Tuesday, 19 November, 1400; abandoned basement, burned out tenement, International District, downtown Seattle

It was the kind of dream everyone hates - the one that cloys at you all night - the one that's just real enough it could be real - but that your sleeping mind can't just reject and go back to sleep - the one that just keeps asking you to do something - but never lets you know what -

...there were the two eyes, and they were in Gert's head, but then they were in Jan's hands, and all he had to do to go back to sleep was put them back in Gert's head, or else all he had to do was turn them over for reclamation, and no matter which he did it was wrong and he couldn't sleep...

Jan dragged himself from the nest of sleeping bags to find a corner to piss in. Took him about five minutes to be awake enough to be sure it had all been a dream.

He'd been pushed out of his last squat when the property owners had bulldozed it. Now he was in some burnt out place in the International District - only white for blocks, as far as he could tell. Place had belonged to a clan of Khmer immigrants who'd run afoul the mafia and gotten burned out. Now there was just Jan, down below, and a pack of wild dogs in the ruins up top.

His commlink chirped - Dr Know wanted a meet in an hour. The text said to come ready to work.

Jan
Tuesday, 19 November, 1400; abandoned basement, burned out tenement, International District, Downtown Seattle

'50k in the back burner and I'm stuck living in this kak-hole.' This had been Jan's first thought for the last 3 mornings, but was a good bolt-hole and he needed to lie low. The place looked like it was once a sub-level car park, but the Khmer had done what they could to make it homely. It smelt fokking awful though. Like sweat mixed with stale beer, oil and blood. He hoped they kept it tidier when they were alive.

The Triads had been after him since their last job posted a big neon 'Come Get Me' ARO over his head. He hadn't seen the others in the 5 or so weeks since. Decided it'd be better for everyone if they went their own way and stayed hidden. Still, his last place had been nicer at least. A mattress goes a long way for an insomniac and he was getting fokking zero shuteye with this pile of bags. Still, he owed Know a job for hooking him up with this place short notice after the dozers woke him from the last sleep he can remember. He grabbed his duffel and headed for what remained of the stairwell. It's always a rude fokking awakening when you have to jump gaps in the stairs to get anywhere. He was about done with this. "Let them kill me, I need a hotel" he muttered to himself as more plasticrete crumbled beneath his boots as he climbed to street level.

He'd had to shoot the biggest of the dogs when he first got here, but after skimming them for valuable parts he'd given them the Khmer corpses to chew through. They accepted his presence after that. One of the mutts that hung around near the top of the steps was now following him down the street.

<<@Dr.Know: On my way>>

Jan
Tuesday, 19 November, 14:12; Frankie's Pizzeria, International District, Downtown Seattle

<<@Dr.Know: Pizza place, downtown. You know the one>> Jan buzzed a message over before heading to the counter. "Large stone bake pepperoni, please." Damn he was hungry. The guy behind the counter gave him a second's pause before sending through the order. He figured he probably smelt like crap, but he'd done his best to straighten up.

The Pizza place was a mafia front. Pretty common knowledge in the shadows, but they served the best pizza in the UCAS by his reckoning and the Triads were'n likely to assault it so it ticked all the boxes. He sat down at a table on the pavement outside and waited for Know to show.

Tuesday, 19 November, 14:21; Frankie's Pizzeria, International District, Downtown Seattle

Jan's contact looked a bit weird, as always, in his Dr. Evil jacket. But it was downtown Seattle, after all - pretty much anything went fashion-wise. Case in point - Jan's beard. But the musclebound elf wasn't the type people tended to give a hard time.

Dr. Know thanked Jan and helped himself to a slice, ordered espresso for himself. They chatted about nothing for a bit, then the fixer paused in that way he did to presage broaching business topics. "I am doing some work. I'd like to subcontract a bit of it out to you. A grab and squeeze job."

Jan didn't object, so the man continued.

"Your offline habits make this tedious, but I have sent your commlink a photo and particulars of the target. Acquire him, interrogate him. I need to know everything he knows about child trafficking, and spefically about a particular boy, particulars also in the file. What he can't tell you, get a name of whomever can. After, it is best he not be in a position to warn anyone of your enquiries. Usual rate, with standard bonus for success and speed."

Jan
Tuesday, 19 November, 14:21; Frankie's Pizzeria, International District, Downtown Seattle

Jan pulled out his commlink and started scrolling through with his thumb. He got cheese grease on the screen before wiping his hand on his pants, and he heard Know let out a sigh at his luddite methods. Jan hadn't said anything yet, but he was here and listening so he was taking the job. The meeting would have been over by now otherwise... And he had got a mouthful of pizza.

"Grab and squeeze." Jan parroted. <<Open File -> Target#478>> 'Let's see who this guy is then.' There was a few minutes of silence while Jan perused the file. Know sat and sipped his coffee like a true Downtowner.

He knew why he'd been selected for this job. Him of all the contacts the man had. Emotions. There was a lot of emotion in the darker corners of the shadows, child trafficking a part of that. Jan didn't get emotional. When Jan killed this man it would be because he'd found out all he needed. Purely practical. Nothing to do with what the guy had said, or done, or allowed to happen. The job didn't require anger. Anger killed the target before getting the info.

Jan paused for a second. "Timeframe?" he managed, before starting on another slice. This was a damn good pizza, and he wasn't about to let it get cold.

Tuesday, 19 November, 1423; Frankie's Pizzeria, International District, Downtown Seattle

"As soon as possible - of course. Time is money, and all things in this world are opposed," the fixer answered.

The file named one Jae-Geun Park as the target. There was a photo - a three-year-old Lone Star mugshot, to be precise, facing and profile - of a Korean man with about three days stubble on his head and a generous goatee on his chin, scar over his left ear, and a neck that suggested a heavily muscled physique. There was an address right on the water in Alki Beach, trendy condo development.

The boy Jan was supposed to ask about was named Audric Shane (no surname provided). There was extensive imagery provided - the kind taken by a security agency against just this sort of eventuality. Eleven years old, disappeared three weeks ago. A bunch of boring-looking stuff about his health, school records, test scores. No listing of parents or guardian.

Jan
Tuesday, 19 November, 1423; Frankie's Pizzeria, International District, Downtown Seattle

"So what aren't you telling me" Jan commented after a long perusal of the file. "I know you'll have more info than this, stuff you've dug up yourself. He looks like organised crime. Seoulpa?"

Jan ordered a coffee to wash down his lunch, and scanned the 'trix for some aerial photos of the waterfront.

"You know what heat there is on me?" Jan said after a few minutes of silence. "This look won't cut it in the trendy quarter. I need to go shopping..."

Tuesday, 19 November, 1424; Frankie's Pizzeria, International District, Downtown Seattle

"Yes, he is a member of the Choson Ring, though he also has close ties by blood with the Komun'go Ring. I believe it is something involving the Komun'go that connects him to the boy. As for heat...yes...the Triads remain interested in your head. Something about killing a couple dozen of their men." He sipped his espresso. "Though I have no doubt it was provoked."

Jan
Tuesday, 19 November, 1424; Frankie's Pizzeria, International District, Downtown Seattle

"These things happen. D'you think it'll die down, or am I going to have to 'end' it?"

Jan gulped his coffee while checking out the images he found. He'd definitely need clothes, and a shower. He began searching for waterfront hotels while continuing. "It'll get done"

First chinks, now Koreans. I'll have to keep a lookout for slant-eyes when this is done. Like I'm going out of my way to piss off an entire ethnic group. I'll try and steer clear of the Yaks.

Tuesday, 19 November, 1425; Frankie's Pizzeria, International District, Downtown Seattle

"Die down?" the fixer replied, carefully dabbing pizza grease from the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief he'd produced from a pocket. "Not by magic, I would assume. The good news is that your beef is with the Eighty-eights, and they are currently isolated from the other Triads in Seattle, so your foe is not quite so monolithic as it might be. Still, they have extensive street gang connections, so eyes may be...everywhere." He smiled in a way squinty way that said something like, try to stay alive until you finish this job for me.

Then he rose. "You know how to reach me when you have information." And then he picked up his espresson cup, drained the last of it, and walked away.

As he went, Jan caught a glimpse of his bodyguards emerging from the surrounding crowd and shadowing him at an unobtrusive distance. They were good, and if Jan hadn't known them to be men in Doctor Know's employ, he might have thought them a threat.

And then he was alone with his pizza...and the bill.

Jan
Tuesday, 19 November, 1425; Frankie's Pizzeria, International District, Downtown Seattle

Jan buzzed over the payment for lunch, but stayed sitting at the table for a while.

<<@Silk: Hey chick. I could use info on the 88's, the Choson and the Komun'go. I've got an orgy of Asian hate heading my way pretty soon. Can pay cash or favours>> Dr. Know was all business, Silk was friendlier. They weren't close by any means but he'd agreed to be hunted so he figured she owed him. The Triads were her fault after all.

There was a clothes store a block down from here. He stood, stretched, and started heading down the street. It was alien to most people seeing a man walk down the street looking down at a 'link. Jan figured everyone else is in AR and would move out of his way. He booked 3 nights in a swanky waterfront hotel. 'May as well enjoy my recon.'

Tuesday, 19 November, 1442; Aoyama Men's Shop, International District, Downtown Seattle

The shop catered mostly to Japanese sararimen, so they didn't have a lot in Jan's size. But then he wasn't particularly picky. While a petite Asian woman fussed over him with a tape measure, Silk texted him back with a heavy attachment. <<I acn send you reams on all three (and just did), much of which is (was) quite easy to get with a simple matrix search. All free of charge. And here's another freebie - the 88s want you dead. Now what won't be free is if you have any more specific questions about any of those organizations. Somehow, I doubt you're just after general research...>>

Jan
Tuesday, 19 November, 1442; Aoyama Men's Shop, International District, Downtown Seattle

'...what won't be free...' Jan thought. He was getting the feeling he'd been sold down the river and was now being charged for a paddle by the person who'd pushed him. <<@Silk: Want me dead? You don't say! A regular Sherlock Holmes aren't we>> It was perhaps more sarcastic than he intended to be, but he was pissed off and not overly worried about a fixer's feelings.<<@Silk: I'll skim through and get back to you>>

The woman with the tape was annoying him now, but she was hot enough he let her off. Jan briefly considered what would be deemed an inappropriate comment, but this wasn't his area of town and he didn't want to get kicked out of a shop naked. Maybe once he'd completed he'd give it a shot. A plain grey suit was what he plumped for. It was tight in the chest and arms, making him look like a bouncer at a club, but it'd do for now. If he acted pretentious he'd get away with it as a fashion statement. He picked a high-collared grandad shirt so he could avoid wearing a tie, ties really weren't his style, a jumper and overcoat to complement the look. This would be him now for the next few weeks. A detestable wageslave.

He sent his payment and left the store, heading down towards the waterfront and, finally, some comfort.

Tuesday, 19 November, 1520; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

Jan walked the few blocks down to the waterfront and stepped onto a ferry. Watched Harbor Island pass by on his left and within fifteen minutes was walking along the sidewalk above Alki Beach, his hotel just ahead, and Jae-geun Park's condo juat a safe jog beyond that.

His comm pinged another message from Silk. <<Okay, touche, I guess I can front you intel on Triads for free - just tell me what you want to know. And here's something else - both those Rings you asked about, they're in some sort of trouble right now - they've got someone gunning for them, someone with significant magical back-up, but even they don't know who it is. If I find out more I'll let you know.>>

Jan
Tuesday, 19 November, 1520; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

<<@Silk: Cheers chick. For the 88s it's the basics. Who is it ordered the kill, and who or how many of them do I need to smoke before they give up? The Koreans are a different matter. I'll let you know.>>

He could've asked for more info on his target, but it's best to bring as few people as possible in on a job. He took off his shoes and socks, slung his jacket over his shoulder and strolled along the beach, taking his time before reaching the hotel. 'This was going to be a beautiful day' he thought to himself. Sand between my toes, a hot shower, maybe some room service. He'd learned to enjoy the little things.

He dusted off his feet but stayed barefoot as he walked up the stone steps into the hotel lobby for check-in.

Tuesday, 19 November, 1627; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

By the time Jan had showered and dozed on the giant bed and ordered room service, he was feeiing pretty good. There was a knock on the door and a lovely young woman brought in his early supper. He had her lay it out for him on the balcony. He had to be careful eating the steak lest it melt in his mouth before he could taste it. As he savored his meal he watched the late-day sun on the water of Puget Sound and Jae-geun Park's bodyguards loiter around his condo. Jan had selected his room with care, and he had an excellent view of his target's home. He couldn't see everything, but it was easy to tell there were two men on duty outside, one where he could see him, at the rear door by the pool, and the other out front. Both looked clearly Korean to Jan, and the jack-ass rigs under their expensive suit coats weren't hard to spot. Either they were very chatty or they gave regular status reports on their transceivers.

Jan
Tuesday, 19 November, 1627; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

To look up from below, Jan appeared to be leaning back on his chair, feet up, chewing a pen. Occasionally he'd lean over the table deep in though, screamsheet in hand, like he was doing a tough crossword. Of course, what he was doing was noting everything. Marking the guard's routes. Timing the seconds between check-ins. Looking for any weakness he could exploit, and then noting it down. He had a great view from up here, and a mug of tea steamed away in front of him. He'd seen his target a couple of times, only briefly. Had this been a hit he'd be done and long gone, but he needed information and the only way to get that was to be inside...

Wednesday, 20 November, 0102; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

Jan had watched all day and through the evening, mixing up his position and activity on the balcony so as not to seem too conspicuous. He'd also realized the adjoining room was empty, picked the lock on the connecting door, and accessed that balcony, which allowed him an angle on the front of the condo as well. Jae-geun's place wasn't exactly the Aztechnology Pyramid, but they seemed pretty tight. Maybe they knew they were a target, maybe they just weren't losers, but the men stayed sharp. Besides talking on their transceivers at irregular intervals, he caught the guy at the rear talking occasionally straight to one particular spot on the wall, so he figured there was an audio-video unit there that was being constantly monitored, the wall mounting suggesting hard wiring.

Then around nine they all went out - Jae-geun and half a dozen of his boys piled into two cars that pulled up in front, and his men stayed tight around him all the way out. There was at least one of the guards Jan had seen around that he didn't see in the exiting group, and since he also had never seen that guy leave, he had to assume the condo hadn't been left empty.

With everyone gone and away too suddenly for him to follow, Jan took a break for some chill time, dinner, and a shower, keeping half an eye open for their return. And return they did.

Their reappearance was nothing at all like their departure. The cars screeched to a stop, one of them up on the curb. All the doors opened at once and twice as many people piled out as had left, the original complement of men now joined my a similar number of women, all young, scantily clad, and skinny. The only person that stayed anywhere close to Jae-geun was the girl latched onto him like a barnacle. Car doors were left open, drinks spilled, and a few moments later they had all staggered back into the condo. Except for the one that had passed out on the steps.

Jan
Wednesday, 20 November, 0102; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

Jan couldn't believe his luck, like the gods were gifting him some cosmic reward for his patience. Sure, it wasn't planned but sometimes an opportunity comes up that's too good to resist. He changed back into his suit, slipped his MP into the concealed holster and headed downstairs.

It wasn't 2 minutes before he was on the street across from the target's abode. Face painted with faux concern he dashed across to check on the guard before removing his earpiece and, once he was sure no-one was watching, carefully slitting his throat with his own knife. He took the starter fob for the car but left the door open should Jae-geun try to escape. Then he waited, and listened...

Wednesday, 20 November, 0103; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

There was no apparent reaction to Jan's arrival on the front steps of the condo. He heard drunken laughter, guttural guffaws of inebriated men, tinkling high-pitched titters of women eager to ingratiate. There was a loud sound of broken glass followed by an even louder round of laughter. Then someone started blasting what sounded like some sort of Orxploitation music from an upper floor, but the language wasn't English.

Jan
Wednesday, 20 November, 01:04; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

Jan inserted the earpiece he'd stolen and paused for a second. All the speech was garbled and slurred. He doubted he'd have understood it even if he had happen to speak Korean. Still, loud panicked shouting means the same thing in any language, so he kept it in for now. At least it'd tell him if they'd been alerted.

Jan hopped onto the car bonnet and stepped up to the roof before jumping and grabbing the edge of the balcony. He hauled himself up over the railing, and positioned himself next to the edge of the french windows. He was out of sight, but had a good viewing angle into the room. He reckoned the balcony view was likely to be the boss's room. Now he just had to wait for him to bring a tart back up here. Or pass out, either worked.

Wednesday, 20 November, 0115; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

Jan didn't have to wait more than ten minutes before two figures - a male and a female - staggered into the room and flopped down onto the bed. One was giggling, and the other was attempting some sort of jungle-can growl. Their subsequent actions were predictable.

Trying the sliding glass door, Jan was not surprised to find it locked. The chatter on the earpiece was calm and sporadic. Below on the street, another pair of expensive sedans glided past, and a few doors down a similar group of young drunken Asian men and accompanying wenches made their way from the cars to the luxury condo.

Jan
Wednesday, 20 November, 01:15; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

Jan assessed the door to see if he could break it open with a strong tug. That'd be the quietest way in. First though he needed to know this was his target, or an unwelcome distraction. Using the shadows on the balcony to hide from the street lights he edged to the corner of the window to get a better angle into the room...

Wednesday, 20 November, 0115; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

Jan's elven eyes pierced the gloom, revealing lithe expanses of joygirl skin and the moonlit face of the man from the target dossier Dr. Know had given him.

The door felt like it was made of sterner stuff than a simple tug would overpower. He had no doubt his augmented muscles could force it, but whether it could be done quietly was another question altogether...

Jan
Wednesday, 20 November, 01:15; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

'Well, quick was the new quiet' Jan thought to himself, and when the moment was right he sprang. He'd waited for the noise level downstairs to peak, giving him a bit of cover if things got loud. He braced his forearm against the door handle and pushed from the shoulder, using the momentum of the shifting door to burst into the room. His MP was in his left hand, ready to bark at anyone stupid enough to get on the wrong end of it. This is where things might get more interesting...

Wednesday, 20 November, 0115; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

Past the door, Jan could see more clearly. The woman was hot. She was naked. Her back was to him. She was kneeling on the bed. His target was under her. Synapses hopped up by synthetic adrenals, he was moving too fast to know if she even paused in her exertions.

But the man under her was somehow even faster. He wasn't a huge man, but looked a lot more impressive with his shirt off than he had with it on. Colorful snakes wound their way across heavily muscled arms and a chiselled torso. Without bothering to come out from behind the woman he grabbed a Cezka Scorpion off the bedside table, slinging a fast burst at the charging elf.

Jan
Wednesday, 20 November, 01:15; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

This guy was quick, but not quick enough. The burst flew past Jan as he traversed the gap to the bed with his own unnatural speed. Jan dived through the woman like she wasn't there, sending her sprawling. It looked like she hit her head, but that didn't concern him.

He landed hard on his target and grabbed at his wrists. The Cezka spun away onto the floor. Up close he could see that Jae-geun was a lot stronger than anticipated and damn was he slippery! Jae managed to roll onto his front and squirm away as Jan swung at the back of his head. He'd try to knock him out at least. If that didn't work he'd have to shoot him now and patch him later. May as well put those years of medical training to good use.

Wednesday, 20 November, 0115; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

Jan felt a bit of skull give way under his fist, and the man dropped to the floor between the bed and his unconscious lover.

Neither had had time to scream. But the Ceska had not been quiet. Jan could hear no response yet, but then only about one-point-two seconds had passed.

Jan
Wednesday, 20 November, 01:15; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

Damn. It was easy to forget how squishy people can be, or how hard you hit. Jan scooped Jae-geun up onto his right shoulder, his Crusader II extended in his left covering the doorway. Get out of here now, worry about the aftermath later seemed to be the best course of action. He moved over to the balcony, handling Jae-Geun's body much easier than it looked like he should, and vaulted down onto the roof of the car with a thud. He bundled the body, which he hoped wasn't a corpse, into the the passenger seat and followed it in. The engine fired up as soon as he took his seat and he smiled briefly, pleased with his own foresight in planning an exit strategy. "You'd better not be dead, softskull" Jan muttered to Jae. "Befok things right up."

Wednesday, 20 November, 0115; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

Bullets thudded into the roof and shattered the rear window as Jan sped away.

He made it two blocks before the engine cut out.

Damned remote security overrides.

Glancing back through the ruined window, he saw headlights come on back at the condo. They silhouetted figures running after him on foot.

Jan
Wednesday, 20 November, 01:16; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

Jan made an inaudible grumbled about 'technology' as the car rolled to a stop. He'd thought having the key fob would be enough, but he was damned if he knew how to block their override.

Surprised they were so keen to shoot at a vehicle containing their boss, Jan gambled that they wouldn't be quite so eager if he was out in plain sight and between them. He slung Jae-geun up onto his shoulder again, making sure that side was facing the Koreans, and covered them with his Crusader squared across his body. The beach didn't seem like a good idea; far too open at this time of night. Instead he headed for the backstreets just off the sea front. If he was careful he might be able to loop around and get back to the hotel, if not at least he could face them all in a nice convenient conga line.

He scarpered over the road, keeping low, and keeping as much of Jae in the way as possible.

Wednesday, 20 November, 01:17; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

The shooting did not stop altogether, though it certainly diminished as Jan sprinted for cover with the muscular Korean on his back. The car coming after him closed the distance quickly, but by then Jan was in an alley too narrow for the vehicle. he kept running as it screeched off, doubtless to circle the block. Seconds later he'd turned a corner just before he heard hurried steps enter the first alley. To his left he heard men shouting in Korean, and as he pressed further into access lanes between the condos he started to hear voices to his right. None were too close, and they didn't seem to have spotted him, but there was clearly activity in every direction. And there were now a lot more voices than bodies he'd counted on his recon.

Jan
Wednesday, 20 November, 01:17; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

Damn, so it seemed like the Koreans had got this whole area locked down. Jan was good at improvisation, but he hadn't planned on it this much. He briefly considered trying to loop back around to his hotel but the volume of voices in that direction made him think twice. With shooters to his left and right he decided to push on into the press of buildings. Hauling Jae further onto his shoulder he broke into a sprint and powered full steam ahead. when there was a bit more distance between them he could re-think his plans...

Wednesday, 20 November, 0119; Alki Beach, Downtown Seattle

Even with a full-grown man on his back, Jan's augmented flesh could outpace most foot pursuit, and he penetrated the maze of fences, swimming pools, guard dogs, and startled hot tubbers with relative ease.

Finally stopping to reassess the situation, his closest pursuers now a bit further away, it became clear that despite their numbers, the men after him were hardly a well-coordinated group. Whether because of their earlier partying or because their leader was out cold on his back, they were numerous but random in their efforts. And now sirens were also approaching fast. it was all enough to convince Jan he was better off moving than hiding and waiting for either a lucky band of gangsters or a much more coordinated police unit to find him.

He worked his way out to the edge of their cordon, and when a delivery van trundled by he caught the side and let it carry him past some Koreans as they argued about what to do next...

Jan
Wednesday, 20 November, 03:20; abandoned basement, burned out tenement, International District, Downtown Seattle

Jae-geun awoke with a groaning sound as Jan loomed over him. His eyes looked like they were struggling to focus, and combined with the drooling and intelligible noises Jan feared he may have ruined the guy for intel. "So, Jae" Jan began "fun night last night. Tried to shoot me didn't yus ya little prick." He pressed his boot against the man's skull a little, before pacing around the room again. "Let's see how interested you are in talking, and I'll see how interested I am in getting you the immediate medical attention you definitely require."

Jan had tried his best to patch the guy's cracked dome, but there's only so much you can do without an operating theatre and a full trauma cart. The journey back had been uneventful. After skipping the manhunt he'd slung Jae's arm over his shoulder like a drunk friend and caught a cab back. A pissed Korean with a bleeding head was nothing to a Seattle cabbie. He'd tried his best to staple the guy's head, enough to get what he wanted out of him. He'd wanted to let Jae heal up a bit before interrogation, and he was about ready for a rest himself, but he feared the man dying before questioning and opted to wake him up. It was gone 3 in the morning. He briefly considered going back to the hotel he'd paid for after this was done for a good sleep. Maybe that wasn't the best idea.

Wednesday, 20 November, 03:21; abandoned basement, burned out tenement, International District, Downtown Seattle

When the man spoke, he sounded less groggy and out of it than Jan had expected, which suggested he'd perhaps been awake longer than he'd let on. But his head was split open, and he was still drunk. "Listen, if you're working for those witches, I'll triple what they're paying you."

It was an old line, but he currently had way too little mental capacity to be creative or original.

Jan
Wednesday, 20 November, 03:21; abandoned basement, burned out tenement, International District, Downtown Seattle

"I'm not being paid, I do this for fun." Jan said bluntly. It was a lie of course, but the truth was he didn't know who was paying for the job and didn't much care. He owed Know a job and he was getting it done. The day you started double-crossing your fixers was the day you signed your own death warrant.

"So here's how we're going to play it. You tell me all you know about the Choson's practices in child trafficking and if I don't like your answer I start feeding bits of you to the dogs upstairs."

Wednesday, 20 November, 03:21; abandoned basement, burned out tenement, International District, Downtown Seattle

Jan's words sobered the Korean up considerably. He glared at his elven captor. Licked his dry lips. His face was already white from trauma and loss of blood. He said one word: "No." And then, restrained though he was, he began thrashing his injured head as hard as he could against the cot.

Jae-Geun
Wednesday, 20 November, 15:35; abandoned basement, burned out tenement, International District, Downtown Seattle

When Jae-Geun awoke Jan was no-where to be seen. He felt like he'd been out for hours. He was hungry, and in a lot of pain. Had he knocked himself out? He'd been bashing his head on the floor. It still felt wet, like he'd bled a lot. He'd been trying to kill himself, it was the honorable thing to do.

...but now here he was, alone, and apparently unrestrained. He tried to stand, but was unable to move. The pain was incredible. He tried again but nothing happened. Not even a flicker. He could turn his head. What had happened? Was it musculature? Skeletal?

"You're paralyzed."

The voice came from behind him, but the South African twang was unmistakable. Jae didn't respond.

"Don't worry though, I'm something of an amateur surgeon. You should still be able to feel everything." Jan sounded menacing, but Jae managed to keep it together and refused to break. "Here's what's going to happen" Jan continued "I'm going to go out for a bit, and when I come back you're going to tell me all you know about the trafficking of children. If you do this I'll shoot you in the head..." It didn't sound like much of a deal. "If you don't, well, there are many ways to kill a paralyzed man. Maybe I'll just throw you into the Sound and watch you drown. Simple, but I hear it's horrific. Maybe I'll get more creative and you can watch the dogs eat you from the legs up. That can't be nice. I'll be back for your decision. Think carefully about it Jae. This call affects the rest of your life..."

Wednesday, 20 November, 2224; abandoned basement, burned out tenement, International District, Downtown Seattle

When Jan came back the Korean mobster was still there. He hadn't moved. He spoke as soon as Jan stood in front of him. He tried to make the words sound smooth, but he was drugged and he was scared. "I'll tell you everything I know in exchange for the bullet...and...I have a stash. You have to get it for me, convert it to cred, and allow me to transfer it to my mother's account. You can keep half for yourself if you want. That's the deal."

Jan
Wednesday, 20 November, 22:24; abandoned basement, burned out tenement, International District, Downtown Seattle

"I don't have to do anything, you'll tell me what you know anyway..." Jan disliked being told what to do "...but I've seen enough people pissing themselves and crying to respect nobility in death."

He paused for a moment in thought. "You know if this is a deception you'll starve to death lying here. I want to make sure you understand that part." Though Jan was untrusting in nature, Jae hasn't got a lot of cards in play at the moment so a double-cross felt unlikely. "What's the stash?"

Thursday, 21 November, 0010; abandoned basement, burned out tenement, International District, Downtown Seattle

The stash was close, and Jan fetched and converted it to cred in no time. After making sure the transfer was sterile and rewording his captive's personal message to his mother to avoid any possibility of a coded signal, he sat down next to the man expectantly.

Eyes closed, the doomed Korean gangster spoke. "The Komun'go have channels for procuring children. I don't know them, they are complex. But they acquire about a hundred a month. Not street kids. Healthy, educated children, mostly white, mostly human or elf. All attractive. They fetch a very high price, unsullied children like that. They also carry great risk, for they are the sort of children people come looking for, children that are very much missed, and by peopel with means. Thus our secrecy and security in this thing are formidable. I am Choson, and we provide protection for the transfer to the buyers, who are the Shotozumi scum. I am in charge of security at both sites. We have two exchange sites lined up and I will not know which is used until I get the call to go to one or the other. I do not know when that call will come. I don't even know who knows which site or when, or how they select it. But it is probably too late for the sites to be changed now, even though they must assume I am compromised." He reeled off two addresses.

"Security was tight before. Then it was doubled because we have been targeted recently by some sort of coven of witches. We do not think this is related to the children, as there have been no demands, no communications at all. Now, with my disappearance, security is bound to be tripled. That is what I know."

Jan
Thursday, 21 November, 00:10; abandoned basement, burned out tenement, International District, Downtown Seattle

100 a month? That's a large operation to have flown under the radar for this long. Surely if 100 downtown brat kids went missing the whole city would be in uproar about it. Maybe he was exaggerating, making the operation sound bigger than it was? Anyway, their operation - no matter how grim it sounded - wasn't really Jan's concern.

"If any of your information turns out to be inaccurate or false, I know where your mother lives...." It'd sounded too good to be true when he first mentioned it, but Jae had handed Jan a perfect amount of rope. A way to threaten him beyond his own death. He probably didn't need this extra intimidation, but Jan enjoyed delivering it anyway.

"Now, I don't care so much about your operation. It sounds super fun and friendly. I'm after a kid named Audric." Jan brought up the child's image on the screen of his 'link and showed Jae-Geun. "It's important I get him back to his rich folks who miss him terribly and are willing to pay a sizable sum to see him again."

(Posting for Adamu)


Jan could tell from the doomed man's expression that his threat was meaningful. He answered readily and clearly.

"I don't know names, nor have I seen the shipment. Is your target from the CAS? The current shipment originates from Atlanta, Mobile, Nashville, and Memphis, and satellites thereof. It will be the first and last from that region. If the boy is from there, you may be in luck."

The information fit the dossier - no city of origin had been listed, but no one had taken the time to sterilize the school records or other details, and Jan was pretty sure the boy was indeed from the CAS.

Jan
Thursday, 21 November, 00:10; abandoned basement, burned out tenement, International District, Downtown Seattle

He was hoping for more, but Jan had done his part. He could only pass on what he knew.

<<@Dr.Know: Have info. Meet or send?>>

As his message vanished into the matrix Jan had a feeling he was about to get dragged along a path he'd rather avoid...

Thursday, 21 November, 00:20; abandoned basement, burned out tenement, International District, Downtown Seattle

It took Dr. Know an uncharacteristic ten minutes to respond.

<<Neither. Need you to be debriefed personally by client. Call her now to arrange immediate meet. She is trustworthy.>>

A commcode was attached, and when Jan called it he got a female voice with a slight Russian accent.

<<Yes, thank you for calling. We must meet. I am on the road now. I'll call text you back once I've confirmed our destination.>>

The line went dead, and five minutes later an address flashed on Jan's comm.

Jan
Thursday, 21 November, 01:23; rundown house, working-class suburb, Tacoma

Jan wandered down the pretty barren looking street, duffel slung over his shoulder containing all his worldly possessions. This place looked ideal, if a little stereotypical. Urban decay at it's most apparent.

He'd shot Jae-Geun about an hour ago, then packed his things while the dogs cleaned up the mess. He didn't plan on going back there so they'd need a good meal, he thought.

He glanced around him as he approached the meet, but there wasn't any apparent danger. He thought briefly about what he might be getting himself into, but he needed to finish off this part of the job at least.

Thursday, 21 November, 0124; 38th Avenue NE, Northeast Tacoma, Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex

Jan was approaching the house when he saw a big RV's running lights - no headlamps - turn into the north end of the street. He quickly faded from view, intending to wait for it to pass. But it seemed he'd been the first to the party. From his hiding place, he watched three women, all dressed for clubbing, and a functionally dressed Amerind male climb out of the RV, only to be joined by a youngish looking guy in a white tux and on a rice rocket. After a careful scan of their perimeter, they all went into the house.