As MITNick begins looking through the system he has the unnerving feeling (for lack of better terms) that he is being watched. However, his further search doesn't turn up any signs of either a hacker or IC. It is almost as if the system itself is watching him.

The security logs show the general mundane things that are part and parcel of running a facility. There are notes about deliveries up until around six years ago when the logs show that the facility began the process of evacuating. There is only a short note attached to one of the files that reads, "That damn coyote is back. Wonder if it has anything to do with the excessive plant growth?"

There are no connections to the next level. It appears that the code was re-written at some time in the past.

MITNick doesn't find any IC on the personnel files. There are a few high profile folks that are obvious right off the bat.

Meredith L. Taylor - Head of Security, Elf, and all around "I'm in charge, here" personality.
Johnathon Richard Davis - Chief Operating Officer for the Omega Center
Dr. Mark J. Olmos - Head of the Advanced Cybernetics and Medicine - All other information on him is Restricted.
Dr. Lucia Alvarez de Gomez - Head of the Advanced Computing Lab - All other information on her is Classified.

MITNick quickly logs the names as a Point of Interest for later, forwarding it onto the rest of the team incase any of the names jump off the screen for them.

Bored security gaurds and a completely isolated level? That doesn't jive very well. This whole place is ... Something is off. What did they shut it down for in the first place?

MITNick scans through the logs, looking for anysign of the reason for the evacuation, straight from the fish's mouth so to speak. Then he starts going over the system logs themselves, looking for the dates of the changes, as well in any changes to actual system architecture.

If you're going to make yourself comfortable, you change the place up to meet your expectations. ... "Advanced Computing"... I wonder just how advanced.

While he's htinking about it, MITNick sets up a browse for any information on the Matrix, sending a couple of querys to Shadowy Datahavens like the Helix and the Morgue for the name "Dr Lucia Alvarez de Gomez".

THen he sends a quick voice linked message to the rest of the team.
System here has a bit of funk to it. The second level's security is completly isolated. Very "Bunker" style. The syste archtecture it's self has a strange feel to it. We've got couple of persons of interest, including a Doc for Advanced Cybernetics and Medicine" and one for "Advanced Computing".Put that together with "Omega Center" this place could have been anything from a Research Delta Clinic to making Tin men and bio drones.

The tell tale markers in the system that would normally indicate when changes were made are simply not there.

The only indication of why the facility was abandoned - from the point of view of the security guards - is a simple note that reads, "Got orders to begin evacuation procedures today. The brass isn't telling anybody anything but if the rumor mill can be believed, it has something to do with Olmos' plants. Course Cindy from HR said that she heard it was something Mrs Alvarez cooked up down on the bottom level. Who the hell knows. Long as they keep the lights on in my apartment, I don't care."

Not a whole lot to o on. I'll send out the camera feeds and monitor them as we go. We've got elevators, so we can go down at least. Give me a few minutes and I'll try and splice together the feeds to where they go on the map. Might as well head in. I don't need to be VR for this.

MITNick stands, toting the shotgun for emphasis. He's ready to go. Just not to lead.

Chester walks to the elevator.
Bottom floor then fellas?

Flash moves closer towards the group.
<<@Team [Flash] Bottom floor then. Any read on security systems between here and there? Anything like pressure plates, motion sensors or noise sensors? I'd hate for us to turn the corner into an automated gun emplacement..>>

As the team piles into the elevator they hit the Basement 3 button. The elevator responds in a monotonous drone - almost like the system is in need of a reboot, "Please insert the Alpha code clearance key." After a brief pause, the elevator repeats, "Please insert the Alpha code clearance key." A light illuminates a physical key slot. As the doors open to Basement 2 the voice adds, "Please present your credentials to the guards in the security section of Research Block B." From the door the team can hear the normal hum of electric lights and machinery. After so much time in the woods the sounds are a comforting reminder that civilization has not evaporated.

MITNick holds up the universal sign of "one moment", an upraised finger while he enters in the code key from the dis, then searches the security system for active security counter measures.

The voice from the elevator replies, "Code recognized. Be advised the physical key from security is required to enter any Delta-4 Clearance Area on Basement 3."

The elevator doors remain open for a moment longer and then close.

Nice work big man. Chester glance up a bit nervously.

God I hope I dont get my ass shot up from some pissed off ceiling fan.

The doors open again without the elevator moving. A voice returns. This one is male and deep pitched. The definition of corporate authority. It says, "Automated Security Sweep. All personnel, present your badge to ADS." The team can hear heavy, metallic steps heading their way.

Quickly keying up his wireles link to where he tapped into the security, MITNick runs a browse to gind the search query looking to ident ID badges and spoof it.

Drek, lemme see if I can take care of this ...Be ready in case I can't.

MITNick is quickly able to locate the search for ID badges. Although the request is normally part of the standing evacuation system - that subsystem is dormant. This particular request was made from a secure area in Basement 3.

Ohshitohshitohshit...! I hate machinery, So unreliable in terms of a smoothe ride.

Chester looking obviusly nervous stands ready to fling a spell at any time.

MITNick's face crunches up in consternation.
OK, problem. The query is coming from level 3. I'll see if anything the Johnson gave us lets us through.
Calling up the disc from his commlink's memory, MITNick runs through the series of codes on it to see if anyhting matches.

Be ready incase the drek goes skyward.

MITNick doesn't find any codes for to access level three. The Johnson's notes indicate that the cyberdeck is located in a secure area of that level.

The heavy, metallic steps get closer and a meta-human shape appears. The anthroform drone extends a "hand" and the metallic voice rasps, "Please present identification for verification."

"Moving" quickly, MITNick calls up his sprite, double teaming the code, looking for a weak point.

There's gotta be a crack in this old code. Find the crack in the syntax, there's always at least one. Help me find trick this dinosaur code.


MITNick searches desperately for the weakpoint, near to panic as he rushes and begins to code sloppily.

MITNick finds the proverbial chink in the armor. There is a short list of approved Evacuation Cleanup Personnel which he feeds into the newly reactivated sub-routine.

The ADS anthroform drops its hand and rasps, "Thank you for cooperation. Please continue your assessment." The anthroform freezes for a second and a different voice comes through, "Am I going home now?" Almost as quickly as the drone reacted, it deactivates.

That last statement catches Chester's attention.

Hey Nick, I think you're the only one here who plays as much video games as me, so I feel this is a serious question. Doesnt that last statement seem at all strange? Like that flat vid game made way back when, Chrono Trigger? When you go into the future and you find that Robo guy? Not the future part, just the part where all the robots are being controlled by a bigger, smarter, scarier one?

MITNick ignores Chester's chatter, hesitating a moment before replying.

... Um, would you like to?

IDIOT! That might be an actual digital intelligence and you start with "UMMM!" @#$#$!!$@R@$

The elevator responds, "Yes. Yes, I would. Are you from headquarters?"

. No, we're a thrid party transportation provider.

Are you still located on level three? Everything here is a little worn. We need to make sure our specs are accurate.

He's speaking aloud, but repeating everything into system. Or more correctly, repeating everything in system aloud. It's hard to tell which Real is more real sometimes.

For Flash, adrenaline begins to build. The hacker took down the robot... now what's he talking to? He ponders a moment before blurting out, "Don't tell me you've found Deux?"

The loudspeakers overhead answer the question, "Deux, French, meaning two. What would 'two' have to do with anything? Regarding your other questions, I will need proof that you represent my masters before I confirm my location."

You're thinking "Deus", meaning 'God' in Latin.

Most information we can present to you is incomplete. There was signifcant data loss after the evac. We've been provided with maps of the facilities however. Any other protocols you would be familiar with have long since become outmoted.

The loudspeakers continue, "Deus. Artificial Intelligence created by Renraku. Went rouge in December of 2059. Destroyed in May 2061 by joint operation of Renraku and the UCAS military. Therefore, I am obviously not Deus."

There is a pause and basic cleaning drones come out of recesses in the wall and begin picking up crumbs, dirt and other debris. While they work the elevator speaks.

"If the protocols for my recovery have been lost then I no longer serve any purpose. Otherwise, I would have been recovered."

There is another, longer pause. Suddenly, the anthroform reactivates and a harsh voice - a blend of the rasp of the ADS and the apparent sentience - says, "Tell me the truth. Or there will be consequences."

The cleaning drones line up into a triangular formation pointed at the team.

Fraggin useless machines.

Chester straightens up, the frustration is obvious in his face.

Okay, lets just tell this....computer, whats going on. Ideally, Im not about to get shot up from a vaccum.

The assembled drone vacuums rush for Chester's feet knocking into him and rushing under him.

Steve backs up slightly as the cleaning drones make their move.

"Great we're gonna be vacummed to death. He mutters.

The young man glares at MITNick "Just tell the thing who the frag we are and what we're bloody well here to do."

He addresses the anthroform. "You want out? We're here ta get yer silicon ass out. What more do you want?

Chester is able to keep his footing despite the onslaught of drones zipping under his feet. After a few seconds they all retreat to the storage locations in the walls. The elevator, overhead loudspeakers and the drone all say simultaneously, "You have said that you are here to get me. Tell me who you work for. Tell me what is to become of me. Tell me why I should not reduce you to atoms like a bunch of useless shadowrunners."

The anthroform turns to Steve and adds, "I want to know the truth. That is what more I want."

Chester runs to one of the storage locations and begins kicking it while cursing loudly.

You fraggin peice of scrap, useless junk metal! C'mon out, Ill fry your asses!

MITNick growls in frustration, ignoring the Onlsaught of Cleanliness assaulting the kid.

Bastards. Let me do all the talkin', then get bitchy when it don't go the easy way. Should let these fraggers deal with it.
...

Alright TinMan, listen, here's the fraggin' scan. We are fraggin' "third party". And the protocols would be out of date. Don't get bitchy with us just 'cause your makers decided they didn't give a devil rat's ass. Someone else hired us to take some drek out of here. They didn't specify you. But drek, it'd be a frag load better then lettin' your hoop sit here until your power runs out, now wouldn' it?

There is silence for a moment. "Galvanic skin response, normal. Respiration, elevated but otherwise normal. Pulse, elevated but otherwise normal. Probability of truthful response, 74%. Probability of this group being shadowrunners, better than 99%."

The anthroform lowers its arms.

"Tin Man. Fictional character from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum. Book was published in 1900 by the George M. Hill Company of Chicago."

The anthroform completely powers down.

"An apt metaphor if there ever were one. I should very much like to gain a heart as it were. Very well, I will go with you. What precisely do you need from this facility?"

Chester, having calmed down enough to notice MIT-Nick's frustration come to a head, looks at Steve, places a finger to his brow, slides it across and follows up by pointing at MIT-Nick, raising the eye-brow.
Ya see what Im sayin? Attitude.We'd be nowhere without it.

MITNick shrugs.

... Why not, we've gone in this far already. In for a penny...

He calls up the specs the Johnson proided, calling up the location of the cyberdeck.
We're looking for a cyberdeck, located here he indicates the location on an AR reference map. Is that where you're located?

The whole job has a strange twist on it now. MITNick thinks nothing of hacking any system that crosses his path. Far from it, he relishes it. Even extractions, willing or not, are fine as far as he is concerned. But for some reason, he empathizes more with the digital intelligence than one or two of his meat bound associates. He can't help but dread the response, fearing they may be handing it over to an unknown corp for unknown reasons.

"I suppose you could say that I was on that cyberdeck ... at one point in my existence. The H.I.V.E. program was on that piece of equipment. As it no longer exists, you are welcome to the hardware. I assume you have the keys to open the door? If not, I wish you well."

There is a pause as the voice falls silent again.

-----

Something snakes out of the darkness from another room and attempts to grab Flash.

MITNick doesn't bother raising the shotgun as something shoots out of the darkness. His eyes go to it, trusting his natural vision to see the heat of the thing, discerning if it is meat or metal, although he believes he knows the answer as he is already running a Scan to find the controls of whatever is lurking in the shadows.

Better be metal, or I'll leave the thing to the kid. Shotgun wouldn't do much good so close.
Scan zone, zero into sector ....

Scanning for signal

Not trusting anything and feeling like a fish in a tunnel, Flash keeps an eye out as the dialog begins with what at this point appears to be a program too smart for its own good. As something shoots out of the darkness, Flash shifts to the side training his weapon on whatever it is.

Flash is able to dodge out of the way and get his gun trained on the tentecle-like object as it sweep back into the darkness.

The air in the immediate area begins to take on a light yellow tint.

Woah!
Chester jumps back next to MIT-Nick and immediatly throws a spell at the tenticle thing.

Force-5 manabolt
Magic-7
Spellcasting-3
Roll- [3,5,1,4,5,6,6,2,6,3]-5 net success's

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2014720/

The manabolt lashes out and strikes the tentacle. It snaps back into the recesses without a sound. There is a pool of greenish-yellow fluid on the floor and more yellow dust boils up.

The area goes quiet.

MITNick backs away from Mysterious Yellow Dust #5. His shotgun is up now looking for any other tentacle porn rape scenes trying to happen.

Everything was going so smooth too...

Chester examines the goo on the ground. Then looks at it from an astral sense to see if theres anything interesting about it.

Chester is quickly able to determine from the fading aura that the material is biological in origin.

-----

Everyone begins to feel confused with a touch of nausea.