"Thousest have honored they deed!" said Friedrich as he eyed the gangster surrender. It wasn't often that wicked men would see the truth, but perhaps the Fratelli goon had better judgement.
Storing his blade away, Ser Lamorak followed his comrades to the freezer.
Aiyan leaned forward and grabbed the keycard from Vic, then with a faint hint of a smile, calmly hefted his sword and stabbed the guy right in the throat. He twisted the blade, watching Vic's face twist in horror and shock as he gagged on the steel. He had promised to kill the guy if he had the chance and a promise was a promise.
Just as calmly, he ripped the sword to the left and pulled it free, not much minding the fountain of misting blood that sprayed from the guy's throat. He heard the ghost of a gleeful laugh and shinigami quivered slightly in his hand, she was happy.
"Thank you, Mr. Fratelli." He intoned quietly, sliding the sword along it's scabbard and then letting her slide home into her scabbard, sated and at rest.
5 hits. DV 14-5=9P.
Vic tries to leap backward and away from the surprise blow, but is far, far too slow. The honed edge of Shinigami punches through the man's soft throat like paper, as the Italian gangster struggles to make words in his own rapidly flowing blood.
"Pri...ck..."
Aiyan finishes him with a fantastic fountain of blood, showering all three of the men still standing with a crimson mist of death.
Elsewhere, in the corner of the restaurant, a young girl screams. "Whaaaaaaat! This- This is the worst night ever, daddy! Daddy, wake up! Come on!" She knelt down, rapidly shaking the motionless man before her. Shrapnel had pierced his coat, and he lay in a pool of blood. The girl couldn't have been more than ten, and she was herself covered in blood - though it was now impossible to tell whose it was. It might even have been soy-tchup, for all you could tell.
Noticing that Aiyan had killed Vic, Billy quickly tried to side step the fountain, a little too late but at least not as bad as the other two, wiping away the blood that had caught his face. there goes a potential rat we could have used!, never mind. I think someone better look over the old man not much point in this night if we don't have the buyer to pay us. Ill talk with the girl.
The young girl looks up at Billy, tears in her eyes. She wipes away the tears, but only succeeds in smearing blood across her face. She looks like a complete mess. "Wh- who are you? Can you help Daddy? I think he's..." she breaks off, tears welling again in her eyes.
To his credit, the man looks as though he's still breathing, at least. But he's not looking too hot.
Billy bends down and tries to get her to face him, girls probably in shock Pulling out a clean handkerchief he wipes the girls tears and blood away. my dear I need you to come away from here and talk with me ok? My friends will help daddy but for now we should get you some place safe.
"You deal with this," Aiyan answered, gesturing to the little girl and her daddy. He didn't really care much about either of them and had no idea how to deal with a tearful little girl, but he figured there wasn't much point anyone else dyeing if they could avoid it. He tossed a medkit to Billy and shrugged.
Turning, he started walking back towards the freezer. "I'll go check on the daughter, I guess."
blunt as ever Billy catches the medikit but since he was the only one with free hands he would have to give the girl to someone else....
Friedrich dear sir would you mind coming here one moment?
The girl looks at Billy, shrinking away at his touch and crying softly. "But, we can't leave Daddy here... He's hurt bad, real bad I think, and I don't think, I don't know..."
Meanwhile, Aiyan heads for the freezer. The same high-powered maglock was in place, though a quick swipe from the keycard registers as 'Vincenzo Fratelli' before popping open with a soft hiss. Immediately, the cold of the freezer joins the already cool air of the storage room. Immediately inside, Aiyan spots a youngish boy, maybe 18 at the most, out cold (literally and figuratively) on the floor of the freezer. A really heavy looking box of soy-meat-substitute lay just beside his head, a welt the size of a brick throbbing on the ganger's forehead. Behind him, huddling for warmth in the corner in a heavy winter's coat and a blanket was a shivering young girl, about the same age as the target you were looking to extract. She offers a smile, shivering.
"Hey," she stammers weakly, looking Aiyan up and down. "I see you've had a fun time of things."
Quite right my dear, instead Ill stay here and get your father patched up Billy waves the medi pack at the girl to show what he planned instead I am going to give you the honour of being protected by a Knight of the Round table!, - to be posted just a foot note for tomorrow
Aiyan took a moment to take in the scene. He liked the brave face the girl was putting on, and appreciated the KO'd ganger. Clearly, this girl could take care of herself pretty well.
"Vic is dead." He told her in a matter-of-fact tone, "pretty much everyone is dead, actually. We've come to take you back to your father. Wanna get outta here?"
Just before he walked over to the freezer, he heard his comrade Billy ask for assistance.
Turning in his stride, he noticed a young girl weeping beside her father. His knight insticts took over.
"Maiden, thou need not give into fear. Men hast dwelt far worse evils and maladies." Kneeling down so that she could get a better look at him, Friedrich removed his helmet to give her a wry smile. Long hair pooled down revealing a glittering pair of cyber eyes and a charismatic expression.
"Ser Lamorak, a knight of the round, at your service."
Seeing that the father was in poor shape, Friedrich gave several tsk, tsks while assessing the situation.
"Surely, tis only a flesh wound!" he said as if to make the situation light hearted. The truth was, the man needed medical attention.
A glow formed from the knight's hands as he placed them on the father's body.
2 net hits, but need to calculate drain afterwards...
Upon seeing that the wounds were closing up, Friedrich continued, this time with more modern means.
7 hits
"Ah, great," Irma says, standing up and making a quavering way towards Aiyan. It's obvious she's been quite cold for a while. The coat is more like a robe on her - it occurs to you she probably took it off the unconscious gangster. "It's really father's fault this all happened anyway. If he'd just paid these slotheads when they'd come by, this never would have happened. Now I've been dragged through this muck. Fraggin' annoying. But yeah - I'd sure as hell like to get home. And I never want to see another pizza again."
Aiyan takes a quick look around the freezer and easily notes the 'product' that Vic spoke of. A few barely concealed bodies in black trashbags lay mostly frozen in the very corner of the icebox, a few stacks of soymato boxes hiding them really, really poorly.
Friedrich puts his surprising talent for healing to work, rapidly stabilizing the man with a glow of magic before setting more mundane healing talents to work. Quickly the man's bleeding slows, and Friedrich bandages him up with an accompaniment of numerous pharmaceuticals to aid in healing.
Eventually the man coughs and opens his eyes slowly with a groan. "Ugh... what happened?"
The girl is ecstatic. "Daddy!" She peers up at Friedrich, infinite thanks in her eyes and an inability to verbalize it. She gives the massive, bloodied knight a hug, barely coming up to the hulking man's waist. "Thank you! Uh, whoever you are!"
3 hits
Looking upon the group, Friedrich smiled. "The Round hast blest me for my prowess. Lo, the father still lives!"
With a hearty laugh, the knight rose and looked upon the family. "Father, you have a duty to keep this girl safe. Arm yourself. Educate yourself. No maiden should be left in this world without a strong man in her life. You owe it to yourself."
After delivering his speech, he put on his helmet and waited for William Chines to return.
Billy sighed with relief, it had been a hectic day, and it would have really sucked to have had this kind of collateral damage on top. Friedrich might act like a man out of time, but his hands were magic, literally. I'm glad I'm his friend rather then his enemy Billy smiled and raising with Friedrich gaving the knight a pat on the shoulder, Friedrich, Aiyan, I think after todays little jaunt we should celebrate a little, first rounds one me, err non alcholic of course for yourself good sir Billy bowed at Friedrich in good humour. Now all that was left was to deliver the girl to her father and get this day behind him.
Billy, the team member least covered in the entrails of the Fratellis, is set to the task of contacting Herr Schmidt. After a quick ping off his commlink, her father answers back immediately. A short message, sent to the team's commlinks.
Bring the girl to Heinrich's Holistics. I will forward you the coordinates.
-Schmidt
It was oddly professional. Perhaps Schmidt really had learned a thing or two in his brief experience as a contractor of the finest runners this side of Berlin. Okay, well as a contractor of some runners in the middle of a hellhole in Berlin. Same difference.
As it turns out, the coordinates are just around the corner. No more than a ten to twenty minute walk, minus any further interruption from gangers, mafiosos, or sudden traffic incident. The complete dearth of cars on the streets of these drek-coated kiezes didn't mean that some go-ganger bakebrain couldn't crash into something.
Fortunately (or perhaps unfortunately, depending on your opinion of go-gangers), there is no incident on the way to Heinrich's Holistics. The building is about what you'd expected. A street doc's shop in the wrong neighborhood. Just about the only thing about it that said 'medical help' was the ubiquitous red cross flashing in half-dead neon. A single tinted window of ballistic glass faced the street, and the stocky looking two-story building seemed to have few entrances except for the front and the side. A quick peek up the alleyway revealed nothing of real note, just what you assume was Schmidt's car. Marginally nicer than the one at the pizzeria.
The doors open automatically as you approach, and the scent of industrial cleaner immediately assaults your nostrils. Faint stains of blood mar the floor of the entrance lobby, and a pair of rusty looking drones sweep over the floor in an endless attempt to clean them off. A tired looking ork with glasses peers over a counter at you bunch, then notices Irma in your company.
He blinks twice, as though unsure of what she was doing there, then puts down the tablet he'd been fiddling with. "Oh! You must be, uh, those guys. Go down the hall and take a left. Conference chamber, I guess. We never really gave it a name... but it has chairs. Heinrich's waiting for you there."
Irma sighs, rolling her eyes. "Thanks, Derek. C'mon, let's go see what Daddy has to say for himself. Nuyen to nuggets this is his fault somehow. And I'm sure my dashing heroes want their pay." She tips her chin towards the door the ork had indicated, then heads off in that direction.
As soon as the door is opened, her father jumps up and grabs her in an embrace. "My daughter! My baby girl!" Irma tries not to sigh, but does so anyway. "Thank the stars... and thank you!" He adds the last bit as an afterthought, remembering the runners in the room: two hulking swordsman and a mad bard. He releases his daughter and puts on his most businesslike demeanor.
"Ah, I see you have had a, uh, rough time of things. I do hope that's not all your blood. I can patch you up here, but, well... damn." Schmidt shakes his head, then turns back to his daughter with glee in his eyes. "I did say I'd offer a bonus if she was unharmed. I can offer an additional hundred nuyen each, but sadly no more. I've already been bled dry from the gangsters and the credchip I gave you earlier."
He stops, then steps closer to the runners. "However, if a certain Italian had an unfortunate end, I may be able to provide something in a more... medical department. Medkits, slap patches, bandages, those sorts of things."
October 13th, 2062.
It's been a few days since the run-in at Pi-Za-Kuchen. Heinrich hasn't gotten back in touch, and no Mafiosi have come knocking at the door of the Verschissenstadt, so that's a good sign. Well, assuming that Heinrich wasn't at the bottom of a ditch somewhere. But that seemed unlikely.
Still, the rescue job hadn't paid too well. Bullets and bulletholes tended to be expensive; and while a little bit of love and joy from a Doc ain't bad, it don't replace the bullets. That meant you'd need a new job, and fast, if you planned to pay for the rent on your little pitiful excuses for domiciles.
Fortunately, that was right around when Billy's contacts came in. After another long romp in a bed he was only vaguely familiar with, Billy woke up to find a message waiting for him on his commlink. After quickly popping it open, his bleary eyes read it out:
"Ah, Billy, baby! I am so sorry to wake you, I know you are a very busy man, ja? Hah, I jest, I jest. But you see, one of my friends, the very busy men who come through my store, ja?, he is in need of some assistance. He tells me it is very easy job!
And when I hear this, who else do I think of than little Billy! We both know you are the easiest of jobs, hah! I kid, Billy, you know I love you like family! But this man, he says okay, ja? He wants to meet you and your team - all business, he is! - uptown. You will need to take the U-Bahn to get there - and do make sure to look your best! He is one of those business fellows who admires professionalism and propriety! This is why he comes to me, and this is why I send him to you! I do hope your team is as lovely as you~
Ta-ta, Billyboy~"
A set of coordinates accompany the message. A bar in the uptown, 'The Banshee'. Near enough to the corporate part of town to have things like 'security' that the Verchissenstadt lacked, but not so much as to have it in droves. The kind of places that runners met Johnsons for jobs on the nicer side of the F-State.
Also too damn far to walk. Fortunately the U-Bahn was cheap enough at a few nuyen a ride. The only real question was if Freddy and Aiyan could handle a 'professional' meeting.
Billy got himself washed and prepared, that last job had been a more dangerous then it had to be. True everyone got out fine minus a few scratches but still it could have balls up spectacularly. The apartment was quiet, Greta hadn't wanted "payment" this week early and his bones were thankful of that. Still if he didn't make some cash soon he dreaded to think what kind of "exciting new toy" he'd have to try out with Greta if he didn't. His body quivered/squirmed a little in places he'd rather not talk about. Straightening his clothing out ,putting on his jacket, and tucking the guns safely underneath, he headed out of the door. This job could be good and he had to get the guys ready. Time to catch a U-Bahn and to make a call, maybe even do a little checking before the guys showed up..... just in case.
After coming down from his latest BTL journey, Ser Lamorak faded and Freidrich Vanderhelm took over.
The beeping on his commlink meant that another mission was in order. Having saved a damsel from distress, the knight didn't know what else was in store for his merry band of comrades in arms. He adjusted the blade on his back and fasted his helmt tight for it was going to be an eventful night.
He followed after Billy Chines into the UBahn station, ever wary of the police and other onlookers.
Aiyan went through the necessities of meeting with the John and handing over the girl, he was pleased to get her back, more pleased that one of the Fratelli clan was a chalk outline. He had gotten paid, split the income between his three comrades and then walked away.
With the few days respite, Aiyan had taken the time to clean and sharpen Shinigami and heal from the wounds he had suffered in battle.
When the call came in from Billy he had already been running late, he had wasted no time in getting himself down to the UBahn and got himself a ticket for uptown. He hadn't much considered the all-black clothing, the slightly wild hair or the long katana strapped to his side.
The U-Bahn ride is as uneventful as ever. How the F-State managed to keep a semi-functional subway system running in the midst of random districts falling into chaos and disarray was anyone's guess. Also entirely expected is the gradual improvement in the quality of the line as it heads towards the central districts of Berlin - the kiezs where the corporate elite did business.
Not like you'd know much about that. Those folk looked at you sideways anytime you went there. You practically exuded 'street scum' in a tangible aura around yourself.
Fortunately, not all uptown was Uptown. Your destination was the Brüzakriez. While it was nicer than the Verchissenstadt - most places were - it was a long shot from the AAA corporate sector. Standing on the southernmost edge of the nice parts of town, it boasted marginally more security than the gang-controlled kiezs. Or the ones that were so awful, they were just left to rot. Like yours.
You emerge from the U-Bahn into the early evening air. It's another chilly night, but not quite as bad as pizza night. At least it's clear enough to see the smog filled skies. The area is mostly lower and lower middle class SINners, as far as you can tell. Cars that worked. Citizens walking the streets without guns in hand. Storefronts with lights that worked, open signs that meant open, and businesses that didn't just cater to bakebrain junkies. Plenty of stuff missing, too. No bulletholes. No immediately obvious Knight Errant or Lone Star, either.
Finding Banshee isn't particularly difficult. It's right on the edge of the kiez. You can see a large, barbed wire fence behind it, marking the boundary. The bar itself looks like a total dive. Probably caters to people from both sides of the line. The poorer kind of people. It looks about as run down as the kiez beyond, its neon sign flickering with the last vestiges of its life. As you approach, the relative peace of the scene if shattered when a man comes crashing out of the two batwing doors.
He's a mundane looking human with mussed up brown hair in a crappy synth-leather coat. He groans, rubbing at whiskey stains and puke on his shirt in a daze. An ork, pissed-off with a cybernetic arm, pushes his way out the door and stares down at the man. "And this time, stay out," he shouts, dusting off his hands. His eyes then pan to you, then to the rather visible weapons you carry with you. He says nothing more, but points (with his cyberarm) to a large duraplast sign hanging half-off the brick wall just behind him:
You note a Defiance T-250 Shotgun leaning against it. Guess that's probably an exception to the rule.
He then pans his hand over to a metal wastebasket-looking thing in the corner, next to his shotgun. A lonely looking gun sits at the bottom of it. Guess that's where your weapons are supposed to go. You're not sure the swords will actually fit in the bucket.
Billy probably the least threatening looking one of the group figures it would be quicker for him to go in clean and give the dive a once over. The client might be inside and it wouldn't do to have anyone want to break the no weapons rule. Besides, unlike his is compatriots Billys piece could be mistaken for just another cyber attachment, and it didn't say no sex toys allowed in the bar. Even if it could fire a few rounds of bullets if it had to.
Turning to the guys Billy hands them his weapons, "guys I don't know about you but this time Id love if we could get in and out of a bar without killing someone, What say you?" Billy gives with a eyebrow cocked. I'm not sure if you to would like to hand over your darlings, so maybe I should go in alone? or perhaps you could scout out the exits? you never know if we might need a escape route from this lovely establishment"
Aiyan hesitated for just a moment. He didn't really like the idea of his comrade going in to the bar alone, but he balked at the thought of handing over Shinigami to a stranger, and of being without her in what could be a dangerous situation.
"I'll... scout the perimeter, then." He agreed after a few seconds.
The ork grunts, apparently satisfied and apparently equally incapable of superfluous speech. He took a short - very short - step to the side to allow Billy access into the bar. The ork's eyes never parted from Aiyan or Friedrich, or their impressive blades (and now Billy's gun, too).
Striding into the bar, Billy is greeted with the din of orxsploitation-influenced nu-metal, a cacophony of noise that only mixes with the clinking of glasses, raucous conversation, and heated hollers speaking to an impending bar fight. Its as dingy as bar on the inside as it is on the outside, and the noise definitely fits the bar's moniker.
Peering around the place, Billy sees an Asian man at the tail end of the bar waving him over. Dressed in a dull, crimson lined coat over the top of a slightly more business-oriented attire, he gives Billy Chime a nod as the man sits besides him. A gleaming datajack on his head catches a bit of the lighting; the man's pencil-thin mustache looks almost as greasy as his comb-over hair. A rumpled white tie is tucked into his black business-casual attire. He's got all the appearance of a man who wants to play in the big leagues and just hasn't had much luck of it.
But nuyen's nuyen, and money always talks. He didn't look like the slummers from the Verchissenstadt, and that was a step up for sure. He lifts his glass, some overpriced mixed drink, and toasts Billy's arrival.
"You must be the Mr. Chime I've heard so much about. I hear you get things done. I may know a man who needs things done. But first, order a drink, stay a while, sample this, uh, charming atmosphere!"
Friedrich grunted. It wasn't normal for him to be without his blade. But even a Knight of the Round had other tools to use when their main wasn't available. More often than not, it was a warrior's bravado that stopped most quarrels.
Giving Aiyan a sidelong glance, the Knight reverently laid his blade near the receptacle, knowing full that it couldn't hold the sheer size of a TRUE weapon.
He approached the Ork and stared at him long and hard.
"I have agreed to your terms. Now, permit me to enter."
The ork barely even acknowledges Friedrich's acquiescence, his eyes still watching the heavily armed Aiyan. With the slightest movement sideways, the bouncer allowed the muscled Friedrich just enough room to pass by.
The interior of the bar is no place for a proper knight of the round, but it was the sort of place most shadow-inclined folks talked shop. Before Freddy could get much of a look around, he spots Billy and a decently dressed asian human. The man waves him over with a grin.
"Aha! This can only be Herr Friedrich, I assume? That just leaves one of your party in absence, if I recall correctly. Will he be joining us, or shall we move onto the affairs of business without him? But please, have a drink! Enjoy this delectable ambiance!" He snickers a bit at his last comment, as though he'd amused himself greatly but didn't want to let you know that.
Billy was a little surprised at Freddy giving up his blade, however even without it he was still a walking mountain of a man so that wasn't really a problem, and no one would be dumb enough to steal it, well not for very long that is.
Billy got the attention of the bar keep, "Two shots of vodka and glass of something non alcoholic for my friend behind me".
Turning to the man Billy kept up with the question, "ah yes, hello good sir, I'm glad we managed to meet, even if the locals a little interesting", a quirk sardonic smile Billy wanted to milk the man a little of ego, "our merry third in this group wasn't fond of the locals rules on no dangerous arsenals. He's decided to hold back whilst we do business, but don't worry he ready and able to meet any challenges you might have for us". The drinks appeared near Billys elbow and he quickly gave each drink to the others.
"and now a quick toast, to a good round of drinking and good business"
"Na zdrowie!"
As Billy puts the drink closer to his lips he rolls for perception
The Johnson nods as the drinks arrive, meeting Billy's toast in kind. "Good taste, mein freund, good taste. If the third of your party lives up to the reputation I have heard - and I am certain he does, as you do to yours - then there is no wonder he did not accompany you! But as you say, good drinking and good business, ja?" The Johnson raises his glass once more, then downs it like a professional. Perhaps there is more to him than the corporate bottom-feeder he first appeared.
He sets the glass down, leaning forward and lowering his voice. "This is just a simple little piece of work. Our mutual friend assured me of your ability to take care of little jobs on little notice. And this job comes with little notice as well. I need an item retrieved from a nearby business and brought back here. Tonight." He waited, as though expecting Billy or Freddy to chime in with protest. After a moment he continued, apparently satisfied. "Security should be minimal, no need for overt violence or anything like that. Although, let's be honest here," he smiles not-so-charmingly, "I don't really care at all what you do to get it. You get my goods, you get 3,000 nuyen to split as you wish. If that sounds agreeable, we can get down to details."
You spot a well-concealed light pistol tucked into the man's coat. You wonder if he might have a license for it - but, judging from his demeanor, probably not. You've got this sinking suspicion he might not be quite as corporate as he looks.
Downing his own drink Billy ordered another round, the gun had Billy wondering about the mans connection was to this bar, either the Ork up front was blind or he had let him pass with a concealed weapon which was a little worrying.
But business was business, setting out the drinks Billy replied, good onto the nitty gritty, how we handle it is fine, we aren't that fond of wet work despite what our record might suggest, it just relies on you to give us as much information on the item and location. However it is short notice, not much time to plan a route in and out and regardless of the level of security involved there's still surprises that could come up, lets say 6k?
4 hits
Billy held up his drink to his lips and waited on the mans reaction. and now the game begins lets see if he bites
The man raises an eyebrow, but does not waver any further. "Six thousand, Mr. Chine? That's a little steep, isn't it? I will raise my offer to say... Four thousand. Any more than this would be highway robbery, I think." His German fumbles a bit, clearly not his native tongue. The complexities of bargaining - and covering his own ass when being gouged - were probably not on the tutorsoft he'd picked up. He tips his glass to the barkeep, indicating a desire for a refill. The glass is shuffled away, a new one taking its place. The Johnson takes a slow sip, mirroring Billy's own actions, before continuing.
"I will even offer that extra thousand right here, right now, for no further debate over this trifle. I assure you that security will not be a significant problem, regardless of how short the notice may be. Now," he offers his hand to Billy and looks him in the eye, more serious than he had been thus far, "Do we have a deal?"
Billy inwardly smiled a little, it would have been nice for him to have gone a little higher but he obviously wasn't drunk enough yet to be softened up. Plus that extra 1000 wasnt a bad little extra to this job, which if he was right could be a quick little earner. Hmm one final push to seal the deal. make it 4,500 and you have a deal, Ill even buy us a bottle to celebrate, Billy sticks his hand to out close the deal, downing the drink in his other hand he looks the man in the eyes and gives his best business smile.
8 hits yowch
The man sighs, shakes Billy's hand, and relents. "You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Chine. Four point five it is. Now - let us have this celebratory bottle..."
The Johnson waits for the bottle and fresh glasses (fresh being relative, of course) before he once more leans in close to talk shop. "It's a simple job, as I said. I need a commlink. It's currently held by a man known as Oxycode, a real piece of drek. Small-time pimp, pusher, hustler, the works. I don't give a slot what happens to him or how you get it from him. He could win the lottery and be shipped off to Antigua or chopped into little bits for the organleggers to fight over - don't matter. I just need the 'link. He's staying at a little drekhole just down the way called the Novelty Hills Sleep & Eat, room 312. That means the commlink's there too."
He takes a sip of the good stuff (good is also quite relative) and swishes it about in his glass. "Now if you have no more questions... you should really be going. I do need the 'link tonight."
And the security you mentioned? You said there was minimal but not no security, what kind can we expect?, please be specific, the more we know the quicker we can get in and out of there with your commlink Billy takes the 4,5k from the man.
The man peers over the top of his glass at Billy. "You want the cash up front, you do the work up front. It's a coffin motel, Billy. You figure it out. You've already got my nuyen - now go do the job you've been paid to do, ne?" The Johnson takes a swig of booze and quickly fills his glass, shaking his head disapprovingly.
hmm, seems hes locked himself up now, ah well I guess we'll have to wing it Billy takes one last gulp of the vodka and nods to Freddy, Good bye, for now Billy tips his hat at the man and leaves the bottle behind. let him get drunk, maybe he'll be more warming once we get back . Although in the back of his mind Billy made a note of the mans accent change, the gun, the bar, and reluctance to talk about the security, he was withholding something, and Billy didn't like being left in the dark. easy job my ass...... better get the guys prepped for a possible blood bath
True to the Johnson's word, the Novelty Hills isn't much more than a few blocks down the road. Still bordering the obviously quite sketchy kiez just across the border, the motel's clearly seen better days. In fact, it's probably been better businesses. If it weren't for the fact that fading, blinking neon proclaims it as the 'Novelty Hills Sleep & Eat,' you'd take it for what it probably once was: a large warehouse.
And not even the good kind.
Four doors down is a busted up looking Stuffer Shack, so encrusted in graffiti it's almost unrecognizable. The other buildings in the area are all condemned - or should be. If you didn't know better, you'd have thought you'd stepped back into the Verchissenstadt. Oh, wait - there's no corpses in sight. Clearly better than home.
A trio of rather beleaguered looking prostitutes - a rather charming array of choices, in the human, dwarf, and elf present - stand at one corner of the motel in their torn fishnets and cheap synthleather. A few similarly destitute customers, maybe residents, come and go as you observe the motel. You see a few drugs pass hands, a few snacks being purchased from the shack, and one of the prostitutes find a Johnson of her own for the next hour or so. The most dangerous looking of the bunch seem to be a trio of crimson-clad orks loitering around a pair of busted up looking bikes. They keep looking around like they're looking for something, but returning to smoking some kind of drug before too long.
By and large, the area's deserted enough for good old criminal activity. Through the glass windows above the motel's main doors, which bleed weak yellow light onto the cracking sidewalk, you can see a three-tiered pipe-framed access catwalk setup.
It's time to make the approach. Plan away, but the night's burning.
Friedrich had remained silent during the meeting with the asian client. It wasn't his place to act irrational or cause a scene. Afterall, in the social battlefield, Ser William du Chimes held a special grace with charisma. Allowing himself to appear as security, Friedrich was certain that Billy had a modicum of safety, knowing that at any moment the armored knight would be there to back him up.
Sensing that negotiations had went remarkably well, the Knight had returned outside, retrieved his blade, and bade the tightly packed nightclub a small farewell.
"Our quarry nears. Any thoughts?"
Aiyan smirked at the Orc standing at the door as his two comrades came out of the nightclub, neither of them had won the staring contest they had been having, but he believed that he would have, given enough time.
After he turned away he blinked dry eyes several times to alleviate the burning itch that was the price paid for a staring contest, touched the hilt of Shinigami once, then fell into step beside Billy and Friedrich as they walked away.
"What quarry? Gimmie the know, chummers. Who, what, when an' where?" He asked Billy, unable to resist a grin. "'An how much?"
Well on the subject of how much, I got us a pay increase (hands out the money to split between them all), but I get the feeling we might have more on the cards then that guy was letting on .
Billy gives them both a quick info dump on what happened.
If I was a betting me (which I am) Id say he was defiantly missing out some key details, if he was so sure of the place being easy he could have done the job himself, if the cards there its probably under some heavy protection regardless of what 'minimum security' he said was there. A scope of the area might give us some better ideas, but I feel heading through the front door is going to prove to be a bad idea.
I also reckon this guys gonna drop us in it if it hits south, so if we get found out it might be a idea to either silence everyone there or go in disguise, I'm probably gonna rumble me a up a quick mask or something. You guys deicide what you want to do.
Friedrich smiled and placed a heavy hand on Billy Chines.
"Mein frund, I appreciate your willingness to create such theatre like ruses, but we're sieging a coffin motel, not a corporate site. I doubt we'll meet much resistance other than several hired guards and turret security at the very least."
Having spent much of his waking life as a security guard for Ares before his knighthood, Friedrich understood that some places were easier pickings than others.
"Personally speaking, I favor a rush the door tactic, a Blitzkrieg, if you will. However, you're still allowed to use a disguise William. It might suit you well, ja?"
Hmm not much point if your going to blow the doors down, but maybe it would be a good idea to ask some of the locals about here what they might know about the motel. Ill go talk to those ladies on the corner, maybe scope out some of those side buildings, or see if there is a electrical box nearby.
"I'm all for the simple. Scope the place out first. If there's any guards at all then they're somethin' weird goin' on. So, we figure out the guard rotation, find a back way in an' get it done." He said while they walked, "or hey, maaaan, steal some uniforms an' stuff me in a laundry basket or somethin'. I'll take care of the guards an' open the doors from the inside."
That would also work yeah...I guess. Just watch out for something shady...I mean more shady then even this dive has to offer. I just have this feeling we might be wondering into big trouble.
Billy plies his usual approach to the situation as Aiyan and Freddy discuss the intricacies of [i[their[/i] typical approach to every problem. The ladies 'perk' up at the approach of a rather handsome young-ish man, though their impression of what it meant to perk up did not necessarily match the going norm. These were clearly ladies who had been around. Perking wasn't something they did too much of anymore.
"Sei da, handsome. Lookin' for a tumble? Got deals for the quickies, the lickies, the stickies, and the pickies. Take your pick, ja."
"Then let's go, sooner we start, sooner we get paid." Aiyan growled, eyeing Billy and the street walkers. One of them was sauntering in their direction, hips swaying in an all too practiced show of what she must have imagined was sassy self confidence.
He fixed her with his best glare. He let his eyes travel once down her figure, not as good as it might have once been, and back up to her face in what was clearly an assessment of the goods. He wasn't interested, not in the slightest, but she was still approaching. She gave him a simpering little smile that was betrayed by the coldness in her eyes, the clammy pallor of her skin and the slight tremble in her fingers.
He gave her a look. It was one of those looks that people didn't easily forget. A calm, murderous look that promised a depth of anger and potential violence matched only by the worst nightmares of serial killers.
Billy saw the walker coming towards them and a bulb went off in his head. Quickly before either the the boys could start to scare them off Billy step in between them. My dear lady!, I hope you might be able to help me and my associates in a little relaxation Giving his best grin he hope he could get her attention away from Aiyans murder eyes.
The woman does her best to evade Aiyan's glare of disapproval. She'd seen plenty of psychopaths and sexual predators, and Aiyan's look was somewhere in between. She knew better than to proposition him - but neither did she particularly care about his presence. Wasn't like she hadn't done the deed for stranger audiences.
"That so, hon? How's a what's you want? Upside, backside, flipside, or the whole package?"
While his comrades in arms were trying to put their plan into motion, Friedrich's knightly duties kicked in as he found the most demure of the lot.
An elven girl with green eyes who looked not a day older than 18 sat cross legged under a rusted storm drain. Her skin was caramel which contrasted with a greasy mop of bleached blonde and pink hair. Various electric tattoos shown visibly on her least modest parts. Her outfit spoke of one activity. A collar with neon lights read, "Candy". Probably her name.
With his hulking frame, he towered over the street girl easily, like a beast eying its prey. However, unlike the other carnivorous predators who'd easily devour their meal, Ser Lamorak knelt down, and removed his helmet so that she can gaze upon his beautiful face.
"Fare maiden, thousest needeth not to succumb to such a lifestyle. Among men walk beasts and knights, and standeth before though is the latter. Exalted among the highest of orders, A Knight of the Round."
Pooling back his long black hair, he revealed a pair of cyber eyes that twinkled in the cold, polluted, urban night.
Even in his BTL induced state, she reminded him of an orphan he once seen in the trid-vids. However, it was the real thing for him.
"Jaska? No...it can't be her. The last I've seen of her was when she was young. Her father Camron would've never let this happened..." he thought silently to himself.
The girl blinked twice, then shook her head in disbelief. "What the frag are you on about?"
Friedrich was taken aback.
He reached out and grabbed both the girl's hands in one fell swoop.
"Jaska! Please, you have to remember!" He tried to hold back tears, but his cybereyes couldn't produce the emotion. Instead, he made a huffing sound that was somewhere along the lines of a dying animal and someone getting high on dust.
"Jask! I'm sorry! I meant to be there, but I was away crusading! None of this was supposed to happen!"
Before the bewildered street urchin could react, Friedrich scooped the youngling within in his arm and went over to his comrades.
"Allies. I have found Jaska. We can notify her next of kin that she persists. What a glorious day. Though, poor Camron..."