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Volker
"As I feared, it shows nothing. Prep yourself, we'll be there soon!"

bnc parks the van in the Aglassingerstraße, immediately next to Salzburg Sam. "Wraith, can you and Nova go to the other side of the train station, Robinigstraße? Anna, Shark and I will stay on this side.
Anna, you ready for scouting?"
Jack_Spade
By now the rush hour was over and only a few people each were still around, waiting for trains.
Having the GPS location didn't make it particularly easy to find the access point, but a few minutes of looking at satellite footage and studying emergency evacuation plans revealed the likely entrances and exits.
The team had to duck under an otherwise not secured metal barrier and found themselves on the tracks where trains came in for maintenance. In front of bnc, Sharkboy and Anna a small staircase led down to a closed and locked fire door.

Nova and Wraith found a similar entrance, only that this one had a warning sign about using gas protection below.
Volker
"Everyone's in position. Anna, cast your spell and go in!"
Gilga
Anna does not need a new spell, she still sustains the improved intuition spell. She projects from her body leaving it to the care of the others and first carefully observes their surrounding. Then she gradually makes her way toward the link, attempting to notice any danger and remain hidden at all time. Picking an unusal approach vector which is nonintuitive to the way people would normally look for a tail when their tail is limited by the laws of gravity and of not being able to pass through solid matter. She generally knows what she is doing, and hopes not to be discovered.

[ Spoiler ]

Jack_Spade
There is no ward to halt Anna's progress, only a bunch of vermin auras of rats and some devil rats to encounter. Keeping herself hidden as much as possible, her astral form floats through a series of locked doors into a small chamber that - if the GPS and Anna's estimation of distances is correct - should contain the commlink.
And really, there on an air matress, the distorted aura of an infected woman with several magic radiating implants sits, eating.
Gilga
Anna reports to the team through the mindnet spell "I can see her, and am unnoticed. There were plenty doors and corridors, it might be dangerous to approach physically. Do you want me to talk to her?"
Volker
"No. I will talk to her. Please just stay, watch, and share what you see..."

Although her voice sounds relatively firm and unusually calm, bnc is shaking all over her body. This is her, at last. After years, after all both of them have gone through, she'd see her sister again, and maybe, just maybe, for once bnc could save her, not the other way round. That is, maybe she could contribute to heal a wound she thought herself responsible for in the first place.

She inhales deeply, hesitating a second. Then another. Another. Another. One more. Fighting the urge to calm herself with a patch of Whoom!...
[ Spoiler ]
... bnc call Kerstin's commlink from her own cyberdeck. Back in the days, bnc didn't even have her own link, she used the cyberdeck for all purposes. Therefore, if Kerstin kept her commcode, whe would be able to recognize it. In addition, bnc sends her name and loads her "No kangoos in Austria" image as an avatar.
[ Spoiler ]


Jack_Spade
It does take a second and another second, followed by the commlink going offline and after the standard reboot time another message arrives although the link is not visible on the matrix and all the MARKs are gone: <<Whoever this is, that's a sick joke and I'll rip out your guts and make you eat them.>>

Anna notices the person getting active in her room, grabbing a packed bag and opening a fuse box, removing another item.
Then the person starts to open a hatch and beginns to crawl into it, not taking any of the two ways out they had covered.
Volker
bnc's stomach turns. It's not only fear that she might scare off Kerstin or that she might indeed try to kill bnc even when she sees her. After all, there are many ways to make someone look like her, and if her distrust is as great as it seems, she might as well turn on bnc, too. But there's another thing. Her reply disgusts bnc in a way that makes her skin crawl.
Swallowing hard, bnc tries to reestablish a connection.
Jack_Spade
The line is still open, although the window for communication rapidly closes as noise levels build with every meter Kerstin moves further underground.
Gilga
Unaware of the drama between the sisters Anna reports "She grabbed a bag and another item and is climbing out through a hatch. I am pretty sure that she did not spot me. She pauses and then continues, taking the mental equivelent of a breathing space. She did not use any of the doors. bnc, if you contact her, you want to mention Splitterbruch or Abdecker as she trust them, and they can vouch for you. Kerstain will not believe you otherwise." she carefully follows 'the person' and makes sure that she is not discovered.
Volker
[ Spoiler ]


<@Kerstin<dua do ned neuronen schonen, sis>>, bnc replies in memory of one of their last laughs they had together. <@Kerstin<mei deck is eibaut do kommt kana zuwi ohne das er mei nuss knackt. waun du so da pro wordn bist, stö ma gscheida a frog, de ma ohne mei hirn net beantworten kann>>
In addition, she attaches the graffiti design she made to attract Kerstin.
Only then does she add.<@Kerstin<splitterbruch hat geholfen dich finden>>

[ Spoiler ]
SquirrelDude
Sharkboy tensed up "Just let me know when to say hello. "
Jack_Spade
Anna could see the shock travelling through Kerstin's aura. Her form stopped moving.
<<It's really you, isn't it? Where are you, how did you find me?>>
Volker
[ Spoiler ]


<@Kerstin<its me sis. im here upstairs. you left your smartgun in your last hideout, silly. it was still slaved to your link. may i cum in?>>
Jack_Spade
[ Spoiler ]

<<Don't. I mined the doors. Also, I didn't forget it. I planted it to shoot survivors of my trap. I wanted to lure them to their buddy when I shut off the noise generator.
We can meet. But on my terms. There's a closed underground Spar Shop&Go 300m East. Make your way past the locked gate and meet me there in 10 minutes.>>


It took less then 10 seconds to locate the place on the map. Renovations were halted during the winter on one of the train platforms. The locked gate posed no challenge whatsoever and five minutes later, the team saw a dark kiosk with heavy security glas with only a chute to receive the bought goods. There was no directly accessible door to the insides of the kiosk from the plattform.
bnc looked at the dark glass pane, seeing her emaciated self reflected in a black mirror.

A single lamp turned on inside and gave way to a different reflection.
Kerstin looked back at her from a face that was very similar from the features but at the same time radically different. Her eyes were nothing but shiny, dark red spheres without irises. Her smile revealed a set of very regular, very sharp teeth made from the same blood red material. Her skin was smooth and completely unmarked - even the old, faint scars from the beatings had vanished.
Her hair had turned white and brittle and was braided back in a strict, short ponytail.
She wore a loose one piece overall that likely covered a tighter full body armor underneath.

"You returned. I always knew you weren't dead." The orbs that stood in for her eyes glimmered wet all of a sudden and a single drop of red blood ran down over her cheek.
"You've come back just in time too. I won't be around for much longer I guess..."
Volker
bnc steps closer to the glass and takes in the face on the other side. Although she was prepared for the moment, bnc swallows hard. She's unable to respond for several seconds, only helplessly presses her hands against the glass.

Finally, she swallows the lump in her throat. She shakes her head and says "No, I won't let you die so easily. I didn't just find you to say goodbye. I ..."
She looks away helplessly. Her face is a stoney mask. If she'd let go of herself now, she knows, she'd break. "We met up with Nacl and Abdecker ... There might be a cure, Kerstin. Don't give up!"
Thanee
Nova brought her bike near the old shop and waited there. She didn't mean to impose on the somewhat awkward family reunion. It would be strange enough as is.
Jack_Spade
"You've grown... a bit. You know who Nacl really is, don't you? It took me a while before I got it. And yes, I know he is after the cure. I'm after it too. But the best I can hope for is to stop the transformation to progress further."
She rose her hand to match bnc's. Her right hand audibly hit the glas, but it didn't sound like flesh, only more crystal.
"These things are growing steadily, supplanting parts of my body, bit by bit. And sometimes I hear its whispers. As long as I keep fed it's not a problem, but as soon as I get hungry I lose focus. Even if I don't die physically, I fear that my mind is going to fail. Making me lose all self control. Then I'll be a danger to you and all who once thought of me as a friend. I never asked for this drek. Nacl should have let me die instead of jacking that shit into me. But now my only way to stop this, is to get into Rosenbergs lab. There must be something there to stop this."
She looked up, stopping her rambling and sounding calm again:
"So, is this your new crew? Nice to meet you."
Gilga
Anna returns to her body and follows bnc, she does not let her out of her sight. She does not completely trust Bean Si despite her kinship as there is evidence of growing corruption and paranoia and whats not. She listens intently and remains alert for possible dangers, but otherwise remains silent.

SquirrelDude
“Sharkboy, professional wrestler extraordinaire. Can you knock yourself out with meds or use some drugs to kill the cravings or do you have to rob tombs? Do drugs even work on you with your new crystally bits?

“So now we just take her back to NACL, right?”
Thanee
Nova wasn't inside, so she didn't get all the conversation going on. She wanted to give the two sisters a bit of privacy. But when Sharkboy asked about their next step, she replied promptly.

<< What? No. She won't come with us, anyways. Now we help her break into that damn lab and steal their research and whatever else is needed to reverse that stuff... >>
SquirrelDude
Much as Christoph might agree, Sharkboy wasn’t paid to help the target have her desired happy ending. He checked his commlink, tapped a few buttons and put it back in his pocket.

”I disagree, Nova. We have been contracted to find BeanSi, protect her, and return her to NACL as quickly as possible.

We’ve found her. Helping BeanSi go on a dangerous raid against Mitsuhama puts that needlessly at risk. If she won’t go, we restrain her and then sedate her.
Volker
"Hardly...", bnc replies dryly, fighting down another surge of emotion. As their hands, first cracks show. He hand claws against the glass fruitlessly. It's a welcome distraction when she points at her team. She nods yes, biting her lower lip in an effort to prevent a tear from running down her face.
She closes her eyes, her voice gets harder and cooler again. "Yeah, I found out about Nacl... Will you come with us? To meet him?"
Gilga
Anna responds in a text not wanting to interfere >> I agree that raiding a cooperate facility is not in our mandate by Nacl. It is not like we were even invited to help Bean Si in that mission - or that she refuses to meet with Nacl - or at least talk to him. So, best to let the two sisters hash it out and see what follows. I'll respect whatever agreement the two reach as I trust bnc in that aspect.
Jack_Spade
"I would... Probably, under normal circumstances. But the only window to raid this facility is approaching fast and will be gone as quickly.
I have it all ready. If I abandon mission now it will have been all for nothing."


Sharkboy's comm rang.
Nacl was on it.
<<Put me on speaker.
Kerstin, I'm so glad you are alright. I have a potential cure, but I agree, your venue has likely a higher chance of success.
So change of plans. Team, please accept an additional 10k each and help Kerstin succeed on her mission.>>
SquirrelDude
“Job accepted.”

Sharkboy held out his comm for the rest of the team to respond.
Gilga
Anna grinned "Not my best negotiation performance, but I accept."
Thanee
Nova had made her way in by now, since they needed to figure out where to proceed from here. She was glad, that the decision was what she was aiming for, anyways.

"Hi! I'm Nova. How about you fill us in on your plan. We only know a very rough outline from what we could piece together."
Jack_Spade
Kerstin shrugged: "Wait for people to go home during carnival, crack a side passage, fool the cameras, enter an elevator shaft, cut through a wall while the seismic sensors are turned of due to the dancing in the street and loot the lab. Pretty straight forward.
After that it's blowing up the first wave of guards and get out before they can rouse reinforcements. Ideally they'd have also deployed half their specialists to the castle to find their missing investigator, but that was an improvised part and never really fixed in my plan.
With a bit of luck I'd also get a shot at Rosenberg."
Luckace
Wraith had waited some metres away, to give bnc and Kerstin some privacy - or at least the illusion of that. Of course, he was carefully watching their mundane and astral surroundings.

When Kerstin greeted the team, he approached together with the rest.

Without hesitation, Wraith acccepted Nacl's offer. "Count me in."
"Wraith", he introduced himmself to Kerstin - who only knew him on his private name so far - and removed his helmet. "It's good to see you... again."
He was visibly quite nervous to finally reach their target and meet his former fellow.
Gilga
Anna felt sick from the excessive violence of the plan but she kept silent, she'll do that for her friend. "I am Anna, a mage.
Your plan sounds very impressive, but shouldn't they have some reasonable magical security? Kerstain, you are dual natured at all time which makes you traceable by mages like me. It will be difficult to escape when they know exactly when and where you were and can pick up your trail from there. I have followed you to the mourge - and it was a relatively cold trail. A new trail is much easier, it will be difficult to hide you after such a public and obvious indication of your location.

Moreso, you are vulnerable to wards that will be solid to you and a minor nuisance to us, off-site mages, summoned spirits and other dangers that can make you a liability. Perhaps the best way is to let us execute your plan when you seat in a safe control room? That way, you can disappear when this job is over. I mean, I appreciate your cunning and professionalism but you are very new to being a dual-natured person, and you may have missed some the implications of this condition."
SquirrelDude
Sharkboy didn’t approach, he just nodded and introduced himself. “Sharkboy, professional wrestler.”
Jack_Spade
Kerstin's eyebrows shot up in surprise
"Raph!?"
But before she could utter anything more, Anna brought the topic back to the matter at hand.
Kerstin replied: "Yeah, it's been a bitch to deal with that, but I'm getting better. Those crystals cut wards to shreds easily enough. Not subtle but quick. Traces only work if I stay too long in one place and outside wards or places with low background count.
The morgue was... not a time when I was at my best. I had left it too long to get some sustainance.
Also there are some perks of being like that. Watch."

In the blink of an eye, her crystal hand had transformed into a claw - razor sharp as it turned out when she carelessly raked them across her own throat. A short spurt of blood sprayed against the kiosk window but stopped almost immediately, the wounds knitting together so rapidly, that a second later there was no sign of there ever being any damage.
"I am faster and tougher now. I just need to keep away from the sun and I'm nearly unstoppable.
If anyone stays in the van it's going to be bnc."
Thanee
... who is probably in a corner puking her stomach out after that little display, Nova thought.
Gilga
Anna watches the show of force in fascination "Hot... What else can you do?" She knows that such an unstopable force in a dual natured being can go against them with spirit influence and all other problems.
Jack_Spade
"Nothing too fancy. Dogs don't like me anymore. Oh and I became an adept when I became dual natured."
Kerstin replied, sounding somewhat relieved. It was obvious that she enjoyed being able to talk to someone.
Luckace
"Wa...", Wraith exclaims I'm shock as Kerstin cuts her own throat, followed by a barely audible "Mein Gott...", as her wound closes.
[ Spoiler ]

He clears his throat and tries to focus back on the matter at hand. This was no time to be unprofessional.
"So, uh, you've been watching the lab, right? I guess we're to expect some nasty background count further in. Will that slow you down, being dual natured and all?
And any clues to how many guards there are inside?"
Gilga
"An adept! wow... But why do you want to be cured? Wouldn't it be difficult to give up this opertunity?
Volker
bnc doesn't bother to reply to the offer. She'd helped Kerstin anyway, and for a heartbeat some faint flare of honor even makes her consider refusing the payment at all. Then she's diverted...

bnc gasps sharply, when her sister's blood sprays against the window, a mere centimeter from where their hands almost touched a moment ago. She reels back a step and another, then one more. It takes her more than a couple of seconds, before she regains enough control of herself to speak. Her hand clutches Wraith's tightly in a slightly painful grip. She's tense like a bowstring when she speaks up again.
"Sh ... shouldn't we do the planning somewhere less ... public? Or over a voice conn?"
Suddenly, bnc seems to want to get out of here quickly.
Jack_Spade
"Probably. I've got to move anyway, because - as you friend said - I can be tracked outside a ward pretty easily, like everyone else.
You have my comm number. We can discuss this virtually while I get a move on. We can meet this evening and prepare."

Kerstin nodded and then vanished through the door behind her.
Volker
bnc raises a hand to wave her sister goodbye, but hardly waves at all. Her gaze follows after Kerstin until she's gone, then she stares at nothing for another second or two. Finally, bnc slowly sinks to her knees.
"Leave me", she says to all and no one in particular, in a soft, almost faint voice. "I'll follow"
Only then does she finally break eye contact with the point where Kerstin was last to be seen. Her head sinks, she slumps over and supports her weight on her arms, fake eyes staring into nothing.
Thanee
"Well, we got two mages here. Surely, they can provide some magical security."

Nova looked around. This went really well. They didn't know what to expect. Sure, they had some idea, but just not every detail. And they will even get an extra paycheck out of it, which is always nice, and who knows what the lab might have to offer. She would have done it either way, there's just something about family that really gets to her sometimes, but she also doesn't say no to some additional money. She can still use a lot of that. Anyways, they were done here. For now.

"We should arrange a time and place, probably here, or some virtual place, whatever works, in case something goes wrong and no communication can be achieved, for whatever reason. You know, as a fallback. Other than that, we are good to go, I would say."
Volker
bnc doesn't react. Her fingers claw into the ground, but to Nova she pays no attention at all.
SquirrelDude
“Maybe a couple of us could go with you. You’re still being hunted. Maybe Anna or Raph could help you deal with barriers, and there’s still an HTR team after you after that stunt at the castle. We found you based off what Nova and I could pull out in a rush to get out of the smoke. We might have left something behind that will lead them along, too.
Gilga
Anna submerges into the astral and "walks" a bit with Kerstain. This time not trying to hide too much, she suggests "Kerstain, bnc risked her life to find you, and will never forgive herself is she loses you. To the very least allow me to provide some magical security, or to send a spirit to keep you safe. There are many people that wish to catch you, and I was in the same room as you when bnc made the call. You need a mage on your side as resourceful as you are."
Volker
bnc trembles. Suddenly, a spasm goes though her body, she retches, and vomits hard on the plascrete underground. In the same moment, tears well up. bnc collapses to her side, pale face just an inch away from the puddle out greyish-brown bnc had thrown up.
"Leave me", she sobs. "Please, just get the fuck out of her ... get the ... get the FUCKOUTAHERE!"

She leans on one hand and glares at their teammates. Here eyes are swollen ... that is, the skin around the eyes is swollen from crying, but the pale synthetic eyes were cool and clear as aware. No artery showed, no skin war irritated. Yet, she herself was. bnc's face was red from anger and guilt and shouting, and vomit covered her chin. She meant what she said and those who know her realize that bnc is only an inch short of turning to violence to defend herself against any intrusion.
Luckace
"Come, let's go.", Wraith says with a calm, but firm voice to his teammates. "Kerstin is the last person in the world to need a bodyguard. She'll be fine."

To ascertain his intention of leaving, he puts his helmet back on. Before turning to walk to his bike, he takes a quick, worried glance at bnc under his helmet. Frag, girl. Not for all the nuyen in the world would I wanna be in your position.
Jack_Spade
While Kerstin treaded through a warren of utility passages, she regarded Anna with red rimmed eyes:
"Never forgive me... funny. That's the last thing she said to me before she vanished. You shouldn't worry about me. Keep my sister safe instead. To 90% I'm dead anyway. The miracle cure - and I need a miracle, just to be clear - is no better than 1 in 10 to be had. I give myself a 50% chance of beign captured. In that case I'll blow myself up and take as many of those assholes with me as I can. You lot helping maybe improves my chances by another 10%.
I still can't believe she's still alive - and found me... You don't have to worry about me running away. This could be my last chance to square things with bnc. I'm not going to miss that. Having a spirit or you shadowing me will make me stand out on the astral, so I'd rather not have that with me. Don't worry, I survived on my own for quite a while now. I'll do so for another day or two."


Gilga
Anna replies " Kerstain you are not dead yet, and the 90% that think you do are assholes. You do not need any cure to remain awesome, and your loved ones should accept you the way you are, even if it is difficult. Lady luck has brought your lost sister with you but you are so focused on that cure to even speak with her. I know that she is not an easy person to love but she is your sister and is regretful about many things. "

She gives Kerstain a meaningful look, she does not really expect a response. This whole raid seems more and more insane, and perhaps acceptance is better than 1 in 10 chance to suceed, and a large probability to commit a bloody suicide. Anna whispers "good luck", and then returns to her body.
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