[Jack_Spade]

"No, I'm not sure of anything. But Gerald probably would have mentioned that before he send me to fetch him. I've got to give this car back anyway, so that's where we are going."
With that Kynos set course to the compound.

[Mulcarn]

The added pressure from the hug makes him wince a bit as his bruises are stimulated, but he returns the hug nonetheless.  Squeezing her tight for a few moments as she hastily explains herself.  When she was finished he breaks away slightly and tells her.  "It took me longer to find you than I anticipated.  Would have called sooner on that special commlink you had me build but I didn't want to risk putting you in an even worse spot.  Found this place by accident honestly, but nevermind that.  Last I heard you were being harrowed by Venom.  Are you okay?"  Maxwell tilts his head down to her in concern, trying to see if she's alright physically.

[gilga]

@Kynos the way to the Nukes is uneventful if there were hordes of zombies crawling the city there aren't now. Perhaps even the undead take a day off. Perhaps their numbers were dramatically reduced before. You get the nukes greeting and reach their space.

@Maxwell When you hug her you can feel that her warmth is gone, she is room temperature. Yet she feels lively and happy - "I was sort of forgotten here, kidnapped to protect the conspiracy to take over the city.
I was to kill every Decker that got close to discovering what Grail had in mind, initially he allowed me back with my friends but he grew paranoid over time and decided to keep me close.

Then few days ago, he finally made a move on the city striking government agencies, the mega's  the entire package. I was sure that he was going to claim city hall and use his new army to control the city but he did not. He disappeared without a trace. I am here for a few days already, forgotten at this joint if there was no matrix access I'd go insanely bored."

[Mercy Merchant]

Athos nods and waves at Bruno then turns back to the lieutenant.  "Thank you for the map and the information.  I am afraid that this is not going to do me much good without someone to help.  Is there anyone available that can navigate using this map?  If so, I will be just over there getting gear ready, so send them over.  If not, I will try it alone.  You got a few minutes, tops."

[Mulcarn]

The lack of heat within her was disquieting and worrisome.  He listens intently to her story, much of what she said had made sense and matched up to the events going on in the city.  Seeing her joyful exuberance did reassure him slightly.  Still, he couldn't shake these pangs of dread he was feeling.  "I see, that puts things in a new light.  I've been working on trying to find the man but he's more elusive than the wind.  If no one has been here in days then why not leave?  Is there something else keeping you here?  And are you sure you're doing alright?  You feel... cold."

Maxwell tries to look at her aura with his mage sight and see if she's ill or not.

[spoiler]Assensing: 2d6t5 1 [2d6t5=6, 1]
Not sure if this counts as a glitch.[/spoiler]

[gilga]

@Athos The lieutenant tells you "Take Paprika she is a good tracker, but not so good cook. It was a bit of a risky delivery but pays well... among other things we deliver... em... 'food' to the undead. "

@Maxwell Amy is clearly awakened and her aura looks a bit sick. More than that you cannot tell.  "I am feeling alright - in fact I have never felt so good in my life. I haven't eaten for a long while... now that I think about it."
Then she smells something and freezes as if her attention was broken... What happens after surprises Maxwell - Amy, jumps and moves with incredible grace and speed, grabs Titiana and holds her her against the wall. She licks her lips and say with empathy "You poor thing... I released you out of compassion and still you came to this horrible place... you are so... tasty... you should not have come here."

The terrified pixie just freezes and is unable to speak.

[Jack_Spade]

Kynos closed the door on the car and strode towards Gerald:
"Hi, yet again DemoX slipped through my fingers. But this gentleman assures me he can find the tag placed on his kidnappers - given enough noise reducing equipment.
Also I've got one of the commlinks of the mercenaries. Do you think one of your guys can crack the files on it, so we might get in contact or even locate the comms of the rest of the group?"

[Mulcarn]

Maxwell knew something was wrong, her awakened aura confirmed his bleak suspicion.  Amy had been turned by Grail, probably the only way to get her to comply with his demands was infection.  Now she had Titania pinned against the wall and was getting ready to eat her.  He wasn't going to let that happen.  Not if he could help it, not after Titania just escaped.  Maxwell shifts back to meat space then creates a magical flame within his hand and hurls it at the ground between the two.

[spoiler]Force 5 Flamethrower: 11d6t5 4
Drain Resist: 11d6t5 4[/spoiler]
The spell creates a small blaze, big enough to shock and grab Amy's attention.  Maxwell raises his voice, pleading with her.  "Stop this!  Let her go!  You don't have to feed on her.  You said it yourself, you released her out of compassion.  What was the point of freeing her if you are just going to kill her anyway?"

[gilga]

@Kynos Gerald say "Decking a comlink? this is piece of cake if the owner is not around. We have an agent for these kind of things - don't require real skill just equipment." Shortly after the comlink is hacked, browsing the comlink you see some correspondence with 'Mr. Boom Boom' dated to yesterday noon.

Boom Boom >> I am not sure what they want but this time it seems serious. I was captured by the Yaks and depending on how much they know they have good reasons to murder me.  I am closing in on a pay day to pay you back, please I need a solid.


Blades>> BB I am in town working tough, I'll see what I can do for you if they do kill you they did the world a favor.

Boom Boom>> Very funny Blades, you know I am good for it - I am this close of getting your money.

There is more, a conversation with Casa
>>Casa, It's Balcony - guess who is begging for help? it is BB our friend. He got himself wrapped up in somthing twisted, we were looking for him and he came to us. We'll secure him and deliver him to your suite - perhaps you are better at collecting than myself.

>> Balcony,  Room 1103 you know the door code, I'll meet you there after the party.

Shortly after
>> Casa I am down wounded - so i am laying low for a while BB is even hotter than we anticipated there was another professional on his tail. It might be a hot ride so I am out of the picture for now.  Finestra knows what she needs to know. Peace out.

[gilga]

@Edge + Minnie upon contacting Strawberry she is reluctant to add another runner to the team not wanting to delay any longer. "If you have to do it you'll have to split the reward." She finally say, obviously she is afraid of conflict of interests again after what happened with DemoX Kynos and Maxwell. As you speak Venom comes out of the brothel and introduces himself "You can call me Gi" He say. He is no longer wearing his distinctive cyberarm and instead he is wearing a business suit. He seems comfortable in it, and quite handsome in it.
 

[gilga]

@Maxwell Amy said "I was... but then she was faraway from here.... and I could not smell her... " She seems embarrassed not sure what to do " I have never fed like this before I am not even sure how to do it... I must learn somehow tough - and with Grail gone I am kind of stuck here... I blend online -but on the real world? I do not belong in public anymore. It is best if the Brain eaters never know what he did to me." Then to the Pixie "Sweetie... I... I... will not eat you now." She say and reluctantly releases Titania  that can barely move out of fear. Titania seem to have a difficult time processing that Amy did not eat her.

[All4BigGuns]

@Edge + Minnie upon contacting Strawberry she is reluctant to add another runner to the team not wanting to delay any longer. "If you have to do it you'll have to split the reward." She finally say, obviously she is afraid of conflict of interests again after what happened with DemoX Kynos and Maxwell. As you speak Venom comes out of the brothel and introduces himself "You can call me Gi" He say. He is no longer wearing his distinctive cyberarm and instead he is wearing a business suit. He seems comfortable in it, and quite handsome in it.

With the pay being so low, Edge is reluctant to split it further but keeps it in mind. As the man exits the brothel, he looks him over and says, "Hop in, but stay low. I'll get you where you're going. We just need to act natural--well as natural as someone driving in the barrens can look."

With that, while he speaks, he transmits a quick message to Hot Rod <<Amanda, hon, I might need a bit of cover fire. Gotta take someone to safety, and he's apparently a 'hot commodity'. Keep a lock on my signal and between us, this guy should stay safe.>>

[spoiler]
Being his fiancee, what's his will eventually be half hers anyway, so she may not ask for pay (especially given the nigh-max Loyalty).
[/spoiler]

[Mulcarn]

Maxwell's defensive stance had eased somewhat, but he was still on edge.  He was delighted to see Amy stave off her own hunger and relinquish her hold on Titania.  Soothingly he speaks to her.  "No, it's good that you wanted to help Titania.  It's even better that you still have your humanity, despite what Grail did to you.  I thought that if you did what he asked then he wouldn't turn you.  What happened?  What made Grail go back on his word?"

[gilga]

@Amy say "This is very embarrassing, in some very twisted way Grail is a charming person, he wants to enslave us all and make us his cattle but he say so in such a way that makes sense, until you snap out of it that is. Pixies are a rare delicacy to them - like a powerful drug. To the pixie ... Sorry sweetie, you were cloned as vampire food this world is not fair."

She shrugs "he has willing victims that offer themselves - they like him they want to give him everything they have... they are addicted to him like a potent drug, but I never felt at risk of being drained, we had a deal and he sort of kept it. Until I learned that among his slaves he took a friend of mine, I had to get her out of there so I betrayed him I thought I was good enough to get away with it and I allowed someone very powerful to know his location, a decker I met in the matrix that works for organized crime. I figured out this data will circulate shadowgrid someone will come to stop Grail - he had fat bounties on his head. This is where the embarrassing part starts... "

She takes a deep breath and continues

"Grail came to this control room - he was drunk we just received a pixie and he had just fed. He was angry and said that he no longer needs me, that he has a new *better* decker than myself. I was skeptical at first - who could he possibly get that is better than myself. Unless he was raiding a mega that is...  but he showed me evidence of my betrayal and said that he only has use for me as cattle... as food and that I will enjoy it.

 
She tries to talk but her voice becomes weak

"I resisted at first but he was so charming that I could not help it, I offered myself to him fully and completely and he was so  drunk that he could not stop himself and he killed me. He never kills people, he slowly drains them until they are empty shells with no emotions and then he tosses them away... but he killed me - I vividly remember dying in euphoria.

A day later I woke up like this, I do not remember what I did right after I woke up it was instinct survival I was hungry and could not stop when I regained my composure I had already killed a woman, one of Grail's cattle she was smiling but dead I drained all of her just like Grail did to me, but she did not turn. Grail disappeared shortly after, leaving me with a crazy cult that wants me to feed on them and as time passes I do not think he'll be back. It seems like he failed in his coup attempt I just hope he never told anyone about me."


@Edge Amanda texts you >> I can help but cannot be on sight, I'll jack in from home. Be safe honey.

[gilga]

@Athos Paprika (that is really called Patricia) takes you down the sewers and skillfully navigates there as if she was born there. Few hours later you end up at a pipe and she hisses "this is where we lost contact with the smugglers, I contacted faith and she said that they were burned to death. She is waiting for us in a small room at the end of this pipe."