"Get ready for a hot Evac."

Eric reaches under his coat to level the shotgun at the assassin as he activates his mental connection to the team frequency.

"Jester what do we have out there?"

"Hard to tell, boss. They're moving fast, and there's alot of gunfire out here. My sensors are having problems too, they're hitting the ECM pretty hard. I'd say two LAV's, one's landing on the roof, the other's buzzing the parking space. I'm tucked away off to one side, on the west side of the Body Mall. I'd suggest you guys exit out here, I can see a pair of doors i nthe building."

"Alright, everybody move out. Put two rounds in each of them and let's go. We need pictures to get paid."

The decker-thief takes a quick picture of the interrogated assassin, before raising the shotgun and aiming squarely for the chest. Thunder echoes through the small room and he turns away. All thoughts of breakfast and sleep wiped clean from his mind--a vegetarian diet was starting to sound like a good life choice.

Eric waits to be the last one out the door, pulling the trigger himself where other people cannot.

Tombstone, who has looked as somber as his namesake ever since things started getting grim, assists Eric in double-tapping the assassins. He also grabs the clip of EX Explosive ammo and a few of the regular ones - no telling when he'll be able to stop for more.

He silently curses the day he got his mnemonic enhancer "Yeah, what a perfect bit of 'ware for someone who deals in violence... something to make him vividly remember all of the gory details," he thinks bitterly to himself.

Blackjack returns the smile of Bloodmoon and says, "Sure thing!"

She winces as the door to the 'interrogation room' is opened, and the sight of a man strapped to a table without any clothes on and being tortured greets her. The smell of seared flesh didn't help either. She looks away, too disgusted to gaze into the room. "Uh.. you go ahead. I'm gonna stay right here," she says.

She covers her ears to protect them from the loud blast of the shotgun and then follows the team as they make an exit.

A series of heavy pistol shots and shotgun rounds thunder through the small space of the 'clinic', and the halls are already filled with people fleeing the DocWagon invasion. Red lights are flashing from every room that was occupied, and the orcs and trolls in the orange slickers are waving people towards the exits. A gunfight has broken out near one of the stairwells, with the gangers pouring as much lead as possible into the stairwell, and are replied to with brief, stacatto bursts from obviously well trained assailants. Fortunatly, the exit the team is looking for is on the near wall, away from the fight.

You rush down the stairs, careening off other fleeing patrons and street docs, pushing in the cramped space to make your way, and burst out of an emergency exit on the ground floor. Jesters van is waiting, and the door slides open as soon as you get close.

There's more action out here, with the LAV clear above the parking lot, raining retaliation down on anyone stupid enough to fire at it. Jester clears a path, knocking a few of the less muscled looking metahumans out of the way with the van as he barrels down the cluttered streets.

Joli takes a deep breath and wonders when today she won't be running and shot at. She looks at the grisly package that Sebastian has clutched in his hands. You even think of opening that bundle and I'll be sporting some new leather boots. The spirit turns and grins, licking his lips suggestively. "I have what the Johnson requires for proof for payment and don't ask what it is because I don't want to hurl right now."

Blackjack takes her seat in the van. She turns away and puts her hand up for a moment as she speaks, "Oh my god!! I don't even wanna know!"

She looks out the window, trying not to think about what might be in the bag..

56 hours and counting....

The trip becomes slightly less...rigorous as Jester gets farther and farther away from the Body Mall, and the speakers crackle.

"Did we get what we needed? Where to now?"

The sudden flicking on and off of the red bulb cut off any further thoughts of further interrogations. Quickly moving out of the room, Bloodmoon follows the others on their way towards the nearest exit. Jestes's open van door was a very welcome sight. Gracefully leaping inside, she makes room for the others to also climb in.

"We got what was necessary. Let's find a hotel. We need to rest and I need a shower before I can be presentable enough to return the necessary proof."

Eric looks to Joli, his eyes apologizing for sins he never knew he could commit. He tries to meet Blackjack's gaze as well, but her back is turned to watch the traffic passing by. Probably safer that way, I don't want her remembering me this way.

"High class, low class, what're we looking for? There are alot of hotels and motels and things I wouldn't even call a room available." Jester's voice crackles through the speakers again, obviously distracted as he pilots the van expertly through the ramshackle roads of the abandoned section of town.

"Lower mid, somewhere we won't make a splash given our current appearances."

Tombstone grimaces. "Definitely want low-end accomodations. Packing weapons - which we plan on keeping on our persons - bloodstains, you name it. We want someplace where we can bail in a hurry, and we may want to stay in one suite so we can keep an eye out for each other. Now, I have a sleep regulator. I need a few hours to sleep off the rest of that dose of neurostun I took earlier, but if someone takes the first watch, I'll handle guard duty the rest of the night."

The tall ork's voice is firm and businesslike, but his cyan cybereyes still look slightly haunted. He's still avoiding eye contact with any of the others, especially Sebastian. He and Eric did what they had to, but the dragonette seemed to almost enjoy it. Sometimes you have to do nasty things, and work with not-so-nice people, in the biz, but he is far from the point of his usual philisophical detatchment at the moment.

Blackjack pipes up, "Yeah and someplace with a shower. Do you guys think we could stop for food somewhere too? A drive-thru or a grocery store? We haven't eaten all day."

Jester's voice flows out of the speakers again. "Right, bloodstained clothes, heavy weapons, low profile, and a shower. I know a place in Renton that might work." The rigger falls silent as he guides the group of the wreackage surrounding the imploded nuclear power plant and onto the highway. He speaks up again as you reach the relatively clear and safe driving space afforded by the 16-lane highway.

"Somebody say something about food?"

Tombstone nods reflexively, before realizing the rigger can't see him. "Yeah. Drive-through would be best, a Stuffer Shack or Maxi Mart. I may not feel like eating at the moment, but I'll make myself... I think a lot of us are running on fumes at this point, and some food would do us all some good.

Joli gives out a long, ragged breath. "I second that, but I still have a few questions that need answered. I know who the snipers were, in a general sense, but what was the deal with the materialized mage that was shouting at you?" She toss a look to Bloodmoon. Her face is open and exhausted.

Thoughts reel back in his mind, as Eric tries to put the events together...that's right amidst the confusion of the first attack, there was a discorporated person. It had been lost in the struggle to survive both physically and emotionally.

Leader and torturer weren't roles he had ever expected to be involved with but somehow Fate didn't care about his expectations. He can't even fathom eating at this point, but there is the cruel knowledge that as in other things, he must do what is necessary.

The van swings off the freeway and into a more hospitable part of northern Seattle, the rigger quickly locating a fast-food outlet and passing the teams order to the speaker. He surfaceses long enough to slot one of the certified cred sticks and hand the food back before diving back into the van. An hour or so later finds the group parked in front of a rundown Holiday-8, another remenant of the corporate merges earlier in the century.

Joli pauses for a moment. "He looked middle aged and he was dressed in rags. He came in right behind as you were shot by the snipers. He was yelling at us to help you and that you had been hurt. I think he disappeared after that. To be honest, I lost track of things after the explosion and the gas didn't help."

"Hai. . . that was Spectre you saw." Looking distracted at having the topic brought up again, Bloodmoon pauses as she reserts Balance within her. "He is a chummer of mine, and a good friend. He gave a warning to me, that there were some who had come looking for me." Once again having acheive full control, the young woman continues. "But that is something I will have to deal with when the time comes. There are mysteries enough for us now. Let us turn to those and have them resovled."

"However, I do have one request, may we stop briefly that I may purchase a cellphone."

Tombstone shoots a quick questioning glance towards Jester. "Well, if it's all right with our ride, here, we could probably pull up at a Maxi Mart real quick-like. Now, I'm not going to ask any more about your friend... we all have our own private business, after all. But I do expect a heads-up if you find out that any of your trouble is going to come our way."

Tombstone leans back in his seat again, returning his concentration to his third "lean soy" teriyaki sandwich. He rubs his temples. Plans and contingencies are still clamoring in his head, but they are a jumble at this point. His mental enhancements could keep him going if he needed to, but he would much rather crash and recharge his batteries. Some of the others probably need it even more than he does.

Bloodmoon nods at Tombstone's words.

As they head towards some quiter areas, she is only able to touch small portions of her food - a vague disquiet makes it difficult to put much more down.

The aforementioned stop is made, and a cheap, disposable cellphone acquired.

As the group piles into one of the small, sparsely furnished rooms, Jester claims a chair near the corner, with a view through the small window to the parking lot in front, and surfaces from the RC deck for the moment.

"What now, boss?"

Having stopped for the phone, Bloodmoon proceeds with ensuring the safety of her friends. Entering into her meditation again, this time with much more ease, she sends out a call for Shen Lung - and in a moment, she feels his presence. "Ni hao Shen, it's been some time." Through her third eye, she can see the coiled serpentine form of the Long unwinding from it's nap, "And just when I was getting to the good part of the dream," is it's sleepy reply.

"Sumimasu Shen - but I must impose on your for aid. I am in need of contacting Spectre, and your help in calling forth the shao-di's would be most welcome."

Having finally stretched out his serpentine form, the creature's whiskers bounce with his head shaking - not so much unlike a dog, Bloodmoon thinks for the hundredth time. "I suppose it'd do my lungs good," finally comes the reply through an unabased yawn.

"Hsieh-shie."

Bloodmoon begins to call forth Power once again, releasing it outwards in measured amounts as Shen's low howl resonates. The shao-di's heed the call and arrive, eager for some fun - the game they are told is to find Spectre and tell him the secret password. Hopeful to be the first to the finish line, they dash off, little trails of energy left in the aftermath of their disappearing tails.

Tired from sending out the Power from within her, Bloodmoon leans back against the seat, taking advantage of the opportunity to rest as the van continues on its way. Nevertheless, she is satisfied that the gears have been set in place to locate Spectre and the rest of the Wraiths.

Tombstone gives Jester a weary grin. "I think the 'plan' is for us all to get some much-needed shut-eye, including our overworked leader here. My offer stands - if you, or someone else, can watch the first few hours, I'll take the rest of the night."

Jester nods. "Sure, I can take the first few hours. Got a little less of that neuro since I was in my van."

Blackjack exclaims, "OH! I need a shower!.. Um.. does anyone have to go to the bathroom before me? I might be a while." She smiles at everyone, showing her kind intent.

Hearing Blackjack's offer, Bloodmoon takes note of her own bloodied state and accepts the gratious invitation. A shower would nicely serve in cleaning up her soiled physical appearance just as much as her meditations did her spirit.

"Bloodmoon, do you want to go first?" Blackjack leans in and asks gingerly.

OOC: Oops! Sorry, I should have been clearer - Bloodmoon did indeed accept the offer!

BIC: Thanking Blackjack, Bloodmood makes good use of the shower.

As always, the phone picks the most inconvenient moment to ring, Bloodmoon still in the process of drying off with scratchy motel towels when th cellphone begins to chirp.

The chirping of the phone sets the woman's pulse pounding. Quickly grabbing at the phone, she answers with a simple "Moshi-moshi,"

"Bloodmoon? Is that you? Thank god, thank god it's you...Look, something happened, Ghost is missing and Wraith, he looks like, like he's been chewed on. Said some manic attacked them, something about going to eat Ghost, I don't know, he was pretty incoherent, so I put him out for a little while. This guy, this ghoul, whatever, he said he was looking for you and that you'd know why. What the frag is going on?" He sounded anxious and scared, making this one of the few times you've seen Spectre unsettled. He'd dealt with some of the worst drek in the Barrens without flinching.

Eric slowly chewed his food without tasting it. Moving through an almost mechanical efficiency, he double checked the gear he was carrying. Now would not be the time for his deck to have taken a stray shot from a ricocheting round.

After seeing to the needs of his equipment, the Englishman looks at his clothes and shakes his head. The blood wouldn't come out of the coat without professional help. Shedding the coat and laying it over the back of his chair, he unslings the satchel from over his shoulder.

"I'll need to wash up Blackjack but by all means, please help yourself to the amenities. Despite everything else today, or perhaps because of it all, I need to hold on to the basics of courtesy else I--. I'm sorry, wash up, we can talk when work is over and we've had a few pints."

The thief realized he was falling back into the same habits he'd had before, and breaking that inter-personal barrier after all these months was definitely not something he needed to do while he had the blood and bile of another man on his hands.

Who would thought the old man had so much blood in him..."

Joli tries to relax but gives up after 10 minutes of deep breaths and soothing imagery. Eyeing the bundle with a clear face of distaste, she digs out her phone. "I'll call the Johnson and found out when and where he wants the package delivered. The sooner it's gone the better."

"Mr. Yamikaza's Office, how may I help you?" The voice is polite, generic, could belong to a dozen different sararimen at the office. You recognize it, however, as the voice of Yamikaza's assistant from a day and a half ago.

Has it only been a day and a half...?

"Of course, I'll transfer you immediately." There's a quick click, and some muzak filtering through the phone, and Yamikaza's dry, polite voice answers smoothly.

"How may I be of assistance, Joli-san?"

Spectre breathes a long sigh, quiet for several moments.

"It seems like they have tracked you down, time notwithstanding. I guess they finally decided to put the big boys on you. Ghost is gone...there are bloody drag marks leading out of the door, but no other signs. Wraith'll recover, I don't know about Reaper. He hasn't been back yet. Look, you're probably better off where you are. I can't imagine the protection getting better then a group of heavily cybered, armed, and armored Shadowrunners. Just keep a heads up. How long are you going to have this number? I'm going to send some Watchers for Reaper and Ghost, find out what's going on. I'll call you later...keep safe."

"Arigato Spectre, I'll watch my back. You guys take care and I'll be back as soon as this is over. If you need me, call me on this line."

Cutting off the line, Bloodmoon drys herself and dresses. Shen, I'm gonna need you around for a while, looks like there's something looking for me, and you're probably going to see it before I will.

The comforting reply in her mind tells her that Shen is doing just that.

Emerging from the shower, the woman goes to get some rest in her meditations and sleep, seeking out the Balance as the turbulent thoughts once again begin to push into her consciousness.

"I apologize for the interruption but I wanted to know when and where you wanted the package delivered?" Joli swats at Sebastian as he tries to chew on the outside of the bundle.

"If you'll give me a location, I'll send my assistant immediately." The voice is calm, unsuprised, as if the call was nothing more then common, everyday business. Which, in hindsight, it might be.

"I mean no disrespect Mr. Yamikaza but they brought themselves to our attention in a way that suggests someone at your office may have been less than discrete so I would rather pick a different place to meet for the transfer. Will be that alright Gracious Sir?" Joli waits for his reply, not sure how he'll take her observation or request.

The voice on the other end of the line is silent for a moment, but gracious enough when it comes back.

"Understandable. Feel free to provide whatever location at which you would feel safe transacting business."

Joli lets out the breath she'd been holding. "I thank you for your consideration. Let's meet at this address..." She quickly types in an address for a fast food establishment they passed awhile back. "in 1 hour. Have a good day Gracious Sir."

She puts her phone away and feels her paranoid mind begin to work. "Are any of you tech savy? We should check our credsticks for trackers. Just to make sure we are letting people know where we are." She fishes out the credstick that they recieved for payment and places in on a table. She turns to Jester. "I'm going to need a lift to a meeting spot to do the exchange for the Johnson. Shall we?" She gathers up her things and pauses in the kitchen to run some water and splash it on her face and hands. "When we get back we should go over the plan one more time then do it. The clocks ticking and the sooner we get this over with the better." She heads for the front door as Sebastian winks and slides over to the astral.

Jester nods, already warming up the van outside as he tosses his credstick on the counter.

"Better to be safe then sorry, like the lady says," as the two head outside to complete the drop.