"Eagle here. Since you all are pretty well hidden, it seems, maybe Seeoh could cast invis on Codec so he sneak his way to a proper jackpoint? Then maybe he can do something about the cameras. Trying to shut down the cameras by hardware is like a rigger invasion thing, and I wouldn't try that, even if I had an RC Deck to do it with!"

"OK, OK. So the van thing is a bad idea anyway. Problem if'n you can't hardwire into the system though Codec." Flip looked at the Decker with a lop sided grin. "Thing is, where do we find a jacking in point for you?"

"There's a barrier booth at the end of the upramp to the car park. I scoped it while I was lying under the van. That might have a point?" Seeoh shrugged.

"And a big burly guard as well no doubt." Flip scratched his head. "Did you get anything from those doors you said you spotted?

"Not really. I'd guess they lead to maintenance lockers, or maybe a staff room for the car park Security guards. No way to tell without going down there for a look see." Seeoh slumped against the wall.

At that point, Ace's voice came over the comm with the obvious solution. Flip grinned like all their problems had just disappeared like so much smoke.

"Like Ace says, what if you make Codec invisible, like you were? He could walk down there, try the doors and take a look inside. If one of them is a Guard room, it's bound to have some kind of terminal he could play with." Flip looked at the quivering man.

"You can't ask him to do that on his own!" Seeoh sensed the Deckers concern.

"He'll be fine. Being invisible, if he spots trouble he can just retreat and high tail it back to us." The Ork watched the man as he emphasised the `high tailing it' bit, and waited for the refusal, hoping it wouldn't come.

Magic razzle dazzle on ME!?! thinks Codec trying to contain his surprise. "Uh okay, I'd imagine there'd be a point in there," he whispers, "if not, I still might be able to load the old fashioned way, but any IC there would easily be alerted."

Bluebird keeps quiet...watching the others...waiting to see what their next move will be..

For a moment the air went tense, everyone could feel it. The little Decker, fear staring out of his eyes as he looked at the Sorceress. Bluebird almost lounging against the wall, waiting for someone to make a decision. She knew the longer they took to do something the more the chance of being spotted.

"I'll do it." Seeoh was positive. "One invisibility spell on Codec and…" She looked hard at the Woman and raised an eyebrow, getting a stoic hard stare back. "And Bluebird as his backup. So if you two are ready?"

Calming herself to cast the spells wasn't easy. She was already a little drained from doing the same thing to herself earlier. What this casting might do to her she could only guess. "Flip, be prepared to catch me, just in case. Codec, you first, you're the important one." She glanced at Bluebird. "No offence. But the third cast inside a half hour might not succeed, and we need Codec to kill the cameras."

The Decker, only slightly taller than the Sorceress, trembled visibly as Seeoh stretched out her hand to touch him with her magic.

Codec couldn't believe what was about to happen to him. HOLY DREK!!! was all that flashed through his mind. He gave a quick glance to Flip and then Bluebird and back to Seeoh. He wasn't too keen on having to follow Bluebird, he still wasn't trusting of her, But then again, I don't trust too many people nowadays anyways

"I'll do it." Seeoh said. "One invisibility spell on Codec and…And Bluebird as his backup. So if you two are ready?"

"I...I..I'm ready..."

"Flip, be prepared to catch me, just in case. Codec, you first, you're the important one.." Seeoh glances at Bluebird "No offence. But the third cast inside a half hour might not succeed, and we need Codec to kill the cameras."

The thought of magic being used on him, as well as the emphasis on his role in this mission, made Codec tremble both from fear and anxiety. Seeoh stretched out her hand to touch him with her magic.

Everyone stares as the trembling little man flickers slightly before disappearing... knowing that she is feeling a bit drained, Seeoh decides to try it on Bluebird, so with Codec stood nearby....she casts, and once again... Bluebird disappears before their eyes!

Holding Codecs hand, Bluebird smiles to herself at all the things she could do while invisible... but stays calm and professional as they go towards the door down the hallway, Going first bluebird pokes her head around the door to see that its nothing more then a set of stairs heading up so as they go up a floor they see that this is obviously ground level....

wispering quietly to Codec she says "This is obviously just going to be a reception of some sort...so we may as well skip it and head up anther level" and with that they go up... comming out of the stairwell near to a some lifts, they look around and see plenty of partitioned walls, with desks, phones, and most importantly of all...computers! and where you find computers, your going to find jack points!

"Is this going to do? or do you need something more specialised?"

Flip settled Seeoh, making absolutely certain she wasn't about to pass out or keel over - wouldn't do to have her lose her concentration whilst the other two were sneaking invisibly past some sec-guards!

The sorceress secure, Flip cast his attention briefly around the car park, taking stock, making mental note of each vehicle present and their potential if they had to make a break for it.

"Is this going to do? or do you need something more specialised?" asked Bluebird.

"No," Codec whispered, "This should do just fine." He sat down and found the jackpoint. Despite not being able to see his deck bag or anything, he has set himself so many times that he could do it with his eyes closed anyways. Codec pulls out his deck and jacks in...

Instantly feeling like a bird with clipped wings... Mysterio can tell that this is a closed system, and starts looking through for the security files. Somebody obviously doesnt take as much care as they should be because it takes the form of one of three doorways, one is labeled security, the middle is called contracts and deals, and the far right is called internal paperwork. Such a simple set up...they obviously werent expecting a visiter today then!!

Ace sits outside, starting to get slightly bored.... maybe it was time to start looking into some drones, at least that way he could go in with them! or maybe see about getting a chopper, or seeing if he could find a way to get some serious money to turn this heap-o-dreck into a serious piece of kit.....

Once again, his ears perk up....and he can hear a chopper thudding closer with each beat of the rotor blade, but this time as it gets nearer a patrol car comes with it... seeing the chopper hover over the nearby field where the others made their entry the high speed pusuit car parks up and two officers start looking around in the dark.... they obviously did hear that explosion then!

Turning on his masking program, Codec knows his first priority is the security system so he takes door number one

"Eagle to Sparrow, this just in! The Star has taken a personal interest in what's going on; the chopper is back, and a patrol car just parked out front, two officers are looking around. I'm closest to them, so if anyone is going to do anything, it might be me... but at the same time, anything I do will draw more attention to us... Codec, did you jack in yet? Can you hear me? Is there anything you can do about all this?"

Damnit...

"Eagle, keep your eyes on them - if the old Bill comes into the compound, let us know. Also make sure to let us know if they go near the flue where we entered."

Flip scratched his head and sighed. "Codec is online now, and Bluebird is watching him. Seeoh and I are sitting out in the open until we get the all-clear from them. Everybody set your minds to thinking up a diversion - we may need one soon..."

Listening to the chatter over the headset....Bluebird contacts Flip "well Codec is jacked in now, so hopefully it wont be too long before we have security on our side... and as for outside, there is always the stolen car parked down the street...."

Flip, worrying, what with a chopper in the vicinity and the arrival of the Star, became agitated. "Yeah, there's always the Chevvy. In the meantime, Bluebird, I know Codec's a bit tied up atm, but take a look around where you are. See if you can find a hard copy plan of the building, all floors. We still don't know where our main target is, and even if Codec gets the info out of the system, it will take time for him to relay it to us. A paper plan will be easier to follow, 'specially if you and me are up front when we make our move."

The Sorceress, concentrating on maintaining her spells, is only marginally aware of the changing situation, but it's enough to prompt her. "Those Guards and the Foreman will be out for a good few hours. Once Codec controls the cameras, we can come back this way and go back out through the vent; always assuming the Star haven't found it open."

"Yeah, it's a possibility I reckon. But that's later, girl. You just keep the spells going. Let us worry about the law." Flip gave a lopsided grin at the Irishwoman, hoping he looked confident and that she would take heart. Some hope!

Walking through the door marked security.... Codec finds a virtual control room, with banks of moniters showing the security cameras, others showing open or closed doors, fire systems....

but that wasnt what took his interest, another....real, breathing, living decker was there monitering the system!!


Feeling a little aggitated at having this Orc bossing her around (when he had just been playing with explosives no less!) she started making a quick sweep of the area, but it became quickly apparent that nothing was to be found here....for it was wage slave offices and they never had anything of importance, and not wanting to stray to far from Codec meant that she couldnt go in search!!

Codec ponders for a virtual second. I don't think he knows we're here. I could probably fry this guy but I'm not sure where he is and who he can alert nearby... knowing that he has to do something fast he takes his virtual shotgun out, switching to his attack program and fires at the decker's icon...

Firing the shotgun in cyberspace Mysterio gets a direct hit on the decker.... and the image flickers wildly from the interuption, but it recovers as the decker turns around....seeing the icon that resembles a ninja this rival decker pulls out a sword and small shield, before lunging at mysterios Terminator style icon!!!

As Mysterio dodges out of the way the sword only just scrapes the side of the leather jacket... and he feels his protection programs automatically boot up to protect him.

Though surprised that the hit didn't dump the other decker, CODEC is a little pissed off. Knowing that conventional shoot to kill techniques may not be as effective, he tries something else. Codec picks up the virtual chair with one hand, that the decker had been sitting in andtossed it into the air in the ninja's direction. Hoping the ninja would use his shield to block it, Codec prepares to fire at the ninja with his virtual shotgun...

Doing just as Codec expected, the ninja blocks the chair with his shield and stumbles slightly from it.... at that moment, Codec fires the shotgun straight into the chest of this decker....and with that the icon flickers one last time before evaperating before his eyes....

Knowing that he might not have long, Codec immediately begins to upload the camera control program from his deck. Okay this will take care of the cameras he thinks Hmmm, I should be able to control the automatic locks from here as well. That'd be great to de-rail any trouble

Bluebird starts getting impatiant as she looks at the limp body of her friend...waiting for a sign, any sign, that they can get this job done and get out... it had gone badly enough already!

"I'm in, cameras and security taken care of..." whispers Codec, "I'll stay here to watch over things, I had a little....trouble."

The thrum of rotor blades impact on the fabric of the building, echoing down through the drive way into the underground car park where Flip and Seeoh await the return of their companions.

"Trouble, and it's headed this way." Flip looked at the slip of a girl by his side. "Will you be able to hold the spells?"

"Of course I can. I'm not an Hermetic for God's sake. Just don't let anyone shoot me. Then I would lose concentration." Seeoh treated the big Ork to a small smile. She realised he would die rather than let any harm come to her. A true friend.

"You stay put. I'll take a peek up the ramp." Flip patted the girl's shoulder reassuringly and moved out carefully, hugging the wall beneath the roving camera above their heads. Five steps up the ramp his Orkish ears caught voices. An alarm or something must have been sounded, though quite where Flip couldn't place. Then running footsteps, away from his location. [i]P'raps Codec's set off something inside.[i/]
Whatever, the Security guys who had been heading down the ramp had been called back up. If there had been any sweat on his brow, Flip would've wiped it away with relief. He returned to the Irishwoman.

"Looks like we've got a stay of execution." He looked past the Sorceress. "Whereinhell are they!"

"I'm in, cameras and security taken care of..." whispers Codec, "I'll stay here to watch over things, I had a little....trouble."

Flip almost shouted `Hooray' but forced himself to think first. "Bluebird, stay put. We'll come up to you."

Moments later the corridor was traversed at a dead run and the Ork and the Sorceress joined the other two.

Flip looked at Seeoh. "May as well drop the spells now we're all together again." Seeoh, with a sigh of relief, did exactly that, carefully sitting on a convenient desk first, and awaited the backlash from her efforts.

The Razorgirl, looking a might angry to Flip's eyes, regarded them coolly as she materialised. The Decker, appearing in the seat with his deck in his lap. The Ork crouched down by the little man, hoping he was paying enough attention to the meat world to hear him.

"What would you rather do Codec. Come out and install the tap or stay in there on overwatch and talk me through it when the time comes?"

"I can talk you through it," says Codec not really concentrating on the rest of his colleagues as he finishes with the camera program he starts to have a look around the rest of the security system.

"So we're going to have to find where this sealed computer is then....and do it ASAP going by what Ace is saying..." Bluebird starts looking around for any apparent signs...of which there are none...

Codec begins to search for a security map of the complex. That should have everything on it he figures.

Flicking through the security set up available to him... Codec manages to pull up a set of blueprints for the building, and a list of where certain things can be found. The top (third) floor is reserved for the isolated servers which is where Codec knows the group will find the Lonestar eqipment, on the way up he can also see that as soon as they exit the lift (which is the only means of access) then they will have to pass through a metal dector and anti static room before getting to the server they need.

Codec first sends the blueprints to the nearby printer so Bluebird can have a hard copy, he then addresses the rest of the group through the tranceivers, "I'm in and the cameras have been taken care of. Anyone looking through them anywhere else in the building won't see you but I'll be able to monitor things from here. Though I will warn you that I dumped out another decker so somewhere, when he recovers, he'll be able to warn people. You need to go to the third floor, there are some security precautions that I will try to take care of."
Codec begins work to see if he can bring the metal detector offline.

Picking the hard copy up off the printer Bluebird waits for Flip and Seeoh to join her before looking for the only lift up to that level.

Codec soon finds that the metal detector is linked up to the regular security system, but the anti static area is on its own independant system... it shouldnt be too much of a problem though as it seems to be a simple caution against anything happening by accident.

Codec takes the metal detector offline. Before he sees if there is a way to jump to the anti static's independant system Codec moves into the internal paperwork section and runs a very quick search on a name that Ace had given him, Frank Von Miller.

"Well, that's our guns covered at least. Not that I'm that hot a shot." Flip caressed his newly acquired pistol.

"And Codec might be able to do something about that or the anti-static room." Seeoh looked tired as she sat on the desk, her eyes barely seeing the blueprint.

"But there must be controls somewhere. Maybe Codec will find them and do a bit of Cyber magic on them?" Flip looked at the Decker hopefully.

"The gadget we have to hit's on the top floor - here. Maybe we've gone about this all wrong. Perhaps we should have paraglided onto the roof instead.

"Bit late now, Seeoh. We're here and it'd be too much trouble to retrace our steps, even if we could. No, I'm…."

The Irishwoman interrupted the Ork. "Look, there's two Guards back in the tunnel complex. They must have a comms link of some sort, maybe even swipe cards we could use."

"Bluebird? Did you find anything useful when you searched them?

< >

"If worse comes to worst, I can make us look like Guards as well."

Flip glanced at Seeoh. More magic? You look pretty bushed already. So only in dire emergency, right?"

"Right." Seeoh brightened. "So, what's the order of march?"

Flip looked at the Decker, still searching files. "Codec said he'd zapped another Decker in the matrix. When he, she or it comes round all hell's gonna let loose. First thing'll be finding the `Bad Guy' that did the zapping. If Codec's still hooked in he'll need someone to watch his back.
Which means we split up. Bluebird, you cover Codec here. You're much handier with guns than I am anyways. Me and Seeoh will take the lift. When we get to the target, Codec can talk me through, like he said he would. Is that Jake with everyone?

"Null Sheen" Bluebird says cooly.... and with that she makes herself comfortable in a seat near to Codec....

"by the way, surely the anti-static room is only a passive mesure to protect the servers... im no techie, but that doesnt mean it will alert anyone, just take away any static that might be on you or your clothing...."

A short transmission to Ace was in order, just to let the Team's wheels know what was going on. Keeping strictly to the facts, Flip told him where they were at and what they intended to do next. Nodding at Bluebird, Flip and Seeoh went back into the corridor, secure in the knowledge that Codec was manipulating the output from the surveillance cameras, and headed for the first door, and it's lift.

"Top o' the shop I think." Flip went to press the button for the third floor but Seeoh stopped him.

"What if there's someone up there, waiting for us, or at least monitoring the lift?"

"There was no external legend down below. So why should there be one up here?" Flip looked at the small metal label on the back wall. "It's an Otis 3000. Strictly passengers and a weight limit of 1400Kg. Even if there is someone on the third floor, they wont know we're coming till we get there. You worry too much." With that, the Ork pressed the stud for the top floor.

Like all Otis 3000's, the lift seemed to take an age to arrive at its destination; just something else to increase tension in an already fraught situation. Finally, with an almost silent `swish', the single door slid aside. The two runners, pressed against the walls of the lift, paused a moment by mutual consent, waiting for the hammer blows of bullets or at least a stun grenade. But nothing happened and Flip chanced a glance out into the corridor.

"Clear!." He whispered, and the pair stepped out of the lift, checking left and right. Over the microbead came a reassurance that their images weren't appearing on camera so they could move freely. "Which way?" Flip asked.

Seeoh ran a finger over the hard copy plan she'd brought along and pointed right. "Down there. Fourth on the left according to this." She headed in that direction, Flip, patting his pocket to satisfy himself that he still had the gadget, following close behind.

The swipe track to the right of the doorway looked complicated. Flip checked the door's ID code. "Codec, can you kill 3107? Or do we have to jiggle it a bit?" In answer, the small red LED under the swipe track turned green and Flip tried the handle. The door easily opened inward. With a last swift glance up and down the corridor, the Runners entered.

A short lobby. "Must be the MADS area." Flip said as he stepped forward. No klaxon sounded. No `Red Alert', so Codec had done his job well. Five metres ahead another door, with no obvious lock, opened into a sterile room lined with softly humming machinery.

"Codec, we're in. There's a half dozen consoles in here. What do I do now? Just pick one?" Not waiting for a reply, the Ork crossed to the nearest terminal and sat on the swivel chair in front of it. "Watch our backs, girl."

Looking around Seeoh sees that this area works much like an air lock, with a door at the end which leads into corrider (there is a window in the door which she can see through) which has a green field in it.... looks like the anti static room in which they need to go through...

While the Ork sits at the console, trying to get a reply from the Cyberspaced Codec, Seeoh wanders around the room - watching backs.

"Erm, Flip. We may not be in the right place here.

Flip swivelled around. "Whadya mean `not the right place'? This is a computer room innit? There's terminals, keyboards - look there's even a mouse on this one!" Lifting a small gadget with no lead running to it. "Radio linked or sommat."

The Irishwoman tapped the small window in the door at the far end of the room. "There's another corridor here. And it's got a green field in it. It's protecting somethin, and if our target's as sensitive as we've been led to believe, it's gotta be through here."

Flip got up from the console and joined Seeoh, peering through the glass panel in the door. "Maybe this is the anti-static room? Check the map again." Seeoh looked more closely at the hardcopy. The print had obscured this particular door a little, which was her only excuse for not seeing it sooner.

"Um, I think you're right. But I don't like the look of it. Green isn't my favourite colour, reminds me of nasty gaseous things, usually poisonous at that."

"If this is an anti-static room there's no way I want to wander through with an active electronic device about my person. So, I'll be incommunicado till I get to the other side." Flip passed his weapons to the girl, took the power pack out of his transceiver, held his breath and tried the door.

Walking into the chamber the Orc feels a strange tingling feeling as he passes through the field....the hair on his body stands on end as the static passes through....and then once through the corridor he finds himself in a room, with a large black box with a multiude of wires going to and from it.

Sitting outside, so bored that he could even consider going home right about now... Ace looks around, the chopper seems to be a fair way off, but still in the area and the same can be said about the Lonestar crusier. Getting out an old and very used map of the city he found in the glovebox, he starts reading through it... looking for useful routes out of the area if he needs to get out quick, theres the usual highways, and main roads.... a park and shopping mall... in the back of his mind he remembers an old film he saw on the trido, so old that it was origanally shot in actual film! they used some small cars to drive through a shopping area while getting away.... maybe the same could be applied to this situation, wouldnt make for the most stealthy of escape routes, but they wouldnt be expecting it, and even if he didnt shake his lead.... it would be fun!!!!

Not finding anything yet on his search, Codec rings his attention back to the group through the cameras. Seeing that everything is okay thus far he uses the cameras to check out the rest of the compound

Looking through the rest of the compound he realises that this camera system is a state of the art one, and that a rigger would get better use out of it... but nevermind!! Using the zoom function he can see the Ace's van down the street, and sees that the tunnels below have been evacuated.... maybe thats what that lorry was earlier that Ace saw Codec ponders...

Yeah, that'd be cool, driving some mini car throguh a mall. It'd be like flying high and fast, ducking and weaving to shake the jets tailing me... he shook his head. It'd been too damn long, he was thinking stupid thoughts. No time for "fun" now, he's got to be serious. "Eagle to Sparrow, the chopper seems to have backed off a bit, but I have no doubt that it'll be following us if we give it a chance. Can anyone, er, anyone who isn't busy at the moment, think of any way to either distract it, or to meet up without it seeing you load into the van? And didn't someone jack a smaller car? I'm thinking you guys take the car to some section of road underground, maybe a tunnel, where I'll drive in through the other way. We'll have to work fast, and be synchronized, but basically, you get out of the car, get in the van, and I keep driving with you in tow. They won't notice something's up untl the car doesn't come out the other side. Any thoughts?"

Replacing the power pack in his transceiver, Flip examined the black box sitting, wired up, in the middle of the room, from all possible angles. He knelt and laid the tap on the floor beside him, unrolling the tool kit and placing it carefully within easy reach, preparing himself for whatever he had to do next. "Um, Codec. There's a big black box in front of me with loads of wires going in and out of it. So, tell me. Now what do I do?"

Seeoh, meanwhile, meandered around the outer room, keeping an ear out for any unwelcome guests. Hearing Ace on the airwaves, she thought about what he said. Looking again at the hardcopy plan, it was obvious that the ramp up, out of the underground car park was the only viable exit route for the Team. But their wheel man was right. That chopper was going to be a problem. The instant they made a run for it, the eye in the sky could be down on them like a ton of bricks.
As for the Chevvy, that was streets away, even if it hadn't been stolen again by some other scuzball. Besides, there was no way to get to it without going the long way round, back out through the tunnels and the air vent.
Then it hit her. Ace's plan would work, if they had another set of wheels. Like the step van which she'd hidden under when she'd first entered the lower corridor. After all, she'd boosted one vehicle, how hard would it be to boost the step van. Unless it was a `boy racer' car with an all mod con alarm and a shock system running through the door handles. But surely, there'd be something in the car park that would do.
She said as much to Ace, trying to see how far off base she was with the idea.

Codec uses the room's camera to focus in on the box where Flip was. Giving it the once over he begins to instruct Flip on what to do, all the time keeping an eye on the other cameras to see if company was coming.

Bluebird, fairly bored by this point and swinging from side to side on her chair starts thinking.... touching the speak button on her mike she says "maybe its not specifically watching this building, I know they had a bit of an alert here earlier...but there are plenty of office buildings in this area that need their attention as well,"

Then stopping, she thinks she may have anther idea...."I dont know how we could do it....but why dont we just get that chevy we stole and drive it straight into a building right in front of them.... like a card trick, distract with one hand while the other carries out the swap"

"OK, both these ideas have potential. I think it's plausible that if Seeoh can jack one car she can jack another, but on the otherhand, if Bluebird's right, then it may be a waste of time, as the chopper isn't really looking for us." I wonder why she thinks she has inside info like that, very suspicious... "But then again, that LS cruiser parked nearby says personal interest to me. Bluebird, assuming we can get the chevy, what happens to the decoy?" Let her chew on that. God, he hated this, this thinking when he should be acting. He'd like so very much to swoop above that helicopter and rip it in two with a chaingun. Nothing personal, even, it'd just break up the monotony.

"Simple" Bluebird says "you leave the decoy to crash and burn somewhere....somewhere where it will make a big impact and draw alot of attention!"



One level up, Codec is giving Flip clear (and simple) instructions on how to open this server up and wire this chip into the LS server.... As soon as the chip is in place the internal lights on both the server and Codecs deck light up, At which point Codec starts his search on the server for the name that Ace mentioned.....

Hmph. She thought that I meant the car when I said "decoy." Typical.

"I meant, what happens to the chump driving the car? Unless I'm missing something it seems like we'd have to plan a second extraction for the plan to work."

The main task completed, Flip heads back out the way he came, again being careful to remove the power pack from his transceiver before traversing the anti-static room.

"It's done." He says to the Sorceress, "Now lets get out of here." The pair head through the antechamber and into the corridor, checking that there are no unexpected visitors before they run for the lift.

As the Otis 3000 makes it's slow descent back to the basement, Seeoh explains the gist of what the others have been saying over the Comms link. "It could work, ya know. I could scoot back to the Chevvy and smash it into the front gates with no trouble at all. Good seatbelts in that model, and airbags. That should be enough to get the Eye in the sky distracted."

"But how do you escape once you've crashed?" The Ork seems very doubtful.

"I've recovered enough power. I'll just make myself invisible again and run back down the road and into the culvert. If we time it right, Ace'll have the Roadmaster moving through the culvert and you, Codec and Bluebird can bust out of the car park in that step van I was hiding under. Like Ace said, the van goes into the culvert but never comes out. A swift change of vehicles and we light a taper in the fuel tank of the van. It'll blow in the culvert and give us a second diversion, just when we need it."

Flip considered the plan. "Who boosts the van and how do you get to the Chevvy?"

"I can get out of this place any time. Now for example. Just stop this thing…" Gesturing at the lift around them, "…at the ground floor an I'll leg it back into town and grab the Chevvy. I'll squawk just before I crash the gates and you, or Bluebird can boost the step van. No point in starting it up before I'm near the complex." The Irishwoman, her eyes fiery and her cheeks flushing with anticipation, waited for Flip's total rejection of her plan.

Flip considered the little woman's plan for a moment. "I think it's an Irish thing - a plan that's needlessly complicated." She frowned at him as he continued. "If you bust in to the compound they will be alerted that something fishy is going on - and we'll still have what, two minutes before we can get out?"

She was "harumphing" now, and Flip felt the need to placate her. "It is a fair plan, though, and I can see a way past this. What do you think of this? We go back down to the mine level - by the by, checking that the guys down there are still non-compis-mentis and grab a couple or three of those detonators. You go invisible and take the doohickeys out the front door and off into the wild-blue-yonder. Head up the street two blocks and over one, and stick them all in a trash can or something. Then you head to Ace's position and you're safe. Once you're there you can give us a squawk that you're ready, and we three will sort out our transport. Once we're ready, you blow the pyro's and that drags the Lone Star boys away - we can only assume that they would be the closest units to the explosion. Once they're off on their merry way, we bust outta here and head right back towards the Barrens. If we time it right, they won't be in any position to give chase and we come outta the deal with a new step-van, but if they do manage to get turned around, we can use the tunnel diversion - since you and ace will already be waiting for us in an appropriate location - to throw them off…"

Slightly mollified by Flip's new version of the plan, the pair wait patiently for the lift to arrive at the basement and go in search of Bluebird and Codec.

It takes a few minutes to explain the versions of "Plan B" ("How to get the hell Out of Here"), and a short debate ensues.