OOC

“The old fool,” spat the middle aged Japanese man. “He is going to negotiate us into slavery.”

Two men walked down the ornately carved hallway. The house was designed after 18th century Japan. Complete with red teak supports and bronzed dragon statues.

“Ok Gojiro, initiate the plan. Have it go down as quickly as possible. If we know when it is going to start, then we can have troops in position. Let me know when the operative is open.”

The younger of the two men, and the one with far less tattoing smiled. “I think I have just the man. I’ll get our troops in position, we should plan on Sunday night for ‘it’ to go down. That fat freak will never know what hit him Sensei.”

17:34:11 Sunday 07 January 2063 - The Spaghetti Palace, Auburn, Seattle, UCAS

Even though it is the weekend, the trip across town still takes upwards of half an hour due to the evening dinner rush. Traffic in the restaurant district of Auburn, where the Spaghetti Palace is located seems especially heavy.

The restaurant occupies a corner lot, with the waiting area visible through floor to ceiling windows. The walls surrounding the maitre d' stand are full of photographs and memorabilia of Italian singers, movie stars, and other celebrities. A handful of faux Greco-Roman statues dot the large room as well. Past the waiting room, the hallway makes a left ninety degree turn, hiding both the dining room and kitchen from view. As Tenmou passes, he can see a handful of well-dressed young men standing outside smoking and talking.

17:34:25 Sunday 07 January 2063 - The Spaghetti Palace, Auburn, Seattle, UCAS

Tenmou slowed to take note of as much of the restaurant as he could, before accelerating back into traffic, heading towards the location for the meet.

The roads North through Auburn were covered in a foggy haze that kept traffic light and pedestrians lower. No one wanted to be out in the poor weather, let alone drive in it. The cars chronometer put you at a few minutes early when you finally turned on to the correct street. Most of the building were closed, a few abandoned.

The normally busy street was deserted after the sun has set. The florist is easy to spot but it doesn't appear to be open. A soft yellow light can be seen inside, but the main over head lights are off.

19:56:12 Sunday 07 January 2063 - Auburn, Seattle, UCAS

Tenmou finds the most innocuous parking spot he can, to stash his BMW. Locking his car, he slings his duffle bag over his shoulder and walks over to the front door of the florist's.

After a quick scan of the surrounding area, he checked his watch to ensure he was as close to on time as possible, before he knocked on the front door.

19:18:14 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Erebus' Milton Apartment

Erebus inhaled deeply, checking the fit of the vest, making sure that it was strapped tight. The KelmarTech ProTech VII combat vest had to be his favorite utility harness. He'd shopped around several different types of discrete body armor and he'd finally settled on this one. It fit neatly under his armor jacket, had attachments for his Beretta 200ST to ride on his left hip for a quick crossdraw or reverse draw with his left hand, as well as comfortable places for the Predator III under his left arm and his Guardian to ride on his right hip. If he were feeling really militant it also had grenade straps across the chest as well as the multiple pockets to hold the multiple clips he was carrying, two per weapon. On the whole it was a wonderful piece of technology.

He slipped his armored jacket over the vest and all his weapons and examined himself in the mirror to make sure he could pass muster on the street. It wouldn't do to have the civilians freak because of the pyscho Elf wondering around a florist shop with enough ordinance to start a war. While he could see the bulges of weapons and the black armored vest looked like exactly that he figured he would startle many civvies, just people who knew enough to know better than to mess with him. His conservative corp haircut and youthful clean shaven looks helped to make him appear far less dangerous than he really was, and with the etiquette chips he had slotted he could pass for either a corper or a street ape as needed.

Grabbing the electronic key for his Harley Scorpion and his Whitelaw razor shades he headed for the garage downstairs.

19:56:10 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Auburn

The melting snow and cold wind made handling the Harley interesting for a novice rider like Erebus but he'd spent enough time out and about today on both the Harley and his Rapier that the thick slush and gusting wind no longer caused him much concern. That let him concentrate on the streets he rode along and the small ghostly computer window that hovered in the lower right quadrant of his vision.

He'd loaded a simple street atlas into his headware memory, nothing fancy but hopefully up-to-date when he'd started cruising around Auburn and Tacoma earlier today. That and his image link allowed him access to a street map anywhere at anytime, something that could be absolutely invaluable for this run.

A good solider knows the terrain better than he knows his enemy, and he knows his enemy better than he knows himself.

Even though Erebus was not as familiar with the cityscape as he'd like to be he'd spent the day familiarizing himself with the routes between the florist's and the restaurant.

Now he pulled his bike into place on the street within easy sight of the florists shop and parked.

19:56:51 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

Who the frag was that?

Erebus moved casually away from the entrance to the florist's shop, scanning the street and buildings nearby from beneath the mirrored finish of his Whitelaw razor shades. When he'd rolled up he saw some guy at the front door of the florist's place, and decided to wait a minute or two before heading in, hopefully it was the other runner, the primary courier on the job. If not, then he'd give it a couple of minutes to let the dust settle before he made his presence known. Unless the guy at the door was unusually alert he probably wouldn't have seen Erebus pulling up on his bike, even a bike as loud as the Harley. He ignored the cold wind and occasional drop of freezing rain on his face and headed up the street toward a small coffee shop on the corner.

The young Elven runner watched the shadows and alleyways, glancing covertly into parked cars for anyone watching. Everything seemed perfectly normal, nothing out of place, no one lurking in doorways or idling in parked cars. It was reassuring and a bit frightening at the same time, either the place really wasn't being watched or anyone watching was professional enough not be casually spotted.

He picked up a cheap cup of soykaf and sipped the overly hot liquid slowly, letting it warm him slightly despite the oily feeling the cheap brew left on his tongue. He sipped his kaf and waited, letting a minute tick by, then another before leaving the coffee shop and walking just as casually back towards his bike and the waiting florist's shop.

20:02:01 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

The door to the shop is unlocked and slightly ajar whn Tenmou knocks on it. A cracked and weathered voice from the inside yells out, "Come in."

20:02:23 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

Wordlessly, Tenmou placed his hands on the door and pushed it open wide enough to slip inside the florist's.

He quickly surveys the inside of the small shop and the man who had invited him in, before bowing and saying, "Konnichiwa."

20:02:23 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

Movement.

Erebus walked with his eye tuned wide, a trick he'd learned while walking patrols with the Nightrunners Recon group in Southeast Asia, where he kept his attention on his peripheral vision rather than focusing on any one thing. It kept details kinda fuzzy but it was great for spotting movement. His attention focused on the doorway ahead of him, and it took only a second before he realized that the door to the shop was slightly open and swinging gently. The movement of the door had caught his attention.

He walked past his bike and straight up towards the door, resisting the urge to ready a weapon just in case.

None of my training and experience with the Nightrunner's dealt with this kind of situation. I'm used to having a gun in my hand before approaching a dangerous situation.

With that realization it felt like a small ball of ice lodged in his stomach.

Oh frag, I never practice getting my gun out fast! If something pops in there I'm going to be dam slow on the draw.

Erebus had practiced with his holsters and weapons placements, that was just common sense, but mostly for concealment and ease of reach. He could get to any one of the weapons easily enough but had never practiced the American "quickdraw", a lack that kept trying to poke holes in his confidence now that it was too late to do anything about it.

Forget it, Pityr, just get deal with what you've got in front of you and correct the situation later.

As he approached the door he heard a quiet voice from inside speak in perfect Japanese, a simple greeting that he didn't even need to access the linguasoft chip in his chipjack to understand.

"Konnichiwa."

20:05:23 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

"Ah",

said the old man behind the counter laoudly.

"You must be here to pick up the package."

His fingers moved with the grace of an artist as he laid several black roses into a bed of green leaves. He quickly tied a simple bow with a pink ribon and closed the box around the flowers.

"Very important delivery. You know where to go?"

20:05:23 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

Erebus stepped through the slightly open door and immediately took a small step to his right so as not to be outlined against the doorway.

With a quick scan he took in most of the contents of the room placing everything in his mind, just in case.

The florist's shop showed signs of being prosperous. Relatively spacious with several floor displays of various types of flowers and plants in festive arrangements. The walls were lined with environmentally controlled chambers to allow hot-house flowers to grow alongside spartan cacti gardens, and a doorway in the back right corner of the room suggested additional rooms beyond this one. Along the wall to the left of the doorway was a long work bench and beside that on the end closest to the door was a cash register sitting on top of what looked like a large old fashioned antique writing desk. Everything about the room was tastefully understated, the wall hangings designed to fit into the floral displays rather than compete with them, and all of the individual items in the room blended into a comprehensive whole. The lighting was dim but not dark enough to trigger Erebus' low light circuits.

An older human male stood beside the workbench, gently placing what looked like several black roses onto an artfully designed set of greens. Erebus couldn't easily estimate the human's age, his hair was pure white but like many Asians he carried his years lightly. His flesh was firm and taut, and he didn't not move with the slow delicateness Erebus usually associated with advanced age. He didn't seem to hurry but before Erebus could even announce his presence the old man was securing a decorative lid and tying it with a precise bow of ribbons.

The old florist was not the only person in the room and the other occupant set off all sorts of bells in Erebus' head. Inside the doorway to the left, near the florist, stood a nondescript young Japanese man. Like a shadow of the florist he showed obvious Japanese blood and his age was similarly hard to judge from first glance, he could be anywhere from early twenties to his late forties. Shorter than Erebus the man dressed in casual chic and would not look out of place in any mall in the UCAS or Imperial Japan, the only unusual marking was a kanji character tatoo on his cheek. He was covered from wrist to neck to ankle but all of the clothing in the world couldn't disguise the way he moved to someone who'd spent the majority of his life around warriors of one sort or another. The instant Erebus had entered the doorway the younger man had re-oriented himself so that he was perfectly set up for either a defensive move or an offensive move, weight perfectly balanced and his expression one of calm confidence.

Whoa, this chummer is definitely a cool customer. He didn't over react, nor did he just ignore the movement at his back, just dealt with it like business as usual.

Erebus mentally reached for one of the knowsoft etiquette chip slotted into his datajack, dialing up the corp etiquette skills he would need. This place was too polished for the young elf to believe that either of these two would react well to the street etiquette he had slotted in one of the other slots. He dialed up a tone of professional politeness.

"Good evening gentlemen, I believe that you're expecting me? A friend of mine named Max sent me."

Let them make of that what they will, he thought, nothing incriminating but enough info to let them know I'm the back-up they've retained.

20:05:32 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

Tenmou gave the old man a quick nod.

"I do, Johnson-san. I will do my..."

Tenmou was cut off by a man stepping in the front door.

"Good evening gentlemen, I believe that you're expecting me? A friend of mine named Max sent me."

Taking no chances, Tenmou cinched the strap of his duffle bag to bring the bag closer to his hand and he slightly opened the zipper to reveal the hilt of his katana, should the need for it arise.

20:05:32 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn


"Yes, yes, you both tak package. Make sure it arrive safely. You know what to say? Good. Now, shoo!"

The man hands Tenmou the package, practicly flinging it at him.

The quaint little bell chimed again. The old man froze and his demeanor changed for the worse.

"What you want, shop closed."

Three men entered, small, chineses, and all wearing similiar jackets and a red bandana.

"Crimson Tigers go where we want. And we told you we get %20 of everything in your store. No pay up!"

The leader make no move for weapons, but his two followers both pull out vicious looking knives.

20:05:32 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

Sweet bloody frag, not now!

Adrenaline flooded his system as the boosted reflexes kicked in, time seemed to slow and everyone else seemed to be moving as if under water. Erebus felt like he had all the time in the world as his hand flashed for the holstered Predator III under his left arm.

Gangers were a problem that could pop up anytime but to have these dit brains try and shake down the florist's shop right now triggered Erebus' latent paranoia. This could mean the run had already been exposed and this was preemptive, or it could mean that someone knew more about what went on in this shop than he did, or it could be Erebus' past coming back to haunt him.

Or it could just mean that God hates me.

His hand closed over the butt of his Predator and there wasn't anymore time for extraneous thoughts.

20:05:42 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

Moving very quickly Erebus's right hand grasps the butt of his hidden pistol. His other hand reaches forward in a 'stop motion'.

"Hold it," barely escapes form his lips when the lead ganger sees him, his eyes go wide and he takes a step back, between the protection of his muscle.

Realizing that there small time shake down has suddenly gotten way out of control the two meat heads drop their simple melee weapons and draw Shiawese Ravagers, large bore heavy pistols popular with the Triads.

Unfortunately for the Triad muscle there actions were no where near as fast as Erebus. Before the last syllables of "Hold it" echoed across the room his Predator III was out, engaged, and ready to fire.

There was a split second pause as the two razor boys decided on an action.

Erebus cocked his head to the side, "don't" he whispered to them. It was ineffectual.

They each exploded into action diving to either side of the door.

Tenmous bag went flying through the air and smacked the third one hard enough to knock him on the ground. The sound of metal on leather permeated the room as his naked blade freed itself from his prison.

20:05:45 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

Gunfire flamed to life in the little flower shop. Potted plants exploded as bullets criss crossed the room. The two gangers fired from behind large ornamental flower pots made of stone.

Tenmou moved across the room quickly, shoulder rolling over the pot nearest to him to land beside the Chinese man. A swift slash of his blade brought a scream of pain to his opponent as the blade cut through flesh and bone.

Erebus lined up his target carefully and squeezed off a pair of shots. The gel round impacted the Triad members chest, slapping him hard but not seeming to put him down.

20:05:48 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

Erebus ducked just in time as bullets blasted through the space he occupied just seconds before. Crouched and turning for cover he let fly another couple of rounds toward the gunner. The first one impacted with his body armor, spending its energy uselessly trying to penetrate what might as well have been a brick wall. The second; however, caught him in the throat! Gagging and choking the man stumbled backwards out the door desperately trying to breath and get away at the same time.

Now having the upper hand Tenmou brought the laser etched blade to his opponents neck. The razor edge sliced the first layer of skin causing a trickle of blood. Forgetting his wounded leg he instantly froze, his eyes desperately trying to track the blade.

"Chill chummer were cool, just trying to pop the old man for money. Don't see how this concerns you,"

the voice coms from the wanabee leader still picking himself up after being knocked down by Tenmous bag.

20:06:01 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

Keeping the ganger in front of him to take any stray bullets, Tenmou leans forward and speaks softly into his ear.

"It concerns me, as I have business to conduct with the old man and I'd prefer that he be alive and not broke when I come to collect."

"Ok chummer ok, it aint worth scragging a mans life for. Will just check back in next week, consider this week paidin full."

The man with the blad to his throat swalloed hard as his superior discussed his life with Tenmou.

"Assuming you don't ice Wong, will be going now."

20:07:00 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

The tense stand off fades after a moment. The leader holds his hands up "no problem chummer, no problem at all."

The the men back away slowly, keeping their hands in plain sight all the way out.

The old man stand up behind the counter and bows deeply.

"Thank you my friends, may your night be rewarding. Now to clean up this mess!"

20:07:02 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 3230th Street SW - Auburn

Erebus turns slowly, to face the old florist and the other runner, conscious of the weight of the heavy pistol in his hand.

"Before we leave I'd like a little clarification about the assignment." He kept his tone unemotional, not hostile or angry, like a prospective buyer asking for details from a salesman.

"This package is expected, and no one is going to complain about the artillery I'm packing, right? If this turns out to be other than a simple delivery then I'm not going to be happy, and I'm going to come back here to talk to you about who I should complain to. If I have to come back I am going to get my answers from you, one way or another." He let the tension he felt bleed into his voice for the old man to hear. Whie he spoke he slid his pistol into its holster, a subtle gesture designed to both emphasize the threat just made but ease the tension of the moment so as not to provoke anything now.

The dam mission might already be compromised, gangers don't generally show up to hassle old florists packing heavy bang-bangs. If this turns into a total slot job I plan on coming back here and working up the line until I find Mr. Johnson to express my unhappiness.

He slipped his p-sec from its belt clip with his left hand and activated the camera function, not even bothering to hide what he was doing, he snapped a picture of the old man. If he had to go looking for this guy at least he now had someplace to start.

He kept his eye on the other runner, Erebus still hadn't gotten a fix on where the other courier fit in and so he wasn't about to trust the guy. Besides, he'd gotten into action awful fast with his great big ginzu knife and hadn't wasted around once the drek hit the fan.

20:07:05 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

Erebus turned his gaze slowly until he met the eyes of the of swordsman, who still held his bared blade. He kept his tone confident but he was also very conscious that he'd holstered his Predator.

"I assume that you're the man delivering the package that I've been contracted to secure. If you know anything about the delivery point I'd certainly be happy to hear it, I'm almost completely in the dark here, and this doesn't look all too promising." He gestured around to the upset floral displays and the near invisible haze left by gunfire. The flower shop's pleasant scent now reeked of the familiar smells of gunpowder and sweat.

"Since we're going to be working together, at least for this evening, you can call me Erebus."

20:07:35 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

While Tenmou didn't totally agree with Erebus's recent exchange with the Johnson, Tenmou lowered his katana to his side and gave the runner a slight bow.

"Konnichiwa, Erebus. You may refer to me as Tenmou."

He walked over to his bag and picked it up off the floor, the submachine still lay inside, serving only as a blunt object in the last battle. He found his katana's scabbard and gingerly slid the blade back inside, after wiping it down with a soft cloth.

"Our mission is simple. Carry Mr. Johnson's package to a restaurant called The Spaghetti Palace. Find a man named Vinnie and deliver it to him at 2100 hours sharp. We will know we have the right man by using a code phrase. We are to say 'Time to pay the piper, Vinnie' and he is to reply, 'The check is in the mail'.

Is there anything else you require before we leave?"

20:07:35 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

This guy is either the most trusting soul I've ever met or he knows more than I do.

"Ya, I got that part, but doesn't this whole 'Time to pay the piper, Vinnie' phrase sound like something that's going to get one of us killed? I'm not about to go into this place unarmed and I am not being paid to drop off a bomb. I want to make sure I'm not being set up as a clay pigeon in some fragging shooting gallery." Erebus met Tenmou's gaze, showing no fear but a healthy dose of caution.

What I don't want to say is that if I hadn't been desperate for the credits I would never have agreed to this payment arrangement. This whole deal smells wrong, but I need the action.

"Besides, don't be in too much of a hurry, before we head out we need to talk tactics and communications."

20:07:35 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

"Agreed," Tenmou said. "We have less than an hour before delivery, so we should discuss matters quickly. While I think we are delivering more of a message than an explosive, I don't aim to put you into a hornet's nest. How do you suggest we deliver the package?"

20:07:40 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

"Very well," Erebus replied, "what I'd like to do is exchange mobile phone numbers and we'll use those to communicate. I propose that we open a line between my phone and yours and leave it open so that you can hear what is going on from my end." Erebus began to pace a little, nervous and anxious to leave the scene of the recent gunfire in case some busybody actually called Lone Star, but needing to get this set out and wishing he had more time to coordinate with his teammate.

"I suggest we head over together, with me riding outrider and blocker on your vehicle. Once we get to the area you lie low and I will proceed to the establishment and go in and look the place over. Once I am inside I would take up a covering position near the rear of the building or near the front entrance and wait for you to arrive. You bring in the package make the delivery and determine the payment method. If I can't get inside with the weapons etc. then I'll back off and we rethink our tactics from there. I know its rough but at least it allows for some safety margin."

20:07:58 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

"Having a margin of error will be beneficial. My weapons will be difficult at best to get into the restaurant, so I will be trusting you with my safety when I make the delivery," Tenmou said.

"As for the payment, I'm not sure if that falls to the purview of the man we are delivering to, or our florist friend here," he said with a questioning glance to the florist.

"Will your vehicle be safe if you leave it here?" he asks Erebus.

20:08:00 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

The young elf shrugs.

"I don't know if my bike is going to be safe here, I figure I would ride it over towards the drop off site and then park it somewhere nearby but not near your vehicle. That way if things go wrong we have more than one exit route which would lead to a vehicle."

Erebus also glanced towards the florist.

"I think the payoff is supposed to come from this Vinnie guy, at least that's the way my fixer set it up. I wasn't happy with the payment arrangements, basically we're doing this deal on trust and it would actually profit our Johnson if we didn't live to collect." Again Erebus shrugged and lifted his arms to show Tenmou his empty hands.

"I certainly hope our Johnson isn't glitched enough to set up a pair of runners over a few grand though, it seems like a waste of resources to me. If he is then I guess the Johnson had better pray that the job gets done right. Either way, I agreed to the run so I'll live up to my end until I'm convinced I've been double crossed." He laughed bitterly.

"Wouldn't be the first time a Johnson's hung me up as a paper target in a shooting gallery for reasons I couldn't comprehend."

Erebus glanced at the duffel bag that Tenmou had used as such an effective bludgeon during the scuffle with the gangers, and wondered what beside the sword the other runner was carrying.

Certainly no restaurant that I'm aware of is going to let him wonder in with that cleaver tucked under his shirt. It looks like I'm going to be it if it gets nasty, luckily I brought along enough toys to make a game of it. He took a measure of comfort from the uncomfortable weight of his pistols.

Wearing this many guns is about as comfortable as eating rock candy with an abscessed tooth, but hey, that's the price of protection in today's uncertain world.

"So do we try the two prong approach? If so lets head over there and I'll see if I can get inside with my arsenal intact, if not then at least we'll know ahead of time and can re-think our plan."

20:08:00 Sunday January 7, 2063 - 320th Street SW - Auburn

"I think the two-prong approach is safe. It will provide each of us with some security and the element of surprise should things go south," Tenmou agreed.

"Shall we head out and do some recon?"

20:08:02 Sunday January 7, 2063 -Auburn

"Absolutely." Erebus replied. He quickly exchanged telecom numbers with Tenmou giving the Asian runner his wristphone's number, and then turned and bowed to the old florist who was puttering around in the mess.

"Grandfather, good luck to you. Sorry for the mess."

With that he headed out into the night air and his waiting bike.

20:08:09 Sunday January 7, 2063 -Auburn

"Have a good evening," Tenmou says to the florist, tucking the package under his arm. Pushing the pulling the door open, the bell rings overhead as he steps outside into the damp, cool air.

Walking over to his BMW, he turns to Erebus. "Where shall we meet to plan our recon?"

20:08:11 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Auburn

"Hmmmm," Erebus pauses before replying, picturing the layout of that street in his mind, "how about this. The Spagettii Palace occupies a corner lot, with the main entrance on the east side of the building. I'll park my vehicle around the corner of the block on the north side of the restaurant, close by but not obvious from the entrance. I'll check the back of the building to see if there is an alley entrance or some other back entrance into the building, including windows, then I'll make an open approach to the front door and see if I can get into the dining room. We'll go from there. If I get in I'll describe the layout of the dining area and any security concerns that I see, if I don't get in then I'll walk back to the north of the building and meet you. You pick a secure location to park and wait for my initial approach and then we'll co-ordinate from there."

20:018:07 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Auburn

The feel of the powerful bike underneath him kept him centered on the now. It still took concentration to operate the bike on the windy, wet streets, and he'd hate for his first local run to end up with him being a colorful decoration on the back of some slow moving RoadMaster.

The streets of Auburn had only a light amount of traffic, the weather keeping most of the locals inside, so Erebus made good time on his way to the drop off point. He cruised about, taking multiple turns and out right circling sometimes to make sure that he didn't get too far ahead of the package he was being paid to deliver.

He wore the wireless earpiece unit for his wristphone in case it rang, and paid close attention to the people on the streets, looking for anyone who might be a danger to his current mission.

20:08:11 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Auburn

Tenmou thought for a moment, before replying to Erebus.

"If I recall the area well enough, there is an alley that empties into a back parking lot for a local coffee shop. That parking lot should be innocuous enough and out of the majority of people's line of sight to not arouse suspicion. I will meet you there."

With a plan in mind, Tenmou placed the flower box lightly on the back seat of his BMW before climbing behind the wheel and heading for the rendezvous point.

20:25:56 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Auburn

The drive through Auburn is an exercise in Tedium. The drivers on the road drive as if weather conditions are perfect. Cars swerve and fly out of control as they try to come to a full stop on the cold, slick roads.

The Spaghetti Palace looks as it should on the outside. Two large square framed windows adorned with the Restaurants logo are on the front. Cheep looking red and white checkered curtains frame them. A single door sits between the two large windows.

In the back of the building is a small cul-de-sac of an alley. It opens to a strait shot to the road. A large dumpster sits directly out of the back door, which has three steps leading up to it. The door opens occasionally for a cook or busboy who is dumping garbage in the dumpster.

20:32:56 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Auburn

Upon closer inspection the restaurant is a little beat up. Mostly because it is a brick and mortar building made some time in the last century. The polarized windows prevent any real insight into the interior. Though when the door opens occasionally to let someone out or in, it looks warm and inviting inside. The smell of good pasta permeates the air directly around the place.

20:33:00 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Spagettii Palace - Auburn

Erebus drifted his bike into a narrow spot between a couple of parked cars and killed the rumbling engine. He enjoyed the Harley, it was a fun ride, but stealthy it was not. The throaty growl of its engine was both distinct and loud, and it tended to echo around the urban canyons that Auburn called streets.

His position wasn't bad, right at the mouth of the alley behind the restaurant, out of sight of the back door but close enough to make a quick getaway a possibility. He carefully scanned the streets and buildings as far as he could see, placing parked cars in his mind and mentally measuring distances.

It didn't look like he was being observed so he took his opportunity and quickly shed his armored jacket and peeled off his tac-vest. The Harley had enough space in the storage compartment for his vest, with a little forceful pushing, and he stowed the vest and put on his shoulder holster rig, taking the opportunity to swap out a fresh clip in his Predator III as he did so. The vest looked too much like what it was, combat armor and he was going in as covert back up rather than obvious muscle.

He settled his weapons about his person, the guns were heavy enough that it took him a couple of seconds to adjust his balance and stance to their weight, and then buttoned one button on his jacket to help hide the Guardian on his hip. He could still get at his Predator with a fast draw and the cold weather explained the jacket and gloves. With those preparations made he dialed Tenmou on his wristphone.

"Tenmou this is Erebus I'm at the restaurant a little early, I'll go inside and get us a table okay?"

The odds of someone intercepting our cell transmissions are pretty slight but I'll keep the conversation as innocent as possible just in case. Just two chummers heading out to dinner.

20:35:00 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Spaghetti Palace - Auburn

Walking through the door to the Palace was like walking through a time warp. The inside was decorated in red and white checkered upholstery and table cloths. Pictures of famous Italians, mobsters, and movie stars adorned the walls. The Room immediately in the front door was a large dining area with wooden chairs and tables. Beyond that was another room with the Bar and several booths.

The late dinner crowd is mostly in the front room. Several families are eating in the front room. The bar area looks reserved for the Diners who would like more privacy.

Erebus walks casually over to the bar and sits at the last stool just inside the room. The doorway that separates the two rooms also provides cover from the front entrance. Six booths back from the dining room entrance sits the mark. Vinnie. The man is dressed well (like everyone there) and is eating a Spaghetti dinner. He appears to be alone at the booth.

The bartender aproaches Erebus, "what can I get for you sir?"

20:35:03 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Spaghetti Palace - Auburn

Of course I didn't bother to get an Italian linguasoft. I doubt either Sperethiel or Japanese are going to be nearly as helpful tonight. Good planning ditbrain.

Erebus stopped mentally beating himself long enough to reply to the bartender.

"Hoi. I'd like a Coffee Nudge and a menu. I'm expecting a friend to join me in a few minutes so I'll eventually end up moving to a table."

"Yes sir, not a problem." The bartender slid a small bowl of pretzels closer to Erebus and then moved off to fix his drink. Erebus took the chance to scan the room again, placing the people, tables, chairs, and exits in his mind. He carefully paid no particular attention to Vinnie but sat so he could easily see the man in the mirror behind the bar.

Erebus slid his p-sec off his belt and placed it on the bar in front of him, running a datacord from it the datajack in edge of his hairline at the temple. He proceeded to effect the air of someone working diligently away at the portable office, just another corper working his way through dinner.

20:35:03 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Spaghetti Palace - Auburn

Tenmou found a decent secluded parking spot not far from the restaurant. He opened the zipper on his duffle bag and went over his gear. The weapons were all too conspicuous to get into the restaurant, so opted to slide them under the passenger seat for the time being.

He checked his cellphone and saw Erebus's message. He typed in a reply:

"Erebus, Tenmou here. Leave the package here, or bring it in early?"

20:35:05 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Spaghetti Palace - Auburn

Scanning the restaurant casually, as he'd been for the last twenty minutes or so, Dragon mentally kept careful track of all the people who were present. He'd managed to bring in the Guardians, and maybe even a real surprise or two if things got heavy, but conceded with reluctance the Spas was probably too heavy to get by unnoticed. Still, they weren't there for a firefight, just to talk, so hopefully things would be ok as far as that went.

Only about 25 minutes or so until Vinnie is supposed to show up. With any luck, things will stay nice it quiet, we'll get in, talk to him, and get out with no problems, no hassles, and no messy stuff...

20:35:05 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Spaghetti Palace - Auburn

It wasn't that they were particulary well hidden, just that they looked like everyone else in the place. It had taken a few moments but Erebus pinpointed at least two men who where associated with Vinnie. He tagged them in his mind as Tango 1 and 2. Tall, dark, and heavily armed.

@ Dragon and Daedulus.

The Palace seemed to be about what you expected. There were two things out of order. The first one was an out of place elf sitting at the bar scanning a PalmComp, the other was that Vinnie was already there, and eating dinner.

20:36:09 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Spaghetti Palace - Auburn

Erebus kept his head down, sipping his drink and working away at his p-sec, just another wage slave. His eyes roamed freely, noting exits, and people and always keeping track of Vinnie in the bar mirror.

His "work" consisted of putting as much details concerning the inside environment of the Palace into a text message to Tenmou. Number of people, distances between door ways and other objects in the room, a description of the two heavies with Vinnie and all the other relevant data.

Tenmou, review the data to determine your approach. I'd wait a couple of minutes but bring the package in early, just in case anyone is waiting for your approach and knows the timing of the delivery. As soon as you enter the lounge area I'll be able to provide cover for the delivery. Notify me when you start you approach and an estimated ETA.

20:57:37 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Spaghetti Palace - Auburn

Tenmou silently meditated in the front seat of his BMW until close to the delivery time before scooping up the flower box and locking his car. He quickly typed in a text message to Erebus.

"Erebus, this is Tenmou. I'm on my way. I'll be walking in the front door in a couple minutes and I will do my best to time my arrival at Vinnie's table perfectly. Watch my back.

Tenmou strolled over to the front door of the restaurant with the box tucked under his arm. He walked up to the bar and ordered a shot of sake, while scanning the restaurant. His eyes swept over his partner for the evening and gave a nearly imperceptible nod as his head scanned past and landed on his mark.

After marking the straightest path to Vinnie in his mind, he walked his eyes across the establishment, looking for signs of trouble. He was a tattooed Japanese man in an Italian restaurant and that could lead to problems with the locals, if he wasn't careful, or they weren't sober.

20:57:45 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Spaghetti Palace - Auburn

Erebus was aware of Tenmou's approach, but he made sure not to react visibly to his entry.

This whole set up felt odd, and he could see a dozen different ways that this deal could go bad still. He admired Tenmou's style, the guy had chutzpah to order sake in a joint that had pictures of famous mobsters on the wall, even as he got set for one of the heavies in the room to take umbrage at Tenmou's appearance in their sanctuary.

He quietly slid his p-sec back onto his belt and finished off the dregs of his soykaf to free up his hands. Shifting around a little on his bar stool as if preparing to rise he took the opportunity to check and see if anyone reacted visibly to the arrival of the package.

20:57:55 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Spaghetti Palace - Auburn

Observing the out-of-place elf and the japanese guy who had just arrived, Dragon pointed them out to Daedalus. "Those guys don't belong here. I don't know what they're up to, but they definitely scream 'biz'. You want to move in and talk to Vinnie before them, or wait till they do what they're here to do? Pros and cons either way. You're the talker for this op, so you make the call and I'll back your play. But it looks like they're ready to move, so however you want to handle this, you better decide quick, before they make the choice for us."

Meanwhile, his body was kept in a high state of alert. He didn't expect trouble in this place, a Mob haven, but you never knew, and it certainly never hurt to be prepared. The last few days had been a testimony to that, if nothing else.

20:58:00 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Spaghetti Palace - Auburn

"Let's talk to him before those two guys do. I want my baby back, and I don't want any trouble or commotion in here before I get her back, or at least, find out where to get her. That means Vinnie stays in one piece until we get what we want, minimum. If the drek hits the fan, I want him kept alive," Daedalus transmitted back.

Simply nodding in response, Dragon keeps a close eye on the two newcomers as well as any other potential trouble-starters as he and the rigger get up and begin walking casually towards Vinnie .

21:00:00 Sunday January 7, 2063 - Spaghetti Palace - Auburn

Tenmous arrival into the restaurant sent ripples through the customers. In the best of times a Japanese person entering would be dangerous... under the current stress the two rival criminal organizations were under it could be disastrous.

Silence spread like a ripple through the joint. To his credit Tenmou ignored it and sat at the bar. The large man behind the bar was fit to be tied when Tenmous ordered Sake.

The two Erebus had identified earlier as Vinnies goons shifted uncomfortably in there positions near the kitchen door.

Dragon and Deadulus make there move. The two walk from the dining area to the booth in the back, passing by Erebus and Tenmou. The four recognize each other for what they are, operators.

Vinnie is reading a news vid while eating his food, when the two runners aproach he doesn't look up.