[Mercy Merchant]

Athos enters the club and looks around, but does not really think the Blue will be there yet.  He finds a nice booth and sits.  A pretty waitress comes by and takes his order, bringing him his drink.  He nurses the drink and savors the feeling as the liquid fire smoothly runs down his throat. 

[gilga]

@Athos within the chaos of the city the Matchstick is in a different reality as if everybody have decided to pretend it is 1950. Ofcourse it is not a complete illusion as nobody even understand how life were back than and comlinks, retro style black and white AR decoration and people with smart febrics that appear to be taken from another time is what you see in there. Due to a common misconception - most clothes are black and white as is every recorded memory from that era.

There is a lady singing on stage, you are not certain exactly what song but it appears to be a classic - probably cover music. People are seating, some are dancing enjoying good cigars and talking. Nobody seem to take notice of you in particular, although the hostess recognizes you by name and invite you in with smile.

Despite the somewhat disconnected atmosphere many of the chatter is of recent events. People are unarmed as Matchstick is secure. It is not far from the Lone Star building that is now the KE headquarters after they lost the contract for Seattle few years ago. You encounter your 'old friend' Winter by the bar and he seems down - just orders in more and more expensive whiskey. Lora is nowhere to be found, but will she enter this club with the KE chief in the same not very large club?

[All4BigGuns]

@Edge as you arrive to the brothel you notice two lady's that are waiting outside, one with clear mouse features such as ears and tail and the other is taller and clearly human with green eyes and dark hair.

As he comes to a stop, Edge takes note of the two women standing outside. Not knowing who they are, he puts the car in park and leans back waiting for those he's supposed to meet, one hand surreptitiously on the Light Fire hidden in the center console. Before he puts his other hand on his knife, he sends a quick message <<At coordinates now. Waiting in the silver Hyundai Shin-Hyung with twin blue stripes down the side.>>

[Mercy Merchant]

Athos looks at Winter's back as he walks into the bar.  He pauses for a minute to look around, but does not see Lora so he must be early.  Athos walks to the bar and takes a seat next to Winter, ordering a nice beer and motioning to give Winter another of what he is already drinking.  He has been around enough drunks to know that the man may talk.  He certainly seems down about something and the liquor might let him open up a bit.  He softly addresses the KE man.  "Hello, Commander.  Fancy seeing you here.  I did not figure you for a retro type.  Have another of what you are drinking; it is on me.  So what brings you here?"

[gilga]

@Athos Winter smiles at you and say "No hard feelings Athos, we were trying to save the city... all is lost now - and no I actually hate this place. I am leaving tonight before I am terminated - you see at my executive level a termination is a bullet to the head. I failed to protect this city - and violated like 100's of UCAS laws with no results, the government would not have it. The knights would not have it - I am finished.  "

[Mercy Merchant]

Athos looks sideways at the man.  "Hmmm.  I keep hearing a lot of people tell me that they are finished.  That all they were working for is gone and over.  No hope, all that sort of fragging drek.  Are you really interested in making a difference, or is that talk cheaper than the suit that man near the music box machine thing is wearing?  Would you want to come work for me?  I am looking for people who want to make a difference.  Yeah, I am a gangster, and some of my people are smugglers and the like, but that is just a way to earn a living and put food on the table.  I need someone to lead and train my security force.  The last candidate lacked vision and enough backbone to try and he backed out.  What do you say?  Can you look past my background and get on board with this?  You can drink your way into hell or flee the city like a failure with a mark on his head, or you can join up and make a difference for those that survive what is happening.  It would probably mean a serious cut in pay and might even get you killed, but it is something worth doing.  And it would mean getting your mind around the idea that your old friends will likely be your enemies and your old enemies can be your new best friends."

Athos stands and pats Winter on the back.  "Sit here and think about it through that next drink.  I am expecting to meet a good friend at that booth over there.  You do not like her and she does not like you, but this is a different world today than it was yesterday, and that means many things can and need to change, so please do not create a problem with her.  If you want to think longer, here is my comm code.  Use it.  Make the right choice for the people of Seattle, not just yourself."

He will wait a few seconds to see if the man will respond, planning on moving to the booth to wait for Lora if he does not.

[gilga]

@maxwell It is already late evening when Strawberry tells you that you are free to leave. She blindfold you and lead you through her massive underground complex into the sewers, you are wounded - you bled a lot while you were out it is way into the night. "Take this dagger - you seem determined to follow a path whenre you need it - about half a mile at this pipe there is a pump room. Enter it and lock the door after you, you should be safe in there. " , she then adds - "The vampire's layer is not very far from where we are.

(You are north in the Barrens, way north in the areas where nobody lives anymore.)

@Athos - Winter said "I am finished as a chief of police but I still have a few tricks and many connections.  I am meeting a Shadowrunner in here - the best there is. She'll deliver me across the border to the Tir, where I am going to do some military consulting . I can also help you deliver goods - if you need weapons, we can trade.

You have to be careful tough,  the AI that escaped - the one that I am losing my job over - she is dangerous. Already she controls all the prisoners and knights that were in that facility. It was a grave mistake to allow her to live and hubris to think that we could use her - because she is smarter and more sophisticated than us.

I am not sure what she is after, but she amassed magical muscle that is supprior to anything else in this city and she extracts mages from cooperations and raid shadowrunners. It seems like she is palnning somthing big, and I am not just saying that to sell you more arms."


When Winter starts talking Cat interferes "Red cannot access the mages magical ability while driving them. I am certain of that."
 

[gilga]

@Kynos riding the bikes takes you swiftly to the castle - when you approach it the AR dwarf projection greets you by saying "GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE, ONE MORE STEP AND WE BLOW YOUR HEAD OFF" is the nicest thing anyone has told you all day. The guards quickly show you your way through the minefield, you are safe - for now.

In the lobby around boxes of ammunition Gerald waits for you, "I am glad you could make it Kynos, these are difficult days - too many Zombies and limited bullets."

[Jack_Spade]

"Yeah, thanks for having me.

I'm going to keel over in about a minute.
If you have a trustworthy doctor or nurse that could take care of me, I'd be much obliged. I'll compensate you of course.

Any news of DemoX? While I was trying to find my mage chummer that could have a spirit look for him, I was attacked by a rigger with a bunch of rotor drones with grenade launchers.
If you have a decent hacker at hand here, I'd pay him handsomely if he can trace the exact location of the rigger. I want to talk with him - not only because he blew me up but I also suspect a connection between him and DemoX' kidnapping.
Here, I sent you the details I have on the rigger."

Kynos activated his commlink to send a short message to his fixer: <<I'm with the Nukes for the moment. Send me a message if any of my chummers looks for me. Love Kynos>>

[Mulcarn]

Maxwell nods and takes the knife, holding it in his left hand.  "Thanks, maybe we'll meet again on better footing.  Never planned for this to be, never meant to turn your dreams into ash.  Even if you can't remember who you used to be and don't care to, it doesn't mean you are any less than what you could do with your strength.  Best of luck in your crucible, I know you won't want mine."

He turns his back to her, still holding the dagger.  Making his way down the sewer would take some time.  The pain in his stomach and chest didn't ebb and forced him to take it slow.  His right arm wrapped across his belly and grabbed his side, shambling at a casual speed.  Restful sleep would be heavenly right now.  What little muscle he had in his thin bony body was taxed beyond belief from bruises and Drain.  Not much kept him upright and walking other than willpower, or a dark will.

Later...

After what felt like an eternity, Maxwell arrives at the door to the pump room.  Following Strawberry's advice, once he opened the door and entered he closed and locked it behind him.  An unknown fate awaited.  Before going any further he peers into this rusted darkness to see if he could make out anything.

[spoiler]Perception: 7d6t5 5
Only count 3 Hits because I forgot to factor in the low-light penalty.  I think that applies here but not 100% sure.[/spoiler] 

[gilga]

@Kynos
Gerld tells you - I have a suspicion who took DemoX - I think these are the Yaks, Mr. Andu's branch. My contact in their organization admitted of having him but did not admit or deny 'taking him'. When I asked him how they got him he said that "It's complicated" - about your mystery rigger I have no idea, try to mark one of his drones with a stealth tag next time you see him. There is a big prize on DemoX - 30k offered anonymously on shadow grid - I suspect that the Yaks are going to sell him to that anonymous buyer, I may have heads up from my contact but it may require some serious convincing.

The castle has a small medical facility with high end autodoc and nurse drones. Gerald shows you in and a skinny woman Introduces herself "I am Jess, the mechanic - I keep this place running." She is clearly not one of the nukes - she talk differently and perhaps have even been to collage.

You are welcome to stay as much as you need, the drones are a bit glitchy but I keep them functional with the parts I have.

@Maxwell the pump room is dark, very dark and the only light is the led from the pump that indicates that the pump works. It is loud and a bad place to rest, but as you inspect the room you find that something moved, trying to evade you. You almost didn't notice it but you did. Ninja stealthy - you are not alone in that room.

Outside of the room you hear many steps someone - many someones are walking there, then there are knocks on the pump room - "We know you are in there! Open up or we'll force our way in." They say and you have no idea, who are they talking to. You or your stealthy friend.

[Mulcarn]

The sound startles Maxwell's heart to pound and he mutters a curse under his breath.  He wasn't alone and he was probably being hunted too.  His two options were to surrender himself to the mercy of the search party or parley with one of the infected.  He choose the latter and went ever more into the nebulous dark.  Putting as much distance as he could between himself and the door without stumbling in a wretched abyss.

[gilga]

@Maxwell the room is not very big and the pump takes most of it. You settle where the pump is between you and the door and there you see it again a movement, agile quite for a moment you see and then it disappeared. It is something quick, bigger than a mouse but smaller than a man and very sneaky.

[Mulcarn]

Panting and having difficulty catching his breath.  Doing double takes across the room as he notices movement within the dark.  Maxwell talks to the flighty shade in whispers loud enough to be heard but not enough to carry out of the room.  "Whoever you are, i'm not with them.  Can you help me find my way through here?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Athos nods, putting two and two together and arriving at the conclusion that Blue is not here to really see him, but Winter.  That saddens him a bit, but he shrugs his shoulders, exchanging comm codes with the man and promising to look him up.  At least Faith might be pleased at the turn of events.  He goes to a booth where he can see the door and sits down to wait for the woman to show up.