Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 10:56 PM, Redmond

Jade Tiger thinks hard about the best way forward. There are names and there is some hunting to do. But to start with she needs a spoor. Still asking people about names can lead to a trail, and Big Daddy and The Viper 12 are good names to try.

Remembering what her mother told her about dealing with two legs, she focus's her mana to improve her ability to understand and deal with people

<<@John Star: Hey darling you got...bother....lines dead>>

<<@Yoshida Konachi: Yoshida-san greeting to you this...bother...still dead>>

<<@Team[Jade Tiger]: Hey guys I cannot get a line out to ask some questions, do any of you have a link to the outside? >>

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 10:56 PM, Redmond, heading north

<<@team: Joe's not on this frequency Zo. He should check the feeds when he gets back meatside, though. Try telling his ghosty.>>

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 10:56 PM, Redmond, Crosstown gas station

At Oz's comment, Zo looks at ferret in the gas station. "Ferret you in meatspace yet?"

<<@team:Oz, his eyeball thing isn't here. I think it went into da complex. I figure he'll check his comm eventually. Not important at the moment. Though dey ain'tt 162's, so hopefully dey only gots a few dozen feral ghouls. I'm not too worried abouts them, the ones dat can shoot, yeah we need to keep an eye on dem.>>

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 10:58 PM, Redmond

Jade Tiger and her companions hustle supernaturally quickly towards the tower, surrounded by a green mist that deadens the sound they make, and makes them harder to see. Fortunately either nothing has seen them so far, or what ever has seen them was perceptive enough to realize that there is easier prey.

Despite that her every sense is out, the electronic sensors supplementing the supernaturally sharp natural ones, and her sense that there is trouble growing increases

<<team: So tell me more about this Big Daddy. Do we know what we can expect from him? Same goes for the Viper 12, have you any pictures that you captured from your last run in? >>

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:06 PM, Redmond

The three scouts in the green mist fly towards the tower with the speed of a charging rhino, but the sound of a strong wind. As they zip past the mall, they see some of the carnage that Ferret had reported on. A security truck on its side where it smashed through the front entrance. Professor noticed the truck was labeled "Ares" on the side. The group passes a few other large warehouses and office buildings. The spirit drops the group in front of a full megacorp business tower. The kind of structure that makes any runner's neck hair jump to attention. The building took up the whole block, and extended to the clouds. The place dark and the lobby appeared empty through the transparent concrete that constituted windows on the ground floor. The front doors were actual glass, three inches thick set in steel watched over by cameras.

Ferret had no problem making himself at home on the tower's node. He spent some time programming a back door into the system and forwarding alerts to the gas station. A motion sensor pinged quietly in a menu bar with a video feed of Oswald and friends at the front door.

Jovan's Air elemental was not having as easy a time with Amber's commlink. Following Jovan's instructions on operating this mundane contraption was belittling and frustrating. "The last message is from a 'mrs. Johnson' and there's another box here labeled 'Johnson and friend' is that related?

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:06 PM, Tower in Redmond

Jade Tiger turns to her companions.

"Why don't we find a safe-ish place to wait...perhaps insides that truck. I will send a thought form to investigate the tower. Can you tell me everything you know about the boxes?"

After listening to the little that was known, she sighs, then concentrate on the thought form made solid as her mother taught her. With a whoosh the green mist moves towards the tower and vanishes.

"Well in a few minutes we will know if its easily findable. Of course if they are behind a ward, then this simple technique will not work. The 'spirit' as you call them is programmed to locate any such boxes and report on the presence of any wards. It will find me when it has finished. Should we get a report from Jovian or Ferret, we can of course act upon it. In the meantime, I guess we keep an eye, ear and nose out for ghouls!"

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:06 PM, Tower in Redmond

Professor considers Jade's suggestion. "Do you mean the Ares truck back at the mall? We sped past it, but it does interest me. Ares is the original owner of the cargo. I wonder if this truck is connected to our job.

"Good idea with the astral reconnaissance. While we check out the truck, your thought form can add to what Ferret has told us. What do you think, Oswald?

"Oh. And it's Jovan, not Jovian. Though, his ego could be described as planetary in size."

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:06 PM, Tower in Redmond

<<@team: I see you made it to the Tower. Looks all clear here for now. The system is no longer on alert. I can stay here in the system and provide overwatch or log out and try to catch up with you. I've got a back door in if we need it and an alert feed forwarding to the garage. I can slave one of the cheap comms to the terminal here and have it broadcast to us via the blimp.>>

Ferret switches to AR mode for a few seconds. His eyes open and he looks up at Zo.

"The rest of the team are at the East Tower. They might need me a little longer in case they trip an alarm. Otherwise we're about done here."

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:06 PM, the Gas Station in Redmond

"Cool. While we iz waiting, do ya wanna set up a wireless relay with one of your spare P.O.D commlinks so you don't have to be standin here next to it."

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:06 PM, the Gas Station in Redmond

"Good idea. Sounds like you got some experience of running the shadows, neh?"

Ferret blinks as he adjust his focus to the real world. He pulls out one of the cheap commlinks and duct tapes it to the terminal. A spool of fiber optic cable joins it as he mentally configures the comm, slaving it to the one in his head. He logs off from the Tower node, returning his persona to his headware, then disconnects the terminal from his datajack and plugs in the cheap commlnk. Finally, he logs back in via the wireless connection so he will be instantly warned of any alerts triggered in the tower node.

"Okay, we're good to go. I'll drop the rest of these links as we go just in case the blimp needs to move out of range of this place or otherwise loses the signal."

He pulls himself up onto his feet and stretches the kinks out of his system with a grunt. Then he draws his custom machine pistol and waves it in the direction the others headed.

"After you." he grins at the ork ganger.

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:07 PM, Tower in Redmond

Jade Tiger, the Professor and Oswald head back to the truck to check it, while keeping all sense tuned for signs of an ambush, or perhaps signs of earlier conflict.

<<@ferret: We are checking out the tower astrally, and this Ares truck physically. We have a choice what to do: the tower is quite big, but my thought form should find any box similar to the ones we are looking for in around 20 minutes.

Do you think the ghouls you saw earlier will be back? If so I think we could set up a defensive position to be able to deal with them.... which probably means going into the tower. >>

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:06 PM, the Gas Station in Redmond

Zo begins heading out towards Oz's location. Knowing it will take several minutes to get there. He looks at the dwarf trying to hurry up behind him. As he moves forward he keeps an eye out for any traps or an ambush.

<@team>Ferret and I are heading in your direction. ETA 11:46PM....I think.

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:07 PM, Tower in Redmond

<<@team: Affirmative, Zo. We're at the tower where those yahoos tried to smash and shoot their way in. The truck is abandoned, so they either ate it on the scene, or got away with the gear. It's got an Ares logo on it. Ferret, is there any way you can give us a breakdown of what you found at each location and what systems you managed to get hold of?>>

"Jade, any suspicious plates or wires around the truck? If they didn't have time to booby-trap it, then they probably didn't get the cargo. If they did booby-trap it, that still doesn't mean they got the cargo."

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:07 PM, Tower in Redmond

Jade Tiger considers Oswald's comment. Translated it into "look for wires". "Their presence or absence tells us nothing about the truck". Well it was good advice anyway. Jade had been more looking out for ghouls than for wires. Snorting a "metahumans" under her breath, eyes narrowing she examines the boxes.

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:07 PM, Near the Catco Gas Station in Redmond

Zo carefully makes his way through the rubble street, keeping an eye out for any trouble and making sure Ferreet remains safe.

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:07 PM, Tower in Redmond

Professor decides to add his heightened perceptions to the task of checking the truck for anything suspicious.

"I might as well take a look too."

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:07 PM, Near the Catco Gas Station in Redmond

Ferret falls in behind Zo, slighty to his left to cover that flank. He keeps up as best he can while also trying to be quiet.

Just like old times he thinks to himself, remembering the many times he trailed along behind his buddy Throgg to drug meets with the Vory.

"I got your back...Zo."

<<@team: We got three main locations. First is the Bistro {image} where BDLL used to pick up his messages. Still looks habitable but no signs of life. Low odds that the trucks are there. I was only able to grab a few frames from one of the cameras in the street but no other active security systems here anyway.

Second is the mall. Some action {video of firefight} definitely went down here but not sure if anyone is still there. Likely to be enough underground parking there to hide a few vans. I was able to check out the few remaining security cameras but not much to see here.

Third is the East Tower or ghoul central. There is still some active security there {video from security guns}. I have an alert channel open to the system and a backdoor in so should be able to keep any countermeasures off our backs and hopefully get an early warning of any ghouls. The ghouls came up from the basement. There looked to be some crates down there. High probability that that's where the vans and gear are. Just hope the ghouls haven't hauled it away through that tunnel. {image}>>

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:07 PM, Tower in Redmond

<<team: A few options for us... Firstly we could wait for the astral scout, Secondly we could sneak to ghoul central. Thirdly we could race there at full speed.

Personally I would like to race there...I feel they are attacking that area now...so lets get there quick>>

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:07 PM, Near the Catco Gas Station in Redmond

<<@team: Whats da time stamp on the footage Ferret?---I didn't see it. We could be lookin at somethin that happend dayz ago. >>

Friday, Sept. 11, 11:06 PM, Redmond

Peace, spirit. Do not let such a mundane device frustrate you so. There are much more frustrating things in this world, I assure you. Like bureaucrats, or ties. His curiosity cranked up another level at the elemental's mention of messages relating to Ms. Johnson. I'm certain that they are related. Open both of them please. I would very much like to know what they say.

In the meantime, Jovan himself was checking around the inside of the safehouse and inside the Rover, making sure that both Rusty and the Viper prisoner were still present and secure.


11:07 PM, Near the Catco Gas Station in Redmond

"Boo," Jovan's voice said with a deadpan tone. The basketball-sized translucent floating eyeball had manifested back into view, hovering a short distance in front of Ferret and Zo as they walked. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting; I needed to speak with a friend for a bit. Do you have any updates from your end? Did you find anything interesting in the local building nodes?"


11:07 PM, Tower in Redmond

"You might want to take a look at the signature left on its astral shadow. It seems it was hit indirectly by some sort of spell, but whether it was from one of the ghouls or from one of Long Legs' team... that I do not know."

"Oh, and Professor, I find it mildly curious that you seem to be the only one who cares enough to pronounce my name properly." He did not sound especially bothered by this.

11:07 PM, Near the Catco Gas Station in Redmond
Zo, raised his rifle and pointed in the direction of the eyeball. In AR the gun pulled out quick and the aim was true scoring a virtual direct hit. Zo quietly points to ferret, and makes a zip it sign across his mouth. And then points back to the safe house and then to his comm. Frag me, this guy is going to get us killed doin dat drek....

Friday, Sept. 11, 11:06 PM, Redmond

Jovan's elemental tapped away at the commlink for another minute,"There is a text asking for a progress report, the other is a video and audio clip. A pale woman with no eyes talking to a German man." The spirit started the recording over again and dictated the conversation to Jovan. It was lucky he was a spirit of air that had blown through the black forest for quite some time.

Professor looked over the truck. The physical damage seemed to focus on the front axle and the passenger side of the front bumper. The vehicle look like it flipped over a guard rail and slid through the glass entrance. An astral look revealed traces of a physical barrier of magic. The signature was strange indeed. The structure was similar to a christian thaumaturgy, but far more chaotic. This was nothing the archaeologist had ever seen before, which he couldn't help but feel is a rare thing. The blood stains, and the trail of shells painted a fairly good picture. Two streaked blood trails and torn clothes mark two passengers as ghoul food. The passenger in the front seat laid down heavy, large caliber fire. There was a bloody scuffle. many red footprints on white tile danced around the car, a few without shoes. One pair of boots made their way backwards, deeper into the mall, trailing more shells. Further in the sprinklers washed the blood into a pink film, and the trail is lost. Inside the truck, the dwarf found Ares uniforms and ID badges. In the back was a large make shift machine that looked like a small radio tower. It was welded to the floor and wired into the car.

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:07 PM, Tower in Redmond

Jade Tiger sniffed the area. Unlike the professor she had never studied the differences in styles of magic. Still knowing the astral signatue was always useful. If she saw that person's work again she would know it. Similarly with the snells in this area. For her the smells here wove a tapestry.

<<team: Well I would not be surprised if this was the truck we are after. If you want matrix access, I would not be surprised if we could jury rig this machine here <embedded image>.

The simplest option for us know is to follow the bloody footprints...however I think its unlikely they lead to the boxes. My reading of the situation is that one of the people managed to retreat into the mall, laying down suppressing fire. I doubt if he had time to pick up and move all the boxes.

So back to the earlier question race wait for the astral scout to conclude, sneak inside or race inside. >>

<<@team: None of the footage I sent is current. It's all captured from when the alerts were triggered and is at least a couple of days old.>>

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:07 PM, Near the gas station heading toward the tower

<<team: Jade...how astrally active is da ghouls. Aren't dey magical and can dey see da scouts? Wouldn't dat alert them that we iz comming? If dey can dat is. I remember one of da Street shamans saying something ta dat effect when he wuz helpin out fighting the 162s. >>

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:07 PM, Tower in Redmond

<<team: Most ghouls are astrally aware, unless they get those cybereyes. So maybe they will see it. But there are spirits around all the time, and this is just one more.

I am not sure yet though that the ghouls have access to the tower. If you remember we saw them failing to get in at the basement.

I'll give it 10 minutes then if it doesn't come back we'll know if they have it. >>

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:06 PM, Redmond

Jovan listened silently as the air spirit dictated the recording. This is... disturbing news. You have done well in procuring this for me, spirit. Show me the face of that man. I want to be immediately aware of it if I see his face again. He began a concerted effort to memorize as much detail as possible of this 'friend's' face as it appeared in his mind's eye from the elemental.

"The whole body would have been tacky, don't you think?"
You are who I think you are, aren't you? Quite a clever game you're playing here, my cannibalistic little friend. Tracking you down is going to be harder than I thought. Pity. I wonder, though... who among us is this mutual associate of yours and our eyeless employer?

11:07 PM, Near the CatCo gas station heading towards the tower, Redmond

The watcher's channeled voice sighed. "You needn't worry about things hearing me out here, you know. This manifesting watcher isn't actually speaking anything in the physical sense. Watcher spirits simply do not possess the mana capacity for their bodily metaphysics to handle the required energy conversion across planes to induce changes in physical states from their astral reference frames. The equations in hermeticism and physics for energy translation across the barrier between realms just do not hold true for watcher spirits; their transient nature renders it impossible to extract the necessary amount of joules from the mana fiel- Oh I'm sorry," the eye says, a little insincerely, "I seem to be boring you. Let me put it this way: the watcher you see right now isn't making any sound. You're only hearing my voice in your head. No cameras or sensors are going to hear me out here, and if you think I'm stupid enough to be broadcasting my voice to every living thing that sees this watcher besides you, then you have another thing coming."

11:07 PM, Tower in Redmond

Meanwhile, the translucent eye accompanying the forward group stared at the truck, transfixed by the scene in the astral. "The spirit spoke true.. this is indeed a very curious signature. I cannot interpret a great deal out of it though, not without being here in person. Still, what I can make out is... strange."

The eye shook itself out of its trance, and rotated itself around to face the archeologist and drugged-up medical doctor specifically. "By the way, you two were at the original meeting with our employer, correct? And you saw Ms. Johnson personally. Did anyone actually assense her aura at that meeting?"

11:07 PM, Tower in Redmond

Professor replies to Jovan's watcher. "No. I didn't assense her. I had just experienced something astral that shocked me, and I had turned off my astral perception before she came into play. Considering what has happened in the last day or two, it's as if that Professor were another man. I will take a look at her next we meet."

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:07 PM, Tower in Redmond

"I'd imagine Otto assensed her sometime before he bled to death. He only mentioned a shaman among their number. No other magic types. And I don't use people's names, because, when you never know who might be listening, a name is a liability. As to the truck, we're looking for tractor-trailers, not an SRT van. This is the swift response team that got wasted. Might be the source of the comm gear that BDLL was hoping to sell to the Vipers. Oops. Blood trail suggests the ghouls got them though, so I can't say for sure. Ah, hell. Let's find out what it is."

Oswald started into the mall.

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:07 PM, Tower in Redmond

The watcher nodded. "Yes, give her a thorough assensing when you can. I have a newfound suspicion that she might be a ghoul or some other Infected herself."

It followed Oswald with its gaze as the old man spontaneously headed for the mall. At this point, Jovan was getting used to this sort of reckless spontaneity. "South and west wings are clear in there, but you may want to stay alert in the other two wings," it called nonchalantly.

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:08 PM, Tower in Redmond

<<team: Hang on Oswald>>

Jade Tiger took a last look around the truck. So this was what happened to the Swift Response Team...sheesh that implies a lot of fire power to take out an ares response team like this. Still she hadn't been here last time!

"Initiating Predator Mode" she thought, as she focused her mind on merging with the background. The extra concentration to maintain the blur effect was difficult, but against a group that could take out a Response Team like this, not being spotted, and surviving being spotted was important.

Breaking into a loping run, she caught up with the old man.

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:08 PM, Tower in Redmond

Professor takes up the rear of the trio, keeping an exceptionally alert eye out for ambushes from the periphery. His pistol is at the ready.

<<@team: the speed Jade's spirit has given us is useful here, if for no other reason allowing us to get the hell out quickly.>>

11:08 PM, Near the CatCo gas station heading towards the tower, Redmond
Zo continued infiltrating forward while the watchers droned on. After it completed it's droning and somewhat sarcastic response Zo gave it the universal sign language equivalent of FU.

<@Team>Ferret n I could use some of that speed right now if you all want us ta catch up quicker.

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:08 PM, Tower in Redmond

<<team: I'd love to help. Unfortunately my thought form is out exploring the tower, and while it can sustain the magical effects upon ourselves it is currently not under direct control... Perhaps Jovan can help? or can you boost a vehicle?>>

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:11 PM, Redmond

The Astral forms of Rusty and the Viper both appeared to be sleeping. It had been a long night for both of them. Jovan's mind was pulled in more directions than most humans could handle, but he felt he was on to something. "Are we to continue the task of scouting the darkened city again?" asked the strong wind beside him.

The walk from the gas station was tedious. You could only go so fast when checking every shadow for monsters. A slight breeze blew trash across cracked streets. Zo couldn't help but think that this would go faster if Ferret had longer legs. They plopped junk commlinks along the road and slowly inched towards the tower in the distance.

When Oswald had peered inside the van, he saw a makeshift tower in the truck. It looked to be a jammer, probably a pretty good one. Probably not standard issue either. Someone other than Ares had put that there. As the group headed in the direction of the lost blood trail, They took in the strange sights of the abandoned mall. There had been no looting. the stores that hadn't been destroyed by fallen debris looked like they were waiting for the mall to open. gates were down, and inside were shelves of clothes or trideo equipment. It was like a museum to the 60's.
In the hall however, was scattered gurneys and cots, stations with medical kits and few supplies. busted caution tape, rubber suites of different sizes and colors. The stores that were affected by the disaster, had stone and steel pouring out of them into the mall, crushing whatever had been inside. Jade's nose picked up on something, gunpowder and leather, body odor. Professor notices a pattern in the clutter, a path has been cleared. towards a darkened store, half crushed by debris. Gate is torn in half and hangs loose like a curtain.

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:11 PM, Redmond

"Hey, looks to me like there's a path through the rubble, over to that dark store over there." Professor points.

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:08 PM, Cross-Town Mall

Old blood trails and a new jammer? There was organization to this chaos. "Watch the trail. This scene was staged by someone after the fact. Maybe a survivor. Maybe the ghoulies."

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:11 PM, Cross-Town Mall

Professor opens his perception to the astral. "I'll see if there is any astral trace as we approach."

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:11 PM, Some what closer to the Tower in Redmond

<<team: All I've seen is the rustin wreckage, not much to boost.>>

In a quiet wisper: "Hey, Eyball...go tell Jovan that it would be nice if we coulda get some help in da speed department. Ferret's two legs are 1/2 as fast as mine--and at dis rate we'll be there in time for da next crash. I'd hate ta see the party get eatin piecemeal."

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:11 PM, Cross-Town Mall

The shadows are thick and heavy on the astral. The crumbling building blots out much of Gia's light. But there are traces. A faint glow in the shadows on the floor, beyond the gate. The bits the Professor can make out don't appear to be moving. The life force is sick and fading. The aura is so broken up, it's hard to tell if it's all one being, or a group of rats that are remarkably similar. Then, above the dim life-light creeps another being. a spindly black shadow, roughly humanoid with a pointy head. It crawls like a crab, with it's limbs twisted backwards, through the shadow of a steel girder, and peers at the professor with glowing green eyes. This thing is a spirit, and it's aura is full of hate. The German's described it best with the word Schadenfreude. The spirit was enjoying the dispair of the creature beyond, and it doesn't look happy to be interrupted.

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:11 PM, Tower in Redmond

As a dual natured being Jade Tiger has had to deal with a lot of unpleasant spirits. Against a creature like this, so full of hate, there is little point talking and action was called for. That was good: she liked action.

"Hail spirit I..." hoping to distract the spirit by starting to talk to it, she concentrates hard and sends a concentrated bolt of mana smashing out from her forehead into the center of the spirit. Without waiting to see if it was enough she blasts it again.

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:11 PM, Cross-Town Mall

Professor recoils at the sight of this monstrosity. "What the fuck is that? See the spirit? The black, crab-ugly, hating thing? Kill it. Kill it!"

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:11 PM, Cross-Town Mall

Completely unaware, Oswald shuffled forward. "Anybody need a medical doctor?"

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:11 PM, Some what closer to the Tower in Redmond

Ferret hustles along behind Zo, trying to keep up and keep quiet at the same time. His only distraction from the grimy reality is the line of commlinks dotted behind him, providing a weak AR link back to the terminal in the garage. The respirator makes his breath sound loud as he puffs and pants along behind the big ork.

"Ease up a bit, Zo. We don't want to run into any ghouls, or worse." he wheezes out between breaths.

Zo paused, and turned to Ferret. "Yeah, sure thing. Ya know, whacking a few of the pasty's would be preferred to all dis running around. So um why did I leave my ride back at the safehouse again?"

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:11 PM, Some what closer to the Tower in Redmond

Ferret uses the pause to catch his breath, bent over with his hands resting on his thighs. Once he has somewhat recovered, he points to his respirator with one finger.

"There's some bad chemical crap all over this area from the accident. Prof and Oz were worried about the vehicles stirring it up. Apparently it kinda kills you if you breathe it in. Did we forget to mention that earlier?"

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:11 PM, Some what closer to the Tower in Redmond

"Probably not. Toxic castles and dumps are like the main sources of income around here, so I just didn't consider it dat important."

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:11 PM, Pheonix Mall, Redmond

The shadowy spirit turns to the glowing tiger emerging from the astral jungle, blasting him with a crippling force of mana. Even in his own domain, the power was excruciating. This strange being seemed to revel in it though. He was enjoying his own suffering. His eyes glowed brighter until Jade launched another bolt of magic into it, dissipating the shade into nothing. Professor got the sense that the pain inflicted was actually boosting the spirit rather that slowing it down, much like adrenaline in metahumans.
Oswald had little Idea what the others behind him was jabbering about, he heard a low moan inside the store. As he got closer, he came across a Steyr AUG-CSL light machine gun, set up on a makeshift tripod. It was likely he and his crew would be dead right now if the woman operating the weapon wasn't laying on the floor in a pool of sweat and vomit, pale as porcelain.

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:11 PM, Pheonix Mall, Redmond

Oswald readied his first aid gear. "Hello there. You cognizant enough ta talk? I'm not looking to scrap. Just willing to trade aid for info. Well, really, I'll probably fix you up regardless so long as you promise not to detonate anything or otherwise fuck us around, but info'd just be polite. So what's your situation down there? You get ghoul-bit, or'd you just take a lungful of the local flavor?"

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:11 PM, Somewhat closer to the Tower in Redmond

The watcher-eye had nodded to the ganger's request politely, and after a moment or two Jovan's voice again. "Yes, I can provide assistance in that regard. It is only possible to do so to one of you, however, not both. You will need to carry Ferret yourself. Is this acceptable?"

Friday, Sept. 11, 2071, 11:11 PM, Outside Pheonix Mall, Redmond

Jovan's watcher floated hither and thither aimlessly in an attempt to entertain itself, unable to follow the metahumans and cat into the background count of the mall.