[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 5:52pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
PAN = Passive| Fake SiN = Thomas Mylekovich | UCAS Citizen

Warden hands Jessie over to rick to get her out of the way and takes the wheel, peeling off in the nearest available getaway from the approaching police. "Keep her low, out of sight if you can."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:53pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
Mode = Passive | Fake SiN = Lyle Emmet | CAS Citizen


Rick stares at the automatic weapon for a bit, not sure what to do with it, then he puts it down on the floor of the car and slides it underneath his seat as best he can. "Damn, going to have to figure out how to deal with the Yaks and Triads."

<<@Erik Nevermind about the car, explain everything later.>>

Rick settles in and reloads his taser, while they make their way to Peaches.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:53pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
Ghost; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Elayne Allister

Once she is a few hundred meters or so away from the scene, Ghost calls up the Denver map on her image link and figures out a good spot to meet with Cruiser.

<< @Cruiser [Ghost] Cruiser, can you pick me up here? [Attached: Map Coordinates] I will be there in a few minutes. >>

She also takes the time to change her face and hair once more, this time she turns her hair color red and her face to that of a typical caucasian. Her eyes are now colored green to be a good match with her new red hair.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:53pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
Cruiser; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Marcos del Campo

Cruiser had left the scene a few minutes ago, and was waiting at a side street for the rest of the team, monitoring the commlink chatter,

<< @Team: Come on guys get moving! >>

As soon as he gets the text from Ghost asking to be picked up a few meters away, he peels out and heads to the point on the map. As he gets there he scans the area looking for Ghost.

Cruiser just barely recognizes a caucasian woman wearing the same clothes Ghost was a few minutes ago, and he guns the bike towards her. Skidding to a stop a few meters away, "Hop on Chica! You are one hard lady to keep track off!"

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:53pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
Ghost; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Elayne Allister

"Hey! What do you mea... ah, that... yeah, I figured it is a good idea at this point."

Drawing the hood from her zipper over her head, she moves over to the bike and hops onto the backseat.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:55pm | Denver, CAS Sector]

Ghost and Cruiser take off and quickly catch up to Rick and Warden in the Jackrabbit. The six blocks blow by quickly, and the sound of sirens diminishes as you flee the scene.

You approach the corner of 6th and Havana, and begin to scan for Peaches. There are a few people out, but the most obviously loitering individuals are an ork woman with an unruly red-haired ponytail, and a human woman adorned in what looks like mostly chrome and lace. They stand on opposite corners.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:55pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
Cruiser; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Marcos del Campo

Cruiser sends Peaches a quick text message to help him distinguish which one is the coyote and which one is the street-walker.

<< @Peaches[Cruiser]: Hey baby, heading your way in a Jackrabbit and a bike. The handsome one on the bike with the chica holding tight is me. You ready to run? I'm hoping you're the cute redhead? >>

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:55pm | Denver, CAS Sector]

The redhead on the corner laughs out loud, and makes a dash over to the Jackrabbit.

"Sugar," she yells to Cruiser, "that pretty young thing know that you sweet talk other girls while she's riding with you?"

Her accent is straight out of a Georgia peach orchard, thick and syrupy. She's of roughly middle age, though that's a rough guess with orks. Call it pushing forty if she were human.

To Rick, she asks "This everybody then, hon? Sounds like you got some heat on y'all's tail..."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:55pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
PAN = Passive | Fake SiN = Lyle Emmet | CAS Citizen

"Yes Ma'am.. this is everybody." He flashes the orc lady a smile. "We need to get across to the UCAS side, asap."

Rick files away basic information and a picture of Peaches for later use.

<<@Cruiser Follow us I guess.>>

"Where to?"

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:55pm | Denver, CAS Sector]

Peaches hops into the Jackrabbit, in the back seat. "See that old parking structure there? You go right in there and take the ramps down to the fourth floor underground."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:55pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
Ghost; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Elayne Allister

"Oh, no. He can be all yours!" Ghost says with a wink, as Peaches yells to Cruiser.

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 5:55pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
PAN = Passive| Fake SiN = Thomas Mylekovich | UCAS Citizen

Warden gives a smile at Peaches as he removes his helmet. "Pleased to meetcha, Peaches. Lyle, think you can take the wheel again? I need to do some reloading on Jessie there now that we have a little less heat breathing down our neck. " Warden switches places with Rick. As the car starts heading for the old parking garage, he takes Jessie's drum out, changes the feed mechanism, and then puts in a clip filled with stick-n'-shock from his pack.

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 5:59pm | Denver, CAS Sector]

Seats switched and weapons reloaded, you drive into the abandoned parking garage. It's slow going, as the concrete is not in the greatest of shapes, and there's exposed metal structure here and there along the way. It gets darker as you go downstairs - no power to the lights - but the drive is not a great deal of trouble.

At the bottom of the ramp, Peaches climbs out and rolls up a section of rusted fencing exposing another set of tunnels. It's plenty large enough for you to go in with the car, but not well lit.

"It's a bit bumpy. Keep 'er under 30 or we'll all wind up losin' teeth."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:55pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
PAN = Passive | Fake SiN = Lyle Emmet | CAS Citizen


Rick lets the AR displays for the car filter in his mind's eye and guides the Pilot Program through the turns.

"How long is this going to take us Peaches? We're on a tight schedule.."

He orders the pilot to keep her under 30, as he methodically begins to map their drive against his personal Denver Mapsoft.

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 5:59pm | Denver, CAS Sector]

Rick starts mapping the route, and notices as the car proceeds through the tunnels that the wireless signal becomes a little attenuated. Not entirely, by any means, but obviously the concrete and the like is blocking some of the signal.

"Oh, it's about ten minutes or so to the other side, Sugar. These old waterways are a bit rough - and some of 'em I swear were part of the old bomb shelters from back in old days - but they'll get us where you're goin'"

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 5:59pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
PAN = Passive| Fake SiN = Thomas Mylekovich | UCAS Citizen

"Sounds good to me. Peaches, I take it there'll be other folks down here with us, do they tend to be... unfriendly?"

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:02pm | Denver, CAS Sector]

"Oh, sure, I'm not the only one as knows about this place. There's more than a handful of others. And squatters and the like - street people, that sort of thing."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 5:59pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
Ghost; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Elayne Allister

On the short break, when they are at the bottom of the ramp, Ghost uses the time to check on the stuff she put into her pockets earlier.

<< [Ghost] Woah, guys! An Peng and Jonny left us with a nice sum. ¥¥¥ >>

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 5:59pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
PAN = Passive| Fake SiN = Thomas Mylekovich | UCAS Citizen


<< [Warden] You got some good hands, Ghost. Let's split it up after we get done with our business. I know a quiet place we can have a drink to celebrate. >>


"Doesn't sound like they'll bother us if we don't bother them, though."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 6:02pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
Cruiser; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Marcos del Campo

Once inside the tunnels Cruiser will activate the low-light vision built into his wrap-around sunglasses, the ultra-wide radar sensor and overlays output on his AR display. The thick concrete impedes the radar to a few feet, but it does pick up movement behind regular walls, barriers and other simple debris. Come on little roaches, show me where you hide...

Scanning around he is alert for any ambushers.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 6:03pm | Denver, CAS Sector]

Cruiser scans the passageways and finds them to be essentially deserted. This once, the loud motorcycle is a detriment, as it reduces his hearing and makes the passage of your two vehicles much more obvious.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 6:08pm | Denver, CAS Sector]

After driving for some time, you come to a branching off of tunnels, and Peaches points you to the left. From the right hand side, you see that it is well lit, and hear the sound of Country and Western music.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 6:08pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
Ghost; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Elayne Allister

Ghost just keeps her eyes open for any surprises that might come their way.

Rick Noland
[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:08pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
PAN = Passive | Fake SiN = Lyle Emmet | CAS Citizen

Rick makes sure to jot down that little tidbit on his map. Western/Country Music/Well Lit/ Need to explore. Hopefully he can come back some other day and figure out what's down there.

"What's down that branch Peaches?" He asks curiously.

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:08pm | Denver, CAS Sector]

"Down there you'll find the Five by Five. It's a little hole in the wall - just about lit'rally - where folks in the smuggling trade go to have a drink and maybe find work.

You quickly leave the Five by Five behind, and the sounds don't travel far - at least not over the sounds of your own vehicles coming through. The path is still smooth, and for the longest time untroubled.

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:12pm | Denver, CAS Sector]

Ahead if you in the headlamps' glow, you see a group of people, maybe ten total.

Warden and Rick can immediately see that something is amiss. Five of the figures are all bald, with gray, washed out and patchy skin. They appear to be herding a group of four others, all in less than perfectly clean clothing into an alcove over to the left of the tunnel you're taking.

"They sure as drek weren't here when I came through last time," says Peaches. Interestingly, her southern syrupy drawl is nowhere in evidence.

Cruiser, in the back on his bike, also noticed the group of people, but from her position behind him, Ghost was looking more to the sides and rear and has yet to clue into the situation.

The figures are no more than a few dozen yards ahead, and will likely make it into the alcove before you pass.

Rick Noland
[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:12pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
PAN = Passive | Fake SiN = Lyle Emmet | CAS Citizen


"Is that.. Is that Ghouls?"

Rick looks over at Warden, "We don't really have time to be messing with this... I saw we just keep on going for now."

Missing the deadline would be bad, and they've already had enough issues.

<<@gang: Guys, group of something up ahead, I say we keep on going. We're not getting paid to clean up the sewers.>>

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 6:12pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
Ghost; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Elayne Allister

Not being able to see in front, Ghost sends a message to the others, who were in a better position to see what was going on.

<< [Ghost] Something? Anything more specific? Can't see a thing from here. Ahead? Will we have to get close to them? Maybe we can't avoid them just so. >>

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 6:12pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
Cruiser; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Marcos del Campo

<< @Team: Looks like ghouls that have already found their lunch. Don't think they will be bothering us. Ghost, check behind us to see if any more are creeping out to try something against us. >>

He keeps the bike steady and continues to survey the road ahead for any more ghouls. Although he feels for the unfortunates who have been caught for lunch, he realizes that there is little he can do for them, and they would probably end up as prey for another predator soon enough...

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 6:12pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
Ghost; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Elayne Allister

<< [Ghost] Ghouls? Eew. I heard those are some pretty nasty buggers. >>

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:12pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
PAN = Passive| Fake SiN = Thomas Mylekovich | UCAS Citizen

<< [Warden]Dunno what's up here necessarily, but if we get involved, it could just make the situation here worse, or simply change nothing. Either way, we lose precious time for what we're doing here. I agree, we need to keep moving.

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, UCAS Sector]

With grim determination, you roll on past the alcove where the people were being herded by their ghoul assailants. The rest of the drive proceeds quickly, with the strength of your wireless connections returning to normal just before you break back out into the dusk on the UCAS side.

You look on your mapsofts and see that you're just a few block west of Hwy 2, which runs north right into the Montbello district, where you're headed.

"Well, that ought to do it," says Peaches. "You need any other he'p getting on back into the CAS, you give me a holler?" She waits while someone lets her out of the car.

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
PAN = Passive| Fake SiN = Thomas Mylekovich | UCAS Citizen

"Thanks, Peaches, I'm think you'll be hearing from us again."

Rick Noland
[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
PAN = Passive | Fake SiN = Lyle Emmet | CAS Citizen

"Thanks Peaches.. you'll definitely hear from us again.. "

He opens up the door and lets Peaches out..

<<[Lyle] Ghost, you want to get back in the car? Or you like cozying up to Cruiser?>>

He's marking this section and using his mapsoft, with TrafficBuster Technology™ to try and find the fastest route to their destination.

<<[Lyle] What ever we doing.. we gotta get doing it now.>>

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
Cruiser; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Marcos del Campo

Cruiser nods appreciatively to Peaches as she steps out of the Jackrabbit, "You know I'm gonna give you a call. Maybe you can show me around that Country and Western place we passed."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 6:12pm | Denver, UCAS Sector]
Ghost; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Elayne Allister

<< [Ghost] Ok, coming. >>

Ghost hops off Cruiser's bike, saying a quick "Thanks for the ride." to him, then heads over to the car.

Once seated, she breaks out the two sliverguns from Jonny, keeping the one that is still usable in her hand, while offering the other to the guys.

"Those are Jonny's. Well, were. This one seems jammed, any idea how to fix it?"

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
PAN = Passive| Fake SiN = Thomas Mylekovich | UCAS Citizen

Warden takes the pistol and examines it for a few moments. "Yeah, I could probably fix this." He takes a small kit out of his pack, fiddles with the pistol for a few seconds, and pops out the offending cartridge. "Null sweat, though you'll probably shoot with her better." He hands the pistol back to Ghost, good as new.

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, CAS Sector]

As Ghost makes the move from the bike to the car, Peaches gives Cruiser a big smile. "Oh, Sugar, you know I'll be calling you!"

Back to your standard positions, you begin the remainder of the trek towards the destination address: 4923 Billings Street. The map has you cutting south on Hwy 2 to 56th, then across to the east for a couple miles to Peoria, where you'll head south, and then east into a subdivision full of fancy houses with big yards and high fences.

Highway 2 is busy, but not gridlocked, at this time of day. Most of the heavy traffic has started to settle down. You make your way to the turn onto 56th without incident. Once you head down 56th, however, something does catch your attention - all of you notice it this time. In the rearview you can see a group of half a dozen go-gangers on Harleys heading towards you...

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, UCAS Sector]
Ghost; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Elayne Allister

<< [Ghost] Uh, oh. That sounds like trouble. >>

Getting the gun out, that Warden just fixed, Ghost keeps it ready, in case another fight breaks out.

She also lowers the windows to the side a bit, so she can shoot out of the car without damaging them.

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
PAN = Passive| Fake SiN = Thomas Mylekovich | UCAS Citizen

Warden looks back at the gangers to get an idea of threat level."I don't like this." He opens the window and gets Jessie ready to fire. "Bet they'll get a real shock out of Jessie... Hehe."

Rick Noland
[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
PAN = Passive | Fake SiN = Lyle Emmet | CAS Citizen

<<[Lyle] Gang, looks like we got company. What we wanna do?>>

"Guys make sure your seatbelts are on." says Rick. "I'll see if the pilot has an appropriate mode."

He cycles through the pilot's command structure, trying to find an 'evade kidnapping/pursuit' mode.

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, CAS Sector]

Warden peers out the window, getting a better look at the bikers. All in the same garb, dark blue jackets with orange accents. Some sort of common symbol you're not familiar with on the sleeves.

Rick has no luck in finding any specific programming for evasive action. Apparently the folks that designed this hatchback didn't figure it would need much in the way of combat driving. There is a setting for "defensive driving" but that really does look mostly defensive.

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
PAN = Passive| Fake SiN = Thomas Mylekovich | UCAS Citizen

"Just don't get dumb with the driving. I can shoot these guys better than you can drive."

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
Cruiser; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Marcos del Campo

Peeking a quick glance behind to the bikers gaining distance on them Cruiser swears under his breath and sends a quick message to the team,

<< @Team: Looks like they are catching up on us. Should we pull over and fire into them or shoot as we drive? I vote for pulling over... >>

Cruiser then switches his bike to the AutoPilot Program and selects "Defensive Driving". He then gets his HK 227X ready, and swaps out the regular ammo for a clip full of Stick-n-Shock...

Rick Noland
[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
PAN = Passive | Fake SiN = Lyle Emmet | CAS Citizen


<< This thing only has 'defensive' options. I think we might be better off pulling over. >>

Rick pulls out his Colt Manhunter, and gets ready for yet another shoot out. "We're starting to make a habit out of this."

As soon as there's some concensus he'll bring the car down to a stop as quickly as possible, but meanwhile he sets the pilot on "Defensive Driving".

---

[Monday, April 4th 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, CAS Sector]

The bikers crank on the accelerators and quickly surround you from the right and the rear. One in particular is well in front of the others, while the five further back are clustered together, hooting and hollering at the tops of their lungs.

Inside the Jackrabbit, an ARO pops up indicating that the vehicles approaching are too close, and that the system is going into defensive mode. Your speed immediately drops, and the car begins to pull over into the shoulder.

On his bike, Cruiser hears the same suggestion in his earpiece, and the piloting program begins to attempt a safe deceleration in the median.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, CAS Sector]
Cruiser; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Marcos del Campo

Cruiser shifts the bike back from Autopilot, guns the engine and moves up to the driver's side of the jackrabbit. Using the Thundercloud's sensor package to look behind he steers the bike with his left arm and grabs the SMG in his right and aims backwards. Superimposing his smartlink target locator on the Thundercloud's sensor feed, he aims carefully at the next biker in line behind the first... PHUUT PHUUT PHUUT

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, CAS Sector]

At the first burst of fire from Cruiser, the second lead biker dodges to one side, and the bullets kick up sparks off the surface of the road.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, UCAS Sector]
Ghost; PAN = Passive, Fake SIN: Elayne Allister

<< [Ghost] Alright, let's show them, that we are no easy prey! >>

Ghost aims for the closest go-ganger coming their way and fires the pistol twice in semi-automatic mode. She doesn't feel confident enough in the little gun training she had in the past, to switch the gun to burst fire mode.

[Monday April 4th, 2072 | 6:21pm | Denver, UCAS Sector]

Ghost's first shot is short, shooting past the biker's back. Correcting, the second shot catches the young biker in the side. He grunts under the impact, but the flechettes don't appear to penetrate. You notice as you're taking aim that, unlike his brethren in the rear, he doesn't look excited. He looks apprehensive, and more than a little scared.

Seeing that the car is already decelerating, the lead biker leans into it, in a haphazard attempt to force it off the road. The onboard software quickly interprets this as a "near miss" and while not quite standing on the breaks, quickly decelerates to get clear of both the incoming biker, and Cruiser on the other side. It slides to a stop in the median, and waits for a clear roadway to resume travel.

The bikers give a huge yell when the car pulls aside, and the boy on the lead bike, for all his terror, raises both of his hands in the air, briefly, in some manner of exaltation. The rest of the bikers rev their engines and blow past the Jackrabbit, whatever they'd been looking for apparently satisfied.