The rigger chuckles at Ahlwin's comment of a split vote.
"I would guess we should be able to do some physical recon when we get to the Basement, It's not like the Cutters can lock that place up like a Corp Castle in the Barrens, they simple don't have the resources. I think we should be fine as long as we don't cause a fuss." the rigger says as he merges into traffic. "It really helps no of us are sporting gang colors or tats," the elf adds with a laugh.
"Might have to grease a few palms though, nothing shocking there." Red adds with a snort of amusement.
"Anything else I might be forgetting? Planning isn't really my strongest point, I tend to be more in the "Wing It" category. It's worked well enough for me, but there are others to consider this time around."
"No, it's ... it used to be mine," says Hawatari, blinking away from staring out the window, then rubbing her hand over her face. "Drek. It feels like ... if you've ever gotten kicked in the head a couple of times, the way your brain feels all wobbly. A moment of clarity, and then you're trying to figure out what the hell you're doing with this thing in your hand. Anyhow."
She runs things back through her brain, and shakes her head. "I don't think I agree with you on any particular point, Al, but I don't have any proof of things going the other way, either. The Cutters are known for having a corporate outlook; just because they didn't get paid with weapons doesn't mean they couldn't've gotten paid with something else. The armor would have done it, as would the food or medical supplies. Considering the ease with which Gyro described the two hefting the crate and entering the place, I suppose they'd just as readily be our rigger-decker heistmeister's henchmen as they would pumped-up Cutter thugs ..."
She looks out the window again, thoughtful. "We don't want to piss the Cutters off, either; we're out here on retrieval, not to have to fork over more goods to keep them sweet. Hm. Red, I suggest you try the rat-vendor's friend for any activity. Otherwise, since I know I don't have any information sources out here, why don't we simply find ourselves some Cutters to ask? I find that gangers tend to be willing to wager information on a little contest or two, and while I don't tend to look to be a whirling paragon of death, I think wasting fifteen or thirty minutes if we can arrange for a friendly contest might get us both some respect as well as what we're looking for." She pauses, then repeats, "If we can arrange a friendly contest."
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@Kerrah & Cavan: you each receive a call on your commlink. It's your fixer, and they're smiling.
"Hey, get outta bed. I got a quick paycheck for you to score. Jobs easy, no Johnson meet needed or nothing. Get to the Basement, near the old St. Matthew the Apostle church. Word is, there's a bunch of goons stepping all over Cutter turf and they wanna know who and why. Pays ¥3k, so long as you can figure out the whys and wherefores. Got it?"
Just before they close the call, "Oh, before I forget, this is a duet, not a solo. Here's the details for your dance partner, a elf, from what I've heard." With that, you receive a message with the name and commcode of each other.
"Who's payin'? The Cutters? Other gangers? ... Roza? Roza? Ah tek, I hate it when you hang up like that. Well, at least a jobs a job right?"
Still somewhat groggy from a lack of sleep, Cavan gets himself ready for work. Reaching under his mattress he pulls out his Ares V, looks at the commercial grade explosives before grabbing them and the detonators and putting them on inside pockets of his coat.
Never know when you might need some of this.
Picking up his comm link he punches in the code.
Your comm rings and when you pick up you hear a smooth voice, but with a thick Irish accent.
"Good Evenin', you can call me Murphy, and what do I owe the pleasure of calling you?"
He waits for a response before continuing.
"Great, introductions are best done in person as well. I don't really know where the Basement is, but the old church is in Redmond isn't it? If you don't know where it is, I might know a guy. You pick the meeting location, and I'll meet you there."
And Cavan heads out of the apartment towards Johnny's, finds a couple of cargo vans looking to head out in the middle of the night.
"Any of you heading near Redmond? Mind if I hitch a ride? Payment... right. Well, I can make sure there's no magical sensors trackin' ya, if that's worth it."
Kerrah answers her beat up Mage lite commlink quickly, eager to get off the couch and into the action.
.... Got it Kerrah answers, Got it, Ali. Wish me luck. You know its better to be lucky than dead.
She notes down the commcode of her temporary partner in business. While she straitens up her pad a bit and begins to stow her guns in various hidden holster around her body, she see an incoming call on her Mage commlink. She recognizes her new partner commcode she just received from Ali.
Hoy, this is Bobbi... For now call me Bobbi. ... Hi, Murphy. I hear we are in business together... Ok, meet you soon.
Kerrah hangs up and double checks her gear and heads out.
Kerrah waits outside for her ride.
Being somewhat impatient, Kerrah gets tired of waiting on the Johnny cab.
I need to find a connect to get me a ride around town, she thinks. Forget this! I might as well walk, hustle even, if I want to make a good impression.
Kerrah leaves the corner, buries her head in the commlink, and heads out on foot towards the destination. She figures it wont take long to get to St. Matthew the Apostle church.
Once there she will set up a look out to see if anyone might seem like an elf named Murphy.
Kerrah will send a text to Murphy when she is near the church and then attempt to blend into the shadows to scout the area first.
On the ride over, Cavan tiptoed the line of the Astral to stay on lookout. He examined the driver and couple of extras noting any cyberware and... other things.
Getting dropped off, he pulls up his glasses and checks the time. He wanders near the church, hands in his pockets. The red haired elf figured he needed a way to get himself known, so he made it obvious.
He unbuttoned his jacket to reveal a white shirt with the Murphy's Irish Red beer logo on it. Or at least a variant that has changed as the world has.
Gotta thank O'Malley for this one. Tis a great shirt for first introductions when neither of us know what the other looks like.
His glasses bring up a text from Bobbi so he looks around.
Kerrah surveys the area around the St. Matthew the Apostle church.
When Murphy shows up (if she spot him), Kerrah send him a text with a friendly Irish logo then steps out of the shadows.
Kerrah is tall and confident. She is wearing a slim, fashionable outfit under a heavy jacket. Her hair, eyes, and nails all match her clothing's accessories and she seems well coiffed.
A perceptive individual may notice a few bulges hiding gear but, other than the motorcycle helmet she carries, not much seems out of place. Deceptively simplistic.
'Lo boy, Kerrah says with her best Irish slang when she spots Murphy I see we're a fine bit of stuff and not a Dry S!&#e.
She gives Murphy the once over.
Kerrah switches back to good ol' Americana, Suppose we best find this Basement near St. Matthew the Apostle church.
She will walk and talk to get to the meeting place sooner rather than later.
Know much about the Cutters, this location, or the job, Murphy?
Cavan eyes the other elf as she makes a mockery of his accent. Shrugging it off he runs his hands through his red curly hair with a bit of magic involved, mainly to inform Bobbi of his skill set.
Pulling out a hair band from his pocket, Cavan ties his somewhat long hair into a pony tail before speaking.
"I should have probably cleaned up a bit before I got here, meeting a lady after all. You do know what the English refer to when they say the word Bobby right? Might want to mix it up a bit."
Cavan gives Bobbi the once over a bit more thoroughly, he seems to zone out a bit, staring seemingly through her.
"Don't know too much about anything really. Just got a call from me fixer, think she might be working for the Russians, but a jobs a job. Hitched a ride out here from Tacoma, good thing too. Wasn't getting any sleep with the mentallers downstairs. Now you are interesting as well, no chrome, but that's to be expected of types like us."
Pulling up the LTG digits that the rat vendor had given him, Red looks at the ghostly numbers in the corner of his vision. Cutting the Trog rock that had been playing in his ears, he dials up the Glow City vendor.
"Hoi chummer, how's it hanging? Your cousin vending out of the Mall told me to hit you up if I was in the 'hood, looking for some nice shiny.., party favors." Red speaks once (if) the owner of the number picks up.
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@Kerrah, you known (roughly) that the Bargain Basement is one of the neighborhoods of the Redmond Barrens. It's generally a pretty drek place to live, but it beats Glow City, at least.
@Cavan & Kerrah: As you approach the area described by the message you received, a couple things stand out. Firstly, the church itself is a massive, gothic, old-fashioned cathedral, probably left over from the 20th century and abdandoned way back when. Secondly, the surrounding buildings have been gutted, whether through old fires or looters, you can't tell at this point. Where doors and windows were once boarded up, even the frames and joists have been taken, leaving empty shells and scraps of bricks and broken glass.
The church itself stands in the center of the block, with a rusted, twisted wrought iron fence topping a short stone wall around the grounds. Heavy chains secure the front gates, with a massive lock holding them fast. The sound of a fossil-fuel generator rumbles from somewhere inside the building, and the occasional gleam of light shines through the slats of the boarded up windows.
You don't see any metahumans standing around outside, or any vehicles immediately visible.
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@Red, Hawatari, Al:
The Basement after midnight is just as depressing and cold as ever. The criminal element comes out a bit more, while the more submissive members of the community lock themselves away to whatever safety they can find.
Groups of young people congregate on the corners and in the alleys, drinking, partying, holding court and working biz. Joygirls and boys hawk themselves out of doorways and windows, and more than a few AROs pop, advertising all manner of vice for sale. Whether the product matches the ads, that remains to be seen.
You do not see anyone you KNOW to be affiliated with the Cutters, but there sure are plenty of well dressed, most likely armed, groups of youths kicking around in their territory.
@Red: The owner of the commcode you have does not immediately pick up, and there is a generic voicemail prompt. Do you leave a message?
"Damn you voicemail!" Red thinks with a slight grin to himself.
"Hoi chummer. I talked to your cousin at the Mall. He told me to give you a call if I was neighborhood in the for some real, Grade A.., party favors. Hit me up if your interested in some nuyen," Red says and disconnects.
"Alright, I hit the vendor's cousin up, got his message box," Red tells the others. "If luck happens to be sitting in our court, we might be able to find out if the Cutters are moving anything that might be from the truck. So, if anybody has a rabbit's foot, now would probably time to rub it."
Cavan begins heading over towards the basement.
Hawatari shakes her head slightly. "Not likely," she opinions, then considers the issue at hand. Maybe ... I suppose I might as well, instead of driving along a random street looking for a Cutter, she thinks. Besides, if he doesn't have contacts in the Cutters, I know he has them in the Vory v Zakone, so trickle-down will work. A thought through the link brings up the Blue Defender's list of a whopping four names; she highlights one, and mentally hits the 'connect' icon.
Since he got me into this stupid thing, he can help out. Six should be able to acquire us a name and a location or commcode, if not a direct introduction...
...You do know what the English refer to when they say the word Bobby right? Might want to mix it up a bit."
No offense intend. Just my way of being friendly, Kerrah says with a disarm smile.
Yes, I'm familiar with English slang but we aren't in Britain and Bobbi is so very UCAS.You seem familiar with magics. Can you sense anything inside this building before we walk in unaware?
Kerrah will walk along with Cavan, keeping a look out for anyone or anything.
Cavan gives a short laugh before staring into the basement.
"Familiar with magic? I am a bit more intimate with the ways of the 6th world. Dragonslayer has taught me well, protected me, and I do not wish to mess with Dragonslayer's plans. So I do what I can, earn scratch when I can, drink, and be merry."
"An annoyance," replies the fem elf to the fixer. "MERF drop hijacked by this gent -" she drops him the vid and image from Tarnish of the 'negotiator' into the feed "- and they're selling it off, but he and his crew went to ground in Cutter turf after a meet with them. If you recognize him, great, I need the info, but more important I need to get to him, which means an introduction to whatever boss the Cutters have controlling things out here in Redmond - top-down being a better angle than bottom-up. Can you make it happen, soonest?" She pauses, considers this, then adds, "Commcall would do, let us get to work faster."
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@Cavan: Your assensing does not turn up any active magical auras or dual-natured creatures within sight.
The cathedral itself blocks sight due to its solid construction and years and years of faithful attendance. It obviously holds echoes of mana. Not enough remains to create a background count, but sufficient to make the structure appear nearly solid on the astral.
Approaching the fence and stone wall around the perimeter, you cannot get a good angle from outside to peer directly into the structure itself. The lower level's doors are open and the upper windows yawn darkly, but no obvious entry to the basement shows itself.
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@Hawatari:
The voice on the other side pauses as he receives your image file, "Doesn't look too familiar, but then again he looks like any other corp suit or corp wannabe. Cutters I can hook you up with, if you're sure you wanna get cozy with those boys. From what I hear, they tend to play a little rough."
Assuming your silence is confirmation, he sighs slightly, "Well, you know your biz, watch your hoop, Hawatari-chan. Give this guy a call, name's Lugo Czeka. Goes by Lou on the block. Best I can tell, he's a 'Manager' in the Basement, works with a crew of about 10 or 20. Not sure what he specializes in, but he's in the right part of town at least. Good luck."
Psionichamster
Well if it seems safe to you, I don't see anyone out here so let's take a peek inside shall we, Kerrah says to Cavan.
Kerrah will put on her helmet and pull out her Steyr but keep it well hidden.
She will walk up to the church windows, hopping the fence if needed.
She'll attempt to look inside through the slots in window (she can use a Thermographic light if needed) and/or listening for any signs of life inside.
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Kerrah easily slips over the rusted, twisted fence, pistol in hand. Approaching the church is simple enough, and the noise of whatever generator is running steadily grows as you get closer to the building.
Finding a small window just above ground level, you have an angle to finally see inside. The gleams of lights seem to be coming from flashlights or something similar, while a handful of metahuman shapes move around in the darkness of the lower levels.
Hawatari isn't silent. "Please. When have I ever cozied up to any ganger? This is business - a fact that I shall make eminently clear. Cutters want to make like managers, they have to learn to deal like them too." She accepts the commcode transfer, making her avatar give Six a nod. "More careful than ever, Six. Thanks. Give you a buzz after this is over."
"All right," she says out loud, sending a passive-linkup request to the other two. "I have a line on the local Cutter boss, Lugo Czeka, goes by 'Lou'. Let's give him a ring, shall we?"
And she does.
While moving over and along the fence:
While taking a peek around:
Kerrah has kn: building layout. It was from her background of breaking into corporation and out of internment camps when the Japanese Imperial Army was rounding up her peoples. If it applies to this situation:
If not, ignore the roll.
Before Bobbi hopped the fence, Cavan told her what he could see about the church.
"No auras nearby, however the church itself is hard to see through. Apparently faith is in no short supply, even out here."
Cavan pulls up his coat and ducks underneath the window sill. Dropping his astral sight, he does pull out an Ares V, holding it in both hands. To anybody that can see him, the grip he has on the firearm is professional, well trained, clearly not some ganger or home taught gunslinger.
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Kerrah: Knowledge (Building Layouts) certainly applies. With 2 Hits, you know this is an old Catholic church, probably built around 1920-1940. They certainly don't build them like this anymore, at least not around Seattle. Typically, the ground level will hold a nave (the entryway leading up to the sanctuary), a much larger sanctuary (where the altar and pews live) with vaulted ceilings and a balcony for a choir. Most churchs have small rooms at the altar end of the sanctuary, typically used for the priests and officials for storage and preparation.
The basement levels vary in design, but typically hold at least a couple of large rooms for meetings or classrooms, and anything from bowling alleys, music studios, printing or art studios, or even more esoteric rooms. Typical exits include a large main door into the nave, a couple of smaller doors on the sides from the sanctuary, and a bulkhead entrance directly to the basement.
At the Church: The two of you easily slip into the dark grounds of the cathedral, approaching the building itself. On closer inspection into the basement windows, you notice the large room down there has been mostly cleared of space. About 6 or 8 metahumans move around, all with the glow of flash-lights, with another metahuman shape silhouetted around the edge of a working computer terminal. A small generator growls in the corner next to that desk while the people stack large boxes alongside the walls. It appears they are all engrossed in their tasks and do not notice you in the slightest.
Kerrah will relay what she knows about old churches such as this one and point out where the entry and exit points are for the sublevel of the church.
Ok, looks like we have a few too many to go in guns ablazin’, Kerrah gives a sly smile.
I got the impression we are here to find out who this new group is and why they are setting up shop in Cutters’ turf, Kerrah continues quietly.
What say we back out and survey this area for a bit? Maybe we can get more info or get a lucky break and someone comes out we can talk to.
Kerrah will wait a few minutes to observe but move out of the church area towards the closest abandon building if anyone approaches.
To Cavan, Kerrah will say, Have any magics that can get you inside undetected?
"Magic may be my hammer, but this is certainly not a nail. However, I do have a pretty face and a way with words. But I do not want to try and smooth talk our way in, and then out. Let's take a looksie around and see if we can find any wandering goons. If we have to, maybe we can trip an alarm and get somebody out here."
He smiles a bit.
"But I do have a way to listen in a bit. Let me get an ear."
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Re: Computer screen - not really visible, looks to be more monitoring/diagnostics - most people work in AR for visual display, if not VR.
Cavan extends his magical audio sensors to listen in the room, quite clearly hearing the rumble of the generator, footfalls of the men, and conversation between them in quiet tones. He also clearly hears the grunts of their exertion as well as the clanks and clunks of their loads being set up.
Amongst the curses and grumblings, Cavan manages to pick out a few tidbits. Firstly, the guy at the computer seems to be named Simon, and answers questions or gives directions without turning to look at the men. Secondly, all the men speak with a bit of an Aztlaner accent. You hear a couple of muttered curses in what you believe to be Spanish about the weight of the boxes, lateness of the hour, and general tomfoolery amongst the men.
Cavan motions to Bobbi to move. Once he gets about a block away he gives the elvish woman the information that he got.
"So we found out who it is, or at least a name, think that's enough to get our 3k? There might be a follow up job if the name Simon rings a bell for either of our fixers."
Great info, Cavan, Kerrah whispers and contemplates the next moves.
We have part of a name, possible Aztlan connections. Now we need a Why. Let's hang back and keep watching for a loose goon or see if they receive more packages or take those packages out.
Let's hang back a bit. Kerrah will move from the church windows and careful make her way back across the street, waiting for Cavan to follow.
"Hawatari," the Japanese elf introduces herself laconically. "Hunting for a crew that pulled a job yesterday, went to ground in your turf - couple of bikers that could have been Cutters, couple of heavy lifters, a face." She isn't going to offer cash; if he wants it, he'll ask, and if he doesn't want it ... well, burn that bridge when she gets to it.
"Could have been Cutters? Yesterday? Got any other particulars on this job? If they're freelancers working in the Basement, they should know better. And if they're members of our organization, why would I give you information on them?" Lou seems interested, raising an eyebrow at your description of the group you're looking for.
"Maybe we can work something out, you got a couple of minutes while I make some calls? This commcode gonna be good to reach you back in a few?" Lou keeps his cool, even with his face displayed, it's rather tough to read his expression.
"Intel says that if they're Cutters, they weren't representing when they were on the job, so if they are part of your organization, they're doing work on the side without authorization - which I'm sure a man in your position would want to discourage. In exchange for the information, we'd be willing to state that the chastisement of those two particulars came by your instruction." She considers the requestion for 'particulars', then adds, "Job was a MERF drop hijacking - sixteen, eighteen crates or so. They sold the defensive portion --" meaning, of course, the guns and ammo "-- to a local entrepreneur. So whether or not they're part of your organization, they slipped useful hardware past you instead of giving you the right of first refusal. Another reason for ... chastisement, the execution of which will cost you only the information I seek."
"You're a cool customer, eh, Hawatari-san? Been in the biz for a while, I take it. I like working with a professional. It's a nice change of pace for this drek hole 'hood." He grins a bit and holds up a finger in the universal 'one second' motion.
After a short delay, his grin fades and he turns serious once more, "Seems like we have some unknowns working in the area. A contractor team has been dispatched to look into a possible incursion, and this 'coincidence' seems all too convenient. And I don't believe in coincidences."
His eyes narrow and lips tighten even further, a less emotionally controlled man might even have veins popping from his forehead, "I don't like complications in my business. We manage our area quite nicely, and with an utmost concern for the local population. A hostile advancement could prove costly. Very well, Hawatari-san, here's what I can tell you for the moment; my organization has engaged an independent team to investigate a church on the southeast edge of the Basement. I await an update from their handler. If you can provide descriptions or further particulars as to your targets, perhaps the two will synergize nicely."
Texts flash across the group's comms "Lou might decide hostile is the way to go if he has to save face from this incident. Be careful how much more you tell him."
"However, church may be good news. Lying low in unfriendly territory means they probably haven't shored up a low (or at least mundane) security structure. Assuming no one minds a little combustible desecration..."
Cavan follows Bobby and ponders calling Ed. The guy was never too reliable with his intel and always wanted nuyen up front, even if he didn't have any.
"So Bobbi, we hang back and watch? I know a guy out here, but I'm not too sure how reliable he can be."