Apoc nods. "Any details on the security system would be good. As well as non-standard access points. Sewer, electrical, ventiliation. I've got a couple of small drones that might be useful, depending. I also really, really want to know if they've got an active rigger on site or if they're running CCSS."

"I'm sure we'll also want shift change information on the guards and the like. If we can get more information about the staffing, it'll be helpful."

Apoc adds, "If you guys want a ride down that way, I can certainly oblige."

Pierce hrms. "I think we should wait until morning before checking out the area," he says, "I doubt the graveyard shift sees much traffic; if we start snooping around at 3AM we'll be noticed. Maybe meet back here at eleven and check out the area then? We might also get some stuff from our contacts in the morning which'll help us know what to look for."

Dragon nods. "Good point. All right, I'll see you guys back here at 11 then. If anyone wants me to ask my friend anymore questions, let me know. See you all later."

Dragon exits the warehouse and heads home to one of his safehouses, making sure that he is not being followed.

En route, he calls up his decker friend, Sybersnake. An attractive Latina with a dark tan and long black hair popped up in his image link. She gave a wide smile when she saw who it was.

"Hey Syber, what's up? I was wondering if you had time to do me a little favor? I'm doing a little research on this company, and I was wondering if you could grab some of their files for me?"

Her smile turned playful, and she pretended to examine her nails while ignoring him for a few seconds. "Hmm...well I'm pretty busy right now, but I might be able to squeeze you into my agenda. How much time you think it'll take?"

"Not too long, I just need some blueprints, building layouts, nothing too heavy."

Sybersnake paused for a moment, and pretended to think. Then she playfully rolled her eyes and replied, "Shouldn't be too bad. OK, give me specifics."

Dragon grinned. "Thanks chummer, I appreciate it." He gives her the name of the company and the address of the warehouse, then continues, "I don't need much, what I'm looking for are mainly blueprints of the building, layouts of the property. In particular, any details on the security system, especially whether or not they have an active rigger on site or if they are running CCSS. Also, any non-standard access points, such as sewer, electrical, ventilation, you get the idea. Any other security protocols or security services or providers would be useful as well. You don't have to look for it, but if you can find it, anything on who this company belongs to would be a plus. You catch all that?"

"Null sheen. I got it. When do you need it back by?"

"I'm meeting my team in about eight hours, so any time before that is good. Can you do it?"

Looking appropriately indignant, she pretended to be exasperated as she replied, "Can I do it? Of course I can do it. Duh."

"OK OK. Will you do it?"

"Weeeeeellll..." Before she could get into her weaseling tone of voice she got when she wanted something and was just playing with him, he interrupted, "Yes yes, same thing. Dinner at your choice of location and menu."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "And I'll dress up." She continued to arch her eyebrow at him without moving it. He always wondered how she did that. With a exaggerated pained grimace, he added, "In a suit."

"Yay!" Sybersnake laughed and clapped her hands and tossed her hair back delightfully. "I love how you always play these little games with me. You're so patient."

Giving her a smile, he replied, "You're worth it. So you'll do it then?"

"Of course. All right, give me a few. I'll see you later. And your suit better be clean!" She pretended to admonish him with her finger.Laughing, Dragon answered, "Don't worry, it will be. Thanks a lot for this. I appreciate it."

"You better." She grinned at him.

"I do," he smiled back. "I'll see you later. Take care."

"Catch you in a few," she replied as she hung up. Breaking the connection, Dragon continued home.

Blender chimes in. "I don't have a lot of reconaissance-related skills, but I am good at going unnoticed. I bet I could stake it out at night without being seen."

"I, of course, should do some astral recon of the place right now," Renegade says. So saying, he conjures up a watcher spirit.

Pierce nods. "As you like. Me, I'm gonna get some sleep. I've got a tricky bit of surgery tomorow afternoon, and there's nothing more terrifying than a surgeon with shaky hands." With a grin, he heads to the door. "See you all tomorow."

Loading up his driving program, Pierce starts up his bike, working with the familiar proddings of the skillsoft. Yawning slifhtly, he glances at the time on his pocket secretary in surprise. How did it get so drekking late?, he thought to himself as he began the trip home, Seemed like we just started talking, and now it's 3AM. Huh, time flies when you're having fun. Paranoia setting in again, he makes sure he isn't followed as he takes a roundabout route through the streets. Getting paranoid, too. Though maybe I should; a little paranoia never hurt anyone. Maybe I'll take some of the pay and invest in a second apartment or something, instead of dumping it into the clinic like I usually do.

Leaving the group, Blender drives his dark blue Ford Americar down to the district in which the target is located, stopping on the way to buy a pair of high-quality binoculars at a sporting goods store. Parking a bit over two blocks away and around a corner from the warehouse, he moves to the mouth of an alley a block away and across the street from it. Hunkering down next to an overflowing dumpster, he covers himself with black trash bags, leaving only his head, his hands, and the binoculars visible. Observing silently, he watches for security patrols and shift changes through his new binoculars.

Preparing for his astral trip, Renegade casts increase reflexes into his sustaining focus. It is his most draining spell, so he doesn't put too much effort into it. Unfortunately, it fails to take effect. Trying again, he manages to get the spell to work. Thus quickened, he astrally projects, heading to the warehouse along with his watcher spirit.

Arriving at the warehouse, Renegade decides what to do with his spirit. Turning to it, he says "Assense every person who enters or leaves this building. Tell me if any magically active or awakened people enter or leave the building, or if any enchanted objects enter the building." So saying, he leaves the watcher to it's work, circling the building to get a good look at the outside before venturing in.

As Apoc shows various people out, he carefully reminds them not to try entering the building again without calling. "Don't want the guard dogs gettin' you. They're rather vicious." Anyone who shows an inclination, he offers a pad in the living area for the night.

Dragon heads home, and sets his internal alarm with enough time to get to Apoc's by 11. He also makes sure that he can receive a call from his friend. Closing his eyes, he goes to sleep to grab a few hours before getting back on the job.

The Watcher stares intently at the area outside the door, hovering in astral space off to the side of the door. Assense every person who enters or leaves this building. Tell me if any magically active or awakened people enter or leave the building, or if any enchanted objects enter the building. Assense people coming and going from the building, tell him about magical or awakened people, any enchanted objects entering building. Assense people coming and going, tell him about magical people and enchanted objects. Assense people and tell him about magical people and enchanted items. Assense people and tell him about magic people and magic stuff. Assense people coming and going and tell him about magic stuff and magic people.

Renegade begins his inspection and sees the mortar joints in the concrete blocks of the building. As he starts around it, he easily spots a couple german shepherds lying in the nook beside the steps near the wall. The front of the lot within the fencing is empty, all the dock doors are closed, as well as the watcher watched one. Going around the building clockwise, Renegade sees a man in security armor and helmet walking with a pair of dobermans (the canine kind). He carries a SMG. He looks over his shoulder, then toward the fence. Renegade follows the guards gaze and notices a bubble like those used to house camaras, he quickly looks back toward the guard, who is looking at the dogs, and looks to where the guard could have looked over his shoulder and notices another bubble on the side of the building. In the corner of the fence is another bubble.

Renegade turns the corner and sees a door, a bubble floating near the top of the building where a camara could monitor this exit, and a couple more dogs lounging in the nook beside this door. There is indeed a rail running around the top of the building, and it cuts into the corner of the building where some metal flaps hide it from view. Another bubble is over the door in the center of this back wall. As He moves along, he sees the dogs in lounging in the familiar nook created by the steps and wall of the door at the other back corner of the building. Looking up, he sees the now expected bubble. He looks to the corner of the fence and sees the bubble he expected to see there.

Turning the next corner of the building, Renegade sees only the bubble for the camara midpoint along the wall and the one in the corner of the fence. As he comes back around the front of the building he sees the guard and his dogs coming around the far corner and heading toward the guard shack.

The Watcher sees Renegade and says, "Boss, I didn't assense anyone. I think magic items are neat. I wish I had a magic item that let me materialize. I think they might make something like that. I I hope they do..."

Renegade curses fraggin' Force 1 watchers and prepares to simplify his instructions for the feeble minded helper. He wishes he had noticed a manhole cover or something similar but didn't.

Tuesday, April 14 0405

Blender hunkers down amidst the wet and dripping garbage. Luckily this wasn't a residential neighborhood, but someone must have dumped some household trash because he could smell some rotting soy. He hoped they realized just how much he was earning his pay, as another drip ran down his back beneath his armor.

This was the best location he could find, near the end of an alley flanked with metal fencing. He'd had to park his car off the street in the strip of bare ground between the street and the fence, but from the twin indentations from tire tracks, it looked like others had done the same thing. He would have liked to park down the alley, but it wasn't wide enough for 2 cars to pass, and he didn't want the attention blocking the alley might bring.

Looking through the binoculars, Blender located the EDT, Inc sign on the target building. He noted the bubble camara housings atop the corners of the fence no sign of insulators or voltage warning signs and the bubbles atop the building's walls at about their midpoints. The guard with the pair of mutts came into view, walking clockwise around the concrete block walled building. As the guard passed the front steps, flanked by another pair of mutts, Blender began timing him. 15 minutes later, the guard was heading for the guard shack, and Blender lost sight of him beyond the tinted windows.

Looks like a long, wet, boring night Blender thought. I wonder if I'd ever have done something like this a year ago?

Beast pulls out a small, offline storage unit and asks "Mind if I get a copy of that blueprint?" downloading it, and then jacking in, he plugs it into his orientation system, and looks around virtually for a few seconds. He also would like to download a few seconds of video from the blimp's surveilance.
"Alright, I'll study this tonight and be back bright eyed and bushy-tailed tomorrow, hopefully with a more advanced plan."

0555

Blender hears a noise in the distance, but doesn't immediately place it. As it draws nearer, it dawns on him Garbage Day!

Renegade's astral form glides over the top of the building, noting nothing that wasn't revealed by the overhead drone or the building blueprints except a slight glowing stream trailing away from the sewer venting pipes.

Deciding to enter near the center of the roof, near their primary target, Renegade passes through the roof and immediately spots a spirit near the cage occupying the center of the warehouse. It is about 7 meters from the astral mage.

The cage is about 2.5 meters high, 3 meters wide, and 10 meters long. There is a door made of bars to the front end and an aisle down the center. Boxes occupy shelves to either side.

Renegade can see a few workers moving boxes from racks of stock to the area at the front of the warehouse, placing them on pallets arranged in parallel rows in leading away from the dock doors.

The spirit has its back to Renegade, at least it looks like its back, there are no eyes on this side of the cloud shaped head. The head rests atop a swirling cloudlike body. The spirit floats above the doored end of the cage.

The cage has many boxes resting upon its shelves, it is probably about 75% full. The boxes are small (6"x6"x6") to mid sized (2'x2'x2'.) They are too large to fit between the spaces in the cage's mesh of bars.

There is space all around the cage. The rows of shelving are 3 meters away, about the same distance as between the other rows of shelves in the warehouse. Wide enough for 2 forklifts to safely pass each other.

Renegade assenses the spirit. Finding out that it is a powerful air elemental, he decides not to continue his astral expedition and risk putting the warehouse security force on alert. Exiting the warehouse, he goes to give new orders to his watcher. "Watch this building," he says, pointing at the warehouse, "And assense everyone who enters it. Come and tell me if you assense any awakened humans or metahumans." So saying, he goes back to his body and gets some rest. Before falling asleep, he sets his watch to wake him up in three hours and fortyfive minutes, so that he can replace the watcher when it leaves.

0557

The garbage truck slows down as it approaches the dumpster at Blender's observation point.

Blender tucks the binoculars back into his coat, makes sure his weapons are concealed, and prepares to look homeless. When the workers come up to him and start picking up the trash bags, he pretends to be startled and jumps to his feet. "What the frag!? Can't a guy get a decent night's sleep anymore?" He then pretends to notice their uniforms, and the municipal service logos on them. "You work for THE MAN! The Man won't have me! The Man can take my life, but not my brain!" He then runs off down the alley, away from the dump truck and the warehouse, screaming "Lock your doors, The Man is here! Escape with your own minds! Don't let The Man get you down!"

The Man picking up trash bags and throwing them into the truck shakes his head from side to side while The Man driving the truck laughs and raises the trash bin to dump its contents into the truck.

Blender walks back to his car and drives back to the safehouse. Once there, he immediately showers, washes his clothes, and eats some food.

Tuesday, April 14 0745

Renegade's alarm goes off.

Renegade summons another watcher spirit and leads it across the astral plane to the werehouse, and gives it the same instructions he gave the previous one. "Watch this building," he says, pointing at the warehouse. "Assense every human and metahuman who enters it. Come and tell me if any magically active humans or metahumans enter it." Renegade heads back to his body.

Dragon reports to Apoc's warehouse promptly at 11, being sure to smile and wave to the cameras so he doesn't get wacked by the security systems. When he gets inside, he looks around and sees if anyone else besides Apoc and himself are present.

The garage is empty when Dragon arrives except for Apoc who is tuning up his Doberman which had been on patrol during the night. "Hoi, chummer. Coffee?" he asks as he waves the newcomer inside.

Dragon helps himself to a cup of coffee with a nod of thanks. After sipping it and letting the kaf warm him up a bit, he pulls up a chair and starts talking."

"Thanks for the kaf. Did you get the info from my decker friend? I sent it to you all, and I made sure to check whether it was remote rigged or CCSS. It's CCSS, so it looks like we've got our work cut out for us. I think we may want to do a little digging on just what exactly Mr. Johnson wants from us, as well as who this warehouse is operated by. They seem to have a lot of security for just a few boxes, and while too much knowledge can be dangerous, I'm starting to get a little paranoid this may be a little more complicated than meets the eye. What do you think?"

Apoc gives a low whistle. "Well, chummer, CCSS still has weaknesses, it's just that subversion is going to be tough. I'd wager to say that magic will be a pretty good way to avoid the system entirely, but that might have other problems."

He shrugs.

"I know for a fact that if I need to take over this guy's system that it ain't goin' to be easy and it definitely ain't goin' to be quiet. Things are always complicated. Else they wouldn't be shadowruns."

Renegade spends the next five hours warding the safehouse against astral intrusions. He then summons another watcher and takes it down to the warehouse, giving it the same instructions he gave the previous one.

When Renegade arrives at the warehouse, the watcher he had there tells him a lot of people came and went but none of them were magical.

Apoc and Dragon review the footage the blimp drone took while they slept. The guard and employee shift changes occur as the Johnson said they do.

They watch as the first truck pulls up to the gate. The driver gets out and passes papers through the slot under the glass. A man comes out of the guard shack and goes to the back of the truck and has the driver open the doors. After a quick look, the guard hands the driver his paperwork and returns to the guard shack. The gate is rolling open by the time the driver gets back in the cab, and the truck drives through moments later, the gate rolling shut behind it. The process pretty much repeats itself for each arriving truck.

The first truck in easily backs up to a dock door, the trailer doors still open from the inspection, and the driver enters the smaller door in the middle of that side of the building.

About an hour later the driver leaves the building and gets in his truck. He pulls up in front of the gate and again passes his paperwork through to the guard. A guard comes out and looks into the trailer, then has the driver close the doors and watches the driver padlock them. The guard returns to the shack, the gate rolls open, the truck leaves, and the gate shuts behind it.

The routine is similar for the couple dozen trucks that morning.

After reviewing the footage, Dragon looks at Apoc and says, "Seems like Mr. J's info was on the up and up thus far. Fairly tight setup. You got any initial thoughts on beating their security? I'm thinking taking the stuff en route via fake work order may not be such a bad idea, personally."

Blender spends the rest of the morning asleep on a couch in the safehouse.

1500

Apoc and Dragon pause for a moment in their review of the surveillance footage and hear Blender's soft snoring. They look at each other and wonder where everyone else got to.

Apoc looks to be deep in thought. "I think this is going to have to be an infiltration instead of an invasion. If we can get someone inside with the code, they can get the package from the cage and put it somewhere that we can pick it up as a second phase of the operation..."

He seems to be thinking it over. "Wonder if that code is still good..."

Dragon glances at Apoc. "Where do you think the rest of the team is? It's really late. I hope we ain't down to three. In any event, you got any thoughts on this? If we lost our infilatration team, we may want to try hijacking the truck outside the facility when the box is moved...thanks to a false order. What do you think?"

Apoc nods his head. "Best way to deal with security is to not go through it at all. For that matter, could we just get the box delivered somewhere and pick it up from there?"

Dragon shrugs. "It's possible. How much of a budget you think we got to hire a decker?"

Apoc fishes through a grubby pocket and produces four credsticks. "Well, I snagged six grand from the meet as operating expenses and I've got that two grand advance, as well. Everyone else got the same... Not sure what we're wantin' yet, though, so I suggest we figure out what we want the decker to accomplish and see what it'll cost us instead of the other way around."

Dragon grins. "Good thing you grabbed the money. Let's go wake up Blender and see what he thinks."

Just then, Apoc's phone rings. Glancing at the Caller ID box, he notices that it's from the same phone that Pierce had colled him on earlier. "Running a little late?" he asked jokingly.

On the other end, Pierce sounds a bit hurried. The sound of gunfire makes it difficult to hear his voice. "Yeah, just a bit," he said dryly. "Listen, somethin's come up, and I gotta bow out, maybe for aw-one sec." Apoc heard the sound of another gun firing four quick bursts, much closer to the cellphone, punctuated by Pierce yelling, "Stop! Shooting! At! Me!" The gunfire somewhat more subdued, Pierce reappears on the line. "Definately awhile. Another time, perhaps? Gotta ru-oh, sh-" The phone disconnects.

Just thought I'd make it a bit more official.

Apoc puts down the phone. "Looks like Pierce is out. And I doubt we're going to see that part of the advance again."

Dragon scowls. "Well at least we won't have to lose another share on the back end then. Anyway, so what do you think, hire a decker to get us in there, or to get the package out?"

Apoc shrugs. "Don't know. Hire a decker to find out what can be done... they might be on a private grid, which'd make either option tough. I'd like to confirm some of what the Johnson handed us, too."

Dragon nods. "Sounds good. What else haven't we confirmed yet? The schedules and security he told us about seem to be on the level so far."

Apoc nods. "At least as far as we've seen... the big one, the one that's likely to get someone killed, is the code for the cage."

Dragon grimaces. "Good point. But how are we going to test it, short of actually trying it out?"

Dragon spots a small white sign Tacked to the outside of the guard house. It seems fairly new, no real sign of weather beating yet. He draws nearer upon reading the bold letters at the top:

Now Hiring
Warehouse personnel, should have experience operating forklift, Apply in person at Temp-T Jobs at <address> Seattle, May Lead to
FULL TIME POSITION

Dragon heads back to the base. "Hey Apoc, I think we got a way in. How about you apply for the job, give us a man on the inside. You can handle the forklift easy, and then it'd give us a lot more options to beat security. What do you say?"

"An inside guy, working as a forklift operator," Renegade muses. "That could work, but keep in mind we have only till the end of the week to do this job. He would have to start work immediately, and demonstrate a high level of competence, and quickly adjust to the new job, so that they wouldn't assign another employee to supervise him and make sure he knows the ropes. He would have to become a trusted employee in just a few days."

Dragon nods. "Good point. Could we use magic to influence them? Or failing that, what if instead of trying to get someone in as a new hire, we have false records planted that show him as a transfer? Or maybe rig up a background that may help him be accepted quicker?"