"Your telling me, Archer was no joke, that Ork had some serious problems. I mean as soon as I started talking to him he was all 'shutup' this and 'shutup' that. I swear man he was annoying, and then when he heard there might be an extraction he duct tapped me to the fraggin chair, c'mon who does that. Still hurts dammit. Anyway so you guys are Shadowrunners, cool, man that like really cool. Morgan said to look for outside 'assets'. Is that what they mean when they say assets? People, that is. Wow I never thought of people that way, just like tools to be used. I spend so much time in the lab it never occurs to me there is a life outside. Morgan says that they have a way cool lab setup for me in a SK facility in Germany. Germany! It is going to be so good, German beer, German food, German women! Any of you ever been to Germany? I met this German girl once, she kicked my hoop she was like six feet tall, tall huh. You guys are like what, 6'2 two? What about you chica, your like 5'11" you ever see anyone outside of business, you know I am going to be fairly important guy in SK, in not time at all they are going to see my true potential."


And he goes on and on....

Once the team arrives, Jessie looks to Ghost Dragon and asks, "Can you go check the place out on the astral before we head in to scout out the physical?"

Warpath gets Jessie's message and makes for the meet point, making the best speed he can considering the conditions.

It doesn't take long for Warpath to spot the Roadmaster parked a few blocks away from the building.

Warpth parks his vehicle (provided he didn't take a tube to get there) a bit away from the Roadmaster and pulls the ties on his stealth cloak and ghosts toward the building, fully armed. He activates his comm unit, I am outside the building. Let me know how you want me to come in.

"Ghost Dragon will do Astral recon and report back, then you go in."

Ghost Dragon pretends to listen to Kyle while looking straight ahead at the road. Upon arrival and being asked to do some astral scouting looks at Kyle and then back at Jessie. He says, "Right. Time to make sure we are really getting paid."

Ghost Dragon passes out as his spirit is projected into the astral realm. He begins scouting the building's surroundings, and then, he moves inside to take a closer look.

The building looks exactly as the Johnson said it would: deserted. With the exception of a few mice no living thing is present.

Ghost Dragon flies back to his body and opens his eyes. He says, "We are early. There are none inside but mice."

"Check. Warpath, the building is clear of life. I'm coming out to join you, we'll do a sweep of the building with my scanners and make sure thats clear, then go about finding our best escape routes in case things go south."

Jessie steps out of the back of the van and heads over to meet up with Warpath. She smiles, "Nice of you to join us. And thanks for hanging back like that to cover us, nice to have someone watching out backs, needed or not."

The two runners walk carefully through the building. The big samurai and the small half breed wander through the interior scanning for bugs of the electronic kind. None are found.

Outside the snow has slowed considerably as the sun has fallen. A chill winds has replaced the howling gail of earlier. On any other night it would be beautiful. Time passes and soon Arden's sensors pick up an approaching vehicle. A Mitsubishi Nightsky rigged for snow driving. It pull up directly in front of the building and comes to a halt. The Johnson gets out carefully, looking either way. He is wearing a fur lined trenchcoat and some sort of cold weather gloves. A italian leather briefcase dangles form one hand. He takes one more look around and then heads inside the building. No one follows him, nor do any other cars pull up.

Jessie meets the Johnson just inside the door, wanting to get this over with.

"Nice night, eh? We got the package, you got ours?"

"Ja, Frauline. I have yours, your team performed above and beyond. I did not exprct him so soon. I hope all your team members are well..." He let's the question hang in the air as his eyes wander around and rest on Warpath as the only other member there.

"Not a scratch. If you like, we can step outside. I'll have the package waiting for you by our van. Once I have what is ours, it'll be released into your hands."

"Nein, in here is fine," Werner say's as he turns the large brief case over in his hands. He flips open the lid and faces it toward Jessie. It looks like a lot more than 60k. A cold smile splits his face. "A bonus, for completing so quickly. I hope we can do business in the future," he says as he sets the briefcase down. "Now, where is my package?"

Jessie smiles as she takes the case. "My thanks. If you'll step back outside with me, I'll hand him over to you."

over the comm...

"I've got our cred and we're coming out. Release Kyle."

Warpath holds his assault rifle with casual ease, projecting th eair of someone who has more than enough skill with using the weapon. He doesn't stand in one place for very long, however, moving a step to one side or another every few seconds. His previous experiences with snipers have made him reluctant to allow a shot to be lined up.

Kyle comes trudging around the corner of the building, still clad barefoot and in his ripped shirt. He is hugging himself and trying to stay warm. Werner let's out a short bark of laughter at the man. "Ja, very good." He smiles at Jessie, and then walks back to the limo. A man dressed all in black gets out and escorts Kyle to the limo. After the doors close the engine starts and the black car drives off.

Jessie walks calmly back to the van and steps inside. She sets the case on her land and with a click throws it open. She goes through the funds and then devides it out to everyone.

Warpath steps aside and takes a few steps, watching for someone to try something. Over the comm he mumbles, Case could be trapped, ditch it and keep the cash.

Ghost Dragon takes his share when Jessie hands it to him and says, "Perhaps I was wrong about him after all. At any rate, I will need a ride to my bike if it is not too troubling."

"Yes, I need to get back to my car as well. I would apreciate it if you could drive me", says a somewhat absent-minded Ohanzee. Checking the sum on the cred stick and starting first calculations in the back of his (computer-aided) brain on how much of it will remain for him to safe after his expenses.
The run went considerably well, especially under these circumstances but still Ohanzee couldn't shake this uneasy feeling. Something was wrong about this. They made too many mistakes to succeed. They should not have succeeded. Was it all a well planned setup? Or were the spirits simply on their side tonight, a surge of luck and good fate? The questions started spinning in his mind, like the flurries of snow outside the window. The conversation of the team slipped into the background as it was drowned by the thoughts in Ohanzees head.
About halfway through the drive to his car he remembers that he was still dressed in camouflage and still armed to the teeth. Carefully he opens his duffel-bag and takes out his shirt and coat to put them on the floor next to the bag. He then takes off the weapons and the camo suit and then packs everyhting into the bag, exept for the two Guardians, using the suit as a padding for the weapons. Without spending much of his concentration on it he puts on his shirt, the Guardians and the coat, his head all in clouds.
If I could get the money any time soon mabye Lily would be able to see again. Maybe even move again and learn to live like she did before!
His hopes where rising again, for the first time in the last three years since the accident. At the same time he got worried. His thoughts where drifting. If he couldn't start concentrating again the next few runs might kill him before he got the money to cure his beloved wife. The thought was unbearable! He had to focus, he had to concentrate, there was no alternative. But it was hard, harder than he believed it to be. The usual exercises of mind control tought to him by his old master didn't seem to work any more. He needed to talk to him to seek advice. The last thing Ohanzee could afford was failure. Lily is the the most important thing in his life, he valued her more than himself.

Shortly before their parting Ohanzee starts to talk to Jessie: "How much do I owe you for the equipment?" After the debt has been taken care of he takes his bag and leaves the van. Once at his car he throws the duffel in the trunk and sits behind the wheel, consciously not using the data cord dangling next to the steering wheel. He wants to use the driving as an exercise and to get his thoughts focused.

Once at home he cooks himself a nice can of darjeeling tea, indulging in the golden warmth of the liquid as the herbs start to unfold their flavor in the hot water. While the tea is taking its time he carefully unpacks his duffel bag and puts everything to its place, including the two guardians. When he is done with that he walks back into the kitchen to get a cup and the tea and then seats himself in his armchair in the living room of the small appartment, the tea sitting on a small table next to him. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. As he opens them up again he mentally diales a number:

"Hi Frank, how's it going?"
"Hey John, good to hear you're still alive."
"Don't say that"
"You know I still get worried with every job you take. You are risking too much."
"I know. We have been talking about this often enough before. I call to tell you that I will be picking up Lily tomorow."
"Good! Very good! She's been worried sick. She's already asleep so I won't wake her up but it will be a pleasant start of the day for her if you wake her up tomorow."
"Ok, I'll meet you tomorow around seven, allright?"
"Allright."

They both hang up and Ohanzee relaxes. He is in a different world now. A world of peace. No one is trying to shoot him here, nothing he has to run from. He slowly drinks the hot tea, enjoying every drop as if it was something infinitely precious. In his thoughts and dreams Lilly and Ohanzee are working together in a garden in a small house out in the countryside, Lily siting next to him smiling at him with shining blue eyes, with seeing eyes.
For the first time in three years Ohanzee starts to life again...