Tamarind keeps bracing for signs of violence from inside. She knows that the team has done this for ages before she got here and has a record of not getting into fights -- but she worries about Bobby's direct style versus what seems to be a polished military type of contact. Her experience with the military says 60/40 that direct is what he likes best and he'll appreciate it, versus deciding that he has to take offense and push back harder.

But so far, so good. If anything has happened at least it hasn't involved anyone getting flung out a window.

Eventually she registers the question that AM had asked her long moments earlier. "Sorry, I keep waiting to see how things will go inside. I don't pretend to be a rigger. Some people call anyone using drones and driving a vehicle a rigger, but you are only a rigger if you have an implanted control rig. It is like in magic, you are technically described as an aspected caster, right? You wouldn't claim to be a classic mage with spirit summoning, nor a mystic adept. They can do things you can't, but that is fine because you do many things very well. Likewise, I'm not a Rigger, and that is OK with me. I know I can do a good number of things well, and I prefer not to be in hot sim if I can avoid it."

Yes, I am an aspected sorcerer. I can't do the other stuff... Heaven's know I tried... but you can do drones and drive and even use VR if you wish. An outside observer can't say if you use a rig or not. A rig just makes everything easier... They are slick. Oh, and Don't do hot sim. It is unsafe, Dumpshok can take days rather than hours to recover... Cold sim is much more sensible, 80% of the benefits with a fraction of the risk, but what can I say - hot sim is fun, dangerous, and fast, making me feel alive. How come you don't like VR? The entire world seems to be obsessed with it.

Frost sighs and sits back in his chair, slowly calming down. He only shoots a sideward glance towards Mato, staying focused on Bobby.

"Alright. I don't like being tricked. So, yeah. Not cool. But if you are interested in doing business, even if it is not what you suggested initially, I will hear you out. Something about a kidnapping from that horse ranch? What is it exactly, that you need? What would my role be in this?"

Bobby replied:
"I don't do tricks or tricking. Everything I said is true. The kidnappers are asking for a six figure payout. Our team isn't from this area and we don't have the contacts to identify the team behind this Opp.
Or rather: we only have two leads - one was you and the Trinity team sitting in the van outside.
The others are the Black Cats. We know the bar their contact runs, but that is all.

What we want from you: Inside knowledge about the local scene who might have done this Opp and where we can find them. The team we are looking for must have both matrix and magic capabilities. Ties to the Koshari might also be involved, but not confirmed.

In return you can leave with 2.5k now and another 2.5k if your tip pays out. Not bad for a 20 minute job, wouldn't you say?"

Frost seems to want to speak with Bobby, so Mato lets him. Mato keeps his software running and trained on Frost's reactions to sense any deception. If they're going to pay five grand for intel, the accountant in Mato wants it to be actionable.

"That is all very vague. Apart from my old team, who definitely havn't done this, I can give you my word on that, and the Cats, I am not aware of any professional crews in the area. There are plenty freelancers, of course, that form teams for a job or two. Unless something has changed, the Cats do not really have a Matrix specialist, though. Magic, sure. Plenty of that. As for how to find them... if you know the Hardpan, you already know that part. I can give you some more detailed information about them, but I do not know where they are currently. And what's that part about the Koshari? How do they fit in all of this?"

Bobby explained the facts (the situation in the room, tracks and aura signatures), the conjectures (potential smokescreen for an extraction, potential OP planned by the Koshari to get money out of the ranch and ruin the owner) as well as the pure guesswork (Direction of the escape vehicle, various hints the team has gathered so far).

"... that's where we currently are. We could dump 10k into reagents and supercharge a search ritual, but that's a last ditch effort.

The Koshari are most likely to have raven shamans at hand, that's why I'm asking.

Now, I'm skeptical that you aren't aware who else is active in your backyard. You advertise as bodyguard - you can't tell me, you don't know who around here would be the most likely culprit in an abduction."

"This isn't South America. Kidnapping isn't a sport around here. In general, I would probably look towards one of the syndicates. All the big names are present in Denver. Like the Koshari, but that does not sound like their typical modus operandi. Unless the owner has some actual trouble with them, I just don't see why they would involve themselves in something like this. And they are more active in the former Pueblo Corporate Council parts. You must understand, this whole open borders thing between the city districts is still pretty new. When Denver was divided amongst the various governments, it was a bit like going into a different country. Well, technically, it was. So, folks were mostly sticking to their own places."

"Anyways, let me see what you got there."

He listens to your explanations and takes a look at the objects.

"So, the target was pretty nervous. I guess, that's what lead you to the possible extraction angle. If he knew what was going down, that would make sense. I just don't see the point of doing the whole ransom thing, especially hours later, when they should already be in the clear. And leaving the commlink behind? That might actually contain some pretty useful stuff. Especially, if you have a competent decker around, there is no reason to be scared about it being tracked. That dagger and the feather you found, the latter was hidden, while the dagger was more 'in your face', right? That just screams distraction to me. And the feather has an astral imprint? That's interesting. We might have come across something similar in the past. Mind, if I have a friend of mine take a quick look?"

Bobby shrugged: "Sure, be my guest - we looked at the comm link, but it's data bomb protected. We got his contacts and checked them out., but left the rest alone to avoid bricking the whole thing.

I'll contact the owner about trouble with the syndicates."


Bobby sent a quick message to their client and put the team cc:
<<Important question: Did you have any trouble with one of the Denver syndicates recently? Or any low-ball buying offers for the ranch? Please respond asap.>>

McPherson is quiet for a moment, probably communicating with his team mentally.


Then he nods, more to himself it seems. "Yep, it's just like the one we encountered quite some time ago."

"At this point, I am almost certain, that you are looking at the Black Cats as your culprit."

"You see, their leader - Kyra Blackfoot - she has this... habit... of leaving something behind. I am assuming here, but I don't think the others really know about it. It's not very well-known in general. I can tell you a bit more about them, but I never met them in person. Different places, different clients. One thing I am very sure about is that they do not have a decker or anything even remotely close on their team. And their team is pretty much fixed. That part must come from somewhere else. I mean, someone will have hired them, maybe that party provided the necessary talent?"



It takes a moment before the reply from Hafiz comes in.

<< [Hafiz] No, nothing of that sort. Do you think one of them could be involved here? >>

Bobby grinned:
"Excellent. We've been showing that feather to a bunch of people now, and no-one could identify it.
So, what can you tell us about them in general - beside them not being tech savvy, but magic heavy? Known quirks or modus operandi? Are they wilderness cracks or proper alley cats?
We know that they aren't too far away from here, based on when the tracking spell failed. Are we looking at a heavily warded compound or just a lodge in the wilderness?"

Mato had been starting to think that this might be a cross-border raid, maybe the Koshari pinching a target and taking them across the border. But instead Bobby seems to be getting somewhere! Mato isn't entirely sure why Frost is being so helpful. Professional curiosity, perhaps?

Mato keeps his thermal mood readings and his vocal tension lie detection software running. He wants to make sure that Frost isn't leading them astray, or that he's using the team just to target and take down the Black Cats. Other than that, he stays silent and keeps an eye and ear on the proceedings.

Bobby used the pause to reply to Hafiz:
<<Looks like the team that hit you has Koshari connections and was given technical assistance by some skilled hackers.
Would make sense to gauge you for money, to ruin your business and then turn it around by buying you out and taking over.>>

"Alright, so, this is what we know about them. There's Kyra Blackfoot, their leader. Tall, fit, the charismatic type. Late twenties. She has some augmentations, but not heavily cybered-up. Lena Walks-With-Ghosts is a little older, maybe mid-thirty. Not quite so tall, darker tone, and likes to wear her hair short. A shaman who wields some serious mojo. Definitely initiated. Very traditional and honorable. Jennifer Sundancer, now she is really tall. And strong. And fast. Early thirties at most. Very athletic. Trained in pretty much all kinds of weaponry. No augmentations, as far as we know, but her abilities are clearly beyond what is normal, so she is very likely an adept, and capable of hiding that fact. Last, but not least, Tala Blackfoot is tiny in comparison to some of the other ladies. Maybe that led her down the path of augmentations, which she has embraced in full. She is wired to the gills, twitchy and hyper-vigilant, impulsive. Also known to use a variety of weapons, firearms and close combat alike. She is Kyra's cousin. They are all sisters, but those two are actually related. A bit younger, maybe mid-twenties. They are all extremely tight. Not just friends. Some kind of life bond. Do everything for each other kind of tight. Now, if you want to get into contact with them, you probably have to go through the Hardpan. The owner, Susan 'Banshee' Johnson, knows them well. That is their turf. Everyone there will be on their side. They also like to keep to their own. Outsiders are tolerated, but not quite welcomed. Don't pick a fight there."

Bobby nodded:

"Sounds like a capable bunch. Any idea where they hide out? I don't like the idea of involving the bar owner unnecessarily.
So any known vices from one of the sisters? Needing to get a fix or attend a social event?"

"Sorry, can't help you there. As I said, we never personally met them. This is just stuff we picked up about them over time. As far as I know, Banshee is arranging jobs and meets for them. As for a hideout, with everything you mentioned, I would bet it is a place prepared for that job somewhere in the vincinity of their home turf, where they know the terrain well, and have an exit strategy. I doubt it is something they used before."

Mato is observing Frost the whole time, and running the analytical software. He cannot detect any traces of deceit. McPherson and what he is telling you seems legit.

Mato makes sure the details of what Frost is telling Bobby are relayed to AM and Tamarind.

<<Seems legit>> he texts. <<I'm not detecting any deceit.>>

Bobby nodded again:
"Alright. Call me if you think of anything else." Bobby slid over a credstick
"You'll get the rest once your tip checks out."

<<@Team: Anything else I should be asking him, or are we good to go?>>

My lips curl when Bobby reports being done with his contact; "At least they didn't have a bar fight..." I say softly.


>> Way to go, Bobby! By the way, do you think employing a decker girl can lure the cat ladies out of their hideout? Having to rely on external support must be a drag, and a lost kitten with a cyberdeck showing on their fixer's doorstep may be tempting enough. I could perhaps go to their fixer and introduce myself. I text... thinking about a million and one reasons of what could possibly backfire.

Bobby replied: <<Good idea. Though I doubt they'll take you on in the middle of an operation. Especially since they still seem to have decker support right now. Still, we need to grab the bar owner and hack her comlink - from there it's a matter of locating the sisters through their devices. If they aren't as tech savvy they might have left some vulnerable tech running.>>

<<Maybe ask if they are aware of any quirks of the team? Like are they nationalistic for either Denver or one of the founding nations? What are their attitudes towards men, given all women with some sort of bond? Are they magi elitistists?>>

Bobby immediately forwarded Tamarind's questions to Frost.

"Quirks, well, not really. Apart from the feather thing, of course. I once heard a rumor about them, that they walked away from a job in the very middle of it, because the Johnson insulted one of them. But I don't know if that is actually true. As for nationalistic. They are all Sioux, and when the sectors were still around, they worked pretty much only there, as far as I know. Obviously, they are professionals and you won't usually hear about what they did. As for their attitude towards men, I don't think I ever heard anything about that. I mean, sure, they are all women, but that doesn't have to mean that they despise guys or anything like that. And magi elitists? Is that even an actual thing? I guess so. Anyways, I highly doubt it, as one of them, at least, has pretty much replaced all her humanity for cyberware."

Bobby nodded: "Can't see an angle on that one - though my buddy here probably would get along fine with the last one. Seems like we have to do this the hard way.
I put the rest of your money in escrow. I'll release it once your info checks out. Pleasure doing business with you."

"Indeed," Mato says, standing. "I probably would.

"Good day, Mr. Frost."

<<If they had to hire an outside hacker, they might have only done so for the extraction. It's possible that was the limit of the hacker's contract. If so, it might mean that they don't have ongoing professional Matrix overwatch. That may be an opportunity to exploit.>>

<<We're not blessed with abundant time. We might need to take the direct approach rather than spending the time to cozy up to them to gain their trust. I suspect they will be suspicious of outsiders.>>

<<Bobby, you know Razak. I know he was just making introductions, but do you think he could run the Black Cats through his system? If they're Sioux, the SDF might have intel on them. It's possible that one or more of them were subject to universal conscription, and fulfilled their one-year commitment. Maybe that's where they got the training that set them on this path.>>

<<Good idea - I was thinking in a similar direction. While we set Razak to do that, we need to close in on the bar owner. If need be, we need to abduct her ourselves and ask vor a hostage exchange - though preferably as a last resort.
Best case, we can crack their communications and track the team down, stage a diversion and bring our target out in the meantime.

But one step after the other - let's head back to the bar of their contact.>>

Bobby switched channels and called Razak:
<<Hey, we likely identified the team behind the abduction. See the information attached. Can you give us access to info from their military files - both service records and what mil-int has collected about them since their discharge. I know personally, that you keep tabs on high profile magical talent like these.
Thanks in advance.>>

Jack McPherson looks at Mato for a moment, as he mentions his handle "Frost". But then he turns back to "Mr. Crow".

"Pleasure doing business with you. Next time, please be straight about what you are actually looking for."

As he collects the credstick and gets up, you realize, that you didn't even order anything to eat, but there should be enough time while you wait for a reply from Razak. Maybe even get some takeout for AM and Tamarind as well.



Razak replies after a while.

<< Ah, making progress, I see. Most of them are not in the system, possibly SINless and living under a false ID. The only one we have anything solid on is Jennifer Sundancer. She was drafted in 2066, but only did the minimum. Her evaluations were all very high. Certainly could have stayed, if she wanted to. Her father did a full SDF career, though. Wildcats, actually. Apparantly, she was a bit of a tomboy, growing up, and learned everything she knows from her father. Replacement for the son he never had. Can confirm, that she is awakened. Adept. Just like her dad was. Yeah, unfortunately, he is no longer with us. There isn't much on her, anymore, since she left for the FRFZ several years ago. But, I must say, these girls do look very interesting. I could use assets like them in Denver. Depending on how things turn out over there, maybe you could make that happen? If you can get them to a face-to-face in or near Cheyenne after everything is settled, I will throw in a nice bonus for you. I suppose, that could make your whole situation a bit trickier, but well... just think about it. >>

<<Not promising anything, but we'll do our best - maybe they need protection after they lose their payday. I'll certainly leave your calling card.>>

When the team reached the bar, Bobby checked the time until the bar would be open.

Take-out sounds like a dynamite idea to Mato. The restaurant is pretty renowned, and the three employees out back called it the best food in all of Denver. Perhaps that was their egos talking, but even if that's true it implies that they take pride in their work, which suggests that the food will be good.

"Oh, I've got to try the green chile cheeseburger," he says. "How about the carne adovada and the posole too. And... the frybread tacos, and some prickly pear lemonades."

He looks pleased with himself.

"Tax-deductible," he reminds Bobby.

When Razak replies, his desire to recruit the Black Cats is a wrinkle that Mato did not expect.

<<Hmm. You can get further with a kind word and a gun than with just a kind word. Or something like that.>>

Bobby had opted for a simple, classic style taco, while he looked on at the bar:

"Got a few hours before they open. How do we want to play this?

Option 1: We grab and subdue the owner before she opens the bar. Then we raid her commlink.
Problem: Likely has a burner for direct communications with the team, so we need to let her wake and interrogate her. Messy.

Option 2: I sneak in to her office and search for anything useful, while AM goes at her devices for the same.
Problem: We might be detected and warn the ladies.

Option 3: We talk to the owner and negotiate.
Problem: Likely ineffective and warns the ladies.

Option 4: We talk to the owner and pretend to have a job for the kitties, and hack her communications to get their contact.
Problem: She might not contact them directly and we lose even more time.

Any other ideas?"

Mato looks excited - well, as excited as Mato can look - when the takeout arrives.

"We have snacks!" he announces with unusual cheer when returning to AM and Tamarind. If people want to share, he'll cut things up so that everyone can sample everything.

"Omgggh," he says, trying the green chile cheeseburger. He gets a faraway look in his eye. "I see the clouds parting, a beam of light descending, a choir of angels singing..." Either he is deeply moved, or he's starting to hallucinate from the capsaicin. Perhaps the former, as orks are generally known to tolerate the latter.

Bobby pitches some ideas.

"I think we should start with honey, not vinegar. There will be plenty of time to escalate if need be.

"We could pose as SDF," he adds after a moment of consideration. He looks back and forth to how he and Bobby are dressed. "We've gone native," he explains, bemused at the double meaning.

"Razak's offer gives us some legitimacy. Maybe there's even a con in there about how Belenkiy is a person-of-interest for the SDF. It would make sense: he is a mid-level executive at Ares and currently in charge of the R&D department for Personal Arms and Armor. That sounds highly relevant to SDF interests.

"Pan o palo," he says in Aztlaner Spanish. "Bread or stick. We could dangle some lucrative SDF work as our bread, or even use our own personal success as testimony. For a stick, we can imply that they might not want to run afoul of the SDF. Or, a step further, that we've been authorized to extract Belenkiy ourselves.

"All this depends on first getting an audience, and second having them care. Jennifer Sundancer's father was a Wildcat, and taught her everything she knows. But at some point there had to be a conscious decision not to follow in her father's footsteps. Maybe lucrative shadow work was too much of a draw, but now it's time for the prodigal daughter to come home."

Mato lets the thought hang in the air, then shrugs.

"And if it all goes to drek, you're living electricity and I'm bulletproof. Well, bullet-resistant. We'll handle things the old fashioned way."

"I'd say gather intel while the risks of exposure are minimal. Between Bobby and Kanmushis, if there is a gap into the bar we can at least check it and look for traces and clues -- actually add in AM hacking outdoor cameras, they may still have footage that could include a likely truck at a likely time. If we know a bit that should help, I've seen smooth talkers use a bit of knowledge to give the impression of knowing a lot more."

My lips curl into a smirk when Bobby and Mato walk in, their arms laden with greasy paper bags overflowing with takeout containers. It's good to see them again, and the aroma of fried food is a welcome change from the bland protein bars I've been subsisting on. My stomach growls a deep rumble that betrays my excitement. I snatch a container of nachos, my fingers brushing against Mato's chromed hand as I grab a handful. I shove a cheesy chip in my mouth, savoring the crunch and trying not to get any crumbs on the plush leather seats of the car. "We can bring her takeout..." I comment between bites, my voice muffled by a mouthful of cheesy goodness. I swallow hard, trying to maintain some semblance of composure. "Burgers make for good diplomacy." I manage to say before diving back into the nachos, my fingers slick with melted cheese.

After a long pause to finish my snack, I wipe my hands on a napkin and regain my professionalism. "We should approach with Razak's suggestion, trying to link them to him. It could cause the fixer lady to call the team, and then I can intercept that call and trace their location," I explain, tapping my fingers against the armrest as I outline the plan. "If it does not work out, we can kidnap her and play the ransom game. Still, in that case, our hand is weak because we do not know how deep their relationship goes, how much leverage that would be, not to mention the technical difficulties of keeping a prisoner."

"Nothing difficult about keeping a goldfish in a bowl.
Alright, let's try to hire the team - any volunteers for that job? I feel like I used up all social graces I could muster today."

Bobby replied, wiping his hands on a napkin.

"But just to be on the safe side, let's send in some drones to check things out inside."

"Holy spirits" I mutter, raking my fingers through my short blonde hair and absently playing with my spiderweb earring, a delicate golden filigree dangling from my ear. I needed to focus.

"We need to cover three directions to kidnap her. Shapechange covers the physical one, but technological and magical ones exist. Tech is simple enough; we won't take her clothes or equipment and loop the cameras in the area to cover our hops. Magic is tricky; we need a ward, or they'll do what I did and follow the material link back to her." My gaze flickers to Bobby, hoping the complexity won't just change the woman on a whim, letting us wing the entire extraction. "If we don't pull it off perfectly, the kittens will find us, and they will have the initiative. we can't let people of their caliber dictate the terms, or we might not like the outcome."

I pause and then remember , "Well, there is a partial solution to the magic aspect, as Gladius had taught me the mana barrier spell. It is not ideal, but I can sustain it as long as I am awake, and it can quicken if I get too tired... We need an enclosed space big enough to conceal a large sphere of mana so that our location does not draw too much attention. It's not impossible, but we'll have to figure it out within a couple of hours. We might be able to make it work, but it's risky." My voice tightens on the last words, betraying the unease with this planned route. There is too much chaos, but I must admit that none of the obstacles is impossible to solve. I will do my part if the Trickster steers us in that direction. Gratitude warms my green eyes. I add, "You handled that meeting well, thanks." I don't say why I am thankful, but Bobby should know the toll that playing nice with dangerous people takes from me. "I'll lead the next meeting, but if we go with the Razak plan, it would be more credible with an ex-military on my side." I say, realizing that while I don't like it - I am competent doing it, and the stakes are high.

Mato rubs the bridge of his nose, although it's debatable how comforting that is with fingers made of carbon fiber and titanium.

"Let's leave kidnapping to Plan C," he says. "We don't have a fishbowl. If it comes to it, make her a snail, or something slow that won't suffocate in the open air.

"I can walk into the lion's den," he offers. "We don't have to pose as SDF; we could just go as ourselves. Things have been lucrative for us; I think we could make a compelling argument.

"But, yes, let's start with the recon. I'm sure I could get in, but I'm also sure Bobby and Tamarind can be more subtle about it."

The food was good, but the plans were not entirely agreeing with Tamarind's digestion.

"Kidnapping should be well down our list. Playing defense is drek, one mistake and that can be it. That was the worst part about being ground crew for the smuggler operations, it was almost a matter of when, not if. I probably got lucky that Razak saw use for me or I'd possibly be in a cell still. Dealing with a runner team has the potential to be worse, some might prefer non-lethal, but some figure dead foes tell no takes or whatever."

"Anyway, let's see if there are clues to be found before we make any decisions. Hopefully they don't have anyone there early, cooking up soup or something. Sooner we look, the less chance of interference."

Bobby nodded: "Alright, let's go in. I'll turn bird and carry a Kanmushi drone with me. Firing up my map ability to find the best entrance point. From there I'll go bug sized into the bar. You can warn me through the drone if someone comes. I'll start searching in the office. Keep an eye open for devices popping up - I'll switch on anything I can't access.

Any better ideas? Alright, let's do this."


Bobby did as he said once the team was in position. Turning into a pigeon was just as easy as getting a complete layout of the place again, studying it for a few moments, before heading for the most promising access point.

Once Bobby was underway, Tamarind got the rest of Kanmushis ready, and her Flying Eyes just in case a good access point showed up. She'd rather get a swarm into the bar than rely on Bobby and one drone, given her druthers, but she wasn't going to force the issue.

While waiting for Bobby, she asked AM, "Do you sense any magic around here?" Meanwhile for her own part she started looking for signs of external cameras physically, then in the matrix.

<<Tuesday Afternoon - 12:54 - May 16, 2079 - Hardpan, Thornton, Denver>>

The area around the Hardpan is pretty much the same as when you checked it out last night, just brighter in the daylight. That does not exactly help much, though, as the scenery is even more dull during the day. The whole area is dominated by the food production facilities of the Apex Plasmids Complex. And the smell has not gotten any better, either.

As before, you cannot sense any magic, no wards or other protections. It's a bar, not a corporate research facility. With your talents, you have little trouble finding a way in to check it out more closely. There is the main bar area with the reinforced furniture and a large counter, which covers the vast majority of the building. Next to it are some restrooms, a storage area with back access, and a small office.

I take a bit of a look around and conclude "Nothing special, just what you'd expect from a bar. I'll go on the Trix, but I don't expect to find much unusual. Depending on how hush-hush her communication methods with the kittens are, we'll need a link, or perhaps a burner link."

Bobby used the tried and tested method of breaking through a filter of the air conditioner and crawled out from the vent.
From there he made a beeline - or rather a big line - to the office. After making sure that there were no cameras around, he turned human again and started his search.

Mato stays in the Gopher while Bobby and the drones do the work.

"Let's watch from a safe distance, or search and scrub any cameras covering the parking."

He'll keep overwatch on AM if/when she goes hot-sim.

"Tamarind, do you want me to take the wheel while you're concentrating on the drones?"

Mato never gets to drive. A shame, since he's actually pretty good at it. Not as good as Tamarind and AM, but still.

Bobby looks around in the office. There's a small desk with a chair and a computer terminal there, a bit dated. A coffee machine sits next to it. There are a bunch of pictures on the wall, most of them showing the same woman, which should be the bar owner, with various other people, usually natives. A few are pretty shots of landscapes or buildings. In one corner, on the floor, there is a small housing with a cleaning drone inside.

Bobby pushed the chair in front of the cleaning drone's outlet, trapping it inside.
Then he turned to the terminal. Old equipment like that might not have wireless access. He touched it and worked that particular bit of magic, that allowed him to use any tool.

The terminal does have wireless capabilities. It is dated, but not ancient. It's not VR-capable, though. With the help of his spell, Bobby can see how it is operated. He also learns, that there are three Marks on the computer's icon.

Bobby whispered to the Kanmushi:
"There's a terminal here - not quite state of the art, but matrix capable. I'm switching it on - careful though - my spell tells me, there is already a tap in place - someone's listening in regularly."

After turning it on, he went looking through whatever physical files he could find and also looked for a safe, that the business most likely had. He didn't have any gear with him, but if it was an old mechanical one, his spell might help him decode it quickly enough.

Bobby cannot find a safe. But, in this modern age, even a bar like this does all transactions electronically, which makes something to safeguard valuables a lot less relevant.

Also, there is no real paperwork.

Bobby spoke again to the Kanmushi:

"Blink twice when AM has hacked the terminal, so I can shut it off again and get out of here."

I whisper a silent thanks to the Trickster for sharpening my mind and invoking Iktomi's blessing to heighten my focus. The clarity that follows is unmatched, a rush of total awareness that feels as potent as any performance-enhancing drug. For a brief moment, I savor the sensation, my mind augmented and honed for the task ahead. Leaning back in my seat, I wave a small "bye" to Mato—a signal that I’m about to slip away, into Wonderland. I close my physical eyes, letting the matrix unfold before me in all its shimmering, chaotic beauty. It doesn't take long to find the terminal—a relic, really, ancient by today's standards. It's just a dull icon with no flashy VR interface. This thing must be at least a decade old. But it still lives on the Trix, so I don’t need to bother with anything physical like the old Internet. Grandma used to tell funny stories about that slow mess. Still, this icon is as slow as it gets because I don't get the massive feed of data but rather lines and shapes and rough ugly looking half transparent VR icons that appear goofy with a pitch-black background.