*after buy beer gore turns to Al*

Nasty habit you have there friend, that stuff will catch up with you in time ya know


**gore places a beer next to Al*

Lonely Hearts 2319 11/5/70

"Nasty habit? All work an' no play, mi compadre, all work an' no play. 'sides, if mind-readin' snakes, sandstorms, Cambodian jailers an' toxic demons couldn't get me, these things sure as hell ain't gonna do it. An' thanks fer the brew."

Lonely Hearts 2319 11/5/70

The persona was somthing of incredable grace, with silver and irvy liquid curves, all lost behind a could of fragmented pixels and static, so only small, vauge portions of the ihdden beauty could be seen at any given second.
It paused to consider.
I will need to follow the message, meaning I will need a track protocal...
It filtered through the memories it had accululated in its breif existance, and found a captivating one. Vauge handforms brushed some of the pixels and static off his form, and they clouded and congealed, leaving a velocipede in its place. Not the faciest Track Complex Form every threaded, indeed, he had been going for soming more along the lines of a Harly, but it would do nicely. Then he began writing in the air with his finger, and a trail of static distorion was left behind, forming the letters. Then the letters bound themselves together into a neat parcel, and and took at at tremendous speeds. peddling like a mad man, he chased the message to its destination. all the destinations...

Sebastain snapped back into the flesh, lost his balance, and promptly fell over. With obviously augments reflexes he flows right back onto the stool. He grins the Grin-of Triumph. Then he discreetly checks is ears for blood, and his grins turns sheepish at having done so.

"Ok, I have found them, the information is just filtering through."

Lonely Hearts 2319 11/5/70

Al watches Sebastian fall to the ground and then flow back to his seat, then looks up at Gore. "And you say I got bad habits?"

Lonely Hearts 2319 11/5/70
"whats this about bad habits?" Sebastian asks, inociently. He can't help but feel like his calf muscles should be sore, after all that peddling. The real world is a strange, strange place.

Avie's pad, November 5, 2319 23:20

The A.I.s message and scans ping him back to the outskirts of Everett.

As Avenger recieves this new message, his brow furrows. Another anonymous message! What the frag!? Avenger again analyzes the message to find it's sender, and then again jacks in to the matrix and asks his agent to do another datasearch for this person.

He then turns back to his own work on the matrix, and sends Sebastian a message back saying, "Don't waste my time with frivolous messages. If we're gonna meet in an hour and a half, just wait an hour and a half to say hi next time. Patience young padawan. Patience. PS - Spoof your comm next time you send a message, I've already cross-referenced this comm with the earlier message, so I know your legit. And if we're working together, then learn to cover your trail, and spoof your comm." His persona flashing a sly grin underneath an anime-ish ninja mask and flairing hair. Avenger's Icon wears a black cloth karate gi with the sleeveless top. His eyes flare with a red glow that seems to let faint red smoke out of them. The message ends as he gives a slight bow, and ends the transmission.

The PPR, 23:19 11/05/70

"What is this?" Patch stares at the message on his Comlink. "You've got to be kidding me. Not worth turning off the trid for." I'll be talking to him in... Crap I should get going. He can wait until I get there. With that Patch heads outside and drives off towards the Lonely Hearts Club.

Lonely Hearts, 23:19 11/05/70
"Patch is in Southern Seattle, probably not too far away" Sebastian says, looking at the AR display, "And Avenger seems to be in in Everett...the outskirts of it anyways." He then seems slightly lost and tuned out from the world for a few seconds as Sebastian composes a reply to avenger.
It wouldn't have been fare to spoof my comtrail. After all, I only sent you a message so I could get a fix on your commlink, why should I make it hard for you to do likewise?

Lonely Hearts 2320 11/5/70

"Great job kid. Yer all over this thing." Al pauses to blow smoke out a nose that has obviously been broken a few too many times, before continuing in a voice that sounds like a corpse being dragged though a gravel quarry, "Either o' you two know anything about these other jokers? Or better yet about our would-be employer, this Crawford cop?"

My self personally have never heard of the this guy, but a job is a job. albeit i prefer raiding ancient tombs for artifacts of power, but need something to pay the bills so ill most likely take this one on for some "easy" money. I need an upgrade in living, my coffin is not doing my back any good what so ever.

*Gore takes a sip of his water*

Gentlemen shall we go and sit at a table somewhere i cant be doing with all this standing up malarkey..

Lonely Hearts 2320 11/5/70
"Sounds Good!" Sebastian delcaires, and continues as they sit down."You said you've been in tombs? AND magic? Thats really weird stuff, please, tell me some stories..." As the group falls into chatter of warstories and past runs, Sebastian, covers the rounds and the time seems to disapear....

Outside The Lonely Heart's Club - Downtown Seattle, southside - 11.5.70 2350

Gracefully reflecting close to 200 years of engineering, the sleek black Mercedes, pulled into the parking lot behind the Lonely Heart's Club. Jack Crawford, a hard man stepped out of the luxury car thinking to himself how fine a vehicle it was. It sure beats the hell outa that Patrol-1 I bought at eh auction last year.

"Did you enjoy your ride Jack," a deep voice called from seemingly no where. Jack whirled on his heels, drawing his Warhawk. When he turned around he saw that his gun was pointed right at the forehead of Davin Grey, the owner of the club, and the man who had sent him the car.

"Jeez, man you scared the hell out of me," Jack said holstering his sidearm.
"You've awfully jumpy this evening jack, worried," Grey replied in a distrubingly unshaken voice.
"No it's not that, it's just every time I have to hire guys like this, I just wonder about morality," he said. Reaching into his inside coat pocket, he pulls out a cigarette case and lighter. From the case he produces a black cigarette and lights it with the Zippo of the same color.

"This is not a place for morality Jack, if you consider what's at stake," Grey says, pulling out his own smokes.
"I know, I just can't shake this uneasy feeling I'm having. Are you sure about these guys?"
"I can only personally vouch for one of them, and that's Gore, though I must say Gerard has spoken very highly of Al, and I took a look at him when I was on the floor earlier, he looks like hell but definately trust worthy. As for the others, I can't say, we'll just have to watch and wait." Davin exhales his cigarette, and the blue grey cloud hangs in the air, slowly fading to nothing.
"You've been a good friend over the years, so I'll take your word for it, I've taken care of what you asked me to, are we good on this end," Crawford looks uneasy.
"Jack, you've nothing to fear, Debian is working overtime to handle the node personally, and Riley has cooked up some serious astral hell for anyone who cares to try and disturb you this fine evening, it's under control," he places a thick calloused hand on Jack's shoulder, "Now come, there are three of them already here, so before you hit the floor, lets have a drink."

The two men walk into the back entrance of the club, pausing only a moment to scan security clearances.

The Lonely Heart's Club - Downtown Seattle - 11.6.70 0001

Jack wasted no time finishing his drink in the back with Davin, he wasn't in a hurry but he was certainly nervous. He didn't like to think that despite the common opinion that Lonestar did whatever they wanted to whom ever they wanted, he had to rely on a group of shadowrunners to get at a target who was from his stance, untouchable.

He paused for a moment behind the bar access door to get himself together, and into the zone, which the drink he had had earlier made that much easier. He opened the door and slipped into the club.

The Lonely Heart's Club - Downtown Seattle - 11.6.70 0007

A man comes out the employees only door, he is tall, standing about 6'2", and powerfully built. Pausing only for a moment to survey the crowd, the otherwise none descript man walks to the bar says a few words to the bar tender who subtly gestures to your table, and then he turns around placing his elbows behind him on the bar, and watches the activity of the Club.

Al

Lonely Hearts 2320 11/5/70


Well sebastion one of my more major aquisitions was a certain magical book, i was hired to find the source of an attack on a certain Mega Corp. The trail lead me and my team over to europe, france, germany and italy. It was in the 16th chapel where i found the book. I made a few enemies that day, 1 major one being the catholic faith.

The book led me to a certain elf by the name of leonardo divinci, nice chap he was solid user of the mystic arts. i handed him his book he rewarded me and we went our seperate ways.

He showed me an interesting item, along the lines of your ilk. he had created a magical "Deck". i dont understand the ins and outs of the matrix but aprently it was quite a spectacular thing, Me, Myself i dont care about technology at all. it serves its purpose and thats all i need from it

*Gore Smiles*


And what of yourself young sebastion?

Lonely Hearts 0007 11/6/70

"Don't ever'body go eyeballin' 'im all at once now, but the big feller just sidled up ta the bar, that's the guy arranged this li'l shindig."

Lonely Hearts 0007 11/6/70

*gore looks around to see who Al is talking about, his perception switches as he takes off his glasses to a magical view to see if the figure by the bar is magically active*

Lonely Hearts 0007 11/6/70

When Gore turns to check out the man at the bar, Al minds his manners, resisting the urge to lean over and sniff the purple-coiffed troll's tasty beverage. That has freakin' gotta be vodka. No way he's drinking - the horror - water...

"Never met a lawman I could abide," pronounces AL. "Whaddaya make of 'im, big guy?"

Lonely Hearts 0007 11/6/70

*Gore Looks at Al*

Well, i would use the word "Law" very lightly in this day and age, Corporations are a law unt to themselves. Lonestar is just another fish in a pond with only a few big players, but i digress. The gentleman at the bar looks like a well kept gentleman of the "law".

So Al What is your foretay? What do you Do? with regards to...*gore looks around and leans in close and whispers quietly*.. the shadows?

Lonely Hearts 0008 11/6/70

Al's heavy eyebrows arch slightly at Gore's last couple of words, but then his cracked and fissured face is all business. "Well, I know karate. Voodoo, too," he rasps in a voice that sounds like it hurts. And then, with great generosity, "I'm gonna make myself available ta you."

Lonely Hearts 0008 11/6/70

*gore Smiles*
Voooooodooo ah well all traditions of the arcane arts are welcome at my side, as for you being available, Al im NOT that kind of troll!

*Gore lets out a loud belly laugh, slapping Al on the back, then taking another big swig of water*

You say this is a bounty, anymore info you can divuldge??

Lonely Hearts 0008 11/6/70

"Just what we already ran by ya - Star lost track o' sumun a coupla days ago during those revenoor riots. Now the Keystones need him or her or it back, an' the money's sposed to be real good."

Lonely Hearts 0008 11/6/70

Real Good money eh??? now im liking that liking that alot

*finishes his water*

well i believe the next round is yours *Gore smiles*

Lonely Hearts 0007 11/6/70
Sebastian Examines the relection of the man in a mirrior, using his cyberyes to zoom in and inspect him closely. Sebastian waits a minuet, time it exactly, and listens to what the others have to say. Sp this is the fellow, I better introduce us, since no one else seems polite enough to. Sebastian jumps up out of his chair and walks up to the man.

"Hi!" He says, extending his hand chearfully, "I'm Sebastian, and Thats Gore, and thats Al. I heard that You're the one who asked us all the come here. Well, three of us aren't here yet, but I think one of them is around Everret, and another near Southern Seattle, so it shouldn't be a long trip for him at all. It was longer for me I can tell you, but then again, everything moves so slowly here, so that might just be me. Have you noticed that everything seems to move slowly?"
Sebastian cocks his head to the side with the last question, and inhales deeply, catching his breath and he eagerly waits for a reply. On the inside he's beaming, and on the outside he is grinning more then slightly foolishly I am definatly getting better at talking to people. I talk for a long time there, which is good. or did time just go slow again and I didn't talk for long...

"Did I talk long there or in time just going slow again?" Sebastian, possibly inturuppting the man's start of the man's reply

Lonely Hearts 0008 11/6/70


*Gores eyes widen, his jaw drops*

Who in the world is that guy! What is he doing?!

right then .... Well its good to know the calibur of people ill be working with.... *gore shakes his head and puts his head in his hands*

Lonely Hearts 0008 11/6/70


Al gives an offhand salute and brief nod to Crawford from his seat a few yards away, then turns his attention to Gore. "Well, big guy, I wun't git my tripleXLs all in a bunch. Now I cannot say I've got any experience in the sorta show I'm startin' to think this party is shapin' up ta be - but I done watched my share o' trid, and I grant'cha, that warn't hardly how this typa meetin' goes down on Shadowteam X or Lords of the Barrens, but think about it another way -
"We already seen him. Lord is my witness that Gerry cain't keep a secret any more'n a mina bird on crank, so we know he already spotted us'n. An' he knows we seen 'im, and he knows we know he knows, and so on ad infinitum, as they say in the Good Book. So when ya think about it from that sorta perspective, really, jist how moronic would it've been fer us all to sit around makin' believe that the one had not spied the other?
"So I reckon what's done is done and the kid there saved us from our own stupidity, though I wun't mind if these other fellas was here already. We gon' be workin' wit' the kid, best git up thair an' back 'im up."
Al starts to move off toward the bar, but as an afterthought comes back for his beer, and adds, "'Course that don' mean we don' keep a CLOSE eye on 'im from today on!"

Avie's pad 0010 11/6/70

Avenger who had focused himself on this meet was now ready to get started. He walks out to the garage of his pad, hops on his bike and races down the streets of Seattle's high society. He whizzes his way down to about 5 blocks away from the outside of the Lonely Hearts Club, deciding to walk the rest of the way. He finds a safe place to park it, locks it down. He then walks his way to the front of the club.

Avie's pad 0040 11/6/70
Avenger walks in the front entrance of the club, not checking anything in if possible. He gives a polite nod to the boouncer, and then turns to the elven woman and says, "I'm looking for Jack Crawford."

0010

"Hi!"

"Ah, hello there."

"I'm Sebastian, and Thats Gore, and thats Al."

Jack leans forward trying, only a little, to pretend he didn't already know, "Good."

'I heard that You're the one who asked us all the come here. Well, three of us aren't here yet, but I think one of them is around Everret, and another near Southern Seattle, so it shouldn't be a long trip for him at all. It was longer for me I can tell you, but then again, everything moves so slowly here, so that might just be me. Have you noticed that everything seems to move slowly?"

slightly taken aback by the rambling of the man infront of him Jack motions to Gerry to bring him something with some alcohol in it. "Yes, I'm your johnny, but I must admit, I wasn't expecting this many of you here this early, the others will most likely be here shortly."

"Did I talk long there or in time just going slow again?"

"I'm not sure what you mean about the time moving slower, but you did just spit out a mouth full," gerry hands him a beer and he drinks it almost in one go.

"What do you say we go join the rest of your party and get to know one another, no buisness yet, not until everyone is here, but just a little recreation."

0040

Jack while talking and comparing stories and notes with the runners notices over the shoulder of Al, Avenger walk into the club.

Avenger
The young elf woman looks slightly puzzled at Avenger then snaps back to the real world telling him that he is with friends at a table in the back.

Lonely Hearts 0010 11/6/70

Halfway towards the bar to make the best of an increasingly weird situation, and more importantly back Sebastian up, Al sees the two of them head back towards the table. He shrugs and goes back to his seat next to Gore.

The cop (?) does his best at small talk, but he seems nervous - just one more point against him - Nervous folk git bit, an' nervous snakes bite - either way it ain't good.

Following an initial handshake and nod, Al settled back and let Gore and Seb carry the conversation. He didn't generally have much truck with cops - No more'n fancied-up errand boys o' the revenoors.

The only thing good Al could find about the situation now was that it had been his turn to buy beers, but now Crawford was paying.

0040

Avenger gives the lady a smile before walking on by. He walks up to the bar and asks for a bottled water. He leaves a decent cash tip, after making sure the lady knows that she's here with Jack Crawford. Vinny has is

He walks over to the table in the back. Avenger nods at everyone sitting around. He offers his hand to the Johnson, IDing him from the datasearch he did. He smiles at Gore and offers his hand. Then he asks to noone in particular, "So, what have we got?"

Meanwhile in his head he's activated his commlink and begun chat with the pilot of Buzz still sitting in his arm. His skin seems to shift around a bit as the flyspy comes on line. Issuing commands to Buzz: Full sensor scan target 1 designate J. Crawford. Full sensor scan target 2 - designate city boy. Full Sensor Scan target 3 - designate country boy. He then puts his arms in his lap to slowly allow Buzz out of the skinpocket, and let him loose to scan the designated targets.

0040

*gore shakes avengers hand*

Well seems, to me like your bog standard run, i think mister crawford will elaberate in a few moments, mean time why dont i buy you a drink

*Gore walks over to the bar to get a drink, he looks back*

"avenger, the usual??"

Lonely Hearts 0041 11/6/70

Al watches as the newest arrival rolls in and gets right down to business. So this'un goes by Avenger. Well he sure as shootin' reads a lot more like them clowns on Shadowteam X or some o' them other trid shows 'bout shadowrunners. Al sighs to himself as his initial suspicions are more and more borne out. Well Al, looks like you done stepped in it again. But a job's a job's a job, an' if it means playin' 'shadowrunner' *raucous inward chuckle* then that's whut it means. Next we see if this latest feller's the real deal or jist puttin' on airs.

"You bet Gore, sounds good to me..." Avenger takes in the sights, looking around trying to get a feel for the layout and the crowd. So I wonder what made Cap like this place right here?

Avenger

A message flashes in the lower left quadrant of your vision:

"Scan Function Completed: Results Ready"

Lonely Hearts 0041 11/6/70
"Hi Next Time!" Sebastian says with a huge grin. "Wow, you look just like all the guys in trids that he own- I mean-" [B]Sebastian pauses and various expressions chase eachother across Sebastians face. Finally he ends up grinning again. "So you seemed uptight in your reply. Is there somthing wrong?"

Lonely Hearts 0041 11/6/70

Avenger looks the man up and down, "Meh... Just trying to limit the "geeked by association factor." Well anyways we can talk later if it bothered ya..." This guy legit or what?

Jack speaks up, interupting any conversation going on when he does, "Avenger, I trust your drone reports back all clear," he says looking off in the direction of the drone.

Lonely Hearts 0041 11/6/70
"Bothered me? Of course not." Sebastian said in his best reassuring tone. Which really wasn't very reassuring at all. "I'm mearly worried about you. I mean, when I get angery or stressed or mean my body tends to do weird stuff I don't like. Especially in the shoulders and chest. And if I am angery or stressed or afraid or mean then I end up not being happy, and I have decided that I like being happy, and I also think that most people do as well. Of course, I don't seem to understand most people well, so I might be mistaken here. do correct me if I am wrong."

Avenger gives a small nod and a smile to the J, and says, "Better safe than sorry. You can't always trust what you see nowadays."

Turning back to Sebastian he gives him a slightly puzzled look. This guy definitely has a few screws loose in that brain!

Lonely Hearts 0041 11/5/70

As soon as the cop mentions a drone, Al's gaze immediately follows his. He squints in that direction - which makes no difference with the cybereyes, but old habits are hard to break - but doesn't see anything. Don't mean there ain't nothin' there though. Yeah, this Sebastian kid might gonna need some lookin' after, but least 'e's a straight talker Al thinks, his gaze shifting to the improbably named Avenger, Seems like the 'Rule of Al' is gonna be as applicable tonight as ever - the smoothest talkers is the crookedest shooters.

Al scoots his chair away from the table - "Time ta drain the ol' lizzerd."

Lonely Hearts 0042+ 11/5/70

After that their conversation took a slightly more guarded tone, what with the Johnson being present, that was puctuated by several overtures on Sebastian's part to try to get Avenger to loosen up some. Gradulaly they got more comfortable with each other as they waited for the last to members to arrive....

Lonely Hearts 0044 11/5/70

Uhg... traffic! Patch walks into the club. He nods at the bouncer and takes a direct route to the bar. He notices a familiar face leaving the bar, but decides to get to business first. After getting the bartender's attention he asks, "Is Jack Crawford here yet?"

"Yeah, e's ere, table in da back, wit all those other guys," Gerry points in the direction of the table. As Patch walks away Gerry gives him a once over. This night just keeps getting better and better, we've got two chromed out adrenaline junkies, a troll with a very large stick, some whizbang hacker, complete with them little drone thingies, and good ol' Al. And that's not even counting this other guy. Gerry pulls up the picture of Aku in his vield of vision. I wonder what he brings to the table... hmmm must be one a them fancy spellslingers. Geez I wish I could get a piece of that, then maybe I could quit workin' for this place and run full time. But da big man, is a pretty good guy to work for and I'd hate to get him mad at me... Gerry fills a drink order from a digital request, and with nothing else to do pulls out a cloth and starts wiping down the bar.

*Gore walks back with his and Avengers drinks, he seems to be getting slightly agitated with the music playing in the club*


Frag me, my Head is throbbing, i wish these people would set up meetings in a establishment that plays beethoven or bach


*Gore Drops the drinks on the table*


I do wish people would hurry up..... holds his hand up to his glasses activating his vision enhancers

"ill never get used to this ...."

Gore Scans the room slowly...

The Lonely Heart's Club - 0050 11.6.70

As Patch walks towards the table, jack looks up from the scotch he was slowly nursing, "Ah, and you must be....Patch, please come, sit, we're still waiting on one more before I brief you on the job, and you decide if you're all game."

A buzzing sound is heard coming from Mr. Crawford, he leans down and fishes in his pocket and produces his commlink. After reading for a moment, frowning, he returns his attention to the group.

"Apparently the sixth, is not going to be coming tonight, perhaps I will meet up with him later. Shall we," he stands and gestures to the VIP section, "I've reserved a room just for the occasion, so we're not to be, erm, disturbed."

He guides the runners, into the back portion of the club and down a flight of stairs. The passageway levels out into seemingly a dead end, but Jack waves his hand and the wall slides open to his left. "Makes me feel like Ali Baba," he remarks to no one in particular. The hidden door, reveals a winding corridor, and at the end a single plain wooden door. Jack again pauses for a moment before opening the door, "I'd recommend that if you like your electronics you turn them off, the doorway has a strong electromagnetic field designed to fry any electronics that pass through it. I guess this is designed to keep out bugs, and I assure you it will have no effect on your cyberware," he says this last bit, looking at Sebastian and Patch. "Oh one more thing, the room is designed to be secure and as such the wireless signals are jammed before they enter the room, you can still access one another's PANs but in this room you are completely isolated from the matrix, save a single hardwired port in the wall. This might make some of you uncomfortable, and I appologize in advance," he says this time singling out only Sebastian.

With his little speak out of the way, he opens the door, which the runners see is not locked, pauses almost forgetting his own advice about turning off precious electronics, and walks into the room. He stops just inside the door, holding it until each potential employee has enter the room. The door closes with a perculiarly pleasing click. The front of the door had been wooden, but the back of the door was solid plasteel, complete with large bolts that manually locked from the inside, completely isolating the group from the outside world. Jack muscled the wheel on the back of the door until is spun and sent the bolts into the frame, with a loud metallic chunk. After the bolts were in a hissing noise manifested and a male voice, no doubt the security system's spider, returned,"All set Mr. Crawford, the UV grid is up on the hard line, the Air pressure reading is nominal, and I've activated the purifier so you don't all choke to death if somebody decides to smoke."

"Thank you Debian, I'll let you know if we need anything," Jack replied not at all startled about the overhead voice. He walked casually to the head of the table flipped open a hidden control panel in the surface, and flipped a series of switches. Geez no wonder your so nervous, locked in this little room with a bunch of deadly killers, but you've been in tighter spots than this much more often. If you can sit in a room, and interogate Jewel, you'd think handling a bunch of shadowrunners would be a walk in the park. Convincing himself that there was no need to be alarmed, after all the bouncer had been instructed to forward a list of all non-checked weapons these guys were carrying to him, he began his Introductions.

"My name is Jack Crawford, I know the usual fare for this type of thing is a pseudonym but it's the name my mother gave me and I can't seem to part with it. Besides that I used my commlink to send the 'invite' so any of you worth your weight in silicon could have tracked it. Now before I begin, breifing you on the situation, I want you to tell me what you know about this particular meeting, as sort of a test," Jack scans the room looking at each runner for a moment then moving on to the next.

*Gore Bathes in the Silence of the room, he sits, turns off his commlink and begins*

My dear Mr. Crawford, might i firstly thank you for picking myself for this particular dance. *Gore looks around the room* ill introduce myself, My name is Gorerak gregson, Gore to his Associates, My talents include and are not restricted to that of the arcane ways or as you gentlemen know it Magic. and if you want to know about magical history im your troll.

As for the job at hand, well i know its a bounty and that is the extent of my knowledge on that matter.

Avenger nods as Jack finally decides to ask them into a back room. Good, at least some professionalism As they come up to the hidden door, and Crawford gives a small warning about electronic systems. He runs a small diagnostic on himself shutting down all electronic systems. I'm starting to like this place.... May have to get to know the owner. Smart guy.

As the questions start, so does Avenger, "Hold off Gore. Before we go filling in our own histories and such, perhaps we should just talk about this man's question." Avenger's cybereyes gaze blankly around at all the other members. "I didn't do much research, since I wanted to come here and visit this establishment, and I'm not one for saying no to free drinks." He smiles lightly as the double single malt scotch is chilling on ice in his hands. "But some things I do know about this guy. He's star, a lieutenant. And as it would probably seem rather hard to pull a sting in this place. I'd say that we got ourselves a job that the star can't handle." Avenger turns to Jack Crawford and says, "Stop me when I'm wrong. I'm gonna guess that with the team assembled and our brief history, we're gonna be playing the bloodhounds. I have a few quesses of a mark, screamsheets are literally screaming about some bad star business recently, so I won't really guess too hard on who or what the mark is yet, and I'll let Jack pick it up from there perhaps."

Lonely Hearts 0049 11/6/70

Al wandered back from the can just as what looked like a robot with a human head showed up at their table. He'd heard about people with that level of replacement, but never seen one - but what the hell - the weirdest thing about this evening so far was just seeing that all that laughable crap on the trid was actually based on reality!

I am def'nitely gon' have ta keep muh eyes peeled wi' this bunch. But Ger' said the coin's good, and I ain't never turned down an honest job yet, nor found one I cun'n't handle.

So Al picked up his beer, wedged his cigarette in the corner of his mouth, and followed along, sticking close to Sebastian - he liked the kid, but figured he might just need a calming hand from time to time, if not someone simply to keep him from falling off his chair!

Back door, winding hallway, secret passage, turn off the commlink, and get locked into some ultra-security chamber. But this was getting to be par for the course. Things did take a turn for the better when the voice said they could smoke - not that Al had thought of not doing so. Leastways they ain't some crazy pack o' tuhbacca-Nazis. Things got even better when the cop called himself by his Christian name - sign of character, that.

When Crawford started with his little test, Al was ready to jump in with Gerry's tip about the target being someone the Star had lost track of during the riots two days ago - that sort of detail should impress. But then he remembered Gerry had said he wasn't supposed to say anything, and he didn't want to get the big guy in any trouble, especially not with these sorts of folks. So when his turn to play the game came around, Al bit the bullet and simply growled, "Sorry Boss, by the time I showed up these here good ol' boys'd pretty near sussed it all out," after which he had directed his attention to his beer.

The Lonely Heart's Club - 0051 11.6.70

Patch let's out a small sigh. "I don't know much about this job. In fact I know only one thing, and that's all I needed to know to show up. That one this is that the meet is at The Lonely Hearts, which means I don't have to worry about double crossing at this meet because it would shorten the Johnson's remaining lifespan to about a minute. Very strict place about that sort of thing. The meeting is in a secure room, which means you're a professional and you probably know the owner. Since you probably know the owner you ARE going to give us good info about the run. No double speak, or double crossing on that either because it will tarnish the reputation of this establishment which the owner will take a personal dislike to. Again this would drastically shorten you're remaining life span. So to sum up. Here's what I know. We're going to have a straightforward meet. You're going to give us good info. This is enough for me to be here. Here's what you should know. If we decide to take the job, we'll complete it in a timely manner. You'll pay us and everyone will be happy."

I hate these stupid games.

"Amen to that, brother. Amen to that." Al stubs out his cigarette and fixes Crawford in his sights - "Whaddaya say, boss? Can we git down to bizniss, or we gonna spend all night drinkin' 'n' flirtin'?"

Avenger sits there quietly smiling for a moment, trying to hold in a laugh.

After listening to the team tell what they know, Jack sits down at the head of the table with a crooked little smile, to those observant enough to notice it looks like he's on the verge of laughing. But just as quickly as it appeared the smile faded and he was right to buisness.

"The information I'm about to tell you does not leave this room. To use patch's own words, this will shorten your lifespan to about a minute," this time he couldn't help himself and chuckled trying to play it off as a nasty cough.
"On November 3 during the street riots about the taxes, when we had a shortage of guards at the holding center just outside of town, there was an incident. A maximum security inmate escaped killing 9 guards. Now I know what your thinking, why doesn't the star send in a strategic strike force after her? Well that's were the story gets tricky, we have managed to track her commlink, which is implanted in her head, to disputed area between Tir and CFS. And since lonestar has vested interests in both countries, and the Tir doesn't extradite, it's really a guess as to who is controlling that area. Which needless to say, we cannot be seen making a move in that territory, in order to remain doing buisness with either country."