Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:31PM, July 31st, 2075

"Encantado de conocerte, Captain Costalas. Name's Diego Sanchez, but everyone just calls me Jack." The ork reached out a meaty paw and shook hands with the security officer. "As of right now, there isn't any sort of verified threat for this event or its principals, it just seems like it might be a good place for a hit. Just consider us as a contingency."

With a look of sympathy, Jack continued, "I know how much of a pain it is to try and incorporate an outside group into your operation at the last minute, so I don't even want to suggest it. But I do want to offer you our help. We've got a surveillance net up and would be happy to let you know if we spot anything that might impact your operation. We'd just need a commcode to send any information we develop. Other than that, we' shouldn't be getting in the way at all."

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:32PM, July 31st, 2075

Costalas shakes Jack's hand, and then looks back and forth between him and Chomsky. "So, you are just going on a hunch? Ok, well, as long as you stay out of the way of my men when they are doing their job, and have permission from Mr. Chomsky or Ms. Greeley for the weapons you are carrying, " he looks pointedly at the slight bulge under Overkill's arm, "then we shouldn't have a problem."

"I'm sure that our friends here can be trusted, and I assure you Mr. Steiner is fully licensed for the weapons on his person." says Chomsky with a smile.

Costalas nods, and causes a series of digits to materialize in the air in front of the group. "Here is our emergency commcode - if you see anything, contact that number. Thank you gentlemen, and if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to business." His look as he turns away is clearly God save me from my customers...

Chomsky walks the group away, and then stops near a portable bathroom. "My friends, I must heed the call of nature, but before I do, is there anything else I can help you with?"

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:32PM, July 31st, 2075


Drave looked at his friend with concern and said, "It would help us to know what has gone out about this rally, to see if the parties we are concerned about would even register this group as a threat yet. What exactly are you and Greeley planning to do to help stop the flow of drugs into the Warrens? More importantly, have any of your or Rebuilding Together's plans been made public?"

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:32PM, July 31st, 2075


Chomsky looks at Overkill as if to say I told you I had to go to the bathroom, right? but says "I'll try to be brief, we have lots of plans - and not just to stop the flow of drugs, but also to help those afflicted. We are, after all, realists, we don't have the ability to shut off their flow altogether. So, Needle Exchanges, testing for diseases, setting up halfway houses, group therapy, and the like. We will try to increase the amount of Lone Star involvement in the area, as it stands, with no protection from the police, we have to fend for ourselves, and the area is overrun with gangs. Failing police protection, we'll just have to start taking matters into our own hands. Most of this is on the Rebuilding Together's site, so it isn't exactly a secret. Well, not the taking matters into our own hands part..."

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:32PM, July 31st, 2075


Seeing his friend was in a hurry, Drave followed up with, "Have you actually made contact with anyone at Lone Star? If so, who did you talk to?"

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:32PM, July 31st, 2075


"We've been in contact with a Lt. Bradshere, he seemed most accomodating. He seems ideal, since he worked in Vice, and now handles Smuggling Interdiction." Chomsky shifts a little back and forth, "Haven't had a problem so far, whether he'll deliver on his promises is another matter, time will tell though."

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:32PM, July 31st, 2075

Oh frag... Jack thought to himself as soon as Bradshere's name came up. "Thanks for your time, Chomsky. Go take care of your urgent business, amigo." Jack gave Overkill a meaningful look as the organizer departed.

"Well, that's either the biggest coincidence I've ever heard or there may actually be a threat here tonight. We need to let the rest of the crew know, but we got to do it discreetly. Has Ramirez got back to us yet on the good Lieutenant? Once this is over, we may need to have a sit-down with Chomsky and Greeley."

<<@Amy [JustJack] Hey chica, we just had a chat with Chomsky and something came up. We're by the Cruz van in the parking lot, can you meet us real quick?>>

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:33PM, July 31st, 2075

Amy was just a few paces away, talking to some of the volunteers. "You should check out Fredo's soup kitchen next time you're hungry. He moves around but you can often find him on Tower Road." She looks at her commlink and walks up to Jack and the others. "What's up?"

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:33PM, July 31st, 2075

Jack turned to Amy with a grim face, "Just had a chat with your guy, Chomsky. He said the Rebuilding Together folks have been reaching out to Lone Star. Overkill asked who they were working with at the Star. If I gave you two guesses, I bet you'd get it... he's a lieutenant and his last name starts with a B. I'm not sure if this changes anything, but I do think we should probably have a chat with Chomsky or Greeley after this rally is over."

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:33PM, July 31st, 2075

Grease rubs at his chin, deep in thought. He speaks in a low voice, so only his teammates near by can hear him. "We shouldn't jump to any conclusions just yet. Despite his grieving widow, are we sure that Manuel was clean? It's possible that Bradshere was just cleaning house off the books. We need more answers; I still feel like we're two steps behind."

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:33PM, July 31st, 2075

"I agree. We're not sure about anything, except that the Lone Star can't be trusted when it comes to the Warrens and drug smuggling. I absolutely want to tell Chomsky about that and make sure he understands the implications that some Lone Star officers are either on the payroll or directly involved in drug smuggling themselves. We can wait until after the rally though, and I won't give him any specific detail. For now, we have one more reason to want to prepare for the worst this evening."

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:35PM, July 31st, 2075


After hearing his worst suspicions confirmed, Drave checked the link from Ramirez at Jack's question. "Well, according to Ramirez, our instincts about Bradshere were right. He was working a beat for Vice for years, but now, in the past two years he has been promoted up from beat cop to Lieutenant and transferred to Smuggling. "Smells Fishy" is the direct quote. He also gave a few details into case #5427, as well as Twoman's SIN."

"This is not good, Meine Kameraden," he continued, "If Bradshere is who we think he is, he has had at least half a dozen Lone Star officers murdered in the past 3 months. He wouldn't bat an eyelash at taking out a few upstart community organizers talking about getting in his way."

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:35PM, July 31st, 2075

Jack tugged at one of his tusks. "It's possible, but he might just be keeping tabs on them at this point. I mean, if they think they're working with him, it would put him in a great position to manipulate them. Anyway, we still don't really have anything definitive beyond Ramirez's gut instinct and a not-quite-friendly relationship with one of the deceased. Like Captain Costalas said, we're basically just playing hunches here. We do our job tonight, try to keep anything from happening, and then follow-up with Chomsky and Greeley afterwards."

Jack paused, his mind racing, "Anything interesting with #5247?"

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:35PM, July 31st, 2075

Amy nods. "Nothing has really changed for tonight. But to me, things have changed regarding Mr. B. He's likely part of a conspiracy, and not working alone. There's an higher up somewhere who promoted him and changed his assignment for a reason. We know enough about him that I'll tell Chomsky not to trust that guy. We'll want to track Mr. B sooner rather than later, and try to find who he's the protege of."

"And yeah, send us what you got from Ramirez."

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:35PM, July 31st, 2075

"Definitive is a bid word in our business, one you rarely find. But you are both right. Even with this news from Ramirez, we are working on instinct here." Drave breathed heavily before finishing, "But understand this; Chomsky is more than just a friend. He is a leader; the first true leader I have met since I was forced to leave Berlin. People follow will him; he could lead them straight into the flaming mouth of Hell, but people would follow nonetheless. There is nothing more terrifying to those with power than a true leader following a cause contrary to their interests. If Bradshere has any sense at all, he knows Chomsky is a threat to him and his associates. Now we know Bradshere has spoken to Chomsky personally; asking about getting Lone Star's assistance in putting a halt to the drug pipelines going into the Warrens. Even if he had never heard his name before the call, what are the odds he doesn't want him dead, to put a stop to his movement before it gets off the ground?"

Drave worked in AR while he spoke, and forwarded a copy of Ramirez's message to the rest of the team.

<<@Churchfriends [blocked] I've had partial success tracking down the information you requested. What I've found is as follows:

1) Case#5427: I didn't want to delve into this too far, since I'm sure any deep snooping would be flagged. I can tell you that the case was an investigation into Red Rocks Transportation, which, as it sounds, is a transport company. You may want to pull the records of who Red Rocks does business with.

2) Bradshere: I think your instincts are right on about this guy. Used to be a street cop in Vice, and just did patrol for years, and then in the last two years he's been promoted up the chain from beat cop to Lt, and switched over to smuggling. Smells fishy.

3 )Twoman's SIN is 29Δ7–36fΔ972-lk83◊0mv

Stay safe, contact me if you have anything else.>>

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:35PM, July 31st, 2075

Jack shrugged, "Well, 'definitive' entered our vocabulary when our Johnson required us to turn those responsible over to the proper authorities. We have to operate at a higher standard here, this isn't just a wetwork gig. I know you're probably just talking about tonight, but canceling an event due to a remote chance that something is going to happen might play just as much into the hands of someone trying to put a stop to this movement as anything else."

The ork paused for a second before continuing. "As far as Chomsky, I think the last thing they would want to do is make a martyr out of him. That's usually what happens when the top people are taken out with these kinds of groups, at least from what I've been reading in the old new feeds, catching up on what I don't remember anymore. But who knows with these guys? Only so much we can do, really. As to our actual job, that Red Rocks deal sounds like a pretty solid lead. A dirty transportation company seems like a perfect cover to smuggle drugs over the border."

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:35PM, July 31st, 2075

Grease nodded with Jack. "Still, I'm glad he's wearing my vest. If someone wanted to take a shot at him, this would be a good place to do it. So long as they wanted to send a message." Grease looks at the stage, frowning. "At any rate, I should get back to the car and start monitoring the feeds more closely. I also know a few smugglers, I can send them a message and see if they know anything about this Red Rocks Transportation. I bet if they're moving a ton of this stuff some Coyotes know their deal."

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:35PM, July 31st, 2075

Once again, Amy just finds herself agreeing. "This is good work from Ramirez. We have more reasons to follow the Mr. B lead, and we have a new lead on something that has a lot of potential with this truck company. Jack, you make me realize that the people who want to put an end to this movement tonight are probably not going to murder anyone, they'd rather see the rally fail in other ways, anything that gives a bad reputation to the movement as a whole. Vandalism and destruction can begin with only a few people, and any form of violence, especially if it's racist in nature, can be prompted in many ways. So we should be on the lookout for agitators just as much as we should look for snipers, don't you think?"

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:35PM, July 31st, 2075

Jack was impressed with Amy's quick thinking. "Good call, Amy. That something else for Overkill to keep an eye out for in the crowd. That would be a pretty damn smart move on their part, particularly with the media here. I can just imagine what the talking heads would be saying, all kinds of jokes you could make when the organization's name is Rebuilding Together."

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:36PM, July 31st, 2075

Still feeling doubt, Drave stated his feeling, "I sincerely hope you both are right; I will keep my eyes out for anyone looking to incite something within the crowd. But trust me, these men we are dealing with aren't worried about martyrs. They, and those like them, have filled graveyards with them, I have dug their graves. To them, its just another one for the newsreels to write about, then forget. Dead men don't make the news for long."

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:36PM, July 31st, 2075

Amy was tough and had seen people murdered in the streets in her lifetime, but Overkill's account had something very heartfelt and personal... and grim. Had a close friend of his been murdered? She knew a few things about his past but didn't foresee this reply, maybe she'd talk to him about it some other time. "Yeah, preventing an assassination is our number one priority, Overkill, you're right. It's just good to be ready for any possibility."

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 6:36PM, July 31st, 2075

Jack remained non-committal, figuring it wouldn't do any good. The German elf seemed to be calling on his experience in Berlin to color his understanding of Denver. Given the dated newsreels the ork had been reading recently, he could see why someone from that environment might think that way. At the same time, there were still Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevards up and down the former United States of America (well, maybe not so much the CAS anymore) plus all the new Dunkelzahn Boulevards that had popped up throughout the UCAS after the dragon's death. Maybe martyrdom went out of style in Europe with Joan of Arc... The ork couldn't wait for this part of the job to be over.

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 7:45PM, July 31st, 2075

After a tense hour, walking the perimeter, making sure all their equipment was ready, talking briefly with the staff and security guards so that everyone knew who was in charge in case of an emergency, the sun slowly started to descend toward the horizon.

The crowd had begun to arrive around 7:30, and were now filing in over the bridges and through the checkpoints.

Greeley and Chomsky were making last minute preparations backstage, Jack standing protectively near them in his very tight t-shit.

Grease was in his BMW, hopping from drone to drone as they cruised the air, with Rhex parked next to the BMW, waiting for orders.

Overkill was wandering through the crowd, his perception constantly updated with reports from his Agent scanning for hidden icons.

Amy was getting ready to get to her position, but first prepared herself to speak to the spirits once more.

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 7:45PM, July 31st, 2075

Amy had found a spot out of sight to perform her conjuring - in a Port-A-Potty, of all places. Calling for a being as powerful as she intended required such concentration that it was impossible to avoid making all sorts of movements that would give away that she was using magic. In the worst case, her totem could even show and that would bring about a lot of questions from a lot of people. At least, even though the process seemed long and complicated in her mind, it took actually very little time.

Reaching out to the metaplanes as she had been taught, the shaman started looking for the right kind of ancestral spirit. She was looking for one attuned with the clouds and the storms. And she quickly found one. It was large and powerful, and a little scary. A negotiation began between man and spirit, but her initial sentiment must have shown for the astral being managed to reject the connection Amy was attempting to establish. Breathing deeply, she tried again, this time with more determination as well as more recklessness. She wasn't going to impose her will on a spirit that has to travel from the land of the dead back to this realm without pushing herself to the limit.

Again, she called out for the right kind of being, and there it was. She could see it now, a turbulent, vaguely human-looking form that floats at the ready. His name was Thraha. Astral negotiations with a spirit were always short, and Amy had to make her move fast. This time it worked. "Thank you for coming to my help this evening, oh great ghost of our ancestors." "I am here to serve, my lady. Please instruct me and I shall obey." "Excellent. Our mission tonight is to protect a few people who need it, and you can help in many different ways. First, let me show you around..."

Amy got out of the portable toilet and started walking around the park at a brisk pace, as if she had difficulty following someone else. She immediately felt that the conjuring had made her slightly more exhausted already. "...Here you see the entrance, and over there the kitchen. These people here are volunteers, ah and that woman over there is important, her name is Greeley..." And eventually she made her way to the stage, pointing out to her spirit some key elements of the setup, using the telepathic link they shared.

Finally, when she was certain that the spirit understood what she understood herself, she made her command explicit. "So your job in all this will be to perform astral surveillance. I want you to observe people, especially in the crowd and in the park in general, but also within the surrounding area as you see fit within the range of our link. The goal is to protect Chomsky and Greeley, plus my team, including yourself, and in that order. If you notice an entity or even an object that is hostile, that appears to you to threaten us or to put any of us in imminent danger, I want you to alert me telepathically and be ready to intervene. This is the first service I ask of you. I put my trust in you, Thraha."

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 7:46PM, July 31st, 2075

Jack kept his senses sharp as the crowds finally started to arrive. He didn't think anyone would try to make a move at this point; whether they wanted a general disturbance or to geek one of the two elves, they would probably want a full crowd for maximum effect. Still, one never knew what could happen and the ork remained on his toes.

As he scanned the crowd again, his AR feed lit up with an incoming text icon. A quick glance showed Jack that it was from Honeypot. Given that the fence was trying to track down information about the people tailing Amy and Overkill, Jack opened it immediately. Reading through it, he cursed. Composing a quick response, he sent it and waited for a response. Pacing back and forth, the ork muttered, "...fraggin' timing." He looked back and forth between Greeley and Chomsky and truly hoped that there wasn't a real threat to their safety.

Less than a minute later, his commlink chimed again. Mashing the button, the ork called up the new message. Frag, frag, frag... he thought to himself, reading through Honeypot's message. Jack called up the number for Amindola's and requested a taxi, promising double the rate if they could shake someone loose to pick him up in 5 minutes.

Figuring back and forth texts weren't going to work, Jack opened up a conference call on his phone.

<<@Team [JustJack] Folks, I know this is unprofessional as all Hell, but I've got to go. That contact I put on the trail of the folks looking for us thinks they may be in danger. I've learned to trust their instincts. Considering what's happened to some of the witnesses, I've got to believe that there is a clearer threat there than here. I called a cab so that the only resource being pulled from this job is me, myself, and I.>>

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 7:46PM, July 31st, 2075

Amy saw Jack's message appear and sighed. <<@Team [Amy's Voice] You do what you have to do, Jack. We can deal with the rally without you, but don't take too many risks when you're by yourself. If you find yourself in any trouble at all, call up and Grease can go to you and extract you outta there. Arright? We're a team and we look out for each other.>>

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 7:46PM, July 31st, 2075

Sitting in the comfort of his BMW, Grease frowned at Jack's message. Of all the times... Well, if they're in trouble, he's gotta go.

<<@Team [Grease]: You can take the cab if you want; it can probably be here in 10 minutes. I get the sense this whole thing is just us being overly paranoid, anyways. Holler if you need serious firepower.>>

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 7:47PM, July 31st, 2075

Jack was glad no one objected to his decision. He was pretty sure that some of them might question it, but appreciated that no one voiced it.

<<@Team [JustJack] Thanks, folks. I'm going to take one of the Amindola cabs. If things go pear-shaped Grease, I'd rather have you not have to split your attention between here and there. If I run into trouble, I'll let everyone know. The timing is terrible, which is kind of suspicious in and of itself. Hell, the whole thing could be a setup, but I gotta check it out either way. Thanks for understanding...>>

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 7:46PM, July 31st, 2075

"Gott, warum hasst du mich?" Drave cursed to himself as he heard Jack's message. He had been blending in near the kitchens, grabbing a bite himself to look natural while keeping a watchful eye over the main assembly that had gathered; checking for weapons and anyone looking like they were going to cause. He was confident in the disguise job Grease had done; he could recognize himself; different hair and sunglasses, his Cybereye's glow turned off; and the Bronco's jacket and khaki's he was wearing would likely not be anything he would wear again. He couldn't help but do occasional scans of the areas of the houses, a few in particular that he and Jack both thought looked like good sniper's nests.

Drave had a strange sense of trust in Jack's judgement, and knew he wouldn't leave this situation without a good reason. He typed a quick response in his AR.

<<@JustJack [Overkill]: Viel Gluck, mein Genosse, We'll take it from here.>>

He hoped it was a good reason, in any case.

<<@Amy[Overkill]: Amy, don't worry; just stay close to Chomsky, and do what I know you can.>>

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 7:51PM, July 31st, 2075

As Jack paced back and forth waiting for the taxi to arrive, the others continued about their tasks, nervously wondering what, if anything, this new twist had to do with their current assignment.

Four minutes after the call, an Amendola taxi screeched into the parking lot, the driver a young looking troll barely able to squeeze inside the cab, but clearly eager to earn the promised bonus. "Hop in boss, I'll get you there quick." Jack needed no second invitation, although he wondered as to whether or not the the extra weight would rip the bottom out of the cab the next time the went over a bump.

On the way, he scanned the entry on his commlink for the hotel, switched out of his yellow t-shirt, threw his armored vest on, and then his t-shirt on over it - the vest showing an outline in the fabric, but that couldn't be helped.

Claridge Hotel, East 60th, 8:06 PM, July 31st, 2075
After a 15 minute drive that seemed to take an eternity, the cab pulled up in front of the Claridge, the AR facade covering the lack of maintenance the actual building received. The sidewalk around the hotel was empty, and there were only two guests he could see inside the lobby through the front door. Paying the driver, he stepped onto the curb.

Claridge Hotel, East 60th, 8:06 PM, July 31st, 2075

Arriving at the building, Jack tapped a quick message to Honeypot.

<<@Honeypot [JustJack] On my way, tough to catch a cab. Should be there in 15-20 minutes, hold tight>>

Jack couldn't discount the possibility that Honeypot had either flipped on him or was being used as bait for an ambush. He hoped the message might buy him a bit of time and possibly surprise. Exiting the cab, the ork tapped in a command on his commlink to pay the driver and tip him an extra 12 . "Thanks buddy. If you hang around for another 30 minutes, I may need a ride back. Same rate..." Hoping the troll's avarice would keep him around, the ork turned and faced the building without another word.

Jack pretended to check himself out in the glass of the front door, fiddling with his hair and adjusting his glasses. His real reason for pausing was to examine the guests in the lobby, looking for anything out of place.

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 8:01 PM, July 31st, 2075

After Jack departed, Chomsky gave Amy a questioning look, but Amy simply smiled and nodded her head, indicating everything would be fine.

The crowd had started to build, and the baseball fields now were full of people. Most looked worse for wear, denizens of the Warrens who had seen better days, and were looking for better ones to come. The volunteers formed were all in place, their t-shirts like a yellow ribbon around the stage.

Grease's drones were doing aerial sweeps over the houses, and Amy could see Thraha standing guard over the assembly.

At 8:00 precisely, Chomsky climbed up on the stage. "Hello everyone, and welcome!" Cheers met his greeting. "For those of you who don't know me, my name is Chomsky, and I was born, raised, and live right here in the Warrens!" More cheers came back, a show of solidarity among the residents.

"We know things have been getting worse around here, and we need to do something about it!" He made a motion with his hand, and Greeley came to stand next to him on the stage. "I would like to introduce you to Ms. Shannon Greeley, a representative of Rebuilding Together." The cheers were more sporadic this time, as the crowd did not have a great history with corporations, even so-called "non-profit" ones. "She is here to offer her support. I ask that you give her your time. Ms. Greeley, I turn the stage over to you."

The AR equipment came to life, and Shannon's image and form was placed over the center of the field, so that everyone could easily see her. She smiled, friendly and easily, and began to speak. "People of the Warrens, I am not going to try and pretend that I am one of you. I can't. Each of you has faced hardships I have not. Each of you has been deprived of the basic human necessities that I grew up taking for granted." There was much mumbling of assent from the crowd. "But! That does not mean that myself, or my friends at Rebuilding Together are blind to your problems. We see the issues caused by the government, or should I say LACK of government. We see the rampant violence and drugs, the neglect of the schools and buildings, and we need to let people know that we are different. That the time for change is NOW!" The crowd was warming to her now, their voices drowning out the sound of sirens, but not of the flashing lights. approaching from the west.

Grease's Fly Spy was the first to spot the approaching vehicles. Two Lone Star Patrol-3s, with four Rotodrones flying above them, came down the street toward the parking lot.

Claridge Hotel, East 60th, 8:06 PM, July 31st, 2075

Ever cautious, Jack enters the building. The two guests inside appear to be a couple, two elves you would estimate to be in their 70's. Probably too poor to afford better accommodation.

There is only one worker behind the counter, a greasy-haired man who gives Jack a dirty look as he enters. Is it orks in general he doesn't like, or just me..


Jack continues to the elevator and presses the button. His commlink chirps, and he looks down at it, conscious of the eyes of the desk clerk on him.

<<@Jack[Honeypot] Thank you, Jack. I'll be in the room. Knock three times then once.>>

Jack steps inside, closing the door behind him, pressing the 11th and 13th floor buttons. After a sixty second elevator ride, he gets off at the 11th floor, and follows the AROs for the stairs.

As he enters the staircase, he can hear moaning from a couple floors below, but they seem of pleasure more than pain, and he continued up the stairs. He reached the door to the 13th floor, and listened. Although it was hard to hear over the amorous couple, he did not make out anything. Slowly opening the door, he looked down the hallway, but saw it was empty.

Claridge Hotel, East 60th, 8:08 PM, July 31st, 2075

So far so good... the ork thought to himself. Entering the 13th floor hallway, Jack closed the stairwell door behind him as silently as possible. Taking note of the room number closest to him, the ork worked his way down the hallway, his FootNinja^TM skillsoft smoothly interfacing with his skillwire system. As he finally made his way to Room #1329, Jack paused, slowed his breathing, mentally activated his wired reflex system, and listened to the door, trying to make out any sounds on the other side that might indicate trouble.

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 8:01 PM, July 31st, 2075

She's bringing out the cops? What the frag...

<<@Overkill,Grease [Amy's subvocal] Our plan hasn't changed. Let's see how the crowd reacts, continue watching, and not just the cops.>>

Claridge Hotel, East 60th, 8:08 PM, July 31st, 2075

Not very good situational awareness if she's watching the trid... the ork thought to himself. Slowly, Jack pulled out his small Streetline Special and checked that the safety was off and that it was ready to fire. The APDS rounds loaded in it were illegal, but it was a calculated risk. With his free hand, he tapped out a message on the Ikon strapped to his right wrist and sent it to Honeypot.

<<@Honeypot [JustJack] About 2 knock>>

Jack moved to the side of the doorframe and put his back to the wall. Reaching out, he knocked three times, paused, knocked again, ducked down, and brought his weapon to bear, aiming at the door.

Claridge Hotel, East 60th, 8:08 PM, July 31st, 2075

Jack waited, and he could hear footsteps approaching the door. The door opened slowly, and Jack tensed as someone poked their head out into the hall. Managing to avoid blowing his friend's head off as a reaction, Jack lowered the weapon as Honeypot turned and yelped a little in fright.

"Jack, don't scare me like that, I'm nervous enough as it is. Come inside." She looked both ways down the hallway again, and went inside the room.

Jack followed cautiously, and checked out the room as they went inside. A tiny bathroom to the right, basically just a toilet, sink, and empty shower stall, a closet to the left so small that it should really be called a drawer, and then the spacious part of the room, a double bed with a trid at least 25 years old sitting crookedly on a desk that looked about twice that old. Honeypot paced nervously back and forth. "Jack, be straight, what the hell have you gotten me into?"

Claridge Hotel, East 60th, 8:10 PM, July 31st, 2075

Once assured the room was clear, Jack put the pistol back on safe and pocketed it. He moved over to the door and secured the lock. "Sorry about that, I wasn't sure if you were contacting me on your own free will. Can't be too careful..."

Motioning for the elf to sit down, the ork continued, "You sure you want to know? Might make you even more of a target. I know you're worried about your contacts not getting back to you, but something has you spooked. Care to share?"

Claridge Hotel, East 60th, 8:11 PM, July 31st, 2075

Honeypot stops and collects her thoughts for a minute. "After we met yesterday, I mentioned to some of my friends that I would be interested to know about the two elves poking around, and who might be interested in them as well. One of them, a working girl friend of mine, said she would check it out. She is usually good for information, as she has quite a few clients, let's say, well placed." She sits on the bed, her brow furrowed. "The last I spoke to her was late last night, and she was about to meet one of her clients who she said worked for Lone Star, but she wouldn't say who it was. I sent her a message this morning, and she hasn't responded. This is a girl who lives on her 'link. There is no way she didn't get the message, or wouldn't get back to me if she weren't prevented from doing so."

She wipes her eyes, composes herself and continues. "If that weren't bad enough, my Matrix guy I use for, shall we say, "discreet inquiries" messaged me to say he had a lead he was working on. Then nothing. I drove by his house, his car was parked out front, but the lights were off, and he wasn't responding." She stands again and resumes pacing. "I'm stuck in this fleabag of a motel. I only picked it cause the manager owes me. I used to turn tricks here when I was younger, and I can't say that this is creating any memories that are better than those."

"Alright, Jack. I've shared. Your turn."

Claridge Hotel, East 60th, 8:11 PM, July 31st, 2075

Jack sighed and nodded. "Alright, fair is fair, I'm going to shoot straight with you. The crew I'm with is looking into a series of Lone Star murders. Yes, this crew includes the two elves we talked about yesterday. Anyway, a little over a half-dozen officers have been killed over the past few months in suspicious circumstances. Our Johnson wants us to figure out what the deal is, who's doing it, and making sure justice is done. It's not something I'd normally take on, but the pay seemed good."

"We've looked into most of the murders. Looks like it's a professional crew doing most of the geeking and it seems like they're trying to tie up loose ends. Pretty sure there are a few witnesses who've found themselves looking down the wrong end of a pistola..." Jack paused briefly, considering the innocent blood that had been spilled so far, apparently including some of Honeypot's friends. "As far as we can tell, we think it's related to a new drug the Los Mags are running called Crimson Fire and may be tied into some corrupt Star personnel. As this thing has unfolded, it's gotten pretty nasty. Honestly, I didn't know how nasty it was when I asked you about it. If I had, I would have never asked you to look into it. I don't know which way we can move now... these people seem like they know our moves before we do."

Jack straightens up. "With that said, I put you in this mess, I'm going to get you out of it. I can understand that you're not a big fan of this place, but do you think you're safe here? The only flophouse I can offer is the place I stay and most of the rest of my crew is there. I'm not sure how safe it would be. If you think you can get away with hiding out here for a while, it might be the best course of action. Any details about your chums could help. Addresses or commcodes, we might be able to shake something loose to help us find these guys and exact some justice."

Claridge Hotel, East 60th, 8:11 PM, July 31st, 2075

Honeypot's eyes sort of widen as Jack's story unfolds. "That's some deep waters you are swimming in Jack. Here's the info I have for both of my people." She sends two files over to Jack's 'link. "Drug dealers, bad cops, and who knows what else."

"As far as your offer of shelter, I appreciate it, but I think that hiding out with you would be like jumping from the frying pan into the fire." She smiles. "Did you notice the elderly couple when you walked in?" Jack nods.

"You wouldn't know it, but the girl is a minor magician, and the other is a pretty badass fighter. They've got my back. But it was still sweet, Jack."

Claridge Hotel, East 60th, 8:15 PM, July 31st, 2075

"Thank you, bonita," Jack replied. "When this is all over, I'll give you a call and let you know. Hell, if it works out right, you might read about it in the Trib. Regardless, I'm sorry for getting you involved with this. I aim to make it right, and soon... stay safe."

Jack gave the elf a sad smile and walked to the door. Checking the peephole, he opened the door and took his leave, heading toward the elevator. With Honeypot advising him of the two powerful septuagenarians downstairs, he took the direct route, trusting in their abilities.

Claridge Hotel, East 60th, 8:15 PM, July 31st, 2075

As Jack rides the elevator down, he wonders how the rest of the team is doing. As the door to the lobby opens, he thinks to himself, This little detour sure came up at the worst HOLY SHIT!?!

Jack flinches as the body of a young elven female smashes into the wall next to the elevator with bone-crunching impact. His eyes instinctively drawn to her, and his brain registers that although she looks about twenty, she is wearing the same clothes as the woman he saw on the way in.

Reaching for his sidearm, he looks up to see the another elf, his magical disguise now shed, standing his ground in front of one of the biggest trolls Jack has ever seen. At almost twelve feet in height, he literally towers over the slender form in front of him. The elf, taking his eyes off of the troll for a second, yells "Get her out of here!" The troll, coal black skin with ritual scarring on each cheek, long black dreadlocks reaching mid back, looks at Jack and laughs. At least that is what Jack thinks he is doing, since when the enormous mouth opens, a strangled croaking comes out, it is clear that the troll has had his tongue removed.

The elf extends spurs from both arms. "Go!"

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 8:02 PM, July 31st, 2075

Seeing the cop cars approaching rapidly, Grease frowns to himself alone in his car, worried. He sends a message to the team, excluding Jack (who is suspiciously absent.) Convenient he bugged out right before the cops showed...

<<@Team[Grease]: I've got cops approaching from the west, 2 patrol cars and 4 rotodrones. I'd go whisper to Greeley if she's expecting company, or if she'd prefer to keep this little party kosher. The speed they're approaching leads me to believe this isn't because Building Together is missing a permit. We may need to bug out fast; those Rotodrones can carry some heavy drek, and me and RHex can't stand up to that level of firepower. Not to mention that I'm not too enthusiastic about getting into a shooting match with Lone Star, even if this batch is the dirty kind.>>

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 8:02 PM, July 31st, 2075

<<@Overkill,Grease [Amy's subvocal] Crazy as it sounds, I think it was something planned by Greeley all along. Let's see how it plays out, I don't want to get on that stage if I don't need to. I'll go ask Chomsky though.>>

Amy makes her way to her friend. "Chomsky, was this craziness planned all along? The Cops are onto us. What do you want us to do?"

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 8:02 PM, July 31st, 2075

Planned?! Well, they know Greeley better than I do. Still, this is going to turn sideways fast.

<<@Team[Grease]: The air support is what worries me. I'll wait and see for now, but be prepared to tackle her if they start acting hostile.>>

I just bought that damn vest!

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 8:02 PM, July 31st, 2075

Still trying to register the intent of the Lone Star squadron descending on their position, Drave surveyed the crowd to see their reactions to the fast approaching police. Listening to his team's chatter, he shook his head, and typed a quick response in his AR display.

<<@Team[Overkill]: Well, be sure and let us know what he says.>>

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 8:03 PM, July 31st, 2075

As Amy fights to make herself heard over the noise of the crowd, Chomsky turns to look at her. "Is what planned?" She points to the police vehicles, and he looks confused. "I had no idea they were coming."

The two Patrol-3's pull in to the parking lot and park, while the Rotodrones fly up about 150 meters or so to provide overwatch. The drones bob and weave around, but do not make any threatening moves. The crowd starts to mumble and then it becomes difficult to understand anything as all the people start talking at once.

The doors to the Patrol-3's open, and one man gets out of the driver side of each vehicle. Both are about average to above average height, their full body armor marked with the Lone Star insignia, their helmets making them anonymous and stormtrooper-like. They make no move toward their weapons as they approach the stage, and speak briefly with Captain Costalas.

The Cruz Security personnel move out of the way, and the two officers start walking toward the stage.

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 8:03 PM, July 31st, 2075

Very interesting...

<<@Team [Grease] I guess we're about to find out if Greeley has any warrants outstanding..>>

Grease maintains his drones in their surveillance net, making sure to mark each of the rotodrones with an AR marker for his team.

Horseshoe Park, Aurora Warrens, 8:03 PM, July 31st, 2075

<<@Overkill,Grease [Amy's subvocal] He doesn't know about it. Drek.. what is going on? Stay sharp.>>