Fat Man

I wonder if the machine spirit can do anything about that?

"I don't know if you can do anything about those drones, but if you do happen to be able to prevent them from shooting at us, it would be in your master's best interests that you do so."

Q concentrates briefly while spreading a magic weave over Strangeglove and Zero. With a quick note to Fat Man...

<<Fat Man[Q]:How's Ryan's healing? Any important updates in there?>>

Q moves his AR display to the center of his vision and taking the spirit's invitation, he slides into the auto-cab node. The chilling threat from Federated Boeing almost breaks his attention, but he refocuses on his job, trusting SG's very pragmatic ability to make fight or flight decisions.

<Q[Fat Man]: hE'S FINE BUT WILL STOP BEING FINE IF I HAVE TO FIGHT, BUT SINCE I'M JUST BUSY THREATENING TO KILL AN UNCONSCIOUS KID TO STOP A CRAZY MACHINE SPIRIT FROM KILLING US THAT SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM. hOW ARE YOU?>

With a grunt, Fleet tosses himself into the back of the van, The rotodrone sparking as it tumbles into opening just above him, sliding the length of the open segment for floor before fetching up against a seat, one blade tapping in a steady tik-tik-tik against the floor. Bumping gently against the ceiling, the dirigible-like Stormcloud hovers quietly as Fleet casts his consciousness out, already feeling the pang of loss at the Nexus and the other tools-of-the-trade he'd managed to 'requisition' away from SK.

Fun while it lasted, I guess

Emilio hops in the open van door. Once inside, he scoots up against a bit of wall, closes his eyes, and lets out the tension he's been holding.

The mobile trauma center known as Strangeglove arrives, and the back of the van is suddenly crowded with bodies in various states of ill-health.

"'m gonna start bleeding out."

Bracing himself against the van's expected acceleration, he pulls a medikit from one of his pockets, and starts applying it to himself.

"Help me out."

<<@Aideen: Should be fine unless FB or the Mage decide to end this with a missile. Might need S and the valkryie, but it's too hot here. FYI comms compromised.>>

Strangeglove
The small device begins to assess your physical condition and the small read out begins to assemble an overall picture of your health.

WARNING WARNING WARNING

This unit may not be able to address the full scope of injuries. Immediate emergency medical help should be sought.

A small prompt pops up asking you to confirm the continuation of treatment as the conversation thread with Aideen gets another reply.

<<@John Wayne: Understood. Call me when you land safe and secure. >>

Eklipse hops in the back of the van, letting the armor default back to black. He braces himself in the doorway, watching the others pile in and trying not to look at the grisly remains of what he assumes is Cypher.

He glances over to the driver.

Any port in a storm.

"Herr Rikik, I presume. Might I suggest you get us ze frag out of here before FedBoeing are blowing us up. I vill give you a location once we are safe."

Emilio reaches over and grabs the med kit.

"Here, let me handle that."

"No shit." Strangeglove says to no one in particular. Then, suddenly reminded, "Shit. Bitch owns my arm."

He relinquishes the medkit to Emilio, and sends a mental command to power his arm off. One handed, he then pulls the battery out of his primary commlink.

The Van
With the last runner dragging themselves into the back, the double doors are pulled shut as a wave of drones crest over the edge of the warehouse and flood the area of the explosion with floodlights and begin to deploy around in a security perimeter. The van lurches forward and clears the lights and sweeping drones as it makes its way on to the streets attempting to lose itself in the flow of vehicles and the night.

Q
You make the plunge and find yourself back in the node of the autocab though this time not alone. Two icons face you - one a woman with a body clearly modeled off a preteen's notion of sex kitten meets cheesy ninja. The other is a hulking samurai looking like something from a Renraku recruiting poster for the elite Red Samurai security teams. She locks eyes with you and you clearly see the anger, fear and desperation.

"I greet you honorless dog and give you the respect you clearly do not give others. Are you with the other from before? The one who offered lies in the guise of friend and brought harm to my lord and his vassal? Speak!"

Unceremoniously dropped into a pile as Strangeglove nearly collapses into the van, Q grunts as the other two bodies land atop him, thankful for the gas mask editing out most of the burnt flesh smell. With the rest of the team piling in and the van lurching with speed, Q gives a brief warning before fully diving in. "Thanks Rikk. Watch your gear. There's a pissed machine spirit trailing us. Diving in."

The rush of digital sensation in VR is quickly drowned out by being much to close to an enraged eidolon. He could almost feel the animosity and anxiety radiating from her. And she'd brought a friend...

Though nothing in his avatar betrays the sting of her insult and invisible to his unawakened teammates, his aura rumbles with aggression at the slight.

Doing away with pleasantries beneath her violent need, Q responds, "You mean the one called Cypher? He never told anyone of your existence Mighty One nor the importance of your Lord. We only knew that your master had been kidnapped and were reversing the wrong."

As the runners all pile into the van, Rikik sees the blood and burns on many of them. He winces in reflected pain as folks are unceremoniously dumped in the back of the van, bouncing slightly against the metal. The engine roars and he starts driving away from the drones and the sirens.

When the strange gas-masked and cloaked figure mentions a machine spirit and passes out, the elf turns back to the assembled mess of people.

"What?!? Like in the drones, or in your 'link killing your dudes?"

The clockwork spiders lets out a chittering scream for Rikik to watch the road, as it adjusts the van to miss a pothole. He turns back to driving, but keeps a wary eye on the rear view mirror watching the assembled runners and checking for drones chasing them.

Q
She looks at you for a moment seeming to way choices before speaking. The samurai next to her never twitches or moves but rather keeps its attention solely fixed on you.

"So is the man holding my lord hostage now beholden to you? Do you speak for him and his actions?"

"You want to know if I can convince the guy holding your lord to release him. I can. You'll need to agree to chain your fearsome wrath though. It's quite painful and properly devastating."

The Van
The vehicle bounces and weaves more than you think is needful but you wait with held breath to see what happens next. You never hear the whine of machine guns or the retort of a grenade as you get further away from the warehouse.

Q
She narrows her eyes as you speak. When she replies her voice is hard and hollow, the frustration of her predicament echoing through her tone.

"So you are a disparate group of souls - you will need to convince the one holding my lord. Why do you waste my time if you have no direct power here? If you can not command those who threaten us then leave me and send someone who can. I do not need another whisperer of sweet nothings and empty pledges!"

HER WORDS ARE TOO MUCH! She outmatches us for now...

"I'm as close to a leader as you'll find in this group. For good or ill these people who've come to rescue your master don't follow the ways of the old daimyos. They don't follow through oath-sworn obligation, but one who follows the best interest of the group."

<<Fat Man[Q]: Since you're involved in this you want in? {add to chat request} >>>

"As to my words," the barest sliver of annoyance hinting in Q's voice, "You may take whatever agreement we come to here as an oath on my part. I have every interest in returning your master to his parents. Let us sit and talk like civilized beings."

Fat Man didn't stop to mess around with the fancy tech stuff - the sprite seemed to be able to hear him from the autocab just fine.

"Q is empowered to negotiate with you on behalf of all of us. I know you feel you were betrayed, but I at least keep my word and I don't want to see your master hurt if we can come to an agreement."

<<@Team[Fleet]: Alright, we need to head somewhere where we don't need to worry about KE showing up about all the hardware, and figure out what we're doing with the kid and the crazy spirit grandmother or whatever the hell's in the autocab right now. I don't feel like showing the crazy Matrix-spirit where we sleep or where I hang out, so I'm thinking just somewhere out on the edge of civilization, Redmond or Puyallop Barrens, actually. Eklipse, what's your call?>>

Seeing no immediate signs of pursuit, Eklipse turns away from the rear doors of the van. He pulls back the hood of his chameleon armor and removes his bike helmet to reveal his blue furred face.

He looks at the bloody mess that is Strangeglove, Cypher's burned remains and Zerone's still but seemingly unharmed body.

"Emilio, I have some first aid training. How can I help?"

As he pulls out his own medkit, he responds to Fleet's message.

<<We need to head to the 'office' but I agree it is best not to do so until we deal with the matrix entity.>>

"Herr Rikik, I suggest you take us to ze Barrens. Or anywhere else that you know of where FedBoeing or ze authorities are unlikely or unwilling to pursue us."

"Right, the Barrens. Is everyone okay back there?"

Rikik hits the door lock button at the idea of driving to Redmond. There were plenty of people with guns in the back of the van to scare away the scavengers. He changed the address in the navigation system and headed north.

Q
She looks briefly to the side as if hearing a distant sound.

"The man that holds my lord says you may speak for him. What do you want from me?"

"'n my arm.. dudes. Bitch.. drez."

Strangeglove is opinionated but far from coherent.

Using the rear-view mirror this time, rather than turning around fully, Rikik adjusts it to look at the incoherent troll who is slurring his words.

"Wait, is the machine spirit in your arm?!?!"

He looks from the obvious cyberarm laying limp at Strangeglove's side to the burns on several of the team members. Shifting the mirror some more, he tries to find the leader of this ragtag bunch.

"So, it's Eklipse right? Would you mind bringing me up to speed on the state of things, while we drive? Do I need to worry about the machine spirit, that guy's arm, or the general state of health that a few of your folks seem to be in? Widget is bailing town, her uncles are about to kill her, and there's a mess of data that just got dropped somewhere which has her spooked enough to start breaking her piggybanks."

Auto-cab hub
Standing on the dilapidated street corner, Q knew the chill wind was a trick of his subconscious to keep his body kept him alert since he standing just a few feet from death.

"We look forward to ending this fight. And not just today, but permanently. We don't want you waiting til your master is safe on the other side of the world to come back and hunt us down." Q holds up his hands to ward off her angry retort, "Yes, your lord was caused a brief amount of pain and will have a headache when he wakes up. Though not his fault, the one who initiated this snafu would be wracked with regret to know that he'd caused pain to your master. In return, you've killed the person you say betrayed you and possibly two more. You've also demolished hundreds of thousands of Nyuen and man hours in equipment. I hope you can agree O' Terrible One that you've exacted more than enough punishment with your fearsome retribution. Since you know we're not interested in harming your lord and master, but instead wish to return him to his family, will you agree to make peace?"

"Off. Bch."

Strangeglove shifts about, the limp arm apparently off or disabled (or if you are paranoid, playing dead).

"Comm."

Strangeglove lolls his head about, and starts a weak chuckle that ends in a wet cough. You've never heard a punctured lung wheeze through a voice-scrambler before, and you're not sure how to feel about it.

"Van."

"What the frag! <lot's of expletives in German>. Vidget is bailing town and her uncles, who are just happening to be ze owners of ze Looking Glass, vere I just happen to be renting an appartment, are trying to be killing her. <more swearing in German>. I am not to be believing zis shit! Zis is being ze total clusterfrag and I am not being happy. Ve lost maybe two or drie of our team on zis wasting of a time run plus ze fleet of Fleet and now she is doing ze running away. I vill be killing her myself if zis is being a joke."

It appears that the night elf is less than happy with Rikik's news. It also appears that his command of English is somewhat negatively affected by his current mood.

"I vill be having ze fragging vords with her ven we are getting to ze fragging office!"

<<Q, Fat Man: Deal with ze matrix entity, we are having ze bigger problems to be dealing with and ve need to be getting to ze office without it sniffing around in our commlinks.>>

He turns his attention to the dead and injured, still muttering under his breath in gutter German. He suddenly pipes up as he checks Zerone's pulse.

"Well frag me up ze ass with ze stun baton! Herr Zerone is still being alive."

Emilio speaks while facing Strangeglove and rapidly fussing with his body. Between refining the location of the first aid hookups and assessing wounds, he never actually looks up at Eklipse.

"We wait for the Adrenal Pump to kick off. Then we stabilize him, and then we patch up the fresh wounds. I actually think we stabilize him here, then get somewhere cleaner and patch him there. The fact we aren't in a sterile area and are in a bouncy one will make life harder."

<<Team[Emilio]: Nobody has a Sterilize spell? Doing it at where ever we stop will make healing easier.>>

"Sterilize him? How would that help? I think you need to unblock the flow of chi through his heart meridian. Here, this might help.

Fat Man reached out to touch Emilio, his hands glowing.

The Team
Strangeglove gives a gurgle as his eyes roll up into his head and he passes out - the adrenaline having run its course through his system but he is quickly stabilized by Emilio with easy practiced motions using the medkit. The van bounces around over the next few hours with Rikik's trying to take a route that ensures that you all are not followed. As the ride goes on, a series of AR windows are opened up and searches launched. Somehow Rikik is able to search for the information you all need for NeoNET while driving. It's unclear whether it improves his skill or not as the van continues to veer left or right occasionally.

As the search winds down, the tension drops slightly as Q appears to work out a compromise with the sprite in the auto cab. It can be seen bouncing like behind your vehicle keeping pace and distance with you. He pulls back to AR and reassures the team that things are going to work out. He receives the information from the driver and launches another series of windows as he contacts NeoNET's security attached to HR. There are several tense exchanges with personnel who clearly do not trust "hardened street criminals" until Q is passed off to a negotiator who deals with "outsourced contractors". A warm and professional woman enters the conversation who quickly switches gears and clearly has extensive experience with runners and life outside of the corporations.

She and Q nail down details, and make arrangements for the transfer of funds and people. She agrees to a neutral location where a single vehicle and two personnel from NeoNET - one security agent and an integration specialist to assist the transition of the boys back into the corporation. A transfer is set up of funds being held for release when they are given over in a 3rd party escrow. The last part takes a bit of time to work out to agree on a shadow broker to handle the transaction but they finally settle on one that meets both their needs.

As the AR calling goes on, Emilio moves to monitor your cargo and gives them a look over when the van briefly pulls over so he can enter the cab. When the calls conclude the windows to NeoNET close out and then Q asks once again to have a passenger exchange. He and Emilio swap places with a set of clear instructions from him on how to revive the two youths. Q enters and begins to return them to consciousness. They both rouse and after a few tense minutes calm down as he explains their new circumstances. The sprite also plays a part adding credibility to the telling. The small cab is filled with an uneasiness that seems to go beyond the current circumstances as the boys share looks and seem reluctant to talk to one another.

The odd convoy makes its way to the exchange point when Q verifies the set up of the escrow. The auto cab trundles forward and the boys exit to be scooped up by the two obvious corp employees. A minute after they drive away a message is sent releasing the funds to the team as you pull away and make your way back to the "office". You take a very round about way back to it - avoiding road blocks and power centers established by the feral gangs that roam the Barrens. It isn't until you reach the secluded home that it dawns on you that the night has ended. A shuffle of bodies is moved around as the wounded and unconscious are taken into the house. Just outside the house is a dirty, naked but relatively unhurt Jon who after quickly checking for his gear and getting something on, helps unloading the van.

In the entry way there is a large pair of boots and a handful of bags clearly belonging to Widget as the small host of drones crawl around the items. She jogs up to the group and a long low whistle escapes her lips as she sees your condition. It's clear from her face that she has been up for a bit and is clearly fatigued. She moves to help move people to the large living room to set up a impromptu triage area. As she moves you all clearly see a growing bruise spreading up her neck on her left side and blood has clearly seeped out from under her shoulder to stain her jumpsuit.

There is a moment of calm that is broken by a voice echoing out in the room.

"Interesting," says a voice from across the room. It bears a strangely familiar tenor, but boasts a much more confident and lyrical lilt. It has a slight accent, a bit like Gaelic but a much more elegant brogue. Widget gives a scream of surprise and its clear she is on her last good nerves as she scrambles back and puts some distance between her and the newcomer.

"I had heard rumors of the 'Prodigal Child' while I still served the clan, but I had no idea that they were true. I am surprised he managed to survive this long, but given the mouthiness of his mentor I can see that he's had help."

A slim figure melts into view, shadows and light giving way to opaque substance of a chameleon suit. He slips away from the walls where he had been leaning. He walks forward, the details of his face and body concealed by the suit. He moves with the power and grace of a predator, as though each gesture and step are practiced to perfection.

The figure stops a good distance from the rest of the group. He raises his hands to show that he holds no weapons.

"Now, I don't think you mean to be rude, but perhaps you might allow me to see the whelp? It's likely that I have a closer claim to him than any of you, as the ties that bind us are forged from flesh and blood. We at least share that, even if we are not of mind alike."

The figure reaches up and withdraws the cowl. A hauntingly familiar face stares back.

The figure is an Elf who shares the exact same features as Zero, but the entire collection makes a mockery of the Elf's polite and timid presence. This Elf has his brown hair cut stylishly short, and his green eyes are set in a cold, detached, and haughty expression. His mouth is twisted into a thin, cruel smile, as though he is enjoying private joke at everyone else's expense.

"After all, he is my Brother."

It's a good thing Zero warned us about his evil twin. Or was it twins? He does look evil. He's also probably a magician. Is he here alone?

Fat Man stepped forward, careful to keep magical protection active on everyone as he scanned the astral.

"Your brother was seriously hurt. If you want to reassure yourself that he's alive, take a look. If you want to speak with him, why don't you give us contact information so we can arrange a meeting once he's recovered?"

<@Q[Fat Man]: Perhaps you can assist with this delicate social situation?>

With a nod to Widget, Rikik starts moving people and carrying bags. He tips his head towards her shoulder with a pointed look.

"Was that the uncles or the neighbors?"

When the young girl screams and the spooky man arrives, Rikik scrambles to grab his gun before coming up empty-handed. The pistol was still locked in the glove compartment from his coffee trip, and with all the excitement of dodging police and NeoNET, he had forgotten to grab it. He places his hands behind his head and backs slowly towards the wall, trying to shuffle Widget behind him.

Whispering quietly to the young hacker. "What's going on?"

With the adrenaline of the run, the escape, and negotiations with with death staring him in the face completed, Q kneels next to Strangeglove's prone form wracked by fear, anger, and loathing as fresh as his first change. While his body maintains an almost too calm exterior, his inner turmoil makes fertile ground for the vengeful whispers in his ear. lost in thoughts of vengeance for the near death of one of his few friends and his own impotence to stop it, Q is startled by the sound of the Zero's voice. Spinning up from his crouch near Strangeglove, he sees a more assured and amoral twin of Zero. It never stops!

<<Fat man[Q]: Indeed. Is he Awakened? Does he have any unseen backup?>>

<<Widget[Q]: How'd you get injured? You alright?>>

Q's face and posture remain relaxed as his aura of shadows starts to broil at this intruder's haughty attitude. You can have no reason to hold back on this one! I agree.

"The uninvited cur who skulks into a home and insult it's occupants is the churlish boor possessing rudeness." Q pauses very briefly to let that sink in before continuing, "While blood ties are important, you may look at your brother after you've given us reason to trust that you don't bear him or us ill will. If not, then you may as previously mentioned give us contact information and piss off." A slight, entertained sneer is spread upon Q's face as he enjoys ripping into this intruder with his clever words.

<<Ekilpse, Emilio, Fleet, Jon, Rikk[Q]: If he's Zero's twin, he might be Awakened. If so, I'll only be able to stun him briefly. Be ready. And someone feel free to check for physical or matrix threats we might have missed.>>

Rikik
Widget looks shamed and grateful as you put yourself between her and the man who looks like Zero.

"No I don't think my Uncles would actually kill me...."

She nods her head towards the left side of her body as she continues to speak.

"This was me trying to get here on my board and not succeeding at making it past a toll booth. As to this guy I think he's a clone of other elf or maybe the reverse - I have no fucking idea. The prone one thought they were all clones and I was starting to look into things for him before this all went sideways."

Fat Man
Entering the room you are immediately confronted by the snarl of emotions emanating off of Rikik - it shrouds the room with its waves and eddies. You push past the miasma and peer at the elf. While there are striking similarities in their auras you quickly see subtle differences perhaps at first glance they may appear identical but any thorough examination would reveal the differences.

Weary, irritated, and not particularly courteous on the best of days, Fleet's cybered responses have the shotgun up and pointed squarely at the elf before the first bit of banter has been traded. He punctuates Q's commentary by sending the commend to cycle the shotgun's ejection sequence, lending the oh-so-familiar sound of the action locking another round in place to the proceedings.

"And you've just cost us an expensive safehouffee, so I'm thinking that regardless of what your businefff is, you need to go elsewhere, now, and politely call firfft like everyone else."

Eklipse is tired and any remaining anger he had for Widget fades quickly when he sees that she is hurt. When Zerone's clone steps out of the shadows he realises just how tired he is.

He could easily have killed one or more of us.

Still he brings up his SMG and points it at the elf.

"Zerone did not have ze good words for his 'brothers' so just stay vere you are if you are wanting to be staying in ze one piece, neh?"

"Say your piece and be going. Ve have been having ze long night and need to attend to our injured."

Nodding at Widget's whispered reply, Rikik keeps his hands steadily up in the universal sign of surrender and "please don't shoot me." Messages scroll across his vision from the team and several folks start drawing weapons. Clearly they did not forget to keep a gun handy...

Closing his eyes and cringing slightly from impending doom, the erstwhile driver focuses on the odd sensation of overlapping fields all around him.

The Office
"The Sister is right," "Not Zero" adds to Widget's comment. "While the circumstance of our birth was quite a contrived affair, suffice to say we are kin." Despite the slight accent, he speaks English with the mastery of a native speaker. However, he speaks it begrudgingly, as if the very pronunciation of non-Elven syllables offends him.

"Not Zero" turns his attention to each member of the group in turn. He regards them, paying more attention to those with obvious Elven heritage. After a moment of surveying them, he resumes speaking.

"Contact information like names are powerful things," "Not Zero" replies, "and not something I freely dole out to Low Born ears and uncouth tongues. Perhaps if you will offer me the courtesy of yours, I will return the gesture."

"Do not mistake my interest in the whelp for concern," "Not Zero" says to Fat Man. "This one is an anomaly, a spectacle that piques my curiosity. I hold no desire to harm him, and have little or nothing to say to him...although... I would recommend you give him this advice: those who burn brightest in the Astral leave strongest trails in their wake."

"Ah, of course. Insults," "Not Zero" says to Q, managing to look down at him, "I have learned to expect little else from those of your...ilk. If it will make you feel better, I apologize that you took offense to my actions. Had I intended any of you harm, I would not have left the shelter of the shadows or have announced my presence. Given the pitiable condition of your party I suspect Crom Cruach has already slaked his thirst at your expense, and I doubt you are eager to start a fight over so small a request."

"Now," he continues, crossing his arms, "will you be so kind as to let me see my lost little Brother?"

Rikik
You feel Widget stiffen behind you and feel her body grow hard with anger.

Rikik
You spare a glance back at her to see what changed - her face looks mad but in a very focused way and she almost flinches from his use of the term " Sister" and "Low Born". You can sense, more than see, her building up to an explosion of some sort - a release of emotion, something primal. You don't recall ever seeing her this worked up as you reach out to feel the flows of the electronic life around you and sense numerous small pools of energy - the house drones and network. The new arrival has a single source on his body - most likely his commlink and it feels heavily protected. The rest of the pools you think belong to the group of people around you. You quickly realize the house is shielded since you cannot feel the van you arrived in. Just as you prepare to withdraw from the stream you catch an anomaly - a small house drone has an incredibly strong presence in the matrix - it feels more powerful than the PAN of the elf but seems to be keeping a low profile. As soon as you focus your senses on it you see a icon flare to life - an incoming message in the shape of a small white rabbit wearing a top hat.

<< Can we talk? >>

The Office
The battered and disheveled Widget steps out from behind Rikik and begins to speak in the rich and complex tones of Sperethiel - her face is fierce and hard as she locks eye with the elf. Her use of the language is formal and nuanced, a speaker who has a true grasp of the language.

"Who are you to invoke status? Do you carry one of the 22 Danaan Families names? You are no Steward and hold no position in the five provinces of Tir. You are the echo of a fading sound since forgotten. A shadow of a person repeated over and over again until he no longer has meaning or purpose. You were not nurtured in the wombs of our Mothers - you were birthed in a dish and spat out of a tube. You bear no kinship to me and do not presume to call me Sister. My veins carry the blood of Connaught passed to me through my mother. I am a True Daughter of Tir na nOg."

She strides to Zero's body, kneels and pulls back the layers of cloth wrapped around Zero's badly battered and burned body. She gestures to his face as she speaks to the elf.

"Look at your reflection and leave. Whatever words you speak now will be given to him upon waking."

Rikik recoils back from the vehemence of Widget's tone. The words were something he'd heard on a trid, and though he couldn't place them knew it was a language that people expected him to know. When she pushes past him, he steps back further until he can feel the solid wall behind him.

<<Who are you?>>

<<@Team [Rikik] He's got a comm but nothing else, no weapons that I can find. I'm not really a fighter either.>>

Though not understanding Widget's words, Q appreciates their impassioned eloquence and their effect.

<<@Team[Q]: Did anyone catch that? And Fleet has a point. Do we let him leave?>>

<<@Rikk[Q]: I don't think he's looking for one; he probably enjoys looking down on his "lessers". You want to take a crack at following that 'link home?>>

Rikik
YOu look over the icon hovering before you and realize you are seeing an AI of some sort as the information about it enters your awareness you suspect the entity is doing nothing to stop your analysis of it.

<< A friend of a friend and I heard things had gotten very messy for that friend so I came looking to see how I might be able to help. I talked to one of the team before but it looks like they cashed out or something. >>

As it speaks, it removes the top hat and sweeps it low in a bow and reaches into it to remove a image of an avatar that you do not recognize when it talks about haven spoken to someone before.

The Office

"Not Zero" arches his eyebrows, clearly not expecting Widget's revelation. A grin crosses his face, and he offers her a deep bow.

"Truly I did not expect to find one of the Danu's children in this cesspit of Unworthy decadence," he says, switching to his language of choice. "And let me be the first to say I am relieved to see that your grasp of the mother tongue has escaped the seeping gangrenous taint of Man's decaying world."

"Now that I see you are my host," he continues, rising to his height once more, "I shall gratefully accept your invitation." He walks over to where Zero has been placed without giving the others more than a wary glance. As he walks by Widget, he offers a passing thought.

"I wonder if my little Brother---this 'Zerone'---knows how little you think of us, Dear Sister. After all, what you say of me is true of him as well."

"Not Zero" looks upon his fallen counterpart. He lets his eyes sift through the ruined remains of the fallen Elf, taking in each detail with morbid fascination.

"Look at that," "Not Zero" mutters to no one in particular, "he has abandoned his heritage, and instead bedecks himself with the paraphernalia of a pagan and naive mythology. A shame for him that the Low Born filled his empty mind with such nonsense that left him bereft of strength to defend himself."

"How strange it should be," the Elf continues to muse aloud, "to look upon your face worn by another, to see it reflect feelings that are not your own." He reaches down and gently touches the Zero's face. The gesture is devoid of concern, similar to one a surgeon might make when looking upon a fresh cadaver.

"Instead, the only thing that is unfamiliar is his expression: Weakness." "Not Zero" withdraws his hand from his "Brother's" face.

The Elf steps back from Zero. He turns to the others with hands raised to emphasize that he is unarmed. He walks back towards the exit. When at the doorway, he addresses Widget once more.

"Now that you have satisfied my curiosity, I shall take my leave of you. I would ask that you let the whelp know that I wish him a long life, and that I thank him in advance for the alibi."

"Ah," he snaps his fingers, "but where are my manners? A guest should not leave without giving his host a gift. A bit of advice, to do with as you like:

"Beware the Elves of the Western Sea,
They pose a greater threat than me.
And with that said, I shall begone,
I doubt our paths will cross anon."

The Elf exits the safehouse, slips on his chameleon mask, and melts away into the shadows of the approaching dawn.

<<@Q [Rikik] It would take me awhile. I'm not the brute force type. >>

<<Several of them were hurt, bad is all I know. There's something bad happening, a bunch of data. Anything you can share on that front would be good.>>

<<@Team [Rikik] Any takers on knowing these folks? [Icons Attached] I have an AI bunny who says she's here to help and someone who she spoke with before but is offline. Also does anyone know what he's saying besides Widget?>>

Rikik watches as the clone keeps talking his blah-blah elf language. He slowly lowers his hands to his sides when it looks like no one plans on shooting him. His gaze is distant as he focuses more on the AR space than the bad guy and the team with guns.

Once Not Zero leaves, Fat Man turns to Rikik.

"You appear to be impeding the flow of chi through this room. Are you under some sort of curse? Hold on."

Fat Man pulled out a small piece of paper, wrote something on it, held it up to Rikik, lit a match, and then burned the paper.

"What was that about, Widget? Did he say anything useful?"

leaning against the wall, when Not Zero appeared, Jon moved into a fight or flight posture where flight wasn't an option. As the discussion continued and fight seemed unlikely Jon leaned back against the wall as if waiting to see what happens next...

Is definately been.. interesting.. since starting to work with this group

The Office
Widget sags seeming to lose the steam she had built up in confronting the elf. Her face is a mix of sadness and resignation.

"Just pure blood pointy ear bullshit apparently. I lost my shit and now...."

She pauses as she reads the incoming team message. Her face lights up and she turns to Rikik.

"That's Fuzbunbun - a sort of guardian bunny of the matrix. One of those "can't call on them" types but shows up and pulls your ass out of the fire when you least expect it types. Something has finally gone my way today. The other was a runner contacted for this job but didn't make the final cut and I guess he knew Fuzbunbun?"

She tuns back to Fat Man.

"The only thing that he said that could be useful was and I quote"Beware the Elves of the Western Sea, They pose a greater threat than me. And with that said, I shall begone, I doubt our paths will cross anon." and thanking Zero for an alibi which I am going to assume means a frame job of some sort."

Rikik
You watch the bunny icon actually cringe as you share its presence but seems to make peace with it as it pops the hat back on its head and begins to scratch behind its left ear with its left foot.

<< Well ok I guess we can do it that way. As to the ones and zeros - its a death sentence to anyone that got a copy or at least a long session being tortured until they wished they were dead. You all, well.....maybe not you, got dumped into the middle of the yak's stabbing each other in the dark all ninja style. >>

<<Can you hear the rest of the conversation? The out-loud talking? I really don't want to have to keep both conversations up to date. Also, does that drone have speakers or do you need to be routed through something?>>

"Not specifically cursed, but my life has kinda been that way for a few years now."

Rikik looks from Fat Man to the rest of the team.

"Ok. So the rabbit is one of the good guys. It, he, she....I don't know I didn't move the coat to check...anyways, Fuzbunbun says you guys are hosed, because the Yaks are killing each other with ninja assassins and you got dumped in the shadowy part of the business. You know where the ninjas are and stuff. Which is really kinda the first straight answer I got today except where to drive.

"So, Widget the piggy bank buys some more of my time besides just the ride. Do you want me to see what pieces I can put together? No promises that I can find out how deep the rabbit hole--no offense Fuz--goes, but if you get a few more pieces it might help you dodge whoever is coming next."

He starts heading out to the van and shouts over his shoulder.

"Keep talking, I'm listening. Just need to get my gun before the next smarmy bastard poofs into existence while no one is watching."

Then, Rikik hustles out, grabs the pistol and holster, and locks the van again.

The Office
A small household drone rolls out from under the couch and it's tiny speaker comes on.

"Uhm hi all?"

Widget's face drops a little at the mention of her piggy bank. A look of loss flows over her face. She calls out after Rikik pitching her voice to carry the distance.

"Fair enough. If I or we can find more money can I interest you in hanging around?"

"That will depend a bit on the data. If it's as bad as described, I'll stay. I can use the cash, we all have debts. If it's worse, you'll need me to try and find some of the pieces floating in the aether to help get clear. Can someone bring me up to speed on how you all got tied in with this mess, and give me a copy of the data? Preferably someone who can erase any records of ever giving it to me..."

Rikik comes back in, clipping the holster in place on the waistline of his jeans.

"The drone is Fuzbunbun, please nobody shoot it. What's your bit in this, guardian bunny? Lookin out for one and all, or do you have higher priorities?"