"I agree. I was seriously not expecting this kind of thing from a katchup company. But we have already accepted the job, so there is not turning back now."

Wormwood turns to Boo and asks, "Is there anyway you can find out what other companies are working in this building. Also, I know corporate finance is rather complicated, but I think it would be good to look into if any of them are subsidiaries or otherwise connected to something bigger."

Mason intercedes, "I can put on a face and go in and take a look. Usually places like this have a directory or whatnot on the wall in the lobby to help you find which floor you need to go to."

Wormwood thinks about that for a second....

"That could work. We may also want to have you check out the elevators. I'd like to know if access to the top floors is limited by a key or something of that sort."

"You may even be able to 'accidentally' stop on one of the Hunts floors and get a look at what security they have since my contact said it was different from building security."

"As a cover story in case they ask you what you are doing we write an address similar to the Hunts building on a piece of paper with a fake name and a room number that, if it were in this building, it would be on one of the top four floors."

"That would make it plausible for you to look a little lost (hence looking around more than the average person). Your explaination for checking out the directory is that you wanted to double check the which floor to go to, but when you didn't see the person's name you went up anyway. If security stops and questions you would even have the note to support your story."

Wormwood again looks to Boo, "Better yet, Boo could you print out something that looks like letter from a fake company telling him the fake name, address, and room number, along with a meeting time?"

"It's always a good idea to have a handy lie to tell security and props make it all the more believable."

"You want me to go wits you? People always tell me I look lost and confused. Maybe I could pull dat off?"

"Personally I still wanna go through the roof via rigger, but thats just cause I hate walkin up all dose stairs."

Wormwood says, "Oui, I think going in from the roof is a good idea. But it's best to have as much intel as possible before going in."

"That reminds me, does anybody know a good rigger? Or will we need to go through a fixer to find one, if we do go that route?"

Wormwood looks a little shcoked by Boo's idea.

"Uh....it's not like climbing 24 floors is all that easy. Especially if you are climbing up a building surrounded with windows and you're trying to do it unseen."

"Also, how exactly would you get the rope up there?"

Mason politely asks: "Boo, can you print me up a fake sheet with some directions so I can go in and scope out the place from the inside?"

Mason replies: "I was thinking I'd tell them I was there for a job interview, but honestly I think I might just wing it." Mason pauses for effect. "Don't worry, I'm joking. But seriously, I'm there to meet with Mr. Holstein, from accounts payable."

Wormwood:

Having marked down when the small group had entered the building, you fast foreward to that point, and zoom in, first looking at the guards, who are wearing the hunts security badge that was on the guards from the day time. Next comes the team of people that got escorted in. At the best zoom you can get without severe pixalation, you can tell they all are humanoid (meaning, most likely humans, although an underrepresented or well disguised elf IS possible) and all are male, except one. None of them are carrying any obvious weaponry, although they all have a couple of backpacks with them. No clear facials on any of them are easily seen, but you get a couple of 3/4 faces and side shots.

Wormwood says "I think you should try creating something like an official looking letter, printed with a fake companies logo at the top."

"It should read something like 'Dear <fake name>, It has come to our attention that you believe there is an error with our account with you is in error. Our records show that you have been paid in full as of <some date a month or so ago>. If you would like to discuss this further, please come to <blah blah address on this same street with a similar address to this building>. Ask for me at the reception desk on the 21st floor. Respectfully, Mark Holstein Accounts Payable Manager'"

"Oh and before I forget, I copied these images off the blimps video you sent me. They're the best I could see of the late night arrivals. Not sure if you will be able find anything from them, but it's worth a shot."

Wormwood hands a datachip with the pictures on it to Boo.

With a fresh copy of the false letter gracously provided by Boo and authored by Wormwood, Mason hops out of Boo's van and takes the short walk to the building. As he approaches the building, he tries to get a look at what visible security measures they have in place. Dressed to kill, Mason does his best to look like he belongs and goes to enter the building.

Mason

You walk towards the building, breeming with confidance and sure of yourself. You enter into the building through the rotating doors, and into a small entryway. Immediately on your left is a guard desk, with two guards sitting there. One is watching a wall of monitors, while the other is sitting, facing towards the doors, and gives you a smile as you walk in and nods his head. You continue through past the guards and through another archway that takes you into the main shopping plaza of the first floor. This main lobby is filled with smaller boutiques selling everything your common consumer could need, from fresh fruit to lingere.There are two offshoots from the center court, both of which contain more stores and shops. Looking up, , you can only assume the next few floors are laid out in a similar way, as there is a high, domed ceiling built into the building to give the shopping area a feeling of expansiveness.

As you walk through the shopping area, you see a clear tube elevator that goes up, but only for three floors. Next to that elevator is a large row of glass doors, with a sign that reads "corporate facilities, please check with receptionist".

Mason

You move around the three floors of store fronts, but can see no other way to get to the upper areas of the building from here.

You go back down to the first floor and into the corporate facility areas. You walk into a 20 by 10 room or so of black marble, nice and shiny like. Theres a large directory on the far end of a desk, with a receptionist and another security guard who is watching a monitor, and both look up as you walk in...

You quickly scan over the list of offices in the building, it being mostly smaller, pittsburgh based units. You Reach the bottom of the list where it reads...


Floor 21: Hunts Research Departments.

Just as you finish reading, the secretary looks up and addresses you. "excuse me sire, may i help you with anything?" she politely asks.

Mason replies: "Actually, I think I'm alright. Thank you very much though." Mason puts on his best smile and continues. "I'm actually running a little bit late, so I'd better hurry up." Mason adds cheerfully.

"Hey guys...you think he found anything yet?"

"Nah...he hasn't been in there all that long. Plus he would probably wouldn't try to rush things. That way he can avoid drawing too much undo attention," says Wormwood.

She smiles at you, "Very well, have a nice day." She replies to you as you hit the elevator button, and await it's descent. After a fee moments, the bell "dings", the doors open, and after a few wage slaves exit, you get on the elevator, and press 21, and begin rising...

As the elevator rises, it makes a few stops at various floors, different wage slaves getting on and off. as you arrive at the 21st floor, alone, a vaguely familar looking female slips by onto the elevator, not exactly hustling, but not really wanting to be seen either. You try to get one last look as you shuffle off the elevator yourself, but can't quite seem to place her, a sim star maybe?

As the elevator doors close, you turn back around and are greeted by the sighs of a regular office. cubical walls abound, with a plethora of other office equipment to boot. Immediately infront of you is another desk, with a beefy looking security guard, and a secratary. Once she see's that you've gotten you're bearings getting off the elevator, she says to you, "hello sir, how can i help you? do you have an appointment with someone?"

Mason answers the secretary: "I'm sorry ma'am, it seems I am a little lost. Is the 20th floor? By the looks of things I've mad a mistake." Mason takes a moment to press the button to the elevator. While waiting for the doors to open once more he adds: "I am very sorry for intruding upon your time ma'am."

"not a problem, have a good day Sir" she replies.

You try and get a better look at the security guard, but his face is mostly protected by another wall of security monitors, probable a dozen or so. The best you can guess is that he is either a well built, possibly augmented african, or possibly an ork.

You get back onto the elevator, and go down one floor, and turn to the stairs which are just down the hallway. On the doorway is a sign that reads
WARNING--Emergancy Exit Only--No entrance to interior of building from stairwell--

You continue walking around the floor, and do infact find another stairwell in the oppisite corner of the building, that has the same message on it, so you dejectedly turn back around and go to the elevators, and go to push button 24, and notice that this elevator stops at 21...but you already told the secretary that you had business on 20....

Ooohh, Fuck. Mason thinks to himself as the elevator doors slide open to reveal the familiar picture of the secretary and her beefy, ugly human or possibly ork companion. Probably, it was time to be trying to leave. Thinking quickly, Mason comes up with a plan. Stepping out of the elevator, Mason approaches the secretary and displays a smile and a sigh of confusion. Before giving her a chance to address him, Mason grabs the secretary's attention.
"Ma'am, I am very sorry to bother you again, but I just cannot seem to find who I'm looking for here." Mason begins as he produces the fake document Boo printed up for him. "I have a job interview with this fellow, and I was actually hoping you could direct me as to the location of his office." Mason hands the letter to the secretary and continues. "This sort of thing always happens to me, and dang if this isn't the third interview this week where I've shot myself in the foot like this."

She chuckles, although the guard doesn't seem as amused. "let me see if i can help you here. She scans over the document, looking slightly perplexed, but turns to her terminal, while telling you she'll "be right back". As she places her hand on a small pad, the guard sits up, looking a bit more alert, and she slumps back into her chair for a moment, eys glossing over. before you can blink, she snaps to again. "AHH, i see you're problem sir, you need to go down the street two blocks." explaining to you that a bit of dyslexia seems to have caused you to misplace two numbers. "It's easy to do, have a good day sir."

"Oh darnit," Mason muses. "that explains a lot. Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it. Now, if I can just get to this interview and explain why I'm late without looking like an idiot." Mason smiles wide and takes the paper back from the woman, turns, and heads back to elevator.

Everyone sees mason walk out of the building, and turn, walking down the street, and walkins into another building a few blocks down.About 45 minutes later he comes walking back up the street...

Everyone sees mason walk out of the building, and turn, walking down the street, and walkins into another building a few blocks down.About 45 minutes later he comes walking back up the street...

After Mason explains what he saw inside, Wormwood says "Interesting. You didn't see any sign of security guards with heavy weapon's like we saw on the tape?"

"Did you happen to see any of the group that came late at night?"

Mason replies, "I did see a huge black guy that seemed a cut above the rest. He might've been an ork...ugly bastard. Shall we check the tape?"

Wormwood pulls out his P-Sec and fast forwards it to the part with the late night arrivals, then hands it to Mason to see if he recognizes anyone.

The group goes over the footage, trying to get mason to confirm or deny if the guard he saw was one of the ones outside. Judging by the size of one of the men, he thinks it's quite possible,but he can't be certain, they were both ugly enough to be the same person, but a good close up doesn't exist at this point, it's too pixelated to tell.

"Well this doesn't help at all." Mason says, frustration clearly evident in his voice. "So what's our next move? Do we have a rigger lined up yet?"

Boo

Jacob answers the Phone. "hey boo, hows it going?"..."Hunts here in Pittsburgh huh? well, it is a bit strange sounding, with Heinz being based outa here, but then, they do have that office building, think it does research, and some billing things in there, no actual production though...and i think they rent out the lower levels to other companies that need a small bit of space, and it gives them access to goods and services that they'd otherwise have to rpovide to their employee's, they're big, but they're not a mega, they can't make everything, so I guess it works for them."

With that, you sit down with your deck, and begin digging around with the pictures uploaded to the deck, trying to figure out who this small group is. You start out, searching all of the obvious places, city records, the major corps, news feeds, and you come up empty handed, like these people dont exist, anywhere. finally, after what seems like an eternity, things start coming up, as you get into the seedier sides of life, about the female. While no name is given, the picture seems to be match, and you find out that as recent as a few months ago, she was an aspring porn starlett, getting work as background talent on the raunchiest of raunchy movies. None of her roles at actual character names however. Up until about a month ago however,at which point any and all information about her and her whereabouts falls off the radar...

After hearing the plan the other's had thought up, Boo decides to try and deck into the hos for City Records-Building Permits to see if he can find the original blueprint for the building.

He tells the group, "Guys, I am going to see if I can find the original blueprints for the building. I may be a little out of date, but I sincerely doubt that they made the massive changes needed to rearrange the location of stairs and elevator shafts. So it should give Wormwood an idea of how to get to the roof."

"Yes, lets"

Boo

You jack into Pittsburgh, and head over to the large statue of Abe Lincoln, sitting in his chair, and walk through a doorway at the base, into the city's Hall of records. As your perception shifts onto the host, you are greeted by a vast expanse of whiteness, save for a lone man, and one four drawer filing cabinet. as you begin your search parameters, the old man says "ahhh, the Hunt's building plans, looking for you are..." And he pulls at the middle drawer which proceeds to open up, and extend, further and further into the vast whiteness, at an incredible speed, until he suddenly stops it, and produces a small folder, that he flips sideways as he pulls a small binding of blueprints. He produces a second copy somehow for you, and you jack out.

Going over the prints, you see first what you already know, the layout of the lower floors is the same as the recon provided, and that that elevator does in fact end at the 21st floor. On that floor, there is a large, relatively open, but divided area that seems to be small, thin walled cubicles. Along the far back wall, there is another elevator shaft, which, checking on the other maps, seems to start at that level. There are a number of small rooms that it looks like you might have to pass through to get there however.

Wormwood says, " Good work Boo. This will help me out alot."

Talking to the group, Wormwood says,"It looks like we should probably wait until tomorrow to make our move. Most of the day was taken up with Boo's decking and Mason's recon. I'll study these blue prints tonight. We'll meet again tomorrow morning and look over tonight's tape together to see if there is any more strange activity. Then I will infiltrate the building. Hide out somewhere. Hopefully, I will also find a place to hookup the dataline tap so that Boo can deck into their issolated host. Then I will make my way to the roof and lower the rope for you guys."

Look a little bit uncertain, he says, "Damn, when said like that, this plan sounds like a lot is up to me. Just hope I can live up to your expectations. I'm still more than a little bit concerned about trying to cross the 21st floor alone to get to the elevator for the roof, but I am just not seeing any other way."

"Unless anybody has any questions or ideas for refining the plan, I say we break for the night."

Mason nods in agreement. "That's a good call. Don't worry about getting around in there, these guys are idiots and you're a smart guy." Mason pauses in thought. "Where should we meet up in the morning and at what time? Maybe stuffer shack at noon?"

Wormwood says "Sounds good to me. I need some time to find the the stealth grapple line we need."

Boo nod's in agreement.

"Me gonna get a small bottle of gasoline, dat way we can destroy da rope afta we done. Me go last and spread gasoline on da line when me go down, then at bottom we light it."

"Til den, me see yall tomorra at da SS."

The days pass as the team waits for the line and catalyst to come in. Every morning the tape is gone over to see if any strange happenings have occurred, but to this point, aside from that one group of people, everything seems kosher. The day Wormwood picsk up the catalyst, everyone meets to make sure they know the plan, and then wormwood goes into the building once again... Entering the building, the security setup seems the same, a couple guys at a desk, one watching the people coming in and out, another focused on a wall of trid feeds, along with a few guys standing around leaning on pillars, trying NOT to look like security...

Wormwood heads into the building. As he passes the security desk, he nods to the guards as if he really belonged here. He doesn't even pause to look at the directory.

Instead, Wormwood heads straight for the elevator and takes it up to the 20th floor. He casually wanders around the floor getting a feel for its layout and anything that may be important in this endeavor.

wormwood

You head directly to the elevator next to the secretary, giving the secratary a polite nod as you wait for the elevator to descend. When it arrives you step on, alone, and head to the 20th floor. Stepping off the elevator you walk around the floor, realising that this is a level for mid managment and third tier customer service. All of the doors you see are open, except one, at the far end of the hallway, and it looks like there is some sort of paper hanging on the door as well. As you slide down the hallway, you feel safe as everyone seems to have thier backs turned to their doors, talking on telephones. you notice a pair of cameras at the end of the hallway, but they both seem to be aimed going down the other hallway at the end of this one. Once you are certain they aren't moving, you proceed to the room,and see a pink slip from two days ago still hanging on the door, which you find is unlocked.... You find the room to be mostly empty, a desktop system is on the desk with a rolodex, but the room is devoid of any personal objects...

Looks like Wormwood is in luck. A recently vacated office is perfect for his needs. He quickly slips into the room and closes the door, locking it behind him.

He quickly surveys the room. Hmm....I guess I could see what is on the computer...Nah...too risky. He thinks to himself.

He pulls out his micro-transceiver and radios the group. quietly he says, "Ok guys. It looks like we might be in luck. I found an unoccupied office that I can hide in until nightfall. Boo, I am going to hookup the dataline tap here. See if you can deck the isolated host for the lab levels. It may not work since I still not there yet, but it is worth a shot."

Wormwood begins to install his dataline tap on the network cable for the computer.

While Boo sees what he can find through the tap, Wormwood looks around the office a bit closer. Seeing the foam tiles of the typical office ceiling, he stands on the desk and lifts one up to get a look of the ventilation system and see if the ceiling could support his weight if needed.

You quickly get the dataline tap installed, and boo informs you that he's got a signal and he'll get back to you in a bit. Meanwhile you climb up on the desk and poke around, seeing what looks like a small door in the shafts the next room over.

As you climb back down you hear two men talking, muffled. it sounds like they stop infront of the door, and suddenly the door handle jiggles. moments that seem like minutes pass, and then you hear one of them say "well, i guess he already cleared out his office and locked up, good enough for me" and you hear them walking back down the hall.

Wormwood wipes a little sweat from his brow as the two men walk away from the room.

'That was close. Good think I locked the door,' he thinks to himself. ' now i just need to wait until after everybody leaves or Boo gets back in touch with me.'

Boo diligently tries to see if he can deck into the isolated host using the signal from Wormwood's dataline tap. 'With a little luck, maybe we can see what's going on up there before Wormwood has to cross the 21st floor to get to the other elevator.'