<@Wraith<no1 was in danger no time>>

bnc doesn't realize that she's locked in until next day in the morning. She's glad about some space and solitude and doesn't even try to leave the room once.

When Sharkboy woke up he passed the key to unlock bnc’s room, along with her jacket, to Anna. He held onto the gun.

“Your call for when she comes out, or if you wish to speak with her. Maybe don’t go in alone, though.”

Anna shakes her head indicating that she has no wishes to talk to bnc. The night of sleep has done her well, and she starts with breakfast and then she practices some physical exercise by watching a ten-minute video of an instructor. Working her body a bit makes calms her, and so her next stop is the shower unless its occupied.

Sharkboy pockets the keys again, and then makes himself some breakfast before heading back to his room to eat it there unless he is interrupted by Wraith or Nova about the keys.

"Just open that door," Nova said. "What do you want to achieve by keeping her locked in?"

"It's been long enough."

"Just trying to make sure I can find the meatbag of the netfet who electrocuted her friend and pointed a gun at me in case she comes back with her butler bot and is still unstable.

"Is she back?"

"Sure. I get that. Things havn't been perfect. But we need to get to some point, where it works again. And better sooner than later."

Nova just shook her head to the other question. "I don't know. Has anyone tried to talk to her? Like, knocked on her door or something like that?"

"I figured it'd be best for Wraith or Anna to be the first to talk to her, so I haven't knocked or anything.

"I haven't heard anything coming from the room, and I haven't received any communication from her. Has anyone gotten word on if or when she'll be back today?"

"I agree. Given, that the last thing that happened with Anna was her being knocked unconscious, I would say, Wraith might be the best idea, actually. Where is he, anyways?"

Nova then looked for Wraith to ask him to handle the waking up of bnc.

Finishing exercise Anna grabs a towel from her room and heads to the shower, turning the heat up and singing as she cleans up. Her body is recovered but her mind is still exhausted.

At precisely 1200h, the team's commlinks received contact from Kerstin:
<<I am at a well shielded location and can stay the day here. Abdecker allows me to use a virtual meeting room in one of his hosts. I'm extending invitations to you. Meet me online there.>>
Whoever decided to follow the invitation, found themselves soon inside a small, low level host of a recently gone bankrupt boutique. The insides were designed with great care to appear like an upscale shopping mal, but the limitation of the hosts processing capacity prevented it from looking photo realistic.

Inside, Kerstin's avatar waited for them - looking pretty much exactly like her former self.

In the next morning, Wraith had taken some time for prayer and meditation, as well as browsing Salzburg's news (as well blogs, now that he's gotten a taste of that) for events at the Kühberg, like if there were reports about an explosion at castle Neuhaus or police activity or suspicions.


When he left his room, greeting the team, he went straight for the kitchen and activated the soycaf machine.

He shook his head an Nova's question wether he had communicated with bnc this morning. "... But yesterday, she had planned on returning shortly after your little fight. Haven't checked on her."

He doesn't seem fond of playing alarm clock, though. For a short moment, he thinks about astrally peeking into her room - but decides against it. That was too much of a privacy breach for his taste.
Nodding, he sighs and grabs his steaming hot soycaf to knock on bnc's door and send her a quick message:

@bnc
<<You there? Like really there>>

He waits some seconds for her to react.

The response comes quite quickly. "killing Nazis, but yeah I'm here"

Before opening the door, he activates his astral sight. Then he enters and places the hot soycaf on a table in the room for her.
He quickly analyzes bnc's aura to look for traces for current drug abuse or other indicators of severe instability.

Then he calls her.

"Team's gathering up. You should show some presence."

If she doesn't respond, he leaves anyways and doesn't bother pushing her - his body language indicating that he's not in the mood for babysitting.

bnc doesn't put up a fight. She might yell a bit at Sharkboy when she realizes he locked her in and doesn't show any intention of letting her out, but despite being in a foul mood she's cooperative if evasive. When they meet before the virtual meeting room, she's wearing her usual grotesque persona.

Sharkboy shows up in the host. He was still using the persona provided to him by the WWWF virtual media team. They gave one to every wrestler to help them promote stories and upcoming matches in a more "authentic" manner.

His avatar looked like an animated version of his character when he worked in WWWF, complete with an articulated mask that allowed for exaggerated expressions and muscle definition that would be impossible even for someone with genetic enhancements and bioware to achieve. It had been part of the companies attempt to expand in Japan. Sharkboy had liked it enough, and kept it even after his departure, with just some sloppy work to cover over the WWWF logos all over it.

Anna enters the host from her room using her queen of the night avatar. The avatat features Anna with pale skin and fangs, and a long goth black dress. She makes a mental note of how quick it is to dress up, as her now the limp body is wearing sweatpants and a white undershirt. She is using cold simulation.

Nova has no specific avatar, so when she enters, it is simply some off-the-shelf icon that shows up in the virtual meeting room.

Wraith's persona looks like a standard, cheap 0815-avatar on the first glance.
On second glance, one notices that the avatar has been modified to appear slightly transparent. Contrasts and contours are slightly blurred and body features appear to have been thinned out a bit.
Overall, it has been made to look like a slightly spectral version of a John Doe persona - fitting with Wraith's name.

Kerstin stepped closer and smiled:
<<You know, seeing you in the matrix makes everything a lot easier. My hunger doesn't hurt so much and I can think clearer.
Before we go further with the planning: How exactly did you find me? Do my enemies know that I'm here too? I mean me specifically, not just another ghoul.>>

Anna texts bnc and the rest >> Something is wrong, why is she askinh us us the same question again Her first question when bnc approached her - was "how did you find me"

She deflects to buy them some time "How does that hunger works? I know already that you consume human flesh, but does it means that you feel an urge to eat us when we are near? I wont think any less of you if you do, but it is best if you tell me honestly."

<< @Chatroom: We already told you how we found you, the precise details do not really matter, or do they? I'm not aware of anyone else who could follow that trail. We were only able to, because your sister is with us. Otherwise, we wouldn't have gotten the necessary information. >>

<< @Anna: Her commlink should have a camera, right? Should be possible to verify, that it is really her, if you are worried about that part. >>

Kerstin's avatar nodded: <<Good answer. Just checking that it's you I'm talking too.
Countersign: I touched bnc's hand through a pane of glas and cut my throat.>>

With a gesture her avatar called up a VR construct of the Kapuzinerberg. A red line described her planned entry, as well as the timeline she intended to follow combined with expected reaction times.
<<The biggest hurdle will be to get through the doors without tripping the alarm directly. I have a drone with touch link that's pretty good at direct hacking, but with bnc it might be even easier - provided you can crack their host without getting found.
There are likely wards around the labs themselves. Can't be helped unless one of you mages can track down the mage who created them and pay him a visit through the astral >>

Anna is not convinced that the question is to verify them, and suspects that Bean Si has some side-effects, but then again her knowledgable stance on the mission is a clear indication that they have the right person.

"You can only interact with astral entities in the astral, and mages are on the physical world most of their time... If we can identify the specific mage that cast the wards, we either convince him to grant us access or knock him unconscious before the run, but it feels more like a physical effort as mages usually know how to protect themselves from magic. "

<< I thought, you can sneak through those things without raising an alarm. >>

Anna shrugs "I usually can do it alone when augmented and not in particular hurry. However, put a watcher on the inside and things become more difficult. Taking Bean Si with me to the other side makes it harder. We can silently cross the ward if we are lucky, but if their wards are any good, it is less than guaranteed. "

<<I can, but I don't know how long that will take - it would be a lot quicker to just cut through them. All I'm discussing here is how your additional manpower can help me to increase the success chances of this mission.
I'm still fully capable and willing to do this solo.>>
Kerstin replied to Nova.

To Anna she said: <<Yes, but remember, this will happen during carnival. There is a good chance that the mages will be at a party of some kind. If you could learn beforehand who build the wards and watchers, you might be able to identify them and take them out beforehand.>>

bnc stands a while in silence, the features of the mask which is mounted three inches in front of the expressionless robot head unmoving. She listens and absorbs, only twice does she indicate she's listening: When Kerstin speaks of her cracking the doors, the robot head nods, when she says she's still willing to do it alone, she shakes her head while the mask shows a frown.

<<They're hunting you, so even if there is a party, they're probably still expecting you to show up at some point. Even if mages are distracted, slicing up their barriers will raise some alarm.

<<But if the alarm is already off, they might not notice it immediately. We go in quietly, and then me and a couple others start making a bit of noise to draw them off of you as you go to get your cure.>>

His avatar flexed and posed

<<Trust me, I know how to work a crowd.>>

<< It's worth a shot to try and find those mages before actually going in. If we can disable them, they won't be coming and they would have to find reinforcements elsewhere, but that will cost them precious time. If we cannot find a way to manage that, I would try to get around those barriers without raising an alarm. Sure, it is not a guarantee, but what is, really. It's the nature of our job, that there is no guarantee. >>

<<A distraction might work if it is well timed.

And yes, of course, no guarantees. If you manage to take out the on duty mage there is a good chance that Dr. Rosenberg will personally come - I'd see that as a bonus. He shot me after all, I'd like to return the favor.>>

Kerstin replied.

" I agree that knocking out the mage on duty likely improves our odds. So.... I guess that could mean we need to get a look at something with his astral signature on it, that won't be easy.
Kerstin, you've scouted the place - can you reccomend an approach?

We already know that the Dr. Singer school likely forms his circle of security mages. What do we know of them - except that they're crazy rich?
Sharkboy geeked one at Munich, I saw the aura of one in the mind of the bunker dweller, an infected one escaped us in Linz, Kerstin killed one at castle Neuhaus... Speaking of, Anna, what was it you took from him, anything that can give us a lead?

Boy, we must rank high on their wish list...", he adds while his persona grins deviously.

<<There are watchers around that I assume were created by the same ritualist as the wards. If you can get a look on them, you might be able to identify the mage as well.>>
Kerstin added.

Anna replies "One is a counterspell focus... a very good one. Too powerful for me until recently, actually..." she looks at bnc, and then continues "It is a real treasure, a person like me can totally derail any magical spells with it. The other seems to help initiates channel drain, I am not familiar with the exact details, it is a very powerful focus aswell. These people seem rich.

I can try to follow the wards to their creators and hope that I am undiscovered. I am not much of a combat-mage so, actually disabling them should be a team effort. "

"Channel drain you say?", asked Wraith, suddenly very interested. He held out one hand to inspect the talisman. "May I?
Yes, indeed. We call it Centering. You focus your energy into something that lets you connect to your magic. Makes the process less taxing. Prayer, in my case, but other traditions use... Chanting, dancing, stuff like that."
His voice didn't hide how little he thought of such heathenish rituals. His eyes glimmered with zealous anticipation.
He couldn't call upon much magic - his feeble human body simply couldn't endure much of the Lord's power. But with such a talisman, the possibilities were nearly endless.

"Such a focus could help me a lot! Would offer quite some new possibilities....", he adds not without greed in his voice.

<<Would those possibilities include only needing Townsend one mage and maybe Nova or me to deal the on-call mages.>>

"Sure" she says, and before she knows it Wraith is in her room examining the discs. "That one..." she hands him the centering focus. Having to switch to AR her avatar becomes rather slowish, and less realistic. She says to Wraith "I just augment myself, but you can take it. I am more of a counterspell kind of girl"

Back to the team she says: (in cyan because in VR like environment).
"It is just greedy mage talks about new toys... Shortcuts to power and everything, but we all sin in seeking them. None of these foci is relevant as it would take time to bind with them..."

"All right, we all love our toys. Which is why we should speed up because I broke mine when I tried to escape an asshole who tried to force himself on me in a moment of pain when I asked him politely to leave me alone for a moment, so I need time to fix my toy."

She pauses a second. Kerstin might not take the bait because she's become too professional but if something of the old Kerstin was in her, she'd still rage silently, and that alone gave bnc some strength. She felt less alone suddenly.

"As soon as we know where the mage is, we can take them out. Who will do it how, we'll decide once we get there. I'll take care of the doors. Do you have details about the security system already? I mean, trustworthy infos?
Also, how many and how well-equipped guards and which kind of drones are we to expect. How waterproof is your source of information on this?"

"Not in the short run, no.",
he replied to Sharkboy. "It takes time to convert it and bind it to me.
But then, it would mean... Phew, definitely some power-ups. Much stronger spells and, if god wills, stronger spirits. Channeling magic wears body and mind down, imagine a device overheating from excessive use. Such a precious is, uhm... Kind of a cooling unit for a centering mage - you could endure much, much more."

He clears his throat after Anna reminded him of the more pressing matters. "Right, back to the plan. Got carried off a bit. So... A Watcher it is, then.
Anna, your assensing without getting spotted was top notch so far - I'd like to pass that job to you, again. With a spirit concealing you, ideally. We can then use the telepathic links so you can show us the Watcher's signature.
That good with everyone?"

<<Dealing with the mages seems a reasonable first step.

I suppose then at this point we are trying to beat the clock. Hoe much time do we have until you walk into the building without us?>>

<<Carnival starts Thursday and reaches it's highpoint on Monday night. That's when I'll strike. So less than six days from now.>>


Kerstin replied

Anna texts Wraith >> Just let me know when you do big magic, and I facilitate it just like the centering focus.

In the cold-simulation her avatar nods and says "Alright, I can traverse the link between a watcher and its mage. Let's discuss the details once we have something more to work with."

Kerstin turned to bnc after an infuriating long time, her avatar not betraying any kind of emotion: <<I mapped the security system in this model - the usual: Sensor arrays with cameras and ultrasound. High quality maglocks with voice recognition and PIN, no stationary gun turrets, but non-lethal armed drones - mostly tasers, a few Pain Inducers - all mounted to MCT-Nissan Roto Drones. All slaved to their R9 security host.
20 onsite guards, including the rigger and the spider. Plus likely around 60 researchers - most of them Aware but also a few mages. During the night likely less then 10 civilians, during carnival probably only one or two.
The guards are all equipped with FBAs, doubling as Fire fighting gear: Protected against electricity, fire and chemical. HUDs with smartlink, low light, IR and ultrasound. They carry Yamaha Raidens with dual feed magazines: Gel for gentle approach, APDS for when drek hits the fan.
Everyone also carries a bandolier of three flashbangs, cuffs, and shock sticks. They rely on pretty shitty Renraku Sensei commlinks, but have micro transceivers as back up.
The information is two and a half months old, but I don't expect them having changed their equipment much.
They patrol in pairs with a drone ahead of them. >>

@Anna:
<<Will do, thx.>>

Oof... Twenty guards plus drones plus magic security. Now I'm glad Kerstin goes with us. At least there seem to be no precautions against cold attacks. He wished his spirit of water was still with him.
"Let's hope the civilians stay away from the trouble. You're including the researchers in that calculatiom, right?
Any clues on magical security, like on site bound spirits?"

<<Watchers and homunculi. No bound spirit's - with that kind of research they tend to go bad.>>

<<Ultrasound will be annoying. Does anyone here have a spell that can defeat that?

Some way for a couple of us to avoid the corp sec after tripping an alarm would be useful.>>

<<I have a set of ultrasound jammers for my armor. There is still a bit time. Maybe Abdecker can get you some more.>>

Anna shrugs "Sadly, I do not know how to magically defeat the ultrasound. Ultrasound jammers sound nice, I'll buy one if available. I did not even know that such a technology exists to be honest."

<< That's right. There is still plenty time, so we should be able to get what we need before that. Ultrasound Jammers? Havn't heard of those, either. Sounds useful. I guess, they do hinder your own ultrasound as well? >>