@Virtual Scream, Alex Bianchi
September 1, 2072, 15:46; Dennis' Drones
Renraku Sensei: Passive | SIN: Jimmy Delfino (Fake ID, Rating 3) (Re 2 - Sig 4 - Fi 2 - Sys 2)

"The pleasure's mine, Harvey."

Alex takes the slagged 'link from his jacket pocket and turns it on again. It takes a few seconds, but with a couple of imprecations muttered under his breath he establishes a second administrator account on it. Several more keystrokes has his contacts file, notes from his last few cases he hadn't uploaded to his cloud account, and a few holovids he hadn't had the heart to delete yet exported to his current 'link and securely removed from the Ikon. He hands it over to the dwarf, being careful not to knock over any of the piles of debris covering the desk.

"Should be set to go now. Hopefully you can get it sussed out quick, I'd rather not burn the 'Jimmy' ID. But yeah, it's better than being one of the 'disappeared' by a long stretch." Especially after seeing that hidden camera footage Steven showed me a couple months back. Brrrrr. "Judging from how bad traffic was on the way here, I plan on keeping a low profile until you let me know I'm back in the game. Not worth getting shot in the face over a fender-bender with a sarariman coming off of an 18-hour shift, neh?"

@E:PL UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:36; Overlooking Clearwater, Exmoor, UK]
PAN=Active; SIN:Nina Okada

Approaching Mordred who is holding the door ajar, Tsubaki leans forward and peeks outside. <I'll let you know if I see anything...> A quick astral sweep couldn't hurt, either.

Then, communicating with the Collots or Gememaux, which ever of them wants to inform her first, <What's happened?> Tsubaki arms herself with her Kompact.

@E:PL /UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:36; Overlooking Clearwater, Exmoor, UK]
PAN - Active ; SIN - Maximilien Danton

"Then let us pray that gravity does not abandon us," Gemeaux replies, his voice intentionally subdued. There is no need to add to the man's stress by succumbing to instinct and shouting out epithets.

<<[Gemeaux]: Vivienne, keep using aliases. We may not be secure. Wires on, and weapons free.>>

<<[Vivienne]: Understood, Gemeaux.>>

<<@Mordred, Tsubaki[Gemeaux]: We spotted a drone in the distance. Something opened fire on us, and now we are moving towards you. I will let you know more as I find out, but I think you should expect company of a mortal or mechanical kind.>>

Gemeaux grabs his smartpack. He pulls out one of his Savalette Guardians and deactivates its security countermeasures. He also gets his armored coat, and slips the gun in its holster.

"I am not sure what to expect, but I will do what I can to keep their attention away from you. However, take the coat and gun just in case. Que Dieu nous protège."

@E:PL/Chi Town/Copperhead
[July 8th, 2072, 23:43; Finally in the open, somewhere north of Blackwater, CZ, Chicago]

The shotgun booms in your hands and you can almost feel the ghoul laugh as the massive weight of the slug drops it along the parabolic arc into the building below him with a puff of disintegrated rockcrete…it’s just too damn far for it to have an real effect and he bloody well knows it damn him! Even the smartlink can’t compensate for that amount of distance. And from the shrugs from Requiem and Stitch you can tell they aren’t about to whip out any long range ordinance either. Req seems to be down to his sidearms, gods know where his assault rifle went, and Stitch has a boom stick much like yours and an submachine gun slung at his hip.

"Sorry chica, knew I should have brought the big guns to this hellhole, just thought customs might object to that amount of bang bang."

In the depths of the night you hear the rumble of combustion engines coming closer…

"I’m going to feed on your corpse pretty lady..." the ghoul’s laughing voice drifts to you and then another whine and a spall of concrete dust as he fires at the cover you are skulking behind.

@Virtual Scream / Dante
[September 1, 2072, 21:15, Hai Fuk Noodle House, Redmond Barrens, Seattle]
PAN: hidden, Response 1, Signal 3, System 2, Firewall 1

Grandma Fuk appears impressed by Dante's knowledge of Chinese tea. Her head bobs up and down slowly in agreement with his statements and correct forms for the tea ceremony. But when he propositions her, her head rolls back and she cackles loudly enough that most of the patrons in the restaurant turn to look at you in surprise.

<chinese>"Boy, I am truly old enough to be your grandmother. If I was half my age, then perhaps I would take you up on your offer. These days I am the one who needs kept warm at night. However, an electric blanket is about all the 'heat' I am up for."

She snaps hers fingers. A young girl appears at her shoulder. Without looking to see which girl it is, Grandma Fuk continues.

<chinese>"All the girls here are my daughters. Treat them with the respect you have shown me and we will have no trouble. The girl you seek is Jenny Ho. She serves tables in the afternoons. She will be here tomorrow. Until then you may enjoy the company of Betty. She is young and inexperienced, but what she lacks in experience she more than makes up for in enthusiasm."

The girl smiles at that comment, revealing carefully filed tusks. While she looks human, the tusks mark her as an ork. She gives a short bow and says in English, "Please, follow me."

Then she turns away and leads you to one of the rooms upstairs. You feel Grandma Fuk's eyes boring into your back as you go. Yet when you turn to look back, she seems lost in her tea.

@Virtual Scream / Cat
[September 2, 2072, 01:02, Anathma]

The club is so busy that it's creating it's own mini traffic jam. Cat's AutoCab has already crawled past about a hundred hopeful club goers and dozens of Reed Caspa poster plastered walls when it finally stops about half a block from the street. "Drek!" That's all I need, dressed up to the nines for a night of freaking out at a metaclub and now I have to walk along the street with the riff-raff. Damned if I'm queueing!

<<@Frank: Holy hell Frank, I completely forget Reed Caspa was playing tonight. I really need to get my commlink fixed! I'll be there in 2 minutes, can you tell the doorman to let me in? Also, ask the cute ork newbie about my tab, I cleared it last night, but I'll do my best to get people drinking again tonight. I won't even ask for a commission >>

With her e-plea shooting through the matrix, Cat transfers the cab fair to the stopped AutoCab and steps out as soon as the doors unlock. Walking the last fifty meters to the front of the line, she returns the comments and looks from the queuers with a sparkling smile and a raised eye brow. At the door she spots one of the regular doormen, a 3 meter high troll, and makes a beeline for him.

"How crazy is this!?" She yells over the pounding beats from inside the club. "Frank should have me on the list, but if he's forgotten, can you rescue this poor country dryad from the brutal city streets?"

@Virtual Scream, Alex Bianchi
September 1, 2072, 15:47; Dennis' Drones
Renraku Sensei: Passive | SIN: Jimmy Delfino (Fake ID, Rating 3) (Re 2 - Sig 4 - Fi 2 - Sys 2)

Harvey takes Alex's link, turning it over in his hands then placing it carefully in the center of the one clear patch on his desk. His hands move above it, as if in some strange ritual, but in reality just manipulating the icons in his AR.

"Nice hardware. Oh lookee, an agent. Jeez, is that a stomach?"

As his fingers prod at something floating in his vision, he notices Alex still standing on the other side of the desk.

"Oh, you're still here. I'll call when I have some news. Hopefully tomorrow, although if I have to call in a few favors you better be making more money as a private dick than you was on the force. Now beat it, Jimmy."

@Virtual Scream / Cat
[September 2, 2072, 01:02, Anathma]

Slab's massive paw of a hand stops Cat in her tracks. He holds it up, palm towards her, just centimeters from her face as she tries to blag her way past him. He might not be the smartest of trolls but he's been doing this for long enough to have seen and heard pretty much all the lines.

"Just hold it dere a sec Cat an I'll check."

His eyes take on the glazed look of someone checking his AR.

"Hey Frank. Got dat dryad...Cat, yeah...She is?...She did?..Really? Frag, I bet Willy twenty she wouldn't....Okay den."

The hand retracts into a fist and a thumb as thick as her forearm gestures over his shoulder.

"Must be you're lucky night Cat. Frank says you get in."

@Virtual Scream / Cat
[September 2, 2072, 01:03, Anathma]

"Willy's too, eh? Sorry about that. Next time you aught'a bet on me for a change!"

With a skip in her step Cat heads straight ahead for the main dance floor and the bar. She wasn't kidding when she said she'd try and increase Frank's takings. Four years in College taught her more than just correct grammar, they taught her how to step a party up a gear, even a party that starts off in Reed Caspa gear!

Once at the bar Cat heads for the cutest, most down to earth looking group she can find, explains that she's there all on her own and that her friends got stuck in the giant queue and may have given up getting in all together (Oh, the horror!). She promises drinks on her for the night if they'll adopt her and leaves instructions at the bar to let her know if her friends do arrive, telling the bar staff Frank will know who she means. As the first drinks arrive, pink and green vodka shots, Cat pushes the group's leaders playfully onto the dance floor. Not that they needed much pushing, they were in a club, she was buying them drinks, and she does look fabulous!

She dances with the group for a while, but eventually splits off to make the rounds. Playing hostess in a club is a role she's uniquely qualified for. Cold reading people through the noise and lights she tries to work out which people are couples or groups, which are happy to be split off and begins subtly mixing up the groups of regulars with members of new groups she inserts herself into. In practically no time at all, a good proportion of the dance floor and bar are enjoying the company of new friends. And everyone is buying drinks for their new friends, of course!

Not a bad start, now I just have to monitor everything to make sure nobody gets cranky, lonely, or overly familiar.

@Virtual Scream / Gossamer
[September 1, 2072, 12:16, Argent's home/Old node]
PAN: N/A, SIN: None, Response *, Signal *, System (5), Firewall (4), (Analyze, Scan, Decrypt, Exploit, Stealth [5, inherent], Armour, Browse, Encrypt, Medic [6, ergo, optzd])

Gossamer watched as Aria disappeared and wondered briefly again at the origins of this strange sprite. She was thankful of the gift of the escape code but reluctant to even consider using it. This >1rtu@l5cr3@m event, whatever it may be, virus, AI, worm or something else entirely, had profoundly knocked her confidence and pissing off Aria was not high on her list of options.

Confidence dented perhaps but curiosity was not dulled in the slightest. Now that she had a comparatively safe haven, at least until she could investigate returning to her home node, she was determined to find out what was happening on the grid. Perhaps any information she gleaned would serve as a measure of payment for Aria’s patch.

She would be more circumspect this time though and only skirt a node at a time, alert for any potential presence. The shadowland servers would be a good place to start if she could sift through the junk for some useful data. They at least had a better chance than the public of understanding what was happening and perhaps she would see a pattern. Failing that she may need to consider breaching some corporate servers but that would take more significant preparation.

Securing the envelope in her memory Gossamer wreathed herself in her flowering vines and stepped through the mail sorting machine and was whisked away into the matrix, her signal bound for the ShadowSEA servers. Although they had been attacked by the scream when she was there mere moments ago she trusted that the sysops would have returned some semblance of order to their domain…enough for her browse routines to find those illusive nuggets of data anyway…

@E:PL /UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:38; Clearwater Pumping Station, Exmoor, UK]

The RV lurches and grinds its way down the slope and you are all fairly certain that it won’t be making it back up again under its own power. Mordred and Tsubaki arrive at the exit more or less simultaneously with the RV’s tortured demise outside the door. A quick glance shows you the Nimrod drone as it sweeps back around on another pass but either it’s out of ammo or it has other purposes as it fails to fire on you.

At the crest of the hill that you have just shuddered down in the RV you first hear the rumble of more conventional combustion engines and then see the two sinister Range Rovers as they come in convoy down the access road. They are visibly armoured and wallow heavily on the suspension suggesting they are more tank than four wheel drive. Your presence here has clearly woken somebody up!

The vehicles don’t have any visible markings and they are not projecting an AR signature but they somehow look more establishment than rag tag hippies…

@E:PL/Chi Town/Copperhead
[July 8th, 2072, 23:43; Finally in the open, somewhere north of Blackwater, CZ, Chicago]

As the ghoul laughs, Copperhead realises that the smartlink targ had been red, meaning the ghoul was beyond the gun's effective range.

Frag, Cutter would kick my hoop for that noob mistake. And just how did that ghoul get ahead of us so quickly?

Not all of uss rely on metal and technology. Ssome have other methodss. Usse your head.

Yeah Mama, I know. But the mana is still tainted here. I...wow!

She clutches her head as a Snake fills her mind with new knowledge, and power. She waves a hand at Requiem's questioning look.

"I'm good. Just my mentor kicking my sorry hoop."

She gestures towards the nearest ruined building that looks like it won't fall down on them, just as the roar of engines reaches her ears.

"Frag! Dat don't sound like da cavalry. We needs ta get into cover right fraggin now. Move it!"

She hustles the kids to their feet, keeping between them and the ghoul and moves towards the building as quickly as she can.

@E:PL /UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:38; Clearwater Pumping Station, Exmoor, UK]
SIN: Spencer Lovett, PAN: Active

There was little time to act, let alone ponder the situation. One thing was for sure. You didn't send anything resembling a tank after someone you wanted brought back alive. <<Get the Collots out! Head for the trees, they can't follow you there! I'll draw their attention!>> Bringing his weapon to bear, he fired two bursts at the nearest vehicle. "Head down," Mordred says to Tsubaki. "They can't follow us down here, either." Not unless they wanted to do it on foot. He begins backing down the stairs, waiting for their enemies to respond.

@E:Tribes / LeFey
[September 1, 2072 21:17 Senlis Residence, Bellevue]

With the aid of the sprite you begin the laborious task of tracking down all the RFID tags on you. By the time you are in excess of twenty or so you are beginning to feel a growing sense of nausea. All this information, just floating around you…from ones in your stomach that indicate what you ate for breakfast, your clothes, how often you’ve worn them and when they are likely to need laundering, a couple of spam ones you obviously picked up somewhere floating on the air and the really big one…the security tag implanted inside your forearm. There’s no scar, no sign that it’s there…but Ares will always know where you are…at least until you jam it.

The others are easily copied and stashed ready for the off. Delving in to the security tag you bypass the encryption and find the link to the attached stealth tag. Nothing like double redundancy! Thank the gods that you were warned to look for it. This level of paranoia, whilst you partially expected it, is foreign to you. The corporate face does a good job of persuading you it’s looking out for its citizens but neglects to mention the level of invasion of privacy that it uses to do so.

You’ve done all you can. Hopefully the Freedomers are in place by now, it won’t be long before your parents get back…

@E:PL/Chi Town/Copperhead
[July 8th, 2072, 23:43; Finally in the open, somewhere north of Blackwater, CZ, Chicago]

In a doubled up sprint you make it to the building at the side of the street with only a single desultory shot winging your way…he really is a bad shot, you suspect that the incoming gangers won’t be quite so hindered and they are bound to be drawn to the sound of gunfire if they lay claim to this particular bit of grubby real estate.

Taking care not to fall through the floor of the building you head away from the street. You can only move cautiously for fear of the place coming down around your ears, seems your structural appraisal could have been better, so you clearly hear the vehicle that roars by outside and the shouted challenge

"Snag, you ugly bastard, what are you doing out of your hole?"

"Pretty little trog bitch didn’t want to pay the toll, thought you might want to know she was disrespecting your rules!"

"Bet I can guess what toll you asked her to pay fragger. You’ve been warned before Snag, the boss isn’t exactly keen on your kind"

"Your loss, but I reakon you’re gonna want to speak to her…had some of them with her and I knows you’ve been looking for ‘em…"

Fragger, if you cross paths with him again…now is not the time, really time to be gone from here!

@Virtual Scream: Dubstep
[September 2, 2072, 01:00:00, Dubstep's Apartment, Downtown Seattle]
PAN: Hidden, SIN: Jo Datsik (Fake SIN Rtg4), Response 6, Signal 5, System 6, Firewall 6, (Analyze 6, Armor 3-Ergonomic, Attack 4-Ergo, Biofeedback Filter 6, Browse 6-Ergo, Command 6-Ergo, Disarm 3, ECCM 3-Ergo, Edit 6-Ergo, Exploit 6, Scan 6, Spoof 3-Ergo, Stealth 6)

Secondary PAN: Active, SIN: Jo Datsik(Fake SIN Rtg4), Response 3, Signal 4, System 4, Firewall 4, (Agent 3, Analyze 4, Browse 4, Edit 4, Tacsoft 2)


Seeing the huge line outside Anathma, Dubstep starts cursing himself. "Damn. Damn. Damn. I hate coming this late. Got too distracted with the V_Scream drek.... Good think I'm on Reed's personal guest list."

Dubstep takes a moment to hack into the bouncer's datapad with the guest list to make sure Reed 'remembered' to put him on the list. He won't mind, I'm sure.

Once through the doors, he lets the waves of sound wash over him. This is his world. This is exactly what he needed to cleanse the drek of the VirtualScream from his thoughts. Already moving to the rhythm of the Caspa's beat, Dubstep wades into the mass of people on the dance floor not caring who or what he ended up dancing with. One minute it was a hot asian ork with glowing green hair. Another minute found him dancing off against a dude who thought he was hot stuff, but couldn't keep up with the rapid changes to Caspa's music. Following that, he found himself dancing with a whole gaggle of college girls that were there for a bachelorette party. He was really losing himself with them. Strated peeling back his shirt to expose more skin as he flicked on his nano-tats....

That's when he realized that the sea of blood from Virtual Scream had somehow gotten into the programming of the tattoos. His body was covered in blood as he turned them on, totally ruining the rapport he was working on with the redhead bridesmaid.

As she and the rest of the group started moving away uneasily. Dubstep quickly shut down the nano-tattoos as he moved off the dance floor towards the bar. Ordering a drink, he let his attention turn towards his commlink in AR.

<<Cindy. Looks like there's one think we forgot to check. Can you send Reed a quick note that he's rockin' the house tonight. And ask if he could talk after the show? Send it low priority. No need to distract him right now. I'm going to reset the nano-tats and through in some new imagery....>> A flash of inspiration hit him. <<I think you're gonna like this.>> He quickly started working on a design of Cindy's firey form burning away a screaming pool of blood with wisps of black smoke curling away to form string of music that would wrap around his chest, neck and arms. For the moment, he just pulls in snatches of old code and images to do it quick. But as he works, he knows he's going to want to do something more refined and elegant later when he has the time. Cleansing the virus or whatever it was from his systems had that much of an impact on him.

@Virtual Scream / Dante
[September 1, 2072, 21:15, Hai Fuk Noodle House, Redmond Barrens, Seattle]
PAN: hidden, Response 1, Signal 3, System 2, Firewall 1

Dante eyed the girl up and down appreciatively. Nice curves, delicate features but not too delicate-looking overall. An ork girl, he wouldn't have to worry about being too rough. He liked what he saw, and bowed to Grandma Fuk with both hands clasped in a fist in front of him.

<chinese>"Thank you grandmother. If your electric blanket should ever cease to function, or you need more heat, please call me. I am always at your service."

As Dante followed Betty up the stairs and into the room, he mulled over his conversation with the old lady. So many layers of meaning were encoded in each sentence, each word, each inflection. On the surface, they had talked about tea, about sex. Underneath the obvious though? Sitting on the bed, a hard mattress firmly supporting his weight, he wasn't sure what he had gotten himself in to with the elderly matron, but he knew that...he knew...he...

All other thoughts vanished as Betty continued to undress in front of him.

[September 1, 2072, 22:45, Dante's doss, Redmond Barrens, Seattle]

Riding in his truck headed home, Dante again ruminated on the events of the day. The old lady had maybe implied that Dante should stay the night at the noodle house, but he felt more comfortable (and safe) back at his own place. Betty had been a pleasant diversion from the troubles that had occurred, but now the troubles were crowding back in on his mind. He tried to make sense of things, of the situation, but nothing gelled. Not much left to do but crack open a few beers and play some DMC. He knew that game so well, he could play it on auto-pilot. Better than trying to play WES. He wasn't up for the frustration, tonight.

[September 2, 2072, 11:15, Hai Fuk Noodle House, Redmond Barrens, Seattle]

Once again returning to the noodle house, Dante ordered tea and steamed bread and set about waiting for Jenny Ho to show up.

@Virtual Scream: Dubstep, Cat
[September 2, 2072, 03:33, Anathma, Downtown Seattle]

Reed Caspa is rocking the house. Lost in the music and atmosphere, both Cat and Dubstep spend a couple of hours partying down. >1rtu@l5cr3@m is forgotten in the complex dance beats laid down by the master DJ. Around 03:30, Reed slowly winds down his set, ending with a couple of slow numbers that get plenty of hot bodies on the dance floor, locked in close embraces.

---

Dubstep
PAN: Hidden, SIN: Jo Datsik (Fake SIN Rtg4), Response 6, Signal 5, System 6, Firewall 6, (Analyze 6, Armor 3-Ergonomic, Attack 4-Ergo, Biofeedback Filter 6, Browse 6-Ergo, Command 6-Ergo, Disarm 3, ECCM 3-Ergo, Edit 6-Ergo, Exploit 6, Scan 6, Spoof 3-Ergo, Stealth 6)

Secondary PAN: Active, SIN: Jo Datsik(Fake SIN Rtg4), Response 3, Signal 4, System 4, Firewall 4, (Agent 3, Analyze 4, Browse 4, Edit 4, Tacsoft 2)

<<@Dubstep{Reed}: Hey kid, got your message. Gimme a couple of minutes to freshen up and meet me upstairs. I've cleared you with the bouncers, so they'll let you through.>>

---

Cat
?

<<@Cat{Frank}: Just because you're working the floor, doesn't mean you get out without paying your tab. Plus I got a line on someone who might be able to help you, so you owe me extra for that. Join us upstairs after Reed finishes his set and as a bonus you'll get to meet him in the flesh.>>

---

The Skybar upstairs is quiet, with the last of the patrons drifting off home and the bar staff clearing up. Only a couple of tables are still occupied and the pair of bouncers standing near one at the far end of the room is clearly where you want to be. They let you through with a cursory nod, barely acknowledging your presence.

A still-sweaty Reed Caspa and Frank Gambon, the club's owner, are smiling and chatting. They are both clearly happy with DJ's successful set. An open bottle of champagne, the real stuff even, sits in an ice bucket in the middle of the table. Frank and Reed both have glasses and there are two extra glasses sitting next to the bottle.

@E:PL UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:38; Overlooking Clearwater, Exmoor, UK]
PAN=Active; SIN:Nina Okada

Not a very pleasant sight to behold at all... As Mordred fires rounds out the door, Tsubaki steps away from the doorway and promptly produces a paper ofuda from inside her clothing. Then, a curious black bottle, the the size of a pen. In fact, it is a pen. A brush-tipped pen. Placing the cap to her mouth, it pops off. A name in Japanese characters will be prepared. Tucking the pen away, she subsequently retrieves a small lighter—Tusbkai doesn't smoke—from the very same place. She raises it underneath the paper ofuda outstretched from the finger and thumb of her other hand. It catches afire, briefly casting a yellowy flash across the woman's eyes, and quickly the Japanese charm burns away...

Negai wa nanidesu ka?

The mystic adept replies, "Kuruma no naibu ni iru hito subete o tsuihō de onegaishimasu."

And with that, Tsubaki feels the spirit's presence take off.

<I've sent a friend on their way to greet our guests... In the meanwhile, what will we do?>

@E:PL /UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:38; Clearwater Pumping Station, Exmoor, UK]
PAN - Active ; SIN - Maximilien Danton

"Prendre des mesures rapides, s'il vous plaît," Gemeaux says as he guides the Collots into the pump station with the others. He lugs his effects out of the RV, his sniper rifle slung behind his back.

When they rendezvous with the others, Gemeaux guides the Collots to behind the heaviest amount of cover he can find for them. He gestures for them to keep their heads low. He opens his luggage, hauls out Le Repartie and hunts for his grenades.

"You might have more luck with these, my friend," he says to Mordred, handing him a white phosphorous grenade.

@Virtual Scream: Dubstep
[September 2, 2072, 03:48:00, Dubstep's Apartment, Downtown Seattle]
PAN: Hidden, SIN: Jo Datsik (Fake SIN Rtg4), Response 6, Signal 5, System 6, Firewall 6, (Analyze 6, Armor 3-Ergonomic, Attack 4-Ergo, Biofeedback Filter 6, Browse 6-Ergo, Command 6-Ergo, Disarm 3, ECCM 3-Ergo, Edit 6-Ergo, Exploit 6, Scan 6, Spoof 3-Ergo, Stealth 6)

Secondary PAN: Active, SIN: Jo Datsik(Fake SIN Rtg4), Response 3, Signal 4, System 4, Firewall 4, (Agent 3, Analyze 4, Browse 4, Edit 4, Tacsoft 2)

Dubstep had completely lost himself in the music and flow of bodies on the dance floor tonight...exactly what he was needing after cleansing himself of the viral taint earlier in the day. The message from Reed at the end of the night was a good reminder of the real world though. Still, his warm glow persisted when he walked past the bouncers to the private area of the Skybar.

"Reed, my man, glorious beats as always. I totally needed that after the day I've had, Dubstep greeted him with a familiar nod and a firm handshake.

@Virtual Scream, Alex Bianchi
September 1, 2072, 15:48; Dennis' Drones
Renraku Sensei: Passive | SIN: Jimmy Delfino (Fake ID, Rating 3) (Re 2 - Sig 4 - Fi 2 - Sys 2)

Alex raised an eyebrow at the gruff dismissal, then shrugged and took his leave from the shop. Hope his tech abilities are as good as his social prowess isn't. Asshole.

He straddled the Mirage but didn't start the engine, tapping his fingers on the fuel tank as he considered his next move. Heading back to the apartment probably wasn't a good idea, his neighbors would ask too many questions about the odd ID. Ditto anything with Selene, though he was pretty sure she already knew about the fake. And the halfer's comment about making more than he had on the other side of the blue line took a "visit" to Sapphire out of the equation. Good thing I paid my lease in full last week, this could hit the savings account pretty hard.

Finally, he shrugged, started the motor, and rolled out onto the road. Checking himself into a motel for the night would have to be the first course of action, and he knew several ones close enough to where he was that asked no questions so long as funds were good and you didn't shoot the room up in the middle of the night. Hopefully they hadn't been hit by the megahack.

@Virtual Scream / Gossamer
[September 1, 2072, 12:17, Argent's home/Old node]
PAN: N/A, SIN: None, Response *, Signal *, System (5), Firewall (4), (Analyze, Scan, Decrypt, Exploit, Stealth [5, inherent], Armour, Browse, Encrypt, Medic [6, ergo, optzd])

Gossamer arrives at the ShadowSEA servers to witness a scene of chaos. An array of icons, all unique are quarreling with a pair of sysops. One is in the shape of a giant battlemech, bristling with lasers, energy weapons and missile launchers, the other a blazing fire elemental.

It is clear they are both running high level attack and armor combat programs.

They explain repeatedly to the icons trying to gain access to the servers, that they have been attacked by a particularly nasty virus and all access is blocked until they can deal with and get some countermeasures in place. They seem frustrated and even a little bored at having to repeat themselves over and over.

The battlemech, which goes by the name Cloud Atlas, turns to Gossamer.

<<Didja get that or do I need to repeat it again?>>

@E:PL /UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:38; Clearwater Pumping Station, Exmoor, UK]
PAN - Active ; SIN - Maximilien Danton

Gemeaux picks up one of the white phosphorous grenades. He smiles grimly at the weapon, although the hood of his chameleon suit hides the expression.

"Monsieur, I'd advise you to cover your son's ears. I am afraid this will be a bit loud..."

He casually lobs the grenade towards the tank, aiming for it to roll under the vehicle...

@Virtual Scream/Cipher
[September 1, 2072, 13:52; Downtown, Seattle]

Cipher sits on the edge of the multi-story, feet dangling over the city below. He's been flipping over news sheets for a while now. Some people claim to have removed what people are calling the '>1rtu@l5cr3@m', and could do so for him for a one-off payment of only 30 !

...he's not interested in getting rid of it though, he wants to know what it's about. He watches all the news feeds, to see what the media is saying; local first, then national news.

He glances over his shoulder watching the Taxi wearily. He trusts it, for now, but it requires a look too. His head starts to hurt again. He lies back and rests it on the cold plasti-crete floor. He needs to get himself looked at, he realises. This intense a headache isn't normal, even after an event like todays. He closes his eyes and slips back into the more familiar reality, compiling a code sprite and having it analyse his node while he slips back into unconciousness.

@E:CoP/Johnny Awesome
[August 20th, 2072, 21:54; NeoNet Tower, Oxford]

"I'm not mistaken, my Lady. I wasn't suggesting anything beyond your working relationship."

He grabs 2 fresh champagne flutes from a passing waiter and hands one to Ryl before continuing his pressing advance, assertive yet gentle. Forceful enough to warrant an answer without scaring her away. It's moments like these that etiquette and charm matter. It's a subtle and delicate game. They were locked in combat, yet no-one around them would know it. Guns are for punks, this is the real thing.

"I crave freedom, which is why I'm going to help you with your De La Mar problem... though I can't help but notice that you speak of metahumanity as something you are not a part of. NeoNET is a we, yet metahumanity is a they?" He smiled politely at her. "Explain this to me, and I'm sure we can start moving along to other things."

He span her out ahead of him one more time, giving her a few seconds to think up a response and sparing her from the smug grin he briefly allowed himself. After all, where's the fun in the game if it's not a fair competition.

@Virtual Scream / Cat
[September 2, 2072, 03:50, Anathma, Downtown Seattle]
PAN: Active, SIN: Catherine Hall, System: 2, Signal: 2, Response: 2, Firewall: 2

Smiling to herself over the contents of Frank's message, Cat spent a few minutes winding down her involvement in various conversations before heading to the bar to pay her tab. She still needed to get in touch with DRKH0R5E to complete her first run and collect the remainder of her salary, but until then his expenses purse had enough Yen in it to cover drinks for the night.

As Cat left the main dance floor and headed for the Skybar, mellow chillout tunes slowly overrode pounding electric beats. The walk between the bars gave Cat the chance to collect her thoughts and contemplate those she was about to meet. She pondered what kind of person Reed Caspa would be, and what kind of person Frank might think to put her in touch with to fix her link. She'd asked for a geek to help her out, but he also knew she was looking for a different kind of work these days, and who better to deal with a virus than a hacker? Turning on her heal on the first landing, she decided a detour to the ladies room was needed to switch out her SIN for her work ID. Discretion is the better part of valor, after all.

[September 2, 2072, 03:55, Anathma Skybar, Downtown Seattle]
PAN: Active, SIN: Moll Flanders, System: 2, Signal: 2, Response: 2, Firewall: 2

Freshened up, and SIN swapped, Cat spotted the table Frank was sitting at with two other men. One was clearly Reed Caspa, instantly recognisable from his posters and the many pop culture and dance world articles that she had read about him. The other was a well dressed Amerindian man who she'd never seen before. Reasonably good looking and adequately dressed, not sararyman, but not VIP material either. Probably the geek, but not your typical corporate one. Definitely worth the ID switch. She sashayed over to them, projecting pure charisma ahead of her like a spot light. Breezing past the bouncers, she slid in to the seat next to Frank and gave him a lingering kiss on the cheek. "My name is Cat, or Moll, nothing more. My tab is settled and the extra is the look on these guys faces as I they imagine where my tongue is right now," she whispered deeply into his ear.

With the formalities over with, she turned to the two other guests. "I'm sorry, I'm being rude. I'm Cat." She turned her smile on Reed Caspa and held out her hand to be shaken, "You must be Reed Caspa, a pleasure to meet you. Frank's a lucky man to have you playing at his club, you really had the dance floor moving tonight." Reed took her hand lightly and spoke smoothly, not lingering in the handshake so long as to be uncomfortable, but definitely not just fulfilling polite duty. "The pleasure is all mine," he said.

Cat then offered her hand to the third man. "A pleasure to meet you too mister?" She let the question hang in the air.

@E:PL/Chi Town/Copperhead
[July 8th, 2072, 23:43; Finally in the open, somewhere north of Blackwater, CZ, Chicago]

Copperhead holds a finger up to her respirator. It's not military sign language but it's clear she wants everyone to be quiet.

She strains her ears and earbuds to listen to the conversation.

"Snag, you ugly bastard, what are you doing out of your hole?"

"Pretty little trog bitch didn’t want to pay the toll, thought you might want to know she was disrespecting your rules!"

"Bet I can guess what toll you asked her to pay fragger. You’ve been warned before Snag, the boss isn’t exactly keen on your kind"

"Your loss, but I reckon you’re gonna want to speak to her…had some of them with her and I knows you’ve been looking for ‘em…"

Fragger, if I ever cross paths with him again…now is not the time, we really time to be gone from here!

Carefully slinging the shotgun, she draws her staff from the pocket on her thigh and slowly unfolds it to its full two meter length, clicking the joints quietly into place. Then she moves away from the gangers and ghoul, testing the floor with the staff to make sure it can bear her weight.

Wouldn't be the first time I've put my foot through the floor.

<<Let's boogie while they're still blabbin at each other. We'll use da distraction to get clear.>>

I hope!

She considers summoning a spirit or two to conceal them or at least the kids, but her recent experience has left her traumatized about summoning in this tainted zone.

@Virtual Scream / Dante
[September 2, 2072, 11:29, Hai Fuk Noodle House, Redmond Barrens, Seattle]
PAN: hidden, Response 1, Signal 3, System 2, Firewall 1

The restaurant is quiet at this time of day, past breakfast and just a little too early for lunch. Grandma Fuk is nowhere to be seen. Perhaps the old lady is more of a night owl.

He has just finished his brunch when a nervous looking young woman slinks into the restaurant and hurries through to the back without making eye contact with any of the patrons, and especially not Dante. He doesn't recognise her.

It's another 27 minutes before she reappears, in full geisha outfit and makeup. With the make up on, she looks just like the other geisha's, which he guesses is the point. She moves around the restaurant, cleaning tables and taking orders, before finally arriving at his table.

Her chinese accent is appalling but fluent.

"Can I take these dishes away sir? Would you like anything else?"

@E:Tribes, Scrapheap
September 1, 2072 21:15, Bellevue
PAN mode: Hidden | SIN displayed: Eric Jones

Scrapheap drummed his fingers across the knee he had pulled up to his chest to make sure he wouldn't fall too far off balance sitting in the back of the van. The traffic had seemed to get both easier to navigate and less ill-mannered the closer the tribals got to Bellevue, but that wasn't reason to be complacent. He had quit trying to follow the conversation of the two Fr∑edomers in the front of the van after a few minutes, they might have been speaking a foreign language as far as he was concerned. Gotta find Dumptruck when I get back home, mebbe he knows someone who can teach me somma this techie shit. No way I'm gonna be tha 'dumb trog' of the Mechs, 'specially if tha bossman wants us helpin' these wireheads 'n technoshamans in tha future.

His hands tripped the buttons on his 'link, reflexively triggering the folder structure to the chipslot. << No such folder. >> He glared at the letters hanging in his vision for a second, then stuffed the 'link back in his pocket. This is fuckin' stupid. Can't do nothin' back here, and the little corper'll probably shit herself when we get her in tha van. Fuck. Shoulda just taken that guard shift, at least then I'da been not sittin' on my ass.

@Virtual Scream / Dante
[September 2, 2072, 11:29, Hai Fuk Noodle House, Redmond Barrens, Seattle]
PAN: hidden, Response 1, Signal 3, System 2, Firewall 1

Dante wasn't sure if this was the girl from yesterday or not, he hadn't paid much attention to the serving girls yesterday. They all tended to look the same with all of that makeup on.

<<Chinese>>

"Yes, you can take these dishes. Also, I was here yesterday and had some very special needs. Grandma Fuk recommended that I avail myself of the attention of a girl named Jenny Ho. She said this girl could take care of me the way I wanted. Do you know when Jenny will arrive? I'm willing to pay well for her...skills."

Dante smiled lasciviously while saying this, and nodded his head while glancing upstairs where he had been the night before, then looked pointedly at the girl.

@Virtual Scream / Dante
[September 2, 2072, 11:29, Hai Fuk Noodle House, Redmond Barrens, Seattle]
PAN: hidden, Response 1, Signal 3, System 2, Firewall 1

The girl starts tidying up the table, piling up the dishes with a practised ease. She freezes when Dante mentions Grandma Fuk, and almost bolts when he mentions her name. With a trembling lip, she takes a step back from the table.

<Chinese>"You must have me confused with another Jenny Ho, I only work tables. But I was here yesterday when that virus thing attacked. It got into my commlink. It was the most horrible thing I've ever seen."

She gives an involuntary shudder, but talking about it seems to have given her some of her courage back. She takes a step back forward, and leans conspiratorally close, whispering in his ear. She smells like Betty.

<Chinese>"And part of it is still there. I didn't notice at first, but when I got home my link was running really slow and then I saw this icon. It looks like the tip of a finger, cut off right at the joint. I think it is called Virtual Scream or something like that. I saw something on the trid that it had affected lots of people. You wouldn't happen to know how to get rid of it, would you?"

@Virtual Scream, Alex Bianchi
September 2, 2072, 09:00; Novatel Motel
Renraku Sensei: Passive | SIN: Jimmy Delfino (Fake ID, Rating 3) (Re 2 - Sig 4 - Fi 2 - Sys 2)

The only redeeming features of the Novatel Motel are that it is cheap and he can park in front of his room. The single room has that worn, grubby look that no amount of cleaning products can wash off. The trid player is behind a plexiglass panel and stuck on the hotel chain's own news channel which features regular updates on >1rtu@l5cr3@m. There is not even a fridge, but there is a Stuffer Shack just across the road.

Alex is only awakened a couple of times during the night by gunfire and when he gets up the next morning he finds a brief text from Harvey that arrived late in the night.

<<@Jimmy[Harvey]: It's fixed. Grabbing a couple hours sleep. Drop by anytime after 12:00 to pick it up. Bring your wallet.>>

@E:PL /UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:38; Clearwater Pumping Station, Exmoor, UK]

Mordred

Your bursts fly true but scatter crazily of the leading Rover’s armour plated front with a burst of sparks but no significant damage. Rather than following you hasty instructions to make for the trees Gemeaux thrusts the Collots down the stairs into the pump station…it is a very small group of trees so it may be just as well. Handing you a grenade he casually leans back out of the door and tosses another one directly under the wheels of the lead vehicle.

From the top of that vehicle a hatch opens and the blocky form of a weapon raises into the air. With a hiss of compressed gas it launches a skittering object towards the door to the pump room. The grenade bounces once near the door and then begins to spew acrid smoke into the entrance hall.

With a dull whomp Gemeaux’s grenade explodes and outside becomes like a scene from Dante…

Gemeaux

As you struggle to see through the lurid flames and billowing smoke you can feel the CS begin to claw at you. You push the effects aside long enough to see the doors of the lead vehicle open and dimly see three black clad figures emerge and shimmer into near invisibility as the chameleon coatings on their armour reflect the flickering flames and toxic smoke.

Tsubaki

Your mental link with your spirit lets you see as it manifests inside the Rover and begin to spread it’s spidery minions across the three attackers inside. The first to be affected leaps from the vehicle into the waiting flames outside and plumes of poisonous smelling smoke waft in. Although the flames momentarily cause it to pause it ignores them as irrelevant as it pursues your foes…

@Virtual Scream, Alex Bianchi
September 2, 2072, 09:15; Novatel Motel
Renraku Sensei: Passive | SIN: Jimmy Delfino (Fake ID, Rating 3) (Re 2 - Sig 4 - Fi 2 - Sys 2)

One look at the bed upon checking in the night before had convinced Alex that he'd be sleeping in the chair at the small table in the room. It hadn't been particularly comfortable, but it beat needing to be treated for lice again. Besides, he'd slept in his car enough on stakeouts that his back only hurt a little when the message tone on his 'link went off at 9. He winced at the last sentence, then headed for the shower. The barely-more-than-a-trickle stream of water was vaguely brownish and smelled of things he didn't want to think very hard about, so he just shut it off and got dressed. Another sink-washdown in the Stuffer Shack bathroom. Ahh, the glamor of the P.I. life.

September 2, 2072, 12:30; Dennis' Drones

Alex strolled into the shop, hoping the dwarf was in a better mood than yesterday. He doubted it, but stranger things happened every day. "Your middle name must be Fastjack, Harvey. I figured I'd be out of commission for a couple of days."

@E:PL /UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:36; Overlooking Clearwater, Exmoor, UK]
PAN - Active ; SIN - Maximilien Danton

"Gaz toxique? Eh, fait chier," grumbles Gemeaux between coughs as he grabs his respirator and attaches it to his face. However, his covered frown turns upside-down upon seeing the effects of his grenade.

"Haha! Nique vos meres!" he crows, punctuating the insult with an appropriate hand gesture.

<<[Gemeaux]: Vivenne, activate cloaking device and switch to ultrasound. Let us see if we cannot ferret out these sons of whores...>>

@E:Tribes, Sprogget
[September 1, 2072 21:12 Bellevue, near Senlis residence]
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Active; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

@jailbreakers: <<Never mind the parking spot Glyph.  Looks like the parents are going to be home in about half an hour.  So unless we want to loiter around Bellevue until they are settled for the night, we need to move now.  You ready to sit on that CHN Alpha?>>

@self:Maybe I'll get a chance to have that supper mom packed once we head back for home.

@Virtual Scream / Dante
[September 2, 2072, 11:29, Hai Fuk Noodle House, Redmond Barrens, Seattle]
PAN: hidden, Response 1, Signal 3, System 2, Firewall 1

This thing sounded big, this virus. Could be some money to be made for those with information about it. These body parts sounded particularly interesting. Kind of like a gotta-collect-em-all kind of thing. More bits and pieces might mean more money. Must be a way to rip these pieces to a chip. Dante tried to keep his voice cool and disinterested.

<Chinese>"No idea yet how to get rid of it. Say, you seem like a wiz girl. Grandma Fuk said some good things about you. Tell you what, what kind of 'link you got? I could replace it for you."

He paused for a moment, thinking.

<Chinese>"And if you know anyone else who has the virus, I could try to help them as well."

Dante took another swig of beer as he waited for a reply, acting casual. Inside, he had started to get that feeling. That feeling of being on a run, earning some cold hard cred. Beijing still had a lot of actual money floating around, corp scrip and black market scrip and old, wrinkled nuyuan notes. He missed being able to handle money like that now, missed not having a thick wad of greasy bills hidden in his mattress. Mostly he missed having any cred in the first place.

Only question now was how to make some quick cred from the situation.

@E:PL /UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:38; Clearwater Pumping Station, Exmoor, UK]
SIN: Spencer Lovett, PAN: Active

For a moment, Mordred couldn't see. His face and lungs burned so badly, he had to grab the wall to avoid losing his balance as he staggered away from the cloud. It would have been generous to say he recovered when he got some distance between himself and the doorway. The intensity of the pain was simply diminished enough that he could usher the Collots further down the stairs. Mordred pulled on his gas mask.

<<Everyone alright?>> Had he been speaking, the words would have been punctuated by his coughing fit. <<And can you see what they're doing now? If need be, back into the station. It leads to a hallway with lots of rooms.>> He turns to point his gun shakily at the door.

@Virtual Scream / Gossamer
[September 1, 2072, 12:17, Argent's home/Old node]
PAN: N/A, SIN: None, Response *, Signal *, System (5), Firewall (4), (Analyze, Scan, Decrypt, Exploit [5, inherent], Stealth [6, inherent], Armour, Browse, Encrypt, Medic [6, ergo, optzd])

<<Didja get that or do I need to repeat it again?>>

Gossamer didn’t wish to raise the ire of the obviously frustrated and impatient sysop and so she bowed to the battlemech and began her retreat. This was obviously not the time

<<There will be no need. I will look elsewhere.>>

So, that avenue of investigation was closed for now. There were other options she could pursue, after all, someone out there would know more about what was really happening, but for now concern for Argent and the children began to war with her desire to know just what had attacked her. Argent could be anywhere but she knew where the children would be…the older ones would hopefully respond to her message but she couldn’t rely on that alone, particularly for Kei, he was only seven

<<@ Penthièvres [Gossamer]:Children, there has been a matrix attack today and I want to ensure you are all safe. There is nothing to worry about but I suggest you avoid using your links for the moment until I have had a chance to secure them.>>

Forging through the matrix like a comet she plunged down into the school servers, pulling the fabric of the e-ther around her to mask her from curious eyes and any more contact with that virus…

@E:CoP/Johnny Awesome
[August 20th, 2072, 21:54; NeoNet Tower, Oxford]

"I crave freedom, which is why I'm going to help you with your De La Mar problem... though I can't help but notice that you speak of metahumanity as something you are not a part of. NeoNET is a we, yet metahumanity is a they? Explain this to me, and I'm sure we can start moving along to other things."

She smiles up at you as you spin her back into your arms, it’s a winsome smile tinged with mischief

"A slip of the tongue nothing more I assure you" but her smile says otherwise, in fact you are fairly certain that this particular young lady doesn’t say anything she doesn’t mean to. Her control is impeccable and she isn’t the slightest bit breathless despite your best efforts. Slipping from the dance floor she sips at her champagne and looks back over her shoulder as if to say are you coming? and then she heads out onto the balcony overlooking the gleaming spires of Oxford.

The wind is fresh this high up and whips around the gossamer light dress that Ryl is wearing in a most appealing, and distracting, manner. You may be old enough to be her father but it’s an enticing sight. Her fingers twitch as she operates some AR interface that only she can see and then she turns back to face you as roller shutters gently descend between you and the rest of the party…

@E:PL UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:38; Clearwater Pumping Station, Exmoor, UK]
PAN=Active; SIN:Nina Okada

That's very nice of Mordred to ask. <I'm fine—thanks for asking.> Calling some spirits to keep an eye on some things couldn't hurt, either. At the mystic adept's will, a couple of watcher spirits manifest in astral space... "Teki o sagashite onegaishimasu." With that, promptly, Tsubaki activates her Chemical Seal. She joins the Collots alongside them toward the interiors of the pump station.

@E:PL/Chi Town/Copperhead [July 8th, 2072, 23:43; Decaying building, somewhere north of Blackwater, CZ, Chicago]

You retreat away from the street and the conversation, argument, outside fades somewhat, to be replaced by the creaks and groans of a building in a state of distress. With your staff tapping away ahead of you like a white stick you are able to avoid some of the worst pitfalls and decayed flooring. Your heart almost leaps into your mouth though as you hear the noisy sound of searchers entering your building from behind you…fragger clearly told them where to look.

This was once a large scale residential building with some sort of open space at ground floor level. Towards the back you find a stair and lift core with the option to go up, or worst still down or you can try and force your way out the back to where you will presumably find a service alley in the centre of the block. It should be easy enough to get lost in this warren but you are conscious that you are leaving a trail behind you that any competent tracker would follow with ease…let’s hope these neanderthals don’t have any such person!

Requiem gestures to you and carefully moving close, whispers to you "This isn’t going to end well unless we can get them off our trail. You want Stitch and I to distract them? Those two are your cargo after all…"

@E:Tribes, Scrapheap
September 1, 2072 21:15, Bellevue

Spring has gone AWOL and it looks like Glyph hasn’t made it this far yet either! So much for planning! At least Alpha is working his mojo on the CHN and Sprogget is out there somewhere ready to intercept this corp damsel in distress!

Without any warning there is a horrible crunch and the sound of rending metal and the van rocks on its suspension. A quick look in the wing mirror shows a now rather mangled, but otherwise brand new, red Mitsubishi runabout wedged under the rear bumper. Two teenagers are struggling out of the doors clutching at their heads and there is a god awful screech coming from the car music system and from the two teens…

@E:Tribes, Sprogget
[September 1, 2072 21:15 Bellevue, near Senlis residence]
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Active; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

On tacnet, Sprogget sees the shiny red toy rear-end the van.
@self:Drek.  Fight through all the freeway traffic, then someone in Bellevue figures they are the only one on the street!

As the sound of the screech starts being passed through, Sprogget has a sudden suspicion.

@jailbreakers: <<Slot, if you have any link in Active mode for legal Bellevue, get it hidden now.  That noise coming from the car and people sounds like the descriptions I got for the scream virus.  If you can get their attention, tell them to physically power off commlinks, and the car node too. 
Once they are not being screamed at, maybe you can get some cooperation getting that piece of tinsel off your bumper.  I'm not far.  Heading your way.>>

Quickly switching the 'Clip to hidden mode, Sprogget heads to the accident location.

CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Hidden; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

Getting close enough to assist quickly if needed, he stays initially not involved, in case he needs to leave to get LeFey himself.

@E:Tribes, Scrapheap
September 1, 2072 21:15, Bellevue
PAN mode: Hidden | SIN displayed: Eric Jones

@Sprogget: Oh, I'll get their attention all right. Mebbe you should go get tha corpkid on your bike, since we're runnin' outta time 'fore her parents get home and Ghost knows how long this'll take to get clear of.

Scrapheap lays the shotgun down on the floor as far out of sight as he can, then boots the side door of the van open. He stomps around to the back corner, not having to fake a very angry expression. "Where'd ya learn ta fuckin' drive, assholes? Mebbe if you weren't fuckin' blowin' him you coulda seen the large van right in front of you. And turn off your fuckin' 'links, that screechin' is destroyin' dem and tha car's system. Jesus, are you fuckin' stoopid? Get movin'!"

@E:Tribes, Sprogget
[September 1, 2072 21:15 Bellevue, near Senlis residence]
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Hidden; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)

Assured that Scrapheap can handle the situation with the van, Sprogget veers off, and heads for the Senlis residence.

@jailbreakers: <<Right.  Alpha, smack that CHN and get LeFey to the front door.  LeFey, looks like at least the first part of your travels is going to be open air.  This Revolution has room for 2, but it is going to be cozy. Hang out the do not disturb sign, and get ready to roll.

Decision coming up.  It might take Scrapheap and Tweak some time to get the van clear of that crunch.  After I pickup LeFey, I'll need to find a place to stop for a few minutes for a bit of work with a medkit.  After that, I could head sedately back to the mall, or we could wait until the van can pick up Alpha, and travel together.  Could even park half a block from the van, and pretend to be spectators enjoying the free show.

Thoughts?>>

Sprogget maneuvers the cycle to where he can be in front of the Senlis residence at a moments notice, and monitors LeFey's progress, trying to time it so that neither of them need to loiter infront of the house waiting for the other.

@E:Tribes / Travellers
[September 1, 2072 21:15 Senlis Residence, Bellevue]
SIN: Morgan Senlis, PAN: Active

Morgan was putting on a black beret, just to keep her wig from slipping off.

"Ok if I take a weird pleasure in knowing I'm not the only one providing us with a steady supply of complications?" Morgan laughs nervously. She checks her bag one last time, then zips it shut. "I'm heading for the door. If any one is headed my way, just let me know." LeFey eases the door open, just wide enough for her to walk through. Right before she gets moving, the girl takes a moment to add an overlay to the door. "Studying. Please don't disturb me unless it's an emergency." She taps her commlink to bring up the displays on the security cameras.

She then realizes she was neglecting someone.

<<Your orders?>> The knight floated beside her as she went.

<<Oh. Yes. I'm sorry. This may well be a dangerous evening. I need you to use your powers to keep me and my allies safe until I dismiss you.>> Morgan begins the odd task of sneaking out of her own home.

@E:Tribes, Sprogget
[September 1, 2072 21:15 Bellevue, near Senlis residence]
Bionode: Response 4(5), Signal 2, System 4, Firewall 3; Hidden; Analyze(3), Command(1), Edit(1), Scan(1), Sniffer(3), Spoof(1), Stealth(3), Shield(1), Tacsoft(2), Simrig(1)
CMT Clip: Response 1, Signal 3, System 1, Firewall 1; Hidden; SIN: Paul Brickhill (R3)


@jailbreakers: <<Sure, enjoy it while you can.  The main problems tonight have all been caused by that scream virus anyway.  Limiting safe access to the matrix, and messing traffic up.  Parents coming home early is a nuisance, be without the virus delaying us, we would still have had plenty of time to spare.>>

Sprogget is keeping an eye on the progress being made by Morgan's parents, as reported by the running trace.

@E:PL /UK
[May 21st, 2072, 18:36; Overlooking Clearwater, Exmoor, UK]
PAN - Active ; SIN - Maximilien Danton

Still coughing from the effects of the CS gas, Gemeaux falls back while pulling his luggage. Even with his chameleon suit active the maneuver unfortunately hints at his location. However, he figures giving himself away is a lesser evil than leaving a delightfully lethal cache of weaponry for their adversaries to use against them.

He moves himself behind cover, but away from the others. After all, the Collots are still under his protection. With ultrasound active, he peeks around and tries to spy his foes through the carnage. His eyes widen, and a smile tugs at his lips as he sees the continuing carnage of the white phosphorous grenade.

Damn, I do love using those! It is almost like a vermilion sunset on a cloudy day, a viciously destructive sunset that burns its enemies without mercy...