The woman seems amused by the shadowrunner at the window next to her chair, she offers him a cookie from the plate on the table.

Grandfather ignores O'Connor and concentrates on Torley, who never get to more than his initial line. "But what are you doing here? I told the boy that if you wanted that cursed rock to come now and get it! You would have no better time than right now, Adegoke's troops have been steadily working this way and my idiot grandson thinks he can fight them in his 'mighty castle', he is gone securing weapons and more men!"

"Well! I guess we better get to it then. Thank you for providing us with a room with a good view, Grandfather. O'Connor, this give you coverage you want? I'll go down and let the other two know the show is on."

Back downstairs, Sammy was on the lookout, checking stuff that came around, even shifting her view to the astral from time to time just can case spirits were checking up on them, or an astral recon by a mage (as she had done at times).

Starlet goes to check the astrl and immediately sees a large impressive looking spirit hovering over the compound that wasn't there before. As she reflexively grabs Silence and pulls him out of sight of the spirit and into the shadows of pathway they are in, she notes that the pathway goes through the block and on the other street she can see a military style vehicle come to a halt and it is not alone.

Torley notes the sound of the arriving group as well, and is further troubled by a harch voice barking orders, in Yoruba.

The ork with Starlet notes the danger as well, "If we are doing this, we need to move NOW. Cast your spells partner, its go time." Silence returns the grip and Starlet notes the strangest feelings come over her as it feels like someone has thrown a blanket on her magic.

Torley clears his throat and stands in a hunched pose. The man is clearly worried. "The King's soldiers have arrived, O'Connor. I can hear them assembling, and voices in Yoruba. Did you hear anything from Sammy?

"It scares me to hear me say something like this, but do you think it would be useful for me to run some interference outside, or should we just stay out of sight?"

O'Connor shakes his head, "For now, the plan stays the same. I'll begin my attack on the compound. I want you keeping an eye on the Royal Guard. Hopefully they'll pivot to engage me before beginning their own attack. If they do, I need you to call out movement, positioning, and priority targets."

He handed Lil' Homie the AK, and pulled his M-16 off his shoulder, "Get to your position and keep watch for any other party goers. Do not engage unless engaged first. If this goes south, I want you to cut and run, got it?"

Misgivings set aside, Torley answers his part of the question. "OK. This looks like a good place to watch from. I'll be the 'eye in the sky' from here."

<<Torley to Sammy: I'm watching from above here, O'Connor is moving out to draw the soldiers. Up to you two, now. >>

<<I've seen them, as well as the big-ass spirit they have with them>> she texted back. Then she started casting, first casting a spell on herself to move quicker and then an improved invisibility on Silence and herself. She activated her two foci to make the sustaining easier.

"Okay, done, let's go," she said when they were done. She kept switching back and forth between the astral and the real world to keep an eye on the spell she had cast on Silence by its aura, the spirit and anything else they might be in the astral.

It was a strange feeling for Starlet, going astral under the effects of the dampening that Silence was providing, she could still feel her magic and she knew it was working through her magically fueled reflexes as well as the draw on her concentration, but astrally, there was nothing but their living auras. The sprit above was still there, but seemed to be looking for something besides them, though she wasn't sure if it could detect them at all. The meatspace was also jarring in that she didn't hear any sounds of her own movement, her clothing didn't rustle and there was no noise from her respirator.

She held on to Silence as he rushed across the street to the front door. of the compound. The brawny orks standing the guard there looked hyper vigilant, but the two runners were literally inches from them undetected. They could tell the orks were alerted to the movements happening on the next street and seemed poised to respond to any trouble from that direction.

Silence pointed to the door and waved it off in a no-go motion and then motioned around to the still open gate waiting for a response.

Sammy knew he was more experienced in this than she was, so she decided to follow his lead for now. She kept sending a feed of her goggles to the other two so they would know where they were.

Torley acknowledges Sammy's reportage. << Getting the feed. Thanks. >>

After sending Lil' Homie off to act as a spotter, O'Connor moved towards his position to begin his assault on the compound, <<"Moving into position. We good to go?">>

Torley replies, << I'll watch the action from up here. >>

As Starlet and Silence approach the back gate, you can hear a lot of activity going on inside. Suddenly one of the men at the gate you are heading for looks around the corner with his weapon raised right at you. It is a heartstopping moment for you until realize he is not looking at you, but just in your direction at the gap in the buildings by the washer woman's house that you just came from. Those inside have clearly been alerted to the army's presence in the neighborhood. You and your companion take a few steps out into the street, and out of his line of fire as you continue on.

As you pull up even with him, he suddenly looks over his right shoulder and start gesturing in the untrained universal sign language of "come on, hurry up!" to somone down the road, Looking that way, you can see several civilian trucks inbound, several blocks away. The occupants overwhelming the capacity of the vehicles are mostly the young anemic humans that make up the Area Boys, but Starlet can see several well armed orks wearing the same garb as the one at the gate among them as well.

<< Be careful,>> Sammy texted to the others, <<More people have arrived. We'll try to grab the idol while the two armies are duking it out.>>

Torley responds. << Got eyes on both groups. Take care. More eyes means more chances to see some glitch that places you. >>

Torley adds, << Don't know what the spirit hovering above can see, but we know there is a spirit inside and an Awakened child. Either of those might see your magic in play if they are perceiving astrally. Their loyalty is uncertain. >>

He ask the washerwoman and the grandfather, "There is a child inside who is magical. And a small spirit last detected in the kitchen. It is unbound to a magician. Do you know where they are, now? "

The old man looks at Torley like he had grown another head, "Magical children? What are you talking about? There are no devils in my house."

Torley considers this answer as he tries to figure out what is going on outside.

"Please accept this information as a gift for you to use as you wish. Our person who can see these things tells us that there is a child with magical talent in your household. Even more, there was a spirit in the kitchen that seemed free and unattached to a magician. "


He looks to see if there is a vantage point that would give him a better view of the field of action. And wasn't there a plan O'Connor had for where he should be? Too much spicy local food, Torley thinks.

O'Connor moved towards his attack position across from the compound gate as stealthily as possible. His part was to sow chaos among enemy ranks, so he was prepared to pop off early, if any unlucky bastard spotted him first. It ultimately didn't matter, one way or the other, the two guards at the gate were going to be gunned down as he charged into the courtyard. The only difference being if they saw it coming or not.

O'Connor leveled his rifle at the poor bastards and opened fire.

One ork is dead, the cluster of bullets hit him high in the chest, all but decapitating him. The smaller set of rounds hits right on the biggest part of his armor vest, he is still up.

body checks: 2#13d6t5 5 7

Torley tries to find good spots on rooftops and doorways in range from which a tele-cast voice could cause some confusion.

O'Connor wants to cause a general melee in front of the compound. Torley worries about how that might turn out, but O'Connor is better versed in these things, so ... what the hell.

The soldiers are forming up as soldiers always have done, under the direction of a tough sergeant. Torley listens as well as he can to the sergeant's voice. Into the forming crew, Torley casts his voice, mimicking the sergeant's, "Enemy around the corner!" . Then he adds a Command, "Attack!", to the end of it to really stir things up.

"Let's move on quickly," Sammy whispered to Silence as the gunfire started, "they will be occupied right now.

Torley hopes his stunt doesn't get in the way of the to sneak-thieves.

O'Connor took aim at the survivor and fired.

He's down. body check: 13d6t5 4

O'Connor moved into the courtyard and dropped a thermal smoke behind himself to obscure lines of sight for the incoming royal army and dissident reinforcements. He brought his rifle to bear on the first hostile in sight.

There is a suitable target, your movement will carry you to just inside the gate.

The smoke grenade goes off behind you.

O'Connor lined up on the luckless mook and lit him up.

3 down body checks: 13d6t5 3

IN THE WASHER WOMAN'S APARTMENT

Torley manages to causes several soldiers to start forward, which causes several more to follow. The walkways around this building and the surrounding ones are now flooded with Adegokes soldiers. While returning to the front room Grandfather has now absorbed what you said and is more than a bit upset. "What are you talking about? There are witchy harlots in my family, not with my blood!" His last words are almost drowned out by gunfire, both from O'Conner beginning his attack and a closer exchange starting between the soldiers and the front door guards beginning. The old couple are suprised and start to move towards the closest windows for a better view.

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OLULEYE'S COURTYARD

Silence and Starlet risk a quick sprint to the building as all eyes in the yard turn to the gunfire at the gate. They are inside where the sounds of the combat all around them are muffled by the thick stone walls. The room, a communal dining and common room, is empty for a moment before a well dressed young ork comes dragging a young girl through the door opposite by the hair, he flings the girl towards a couch near the wall. The top half of the girl impacts the wall with a sickening sound, then slides down the wall onto the furniture. Starlet doesnt need her astral sight to confirm this is the Awakened child she saw before, the glow tracing from her eyes and hands is visible in the physical world.

Torley warns the two, " Take care. Stray bullets could come through the window. Let me be your eyes. "

Sammy noticed the young girl and she stopped in her tracks. She was torn between helping out and rescuing the girl. Then she got an idea. She made sure that she got a good shot with her camera that she sent to Torley.
"Torley," she subvocalised as she moved on with Silence, "tell that grandfather that the corps pay good money for an awakened girl and keeping her alive is in his best interest. He should be able to keep that other guy away."

Torley takes the hint.

" You know, Grandfather, if the, " his command of the language almost fails him. He has to reword how he would have said it in English. "If the girl offends you, there are corporations who value such people and treat them well, even women," he shifts a subtle glance to the woman, "and would pay you well to let them hire her. No witchy woman in your household, and wealth in your safe. "

Things go from bad to worse in a split second. The girl screams somethings, the scream becomes something not of this earth and is then lost in the howl of wind as a spirit rises out of the form of the child, with the same glowing eyes and hands. With a gesture, the spirit flings the well dressed ork across the room, or would have had there not been two invisible shadowrunners in the way.
6S attack resisted with impact, then a concentration check for each sustained spell. (SR4, p 184)
Starlet and Silence are knocked down by the metahuman body hurled their way.

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In the courtyard, security is reacting to the invader, with a half dozen of the orks with weapons at ready trying to avenge their comrades, shooting at Con from different angles.

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"If the girl offends you, there arrRRRR, FRAG!” The wind in the comms from the open line causes feedback that forces Torley to snatch the earpiece and throw it away. Over the ringing he hears one of the soldiers in the walkway below order “Buto, get topside with the ‘MA’, scorched earth!” and someone pounding up the stairs to the washer woman’s home.

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Initiatives and first actions please.

Oh shit! Trapped in a room at the top of stairs with two non-combatants. Life starts flashing before Torley's eyes. Reaching for his roomsweeper, he steps to the top of the stairs (might as well make it quick).

In maybe his last, Grand Act, Torley pulls up tall and broad, to fill the entry way. He borrows from one of his favourite science fiction novels, Dune, and holds his other hand to his throat, massaging just so to limber his voice box, and Commands the opponents coming up the stairs:

"GO ATTACK THE COMPOUND!"

Sammy was surprised by the spirit throwing the guy towards her, but her armour deflected most of the damage. Just a few bruises, she thought.
"She seems to have things well in hand," Sammy whispered to Silence, "let's get out of here quickly and move on."

She did just that, moving towards their target as quickly as possible while still maintaining her invisibility and being as stealthy as possible. She did sneak a look at the spirit though, trying to determine what it was.

O'Connor needed to clear a path into the main building before the courtyard became a complete clusterfrag. He advanced into the courtyard, firing at the nearest goon between him and the building.

It's almost as if time has stood still. Torley's perceptions focus and the stairway up to the room seems almost to zoom into his frame of vision.

Is this what the last moment of life feels like?

It seems as if Torley's life has been long and convoluted, as it scrolls past his mind's eye.

The fog of battle has truly decended on this little corner of Lagos. It is as if months have passed, when in reality it is no time at all.

The Washer Woman's Flat

Torley/Custer might actually be scared. He is cut off from comms with the rest of the group and holds his meager little Roomsweeper in a sweaty grip as he waits for a soldier to come kicking down the door. His hope that the confusion he sowed with his Gift will keep him protected are dashed by the conversation he hears.

(roughly translated from Yoroba)
"Make up your damn mind sarge! Do I hit the compound or get topside?"

"Frag, we have a Sweet Talker around here boys! All commands are by COMMS ONLY, strict code adherance...after this one. YES DUMBASS, GET TOPSIDE!"

Stray fire from the compound has shattered all the windows and the two seniors are tucked in a corner, taking cover.

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The Street Around the Compound

The Yoruba soldiers are engaging Uzochi's security from several gaps in the buildings like the one washer woman's apartment looks over. Uzochi's forces are fighting back from the main door, the windows on the second floor and, shortly, the roof. The reinforcements Uzochi hired and was returning with are pinned down, unable to cross the street to the compound. Lil Homie is keeping a running commentary of these activities.

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The Courtyard

Uzochi's house guard were in a state of preparation when Bullet Storm entered the courtyard. His blistering attack had cut down their number, but there were still A LOT of battle hardened orks in the compound and the benefit of surprise was now gone. At least HIS benefit of surprise was gone, a three meter tall being of cerulean blue had manifested itself floating in the middle of the courtyard. It moved downwards toward a set of doubledoors on the first floor of the main building, ignoring everything around it.

Con also noted the unusual appearance of what looked a small demonic cartoon character sitting on the steps of the kitchen. It appeared visibly entertained by the chaos and bloodshed going on.

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Inside the Main Building

Starlet is just helping Silence up when she notes that the girl is unconscious now, which she know makes the spirit still being here a BIG problem. She also notes that after Silence was placed on his feet he quickly cleaned a knife and resheath it, and that the young ork that was hurled at them wasn't going to get up again. "He won't be beating any little girls anymore."

Torley runs the fingers of his free hand through his hair, and darts a glance at the window. He's jumped out of a few in his time, but never with a fraggin' army waiting for him at the bottom! Nope. That's never what has save his hoop in the past.

He holsters the firearm to support his next claim. He shouts through the door:

"Sergeant, have you no sense. I'm working for the King. Spotting from up here! I just saw the thief go in the compound. While you charge up here, he is getting the Idol! Go there now!!!

Keeping an eye on the spirit, Sammy moved out of the room and hoped it wouldn't follow. They still had to get to the room with the idol in it, so they had to move quickly.

As the newly materialized spirit moved towards the house, O'Connor realized that Starlet had not summoned a spirit to back him up as had been the plan. They had scrambled after the royal forces showed up, so it could be a genuine mistake. Con though it more likely she was hanging him out to dry. He was tempted to let the spirit be a fun little surprise for Starlet and Silence in retaliation. Ultimately he decided against inaction, the job came first and he didn't have definite proof, yet, that she was trying to get him killed. He commed Starlet, <"Starlet, you got a spirit coming your way from the courtyard.">

O'Connor moved into the gap between the kitchen and main building to make the ginormous spirit the most visually obvious target to most of the courtyard. As he passed by, he gave a friendly wave to the neat cartoon spirit on the kitchen steps. O'Connor wasn't sure if spirits suffered from language barriers or made mental connections to communicate. He figured it was worth a shot, "Any particular guard you want dead? I take requests."

The impish looking spirit points out an ork "That's Jambo hiding in the goat pen, he's always a jerk to Miss Salhi, feel free to cap his hoop."

Just as it makes its request, the spirit in the building screams like an F5 tornado and blows out all the walls immediately around it, it also sends tables and chairs flyinng.

For Starlet or Silence to move to the part of the now exposed hallway that would protect them from the effect they will need to win a contested check Str vs Force, TWICE, as a full action, They will also be subject to flying debris.

The second Spirit of Air is trying to penetrate the maelstrom.

The door is kicked in, the soldier holding a sidearm pointed at Torley, a second soldier can be seen on the stairs, with his assault rifle pointed at the Face.

"I have been instructed to take you into custody, or shoot you if you resist. Do you intend to resist?"

Torley shakes his head and holds his hands out to the sides. "No resistance. Please take me to someone who wants to hear useful information. Do it quickly, though. You are being outmanoeuvred by the locals. "

O'Connor fired at the designated target, Jambo. He ducked down as all hell erupted from the main building. He was glad that he wasn't caught in that drek storm. He turned back to the imp, "Anyone else give you or yours a hard time?"