Val; Some time; Somewhere

Val shook his head, trying to shake the fog of sleep from his brain. Looking over to his left arm, he can see the IV lines. He can see more lines attached with tape to his arm, chest, and head. The ceiling is a hospital white and, looking around, he sees a curtain surrounding his bed. Straining his brain to remember, a sense of deja vous comes over him: The last thing he remembers is the warehouse.

Hardwire was coming in after taking down the fool by the door and Yury... that bastard Yury was in the warehouse. Why can't he remember anything else?

He tried to speak, but found his mouth already full: More tubes.

============================
Hardwire; Friday, April 17th; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

The hum of the matrix was like a song in his head, his whole body vibrating to the beat of the music and... his eyes snapped open. He'd been asleep and, according to the chronometer, for damn near three weeks. His memory is a blur. The warehouse. The fool in the doorway. The bright flash of light and the sensation of his meat flying through the matrix, following the neon data trails....

Was is it so hard to focus... little white bunnies hopping along the data trail- STOP! WAIT! Eyes open!
The ceiling is white, clean. The bed is soft. Soft like little bunnies hopping down the data trail- STOP!
A curtain surrounds his bed, silver rings spaced along the top, holding it to a bar, making a three-quarter rectangle with rounded corners. Fluffy clouds and bunnies hopping- STOP!

He shook his head, then his arms, then the wires and tubes became apparent. On his arms, head, chest. Down his mouth and other orifices. He laid back, smiling. Little white bunnies jumping across his bed- STOP!

Val; Some time; Somewhere

val took care looking around his body taking a self assessment of the kind of care he was in. he took a moment to focus and attempt to sit up before making any rash movements. He had no idea who was around and no idea where the others were. the last thing he remembered was loading the alpha....Yury!! immediately his thought ran to hardwire at the back of the warehouse and the poor mojo slinger what was his name,
his thoughts ran so fast he could not account for the time that had past and his last action after being on the cat walk inside the warhouse what had happened. the only clue he knew would be if Yury was dead he would be happy however being in a hospital wasn't exactly where he wanted to end that course of action, it was always a possibility....he caught himself getting side tracked, to the moment at hand. sitting up and pulling his
breathing tube out and figuring out what the docs had given him would be the first move. he needed to get his clean com and tooled up, who knew who was taking care of him and why. first things first..... he reached up for tube and started the grotesque process of what would feel like pulling a flexible tube from the bottom of his throat fighting back the urge to vomit and choke on the dryness. he needed to get a head start on things
he knew his com would be away from him but he checked to see what he had on him trodes and what not to see if he would be able to get a signal to his com to make a call and maybe even a gps search for where exactly he was at the moment. he hoped he was ok and why the hell couldn't he remember anything else!

Val; Some time; Somewhere

Looking down at his body, Val is relieved to find that despite only having the sheet and a flimsy hospital gown to cover it with, his body looks in tact and mostly as he remembered it. Squeezing his fists, he can tell the muscle augmentation is still in place and the tell-tale cording of his muscles from the muscle toner are visible under the layers of dermal armor. Feeling his neck above the collarbone, his gills feel fine. Leveling his hand in front of his body and holding it steady for a few moments, he can feel the subconscious tension of his wired reflexes. Despite not waking up in a bathtub, he still feels around his back and feels confident that his kidneys are also in place.

The breathing tube came out about like he expected it would. The various trodes all appear to be connected to medical equipment, lacking any displays. The IV bag dangled from a pole next the the bed, a drip line running down to the medical connection through his dermal; a connection installed when the dermal was initially installed during his transformation into Valery Strobokov... and it invokes a memory:

"The last operation was a success.", the old Russian man says with a thick accent in their native tongue. Vlad simply stares at his left forearm, an IV snapped into place into some quick connect divot, which is now a part of his arm. He runs his right finger along the course material that is now the dermal layer of his skin. Then looks at the finger as well. The skin is several times thicker than the callused skin of his heal and more resembles a fingernail, than skin.

The old man snaps his fingers, drawing Vlad's focus back. "Vladamir. I have made arrangements: You will leave in three days for Seattle." The old man grabs a hold of Vlad's chin to keep his focus, "Do not forget our pact. For your Galina and my Mikhail."

Val's focus returns to the present. Valery... Vladamir... He was both. Gangster. Grieving husband out for revenge. Oh his Galina... and also the matter of Kostya's son Mikhail...

Hardwire; Friday, April 17th; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS
For an instant, the amount of medical wiring on his body made Hardwire think he had ended up as a guinea pig, but the comfortable background hum of the matrix convinced him he was not due to be vivisected. The calm with which he drew these conclusions surprised him, somehow it felt as if more fear or emotion was appropriate to the situation. A drug effect, no doubt, drugs making him clearly see bunnies on his bed which another part of his brain was sure did not exist.

Drugs. Vory. They had been at the Vory warehouse...investigating another case of lost memories, and Vory hunting them for it. But this was not how the Vory would treat a captive, another oddly emotionless memory reminded him. So what was this place, and how did he get here -- and for that matter, when did he actually look up his time and location? He needed answers, preferably before someone came looking for him

Hardwire; Friday, April 17th@22:13; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Fighting to clear the fog... and the bunnies, from his brain, Hardwire fought to get control of his his thoughts. Raising his and over his, he sees them wrapped in clouds- no, bandages... and a owl begins flapping around his arms and hands with a, "Whooo! Whooo!"

First bunnies, now an owl, what next, kittens?

Val; Some time; Somewhere

Val blinks repeatedly coming back to his senses. the rage of his dead wife bringing him back to the present and a certain clarity. seeing his trodes still attached he reaches out hoping his com is still active. attempting to reach out and connect to his com to get a semblance of is whereabouts and how long he had been out. Slowly sitting up from his position he takes in the room in all of its contents.
looking around to see what was around him windows noises and smells he tries to take it all in and look for a escape if authorities were about or worse. Val needed to get out of there and exact what his memories set him out to do. The only other person who was with him was Hardwire, he hoped the deck head made it out ok, thinking of which he tries to get ahold of him

<@hardwire[Val]"you still alive? I am in a hospital somewhere. hit me back when you can or if you can trace this communication let me know. I am in the dark and need a light tunnel to figure out what happened there."> alas Val sees the errors of not knowing tech as much as he wished talking only to himself. The escape begins... looking about as he rises and looking for anything able to use as a weapon if need be. He needed a plan, first things first he needed to unhook and get on the move. Starting with turning off the I've and silencing all the equipment to no Blair once disconnected.

Val; Some time; Somewhere

Val, like any other child of the sixth world, is accustomed to a comlink being ever present in his mind. He mentally nudges the commands to activate his comlink. Nothing. He repeats the commands. Nothing.

Reaching up with a finger to his temple, he realizes that his nanopaste trodes are gone. Looking at the little end-table next to his bed, he sees a box of tissues, but no comlink. Thinking weapons, he figures the IV pole will make a reasonable enough staff.

Sitting up, his head swims for a moment, the position strange to his body and brain. This in turn causes a nausea to rise in his throat. With all the focus and willpower he can muster, Val levels himself and remains seated and in control. The curtain around his bed blocks his view of the rest of the room.

Val; Some time; Somewhere

Val takes a breath steading himself and regaining what ever semblance of composure. slightly repulsed by the feeling of vomit from a empty stomach, fighting back the urge to barf he happily twists himself to try and attempt a stand before trying pull back the curtain and see where he was and who had him. holding onto the pole until he can see. mentally steading himself to use the IV pole as a make shift staff, he leaned on it for support while standing up.

Val; Some time; Somewhere

Shaky, but in control, Val grabs the IV pole, grits his teeth and pulls himself to his feet. He pushes past the atrophy in his limbs, past the vertigo of his brain... and stands. Through it all, he feels as though he is regaining control of his destiny.

Hardwire; Friday, April 17th@22:13; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

The auditory part of this hallucination was new, and the image of the phantom owl stubbornly resisted Hardwire's attempts to blink it away, instead becoming even sharper as he tried. Focusing his torpid mind on the strange phenomenon, he realized that some of the matrix buzz surrounding him seemed to shift as the owl moved. He couldn't quite remember what made this sight familiar, but in his current state he couldn't see a reason why it might be a bad idea to lift a finger towards the owl as it landed near his left hand.

Hardwire; Friday, April 17th@22:13; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

The owl stops and lands, one claw to his finger and the other claw to his hand. It "Whoos" at him again, then the owl's noises begin to sound more... more... more like words. "Whooo... Whooo do you... Do you understand me? Did you hear me? They are coming. I've hidden you as long as I can. You must run. Your centurion is in the next bed. Get up!"

Val; Some time; Somewhere

Val takes out the I and clears his thoughts before looking around past the curtain and to the beyond looking always for his belongings.

Hardwire; Friday, April 17th@22:13; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS
"Funny little bird, I'm kinda tied up here"...and why would there be a laser axe in the other bed? Confused, Hardwire tried to angle his head so he could peek past the curtain in the direction pointed by the owl's wing

Friday, April 17th@22:13; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Val
Val pulls back the curtain at the end of the bed and moves out. The room is a typical hospital white. To the left center is a door, which appears to be an exit from the room. To the left of that is a small bathroom, to the right of the exit door is a pair of closet doors. Straight ahead are a pair of sitting chairs and a tray with wheels. To his right is the curtain of another bed. The curtain parts need the head and he sees another patient. It only takes him a second to realize that Hardwire is in that bed.

Hardwire
Still lying in bed, Hardwire rolls to the side, reaches out grabbing the curtain to pull it to the side. He sees the naked backside of a muscular man in a hospital gown standing at the end of the next bed over using a rolling IV stand for stability. He turns to face Hardwire and is recognizable as the Russian elf, Val.

The owl let's out a "Whoot" and flies away.

Both

As the two take a moment to recognize each other, the klaxons of a fire alarm begin to blare throughout the facility.

Friday, April 17th@22:13; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

The sight of Val brought back some memories, or maybe his anesthesia was subsiding. Still, Hardwire could not remember anything past the firefight at the warehouse. He meant to ask Val what the frag had happened to them, only to be reminded that he was still connected to the breathing tube.

Friday, April 17th@22:13; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS
Val

Val looks at Hardwire carefully for a second to make sure he was seeing what he was seeing. Once the alarms started Val took to Hardwires aid in removing the breathing tube and iv as well as his own IV. helping hardwire out of the bed to the room and head towards towards the door in the right side of the room not wanting to walk out the main door into a fray of authorities. hopefully they could find some clothes and get the hell out of there ASAP.
looking at Hardwire knowing there are questions that need to be answered "first things first lets get out of here. than we can talk more."

Friday, April 17th@22:14; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Val moves almost reflexively to disconnect his own cabling before moving over to assist Hardwire. In moments, he has Hardwire free as well, including gently removing the breathing tube.

A quick scan of the closets reveal the following:
Val's jacket is actually in good shape and he has a t-shirt, but no pants. His boots have obvious fire damage, but are serviceable. Both his comlinks are there, powered off, and his nanopaste trodes are in a small specimen container. No weapons.
Hardwire has no clothes, nor weapons. His comlink is there, though the casing is partially melted.

As Val get his armor jacket pulled on, the door opens and a male human, Russian, looks in, surprised to see people up. His right hand is hidden under his jacket. A second man is following him.

Friday, April 17th@22:14; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Coughing and unable to get out a word, Hardwire followed Val to the lockers and picked up the molten 'link. As he finally managed to croak out intelligible words, he only got to "What the frag hap-" before the door opened and the intruder reached into his jacket

Friday, April 17th@22:14; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS
Val

Vals attention from Hardwire is interrupted and immediately goes into action. closing the distance between the two and tries to stop the two from breaching the doorway, vals wired relexes spring into immediate action and moves in and attempts to subdue the first Russian male holding the right hand inside his jacket while throwing with what might he throws a haymaker into the Russian in a attempt to knock him out.

Friday, April 17th@22:14:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Running on pure reflexes and adrenaline, Val smashes into the first man like a bull... and is stopped in his tracks by a forearm block. Likewise, as the man attempts to pistol whip Val and is met by a fierce, if unskilled, block by the street samurai. The second man calmly pulls his pistol and screws on a silencer.

Friday, April 17th@22:14:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS
While direct confrontation had never been his forte, and the kind requiring physical strength even less so, growing up in the barrens had told Hardwire one thing: Inertia mattered. The commlink still in hand, he charged towards the door in hope of knocking over the intruder

Friday, April 17th@22:14:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Hardwire ambles past Val and the first goon towards the second goon and soon to be silenced firearm. A deft block with the elbow of the goon sends Hardwire charging past and into the hallway.

Friday, April 17th@22:14:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS
Val

Val unarmed and out gunned figures it would be best to get him and hardwire out of there instead of trying to punch their way out of a gun fight. disengaging from the first thug once he sees hardwire get past the first thug he attempts to rush past barreling through the duo and assist hardwire as well in a attempt to start their escape. If they were patients in the hospital than the alarm probably wasn't meant for them but the two new Russian invaders, in a attempt to look the part Val planned once they got away from the duo to start yelling for help in a attempt to scare or dissuade the Russian pair from engaging them inside the hospital. If it was as well maintained as it seems they probably had a security team on hand and already in search for dangers.

Friday, April 17th@22:14:16; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Val, his wired reflexes amping his body way past anyone and everyone else in the donny brook attempts to take the first goon off his feet... but finds that his personal lack of hand-to-hand skills are easily countered by the the street savvy Vory.

Friday, April 17th@22:14:16; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS
Val

Val was getting frustrated wishing he has a weapon to spray these two down with. Once again he deftly attempted to escape the duo and get the hell out of dodge before with hardwire before they became meat popsicles.

Friday, April 17th@22:14:17; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

This situation about to become untenable, Val lashes out in frustration and bowls the first goon off his feet, sending the man sprawling across the floor on his back. The second goon is raising his pistol, silencer now in place.

Friday, April 17th@22:14:17; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS
Val

Val instincts want him to run for cover UT that would leave hardwire exposed and a perfect target instead Val uses this chance while the first go on is down in a attempt to lash out with a kick to knock the weapon out of the second targets hands. Hoping once disarmed it would make for better chances at escape.

Friday, April 17th@22:14:18; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Precious seconds tick awhile while the alarms cry out. Just as Val gets his hands on the pistol, the sound of a shot booms through the hallway. The first Vory on the floor, from his butt, steadies his position, takes aim, and shoots Val once in the side. The round impacts solid into the armor plating of the jacket. Val can feel the impact against the jacket, his dermal plating and the titanium reinforcement of his ribs. A small bruise at worst.

The other Vory jerks at the pistol, trying to wretch it from Val's hands. Despite Val's tenuous grip on the firearm, not only does the goon fail to wretch it from Val's grip, but he loses his own grip on the firearm.

Hardwire grabs for the nearest item, a small chair at a small desk in the hall, and hurls the chair towards the goon shooting at them. Not the most physical of specimens, Hardwire sends the chair kind of rolling, kind of flying, mostly out of control towards the man... and misses him cleanly.

Friday, April 17th@22:14:18; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS
Val

Val wrestling for the pistol with the goons firm grip, after winning the battle of hands and regaining control of the firearm he immediately steps back and pivots to bring the pistol around in a attempt to end this skirmish quickly waits for the chair to sail by he fires the pistol once the seated goon is visible.

Friday, April 17th@22:14:19; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

The heavy, silenced pistol, now only in Val's hand, the street samurai pivots towards the armed Vory, readies the pistol and puts a single shot center chest, just above the open part of the armored, lined coat. The goon sprawls backwards as the red spot appears on this shirt. His pistol skitters off the side as his breath heavies with his death rattle.

Friday, April 17th@22:14:19; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS
Val

Val satisfied with kill shot as if a dance of death spins again and takes a third shot for the now unarmed goon whom he stole the weapon from.

Friday, April 17th@22:14:20; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Turning back to the, now unarmed, Vory, Val finds that both the goon and Hardwire are diving for cover. Val tracks the fleeing Vory and the pistol coughs two silenced shots. The first goes wide as the Vory weaves, diving for an open door. The second round takes the man on the side of the skull, sending him tumbling forward, out of control, sprawling into the room, out of sight.

Friday, April 17th@22:14:20; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS
Val

Val turns and quickly and efficiently deals with the goon down beside him ensuring he is actually down. than goes to Hardwires aid getting him up and moving but not before grabbing the downed goons weapon and ammo and stuffing them into the jacket he had on. figuring they had only moments they didn't have time to search the thugs thoroughly and find any info. Val moved with hardwire and the other patrons through the crowd and looked for the nearest escape once on the move. Not wanting to stick around and explain his situation to authorities he goes through his burner com trying to piece together what had happened and when, as well as the results.

Friday, April 17th@22:14:18; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

To Hardwire's relief, the only Russian coming around the corner is Val, looking mostly unharmed. He quickly looks down his own body, confirming that he indeed just survived a confrontation with two professional hitmen while wearing nothing but a hospital gown. Even the delirium seems gone, thanks to the wonders of rapidly-deteriorating 7-th gen anesthetics and probably large loads of adrenalin.

But they still need to get away from here, so he hastily calls a crack sprite to their help. The digital being seems not too happy with being dragged from its realms in this fashion, but they have little time and so Hardwire immediately sends the sprite to work: <<We need a car, any car, as long as it's near the exit>>

Val looks around playing the part of confused patient walking with hardwire looking for the first wheel chair he sees. Wanting hardwire to sit there in case he had to go do his thing and leave his body lifeless. Connecting his com to hardwires. "You start this alarm? Once we hit the parking lot think you can get us a ride out of here? First whhel chair I see sit down and I'll wheel us out while you do your thing."

"What? I'd just woken up when I saw you, what the frag happened here? I must have been out for three weeks or so...but yeah, I'm working on a ride

Val pauses for a moment "3weeks? I just woke up too....than sat up and boom, alarms and dreck." Val was shocked thinking of three weeks the vory just founds them who was hiding them? What happened. There were to many unanswered question, clearing his mind of the past he concentrated on the present situation, escape.

Friday, April 17th@22:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Val follows the Vory to the room, squeezes the trigger twice more, the heavy pistol coughs twice more, and blood paints the room. Spinning back around, he finds Hardwire safe and sound. He grabs the pistol from the floor, the two extra magazines & silencer from the shoulder harness of the first goon, then a pair of extra magazines from the goon turned abstract painting.

Meanwhile, Hardwire reaches into the matrix and summons a denizen of the matrix ethereal. The responder can only be described as a cross between Tron and Cheech Marin. << Dude.... >> is his greeting. Once given his orders, he speeds away in what Hardwire interprets as either a drunken, or stoned, lope, swaying side to side as he disappears from sight.

Val finds a wheelchair and the duo continue to talk as the fire alarm blares. The owl in the matrix flies through the area, disappearing as quickly as it arrived and without a word. The bunnies gone since the adrenaline kicked in, the owl surely is not a hallucination. Then the fire alarms cease.

Friday, April 17th@22:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Val looks around when the alarm stops confused. Was the alarm tied along with the attack on them? "Yo be on the look out if they have a guy working systems might have been a cover for the hit."

Friday, April 17th@22:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

The nearest exit was simply down the hall and around the corner. A door with a sign actually written across the door: Emergency Exit Only, Alarm will sound.
Behind them in the hall, the first scream tells them that people have entered the hallway and found the first body.

Friday, April 17th@22:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

But what...how did we end up in those beds? We were at that warehouse, right, and after that I'm totally blank

Hardwire's thoughts are spinning wildly without yielding anything of substance, until Val's comment about potential backup brings him back to the here and now. The Sam seems a bit less shocked by their state than himself, Hardwire notices, another three weeks of lost time probably being not much by his standards. "Shh, stop a moment. Let the others open the door? Might be a trap. And keep the guns hidden"

Padrig - Friday, April 17th@21:45; Seattle Best Coffee, Lakeland South Neighborhood, Tacoma District, Seattle Metroplex

Recently, life had been... calm. The influx to his lifestyle from the night's work weeks ago was beginning to run low, but it had been a nice change. He had eaten better than since his time working a normal job. He had been doing just that: Sitting at his favorite coffee house, one of the Seattle's Best chain in his home neighborhood of Lakeland South in the Tacoma District, enjoying a soycaf and a muffin. He had been putting off calling Myrrdyn to look for work, enjoying his current wind fall.

The arrival of the owl seemed an omen, though he could not discern the whether the omen was good or bad. It appeared to fly into the coffee house, much to the delight of several other patrons. Its passage through the window like a spirit confirmed for Padrig that it is something other than a living being and the lack of an astral presence or aura confirmed it existed only in the matrix. The program, whatever it was, was high quality and probably expensive.

<<A chariot awaits. They have been found.>>

At this moment, Padrig follows as bidden, not because he is forced, but because at this moment it seemed more interesting to pursue than not.

Val & Hardwire - Friday, April 17th@22:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Looking back at Val, Hardwire realizes the ludicrous look the street sam presented: Well worn armored jacket, hospital gown, no pants, unlaced boots, pockets filled with the extra magazines, and a pistol in hand, one with a silencer. Looking down he himself, he realized he is still wrapped with gauze and wearing only a hospital gown.

Padrig - Friday, April 17th@22:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex

The autocab ride was one not like any he had been in before. All safeties were off and the little engine whined under the strain of being ran past its capacity the entire trip. Shortly before arriving, the engine began to smoke and Padrig was sure this was to be he little metal coffin. When the engine finally gave out at the edge of the parking lot, he took what had to have been his first breath in minutes.

At the edge of the parking lot, he recognized the van, its lights on. Approaching, he found the door unlocked and climbed in. The autopilot kicked in and calmly drove across the lot and around to the side of the building where it stopped and parked. For the moment he seemed to be without an idea what to do next.

Val & Hardwire - Friday, April 17th@22:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS
Val

Val looks around listening to the horror that was discovered looking at Hardwire "looks like we don't have time to wait, if they were waiting for us the alarm would still be going off to keep us moving, yes....ill go first, than you come out hack one of those rides I don't care what and we get the frag out of here a piece together what happened three fragging weeks ago in that warehouse."
with that said Val quickly opens the door, peeking as he does to make sure there aren't six vory with weapons drawn on it.

Padrig Friday, April 17th@22:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Padrig started to fidget a bit. He wasn't used to just siting around without a clue as to why. He opens the door and steps out. Looking down he notices a Daddy Longlegs and almost freaks out. Padrig stifles the urge to use magic on the poor creature and insteads steps on it, not once, not twice but three times for good measure. He then steps back into the van and closes the door.

Paddy, my boy, we'll just take that as a sign the owl wants us to wait here until further notice. Fragging ugly spiders.

Hardwire - Friday, April 17th@22:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Still no message from the sprite, so Hardwire took a second to compose a short message to the local KE station, informing them of an active shooter recognizable by his pink mohawk and black trenchcoat. There certainly is no time to be stopped by police for questioning now, and what would they tell them anyway?

Friday, April 17th@22:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Exiting the van, Padrig hears an alarm sounding within the building, but it ceases as he is opening the door.

Inside the center, Val opens the door and the alarm resumes.

Padrig is closing the door as the alarm resumes. For a moment, he is almost convinced that he is the source of the alarm.

The cool spring air blows over Val & Hardwire... and up their hospital gowns. Down the sidewalk they see the van. The mini-van bearing the logo of Roto-Rooter. The mini-van that Val had left his bike... well, Hawk's bike anyway, as collateral for... and it looked to Val like the driver's door just closed.

<<Chill..... I'm here.>> The sprite looked like he was on the losing end of a cat fight. Matrix fluff was streaming out of several wounds like he had sprung a few little leaks. <<Got a van. Right outside. Had to deal with its guardian.>> He swings what appears to be a large glass pipe on a string like a Bobby would swing his nightstick.

Padrig sees a figure open the door of the center and step out. The heavy, well-worn, armored jacket is like most others, but the bottom of the hospital gown instead of pants is a new look. An individual in a wheelchair can be seen behind the first man- No, the very muscular, bulky elf.

Friday, April 17th@22:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

It looks to Padrig that the two who just exited the hospital are the same two he deposited in the hospital when the owl first showed up.

Paddy, me boy, I don't know if I like this. But Ma is always going on about the cailleach-oidhche gheal and if that owl ain't a cailleach-oidhche gheal than I'm in the wrong line of buisness. Hopefully, it's a hardringer of wisdom and not death. Well, Paddy, when the gods speak, the gods speak.

Padrig rolls down the window and yells at the pair:

"Yo chummers, a little birdie told me I'm your ride. Where to?"

Friday, April 17th@22:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS
Val

Val takes in a deep breath of fresh Spring air, it was a refreshing breeze from the cold he felt apparently weeks ago. hearing the mention of birds val looks around to see who is calling him and recognizes the Van immediately Thinking Hardwires doing. the Dwarf standing next to van val looks deeper to get a better visual before Turning to Hardwire to lift him out of the chair and starts to carry him towards the familiar vehicle. once Hardwire is cradled in Vals arms "there is a dwarf out here next to out ven so Ill carry you the guns in my jacket pocket you see anything fishing or any vory shoot first."

Friday, April 17th@22:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

Hardwire's anger at himself for not requesting an empty car gives way to bewilderment as the occupant calls out to them -- without raising a gun at the same time. So who are you, the cabbie?

For now, the gun from Val's pocket remains behind his back, but he has already smashed his way inside, ready to bring up the mental crosshair any second.

Friday, April 17th@22:15; St Francis Medical Center, 22000 Marine View, Des Moines, Downtown District Seattle Metroplex, UCAS

"Me, a cabbie? Let's just say a good Samaritan. I was on my way to give Yuri the Crush a little payback when it seems you boys blew up that warehouse. Darndest thing- a matrix owl asked me to help you guys and I thought to myself: "Paddy, any enemy of Yuri can't be all bad." And so I dropped you off at this hospital. Figured I was done with you guys. But tonight, that owl returned- and asked me to come out here again. Evidently it thinks we're not done yet. So here I am. You can call me Xander, Xander Renvela, or Paddy- whatever. Everyone thinks anyone part Irish is named Paddy so you go with it, ya know?""