Finwe had been silent as usual letting them fight out what they would do next. Some of the people here are even aggressive then I am. My little fight won't even be remembered if thing continue down this path.
"He owes me a few favours, and its about time he paid up."
Finwe looks surprised. And whispers. "Are you sure you want to do that a favor from such a man is worth allot, you know that better then I do. But are you sure you dont want to save it for something else then supplying the team? I mean I applaud it but think about it before using such an valuable thing. Make sure you won't regret it later."
"I can send out the address."
"That would be much appreciated it sounds like a good spot for a meeting. So when are we going to meet each other there?" And if it is a trap I will just kill all the police officers there.
Well I also have my contacts from what i hear about everything is covered. Great I wont have to call in a favor.
"Okay. Got a place for me to stay? I'll look at it there. I got off the bus less than an hour ago." Nolan nodded.
Finally!
Marlowe had the perfect place in mind for this mechanic. Cheap and easy. Thank heavens for cleaning maids with late hours and bucketfuls of discretion. A.C.T. Cleaning Services, that was the one. A concerned friend from Dallas had introduced him to that company, Charlie was skeptic at first but saw what they could do and fell in love. Even now, the apartment looked servicable apart from a few interior design mistakes he'd given up on correcting. The women didn't mind, anyway. But, best to give Nolan the idea the decorating was the choice of an imaginary tenant. Charlie thought it was too soon for people to start spitting in his face with disgust.
"Sure, it's my spare apartment. I used to rent it out until me and my previous tenant had a disagreement." Charlie said, "It hasn't really been cleaned up from then, so beware. And as a bonus, I won't charge you a dime of rent. Just keep the place tidy. It's not far from here, I'll walk you there."
He turned to the rest of the entourage.
"I'm gonna do the same as Roberts, hopefully with more success." He smiled. "Need me? Call me."
Marlowe wasted no time in sending out his number, it had been a long night and Charlie thought this was the right time for an ending to it.
"Are you sure you want to do that a favor from such a man is worth allot, you know that better then I do. But are you sure you dont want to save it for something else then supplying the team?" Finwe asked, sounding rather surprised at the proposal that Sebastian planned.
"You know Finwe, I was just going to ask him, if he could supply the team with some better weapons. Getting full sets of armour, for this many people, that would be difficult. I'll see what I can manage." Sebastian replied with, stating the potential extent of the support from Drebin.
"Your guy know how to get his hands on some long-range comms? Encrypted channels, each one bio-protected, that kind of thing? Preferably military-grade? 'Cause that would save us a bit of headache later on if the corp decides to look into this, and I'm reasonably sure they will." Wulf asked, seeing what equipment could be obtained.
"Hmm, its possible. My contact has primarily been a weapons dealer. Although, he has been working his way into military grade communications technology."
"I can send out the address." Nik remarked, saying that he knew of a place, where people could meet up after initial reconnaissance.
"Sounds good Nik. Might be a place I could use to make the phone call for the weapons cache, communications tech, and for some security access, from my people in NovaTech. Both of those can be arranged, after the recon, so I can figure out what specific armaments we may require."
"A week is a very short time frame to work up a hit like this, Two-Thumbs. There's basic planning, gathering info, and then when everything's said and done. we've got a six-hour - maybe - window to pull it all off in. That includes getting in without too much hassle, finding the information on this *****, then either leveling the building or frying their systems, and then we've got a substantial amount of the private security of NeoNET to deal with just to get to her. We've gotta hit 'em hard,fast, and be out before the upper-suits know who,what,when,and where everything was taken."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Clay said, disregarding the elf's haughty absortion in his self-entitled leadership role.
It's gotten to his head so fuckin' much, you can practically see it grow, thought Clay. "I'm sure we've all been 'round the bend before, but listen. With the manpower we have now, providin' each and every one of us is really worth the twenty-kay apiece, it's plenty o' time. We should have more than just two teams workin' recon, considerin' we have plenty of goddamn ground to cover, and keep the halfway split for the finale. Given your estimate o' six hours, which sounds reasonable, we basically have all week to get what we need - and we can't waste a minute of it. We gather what info we can, so's we can at least know just what the fuck we're dealin' with, gear up on the night before, gives plenty of time for reviewin' plans, then, once we're ready, make the hit."
Clay turned to Roberts, "An' you, I've got an idea for you. I think you and someone else should choose a guard, a higher-up, someone with near-top clearance, then tail 'em. Find out where they go, how they get there, who they know - basically, learn every fuckin' thing about the bastard you can, right down to his favorite brand of toothpaste. Then, you're gonna take him outta the picture. Don't matter to me how you do it - kill him, put him in a safety deposit box, whatever. Once he's outta the way, you take his place. We could use you near the top, we need somebody with that kind of access so's we can just waltz right in and, if all goes well, waltz right out. Preferably with no more holes than necessary. Sound like somethin' you can do?"
Before waiting for an answer, he turned back to Wulf, "Oh, and by the fuckin' way, it's four, count 'em, four thumbs, asshole."
Roberts wasn't a fan of being ordered around but Clay's plan made sense, gt a goo place in the facility and half that security wouldn't even matter.
"Seems doable" He said to no one in-particular "Anyone really want to help with this? How about you sunshine?" he nodded his head towards Nik "Or if not you anyone else up for a bit of back-ally work?" He looked around the room trying to meet everyone's eye.
"You make a good point Avalanche, for those who aren't taking on the archive mission, it'll give us a good opportunity to plan our movements, to figure out when would be the best time to infiltrate the compound where Dr. Shelley works. Thank you for the contribution Avalanche."
"My pleasure." Avalanche responded, nodding. If I'm not careful, I'll end up liking this guy as well...
"We ain't got long for this. I'd say two days at most. As I said, I know a place to meet if nobody objects."
"I suppose I can get a fair bit of info in two days, although 3 would be better..." He started, a little unhappy at not having much time to work with. "How bout we meet in the middle and call it 60 hours? That's a decent compromise, wouldn't you say? As for the Dragon's Lair, I know the place. Had to do a job not far from there."
"Alright, pal, I'll see ya out front when this is through."
Avalanche nodded at this, a bit preoccupied with determining how he was going to explain his plan to Clay without getting shot. Wouldn't be this difficult if he wasn't so quick with those guns... I'll just have to hope he trusts me enough to wait for a short time before pulling them.
Jamal received the slew of numbers and saved them.
"Here this is my number. If anyone plans on staking out any of the buildings give me a call. I was plmanning on checking out their magical defenses anyway."
"Anyone really want to help with this? How about you sunshine?" he nodded his head towards Nik "Or if not you anyone else up for a bit of back-ally work?" He looked around the room trying to meet everyone's eye.
"i actually know just the guy for you Roberts. I can make him come quietly if you'd like."
"i actually know just the guy for you Roberts. I can make him come quietly if you'd like."
"Easy there, Hoss," Clay interjected. "No confrontation 'til Roberts knows one ok them well enough that he can imitate every little mannerism perfectly. He's gonna need to become one o' these people, and not by takin' lessons from the bastard."
Wulf nodded his head after Clay's outburst, looked the room over to memorize the other runner's faces, and left Club Raven. Outside, the rain had let up a little and so navigating to the small alcove where he had fought Edge, threw a tarp off his own Fenris and started it up. The roar of the engine startled what animals were still alive in the alley. He pulled out and went on his way, the light gray of the sky reminding him of how long he had before the sun rose over the horizon and his presence would become a liability. He called up his brother, and apparently interrupted something by the whining screams that accompanied his voice. After a short exchange between the three of them, Wulf hung up after one last comment.
"Sorry, Rom, I'll make it up to you. Tell Scherry I'll get her that if I can get a copy."
He sped through Halloweener territory, and as far as he could tell, wasn't really seen. The streets were just starting to awaken and he had the run of the place. He opened up the engine and felt the air rush through his hair and fur, relishing the feel before making a hairpin turn and speeding past his building to the compound about half a block away. He secured his bike there and arrived at the Stuffer Shack, where Jamen was hiding out in the back, scraping the dumpster with his one good hand and shoveling whatever crap they'd thrown out into his mouth. Throwing a couple bags of chips to him he'd bought inside, they spoke and Jamen agreed to watch the Archives for the next few days, at the price of some BTL Wulf could score off any one of the Ancients' street dealers with a discount, and a week's worth of food, which he haggled down to the days he watched the building plus two. The deal was to feed him at the Shack and he'd relay the information to him.
"Take it easy, Jamen, and be careful, you know how raucous the corp suits can get better than most."
The last thing he did for the day was enter his apartment, throw his ruined leather pants under his bed with the rest of his clothes and did a few searches on Roberts, the scientist they were going after, and decided "why the hell not?" and looked around NeoNET's site for any mention of Project Convergence. Most of it was bullshit and the same stuff anybody could find, but she'd gotten some kind of nuyen boost somehow, since according to pictures she'd been posting within the last few months were up too. Beaches, the new Ferari speeding down some highway, etc. He also set up a meeting with Boss Hiko, that night at eight at the Ming Dynasty Palace, one of his high-end restaurants. And he expected Wulf to eat the food this time.
Wulf was still awake and reckoned he had about two hours left before he needed to sleep so turned on the trid and lay on his bed, new episode of Harlequin Mysteries, some old flat-screen movie re-run, which he'd found out Roberts may have taken his name from earlier on the Matrix.
He woke up at six pm, as he always did and did his business, splashed some water on his face, cleaned out a bur in his fur, and slid on some synth-leather pants from underneath his bed, nowhere near as comfortable as the real deal, he'd have to find some other way to pay back that stupid kid. He threw on his best shirt, and strapped on his armored vest and put on the better of his two dusters, he had a meet planned with a Yakuza tonight. But first he had to meet up with Jamen. The two met up at the same Stuffer Shack and the elf ordered a pot of soycaf, a half-dozen burgers, one of them real beef, that was expensive, and two cobs of corn, one of the few things that could still be grown naturally around here.
"The guards seemed to change every hour, with one group staying in the guard station, three groups patrolling outside, and at least one inside. The guard shift changed today every four hours or so."
"Ok, ok. Well, eat your food,and get back to your post. I've got a meeting I'm going to be late for it I don't go soon."
"Ok, see ya Wulf." *munch**munch**munch*
Wulf then proceeded to the Palace, and was allowed inside after one of Hiko's guys were standing outside waiting for him. He was taken to a private room and handed over his Predators, trusting the Yaks to give them back when he departed.
After the traditional greetings, Wulf sat down on the cushion provided and ordered rice, some kind of squid, and a bowl of steamed vegetables, fresh from the kitchen. He had to admit, it was good, but he hadn't come here to eat. After they had each toasted each other in health, the elf decided it was time to get down to business.
"I'm here looking for some info on some other Yakuza in town. Big, seven foot tall mutha', katana, a guy in a suit, Yakuza too, I think, and his daughter."
Hiko gave pause, making Wulf know that he knew at least of who he was asking about.
"The man you're asking about is a boss direct from Japan, he's here for some kind of underground moot. I can't tell you anymore than that, confidential."
"Thanks for the heads-up anyways." He'd figured it'd have to be something like that to offer twenty grand each to about twenty runners.
They spent the rest of the meal speaking of nothing in particular, Hiko still tried pulling out anything Wulf knew about the Ancients and their inner workings, and he deflected, a friendly game they'd perfected over the past few years. He was given his guns back, and left, heading back to his apartment, where he watched a few more trid programs, browsed the Matrix for anything else of use, nothing of any real use,though he did find out that the ork he'd roughed up had been found dead in his apartment, shot to hell and back. Wulf then went to sleep around the same time most people were starting to get up. Too bad for them, they didn't get to experience Seattle the same way he did.
The next night he arrived at the Dragon's Lair around ten after his meeting with Jamen, who had said that the guard patrols were every six hours, not four this time, nothing else was really that important. He arrived and sat down at the bar, facing the door and ordered some kind of juice and alcohol, whatever he'd had at Club Raven had really hit the spot.
Basically what he did was get another guy watching the building, find out who out employer is, and looked up a few things on different things.
It had been a long night. Giving her contact information to the party, she could finally bid the club adieu. The girl had had quite enough of the clients, their trimmed suits, tea and exaggerated politeness could not mask their repugnance. Besides, there was much to be done; exploration, gaining an understanding of the environment and obstacles here, and to plan.
"Anata ga ue de shinde motte iru." was what she left them with.
Outside walked a female creature, a woman the runners wouldn't have recognized. No- not a woman, or a girl, but something in between; someone with the proportions of a girl, but tall. As tall as an man. If they had seen the precocious but youthful face, they may have recognized her.
In a trance, Taylor walked onto the strip, swinging enormous hands- but they weren't hands... they were claws. Claws as long as paring knives, erupting from the melted flesh of her wrists.
There were snapping sounds. She walked on broken legs- her limbs snapped and twisted in a manner no human limb was designed to, and one could hear the breaking of her bones with each step. Every bone in her body turned to powder, and yet she stood.
Then, without warning, she shuddered. A quartet of translucent wings exploded from her naked back- her eyes were aflame, limbs spread-eagled as some power seized the flesh of her body and morphed it into a new, alien form. Her shattered limbs straightened, becoming lithe and graceful once again, the skin taking on a dark green hue. The body was covered with a rigid shell of glistening chitin, the face a mass of multiple eyes tipped with long antennae. The mouth was a fanged maw.
Where before had been a teenage shaman, there now was a strange and terrifying creature. A bug had taken her place.
She lifted off into the night. The shimmering wings beat vibrantly against the air, lifting her; carrying her by her own power until she was far above the street. High enough to see a scattered whirl of lights, flying over rivers and high rise buildings, over black lots and crowded plazas, into a dark ocean of neon and electricity.
"Easy there, Hoss," Clay interjected. "No confrontation 'til Roberts knows one ok them well enough that he can imitate every little mannerism perfectly. He's gonna need to become one o' these people, and not by takin' lessons from the bastard."
"Hey I have no plan on rushing Roberts. I just know a target that suits our needs and will be more than happy to help bring him in once our shifter here is ready."
"Anyone really want to help with this? How about you sunshine?" Sunshine?
Nik nodded.
"Better'n doing nothing. Anyone need magical support, gimme a call. My master's one of the best."
He looked to Jamal. Perhaps already having somebody would make things easier... but that wasn't for him to decide. It had been Roberts' idea, so it was his call. If anybody needed more from him, they could call.
Nik stood. "It's early. I'm off."
And with that, he was.
The sun was beginning to rise in the distance, and in true Seattle fashion, the rain hadn't let up. As he left, Nik thought he heard the chittering of wings. It made him feel uneasy. He frowned, switched over to the astral, and looked around.
There certainly was a strong insect presence. The girl. He needed to find the girl.
But with nothing to go on...
Shit.
Nik took a cab back to his apartment and slumped into his favourite chair as soon as he was through the door.
After a few minutes of silence, he felt something bumping against his foot. He opened his eyes lazily and saw that the Hoover Drone hadn't gotten stuck again, and was repeatedly driving forwards. He sent a quick signal to it, and when that didn't work he kicked back. The drone paused, and then went on it's merry way.
Nik brought up his messaging service.
Nothing from Kodiak. Nothing from the Professor. Nothing from Dexter.
Weirdly, a message from his ex that he deleted without looking at.
The Bug girl was still lodged in the back of his mind.
With a sigh, he threw a few messages into the matrix and then stumbled to bed.
"Better'n doing nothing. Anyone need magical support, gimme a call. My master's one of the best."
"I'll call you later then"
he finished his drink and stood up, throwing a small wad of bills onto the table
"That should cover any drinks I had, as well as damages. I suppose we'll meet again at some point, good luck in whatever you're doing.
He shifted his chameleon suit into a coat and his face into No# 1 the most generic man imaginable, winking at the group he strolled outside.
As he walked he heard a buzzing noise and shuddered, his hand instinctively going to his side and gripping his revolver. He checked himself and relaxed
"I'll see what I can manage." "Alright your choice. But think before giving it to someone one. Think who will need it the most. And who will use it the best."
While the people began walking away looking into the astral plane. And taking a second look at Taylor made Finwe see something very interesting. I knew she was strange and something with bugs but that....that was something else entirely did I see that right? Well better to talk to Sebastian about it before doing anything else.
"Sebastian I think it is about time to leave. However I have something I want to talk to you about in private. Would it be possibel to talk in private somewhere nearby?"
Finwe stands up waiting for an answer.
If it is yes he will leave with Sebastian.
If it is no he will leave alone.
"Sebastian I think it is about time to leave. However I have something I want to talk to you about in private. Would it be possible to talk in private somewhere nearby?"
"Yeah, of course, my apartment is nearby, its only a short ride, I'll give you a lift Finwe." Sebastian replied with, putting his coat on over the armour as he left the table. Before he left, Sebastian sent out his contact number to all the other runners. He then thought about the several ideas, that Nova had put forward.
"I don't have anywhere to stay actually do you know anywhere is could sleep for the night. As for the power shorting plan I could over load the system or drain it, both would stake the system down for a couple of hours but an over load could also damage local equipment and I couldn't promise the affect would be limited to a particular building. Then again that might obscure the target.
There's another option have we considered using bait, if she's a scientist she might be interested in what I can do we could use my talents as bait might make capture easier mean we don't necessarily have to kill anyone."
"Interesting. If the overload worked, it might delay any warnings to the NovaTech compound, meaning that its less likely that Dr. Shelley would be evacuated. I also like the idea of using your abilities as bait. But I would suggest, that anyone on the Compound Team, bring a weapon with them, in case she brings along any protection. Being the head of whatever this 'Convergence Project' is, she is bound to have bodyguards. Better safe than sorry."
"As for a place to stay, how about my apartment?, has room for three people. Can you make your own way though?, since I just offered the passenger seat to Finwe. Here is the address at least." Sebastian then privately sent Nova, the address of his apartment.
Sebastian then followed Finwe out of the club, and into the rain. He caught a brief glimpse, of Taylor, and her transformation.
So, a Bug Shaman. Well that is something you don't see everyday. Sebastian thought to himself. He then got onto Lupo, and began the start up procedure. He turned his head towards Finwe.
Finwe sends his contact info to the other runners.
might as well help her. We are all on the same team.
Finwe sends an adress to Nova allong with with this.
"Here is a place where you can stay for the next week('s). A few rooms in an mansion are mine and you can stay there if you want. when you arrive at the gate just tell them i send you. You dont have to stay there just an suggestion. But if you do decide to stay there please dont trash the place."
"You getting on or what?"
"Sure. And thanks for the ride i arrived here on foot."
Finwe steps on and waits for Sebastian to start driving.
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
