[WrongConcept]

[spoiler=Query by Wagner]
Max Mayhem Node Basic Info: The node is on full alert, using several spiders at the same time all of them Ruthlessly attacking "Cheaters" using low level exploit tools they probably hadn't coded themselves.
Whos Logged: There is a long list however there are some stand outs the spiders of the sistem: WrongConcept, Villanous, HaxZ0r, MuscleMuscleWhat?! and Mindboginglyamazingstuffdude. Amongs the VIP status are Eye, Lalaparouz, Mosklite, (Horizon ID) Clristal Clear and mongreltron.
Security on the Node: The Security consists on 5 Spiders, 12 Agents... And counting, mostly basic stuff focused on the game, also there seems to be another layer to the Node, however youd have to go deeper inside to find out.
Upon Entering the VIP Room: The room is separated from the Node, in fact the Room is a device registered to the Max Mayhem Node, there is an Agent Loaded that is quite Visible (meaning its not trying to hide) by the codename Sakura.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Query by Fang]
Max Mayhem Node Basic Info: The node is on full alert, using several spiders at the same time all of them Ruthlessly attacking "Cheaters" using low level exploit tools they probably hadn't coded themselves.
Whos Logged: There is a long list however there are some stand outs the spiders of the sistem: WrongConcept, Villanous, HaxZ0r, MuscleMuscleWhat?! and Mindboginglyamazingstuffdude. Amongs the VIP status are Eye, Wagner, Twisted, Concrete, Lalaparouz, Mosklite, (Horizon ID) Clristal Clear and mongreltron.
Security on the Node: The Security consists on 5 Spiders, 12 Agents... And counting, mostly basic stuff focused on the game, also there seems to be another layer to the Node, however youd have to go deeper inside to find out.
Firewall Rating of the Node: 4
Programs Running on the Node: Analyze, Encrypt, Tracking, IC 1 (Codename: Boombox), IC 2 (Codename: Burst Angel)
Upon Entering the VIP Room: The room is separated from the Node, in fact the Room is a device registered to the Max Mayhem Node, there is an Agent Loaded that is quite Visible (meaning its not trying to hide) by the codename Sakura. This Device has a Firewall rating of 6 and has the fallowing programs: Analyze, Armor, Attack, Command, Sakura, Amateratsu, Anpaytoo and Elizabeth.
[/spoiler]

Just after Eye spoke several avatars started login in the VIP room, the Ultra Realistic Avatar of WrongConcept was almost to tears as he saw them login. But with a big breathe he calmed himself and then detailed them, he suddenly raised his hand asking for them to wait and then turned and inmmediatly several programs started activating.

Three Agents materialiced in the cristal room, just as WrongConcept and Fangs avatars the Avatars of these agents where of Ultra Realistic quality and high atention to detail, each one different from the other, the first one a Female Samurai with real historical armor, a female Sioux Warrior, and a female Blood Soaked Knight, each one of them beautifully but well dressed in their varios culture settings, he spoke to them giving them commands with an interesting respect on his tone and action.

>>WrongConcept: Kobayashi no Amateratsu route the evil from this node and bring honor and glory to your household!
>>Amateratsu: Hai! WrongConcept-Sama!
>>WrongConcept: Great Anpaytoo the spirits of the ancient lands beg for retribution upon the unworthy, smite them all!
>>Anpaytoo: My ancestors ride with me Chieftain!
>>WrongConcept: Lady Elizabeth... Once again i request your sword on the battelfield, send those godless to their graves screaming like banshees!
>>Elizabeth: The grim reaper its at my side my king, they will al fall by my blade.


The three Agents moved down below to the game and started doing WrongConcepts job, he then turned to them and while doing so he spoke again to an Agent.

>>WrongConcept: Unsilence Sakura
>>Sakura: That was mean! you meani-sama
>>WrongConcept: Sakura Encrypt every transmission and block any attemp of comunication to this device, only give access to those with the Encripted Key UberShadow, start a countdown 120 seconds from now kill the authorization of the key, thank you doll ill reward you for this i promise.
>>Sakura: Initiating Protocols, YAY! Candy!

Now all of the attention and awe of WrongConcept's avatar was fixated on the six avatars in front of him, he looked each one of them, his facial expressions where letting his own emotions transpired, he looked scared and exited at the same time, this could be interpreted by them as they wished, he stopped to admire three avatars in particular, Fangs, for his ultra realistic textures and  designs, Wagner for the retro style and finally Eye for the off the shelve choice and then he cleared his throad once again, he stood straight and comunicated trough the Matrix:

>> Im WrongConcept Hopefully your next employer, as i let in the VU the work is mostly legal, unless you start breaking legs and stuff, i have few evidence and thanks to the Chicago Disaster at 56' well the scene cannot be visited, many of the original detectives, medic personal and victims are still alive, my initial offer for the investigation is 10k per head, but at least one of you must know at least a bit about Mojo, because im pretty sure there is Mojo on this. The pay is as standar... At least on the trids... Half now and half after the investigation results have been surrendered, there will be no physical meetings, and if you need to give me physical evidence then you will sent it to a direction that i will specify at that moment. Do you have any questions before you accept the job?

He spoke with confidence, except when he spoke about the "standar" method of payment in wich moment he looked embarrased, however his voice picked up the confidence again and he said his statement fluidly and clear. He was trembling lightly, and he kept looking exited, anxious and scared at the same time... at least thats whats his avatar looked.

[Ren]

"Name's Concrete and i have a few questions. Where do you expect us to physically conduct the job? You said that the scene cannot be visited - honestly, who would want to visit Bug City - but you obviously think that we have to physically visit some places, otherwise you wouldn't hire anyone but hackers. And what is the estimated duration?" The voice generated by the persona was gravelly, like stones grinding on each other softly. It still expressed some emotions, showing disturbance as he mentioned Bug City.

[Xzylvador]

Viktor would've been shaking his head if his mind wasn't hooked in Virtual Reality right now and his body wasn't lying limp on an old couch.
His ancient robot icon simply didn't have any animation programmed corresponding with the gesture, so it didn't move either.
Talking to agents as if they were something real... This man had serious problems and could use some professional help. Agents weren't real, the whole damned Matrix wasn't realy. Everyone knew that! You had to be insane talking to them as if they were.
Drones, now that was something different. They were real. You could touch 'em and tinker with them. They were real enough to be watching over his meat body while his mind was up in here. Real enough to talk to.
But agents? Nah, total whack job.

<<I am Wagner. You ask to investigate what? You need to tell more, Lone Star files are locked tighter than bulkhead bolts on submarine."

[MaxKojote]

Fang resisted the urge to roll his eyes at WrongConcept's apparent nervousness. Guy didn't seem to be all that good at this from what the changeling could tell. Or at socialising in general. He certainly could roleplay a commander quite well, as evidenced with the Agents, but normal conversation seemed a bit harder. Maybe it was pure escapism, Fang certainly knew how that felt.

Although I wasn't much better. Took Axel to teach me how not to be completely incompetent at socialising.

Wagner had pretty much asked the question he wanted to.This potential employer hadn't really explained what he wanted yet. He'd probably accept the job anyway, but it would help to know what he was meant to be researching. Or asking a Courier to help research. His icon crossed its arms as it watched WrongConcept, its tail lazily swaying from side to side, much like he would be doing now in his meat body.

[Hellion]

Twisted watched the exchange between WrongConcept and Concrete, noting how nervous their Mr Johnson seem, and doing the best he could to suppress a shudder at the mention of Bug City..... While he had no memories of his past, he had heard enough about Chicago from his Yakuza contacts to know that someone who had magic needed to be extra careful if he was in the city......
He also made a mental note that Wagner had in some contacts inside Lone Star.

<<In addition to what my honored colleauges have asked, i was wondering what sort of opposition we should expect WrongConcept-sama

[WrongConcept]

The face on WrongConcept avatar frowned a bit when he heard Wagners question, he strugled a bit until he let out a sight and then look at them all, and he spoke with more firmness than before, maybe a bit of releaf. He moved his hands and several transparent info windows started to appear in the place, mostly e-newspaper, news and other stuff, but on the center and directly in front of WC avatar was a video of a main avenue, a normal chicagoan traffic jam, and suddenly a brightly neon public transport bus just started to float almost 10 meters on the air for about 3 seconds, and suddenly just turned upside down and slammed with amazing force towards the ground, causing severe damage to the street and to the cars on the place, and then the video looped and started again. At the right side of the video is a window with a list of passengers:

• Michael Giordano Metatipe: Orc, Status: Deceased, Died on the Crash
• Mellisa Taylor Metatipe: Human, Status: Alive, Location: Seattle Downtown
• Toshiki Kano Metatipe: Elf, Status: Alive: Location: Unknown
• Geraldine Testarrosa Metatipe: Human, Status: Deceased, Died from severe hemorrage 10 minutes after the crash.
• Thomas Ferguson Metatipe: Human, Status: Alive, Location: Seattle Ferguson Psychiatric Ward, Reason: Unknown.
• Jhony Neumonic Metatipe: Human, Status: Deceased, Died as a direct consequence of trying to save Melinda Sullyvan, burned alive.
• Pei Shing Metatipe: Human, Status: Deceased?, Location: Seattle Underground He is Belived to be a Ghoul, how he got infected is unknown.
• Andres Villanueva Metatipe: Human, Status: Deceased, Driver of the bus he did not knew what hit him.
• James Sullyvan Metatipe: Human, Status: Hospital Internment, Reason: Quadraplegic, Attempted Suicide Multiple Times.
• Melinda Sullyvan Metatipe: Human, Status: Deceased, she cried... then she was burned alive by some unknown combustible.
• Charles Sullyvan Metatipe: Human, Status: Deceased, He protected her daughter with his body, broken spine, instant death.
• Ana Sullyvan Metatipe: Human: Status: Deceased, She tried to protect her son, several glass shards cut mayor arteries, severe blood loss at 4 minutes after the crash.
• Ronald Andersen Metatipe: Human, Status: Alive, Location: Unknown
• Gina Murokawa Metatipe: Dwarf, Status: Deceased, Crushed agains the chassis of the bus.
• George Cartier Metatipe: Unknown, Status: Presumed Deceased, There was only a strange pool of him everywhere.
• Jhonson Doe Metatipe: Human, Status: Unknown, Location: Unknown.

To the left of the video there is a series of Maps with coordinates on Lone Star patrol vehicles, Hospitals, Clinics, Firemen Station and Ambulances and a list:

• Lone Star Statistical Response Time on The Zone: 5 Minutes
• Emergency Services Statistical Response Time on The Zone: 4.3 Minutes
• Response Time for the Event of Emergency Services: 20 minutes
• Response Time for the Event of Lone Star: 40 minutes
• Free Emergency Ambulances Nearby: 3 Closest Response Time: 36 seconds (Half a block)
• Free Firemen Wagon Nearby: 1 Closest Response Time: 2.54 minutes
• Free Lone Star Patrol Cars Nearby: 5 Closest Response Time: 3.21 minutes
• Lone Star Chief: Gregor Stevensen (Status: Alive, Employment: Retired Location: Seattle, Especifics Unknown)
• Lone Star Emergency Coordinator: Mila Gen (Status: Alive, Employment: Ares Firewatch Overwatch, Location: Seattle for 2 weeks)
• Emergency Services Director: Ana Casanova (Status: Deceased)

WrongConcept's Avatar looked at the evidence with sadness at his eyes, and then he pressed on the name Mellinda Sullyvan and a photo id of a beautifull child with twintails smilind broad ended on his hand, he looked at it for a few seconds and then he let it go, determination on his eyes he looked at them and spoke.

>>20 years ago, 2055, my life went to hell, im not crying about it, im not complaining about it, i need answers, because 20 years ago my whole family died with not even a single newspaper recognizing what happened, not even a side note, they deserve better, and i need the truth. I get it, you are runners and you could care less about my history thats fine, so lets get to the facts, one for 20 minutes not one single emergency service approached us, there was no battle outside the bus that i could hear off, at the same time i was 16 just watched my dad and mom die and my sister catch flames and die a horrible slow death while i couldn't do anything, so i have the right to be wrong on this case. No mention of the event was released to the public, and when i asked for explanations they charged me with attempted assault at an officer, i have that video but i do know there is one even better, in 2056 Bug City exploded and many places where lost, in 2058 Ares Macrotechnology reclaimed bug town, by 2063 the area could not be re-urbanized, and at 2070 UCAS Marines spray and pray stabilized the zone a bit, recovering from Morton View to Burbank, in Cicero is located the neares Lone Star building with a surveiliance camera recording node, wich i found it to be alive, this is an optional part of the investigation and could help drastically at his resolution, but i will not force any of you to that. I need to know what happened, and this is all the info i have... As for opposition i have no idea except for some Lone Star A-holes, and for time roughly one week or maybe two.

The avatar relaxed a bit, and he looked at the runners, he was not scared he looked tired.

[farothel]

>> I know a bit about Mojo, Eye said as she looked at the lists, >>So if I get it right you want us to go digging into Lone Star files to see why they didn't respond as quickly as they could or talk to the people involved, wherever they might have been relocated.  This should be fun, breaking in at Star.  By the way, as far as I know files of that magnitude are in the off-line secure storage in the basement at HQ.  Unless you know of another location?"

[spoiler]
Lone Star knowledge to know where they might store files of that magnitude.
logic 4 + Lone Star 2 =6 (6d6.hits(5)=3)
[/spoiler]

[Hellion]

I will take this job, this man's circumstances are to much like my own, the not knowing the truth drove me up the wall at first
>>WrongConcept-sama I speak only for myself in this but I am willing to take the job, your situation is similar to mine, so I know some of your pain.... I will however wait till you have answers from the other before I start.

[Xzylvador]

Wagner @ all: <<Okay, this sound like job, I accept, but I have questions.>>
Wagner @ all: <<20 years is very long time. Why you look for help only now?>>
Wagner @ all: <<And you have searched before, yes? This is everything you find? And nobody ever try to stop you searching?>>

He read the data and his mind started working.
Why was Ferguson in a loony bin?
What started that fire? Could it have been the bus' fuel?
What happened to Cartier?
The response times were strange too. Gen or Stevensen were the obvious ones to ask questions to, but probably the least likely to talk.

[spoiler]
Knowledge Vehicles (10d6.hits(5)=3)[/spoiler]

[Ren]

”OK then, I’ll answer my own questions.” Concrete’s irritation was clearly there, grinding between the gravel. ”Main location is Seattle, but there might be travel involved. There is no set duration for the job, it’s open-ended. Am I the only one that feels terms are a bit hazy? And that payment should include travel costs?” He looked around the room then grunted as he remembered that some of the icons wouldn’t betray any kind of emotion. ”And Mr. Johnson, quit the BS about the job being legal. You tell us something was obviously hushed up by authorities, and expect us to swallow that statement? Also, between Bug City and the Second Crash, most records of that event might not even exist anymore. That means a huge amount of legwork. With which I have no problem at all, just say so that we see eye to eye.”

[WrongConcept]

[spoiler=@Xzylvador]That bus is an AMZ City Smile, that particular model used electric engine with solar panel on the roof to recharge. Its highly unlikely that any vehicle of that place used Fossil Fuels as the video showed Grid Antennas which means that either there was other combustible to ignite the fire or the fire was started by another means and maybe intentionally.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=@Ren]Please make a Charisma + Negotiation Opposed test against WrongConcept's Charisma + Negotiation. You get a +2 For Pointing the Difficulty Explicitly and +2 for including Travel Cost and a -1 for the Hostile Attitude. WrongConcept's Opposed negotiation test Charisma 2 + Negotiation 3 - He needs the runners for the job 2 (3d6.hits(5)=1)[/spoiler]

When Eye spoke, he listened and focused on the avatar eyes, when she finished he took his time to answer thinking about it and then he spoke:

>>Well you should be right on that Eye, however trying to enter such a secure Node would probably be pretty much to high risk, and most importantly ilegal. Also is unlikely they have it up to date, Bug Citys event whas pretty Blitzkrieg so they wouldn't have had time to download the data before the EMP from the Nuke hit every mayor repeater, also i do have something in mind, i spoke with some friends and Lone Star is offering a bounty, that you can keep completly for every node, damaged or undamaged that you find on Chicago, this one in particular is in good state, but it needs retrieval from a pottentialy dangerous zone. I have a key for the node, so you could pop it open take the info, edit the registry to mark the intrusion at any point before and return it for the bounty home free.

When he finished speaking the polite but unknown named jesterlike avatar spoke, the face of WrongConcept's avatar simply gave him a silent thank you. Then Wagner spoke and on the first question he just looked at the glass floor in shame, but he kept listening, the other questions he listened to them waited a few seconds before answering and spoke again.

>>For the first question... I was to busy feeling miserable and being complete looser, i got better. Yes i have searched before and hard, but not much luck, this is mostly everything i find, i also have the exact location of the Node on Chicago, its on a "reclaimed zone" i don't know what that truly means. Nobody tried to put a bullet on my brain, and it shouldn't be too hard considering my condition, yes i did get a few Lone Star A-holes but i think they are trying to cover up for some mayor screw up on security, it should be safe now, most of the people on charge of Chicago are either dead or retired. The most threatening way to stop me was to charge me with attempted assault at an officer and that didn't go to well for them. And the final reason as to why im doing this now is some sort of convergence, everyone to interrogate is on Seattle and the Node just poped up on Chicago, ive done my best to hide it but it could have alredy been discovered by others.

And then Concrete spoke, he felt it really hard on himself but he had no choice but to man up and take it, so he listened to everything he had to say and when he finished he took some time to calm himself, then to think it over and then he spoke again.

>>Sorry, and yes you are right, Seattle is the main location, if any of you accept it you can go to Chicago and retrieve the node, that will give you access to the Lone Star Bounty that i could if you wish so collect for you and then pay you up, i will not take any fee except for the info i require or you could sell it in the black market. The duration should be 2 weeks top, after that time frame im not sure all the conditions would met as perfectly as they have right now. Yes the terms are a bit Hazy, this is my first time, if you wish the job you have to deal with my noobness i can't avoid it, this is a new world for me. About the BS, sorry but really i think this is legal, im not asking you to steal info or to force people to speak, im asking you to make Private Detective work, yes something was obviously hushed but if it would have been important then the Virtual Underground, Jackpoint or some other place would have spoke about it, so my guess is that Lone Star did something bad or simply did a mayor screw up. Yes this job will require huge amount of legwork, and yes that is the situation.

He looked directly at Concrete's avatar eyes, he was not angry he was determined not to look weaker than what he had alredy, it was a learn fast world or die, and he had stopped wishing for his death a long time ago.

[Ren]

Concrete's attitude eased up slightly on WrongConcept as he gave more and more details on the job and on circumstances. This batch of info was more than he usually got before any job. Still, holding this mirror in front of the Johnson might help each party to survive on the long run, the Johnson gaining experience and them gaining more before a decision had to be made.
[spoiler=negotiation]CHA(3) + Negotiation(1) + modifiers(3) (7d6.hits(5)=1)
Note: not sure on your take about whether Empathy software can be used in VR environments so i rolled those dice separately.
Empathy(3) (3d6.hits(5)=1), If i can use it i have 2 hits altogether.[/spoiler]

[cr4kp0t]

High-Ball listened carefully to all the questions letting a sly smile cross his face and translating to the avatar, for once everyone else was asking all the questions. Managing to keep quiet he thought to himself.

This guy is clearly a total amateur, he anit no REAL Mr. J! Of course it doesn't stop his ineptitude getting me killed either... however it's a good amount of yen for an easy job!

>>I've heard enough I'm in! of course pay WILL need to be negotiated depend on answers to my questions but they will need to wait as i'm not discussing it around people who aren't in.

High-Ball then waits for his potential compatriots to finish their initial inquiries... meanwhile he sets his avatar to idle where he sits down cross-legged and starts to plait his hair.

[MaxKojote]

>>I'm in as well, Herr WrongConcept. I have a couple of questions, but they're not important before our mission actually begins. The voice from his hyperrealistic icon sounded somewhat odd. As if the user wasn't accustomed to speaking aloud too often. He had considered the list of passengers. He'd need to ask what they saw when the event happened. Maybe with enough information he might be able to put together an idea of what actually occurred, with help from the Lone Star files. Given the location, the person behind the Eye icon might be able to contribute some theories.

[farothel]

>> Sticking one up to the Star sounds like fun," Eye said, >> but what is it exactly you want us to do?  Get that record from Chicago, interrogate some ex- or current Star people on what happened?  Get the files from their secure storage?  If it's the latter, then I'm quite sure a payment negotiation will have to follow.