Got it. Ya tell me ta break it, I break it, ya tell me not ta break it, I don’t. I can do th’ strong, silent type.
So, ya think a mug like me ‘ll fit in… I’m packin’ my Pred’ an a pea-shooter, oh, an m’ blade.

WE'll give the place a look first. See if the hired help is likely to cover an extra door fee for a Predator. If not, I've got my spurs, and even club kids carry fichettis these days. Besides, he's a hacker. The less tech we have the better. He gets pissy, just stick 'im with something.

Damnit Madge go to sleep!

Come on, Madge's had a rough day. Let's let 'er get some rest.

Billy gesture for Sledge to follow him in to his "office" a small room off the side of the main garage area, giving Madge some privacy.

I swear those if she steal anything ...

Sledge follows the smaller man into the other room.

So, how do ya want to play ‘dis?

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 22:25:00; Billy's Garage, Touristville, Redmond, Seattle

Minutes later, a checkup on Madge finds her asleep on the rear bench from a '54 Nissan station wagon that Billy uses as a couch.

Carefully, Billy places a tranq patch on her neck, insuring that she gets some deep restfull sleep for at least the next few hours. Easier to make sure she doesn't steal anyhting while he's out. And also to make sure she doesn't go insane when the organ leggers come for her poor husband's corpse.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 22:55:00; Billy's Garage, Touristville, Redmond, Seattle

Half an hour later a meat wagon arrives. The human who carts off the body collects your basic information [ 'donate' organs/parts as applicable, account to transfer funds (if any) from proceeds of said 'donation', etc ]. You're glad that pen and paper are no longer required for these transactions because that steady stream of mucus dribbling out of his nostrils scares you far worse than any of Sledge's guns. At least they'd kill you outright.

The kid tags a transfer for a hundred nuyen immediate and a pending transfer if anything is still usable. "Ah man.. rigor is setting in..." he grumbles as he loads the body and then is off. Madge sleeping and bound to do so for several hours, Billy and Sledge are finally ready for their next steps.

Billy leaves the hundred in cash next to Madge's sleeping form just in case, aslo discreetly keeping on eye on it so Sledge didn't pick it up. You never could tell what eople would do to make a quick buck.

Like selling a homeless guy's corpse for operating capitol? Sick fragger. Need to get your head checked one of these days Billy.

Am I talking to myself?

No.

Okay good. wait..

Shaking his head a bit, Billy grabs his predator, and slides an SMG and a few spare clips into the side bag of his Diablo, and strattled the bike. Stepping back off for a moment, he took the time to set up a micro cam recording in the corner above the doorway. Apparently, you really can't be too careful.

And here I thought I'd learend a thing or two about paranoia by now.

You ready Sledge? We got some Ice to pick on.

I can't believe I just said that

Sledge slides the dust mask over his nose and mouth; “Keep it below 130 kph, my front-end gets sloppy�

He straps on his helmet, kicks a leg over, and with a dull rumble the bike starts. He yells out to be heard, “Lead on!�

Billy keys open the door, via his bike and his Control Rig, and slides out in to the night, Hellhound painted helmet in place.

Crap. Going to have to work on his bike. Making the man ride with jacked up forks in the Seattle rain? Well frag it. Work first. Go see this "Ice" fragger and see what he knows.

Billy sets in a search for the club ,pulling up the address, and heads out of Redmond.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 23:27:00; Billy's Garage, Touristville, Redmond, Seattle

Its a short jaunt from Touristville to the 520 and its a good thing, because the Chupacabras are out tonight. They fancy themselves quite the psycho monster types... and the Star doesn't care much about what goes on in Redmond after dark....

The run down the 520 across Bellevue to the Downtown District is actually more peaceful than the previous leg of the journey despite the longer time and more traffic. The roads are also better and even have lights in some areas.

The run down the I-5 was shaping up for the same until the duo passes into the area of Van Asselt neighborhood. A trio of I-Fivers were sitting by the on ramp when they caught sight of Billy's helmet. Looking in their rear view, the duo see the trio closing fast.... and Sledge's bike ain't gonna outrun their bikes....

Sledge cues up a video feed from his eyes to go with the comm.

<<@Billy[David] Billy, we got company comin’…>>

Sledge remembers that maneuver the Seattle Slaughtergirls used last month.

A stadium track ain’t as wide as the highway, but if I can time the traffic just right I should be able to take at least one of ‘em out…

The big bike edges a bit right of center, leaving an easy path up the left for the gangers.

Take the bait, suckers…

Damn it. Why aren't things ever simple.

<<<<Hang back Sledge. Looks like they're after me. ....

Nevermind, you already are..>>>>

Not wearing colors. Maybe they're jsut bored. Could really use a grenade right about now. Ah well, frag it all.

Billy takes command of the bike through his rig, using the gyros to keep it balanced as he draws his Steyr from his hip holster.


Billy swings his cyber arm around, with a Steyr TMP in hand and opens up a heavy barrage of gunfire on the leader of the pack.

Funny man…

Sledge sees Billy bringing the weapon to bear.

Drek!

Time slows as electrical impulses outrace their electro-chemical brethren, Sledge sees each flash from the machine pistol, stark and lurid in the semi-darkness between the pools of light from the streetlights.

<<Check your fire!>>

<<<< Ice your motor omae. I hit where I aim.

Besides, they got great bit Eye-fiver eyeballs to bulls eye. I'll get their attention, you pick off the ones that aren't paying attention. I fragging hate ganger punks like this.>>>>

Probably a stupid idea opening up on them like this, but I got no patience for these idiots tonight. Hafta make it fast so the Star doesn't get interested though.

<<Copy, Just a little surprised. A ‘lil warnin’ woulda been nice…>>

The big man looks for a way to leverage Billy’s advantage.

As Sledge eases over the three Chupacabras are accelerating.. until Billy lays a burst down and directly into the chest of the ganger in the center. Billy's bike, running on autopilot, continues on its course.

Sledge calls out to Billy as the center ganger is taken off his bike and into the hood and windshield of the car behind him. As the two men talk on coms, the remaining two gangers split into traffic, ducking down on their bikes.

@Sledge

Simple Action: observe in Detail - tracking the remaining targets.

Billy grins as the lead ganger goes down. That's right street trash, "die like the rest". I may be no Prine Runner, but I'm awy beyond you fraggers.

Billy scans the traffic, augmented by his bike's sensors, keeping track of the two remaining bikers.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 23:27:09; I-5 in Van Asselt, Downtown, Seattle

Billy sees both of the remaining gangers moving to take cover in traffic. The car with the ganger sitting in the windshield is veering violently towards the shoulder. Based upon the movements of the gangers, they are pulling guns out of their jackets.

One down…
Sledge moves to take advantage of the gangers attention being focused on Billy…
Lack of situational awareness can get you dead…
Drawing the Predator, he unleashes some fire of his own.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 23:27:09; I-5 in Van Asselt, Downtown, Seattle


Seizing on his target of opportunity, Sledge fires on the ganger on his side of the highway. The shot ricochets slightly off his jacket and continues into the windshield of the car behind him.

@All

Frag! Go down, you slot.
Sledge fires again.

Smiling to himself, Billy hits the brakes and decelertes, using the rear cams and sensors to guide his bile back through the swerving traffic. He slides back, positioning himself being the biker not under fire.



7 hits

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 23:27:10; I-5 in Van Asselt, Downtown, Seattle

As Sledge continues to fire on the second ganger, Billy makes a move right out of the trids. He jerks the bike violently to the side, nearly instantly slamming on the brakes sliding sliding down the dividing line as cars pass him on either side, then gooses the throttle putting him behind the third ganger. Both gangers attempt to return fire, but it is wholly ineffective through traffic and the chaotic movement.

Leveling the autopistol at the ganger again, this time setting his cross hairs between the ganger's shoulder baldes, Billy pulls on the trigger letting off a short burst.



1 Hit

Edit : oops. goof on the recoil rules. Have three more dice.
2 more hits

Firing a second short burst - same dice

5 hits

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 23:27:11; I-5 in Van Asselt, Downtown, Seattle

Sledge fires one well placed shot that sends his ganger into the car he was taking cover against. He bounces off the car and under the wheels of oncoming traffic. As he continues down the road, a pile up begins but one thing is for sure.... even Doc Wagon couldn't put that back together.

Billy on the other hand sends several sprays of bullets into his chosen target. This ganger is hamburger before he goes under the wheels of oncoming traffic....

Concentrating on slowing his breathing rate, Sledge holsters his pistol.
<<You owe them money or somthin?>>

<<< Nope, never sen 'em before. Probably just out to score a couple of bikers. Stupid kids.>>>>[color]

[color=darkkhaki] Or maybe you forgot to wear the plain black helmet again idiot....

Billy continues heading for the club, taking a street eixt a few miles down the freeway to avoid any Lone Star highway patrol.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 23:46:03; Event Horizon, Kent, Downtown District, Seattle

The duo make a quick exit from I-5 and manage to avoid any more entanglements on their way to the bar. Arriving at the techno-bar off the beaten path, AR in this area is alive and bristling with objects, widgets and markers. The parking lot is filled with mostly small, efficient cars and sleek racing bikes. There is no bouncer at the door, only a sign in AR announcing the bar.

Sledge, if this guy Ice is working iwth the folks I'm looking for , he might know who I am. Why don't I wait out side for a bit. You head in and scout the place out, see if you can find this Ice character. If you can't make contact with him, I'll head in after a bit, and you can cover my back. I din't think you'll be in much danger in there against the techno-crowd.

Sledge finishes securing his bike and helmet while listening to the comm. He then walks over and stands ominously close to the other man. Leaning in even closer, in a very soft voice, he says “You’re calling the shots, boss. You gotta holo or description I can use to ID this slot, or should I just ask around?�

Ask around. Maybe looking to do some hiring? You've got what intel I've got on this character. I'm not looking to hurt 'em. Just doing a job, like the rest of us, ya' know. So at least you'll mean it when you say you need some work done. Just not the type of work he's expecting.

Check.

The big man turns and walks into the bar.

As Sledge passes through the doorway into the bar, he lights up in AR. Looking to the left, he sees a display showing his form. There is a hazy overlay as well as bright spots over his eyes and spider webbing his spine. Looking down at himself, he sees that his form has the same highlighting as the copy of his form in the display.

Looking around the room, he sees about two and a half dozen people. They share the same type of highlighting though almost all their cyberware is limited to headware. The bar itself is rather plain, but the AD decorations give a "tron" like effect to the room.

Saturday March 2nd, 2070; 23:50:36; Event Horizon, Kent, Downtown District, Seattle

Once Sledge passes into the bar, he disappears from coms. Several long minutes go by and then a slim man comes flying out the door. Sledge reappears behind him, stopping momentarily in the doorway to yell back into the bar. "Sit your scrawny tail bone back on that barstool... Unless YOU want to be next... I thought not."

He then hustles forward to pick the man up by the collar. "Sorry boss. I ain't much for words... Them punks realized pretty quick I wasn't one of their people.. " He looks off for a moment, almost an afterthought.. "I think my com is trashed.. Anyway, this one here is Ice."

The scrawny 20-something punk seems to have wet himself sometime during the altercation.

Billy looks him up and down increduously for a moment, glancing at Sledge.

"Sledge". Duh. I suppose I should have known better than to send someone names "Sledge" to use a soft hand at getting someone.

Billy switches off his commlink. Better safe than sorry.

Seriously, what the frag kind of a name is "Ice" for a decker anyway? I'll make this short. I don't know you, and you were just working a job, so that's cool. We're all 'professionals' here.

yeah right.

Before he continues, Billy pats the guy down for his commlink and any weapons.

AS Billy is patting the hacker down he replies, "Who the hell are you guys and what are you talking about?" There is no comlink to be found.

Name's Billy. Sledge here says you're the hacker goes by the name "Ice". Well I'm looking to find out something about someone that hired you for a piece of work. Tell me what you know and you can go right back to your game of Passcodes & Prons. No reason for this to take long.

Billy gives him a very frank look suggesting the alternatives.
Frag ... Sledge better not have grabbed the wrong kid ...

"I... he.... I'm Bo. I... I don't know any Ice." Stammers the man.

Sledge growls, "You little-" reaching for the man.

Well see, now we have a problem where there wasn't one before. You're the wrong guy, and you obviosuly aren't cooperating, so now I have to be less nice. Now we have to take you back to our shop and go to work on you. 'Cause see, you're the only lead we got right now, and if we can't find Ice, then we have to talk rude to you to find him. Too bad.

The little man is visibly shaken. He continues to stammer through his replies, "Listen man.... I... I.... Why you gotta come down on me?"

Sledge on the other hand is getting visibly irritated with the replies. "Two minutes ago when I was looking for a hacker, you were Ice. Now your not?" He turns to Billy, "In the bar, they got this AR thing that shows where your cyber is. Piss-pants here has headware... I wanna be the one to yank that drek out."

He looks quickly to the two of you and finds little in the way of compassion, "Wha.. What a ya want to know?"

See now that we're all upfront, we can talk nicer.

You did a piece of Action . Minor stuff, creating some plates registration for a vehicle. I want to know everything you know about who hired you. Not jsut waht they wanted you to know, but what an enterprising and curious young hacker like your self found out. Before you answer, remember, you've already lied to me once. I'm going on faith here that you're not so stupid as to try that again. We can keep the conversation right here, nice and civil. But if I think you're lying, we'll go somewhere a lot more private. Now, talk to me.

He takes a moment, looking at Billy and then back to Sledge and then back to Billy again. He sighs then answers, "I talk to you they bleed me slow... I don't bad cop over there busts me up.... Where's angle for me?"

You don't talk you for sure bleed slow and long now. You do talk they maybe do it at some point, and you've got a head start.

He sighs again. "Vehicle registration..? What do you want to know?"

You seem to be confused. This isn't Q&A time. THis is where you tell me everything you know and suspect, starting with who hired you I'll throw in questions occassionally. The more I have to ask , the more annoyed I'll be though, and the more impatient my large friend here will get. So I suggest you be as helful as possible.

His eyebrows furl and his eyes darken, then he speaks. "Vehicle registration is my specialty. I have a technique that provides for valid registration changes that facilitates a double validation protections on all my updates. I do a number of these updates each day. The first was today was for Jimmy the Duck Gepeto-" He's either playing dumb or is confused about which change you are referring to.

The plate number in question is X. Q. D. 1. 5. 9. What can you tell me about that one?