AppliedCheese
Sep 23 2011, 08:35 PM
@ I'm On A Boat
[April 15th 2072; 23:50 SS Henry VIII 4000 meters off shore, Puget Sound]
In amongst the shipping containers, the wind was either completely becalmed, or channeled into a furious tunnel across the alleys. Silk's progress was, none the less, unimpeded. At least until a work party came around the corner at one of the alleys. A combination of her incoming feeds and the little AR indicators being fed to her from the Deck-Ops node made hiding possible, despite the fact they were literally only a few meters beneath her. The party carried on adjusting straps, and checking pintles and pins for an eternity. Maybe they were finished, maybe they weren't, but the rotodrone accompanying them suddenly lifted up and started heading towards the bridge.
"God dammit, Investigating Container 012: Potential Error In load my ass..we just did those...fragging drones. Get worse every trip. Someone call Sparky to see what the hells up. And for the love of god, go run that thing down before it crashes into the sea or something"
With that, the grumbling crew members set off, desperately hoping that this little drone malfunction would not delay shore leave. The captain was generous, but a glitched drone going into the ocean, or worse, someone's cargo, would piss him off to no end. The way was plenty open for Silk to proceed, and hopefully bring her team in behind her.
[April 15th 2072; 23:50 Kunk's Boat 100 meters portside of the Henry, Puget Sound]
At least the rain storm form earlier was hovering over the city now. Undoubtedly some team of runners was thankful for it. Kunk was just as happy it had gone. His inbuilt weather AROs said the barrens were really getting sloshed.
After the last of the team had ascended, Kunk began to put some distance between himself and the Henry. Small boats don't tend to fare well when big ones start moving mere feet away. Kunk didn't ask, but parked the boat about 100m off the side of the Henry, well within range of Khalil's powerful WiFi.
The rotodrone Khalil had commandeered happily sped towards the bridge, tending to a false error he had set up. It got a pretty good visual. It looked like the Captain was on the bridge, as well as a watch officer and one who seemed to have some authority. Khalil couldn't make out what his role was exactly. Tow more techs were bent over consoles.
As he watched, two scantily clad mermaid icons dropped onto deck net, and began draping themselves over the other subscribed icons, looking for something...
Seth
Sep 24 2011, 07:09 AM
@Dysfunctional Family (Doza, Jotamon, Isaac & Ajax)
[April 15th, 2072 11:06am; Moving towards the Renton Safehouse & ShadowSEA Virtual Meeting Room]Jotamon's natural paranoia exploded in response to the comment 'hadn't expected to see you here this soon', but as one of his favourite books quoted
"A beginning is the time for taking the most delicate care that the balances are correct.".
<<Well Alice, may I call you Alice? I am not naturally gifted with words, and am not a great spokesperson. So if in the following I am a little blunt, you have my apologies. You are correct that there are many questions that need asking. I will try and list some of them:- Who is the boy?
- What is valuable about the boy?
- How many groups want him dead?
- Who are these groups that want him dead?
- What are your intentions towards the boy?
- How much are you willing to tell us about yourself and your goals?
I'd like you to consider your answers in the following light:- You know who I am
- I am grateful to you for extracting me from an incoming gun ship
- Doza is working for you, and that is a positive mark in your favor
- My death at your hands would cause you problems: you will not be surprised that there are people aware of where I am at the moment.
- My assistance might be of value to you
- In order for my assistance to be forth coming you need to earn my trust
There were a lot of questions there, and I have just scratched the surface, the best way to answer them may well be a historical narrative of what has happened in the affair of the boy to date>>Jotamon sat back and waited for Doza to have her say, and Alice to respond. While waiting he began to examine the surroundings
AppliedCheese
Sep 24 2011, 12:13 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:06:00 Allanby's Warehouse]
Dealer kept the loading bay doors open as the RV approached, hopping in to the back as he slammed the closing button on the way out. The RV was packed with data storage, and it didn't seem like any of the other local options were going to be able to carry that much volume. Which really only left the team one option: bail before the Spikes arrived, preferably with a stop along the south side to grab Ember before speeding into the night.
"Alright, we need to get the frag out, we need to get Ember, and we really, really, need to get a real hacker to look at this stuff. Also, not sure if this thing is on grid guide or not, but we're definitely going to want to torch the RV somewhere between here and...well, that leads to another issue. Who's got somewhere off the grid we can hide out for a few hours? Preferably with a supplier or two. We all need a change of faces before we show anywhere in public, and I need some clothes that won't scream "stealth commando mook from Karl-Kombatmage" if I wear them in public.
Anyhow, we probably need to jack a van or something between here and there. I'm thinking no witnesses."
As he felt the RV accelerate, turn, and then halt, he waited for Ember to jump in, or at least a confirmation form the others before they plunged onwards.
JxJxA
Sep 24 2011, 04:15 PM
@ Suicide Kings[April 16th 2072; 00:05:45 Allanby's Warehouse][The Pixel Special, ID "Aubert Benoit"]Demon pulls out the various tubes and hoses hooking the makeshift data hub to the ground. He then hops into the RV and places his sniper rifle and smartpack within reach. He also draws his silenced Savalette Guardian and places it on his lap, just in case he has to "convince" some of the warehouse guards to let them pass. He turns on the ignition and lets out a sigh of relief when the engine sputters and comes to life. It also brings back a few memories as well.
This reminds me of that summer with Jacinthe when we managed to steal that drug lord's trailer and took it for an impromptu vacation... Ah, Jacinthe, the fun we had together. You taught me things that many a woman owes gratitude for...With thoughts of wine, candles, wax and women taking the edge off of an otherwise terrible night, he drives the lumbering RV through the open doorway. He slows down to let his
camarades jump aboard before picking up speed gradually.
"I can assure you I have no intention of driving this monstrosity any farther than I have to," Demon replies to
Dealer.
"This just appears to be the most expedient way to move the data from point A to point B---with Point B preferably being far, far away from this incendie.
"As for a safe place to hide...hm, nothing comes to mind. I might know a place where we can find another maître of the net, but I do not know of one personally. I can try and get in touch with Nicodeme. He specializes in weaponry, but it is worth a try.
Seth
Sep 25 2011, 06:42 AM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:07:00 Leaving Allanby's Warehouse]
Demon puts the pedal to the metal and leaving Allanby's warehouse in the dust. From Two Toe Tommy's warehouse there is a lot of interest, but no one actually does any thing. The short distance to Interstate 705 feels to take forever, and as Demon drives past the sleeping commuters in their rabbit hutches, he imagines a thousand eyes staring at the back of his neck,
As he turns onto Interstate 705, the fastest way out of Tacoma, he sees a swarm of headlights and hears a little gunfire, as the Crimson Spikes turn off the Interstate at the same time. There is the usual go gang chaos and rivalry as the gang tear towards the now abandoned warehouse.
AppliedCheese
Sep 25 2011, 01:21 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:07:00 Leaving Allanby's Warehouse]
As the RV sped towards I-705, Dealer racked his brain for somewhere they might find some help, or at least a safe place to stay.
Hackers..hackers...Burnt Lotus - No, she's all linked in with the Triads, probably burn us just to spite Hansai for being a Yak, Matador 5000 - left town after he pissed off Two Toes, World Build Error would be good if he weren't broke as drek right now, and no one from the zkone is going to touch me if Zhukov is right. Pretty much out of options for hackers.
Not a whole lot of places that would house us. Noble Roman's maybe, got the right mindset, but they'd probably have us killed right there for bringing in famous terrorists...not so much then.
The thoughts of Zhukov's warnings brought Dealer's mind back to Ingelman.
Guy works three years to build himself a "shadow" brokerage. Making good money. Not exactly a drinking buddy, but hey, he was good at what he did, professional, and willing to talk with the shadows. And in three hours he's dead, another casualty to the whims of those who are big enough they feel they can't be hurt. 99% of the time, Mr. Teague you would be absolutely right - he who holds the power writes the rules. Tonight though, you played your last hand, and your holding aces and eights. Believe me, you CAN be hurt. And I'm going to crawl over your bones to a place where people like you need to think twice before FUCKING WITH ME.
Dealer shooks his head free of the thoughts as the RV bounced along, and returned to the moment at. His RF scanner and commlink were sweeping away at the RV, looking for any signature that an interested party might tracking.
If that damn jammer hadn't been in the van, I'd just drop it right here and call it done. I mean, Emm is probably going to get some hacked grid guide stuff and hunt for the visuals on this anyhow, but we don't need to make the job easy on him.
"Hey, Copperhead , you're a barrens baby right? Where's a parking lot or a carpark we can steal a van from? I'm thinking we go there, steal one, and give this little package to a bum. I gotta get rid of my throwaway link and the Jake SIN anyhow, might as well let it drag the heat with it. Some siphoned gas and this little demo pack in back, and when they try to take it from our unwitting accomplice, kaboom. Witness dies, Teague's pawns die, RV burns, everyone's happy."
Dealer frowned for a moment.
"Of course, we also need to stop just reacting and start punching back. We need to figure out just where the chips are right now. My big question is whether or not Teague and Hansai are in cahoots. " Dealer continued to fiddle with the commlink, brows furrowing "Also, if we find some incriminating evidenc ein there, how do we get it out? It'd be a kick to have it being broadcast during Teague's supposed breakfast."
AppliedCheese
Sep 26 2011, 10:04 AM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:07:05 Leaving Allanby's Warehouse]
"So mages, we have any idea if anything is following us? Copperhead? Ember?...mmm...is Ember up front with you Demon?"
Aria
Sep 26 2011, 12:24 PM
@Dysfunctional Family (Doza, Jotamon, Isaac & Ajax)
[April 15th, 2072 11:06am; ShadowSEA Virtual Meeting Room]
Alice frowns at Jotamon’s tone and momentarily the node darkens and the bizarre flowers whip in an unseen wind. Clouds scud overhead and then they are gone, revealing the gibeous moon once more…
She turns towards Doza and addresses her
<<I will answer what I can, tempered by what you’ll believe…it’s a strange world that we are in and getting progressively stranger so I’m sure it won’t be too much of a leap for you…I see things…events, pivotal moments, people’s intentions expressed through the code and the deep resonance…the boy and your involvement is one such. That is how I knew where to send you. Jotamon was unseen but it proves to me that this event was important, he crops up again with you in the future...a possible future, nothing I see is set in stone, otherwise what would be the point in meddling?
The boy is just a boy, but also a catalyst. Someone wants him dead and as it is likely they want your involvement cleaned up too, isn’t that enough motivation for you to get them off your backs?>>
She turns back to Jotamon with a glint in her eye
<<I need you to find out who wants him dead and why. If self-preservation isn’t enough I’m sure I can arrange some reasonable payment for the information. Truth is a valuable commodity in the shadows after all. Ajax here can probably help you, he has the sorts of skills needed for expert digging…As to the boy he’ll be safe enough for now where he is. As to his future, that is entwined with yours in some way whether you like it or not.
…and yes, you can call me Alice for now. I suggest you go back to where this all began, someone may have seen or heard something. I’d avoid being too conspicuous though, I don’t know if the opposing forces are still watching, although I may be able to divert their attention elsewhere to give you some time.
Do you have any more blunt questions…>> she asks with a raised eyebrow…
Seth
Sep 26 2011, 01:15 PM
@Dysfunctional Family (Doza, Jotamon, Isaac & Ajax)
[April 15th, 2072 11:06am; Through the Looking Glass]Jotomon laughed in what appeared to be genuine humor.
<<Well I didn't expect to meet an Oracle in the Matrix. Still. You didn't actually answer many questions, although your answers were thought provoking. I suspect more questions would lead to more thought provoking responses. You obliquely asked about my motivations. I protected the child because he was a child being hunted by profession killers. Children are important, and I wish to see this one brought up in a loving family rather than exterminated as a witness to something he should not have seen. Self preservation is also important to me. If I can arrange some payment as well that will be good.
However before we part, I'd like to check some specifics with you:- You also said early that a tracking device was placed upon me. I am normally very alert, but I didn't notice such a thing. Could you show me the device and explain how it was planted so that I may avoid such a thing in the future.
- You said "Go back to where all this began". You obviously don't mean the big bang, but there are many places where we could say "this started". Do you know where the child was running from, as that would be a good place to say "this is where it started?". Failing that, I guess it's back to the shopping street.
- I'm unhappy leaving the child with you, without a means of checking on his well being. What are your plans for him?>>
JxJxA
Sep 26 2011, 03:38 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:05:45 Allanby's Warehouse]
[The Pixel Special, ID "Aubert Benoit"]
Demon turns pale when he hears Dealer's question.
"No, he isn't. I thought he jumped into the RV with you and Copperhead..." He looks back in the RV, frantically searching for his friend while he tries to keep the RV from flipping over.
Shit!
"...did we just leave him behind in the fire with the Crimson Spikes?"
AppliedCheese
Sep 26 2011, 04:29 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:07:05 Leaving Allanby's Warehouse]
"I prefer to think we left him behind with all the benefits of magic and an easily fakeable death so that he could meet with us later and demonstrate his more annoying qualities."
Dealer saw his joke was falling flat.
"Relax, he's still on the matrix net. Though we probably should see if he wants us to go get him. That said, we cannot afford to risk the data we have here...oh. Drek. His icon just fell off."
Aria
Sep 26 2011, 04:31 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:xx:xx Leaving Allanby's Warehouse]
Ember glared at the watcher as it sat impudently watching them.
~Gale, can you send this one back to its home plane? I do not wish to be followed again! Time is disappearing on us and it would seem there is nothing that we can do usefully here. Once you have dispatched it I release you, thank you for your assitance~
So saying he steeled himself to plunge back into the flesh…he opened his eyes to darkness, the electrics had clearly shorted out, except for a worrying deep red tinge following the line of the cocoon’s hatch. His head was constricted by part of the pod that had buckled and he was glad that he had returned when he had, this would be difficult enough without getting entombed first.
He gathered his Will and sent it forth into the ether ~Lugh, Bright One, will you aid me now to escape this trap that my foes have made?~ The blazing warrior that appeared to his astral sight was welcome indeed ~Will you guard me from the force of this fire so that I may live to take the fight back to our foes?~
Although Ember was comparatively weak, with the help of his returned sprites he had the strength to break out of the pod, pushing the hatch out into the tumult. His breath rasped in the super-heated air and only Furnace’s presence kept him alive for those precious seconds. Even then he could feel his armour charring as he struggled out of the cocoon and plunged towards the side of the van that was no longer there. The hairs on his body shrivelled in the blistering heat and he was grateful that his truly valuable equipment was protected to some degree by the enchantments that bound them to him. His borrowed commlink was a thing of the past though and he discarded the lump of melting plastic before it could burn another hole in him.
His coat snagged on the side of the van and as he leapt clear a gust of flames stroked his back, the pain was intense but snarling he pushed himself onwards. Ignoring the smell of cooked flesh he gathered mana to himself and shot into the air like the reverse of a blazing comet.
As he flung himself upwards the warehouse creaked alarmingly and he dodged a descending red hot girder that cut the remains of the van in half like a knife. The cold of the outside air was excruciating on his reddened skin and he desperately sought to maintain the concentration required that kept him aloft. In the distance lights were approaching and that was hardly likely to be a good thing. He forced himself away from the warehouse, keen to find somewhere to land out of sight.
A couple of blocks in the opposite direction from Two Toes’ place he finally allowed himself to collapse to the ground. He couldn’t remain here though…his flight may have been seen and it looked like his compatriots had had the sense to flee…he was on his own for now.
Aria
Sep 26 2011, 04:33 PM
@Dysfunctional Family (Doza, Jotamon, Isaac & Ajax)
[April 15th, 2072 11:06am; Through the Looking Glass]
<<Children are important and I certainly wish him no harm. If you do not trust me, and there is no reason why you should yet, then I am happy that you make your own arrangements for his protection. I have no plans for him, that he is alive and well, or as well as can be expected, is enough for me. Although I can guess at what he saw given recent events I would rather that you confirmed it for me without any bias that I might have.
I strongly suspect he came from an area just north of North East Fortieth Street where you met him. He was wounded so I don’t believe he can have gone that far.
As to the tracking signal I suggest that the likeliest source is an RFID tag in the bullet lodged in your shoulder. That is how they tracked you before and I suspect that it is how they do things... Shrike has jammed the signal for now but I suggest you remove it before you step outside her protection.>>
Notsoevildm
Sep 26 2011, 08:00 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:07:05 Leaving Allanby's Warehouse]
"I tried, honest I did," grumbles the troll, remembering the heat and Snake hissing her own words back at her You are no usse to me dead!
"But it was too hot. All I could do was leave 'Golden Scales' back there to watch out for him." She lowers her head, then looks back up. "I gots worried youz was gonna leave me too so I came back to the RV."
---
A golden serpent hisses as it emerges from the shadows, it's green eyes locked on Ember. "You are not alone, manling. Sshe who commandss me, bade me assisst you. You have my sservice until dawn, no longer."
Without waiting for a response, it coils into itself and with an almost audible 'pop' disappears back into the astral.
AppliedCheese
Sep 26 2011, 08:20 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:07:05 Leaving Allanby's Warehouse]
"Oh. So, you can still communicate with the spirit right? Or it would tell you if Ember was dead? Not to be soul-crushingly realistic here, but its not worth dragging this data back into harm's way to pick up a corpse, unless we're planning on joining him in whatever afterlife your deity of choice promises. Now, alive...a live Ember is worth taking a risk for. Though we should probably offload this stuff and ditch the RV. So, all eyes on Copperhead now, yeah?"
At the very least we need to make sure no one is shooting him full of sodium penthol and asking some unwanted questions.
Dealer looks hard at Copperhead, measuring if she's up to the task.
"Hey, Demon, lets look for a parking lot, ditch this RV with the previous "it blows up" plan, grab a van and go back for Ember if he's alive. Sound good? We come in nice and quiet, maybe you even get a chance to shoot a Spike or two after all from way out with that sexy rifle of yours? Watch them and tommy's boys set at each other while we look for Ember."
As the RV reacts to Demon's driving, Dealer rechecks his smartlink and changes in a fresh magazine. Tonight was definitely not going as planned. He glanced at Copperhead one more time.
That one is going to want a social corner to build on after tonight. Hmmm....recruitment...
Friendbot2000
Sep 26 2011, 09:32 PM
@Dysfunctional Family
[April 15th, 2072 11:06am; Through the Looking Glass]
Ajax listened in intently. It appears that his mystery Johnson is a technomancer. He had heard of these types, some technomancers believe they can determine the future by looking at data trends. "Whole lot of rubbish if you ask me" Ajax thought. What is important in this case is the child that seems to be wrapped up in a chess game of violence and that is never a good thing. Ajax had always been partial to children, he and his wife were having a baby before she...died. His paternal heartstrings tugged fiercely, but Ajax suppressed them. This is a job, there is no room for emotional involvement.
Ajax cleared his throat, <<As much as I enjoy listening to battling ideologies, I do wish to be let in on what exactly is going on here. If we are to protect the boy or protect ourselves, an open exchange of information is necessary. I understand that I have been conscripted by...Alice, to assist you in finding out information about the boy, something I have yet to agree to, but I digress. I do however need to know some things about you and your party sir. I assume you speak for these folks here, judging by your forwardness in speech?>>
Ajax cleared his throat again and continued, <<First off it has been said that you must have self preservation and you have mentioned something things that indicate that you have been shot at or worse in defense of this child. Which raises the question of where and when did you get attacked and if knowledgeable, by who? Did they have any distinctive marks, strategies, anything at all? Also what is your involvement in this scenario? I suspect that you sir are involved in some sort of organized crime family (refers to Jotamon), and you (refers to Doza) were the original contact for this job. There are many things that need to be answered and I apologize for hijacking your inquiry of our employer, but answers and truth are worth their weight in nuyen and lies only hinder the situation at hand. I expect you to be truthful as well, Miss Alice>>
<<Miss Alice, as much as I love children and wholeheartedly admire your desire to protect this child, I do have expenses that must be paid. Payment will be a necessity for my involvement in this case I am afraid>>
Ajax pauses and cocks his head to the side for a moment as if he was deep in thought <<Oh, and your names or rather aliases would be appreciated, I like to know who I am dealing with.>>
<<Oh, and one more thing Miss Alice, did you say he lives around NE Fortieth St? Is there anything you can tell me that might be relevant to this investigation about that particular area?>>
Ajax stepped forward some more and leaned up against a mushroom. He had every intention of working this, but he mustn't appear to eager for the job.
As Ajax awaited their response he leapt into another virtual realm flying through data at top speed trying to find out anything he could about the area around NE 40th St. on the Matrix. His brain was going a thousand miles a second as he looked for the information and wracked his own brain for information that he might have gleaned from his years as a PI and reporter. There had to be a clue somewhere.
Notsoevildm
Sep 26 2011, 09:40 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:07:10 Leaving Allanby's Warehouse]
Copperhead's eyes roll up in her head for a moment as she leans back against the side of the RV.
"He iss sstill alive!", she hisses exitedly after a moment, her shamanic mask making her seem even more scaly than usual.
"He's a bit cooked and smells like roast pig according to Golden Scales. Just cruise at da speed limit for a bit and he should catch up ta us in a few minutes."
The twist in her stomach begins to ease, even as her heart continues to pound. The guilt she had felt at leaving him behind was somewhat lessened, although she knew she would not be able to rest until he was back with them. She busies herself with checking her gear and thinking about a place for them to dump the RV.
Friendbot2000
Sep 27 2011, 12:56 PM
@Dysfunctional Family
[April 15th, 2072 11:06am; Through the Looking Glass]
Information swirled around Ajax as he picked and chose what files he wanted to save onto his commlink. A wealth of information about the area was now at his fingertips, "Hmm, this is interesting. Well, might as well prove my worth" He thought to himself as he focused back in on the VR chatroom.
Before allowing the others to answer his questions he cleared his throat again, <<If I remember correctly, the main drag of the area around NE 40th St. used to be an old Microsoft campus. There are some food establishments there, talking to the local squatters could give us a clue as to who this boy is. Due to his slight malnourishment he most likely ate out of the garbage of those establishments at least once. It is unlikely that he belongs to a major gang in the area, as the Ork gang Crimson Crush usually don't accept non-ork members. There is one lead we could possibly follow up on with a lesser degree of failure. A hacker group known as "freedom" is supposed to operate in that area. These groups usually keep a close watch on their surrounding area so it could be fruitful to go and track them down and find out if they can help. It will come with a price however. The rest of the area around there is just abandoned apartments and tenements. The only place of note is the old Microsoft campus, if we start there and grease a few palms then we should have a good chance at catching the boys trail.>>
<<Oh, and in case you haven't noticed, I have decided to help you>> Ajax's icon tips his hat and smiles through his mask.
AppliedCheese
Sep 27 2011, 06:45 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:09:00 Passing a semi-vacant parking lot]
Dealer continued to observe out the windows after Copperhead's revelation. It seemed like there were no RF beacons or hidden nodes transmitting, but it wasn't exactly a thorough search. Of course, a stealth tag and active RF asset would make tracking the RV easy and finding the tag exceedingly difficult without a a full sterilization. And Allanby was nothing if not a little paranoid from what the others said. Well, he was also dead, but that was beside the point.
As the scenery rolled by and Ember remained conspicuously absent, Dealer spotted what looked like an ideal lot. A failure of a strip mall, occupied by sad little mom and pop shops that were fighting a losing battle against the encroaching neon of Girls-Girls-Girls-And-Liquor! in one direction, and being obstinately walled off from richer pastures by Mega-franchises in the other. Security in a place like that would be minimal; not enough money to buy their own, not enough influence to merit lots of KE or surveillance, and not enough chips and and whores to be brought under the dubious protection of a gang. And best of all, there are at least three utility vans in the lot next to a small collection of vehicles that may belong to the staff, but are just as likely there for free parking. Perfect.
"Demon, see that strip on the right? Looks like our next ride, plus Ember can catch up to us there. "
As he waited for the RV to take the exit, Dealer began to prepare all the tools necessary for a successful car boosting.
JxJxA
Sep 28 2011, 11:22 AM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:05:45 Allanby's Warehouse]
[The Pixel Special, ID "Aubert Benoit"]
Demon shakes his head disapprovingly when he hears Dealer's poor attempt at a joke, but his mind is occupied with something else altogether. He debates whether to turn this damn thing around and drive back to Ember. Copperhead's comment pulls him back into reality.
"I would say that 'no one gets left behind,' but I suppose I am a bit late and a man short for that motto to hold true."
When he hears about Copperhead's spirit, he keeps driving away from the warehouse for the time being. He gives a sigh of relief after Copperhead confirms that Ember is all right. He returns the bulk of his energies to driving casually in their boosted RV, while allowing a fraction of his imagination to devising painfully nasty ends for the Crimson Spikes.
He nods at Dealer when he points out a place to park. He carefully glides the lumbering behemoth of a vehicle into a parking spot, bringing it to a stop...
AppliedCheese
Sep 28 2011, 06:21 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:10:00 Parking Lot]
Dealer waits as Demon pulls the RV into the lot. He peers out the windows, waiting for a moment when no one is looking his way. Given the mostly abandoned nature of the lot, that wait is particularly short. Its more of a "well, lets just make sure all the anti-theft systems are down in the storefronts" sort of wait.
Demon has parked the RV beautifully, allowing the runners to obscure themselves from sight between the RV and a take-out sushi delivery van. Apparently the demand for take out sushi at midnight in this part of town is exceptionally low, because it looks like it hasn't moved in an hour. Between Demon's parking job and the abandoned lot, it looks like the group can get in between the two vehicles relatively unobserved - somewhat vital given Dealer is pretty sure they gear he is wearing would bring the KE.
It won't hurt if no one sees the heavily armored troll with shimmering snake scales either.
He blinks a few times as he modifies his AR to include the Pixel-Tutor-Soft. It still has far too many cupcakes, but at least the wands are starting to make sense. If Pixel was not currently splattered over the insides of the team's last van, undoubtedly she could have made everything much clearer. Then again, if Pixel was still alive, Dealer wouldn't be running this hack. It is mercifully quick, and from there, the hardware part is easy. Dealer looks up to inform the team he is now logged in as the 15 year old son of the sushi place owner (with a surprisingly anglo-saxon name..no wonder its failing), when he realizes they are talking to Ember.
Seth
Sep 29 2011, 07:12 AM
@Dysfunctional Family
[April 15th, 2072 11:06am; Through the Looking Glass]<<Hi Ajax. Thank you for coming along. Your desire to understand us is acceptable in the current situation. I would appreciate a 'quid pro quo'.
Your surmise about my family is correct. My father is one of the Mareno family, and like all dutiful sons I am following in his line. I try to keep out of the leg breaking side of the business. Mostly I deal in virtual crimes. I think you would find most member's of our family would act the same way in this incident: we keep the streets clean where the law fails to act. Children are very important to us.
Your questions are good. I will try and give a potted history:- I was shopping in Touristville. There is a good second hand shop for electronic components there
- The child ran into me, chased by two shooters.
- I dealt with the two shooters non lethally as I don't like killing people: It is hard to say 'sorry' if you discover you have killed the wrong person.
- An old friend of mine: Doza, hired by Alice suddenly appeared. You can ask her about why she was here.
- Snipers killed the two shooters that I had disabled, and we got out of there
- I believe that shooters were part of a disorganized 'gang', and the rest of the gang got taken out at the same time as the snipers attacked us.
- I checked for tracers eventually: I should have checked sooner, but there you go, and we had a tag. We eliminated this tag
- Shortly after that a black van and a drone turned up in down town Seattle, and started shooting us under the eyes of a Knight Errant drone
- We disabled the drone, dealt with the shooters, and discovered a 'copter full of mercs was on it's way...to downtown Seattle.
- I was shot by a burst from an assault rifle.
- Alice sent a message via Doza, and we evacuated to here
I have been thinking a bit about the boy, and have rejected most of my theories. They go something like this:- He's an important person's son: Well he is malnourished and they want him dead. It's not impossible, but I would need to add to the theory a reason for him being in the state he is in
- He saw something he shouldn't have: Dispatching a helicopter full of Mercs into downtown Seattle is probably more trouble / attention grabbing than almost anything the boy could of witnessed.
- He's an escaped test subject: Nothing wrong with this theory at the moment.
- He has something implanted in him which is valuable: I think they would have snatched him, rather than tried to kill him.
None of my theories explain why there seem to be two or perhaps three groups involved:- Alice hired Doza, and now us
- The original shooters who I tasered were part of a small group taken out by:
- The snipers who shot the original shooters rather than us
Your and Alice's ideas are interesting, and may well be fruitful. I was planning on talking to the boy, as that could help clarify which of these (or perhaps another) theory is correct. One problem with asking around is that unless we are lucky (and I don't like to rely on luck) we are unlikely to understand the motivations of the attackers.
Just a few more moments of being blunt: If I was paranoid, this whole discussion could just be a way to get me away from the boy. It is dangerous to kill me here: the Mafia's vengeance could be severe. If I am directed back to a killing ground where another organisation kills me....well that's just a win/win from some people's point of view. As it happens I think that this scenario is over the top paranoia, but I would like to talk to the boy before I leave.
Alice do you know when the boy will wake?>>
Aria
Sep 29 2011, 11:22 AM
@ I'm On A Boat
[April 15th 2072; 23:50 SS Henry VIII 4000 meters off shore, Puget Sound]
Silk considered her options carefully, quick and dirty or methodical and less risky, on the face of it an easy choice in normal circumstances but their deadline was rapidly approaching, literally in this case and they really didn’t have any spare minutes for a finessed approach…
<<Ok, this could be messy…I’m going to spray the camera lens long enough for us to make it through the door. Come a bit closer…>> she drew an ARO on the tac data that indicated the camera’s field of view <<somewhere behind the line. Be prepared to move quickly when I give the word. With our spiritual aid we should be able to pass undetected but the chance of raising an alarm is definitely going up with this one…Nine: when we’re through I’ll try and get you access to the security node through the maglock but I’m not promising anything.>>
A heavy dose of spray from the aerosol and Silk slipped forward and crunched the maglock beneath the technological might of the pass key – the inbuilt algorithms should frag with the lock’s diagnostics, hopefully still registering the door as shut.
As the indicator flashed between green and red she urged the others through…
<<Now!>>
Aria
Sep 29 2011, 11:24 AM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:10:00 Parking Lot]
Ember stumbled into the parking lot where the snake spirit had led him and thanked her for her assistance. He was weaving on his feet, barely able to stand now without the spirit’s assistance. The cold night air was a balm on his flaming skin but he was beginning to lose all sense of feeling and in the circumstances that could hardly be said to be a good thing. He didn’t trust himself in his current state to cast the healing spells that he so desperately needed…quite apart from the fact that the drain might well knock him out cold he suspected the stims were running out and he was in for a boat load of more pain shortly…Dr Bob’s, the thought floated to the forefront of his mind, Charlotte and the children…help…
He shook his head to clear it and immediately regretted the action…his vision was beginning to tunnel…
“Mes amis…I…” and he realised that Sirene was still concealing him from view
~Merci gracious one, I am back with friends now…I release you from your service, go back to the great halls and dance for the gods…~
“Dealer…?”
AppliedCheese
Sep 29 2011, 02:36 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:10:00 Parking Lot]
"You look like shit. C'mere"
Dealer disappears into the RV and digs through whats left of his equipment. He comes out with his medikit. All the refills are no doubt creating a lovely narcotic filled haze somewhere in Tacoma, but it looks like he has just enough to handle the task at hand.
"The computer says this is topical anesthetic. Some weird steroids are mixed in, I think. We still have some Nu-Skin. The facial burns and hands I can do, but you appear to to have half your clothing melted to you. And I need to get to the skin to apply this stuff/" Dealer reaches into a sheath and pulls out a nasty looking survival knife, which he sprays with antiseptic from the kit. "So, this might hurt. Your probably want to pop this first", he points to a white pill. "Normally I'd slam you with morphine and a patch, but we can't have you crashing for a while yet."
Dealer clears a man size area off of one of the cheap travel tables in the RV. Errr..Copper....you might want to hold him down when I go to work...".
He applies the assorted miracles of modern medicine to the exposed flesh. Then its time for the knife. For a moment legitimate pity actually seems to cross his face. "Sorry". Then he begins to cut away the charred clothing and the layers of skin its melted to. ""Don't scream. Don't scream. Copper, hold him dammit..."
JxJxA
Sep 29 2011, 03:05 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:10:00 Parking Lot]
[The Pixel Special, ID "Aubert Benoit"]
As Demon watches the "backstreet medical clinic" scene unfold, he grabs his coat and folds the sleeve into something for Ember to bite down on. He thinks for a moment on what little he knows about mages, and he remembers how Ember seemed to drift off into the ether of the astral plane earlier that evening.
"My friend, retreat into the astral until this business is done. Watch it from up above, if you must. Return once he is done, and then use the gifts given to you to finish tending to your wounds."
Notsoevildm
Sep 29 2011, 03:26 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:15:00 Parking Lot]
Copperhead's contribution to the initial first aid treatment is mainly to hold down the badly injured mage without doing any more damage. Fortunately, she's seen some pretty bad injuries at the street clinic where she sometimes helps out, so she manages not to throw up.
Once Dealer has finished up the messy business of cutting away Ember's burnt clothes and applied copious amounts of synthskin and painkillers, she continues to hold the patched up mage down. Her eyes are rolled back in her head and she is swaying gently from side to side. She sings softly, mostly just humming with the occasional fragment of a thrash metal song as she pours healing mana into him.
"...hmm, hmm, mwah, wah...ain't got no pain on novacaine...hmm, hmm, hahum...."
While the spell seems to have some limited effect on Ember, as Copperhead finishes singing she suddenly stumbles to one side. She just barely stops herself from falling with a clang against the wall of the RV. She puts one hand to her nose, which is bleeding badly, and mutters: "Frag, dat hurt. I should stick ta detection spells."
AppliedCheese
Sep 29 2011, 05:52 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:15:00 Parking Lot]
Dealer wipes off his knife and returns it to its sheath as Copperhead does some fragging magic to the tune of what sounds like a Painkiller thrash remix. He glances at Ember. The blood is still seeping through some of the gauze, but hey, for the circumstances, its pretty fragging good.
"Welcome back to the land of the living. Your just in time to move this drek", an expansive sweep indicates the copious amount of data storage, "into the van. Makes you think it was all worth it huh? For what its worth, Teague is going to die in a bloody mess after we ruin him. I've always found that sort of thing to be comforting and occasionally hilarious. You know when they say revenge doesn't make it any better and all that Horizon-Evo progressive crap? Complete lie. So you'll be right as rain."
As he waits for the team to begin shifting the data, he starts filling the 5 gallon fuel cans with diesel from the RV and packing them into the space that isn't occupied, getting them ready for the final piece, the bomb stolen from the warehouse.
When Teague's little girls come to enter this thing, they're going to find burning to death is fair play...
LostProxy
Sep 29 2011, 11:41 PM
@ I'm On A Boat
[April 15th 2072; 23:50 SS Henry VIII 4000 meters off shore, Puget Sound]
Khalil could see the icons analyzing everything in their path and was debating his next move. <<My position has been compromised. I'm logging off the node so be prepared to lose the data I've sent you. That last feed I sent you showing who is on deck should be enough for you to finish the job. >> Khalil logged off the node and waited hopefully for a signal to get into security.
Alyena
Sep 30 2011, 08:13 AM
@Dysfunctional Family
[April 15th, 2072 11:06am; Through the Looking Glass]
Doza listened to the conversation between Jotamon and Ajax looking from one icon to the other.
"I don't feel I have much to add to Jotamon's summery. I was hired to pick up the kid. My Mr J gave me exact instructions as to time and place. Think it was probably 'Alice' here that fed him that info" She nods towards their host's icon.
"At the moment I just want to be sure he's somewhere safe. Then I want to have a 'quiet chat' with whoever it is thinks they can do this to a child and get away with it"
Doza's smile was anything but friendly.
AppliedCheese
Sep 30 2011, 08:23 AM
@ I'm On A Boat
[April 15th 2072; 23:50 SS Henry VIII 4000 meters off shore, Puget Sound]
The door closed behind the runners as they slipped through. If a man had looked very carefully at the camera feed in the final moments, he might have seen the trail of the door closing. As it happened, no one was looking very carefully, and whoever was monitoring security didn't see anything other than another camera temporarily obscured by the sea spray.
As Khalil's deck net feed cut away from the interior team, their mapsofts kicked in in full force. Getting the info had no doubt cost someone a pretty penny, but it was going to prove invaluable. Silk examined the door they had just come through, and confirmed there was a maglock on the inside as well. For all that, it looked like it really was just a maglock in the simplest sense. It wasn't apparently tied to anything, network wise. The door also had a large wheel lock on the inside, a physical throwback, relying on gauche brute strength to either seal the door against the elements.
Not ideal then, but still, from here, everything should be easier...right? Then again, the light here is much brigther, and for some reason its a lot on easier for the runners to focus on each other.
[April 15th 2072; 23:50 SS Henry VIII Astral]
Sailors have always been superstitious. It manifests in many forms, and in different ways in different crews. Towards the end of the 20th century it may have seemed slightly ridicolous, little more than a hollowed out tradition to be triumphed over by the cold logic of science. Now a days, sailors know that their brethren from the time of wooden ships were absolutely right - the sea has spirits, creatures, forces that shouldn't be tampered with. But modern metahumanity doesn't need to blindly fear these as they once did. Oh no. They have the means to fight back, to help control the situation.
They can, at the very least, set wards.
Wards just like the one that the runners just came through.
[April 15th 2072; 23:50 SS Henry VIII Matrix]
Khalil's last vision from the Deck Net is the twin mermaids interrogating the drone icon. Suffice to say the programmer was very clearly male. As he jacks out of the node, the rest of the datasphere begins to come back in to focus. Notable sources of transmission include the tug and of course the ship's communication node. The host of active PANs on deck is as of yet undiminished.
Friendbot2000
Sep 30 2011, 02:57 PM
Dysfunctional Family
[April 15th, 2072 11:06am; Through the Looking Glass]
Ajax's icon smiled and he tipped his hat to Doza <<Actually I deduced that on my own from your conversation with our host here. A keen mind and sharp perception are essential in my line of work. I do agree with you though, I would like to have a chat with these people as well. I am sure we will complement each other perfectly in our..."interrogation" of said suspects. Good cop bad cop I believe is the phrase. I am guessing you will be the bad cop, no?>> Ajax laughed and grinned at Doza. He always enjoyed the frank attitudes of trolls. It was very refreshing to see someone who didn't put up pretenses.
AppliedCheese
Sep 30 2011, 06:26 PM
@ I'm on a boat
[April 15th 2072; 23:50 The Ganymede Collective - Contract Security Branch]
Raul was watching a Karl Kombatmage mini-series on the Tri-D. He was disgusted in its inaccuracies in a manner that small men with small minds are disgusted with anything that implies they could be doing grander things. Raul was, you see, a mage. Not an exceptional mage, but a mage none the less. And he had definitely never done anything as exciting as good old Karl. The explosions, the plots, elemental beings representing the very core of the gaiapshere, none of those were in his life.
At first, magic had seemed too good to be true: a way to join the world's elite, an entrance to a magical and special world that would take him above and beyond, into his own heroic epic. What he hadn't counted on was that while heroic epics make great entertainment, they don't make great nuyen. Impossible as it seemed, working low-grade magic for a corp was disturbingly similar to working maintenance for a corp. Long hours, lots of matrix files, and certainly none of Karl's attractive and capable-yet-suitably-non-threatening female leads.
Raul had set a lot of wards, for a lot of people. Frankly, without the help of his link, he probably would have forgotten how many by now. Raul hated wards. What he hated more was that now his job was essentially the magical equivalent of watching endless secruity cameras. A trip into Tolkienesque fantasy it was not.
Maybe he was feeling resentful. Maybe Karl Kombatmage was mocking him silently. Maybe he was just desperate to pounce on anything that would make the graveyard shift go faster. Whatever it was, when ward 17 popped and Robert's earth spirit smacked into the celestial mosquito zapper, Raul decided he was going to do something...
AppliedCheese
Oct 1 2011, 01:47 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:20:00 Parking Lot]
Dealer finishes setting the explosives in the now emptied RV. A kilo of C5 won't do too much damage - might take off a leg below the knee, or blow out the chassis - but mixed with the mo-gas and, far more importantly, the fumes filling up the RV, it will create a very crude thermobaric weapon. Not particularly elegant in nature, but more than enough to burn out any forensics and hopefully send a few of the people pursuing the runners straight to hell.
With that complete, he huddles with the team in the sushi van.
"So, for the first time tonight, we've got the initiative. Teague and Hansai are on their back feet now. I figure we've got a few hours before they're back on us, but just in case, kill the gift links from Hansai I'm thinking. Batteries out, RFID scrub - I'm pretty sure with the right skills and some prep you can monitor one of these even when its "off". Anyone trust our KE friend so much they think otherwise?" Dealer looks around expectantly. "Regardless, we need to figure out the way out of this. Right now, we pretty much have to accept that evidence, in itself, is worthless. Assuming its even in there. Teague's got the media, Hansai has the cops, and I'm thinking some MCT help and the yaks as well. The truth won't count for drek unless we make it count, hard, public, and undeniable. So lets not get some false dreams that the world will suddenly proclaim us all innocent amid a trideo ending. I think the end game we need to work for is buying enough space to let the heat die, and making it clear we're no longer worth the effort to kill. The floor - by which I mean the lovely stainless steel with old soy stains - is open to suggesstions. Of course, any option in which Teague dies a horrible, painful death has some immediate traction..."
Seth
Oct 1 2011, 02:50 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:15:00 Parking Lot]Just before Dealer starts the scrub, the commlinks burst into life.
<<Hansai here. I have a couple of things to go through with you. - Firstly: You are still all very hot: but as far as I can tell Knight Errant have no idea where you are. I believe that they are trying to get ritual samples from places where you have lived. This will take them some significant time, so I think you still have a day or so before they come knocking at your door. Copperhead: someone firebombed your squat when the ritual sample team pulled up. Dealer: They have no idea where to go. Demon: they have many places to try, and they need to work out which DNA is yours...could take weeks. Ember: it seems someone has visited your house and cleaned it. I suspect they will find something that ...they...missed but it should take them a while. Pixel: they are not looking for you.
- Secondly: I have access to Allanby's machine, but I cannot get in touch with Pixel: do you know where she is?
- Thirdly: I have a lead, but it's value depends on the quality of the data that I hope you have recovered from the warehouse.>>
<<Private text to Dealer: You have your data wrong: Drake is my Sensei. Good info gathering though>>
Seth
Oct 1 2011, 03:28 PM
@ I'm on a boat
[April 15th 2072; 23:50 SS Henry VIII 4000 meters off shore, Puget Sound]
Siran was following Robert and Silk as they headed deeper in the ship. It was just as well that she was a passenger in her own body, as she kept having flashbacks. This raiding of ships was so...right. Visions of hordes of pirates storming sailing ships in the south china seas, cigarette boat running against large ships, sneaking onto large ships like this... Still Siran felt unpracticed. Unlike riding a bike, this was something that you could forget, and she was not feeling on top form.
In front of her she saw Robert approach the ward. Ah she thought just drop your spells, deactivate foci, go though and... On no! Cursing that she hadn't shouted out, Siran drew her huge two handed sword, and in swung it at the ward in a practiced fashion.
"Well the alarm is sounded" she said to Robert as she took huge swings. "The ward maker may be miles away, in which case we have a few seconds...Move it". Fortunately the ward made no sound on the material world, even though it was ringing deafeningly to her astral senses.
Once a hole was made, Siran closed them again in the concealing arms of her spirit, and moved rapidly to a place of concealment.
Seth
Oct 1 2011, 03:33 PM
@Dysfunctional Family (Doza, Jotamon, Isaac & Ajax)
[April 15th, 2072 11:06am; Through the looking glass]
<<I think we can avoid the pliers and teeth pulling for a while. I think we can just ask nicely and people will usually help: especially if it is to help a small child.
So if we are happy the base plan is:- Get some medical attention for my gun shots...
- Wait for the boy to wake up and ask him some questions
- Clean up, go back to Touristville and start asking around
Are you going to come with us physically Ajax, or lurk in the matrix?>>
AppliedCheese
Oct 1 2011, 06:57 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:20:00 Parking Lot]
Dealer stares at the commlinks for a long moment.
Awful convenient timing half-cut. But if you really sent your yak buddies to Ember's house...damn what i wouldn't give for something to confirm your words. Wonder if this is worth using a data-drop point with Kell for. Confirm the ritual sample stuff. Bad trail that though.
"Anyone got an in with some datahavens? Some way to put a bid out to confirm the information that Hansai just sent?"
<<@ GRP SuicideKings - Hansai Inclusive : Pixel didn't make it. Ambush.>>
Seth
Oct 1 2011, 09:25 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:20:00 Parking Lot]
<<[Hansai] I see. <pause> That is distressing. <another pause>. Very well I imagine that causes an issue with Matrix security. Giving Teague Matrix Superiority is probably a bad idea.
I have a contractor that I have used before that is on a similar level to Pixel. Here is a <Secure Identity Digest> that he will use to identify himself with. He's working for me at the moment on another case.>>
Friendbot2000
Oct 1 2011, 10:23 PM
@Dysfunctional Family
[April 15th, 2072 11:06am; Through the Looking Glass]
Ajax's icon smiles through his mask <<Lurk is such a dirty word, I like to think of it as covert observation. Yes I will be coming with you, give me a location and I can meet you there within the hour. I will bring my first aid kit and take a look at that gun shot wound. We should meet somewhere where there is lots of data and RFID traffic to confuse those that are tracking you through the bullet lodged in your gut. There is a pretty large marketplace on Tenpenny Square, do you know where that is? I am sending a mapsoft feed to your commlink. Lets meet at the Chinese place across from the electronics store, restaurants name is Lu Wao, I don't even think the name is Chinese but whatever. Anyways, I know the guy there, helped him prove his wife was cheating on him. Lucky for him he had a prenup. Just say Ajax sent you and he might hook you guys up with a meal. Food's pretty good. He has a back room that you will be able to hole away in til I get there. In the mean time apply pressure to the wound and don't drink anything. Trust me on that.>>
Ajax turned to Alice and bowed slightly <<If that is all, I have some preparations I need to make before heading out. I think we have collaborated sufficiently to get a few leads on where to start looking. As for payment I am sure you and I can find something agreeable on our own time, the more time we waste chatting the colder the trail gets. You know where to contact me>>
Ajax turns to the rest of you <<Remember, Chinese Restaurant, one hour. If you run into any trouble give me a call and I will get to you as soon as I can>>
Ajax signed off and awoke from hot-sim in his bed. He rubbed his eyes wearily and went over to his closet. He flicked a hidden switch and the closet wall slid open revealing a variety of weapons, ammo, B&E gear, and medical supplies. He strapped on his bullet proof vest and donned his armored trenchcoat. He pocketed a couple of extra clips for his gun and clipped his taser to his ankle holster. He grabbed his B&E gear and medkit and threw them in a shoulder satchel. He picked up his keys, press badge, and fake police badge out of the coin bowl on his way out. The police badge wasn't anything that would convince a cop or a corporate exec, but it looked real enough to fool Joe Shmoe and that is sometimes all you need.
Ajax sent a short message to Dao Wong, the owner of the restaurant, that some friends of him were coming and it was time for him to repay him that favor.
"It's going to be a long day" He muttered as he secured his fedora on his head. "A long day indeed."
Seth
Oct 1 2011, 11:52 PM
@Dysfunctional Family
[April 15th, 2072 11:06am; Through the Looking Glass]
Jotamon laughed. Ajax was sounding just like a school mistress. <<Yes Ma'am. Will do. We might have to wait a little for the boy to wake up.>>
Sheesh it isn't even a big wound. Jotamon was surprised the bullet was still in there: he thought it would have hurt an awful lot more. This felt like a flesh wound. Jotamon wasn't exactly used to getting shot, but it happened, and last time had been three weeks of bed rest and had organs regrown. Nope this was just a little itty bitty flesh wound.
Getting out his toolkit, Jotamon scanned for the RFID. There it was...well what a surprise. Bit specialist though: it should be straightforward to track someone who used specialist bullets like this.
ZAP!! The tag eraser did it's thing.
Friendbot2000
Oct 2 2011, 12:38 AM
@Dysfunctional Family
[April 15th, 2072 11:36 am; Through the Looking Glass]
Ajax lit a cigar in the cab of his beat up old sedan, "Dammit, where is Gin?! Bastard is always late. I have a place to be dammit." Almost as if summoned a scrawny looking ork tapped on the window of Ajax's car. Ajax looked over, finally it was Gin. Ajax leaned over and opened the passenger door, Gin eased into the car.
"Hey A, how's it hangin? When you going to take me up on that offer man? There is good money in info brokering."
Ajax sighed "I told you I ain't interested in no info brokering, my skills just ain't suited to sit behind a commlink all day so drop it!"
"Chill man, just offering. So what do you want my services for A? You don't come calling for nothing."
Ajax slipped him a credstick with 500 nuyen on it. "I want you to keep your ear to the ground about someone going after a kid off of NE 40th street. I also want to be the first to know if someone is asking around about me or a couple of people known as Jotamon and Doza. There is more coming your way as soon as I find out more."
"A, you know me, I always come through with the info man. I will keep an ear out, your money and trust is safe with me."
Ajax rolled his eyes "Alright, get out of the car. I got a meet to get to and you have kept me waiting long enough."
Gin saluted and hopped out of the car. Ajax drove off leaving the scrawny ork in the distance. "Hopefully that cagey bastard will come through for me" Ajax muttered.
JxJxA
Oct 2 2011, 03:44 AM
@ Suicide Kings[April 16th 2072; 00:20:00 Parking Lot][The Pixel Special, ID "Aubert Benoit"]Demon cracks a grin when he sees what
Hansai has to say about Knight Errant's search for his ritual sample.
Sometimes promiscuity comes with more than the usual carnal rewards. However, his grin disappears when he sees
Hansai ask about
Pixel. He decides that he owes the strangely agreeable
chien de salaires an explanation.
<<@ Group & Hansai: Pixel was killed when one of Teague's lackeys fired a LAW at our van. I saw the villain, but I was not fast enough to stop her. From my understanding, in her final moments she crafted some sort of program to help Dealer continue in her stead as our group's hacker. I know it to be little consolation, but I did manage to wound the chatte and hopefully knock her into a fatal last moment amidst an inferno. Her blood is now fresh on Teague's miserable hands, and while I cannot speak for my comrades, I will do all that I can to avenge her.>>
AppliedCheese
Oct 2 2011, 08:07 AM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:20:00 Parking Lot]
Dealer frowns deeply. They say that when your talking with the jap-corps or the Yakuza, you're supposed to spend the long pauses listening for what isn't being said. They in this case being an advanced linguasoft. Well, Dealer is listening.
We're expendable. You have replacements, and will find someone in a few seconds if we fail. And, incidentally your the only person who can provide us with immediate resources, so we best listen and be happy about it. Which is why we'll accept a totally unverified hacker from the last man to send us straight into an ambush. You will of course, let us die honorably so long as we play along. Bastard. Ok, we'll play.
He frowns again when he reads Demon's message.
Not sure we should be giving information to this guy, any more than we have to. But I guess if we're going to play along...
Seth
Oct 2 2011, 09:52 AM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:20:00 Parking Lot]<<Thank you for that moving speech Demon. I appreciate it. Even if I am a salaried dog.
I think a very important question is 'do you have evidence that can nail Teague and prove that you are innocent of this crime'. There are a lot of politics at work at the moment: important people are getting out of bed to discuss damage control. Having seen this sort of thing before, I believe that the expedient approach for Knight Errant is to apprehend you lot, and if you are shot while resisting arrest that would satisfy the media feeding frenzy.
Evidence that you didn't do it, is not as powerful as evidence that someone else did. If we are careful I can use the evidence that you didn't do it to get you arrested gently, although I think that is risky for those of you that are suspected of other crimes. I think the evidence from the witnesses at the Jucy Lucy may be enough to persuade a Jury that you had little to do with Gamma, although it will be challenging to get an unbiased jury. If that is what you want though, I will do my best to make it happen. Another option for you is to flee.
To help you in your decision making, I think I will discuss my other lead with you:
I was finishing a very unpleasant meeting with my superiors: they are really not impressed with any idea that the Gamma Liberation Front (that's you) didn't do it, when I received a personal comlink from Takahashi Yanaga <ARO link to Novatech management structure, showing Yanaga is the CEO, and that Teague reports directly to Yanaga>. You might not be aware, but Teague has not made himself many friends in Novatech. His meteoric rise was usually by crawling over the remains of his former boss. Yanaga has no desire to be the next target. I haven't communicated with him before, and I was rather surprised at the communication. Like myself he is a student on Kanryo-jutsu, and was able to communicate much while talking about other things.
On the surface:
He offered his condolences for the death of my partner. He knows my fiance, and offered us some tickets for the charity do tomorrow. He was careful to point out that Novatech was a separate corporation to Knight Errant, and they are under no obligation to provide access to a Knight Errant search warrent. Unless there was a great deal of evidence indicating that one of his employees was engaged in illicit activities, nothing could be done.
Under the surface:
He told me how to acquire a copy of the plans to Teague's estate, and that there is a hidden data center in the basement. Yanaga has been monitoring that center and it received a great deal of data from Allanby's warehouse about half an hour ago. As well as that data all events in the building are recorded there. For security, there is no offsite backup, and Teague has a simple mechanical push button in his bedroom to blow it up.
So I propose that you consider a plan to raid Teague's estate. Ideally you would do it when Teague is out, as the security will be lower then. There are I think two opportunities tomorrow:
Teague will be at a champagne breakfast tomorrow morning, and will be at the charity do tomorrow evening. I would propose that you do not leave it any later than that, as Knight Errant are diligently searching for you. I can arrange for a distraction at the gate, by serving a Knight Errant search warrant: this should attract the guard's attention, but unlike most distractions it won't increase the guard's sense of alertness.>>
AppliedCheese
Oct 2 2011, 06:08 PM
@ I'm on a boat
[April 15th 2072; 23:50 SS Henry VIII 4000 meters off shore, Puget Sound]
...as Siran slashed through the ward something unique happened - nothing. No alarms went off. No crackling announcements. The ship continued on its course with eerily little change. It was probably just a matter of time, but for the moment the ship seemed unaware. The stairwell loomed off to the right of the runner team, through another door. To their front, the hallway lead through a similiar entrance to what the mapsofts said was the sickbay and some administrative offices. At the far end was another stairwell leading up.
Apparently the crew got good exercise, because there were no elevators. With one "false" story, and another work area story before the final bridge level, maybe there just wasn't a real convenient place to put one.
Either way. 4 stories to go. And while there was nothing going off now, someone would certainly be interested in that ward sooner or later...
Aria
Oct 2 2011, 07:01 PM
@ I'm on a boat
[April 15th 2072; 23:50 SS Henry VIII 4000 meters off shore, Puget Sound]
Silk looked back at the others
<<Ok, chances are we are made or about to be...I have point, let's move! @Nine: Anything you can do by way of a distraction in about a minute would be welcome!>>
With that she gathered her magics into herself, and tracing her trajectory in her mind's eye, launched herself to the first half landing in a bound, weapon at the ready, but barely visible despite the harsh sodium lighting throwing shadows across the stair well...
Aria
Oct 2 2011, 07:10 PM
@ Suicide Kings
[April 16th 2072; 00:20:00 Parking Lot]
Ember grimaced from beneath the layers of bandage and newly applied synth skin. Despite looking red and raw, and his left hand a twisted parody of its former self, he felt surprisingly well, the adrenalin coursing through him and the ever increasing anger no doubt keeping the crushing pain at bay...and he granted the cocktail of painkillers probably had something to do with it too, technology did have its uses, sometimes...
Careful that Hansai's connection was muted for now
"Some of us have little choice here it seems. I have a life outside of the shadows which I would like to return to, even if Ember is to be no more. And that does not address the matter of Teague and his ilk. He must be made to pay for stepping over the bounds of acceptable behaviour...and I am not talking about setting up people to divert attention from himself, that I can accept...he attacked a fixer, that is bad, that she was my wife makes it unforgiveable. He placed my children in danger and for that the lowest pits of hell will not keep him safe from me!"
Aria
Oct 2 2011, 07:18 PM
@Dysfunctional Family
[April 15th, 2072 11:06am; Through the Looking Glass]
<<If you are in need of medical attention then Doctor Bob's Quick Stitch is a reliable back street clinic near the area where the boy came from and I hope you will go back to for me. If I can help you with anything else...?>>
***
The bullet lies in the palm of Jotamon's hand. It is a specialist item. The RFID tag is part of a burrowing fragment ejected from the bullet on impact. You suspect that even a glancing hit would be sufficient for it to imbed itself (as indeed it did). Whoever these people are they like to know where their bullets end up...but it will take some expert knowledge to track it further, this didn't come off a shelf at Weapons World but its not cutting edge either, and the devil is in the details...but if you can link it somehow to the node's location that Jamie discovered...
Friendbot2000
Oct 2 2011, 07:44 PM
@Dysfunctional Family
[April 15th, 2072 11:45am; Ajax's Car]
"Damn, traffic is awful." Ajax growled. Why the hell are so many people on the roads? Don't wage slaves eat at their desk? Ajax went into AR and browsed through special events going on in the city. "Bingo!" He said as he came upon an ad for some skinny elf chicks concert tour, Savannah Montano. Jeez the 16 year old girl was only wearing a scrap of clothing that barely covered her sensitive areas. No decency. "Music's crap too" he said under his breath as he watched a video of one of her songs. He couldn't sit through the whole thing and quickly exited the window. He looked around at all the cars and sure enough, there were tons of teenyboppers crammed into them. Don't these kids have school to go to. It is only noon!?
"Jesus Tap Dancing Christ, if Margerette and I had a child we would have to put an RFID tag on the kid just to keep em out of trouble today" He wistfully thought back to his days growing up. His mother used to tell stories about how different things were in her day and her mothers day. Due to the context of the times today, a kid wouldn't believe the stories his mom and dad told about their childhood. "Times have changed" he muttered rubbing his eyes.
He breathed a sigh of relief as he turned onto a back road leading into the part of town where the Chinese place was. "Sometimes I hate living in the city" He growled as he drove on down the narrow side streets.