows the third guard returning, Carrying a Little Pleasers pizza box, and doing something with his AR screen. He looks annoyed.

Go silent, motion Nix and Jonas to get upstairs. Move down to the front door and hide near it. Palm the taser and the AK... right when he's coming through the door is the best time...

Caliph finds himself a good spot with a little concealment, and waits ... waits....

Almost a full two minutes later, when [b]Caliph[/i] is beginning to wonder if something happened, he hears the door's lock click, and being to open.

HEY, PIZZA ...jerks ..

Something's wierd. Hang tight for a second, wait for him to step in, call again... Prepare to rush, but the hand tightens on the AK nonetheless.

Nix and Jonus remain upstairs as Caliph deals with the guard. Tic-toc, tic-toc

The guard steps in , one hand on his AR comm, the other with a pizza in hand.

The guard steps in , one hand on his AR comm, the other with a pizza in hand.

Move up, wait for the dude to get inside, peek around the corner and shot him, aiming the taser high. Hope this has more ammo.

He jerks and spasms as the taser darts hit him square in the chest, the pizza flying out of his hands. The guard screams as he jerks to the side, trying to tear free of the darts, instead dropping to his knees, then onto his face on the ground.



His scream echoes through the orphanage. Nix sees dozens of heads pop up from bunks, looks of surprise or fright on the children's faces.

In a stern voice Nix speaks up. "Stay in your bunks and go back to sleep." He offers the seven-year olds no explanation. It is still dark and they will not be able to see him.

Nix - Roll Leadership (-1) OR Intimidation

Charisma(5) + Default(-1) + Penalty(-1): [2,5,2] = 1 hit