<<<<< [@Sledge] Make a scene, preferabbly away from the VIP room. Accuse your dancer of picking your pocket or something. I need some cover.
Billy waits for a reply or a rucuss to get by with some cover, glad that he's wearing a non-descript black jacket for once.

Within moments, Sledge yells out. "You nappy ho, what the hell is that?" He then looks over to the suspicious customer, "What the hell are you looking at?"

Billy takes a moment to discard his extra beer, assuming that anyone watching the back wouldtake just a moment to look to the back to make sure it was still cler before dealing with the situation, then sneaks a peak to get an idea of his best route, then moves.
http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1403437
http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=1403439



As they just went this way ( assuming Billy was able to cross quickly) and no one else has coe this way since them, Billy checks the door handles with THermographics to see which is warmest.

Billy slips into the barroom, past the bar tender and along the back wall. Despite walking right out in plain sight, he moves unnoticed the majority of the way. He is within a meter and a half of the entry way when the bouncer at the front door yells out, "What the- Dreck! Billy!"

Drek

Billy dives for the cover of the VIP room as all hell seems to break loose in the main room. Time seems to slow as he flies into the room. He can see Vic shuffling backwards and a bare breasted ork turning from her lap dance, apparently not impressed with Billy's entrance.

Billy's entrance to the room most closely resembles a pregnant yak ice skating, but somehow he manages to keep from planting his face into the floor or a wall.

Initiative 14

You fragging SLITCH! I ain't here for you!

Billy comes in fast, surprised but not caught off gaurd, leveling a head rattling bitch slap, a wide back hand with his cyberarm, leveled at the stripper-ninja.



He keeps one eye on the beaded curtain, still hoping to be able to take the bouncer out before he has a chance to assess the situation.

Billy's strike penetrates her haphazard block that comes up a little late. The strike lands solid against her chin as her leg continues to whip around for the kick.

Billy gets his arm up, easily blocking the surprisingly strong kick from Striperella.
Jesus biff! I'll put you down if you make me! he whisperes harshly, still trying to keep from alerting the bouncer.


Billy throws a lazy punch, more annoyed than anything else and wanting to get some room to move.

She drops to a fighting stance, leading towards another attack when Vic says, "Stop." Followed by a sigh. Its one of those exasperated 'stops' that come when you are weary of a futile attempt to break down a wall.

She stops her assault lifting the side of her lip in anger at Billy. Still keeping one fist up to block, she feels her bruised face with the other.

The bouncer pops through the beaded curtain just in time for Vic to again halt the situation,
"Mic. Its ok." He then turns to Billy, "Bedlam, you could have used the front door...."

I tried that once Vic. Didn't agree with me. Care to explain why you sent some decker to slice into my system so some gilettes could loot my work? And I better not hear the words 'just business' out of you.

Billy stands still tense, keeping the bouncer in the corner of his vision. He hasn't drawn a weapon yet, but he's got a few to choose from and plenty of inclination to use them at the moment.

Getting sick of this drek.

"And I just would've had them throw you a beating anyway so I figure we're even." He pauses a moment staring off for a moment, then returns his attention back to you with a little smirk. "The guy in the front room yours?"

Which one? Billy says, with a hint of a smile.

Besides Vic, this lump of muscle might have troll ugly, He jerks a thumb toards the bouncer. but it don't have troll strong. Remember who you're talking to. Striperella's already bloodied up, and you've got a guy out back who's gonna need an ER sooner rather than later. Cut the flirting. Why'd you arrange to have people come to my doss?

Vic ignores the question about Sledge, his point already made. He leans in, though still with stripperzilla between him and Billy. "First thing to you need get straight boy is that I didn't set up a run on you. You obviously have an overinflated sense of self worth because I don't even know where you live these days... Somewhere still in the Barrens I imagine?" He pauses a moment then continues, "Since I only got involved in two jobs tonight and I doubt you are working for a third-tier corporation, you must be talking about that little deal with that set of wheels in the Barrens?"

You're pushing it Vic. Tell me about the job.

Billy ignores the jibes, letting Vic get back a bit of his posture. Inside he's seething, but ... "business is business".

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 24:36:12; Diamond Club, Columbia, Downtown District, Seattle

Vic smirks at Billy's attempts to control the situation. As stripper-zilla and the bouncer remain tense, Vic is at ease. He even takes a slow drink from his glass to accentuate the fact that he controls the moment. When he sets the glass down he looks directly into Billy's eyes.

"You're burning bridges here tonight Billy... right to the ground." He smiles that asinine smile he always gets when he thinks he's got everything figured out. "But I can see you're past reason so I'll grant you a dead man's last wish. I'd recommend you just let this one go, as its out of your league, but we both know you're too bull headed for that."

He takes another drink, waving a hand to stop Billy from replying yet, then continues. "Few minutes after seven I got a call from Rick the Snake. He needs a rush job getting some plates changed and knew I had a contact. He paid half up front, I got the job done in minutes... Now you ask why am I telling you about this?" Again he waves off Billy's attempts to speak. Rick gave me this bullshit line about needing more time on payoff.... That wasn't the deal. Do I look like a loan shark? No, strictly cash and carry. He owes me 500 . When you find him, take out his knees for me and we'll be even on this little intrusion..."

Billy manages to keep his expression even, but that's about all that's ice.

It's a tempting offer, but I'm really only interested in one pair of kneecaps right now Vic. You've got this idea that you're somehow above a "gutter runner" like me. All you do is try to channel the shit that swims your way Vic. I've got no delusions, and only an inclination to remove yours at the moment. So stop spraying your piss my way. You should know how this works. I deal with my customers later, or I deal with you right now. I've already chased you down. So where are the wheels Vic?

Billy tries to keep his body from tensing, but his heart is racing as he expects the bouncer to rush him or draw down at any moment.

No drek I'm burning bridges. Knew that would be happening as soon as I found the garage empty. This fragger's only buying time...

After Billy is done Vic chuckles, then finishes his drink and sets the glass down. "You are trying my patience Billy. I don't know where Rick keeps his car and I don't care." He is losing his humor about this point. "You should start concerning yourself with your ability to talk you and your friend out of here with all your digits intact."

Stripper-zilla however is starting to smile, as she reaches up to wipe the blood from her busted lip. The bouncer is easing back out of the curtains and in the other room the music has stopped. There is the hushed noise of people moving around. Not really panicked, but more a feeling of the innocents in the other room, used to violence, quickly moving themselves out of lines of fire.

Sledge's eye camera, focused on the bouncer and the VIP room entrance. Effectively both the bouncer and the Vic's guy posing as a customer. Sledge then looks up as a laser beam flickers across his vision. Turning towards the bar, he sees the bartender holding a very large shotgun with a laser sight pointed at Sledge.

Then tell me who 'Rick' is. You might be thinking you can make a mess of me Vic, but I guarantee that if it comes to that, we'll get cleaned off the walls together. Stop wasting both our time.

"If you can't find out Rick the Snake on your own, then you don't deserve to. Now get the hell outa my club!"

Having what he needs, Billy turns on his heel, walking back out of the room, careful to keep an ear out for the tell tale sounds of Striperella meeting.''
No point in pushing it any further with Vic. I've got what I need, no point in throwing gasoline on the burning bridge. 'Rick the Snake' huh? Why do I feel like I'm chasing my tail?

Billy walks out of the VIP room, not trying to 'act cool', just keeping an eye on those around him as we walks towards the door.

Lots to think about. Need to get some air.
He jerks his head for Sledge to follow as he heads for the door, musing to himself that, if nothing else, he got a free beer and no door fee out of it.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 24:39:00; Diamond Club, Columbia, Downtown District, Seattle

Vic waves off the bouncer as Billy moves towards out of the VIP room. The main room is tense, but as Billy crosses the room there is a wave of relief behind him from those unlucky enough to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Sledge falls in behind Billy and the pair make it to the parking lot.

"Shit... I could'a took 'em..."

No doubt. But there was no point to it. There's nothing gained by killing them. All we'd do is draw more attention and maybe make the nest link up the chain more jumpy than they're all ready gogin to be You ever heard of 'Rick the Snake'? Seriously, where do these people come up with these fraggin' names?

Billy takes a moment to inspect his bike before climbing on, then kicks in the ingintion, synching his helmet to Sledge again to continnue their conversation. For now, it's just some driving around time to discourage any possible tails, and think.

"Rick the Snake? Seems like I heard of a guy, a driver, who goes by that....." Sledge stops and rubs his chin for a second. "Yea. Let me make a few calls."

He proceeds over to his sled, straddles it and sits down. His eyes glaze over as he focuses into AR. A minute or so later he focuses back on the real world. "Hehehhehe.. Got a couple of addresses we can try. What kinda car did you say he drives?"

Billy describes the wheels that were stolen, also going over the brief description that his house guest left him with.
Speaking of which, just about time to go and eject her, before something else turns up missing. Better not tempt fate. Tranqs should keep her down for a while longer. I hope ...

WIth that thought in mind, Billy takes a course for home, careful to watch for any tails, although doubting the last incident was really important enough to bother.

"What about Rick's car?"

What we've got to go on so far was Ice's story about a '55 jackrabbit. He says that was what he cut the codes for. He was upfront enough to tell us Vic knew we would be coming, so I doubt he'd lie about that.

But then there's Madge telling me earlier that it was some sort of SUV. She said it was 'sleek and new'. So we go talk to her first to see why she's so far off. May be that they blew away Derrick and offered her the same unless she fed me a line.

So anyway, at the moment, we're looking for a '55 jackrabbit and a talk with Miss Madge, who should still be doped to her ears back at the garage. So we go to the garage.

Matching action to words, Billy guns it, keeping the head comms open to continue the conversation with Sledge.

Sledge listens as Billy lays out the story. "Didn't Ice say the registration had been changed to a '55 Jackrabbit..? I think that's why the two don't jive.. Madge probably saw the real thing..."

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 24:46:00; Diamond Club, Columbia, Downtown District, Seattle

"Let's go have a drink and wait for a few of my contacts to do a little asking around..." Sledge drops on ARO onto an AR based downtown map to Ace High.

Several minutes later, the duo are pulling their bikes out front of the little neighborhood bar. Inside, the bar is packed. It seems that nearly 1:00 am is prime time here. For the most part the duo blend in with the crowd there in. A couple are just getting up from the bar to leave and Sledge moves onto one of the stools, through the crowd, with practiced ease.

The pair no more than get the first drink of their beers when Papa Smurf sends a text to Billy.

<<@Bedlam [Papa Smurf]My data recovery agent restored the original data record that was changed to that '55 Jackrabbit. I was to a '69 Chrysler-Nissan Patrol Master Mark II.

That's a nice ride. Expensive. There's got to be somebody aout who's seen those wheels. Let me see what I can work up from that.

Billy pulls out his commlink, sending a quick text message to Hel, the leader of the 405 Hellhounds. If anyone knows a vicious ride, it's her.

<<<@Hel [B. Bedlam] - Hoi Chica. Looking for a moment to chat. Give me a ring when you've got a nano. Looking for a term called 'Rick the Snake', rides a '69 Chrysler-Nissan Patrol Master Mark II. Call me. >>>>

Not expecting Hel to 'rush to the phone' Billy buys the next round, and sends 200 Papa Smurf's way, then enjoys his beer. It may be a while until he gets to do that again if things don't pan out well.

Sunday March 3rd, 2070; 01:22:00; Aces High, Downtown District, Seattle

As Billy expects, there is no immediate reply to his call. Despite nursing their drinks so as to keep from keeping lit while seeking out Billy's most wanted, they are on their third drink when Sledge looks over with a grin.

"Rick was just sighted buying his way into Dante's... Not sure how we are gonna get into a place like that... But we know where he is..."

Well it's a start. Even if we have some issues getting in, it'd be easier to stake out his ride, assuming we can find it. Even if we find him in the Inferno, it'd be a lot harder to make any use of our time in there. I'd rather tail him, see what we can find out from him that way.

Who's your source?

Sunday March 3rd, 2070; 01:22:00; Aces High, Downtown District, Seattle

"This guy I know, Jake. He's a pretty boy of sorts. Gets around, knows people." Sledge finishes his drink. "Ready when you are."

Right now, I need to get back to my shop. If Rick jsut got to the inferno, it's unlikely he'll be leaving any time soon. I'd like to get back and pick up some tracker tags. I need you to get down to the Inferno and see if you can spot anything that might be his ride. I'll check up on 'Sleeping Bum-y' and see if I can get any more fresh details to look for. If not, I'll meet you there, and we'll see what we see. Work for you?

"Null sheen." With that he nods and heads out of the bar whistling and eye-balling a reasonably cute woman drinking with a with her paramour.

Within five minutes, Billys bac on his bike, headed back for the shop. Thoughts and names are running through his head, but the paranoia in him won't let him stop watching the rear view just in case.

Dog damn Vick. Prick won't just sit by and be a little cog like the rest of us. Has to have delusions of grandeur and swing his prick around. Might have to see to him later, if just to make sure I don't end up on the wrong side of a "cake run" straight into the grave

His thoughts doing nothing to cheer his mood, Billy eventually ulls into the shop, closing the door behind him, and accessing the AR cameras through his comlink to make sure nothign was disturbed. He heads towards Madge to make sure the squatter hasn't moved yet, then rouses her, a bit roughly perhaps, seeing as she should still be a bit drugged.

Sunday March 3rd, 2070; ~01:49; Billy's Garage, Redmond Barrens, Seattle

Billy rides through the early morning, taking a few extra minutes as he adjusts his return to avoid several possible streets that could become real hairy, real quick for a single rider. Pulling up in front of his shop. The shop security system back under your control, the door opens at your approach.

Moving inside you find Madge still asleep on the bench car seat where you left her, wrapped up tight in the blankets. She rustles a little at the noise, murmurs in her sleep but does not come out of the patch induced deep sleep.

As Billy moves forward and shakes her, she groggily speaks. "Derrick.... wha...." A moment later her conscious mind gains control. "Billy.... I'm sorry.. I... Where am I?"

Despite his suspicions, and the rough evening he's had so far Billy can't help but feel a little guilty and concerned for the woman.
No time to be soft no Bill. She's a squat. Means she's just as hard and ruthless as the rest of us, if not more.

He tries to not let his thoughts show on his face however. The tranq patch already buried in the patch, he offers her a hand to help her sit up.
Looking at her waking, he thinks of what she just said. "Derrick". Her husband. The body he just sold to Tanamous.

Youre still in my shop Madge. You've had a long night. I've got some caf in the other room if you want some. Hafta make it though, I've been out. Just take a tic, take some time to wake up. When you've got a sec I need any other details you can give me about the vehicle you saw. I can bring up some images on my comm to compare for ya'.

Billy gives her a few minutes as he gets the things he needs together, including his tracer tags for Rick's ride, assuming he and Sledge can find it. Once he's got his things, as well as getting some extra gear, he heads back to the 'break room'. He puts down a wad of cash, 500 nuyen, folded in half.

This is for you. I know it's gonna be harder for you without Derrick around. It might not be safe to carry it all at once, but maybe you can't ut yourself up in a coffin or somethin'.