[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena is interested in the young girl in the loose clothes.  She knows when the girl is watching her and studies her back.  She is interesting and clearly out of her element here.  There is no trace of shadow on her, which means that she is inexperienced and perhaps in over her head.  Still, Rabbit trusts her and looks to be trying to bring her along, and that is enough for Yelena for now.  Yelena's attention swivels back to the girl when Rabbit lets slip that she is awakened.  *So, she might have uses if she survives long enough.  There is probably a story there.*  Yelena is impressed when the girl says her piece and shuts up.  Nervous or smart, she had done the right thing.

When the mage sits down, Yelena walks over to her while digging out her silver cigar case and lighter.  Her movement is graceful but purposeful.  Opening the case and holding it out to her, Yelena offers the girl one of her thin cigars.  Taking one herself, she lights up and pulls twice to get a good burn going before looking closely at the girl.  From this distance, the tats on the arms and chest are clearer.  "So.  Rzrgrl not catch name.  Who are?"

[SgtBoomCloud]

Arc blinked twice and raised a brow at the answer the older teen gave, a little surprised that she confirmed herself as being Awakened.   Having a few examples of experience to go by, she didn't seem the type.  Still, the digger was not about to argu with a good skill set, and therefore her trademark grin appeared on her face as she gave a nod.  "That's good to know, thank yeh.  Less factors we have, the easier the next part will be.  Speaking of...". The human's voice trailed off as she grew serious for a moment, leaning forward and looking intently at each of them in turn.

"In gonna be real with all y'all.  My job is to shut that place down.  Explosively.  This drek may be trouble, but by not getting spotted during your stuff tonight is making it easier.  I aim to set the place up to blow like some bad lab accident, anda s a bonus, maybe score a sample of their product or some stuff from their safe.  Now, Rabbit...I'm not gonna lie, I wouldn't mind some help getting me in there and lending dorm support, especially since this gotta happen in the next two days...". Arc eyed Yelena warily, watching her drift over to where the new girl Firefly was seated.  "The amount Rabbit and I agreed upon for you guys was up to this point.  I'm willing to pay it, but if y'all want in on the rest of this op, I'm willing to pay more.  But it's gotta be your decision.  If y'all are in, I can do fifteen hundred.  Each.  And if this goes well, I could he seeing more work and more opportunities to share."

The digger leaned back in her seat, judging their reactions and giving them a moment to mull it over.  "Call's yours, but I need to know who's in and who's out, aight?"

[Shaman_Yuri]

I didn’t realize I had been holding my breath but the dizziness I felt as I relaxed reminded me to breathe.  The response from Arc to my first words to this group was as good as could have been expected.

At least I’m still alive and no one has eaten me raw yet…

Then the rigger got down to the bottom line, making it clear what my team and I might be in for.

Wow…this is, like, real stuff.  A shadowrun.  I’m bring invited on a shadowrun.

I’m not sure whether to be excited, terrified, or both.  But she seems to be honest and fair.  A look at Lexi and Bootstrap tell me all I needed to know about where they stood – they were in even before the pay was discussed.

Fifteen hundred!  And by the sound of it, nuyen and not debased UCAS dollars.  Fifteen hundred for a night’s work?  By the Prophet, with money like that maybe escaping the Yak noose isn’t a pipe dream!  If I can keep this alternate income secret from George until I have amassed a serious payment on the loan, I may finally have a way out of this trap.

For the second time this evening, greed overtakes my heart. 

If I play my cards right here, I might get a better deck AND start buying myself out of indentured servitude.

And if I played my cards wrong, I’d be dead.

It was a gamble.  But would there be any better chance?  If I don’t take this opportunity, will Allah give me any other that would be better?

I already know the answer.  I’d pledged myself to Lexi and our team.  We’d agreed if the price was right that we’d run this all the way.  Fifteen hundred sounded right.  I couldn’t imagine anyone negotiating any more given our youth and (lack of) experience, and if someone could, that would be Lexi.  I catch the younger girl’s eye and give the signal she’d shown me to indicate “I understand.”  The next step with Arc was in her hands.

And anyway, I now have my hands full.  For whatever reason, the imposing elf woman had made her way to stand over me.  It takes me a moment to process that she is offering me a cigar.

Now I’m no stickler for vices, mind you.  If something floats your boat, by all means do whatever you want as long as you don’t bother me.  Smoking, sex, drugs, alcohol, BTLs – I know they exist.  Knock yourself out.  But for myself, I had never partaken in any of it.  I wasn’t really that interested.  Most of it is a sin, and I made a choice to follow the Prophet’s teachings.  Still, smoking tobacco wasn’t prohibited.  Discouraged, yes, at least for women.  But when I visited Constantinople, there were people smoking everywhere.  Some of the smells seemed more pleasant than others, but I never felt drawn to partake beyond second hand.

Now I have a real live shadowrunner standing over me offering me a smoke.  The scariest person I think I’ve ever seen in person.

How can I say no?

I reach out, trying hard to keep from trembling in my nervousness, and pick out one of the rolled cylinders from the box.  Despite my best efforts it takes me two tries to successfully pick one up.  Watching the woman carefully, I mimic her actions as I hold the cigar and permit her to light it for me.

“My…name is Firefly,” I answer her richly accented question in the most clearly enunciated English I can manage.  Slavic, no doubt.  Russian perhaps.  Continuing to mimic the elf I take the end of the little rod to my lips, close my mouth, and breathe in.

And proceed to cough to the point of gagging.  I manage to keep the cigar in my fingers…barely.  The pungent smoke burns in my throat and mouth.  My lungs protest, and I cannot stop my coughing fit despite my best efforts.  Even my perfect time sense loses track as I attempt to reclaim my breath…

[SgtBoomCloud]

The moment had been serious.  Somber, even.  The gravity of just the kind of job Arc was offering these kids, and the comparatively lucrative pay to come with it, seemed to hang in the air like some heavy cloud as Yelena drifted over to be social to the heavily garbed girl hanging in the back.  What transpired next, however, broke that ice like some great hammer, the fit of coughs and sputterings coming from Firefly catching the older rigger off guard.  Her brow raised and lips parted, the mechanic tilted her head slightly before a wide smile broke on her face, opening into a bout of laughter.

"Bahahaha, ohh man.  Take it easy, oma-e, don't die on me.  First time?  Just puff it, don't breathe it.  Frag it, Rzrgirl, what you tryna do, huh, kill off my new crew?  Yeesh.."  The stout girl's demeanor  had shifted, even if only for the moment, taking on a jovial tone as she thumped her cyberhand against the couch in her bemused state.  Shaking her head, she pinched at her brow before waving to Firefly.

"Here, take some caf, Firefly, ya will feel better."  Grabbing a cup, she offered it up after sitting up and leaning forward.  "Now, back to business, if y'all are in, I wanna hear what you guys think of how to get in for this job.  I can handle the boom part, null sweat on that, and the transportation and extra eyes drek as well.  What about you guys?  What would you wanna add to the table?"

[ismilealot]

@ Jed. When you return to Marcos place after the meeting it's to find that Snowdon has rearranged the apartment furniture and removed some things. When you ask him about it he says. "It was mathematically imprecise before. I fixed the ratios and spatial inconsistencies." He has that childhood look on his face again.

[ismilealot]

@ Marco. Send during the night your bank account receives a much needed 1500¥ from Sophie and 4500¥ from the doctor. And Ginny sleeps like a windmill in a storm. She's in constant motion and can't keep her covers on even though she's quite clearly cold and keeps coming to Marta for warmth.

[ismilealot]

@ Arc & Yelena. Rabbit looks at you and says, "Team is six Mtlgurl. Three still watch. We see, you see. Two good hopscotch. One distract.  One messenger. I sneak. Firefly hack. They know. You know Mtlgurl. Team can sneak. Bomb not sneak Mtlgurl. But all else. Can play tag. Can mojo hide. You want. We do" She looks at you earnestly. Trying  to impress you with their abilities.

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena is hardly surprised by the girl's near immediate reaction.  Firefly had seemed hesitant but too willing to try to appear older and ready.  Perhaps this will keep her off the things and maybe even think before just doing something to look cool.  Yelena carefully removes the cigar from Firefly's fingers before she drops it somewhere and starts a fire.  Tapping out the smoldering end, Yelena replaces the cigar in her case.  She watches as Arc brings some caf over then says, "Rzrgrl sorry.  Very strong.  Firefly stay away from but let Rzrgrl know if want more."  Yelena straightens and gives Arc a wink before moving over to one of the work benches and ducking down to pick something up, using the moment to laugh to herself.  *Maybe girl stay off smoke.* 

When she stands up she goes to the living are for her case and brings it out to the garage.  Opening it, she removes the parts of the sniper rifle and lays them on the bench.  As she starts to dissemble the pieces to clean them, she asks, "So.  When do place?"

[gilga]

@Marta is half a sleep, in some lucid state. As the night progresses she becomes more aware to the night. Perhaps it is the alcohol that fades out and the massive amounts of sex that cleared her system.

"That... 'stranger' is sleeping in my bed." If there is one thing Marta was not used to it was sharing a bed, her own bed. It happened with Yelena and now with Ginny. Twice in one week, never before, but while Yelena offers a temptation difficult to contain. Ginny was a sexy distraction from a really repulsive client, the kind that even generous payment will not comfort that feeling of filth. Sure they had their fun, and it felt amazing, what Ginny lacked in skills she made up for it in eagerness to please. So they fucked like bunnies - it is fun. They fucked like bunnies in her apartment - rare but acceptable. "I just shared my apartment with a complete stranger and took her to bed... I am a a mess. She thinks clearly for the first this night. "I picked a girl at the boat, replaced her dirty street clothes with nice clothes, washed the filth away from her. Then I got her to prostitute herself for me and if that wasn't enough she still wanted to pleasure me. We fucked like bunnies all night long and she was so greatfull and eager to please.

This is what I did to her in just few hours. A genius, that lives like a squatter and is completely lost without her benefactor that clearly took advantage of her to Mule his drugs. Yet, she has no friends and had I ignored her she would probobly end up in the streets who knows how long she can survive there.

She is a sick person that replaced one extreme dependency toward Sebastian with another extreme dependency toward me. Socially crippled, this is the real reason why she cannot find a job, clearly horizon cannot be that powerful and cooperate steal scientists from each other all the time. There are 9 other mega cooperations and thousands of smaller ones - Horizon is just an excuse.  She is now extremely dependent on me... poor woman, so much wasted potential."

Marta was not sure if she feel aroused by the potency of playing Ginny like that or terrified from that same potency. She will have to figure out how to behave in the morning.

[SgtBoomCloud]

Arc quieted up real quick as Rabbit started talking about details that were missed, her expression stiffening a little as she watched the scrawny teen while she talked.  First important detail was the team size...which was double what Arc had thought, and well over what available cred she promised.  Well, if I drop price now, they likely won't do it.  I mean, we're blowing up a fragging lab here...  Pinching her brow, she looked back up and glanced over at Yelena as she had returned, seeing her clean...her sniper rifle case?   In front of kids?!  Smirking to herself, she closed her eyes for a moment, using it to mentally send off a message to her Sruiken.

<<@Yelena: Hey girly.  You tryna impress big on them with that gun, huh?  Team is six instead of three, and can't pay em all the 1.5K each.  Think I can take out a small loan?>>

This job was shaping up to not be a profitable one out the gate...but if NineLives was right, future jobs will likely pay more, which means things should work out fine.  Consider this drek a lesson in fixin', then...huh  Chuckling, her attention turned to the second detail: the makeup of the team. a brow raised as he deciphered it.  So two good parkourists.  A good distractor...must be Bootstrap, he did the fireworks last night huh?  A communicator, that wouldn't suck to avoid Matrix use...Rabbit sneaks...and wait what?  Firefly DECKS?!  But she mojos as well?  Frag...Rabbit is sitting on a gold mine and don't know it

When the human's attention brought her back to the forefront, she realized that her gaze had fallen on the now revealed Decker, which she snapped back to the table between the group.   While the Russian cleaned...and then asked the question of when, the human cracked her neck, her smile returning.

"Well...wiz.  Offer still stands, you did good leaving some to watch.  You're right, the bomb ain't sneaky.  Nor am I too much, but that stands to reason, ehe.  Now..."  Brushing a stray hair from her face, Arc pulled up the drawn map again, using her cyberhand to make a show of interacting with it while her mind did all the manipulations.  "This does make things interesting...Yelena, guessing you want in on this too?  Aight, we are gonna plan for all this to go down Saturday...but if conditions are right--there's a point where fragging no one is at this place--we gon' go in sooner, aight?  Wiz."

"Just an easy plan at this point, but I think we got what it takes.  Our distraction will draw attention for these Green Goblin hoops while we get to making our move.  If we can, we wanna get in on the half floor, and with help from our hopscotch buddies, that might be aight.  Any help to get me in unnoticed is wiz, trust me.  Keeping an eye on them is necessary too...a lookout, but with their chrome, should be easy.  Now, I'll likely need a moment to rig up my drek to blow, but the real challenge will be the bonus deal: If we have the time to, I wanna get in the safe.  Rabbit, this is important...did you see what kind of safe it was, or at least the type of lock?  I'm no lockjack, but..."  Lifting her cybernetic hand up, she held out the index finger, which opened up to an adjustable socket wrench for a moment.  "I'm good with hardware drek if it calls for it.  If not, we may be needing our decker to crack it..."

"Either way, after that's done, it's just a matter of kipping outta there, setting the things off, and getting away.  Simple, we go home, I'll have the money Sunday.  Questions, suggestions?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena is cleaning the rifle and listening at the same time as the activity with the weapon is more to give her hands something to do.  She nods at Arc and responds to her question.  >>Is good.  Anything Yelena has also belong Srui.  Can help pay team advance if want.<<

Her eyes flicker to the mojo slinger when Rabbit says she is a decker as well.  That is sufficiently rare as to cause Yelena to take another look at the girl.  She seems young to have such skills, but Yelena herself had special skills at that age and can accept them in another.  There is probably a story there.  Still, the nervousness is not faked, implying that she has no real experience on the street.  She could be a liability and would need to be watched.  Arc cannot afford liabilities at this point so the girl will be watched.

[SmilinIrish]

With Blake:
"Marco.  He wishes his hoop was here, but apparently his personal job or some drek like that came up. Wanna be the one that passes the info on, be my guest." .She crosses her arms again, looking off to the side.  Might need some convincing though.  So far we don't have any noted results, just losses, and on more than one time he's shown signs of wanting to bolt.  Good luck."

Marco is motivated by his personal relationships, not so much money.  Have you seen his place?  He's got money.  Highlight the likelyhood that he'll find out more about Sam, and you might keep his attention.  He might just do it to back up his friends.  I'm in.  I can't stand to see magic misused this way.  That's my motivation.  Of course, can't work without money.  So that is there too. 

Jed looks at Blake. I'm Jed.  I'm a relatively talented mage, but I'm old as shit.  Finding information is my schtick.  I like to scout places, do some surveillance, but I'm not much good for an assault.  I'm pretty knowledgeable about spirits, and about magical theory.  You give me a sample of that drug, and I think I can figure something out with it.  I might even be able to lead us to the place they're made if they are fresh enough. 

Jed looks at Yelena Milaya, I need to talk to you about something tomorrow.  Let me know when you have a free minute. I've got an unexpected visitor crashing at my office, so I'll meet you like this.

Jed waves farewell to the group and returns to Marco's apartment.

@ Jed. When you return to Marcos place after the meeting it's to find that Snowdon has rearranged the apartment furniture and removed some things. When you ask him about it he says. "It was mathematically imprecise before. I fixed the ratios and spatial inconsistencies." He has that childhood look on his face again.

Well, I'm sure its better now, but this isn't your house.  Please be considerate of other people's things.    About that time the grocery delivery arrived.  Jed realizes as the delivery guy stands there that he is waiting for a tip.  Oops.  Trying to hide his embarrasment, he opts for a charade instead.  Putting on his best grouchy old man face and voice, I already paid for the food when I ordered it.  Don't stand there like I'm going to pay for it a second time!  Maybe I'll tell my son to find a different store if you are going to play these kind of games   Jed quickly shuts the door.  Now that Marco's furniture is messed up and his delivery guy is pissed off, Jed isn't likely to be welcome here again.  He fires off a short message to Marco with a heads up.  He sees that it is read but not responded to.  He's probably busy right now. 

Joshua, where is the rest of the furniture? Jed cringed.  He had a feeling he wasn't going to like the answer. 

[Shaman_Yuri]

Breathe.

It sounds so easy, but when you can't nothing else really matters.  I suspect I hacked and gagged for maybe thirty seconds before I could focus on anything else.  It's unusual for me to be unsure.  I open my tearing eyes and see I've made quite the center of attention.  Bootstrap looks a mixture of worried and awed at my treatment by the elf woman.  Rabbit is equally awed, but also amused.  I get the feeling she'll be teasing me about this when we're old and gray.

Assuming Allah wills that we live that long.

My pride takes yet another dive when I discover the extent of the amusement I've given the adults.  I guess I'll just have to accept being "the kid".  Still, they don't seem disappointed.  If this was the initiation, I don't think I failed.  I still can't fathom what Razorgirl is thinking, though.  Her eyes are unfathomable and her aura...I hope someday to find out what can lead to an aura like that.

Someday, I think as she gives me a look which seems to peek into my soul and I have to look away.

Not today.

I listen carefully to the conversation unfolding around me.  No more woolgathering, Thurrayya!  It really isn't hard, though.  So much about the conversation draws my attention.

It really does seem that Arc is the leader.  She seems smart, but also wise.  I'm placing my life in her hands, I know.  Someone I just met.  But Lexi trusts her and I've never known anyone with a better survival instinct than my best friend.  If Lexi trusts Arc, so will I.  And again, if this goes well, maybe the rigger will be able to teach me how a techie can survive the streets.

And Razorgirl?  Let's just say I have no doubt that if she wants me alive, I'll stay alive.  If she wants me dead, I'm dead.  The cigar aside, I'm pretty sure she wants me alive.  I'll do my best to keep it that way.  It's thrilling to be around her.  She's so confident.  Even without magesight, her presence is so powerful.  I want to learn from Arc; I want to be like Razorgirl.

I think.

But the aura...

Since I've made a point to focus on the conversation I know I've been called out.  A lock?  Well, if it's electronic and I can jack into it, I don't see why not.  Breaking security algorithms was my bread and butter back home.  Still, if I had a better deck...

"You...you mentioned...getting some samples of the tech before we destroy the rest," I say into the silence after Arc is finished speaking.  "If there are decks...in there, I wouldn't mind a better one."  I pat my thigh where my little Erika is stored in a pocket of my jumpsuit underneath my abaya.  "I had to leave my deck behind several months back and my current deck is a bit limited.  I...uh...wouldn't mind trading up."

Wow, I managed to say it!  And only stumbled a few times.  I know it will be Arc who speaks, and as a techie I have to believe she'll understand.  For some reason my eyes dart over to see how Razorgirl reacts.  I hope this little girl who can't handle a smoke asking such a thing right after joining their group doesn't disappoint her.  I really want her to like me...

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena's hands are racing through the disassembly of the long rifle.  She checks parts for minute specks of dirt of fuzz; anything that will affect the accuracy of the weapon.  She catches the new kid, Firefly, watching her a couple of times.  She realizes that the girl is new to this, but she has been quiet and mostly smart.  Taking the cigar was a failed test, but one Yelena is sure Firefly will not forget, and that makes the failure worth it.  Other than that, she said her piece and knew when to shut up and not say too much.  And piping up about needing a new deck took some guts in this situation.  So the next time the girl looks at Yelena, she give her a slight smile and a nod of the head. 

[gilga]

“Such a sweet piece of ass”... It was morning and and Marco was blissfully looking at naked Ginny that was laying on his bed right next to him. “Time to go home...” It took Marco a moment, the night was a bit fuzzy and he was not himself in more than one manner. “But I am home... oh deer what have I done, I need a shower!” He got up carefully not to wake Ginny, it has been a while since Ginny had a really good night sleep. Marco had a growing suspicion... “I was robbed!” He cried, "but how?!" His apartment was a mess the bar chairs were nowhere to be found... no the bar itself was nowhere to be found. The kitchen table had just 3 chairs placed at accurate 90 degrees angles. The lamp he replaced after Yelena's sexy butt pushed it off the bar, that one was gone too.  “Why do my decorative lamps keep go missing? My home, my fortress it was violated.” 

It could not have been Ginny although Marco already regretted his kindness. She was not alone in his flat for a single moment.  It had to be Jed and Snowden, there was no other explanation he left them unattended in his apartment and they robbed him.
He texts Jed angrily “JED!!!! WHERE IS MY FREAKING BAR!?!"  was what he wanted to write. This is how he really felt, how ever being socially skilled - he decided that the caps were too much. He therefore texted >> Dear Jed, where is my freaking bar?!?!, love Marco.
Perhaps the Dear and the Love would make it sound less like a death threat and more like a question. If Marco ever seriously considered to start killing people it was now. “Jed and Snowden they will be my first victims.” He thought, and picture how he could toss them off his balcony, it was a blissful moment of joy.

The balcony... going to the balcony to get some air. That Balcony told a disturbing story. On the grass outside the building was his bar.. tossed from the 11th floor. “I’ll have some big problems with the neighbors now... this is not acceptable”  The thought that Marco might lose the contract were difficult to bare and Marco felt like his entire world is collapsing. “This can’t be happening to me why did these psychos took my beautiful bar and threw it away of the balcony, what are they rock stars?! Hotel Marco is closed for renovations”
Marco wanted to cry, instead he put some soft and sad Jazz music at a low volume not to wake up Ginny - even at this emotional state he was considerate of others.  He then texted Yelena.

>>Yelena, can you meet? I need someone to talk to.

He couldn’t explain, why the badass runner that genuinely scared him was the one to call to at this desperate hour.  Marco was not even sure that Yelena is a good listener, if she can actually understand why he is upset. His eyes were red when he entered he shower. The hot water comforted him and for a little while he could imagine that his appartment is decorated just like he wants it to. That he has no stranger flatmate and that Humanity is more then a bunch of worthless scums that waste oxygen.