:: Moira nods. That information is actually quite useful, and it confirms what she already suspected about the problems inherant in a group of advasary shamans. ::

"That will make it a bit easier. However, we still need to know more about the bigger picture. Who is controlling their puppet strings, is it truly Lowfyr?"

Moira & Blaze
The Red Queen begins to drift amongst the debris on the floor. "Lowfyr is not involved. If this was him, we wouldn't even know and if we had stumbled onto it by chance....." She pauses to examine something on the floor. "We would already be dead, my dear." She straightens up and glances towards the small group. "I think we've talked enough now. See that my wishes are carried out. Please take every effort to insure Madam Yin is not harmed, Iblis seems to care for the woman." As she speaks she turns and begins to work her way deeper into the shadows, you can barely make out her form in the gloom. Her voice drifts back. "Of course, I will pay extra for this little request since I've added more conditions." You can make her hand out making some sort of lazy circular motion in your direction.

:: Moira just stands there a moment. She had expected the Red Queen to be unusual, eccentric even, yet she turned out to be much more of an enigma than Moira had been prepared for. She had been powerful, intelligent and influential before her change. That was certain and obvious from her mannerisms, How impossibly difficult it must of been for her when she changed. To learn to embrace her new self and rebuild her status by fostering an entire new subculture. For a brief moment, Moira longed for the strength the Red Queen possessed. To turn tradegy into hope. If only she had had that strength when.....::

:: Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she turns and picks her way out of the squat and into the waiting jeep of Iblis and OK. She remains silent as she tries to deny her wandering thoughts. ::

All
The team finds themselves gathered once again amongst the tacky world of knick-knacks in their employer's home. The ride back from the meeting was quiet with just the troll in the jeep. She muttered something about Iblis meeting another person. The other half of the team reports very little from the day long watch at Adam's place. You look around and see everyone's faces. The air feels tired and tight.

Paladin huffs. "Well that was a fraggin' waste of time..."

He turns to Moira, "Please tell me you got more done today than we did."

:: Moira seems unusually pensive since their return and only now that she is directly addressed does she seem to snap out of her reverie. ::

"We were able to confirm that Adam is indeed behind the attack. He is the current leader of a very volital group of Advasary shamans as we suspected. As such, his greatest weakness is to be shown in a position of vulnerability. Once that happens, the entire circle will self destruct as they turn on one another like rabid dogs in an effort to grab control."

"According to the Red Queen, Lowfyr is not involved. Who is involved is someone or group of someone's that the Red Queen is aware of, but deems unnecessary for up to pursue further. Apparantly, they are "testing her resolve" and she believes breaking Adam will send a strong enough message back to his masters."

Paladin arches a brow. "So she wants us to 'deal' with him?"

:: Moira nods soberly. ::

"Yes, I believe the words she used were, 'Crush the man you call Adam and make it public. Break him in a way that leaves his mind whole. I want him humilated in front of his lackeys at the party, make him bleed until he chokes on his own blood.'"

"Sounds like a charming woman. We didn't really get anything on surveillance, he didn't come or leave while we were there.

Before we go any further, anybody have any problems with what our erstwhile employeer's asking?"

"I don't do wetwork... Unless the target is wicked. So no, I'm ok. Though from the sounds of it, she wants it done nice and slow in from of his peers. That complicates things. A lot. Fast hits are easy, but this is a little different. Is she willing to compinsate for the degree of danger involved?"

:: As the sharp memory of her throat in the firm sharp grip of the Queen vivid in her mind, she lets out a short humorless laugh. ::

"I didn't ask about money. And in this situation, I don't think we need to be the one to really kill him. We just need to show his weakness, then his groupies will do the business of tearing him to pieces."

"What about making all sorts of bad things happen? Could tragic fool the sanitation drones into thinking he's a piece of mash? Failing that, it is possible I could tap into them and simply designate it as such."

:: The image of Adam being chased by sanitation drones is so comical in Moira's head that it breaks through her dark mood and illicits an honest laugh out of her. ::

Bakatare arches a brow, letting a smile tug at the corner of his mouth.

"I think we'll need something a little more insidious to pull his group down around him. We can start with his job, his house, and his pet, and move on from there."

"So how do we want to go about destroying this guy?"

"We need to show his weakness. I think if we take out his little toy and make it look easy that may be enough, though we'll have to be prepared to go farther. She's obviously his security, as well as being his plaything. We target her rather than him. She wont be as prepared for that, and it will leave him vulnerable as well as insulted."

"Shouldn't be too hard. I wonder how he'd feel if her head fell off while standing right next to him?"

"personally I'd prefer to have her explode in flames, but that's just me."

:: Moira lets out a short chuckle. ::

"While that's all rather colorful and dramatic, we are dealing with a very strong, very able Physical Adept. What we need to do, is get as much information about her abilities and path as we can so we can use her weaknesses against her and negate as many of her strengths as possible."

Listening, he arches both brows, glancing back and forth between the two males and Moira.

"I was thinking of something a bit more subtle...perhaps having our erstwhile employer 'create' an arrest warrant for his pet and sending Lonestar to the club to pick her up? Sending some compromising information to his employer indicating that he's seeking extraction to betray them? Things more along those lines then directly confronting him."

"Not sad, but too bubtle perhaps? Besides, what would constitute comprimising for this slitch? Free-basing kittens seems right in line with his company's Hoshin plan. No, little things designed to irritate him and present him with no direct targe to take his wrath out upon seems best as he will quickly loose his temper and show his 'true colors' so to speak."

"That doesn't show weakness though. If anything, it may even further his standing with his group if he takes his wrath out on them. And personallhy, I would think losing his Pet and his job would be a good start to the drawn out humiliation and demoralizing the Red Queen was looking for. Unless, of course, you have some other ideas that don't involve blowing somebodies head off in public with a high powered rifle?"

Paladin shrugs, "If we can do this without killin', thats all good in my book, though when it comes to fraggers like we're dealing with I don't mind killin' neither. I ain't got contacts to pull off what yer talkin' 'bout though, so it may be your show."

"Well, I think we need to take a few hours to review all of our assets at this point, including what Iblis can dig up for us, and see what we have to throw at this problem. Agreed?"

"Don't forget, though, the fact that Miss Ibs isn't too fond of the Star in general. She may not wish us to involve them in any capacity. Perhaps we should think of a secondary alternative before we bring our ideas to her."

"One thing we can also do to cheese this fragger off is mess up his party. We need to find out when and where it is so we can crash that slitch."

"Alright, so everyone check your sources and see what we can dig up on this guy, his company, the people he associates with, the Body Bag, and the lady that runs it. We'll meet back here in four hours to see what we've got. If we have enough to move forward, that should give us time to check out the club and his house tonight. Otherwise, we'll keep digging. This is nice to be nice and slick, professional style."

Bakatare turns away from the group, tapping the switch for the earplug cellphone and wandering towards the window in the apartment, glancing out over the city as it rings.

"Winter? I need a little information on some people..." He rattles off the info on Adam and Madame Yen, along with the address of the Body Bag.

He chuckles at some joke, and nods. "How much and how long?"

Murrey excuses himself for a bit, heading down to his van. Switching the scheme, tags and transponder again, he heads out into the cold streets of the 'Plex he calls Jack,
Hoi chummer, just wanted to wet you know I'm on my lay to retrieve my order. ETA, 20 minutes.

Once at the predetermined lot, he makes the exchange, along with some pleasantries and a promise of pool in a week or so, once the job is complete and the heat is distracted.

Swinging through a McCalister's for a bevy of soy products to feed the troops, Murrey heads home.

"You guys want me to go down and keep an eye on the Body Bag?"

Bakatare nods. "We'll probably stake it and the gentleman's house out for a couple of days, to try and get a better idea of his daily routine and what he does.

Paladin nods. "I'm on it."

Grabbing his gear off the couch, Paladin heads for the door...

Bakatare
Winter's voice carries over the line with its usual warm and professional tone. "Well, the Body Bag is her personal playground. She plays hostess to the S & M crowd. She was quite the starlet in her day. She runs a strange little geisha palace called the House of Night Blooming Flowers on the edge of the International District. I believe a local Ring provides protection for that operation. As for the other guy, I'll need to dig some. What exactly are you looking for and how much are you willing to throw at this research?"

"Start with 2k and go up, give me a call when you hit 10k, and we'll talk. I'm looking for any information on his home, his work, his friends, his associates, where he goes and what he does. I want everything."

Bakatare
"Not a problem, I'll give you a call when I hit the 10k mark." You hear the noise of the Sundowner Cafe in the background as she hangs up.

Bakatare nods, clicking the phone closed and open again, pulling up another number from the internal address book.

"John? This is Michael. I've been doing some research into ritual magic, and I have a few more leads I'd like to try and track down. I've been told to get in touch with a Michael Nelson, but I can't seem to find a listing in any of my professional lists. Have you ever heard of this guy, or do you know who else I might be able to talk to in tracking him down?"

Bakatare
"Evening Michael." The sound of classical music can be heard in the background, something laced with strings. "I've never heard of this fellow, Michael Nelson. Does he work out of a local shop?" You hear the light sound of a woman's voice, her words are indistinct over the line. "Just a moment pet." You hear movemet as the music dims and then the sound of a door being closed. "As far as tracking him down goes, I know of only two individuals in my field who keep extensive tabs on other workers of the Art. One is a disagreeable gnome woman by the trite name of Mama Fortuna. She works in downtown out of a newsparer stand called Mama Fortuna's House of Horrors. Throughly unpleasant woman all around but she knows what's going on after the sun goes down. The other is a NAN woman by the name of Old Flame Dancing. She has a small shop in Snohomish. She's an odd bird but her son, Wind is fairly approachable. Though they both have fairly strong opinions on what's right and wrong so bear that in mind when dealing with them. Sorry I couldn't have been more helpful."

"You've given me exactly what I need, John, I do appreciate it. I apologize for interrupting you, I forget with my odd hours that not everyone's working this late. Please forgive me, and I'll let you get back to your evening."

He flips the phone closed again, glancing around at the runners in his apartment, thinking back to the background sounds in the phone call.

Glorious lifestyle, hmm?

Stepping outside, Paladin tosses his gear into the ATV and crawls into the drivers seat. He plugs the control line into his datajack, and after a moment of it verifying his security, the machine roars to life. Those in the house hear the vechicle thunder away.

some time later...

Paladin leaves the ATV parked in an alley down about a mile away from the night club, just to be safe. Taking a moment to change into his Stealth Suit ™, he then makes his way towards the Body Bag. For starters, he plants himself across the street from the place and watches for a while from the shadows.

Paladin
You can see the same Troll bouncer working the door as before. There is a small line of 4 people just outside the club. As you watch the bouncer does a quick once over before waving them on in. The parking lot next to the club only has a handful of cars parked in it, looks like 5 total. The street is still and silent except for the ever present hum of the power lines overhead. The bouncer seems relaxed and slightly bored looking at the same stretch of road outside the club.

Wanting to get a look inside, Paladin waits for a large break in traffic, and then makes his way towards the Body Bag. He slides up on the club like a wraith and waits for the door to open, then slips inside before it has a chance to close behind him.

Paladin
You work your way to the entrance and slip past the bouncer as she holds the door open for some patrons exiting for the night. You find yourself in a hallway about 6 feet long with a door at the end and a small window on the left wall. As you slide down the wall you can see a man behind the window with a row of hangers just behind him. Some sort of coat check and cashier to collect the cover charge. The door at the end of the hall has a small panel with stained glass set in it. You can see in the room beyond small pockets of light and tables. The club looks fairly empty. You see two columns of heavy draped fabric near the center of the room and a bar along the back wall. To the right of the door is a small play bill on the wall about eye level. In lurid purples and black it proclaims "Carnivale!" A woman's body is depicted in a spine breaking pose in the background.

As you center and open your senses to the astral space ajoined to the club, you taste the vivid wash of desire and pain that seems to bleed from the walls. There are endless echoes of passion and rage staining the aura of the club. As you sort through the layers you clearly pick out an alarm ward wrapped around the main body of the club. You can see the faint shimmer along the other side of the door off the hallway.

Not spotting anything too interesting, Paladin backs towards the enterance and slips out once more when it is opened. He steps back to his watching stop across the street and calls Bakatare.

"The place is pretty dead at the moment. I didn't see Adam inside. I can hang out for a while and see if he shows up and maybe I can catch the hostess and tail her home to see where she lives."

"I don't think we want to mess with her, I think it's just coincedence that they're associated, but go ahead and tail her home if you can do it without being spotted. We might be able to enlist her assistance in our efforts, and having a home address would make it much easier to contact her in a private situation where we can talk."

Paladin
You watch the club for the next hour. The street traffic buzzs by erratically. The bouncer seems bored but still on the clock. She still keeps an eye out for the security of the club. As you continue to watch you see a small sports car pull in front of the club. It looks to be a 2 seater euro number. You clearly see Madame Yin's assistant climb out of the driver's side. He gives the bouncer a warm nod as she pulls the door aside for him to enter.

Bakatare
You phone rings, the ID showing the Sundowner Cafe. Winter's vioce washes over you, warm but oddly dettached. "Ok, I've hit the 10k mark on your request. This Michael Nelson fellow is someone's tool. His bank accounts are shelled throughout the world. He was educated abroad in several international schools. His jobs have spanned the globe. He has several homes held by a company named Zembu which is a shell company well concealed in the shadows. Rumor, not fact mind you, says it's some dragon's assest. He is Awakened, Idol shaman and the leader of a small circle of fellow Idol worshippers. Apparently this group is quite powerful but difficult to control. Michael has been in control for about 2 years now, the former leader is presumed dead. He's in town right now and is throwing a small birthday bash for himself at the Body Bag. The guest list is the shadowy Awakened elite of Seattle with a handful of guest stars from abroad." There's a pause as you hear her accepting a food order from a waitress. "Madame Yin is a small time madam here in town and wields a great deal of influence in the S&M crowd. She is friends with a few odd shadow folk but doesn't seem to actually play in them. She has a formal relationship with the Choson Ring, they provide protection for her modern day geisha palace. She is quite the self made woman. When she first set out to build her little empire she had a silent partner, a piece of euro-fluff named Carvaggio but word on the street is that has ended but with no hard feelings." There is a pause as she waits for your reply.

Bakatare taps a finger lightly against his chin, deep in thought as he listens.

"Thanks Winter, I think that's perfect. Let's go another 5k on top of that for all the information you can get me on his little birthday bash. When, where, exactly who's going, who's doing supplies, catering, that sort of thing."

He finishes the call with Winter and glances at the clock. Everyone one should be back soon, and hopefully they all found something as well.

Bakatare
"Pleasure doing business with you." The line goes silent.

Paladin
Minutes slip past as the door opens once again, this time Madame Yin exits the club, wearing a tailored suit. It looks like she just stepped off the runway in Milan. Her make up is severe and corporate, with her her pulled tight and back from her face. She has a small leather attache case in one hand. She strides over to the car and slides in. The door shuts with an commanding snap and the engine purrs to life.

Paladin moves to his ATV as Madame Yin exits the club and jacks in. He will tail her at a safe distance, keeping cars between her and himself, but close enough to keep tabs on where she is going.

Paladin
She drives with a smart flair rarely seen in the commuter zombies of the metroplex. She appears to enjoy her vehicle. She weaves her way through the city, clearing heading for the International District. She works her way into a small business district. She pulls up in front of a small Korean market. It appears closed. She exits the roadster. She slips into the market, opening the security gate over the entrance of the store and exits 10 minutes later with a small bag of food. She pauses and re-locks the gate. She briskly turns and enters an alleyway running down the lenght of the market.

:: Moira, having exhaused her leads on magic previously, takes a moment to relax in the quiet for a while. Her thoughts drift along many subjects, the aftermath of carnage they had seen, the Red Queen, the meet with Joli and her deadly associate, and as always thoughts of her long lost husband and son. Then her thoughts linger on the too short visit with Jesse and to her invitation to perform at Extassis. She couldn't help but feel guilty at the prospect of happiness in her life. After all the hurt and heartache she had caused to those she loved, she didn't quite see it as fair for her to shove them to the back of her mind and replace them with new enjoyment. Despite her mind's preoccupation, she did manage to fall asleep on the couch within 20 min or so. ::