Miyako is somewhat perturbed by the feeling she's being watched....
Luckily, her somewhat scattered demeanour helps with her cover, providing a perfect example of a corporate flunkie a little bit out of her element, eyes darting to take in the hustle and bustle of the foreign city and hotel.
Entering the bar, she wanders close to the bar and the bartenders' brusque question startles her out of her reverie.
In halting, heavily-accented English she says "Domestic beer, please"
After paying for the beer, she sits demurely at the bar and scans the crowd within. Unlikely as it would be she checks to see if anyone matching Fiona's description appears.
Perception 1 hit
=6? hits
Although the hotel's security is good, Droid's rigging skills are better. His drone flits between surveillance zones unnoticed.
If possible, while he waits Droid will also run a search on Professor Craig
=4 hits
Parking his bike in parking garage, Skull hoofs it to the hotel. Walking past the building, Skull will cross the busy street to the other side, and lean up against the side of a building. popping a cigar into his mouth, he begins to puff the stogie slowly, as his gaze moves across the front of the building first, and then slowly broadens out, taking in the traveling cars and trucks, the flying drones, and watching the people.
feeling the weight of his sidearm in its holster under his arm, he mics to everyone.
im in position. all's clear out here
Jack approaches the Hilton on foot, having debarked the bus a few blocks away. When he is two blocks away he flashes a message to his team, <I am about two blocks out, approaching on foot, all clear?>
Crix starts paying attention, while still trying to figure out that one word...
After a few minutes of sipping her beer, Miyako spots Brian's the brass spider pin on a uniform passing through the hotel bar casually, obviously just starting a shift or leaving from a break. Brian nods a greeting to the bartender, then heads toward the main lobby.
Sub-vocalizing, Miyako reports to the others "The bellhop we're looking for just passed through the bar, on his way to the main lobby."
Jack arrives at the front door to the Hilton, and pauses just inside to let his eyes adjust to the dimmer light inside.
He focuses his attention on the bar area watching for a bellhop to come out of it.
<Can you describe him?>
The bellhop is a blonde, tall, gangly twentysomething elf, clean-shaven and hair smartly combed. His black uniform is crisp, brass buttons shining, white gloves as white as though just bleached. He looks relaxed, in his element, though a little unfocused, a characteristic sign of consulting the Matrix through a datajack, which you can see, is a discreet flesh colored cord adhered to his skin, and glancing around, most of the hotel employees sport similar datajacks. The bellhop is making his way out of the bar to the lobby with purpose but not haste.
Jack casually turns towards Brian, then smiles broadly at him, as if at someone he recognizes but hasn't seen in a long time, and moves to intercept the bellhop.
When he gets close, Jack will speak to him in a quiet voice. He is trying to keep the conversation between just the two of them without seeming to do so.
Brian? Man it has been a long time, eh? Cousin Jimmy said you were working down here. Said I should stop by if I had time. How have you been?
Do I kn-- he starts to ask before comprehension dawns. One of the Family, right. Oh, you know, I'm doing just wiz. His relaxed manner is gone, now replaced with a serious and slightly apprehensive vibe. Well, I assume your cousin Jimmy thinks I can help you? What is it you need, Mr... he waits for a name to be supplied.
Still with a very friendly demeanor, It's Jack. Jack Be Nimble? Anyway, Jimmy said you were the go to guy if I was looking for where someone might take a room in the city. Do you think you could help me out?
Something not unlike relief hits Brian; his apprehensiveness seems to ease slightly in any case. Yeah, Jimmy's right. Give me a name and I can get you the room, or vice versa. If they're staying in Seattle, I can find their room. Brian says with a bit of pride showing through his tension.
Having passed on Brian to the others, Miyako resumes her scan for Fiona.
Assuming a frustrated frown, she turns to the bartender and in the same broken heavy accent says "Friend not here, you see maybe?". She then proceeds to explain Fiona's appearance to the bartender.
Nope, doesn't ring a bell. the bartender says, bored.
I am looking for a friend. Fiona Craig. She got into town last night. Came into Sea-Tac and she is not answering her 'link. Any clues? Jack is still smiling, very friendly.
Brian's eyes go unfocused for a minute or two, consulting his 'link through data jack, and then refocuses on Jack.
Fiona Craig checked into the Mulvihill Hotel, Room 1408 on Tuesday around 0700. Records say she hasn't checked out, her credit card is being auto-charged to pay for the room each night. Did you need info on anyone else?
Droid will run a search to find out what he can about the hotel and hopefully a floor-plan.
= 4 hits
The hotel is at 3225 158th Avenue SE in Bellevue, WA (a suburb of Seattle). Looking at the website, the rooms seem to be decent and moderately priced at 150¥ a night, and bloggers have noted that the hotel is a three star trying its very hardest to seem like a five star, to varying degrees of success and failure. It has six floors and two wings. From what you can tell, 1408 should be on the fourth floor in the north wing. You can also be certain there is a security Spider who will try to fend off electronic warfare attacks.
Jack grins broadly at Brian, That is great! I am very grateful to know where I can look for my friend. Thanks a bunch! Jack will slip the guy 200¥ through the 'link. Well, business never waits. I will tell Jimmy you said hi next time we talk. Have a good day, Brian.
Hearing that Jack had retrieved the information, Miyako looked about the bar once more, then shrugged as if disappointed she missed a friend. She then nods to the barman and leaves by the bar's street entrance.
Crix waits for a few minutes after Miyako leaves, but is still unable to finish his puzzle. He swears under his breath at the newspaper and leaves the hotel, pocketing the pen and trying to look natural in his suit.
"So are we heading straight there? If so who needs a pickup?"
Droid will recall his drone and once its secured away start up his van.
The meeting went well and no one, to your knowledge, realized anything out of the ordinary happened. Brian thanks Jack for the tip and tells him to swing again by if he needs anyth
ing else.
Jack turns away from Brian with a wave and an admonition to not be such a stranger, and heads back out of the hotel proceeding down the street in the direction he had previously been travelling.
<<Thanks Droid. If you want to pick me up two blocks south of the Hotel I would appreciate that.>>
Miyako had headed west. Droid, you can pick me up at the corner of 3rd and University.
While he walks, Jack sends a text the whole crew, <<think we should head over immediately? I can scout it from the Astral while everyone heads in that direction; see if there are any Awakened concerns.>>
"On route"
Droid will swing by and pick up Jack and Miyako in his van. Unfortunately the van is somewhat full of drones and repair parts but the seats are empty at least.
Once Crix reaches his bike, he'll message the others.
<<Alright, I'm following. Better hurry or I'll beat you there.>> Crix bluffs, as he's not even 100% sure where he's going.
Jack will get himself situated comfortably in the van, then asks Miyako, Keep an eye on my body for me?,
Jack will get himself situated comfortably in the van, then asks Miyako, Keep an eye on my body for me?,
"I will....travel safe." Miyako says.
Jacks slips free of his body and zips head of the van to the Mulvihill.
The already grey cityscape and sky grow even more dull as you project your spirit into the astral realm. The auras of the people in the Hilton, apart from a few dashes of color on some, seem as drab as the rainy sky. It's about 16 km to the Mulvihill Hotel through ground transport, but even astrally "walking" the trip takes under 15 seconds, zipping over Mercer Island when passing Lake Washington.
It takes you about 30 or so seconds to find the exact building--any AR directions of course don't work in astral space and the buildings' signs are hard to read from a distance due to blending into the dull greys of the surrounding buildings.
The Mulvihill Hotel is pretty ordinary from an astral standpoint. The auras of the guests here show slightly more color than their Hilton counterparts, but no auras particularly stand out. To your relief, you find that Astral security is minimal, if present, and though there are a few astral barriers in place, it doesn't appear that they cover the whole place; just a few key areas such as the Security Office. There may be a mage or two on staff; you would have to Assense their auras to determine if so. Of interest are the front desk clerk and a security officer on every other floor patrolling (1st, 3rd, and 5th, at the moment).
Roll an Assensing+Intuition Test for each to see what information you can glean.
Droid will continue driving, taking a somewhat meandering route to limit the obviousness of their destination as well as giving time to plan. "So once we get there what are we doing? Are we casing the place, looking in windows or using the front door?"
"I'd say we split up. Miyako can sneak her way in unless this place is locked down. You can keep an eye from the sky like we just did, or try rolling some drones through the vents or something. Whatever you riggers like to do. Jack and I can try to check into a room next to 1408 if there's one available."
Checking their auras, you can tell the security guards and desk clerk are thoroughly bored, are reasonably healthy, and none are Awakened or have cyberware. You guess that an off-site mage comes by to cast the mana barriers in the Security Office/control room, or sends spirits to do the same.
After a good once-over, Jack will move inside the building and take a look inside room 1408.
The room seems is messy, you can tell by the shadows left on the astral plane from the clutter in the physical plane. However, Fiona's emotions seem to have lingered in the room and speak to you. You can tell that the take-out menus in a pile on the floor are momentos of her travels. Under the bed is a book which seems to glow with the excitement of discovery. The clothes bunched in the corner speak of hard work and a willingness to get her hands dirty on a dig. The suitcase seems to have picked up echoes of the various cultures Fiona has dragged it through.