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[5e IC] Sunt Venatores Venationem

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Malevolence

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« Reply #210 on: <09-17-15/0206:07> »
With things mostly situated in Achak's hovel - for lack of a lesser term - Mercer invests his time in reaching out to Duncan. To his surprise, the call is answered quickly.


"Come up for air finally?" the elf says by way of greeting. Mercer is a little taken aback, having expected a more incredulous response to his calling after an extended and unannounced absence.


"Alive for now, yes. You don't seem surprised."


"Sooner or later, everybody needs to disappear for awhile it seems. If there's no report of a body, I try not to worry. I expect you've become aware that the pieta you discovered was part of a trap. A local team of Hunters found a similar rare item that was hiding a tracker, so it seems that others might be in danger from a similar ruse, and might not be as resourceful as you in surviving such a turning of the tables. I believe you are familiar with Stake, if you want to follow up with him and compare notes."


Mercer informs Duncan of Stake's fate and that Achak and Rebecca are alive, if not exactly well. Duncan is a practiced negotiator and does a good job hiding his feelings, but Mercer can still tell that the news saddens the elf. "I lose a lot of friends in this business, as I'm sure we all do, but it never gets easier," the elf says, more emotion in his voice than he likely intended, or maybe just as much as he intended.


"It seemed like every time we talked it was a disagreement, but I never doubted that he had my back when we worked together. He was on a very short list of people I'd walk side by side with into Hell." Mercer allowed a moment of silence before continuing. "But I'm not back on the radar by choice. That Iki fellow had an implanted commlink and almost certainly alerted whoever hired him that I was still alive, so I've lost much of the element of surprise. The trail seems to lead ..." He almost says "to Manhattan" but caution asserts itself. He trusts Duncan, but without a decker running interference, he's not terribly trusting of the communication channel. "out of town," he continues, "and so we're leaving ASAP. Is there any way we could get an advance on the sale of the piece of art Achak delivered to you? We owe it to Stake - and the team mates I've lost - to hit back hard, but the last six months have tapped me out. Laying low meant not taking any jobs. Some nuyen now could go a long way toward getting some justice, and reducing the fang count at the same time."


Mercer winces at the desperateness of the plea, but dammit, every word was true.
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rednblack

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« Reply #211 on: <09-17-15/1324:58> »
"Indeed," Duncan Abbey replies.  "It seems time is of the essence.  I'm about to step out myself, but how about we meet at 8:00 this evening at Seattle General Hospital?  They have established UV barriers to keep vampires away from their precious blood supply, and I can arrange a room for us.  Is the above plan amenable for you, Achak, and Sister Rebecca?"
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Malevolence

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« Reply #212 on: <09-22-15/0308:04> »
Mercer looks at Rebecca, still unconscious and laid out on the couch where they had placed her upon arriving at the safe house. He'd have to make the call for her, and if she felt strongly about things, they could always cancel. He sees Achak - looking the worse for wear, but coherent enough nonetheless - and catches his eye. "Duncan, 8pm, tonight" he mouths and receives a nod in the affirmative.


"We'll be there. Thank you for making the time for us on such short notice." Duncan hadn't agreed to the advance just yet, so Mercer refrained from thanking him too profusely.


"Very good. I'll send the details once I have a room. Until then, even though it doesn't need to be said, stay safe."


"And you as well." After the call was ended, he stood facing Achak and tilted his head at Rebecca. "I guess it's time to wake her."
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« Reply #213 on: <09-25-15/1128:46> »
At 19:55 Mercer pulls the Roadmaster into Parking Lot C as directed, and heads toward the basement.  The invitation for MARKs had been sent to Mercer's commlink moments after Mr. Abbey's secretary had forwarded the hunter the exact meeting location, and two gates passed him by without Mercer needing to do so much as lower his windows.  Finding a parking spot, the trio heads to a pair of double doors, where they are greeted by an ork in a suit with hotel security who turns off the MAD scanner until everyone has passed through.  After that, it's two quick flights of stairs and three hallways before they come to Dr. Adlan Hahn's office.  Inside one of the exam rooms, they find Duncan Abbey, flanked by his secretary, Ms. Killarney.  A stout, Korean man in a lab coat greets them warmly.

"Welcome, welcome.  Yes, always nice when one patient can recommend another to my practice, much less three.  Now, in order to get your files prepped, I will need some time.  If you need anything, you need only give a ring," he says to Mr. Abbey before grabbing a console and exiting the room.

Mr. Abbey gives his thanks, and when they are alone he says, "Good man, always eager to return a favor.  I trust that your ride over was uneventful?  A pleasant change to the day's circumstances.  I am indeed saddened to hear of Mr. Stake's passing, and Ms. Killarney here is in the process of establishing a bequest in his name at the museum.  Now. Achak, you had requested that I 'expedite' the process of finding the painting a suitable home, and I believe that I will be able to do just such a thing.  I am willing to offer 110,000¥ tonight if you and your team are willing to relinquish ownership of the painting now.

"In other news, I am under the impression that I may be of some assistance in talking through your potential next steps.  Is that assumption correct, and if so, how may I be of service?"
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Malevolence

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« Reply #214 on: <09-27-15/0048:30> »
The offer was more money than Mercer was hoping for, though he had been hoping for an advance, not the total for the sale. This changed the dynamics of the deal considerably. He was no longer asking for a handout or loan - he was selling a valuable artifact for one-tenth of its value, at best. The deal was not terrible, considering the circumstances, but the painting was not his. Achak had filled him in on the previous conversation with Abbey concerning the item, and it was clear that Sister Rebecca would have some issues simply turning over the painting to Abbey. Once ownership was relinquished, they would have no say in where the painting ended up, and the good Sister had been most adamant about seeing it returned to its rightful owners, whoever those might be.


Probably the vampires, he thought darkly. Considering the value and the history, it was more than just conceivable that one of the original owners had ended up a vampire and retained the painting all these years, ultimately using it as bait with the expectation of getting it back. Ultimately, whether the deal was done depended on the two greenies he'd ended up with.


"Not exactly the good friend cut I'd have expected, but not bad considering the short notice. But it's up to Achak and the Sister here if they're willing to take less of the profits in order to have the cash up front. Them and Stake are the ones that bled for it."
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« Reply #215 on: <09-28-15/0052:43> »
At his apartment, Achak finally begins to feel the malaise and depression of the Jazz lifting. He rights himself, then steps into the bathroom (the descriptor "water closet" was never so apt, given its size) to put the water pressure to the test. He sheds his full body armor and begins to scrub off the accumulated sweat and gunpowder. The shower is about as effective as stepping outside into the rain but at least the shower won't strip your skin with acid and/or expose your skin to whatever pollutants the factories of Puyallup are depositing into the local atmosphere.

Poking his head out the bathroom door, he sees that Sister Rebecca is still unconscious and recovering. Wearing little more than a towel wrapped around his waist, Achak steps into the outer room to rummage through the heap of duffel bags which are occupying the majority of the living room/bedroom/kitchen. He debates for a moment between opting for the more casual lined coat versus putting his suit back on. Meeting with Duncan. I should go for my Sunday best, he thinks, selecting the suit. He steps back into the bathroom and Mercer hears a lengthy series of thumps as Achak repeatedly bumps his hands, legs, and elbows into the walls of his bathroom (a true misnomer, as there is no bath nor is there any room). Achak emerges, his cleaned countenance and Vashon Island suit entirely incongruous with the surrounding safehouse.

He turns his attention to Sister Rebecca, who is beginning to stir. He mixes up some simple miso soup for her and it's not until he's trying to get her to sip some that he finally recognizes the extent of her injuries.

"You've been shot!" he exclaims, wondering how she managed that during a fight with an elemental. No matter; the bullets were being shared liberally. Just hard luck, he thinks. He examines the wound, as he does so he feels the slightest ache in his own shoulder. The location of her wound is exactly where I was hit... he thinks, slowly piecing things together. His mental horsepower is not his chief virtue, but even this is obvious for him to connect the two.

"You took it upon yourself!" he shouts indignantly, jumping back. He's inclined to slap her for her foolishness but refrains from doing so. "What profit is there in you being shot instead of me?!" he demands, his tone embarrassed and aggrieved. He covers his face in his hands. Too much time has passed, he thinks. It cannot be addressed with magic. Dog howls in his brain at the sacrifice which has been made for him. He punches his palm, frustrated at first that she would do such a thing, and second that he didn't notice in time to stop her.
 
A lo hecho, pecho, a calmer voice in his head tells him. It cannot be undone. He does his best to settle down as he continues to get ready for the evening meet.

When the time comes, Achak helps load everything into Mercer's Citymaster. He closes the door of his safehouse behind him and locks the two maglocks, doubtful that he'll see the inside again for many months, if ever again. He takes the passenger seat and uses the hour it takes to drive to Seattle General Hospital to talk with Mercer. He does his best to remedy any first impressions Mercer may have formed during Achak's interlude on Jazz, filling Mercer in on Achak's usual roles and responsibilities as well as Rebecca's brief history with the group.

"I know that there's competition amongst hunters," Achak says, "and that any day before today we would have seen each other as interfering with the other's bounty, but it seems to me like we got an opportunity to dust some Szechelys and do Stake a solid in the process. To that end I'm willing to follow your lead, jump when you say jump, and shoot when you say shoot."

They arrive at Seattle General and Achak, knowing that the MAD scanners with be deactivated as a courtesy, slips his Ares Crusader into the concealed holster in his Synergist suit. He always feels uncomfortable leaving his gunstock war club behind but, for inscrutable reasons of its own, polite society accepted firearms as a means of self-defense but not cudgels, truncheons, or bludgeons.

Inside, Achak shakes Duncan's hand, the mood subdued by Stake's demise. "Thank you for meeting us on short notice," Achak says before Duncan shares his offer for the painting.

[spoiler]Achak had a temper in his youth but has largely mastered it with maturity and religion. That same temper flares to life again as Duncan offers a sum equivalent to approximately one percent of the painting's value, by Achak's uneducated estimate.

Achak manages to control his roiling anger by holding his breath and looking down at the floor. His teenage self, the poor Amerind ganger who would have done anything for a score like this, wants to shout "ARE YOU TAKING THE PISS, YOU DODGY DANDY, YOU CHEEKY TOSSER."

That voice is quickly shouted (barked) down by Dog, who demands loyalty, not mercenary relationships.

"BUT TO WHOM SHOULD I BE LOYAL?" the teenage voice roars back. "Yohan is gone! Stake is dead! Sister Rebecca has my bullet wound! I am loyal to the grave, which is precisely where I've led them!"

Dog doesn't have much to say in return.

"I SHOULD STAY HERE, SELL THE PAINTING PROPERLY, AND USE IT TO REBUILD HOLY TRINITY (with certain considerations for myself) WHICH I ROYALLY FRAGGED UP TODAY. MARRY LOLA. SETTLE DOWN." Achak wonders if he could get eight figures for the painting. Deduct some for Duncan, deduct some for taxes, split four ways, he should still clear a couple million. That's enough to rebuild Holy Trinity and life a simple life on the residual income.

Again, Dog is quiet. Achak looks around and realizes that there is no one in this room whom he is particularly attached. Stake managed the relationship with Duncan. Achak has known Mercer and Sister Rebecca less than twenty-four hours. The only person Achak really cares about is the dead man hanging over the proceedings.

"There are things worse than death," Dog finally says to Achak's teenage self. "Like disloyalty. Disgrace."

"Oh, you sound like an oyabun. I'm not your divine wind, Mr. Emperor."


"Somethings are worth dying for," Dog says with gravitas.

"And anything worth dying for is certainly worth living for," the teenager retorts.

Adult Achak doesn't have the philosphical background or intellectual acuity to interject himself into his own debate. He does not particularly like his teenage self - part of the reason he left it behind - but nor can he refute the points that it is making. Given that he's in a doctor's office, he goes for the time-honored tradition of getting a second opinion.

"Apostle John, what should I do?" Achak prays. The good apostle is little more the a reworking of Dog with a different vocabulary, but to Achak the voices are distinct.

"Remember the parable of the talents," John advises. ("Which isn't even in the Gospel of John," Achak thinks to himself, wondering if his thoughts on the matter are private. ("They're not," John replies, "but stay focused.")) "A master puts his servants in charge of his goods while he is away. When he returns, he rewards the stewardship of the faithful, and the worthless slave is thrown into the outer darkness."

"That doesn't really help. Is the faithful path to rebuild Holy Trinity or is it to hunt down the enemies of God?" Achak asks.

The Apostle demurs, and retires to appear in a tortilla in Aztlan.

Achak sighs, having advanced little in his thinking. At last, he is forced to figure out what he wants to do. To that end, there are abominations out there hunting hunters. They did not kill Achak this time, but they will try again. In the meantime, they will kill and consume the innocent. Or the not-so-innocent, but the psychic blight will remain the same. Achak is good at what he does and it could be that the reward at the end will be so much greater than the one he now forfeits. He thinks of Matthew's words - "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master." - and decides that is as good of a goal as any in the current drekheap of a situation.[/spoiler]

Achak looks up to make eye contact with Duncan. Normally he feels a bit intimidated by the tall and eloquent elf, but with a fine suit and the faith in the Lord, Achak is the equal of any man.

"Thank you for your consideration, Duncan. We understand that liquidity is limited on such short notice.

"We also understand that such an offer provides you with enormous upside for personal profit. I'm certain a prize such as this could earn you the favor of someone very important, which you will no doubt leverage to your advantage. I do not fault you for it and would do the same in your position. However, in addition to fiscal compensation we must press upon you for favors of our own. Lesser than those you will receive, certainly, just as our compensation is lesser than what you will achieve.

"In addition to Queen Anne, you keep offices in Tokyo and Manhattan. We would ask you to arrange for the proper clearances for us to travel safely both to Manhattan and around the city itself. We need travel arrangements, including our armaments and Mercer's vehicle. I am not well-versed in the security protocols of the destination but I understand they are ... thorough. We need the appropriate color pass-cards, either legitimate or forged to an adequate quality. We may pose as private contractors of yours or any other cover you believe will be suitable. I defer to your judgement.

"We also need lodging for our stay, something discrete and suited to our position. As none of us have been before, we would also benefit from a local guide. A decker or a technomancer who can provide local expertise, hacking services, and Matrix overwatch. We would appreciate it if this introduction could be made in advance so that we might enlist them to help decrypt the plans of the men who tried to kill us earlier today.

"Finally, depending on the timing of our travel arrangements, we may need to impose upon you to help redeem the bounties we recovered last night. The local offices do not open until tomorrow and if we are able to leave before then we would appreciate someone who would claim the bounties on our behalf and forward us the proceeds, minus a reasonable transaction fee for their services."


Achak finally falls silent, hoping that he hasn't overwhelmed Duncan with a list of unexpected demands. Even if he has, maybe the daydreaming Duncan is doing about the CEOs he is going to call with this little piece in his hot hands will keep him in a generous spirit.

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« Reply #216 on: <09-28-15/1239:40> »
"Not exactly the good friend cut I'd have expected, but not bad considering the short notice. But it's up to Achak and the Sister here if they're willing to take less of the profits in order to have the cash up front. Them and Stake are the ones that bled for it."

Mr. Abbey loses his practiced and easy smile for a moment at Mercer's comments, but when Achak cut in, he listens patiently and centers himself before responding.  "Aside from claiming the bounties for you, which I am happy to do, it seems as though we have three main topics under discussion at the moment: 1. The price of the painting, 2. non-currency aid that I may be able to provide vis-a-vis your upcoming trip to Manhattan, and 3. intel or advice that I may be able to provide.   Please allow me to address each in turn so that nothing gets left out.

First, as for the price of the painting, Mercer should you wish it and the rest of your team agrees, I am happy to deliver the painting to you at some point tomorrow so that you could pursue other avenues in relation to its eventual sale or new stewardship.  I find myself in the position of prospective buyer at the moment not because I make a habit of fleecing hunters from their hard-won gains, but because I am a fair, scrupulous, and adroit dealer in antiquities.  That this group seems to balk at 110,000¥ is honestly a bit of surprise to me.  True, in the past under Stake's leadership, and Mercer under your own leadership, you have all become accustomed to a larger percentage of the final sale price, but there is at present no larger sale price to which I may cut you in, as they say.  No, instead, I am making a gamble, and sacrificing a good deal of my own personal liquidity in the interest of doing a favor for a group of individuals whom I consider to be friends in addition to trusted business associates.  The Manet is indeed a rare find, one a few months ago that I would have considered a once-in-a-lifetime find, but given how brazen these vampires are becoming in their search for hunters, I must be open to the possibility that Mona Lisa herself could cross my threshold any day now, and it would be foolish for me to put myself in a situation where I would need to pass on a canvas touched by Leonardo da Vinci himself because I put all of my proverbial eggs in one basket.

"My own personal considerations aside, I understand the position that all of you are in as well.  Should you wish it, we may postpone the sale of the painting, and I could issue you a personal loan, with the painting held as collateral.  Of course, I would be unable to provide a sum as nice as 110,000¥ as a loan, but if a smaller sum would tide you over in the short term, I am open to that possibility.

"Next, we have the question of your trip to Manhattan, and the ancillaries to that request.  I will be here in Seattle for the next week, and I would be willing to let you make use of my jet, paying only fuel and pilot fees, but round-trip, of course, as I will need to make use of from here in Seattle soon.  Doing so, say under the guise of escort work that I need done should bypass a bit of the red tape, though I would caution you to have a fund on hand for bribes and the like, especially if you'll be carrying any heavy firepower with you.  What district in Manhattan will you be investigating?  I ask because knowing that will do a great deal in helping me to understand who I may contact about getting your living situation sorted.

"As for any forging, a man in my position cannot run the risk of associating with any forgers, be they ID forgers, art forgers, etc. for obvious reasons.  I must demure on that account.

"Last, we have the question of any advice or intel that I may be able to provide.  What is prompting this trip to Manhattan?  What leads have you got, and what do you hope to find while there?
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« Reply #217 on: <10-05-15/2100:46> »
The sleep was deep and fitfull. Rebecca has no memories of any dreams per se, just a vague sense of being restless, confused, and irritated for a long time. It's as though she's swimming through molasses, or trying to anyway. After what seems like weeks, she can finally see light in a direction, and her senses begin to feel like something approaching 60% again. Slowly, the peace of the world begins to slip back to her. I've been lain on something soft and I'm still armored. After not expecting to wake up at all once the fire demon had choked and crushed the life out of her, she's more than pleased to find her only lasting injury from the affair is the bullet wound she took from Achak last night. Was it last night?

She's moments away from opening her eyes to survey her situation and surroundings when she's suddenly jolted awake by a nearby shout."

"You've been shot!"

Quickly, she flails her hands about her chest area, looking for the bullet wound before realizing the wound her large friend is talking about. She stops flailing and looks around the room she's apparently been sleeping in. It's far from nice, but far from the worst place she's ever stayed, too. In fact, it's nicer than most of the places Rebecca calls home. Fearing Achak will feel guilty about her actions, she answers truthfully, but not explicitly. She looks him in the eye with the same cold, military stare she's worn since the first moment he saw her and nods. "Yeah. There was a lot of lead flying around back there." She can tell though, that the wheels in his head have started turning, and he may be big, but he isn't stupid. In a few moments, he's figured it out.

"You took it upon yourself!"

A nod.

"What profit is there in you being shot instead of me?!"

"At the time, I was no good to the team in a matter of minutes. You were still in fighting shape. It made sense."

------------------------------------------------------------

After remaining largely silent during the introduction and planning phase of the morning, Sister Rebecca finally makes her voice heard just near the end, before the team leaves for their meet with Mr Abbey.

"I know the plan is to get out of town as fast as we can, but I need to stay at least until tomorrow morning. I have an important meeting with a contact that I absolutely cannot be absent from. Thoughts?"

------------------------------------------------------------

"I trust that your ride over was uneventful?  A pleasant change to the day's circumstances.  I am indeed saddened to hear of Mr. Stake's passing, and Ms. Killarney here is in the process of establishing a bequest in his name at the museum.  Now. Achak, you had requested that I 'expedite' the process of finding the painting a suitable home, and I believe that I will be able to do just such a thing.  I am willing to offer 110,000¥ tonight if you and your team are willing to relinquish ownership of the painting now."

Achak and Marcus are far better negotiators than the good Sister will ever be, and so she remains silent during the process of haggling over the price of the trap that killed Stake. She stands resolute and firm jawed, behind her two companions.
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« Reply #218 on: <10-06-15/2003:55> »
"I know the plan is to get out of town as fast as we can, but I need to stay at least until tomorrow morning. I have an important meeting with a contact that I absolutely cannot be absent from. Thoughts?"

Achak is full of questions. "Who is the contact? How long have you known them? Where is the meet? What time?" Slowing down, he explains further. "Stake got himself bagged and tagged chasing down a lead on his own. I'm not keen to repeat the process 24 hours later. We have smartlink reticles on us as surely as he did.

"That said, we may not be able to leave before the morning anyway. Let's talk with Duncan, figure out our transportation situation, and figure out what kind of time constraints we're up against. I wouldn't mind waiting until the morning myself, if only to claim the bounty on the vampires before we leave, but sometimes the decisions are out of our hands."




"My own personal considerations aside, I understand the position that all of you are in as well.  Should you wish it, we may postpone the sale of the painting, and I could issue you a personal loan, with the painting held as collateral.  Of course, I would be unable to provide a sum as nice as 110,000¥ as a loan, but if a smaller sum would tide you over in the short term, I am open to that possibility.

Back at the meet, Achak allows a tired nod. It has been a long day and emotionally exhausting.

"Thank you, Mr. Abbey. You are entirely reasonable. The loan you propose is agreeable compromise. Please continue your efforts to find the painting a proper home" - Achak glances at Sister Rebecca - "with the painting and the expected proceeds acting as collateral for our obligations to you, including the use of your private jet which you have generously offered.

"We do not know where we are going in Manhattan. At the moment, all we have is the airport where the man who tried to kill us was headed to on a flight from SeaTac tomorrow. We do, however, have the runner's commlink, which we need to hack in order to answer several questions, such as the man's itinerary in Manhattan and who he intended to meet there. We do not have the skill set necessary to access the commlink ourselves; instead, we were hoping you could connect us to some talent in Manhattan who would be able to assist us while we were en route. If not, we will work with Elijah here instead, although presumably he will wish to be paid for the previous job before undertaking the next. Either way, the aforementioned loan is a prerequisite.

"Once we have hacked the commlink, we would be obliged for any assistance you can provide regarding the local security and administrative challenges in Manhattan. I assure you that we will not forget your assistance. If we successfully navigate our way up the chain, we may find ourselves in possession of other prizes such as the Manet. As impressive as it is, I doubt that whomever used it for bait chose to use the jewel of their collection. Indeed, even larger purses may await. This may be a very profitable expedition for us all."

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« Reply #219 on: <10-08-15/1814:52> »
Achak stays firm on ensuring that the painting be returned to its rightful home, wherever that may be, and the Sister's grim set similarly indicates her unwillingness to budge, so Mercer follows their lead.


"Thank you for your offer, but as much as I dislike being indebted to anyone, such has been my lot of late and it shows no signs of abatement. On the up side, at least it looks like you'll be able to keep a nearly full pocket for that next big score." A wan smile crosses his face, but his voice carries a hint of levity as he tries to lighten the mood after Mr. Duncan's defensive outburst. "I'm not as familiar with the East Coast as I would like, but I'm assuming 10,000¥ should get us around well enough once we're there and outfitted. I think with the bounties, we have sufficient funds to cover pre-trip preparations and the round trip expense for your jet - which, by the way, is a very welcome offer. Thank you."


"As Achak mentioned, the trail we are following could lead anywhere. Once we crack the 'link we might be able to provide you with first steps. How much notice would you need to make arrangements? It's unlikely we will leave before tomorrow as we have a couple more local obligations to address before then. Maybe we could board around noon?"


"I think between 10Gs walking money, the jet, and a guide, digs, and other assistance to help us make our way about the city of Manhattan, we'll be set. Minus the IDs, of course, but I think we might be able to get those on our own. Any advice or intel you can provide would still be appreciated." He finished, indicating with his hand that that 'appreciation' would be of the economic sort in addition to their personal gratitude. He looked to Achak and Rebecca to make sure he had covered everything before they got down to the nitty gritty of what it would all cost.
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« Reply #220 on: <10-09-15/2041:07> »
"Who is the contact? How long have you known them? Where is the meet? What time?" Slowing down, he explains further. "Stake got himself bagged and tagged chasing down a lead on his own. I'm not keen to repeat the process 24 hours later. We have smartlink reticles on us as surely as he did.

"That said, we may not be able to leave before the morning anyway. Let's talk with Duncan, figure out our transportation situation, and figure out what kind of time constraints we're up against. I wouldn't mind waiting until the morning myself, if only to claim the bounty on the vampires before we leave, but sometimes the decisions are out of our hands."


Waiting until the big guy has calmed himself a bit before answering, Rebecca takes the few moments to sit up, straighten her clothes, brush her hair out of her face, and pick some of the morning funk out of her eye. Once he's done, with the same tone, "He's the man I report to in the church. I've known him since I was a child. The meet is at a church not far from here. And I'm supposed to meet him at eight am." She furrows her brow for a moment in thought. "Well, maybe him; maybe one of his people. Let me check." She reaches into her pocket and produces a comm. After rebooting it, she begins going though old messages for a moment. It only takes a few swipes to dig up the one she's looking for and then her eyes are back up, looking at Achak. "It's at St Mary's and it actually does sound more like it's just going to be one of his people and not him." After a slight and uncomfortable pause, she adds, "You two are welcome to come along..."

------------------

In the car, she begins typing up the dossiers on the "lost brothers" and once completed, she sends the file off to Marcus, then reboots the link.

<<@Marcus [Sister Rebecca] Dossiers as requested.
--Stake--
    A capable leader. Skilled in mid range weaponry and small unit tactics. White. Male. Elf. Non-Awakened. Non-Christian. Trustworthy. Caring. Mindful of civilian casualties. Measured in use of force. Captured and murdered by presumed vampires or vampire sympathizers. Prone to use of combat drugs.

--Achak--
   A valiant and stalwart warrior. Skilled in CQC and small unit tactics. Native-American. Male. Human. Physical Adept. Christian. Noble. Self-sacrificing. Works well in a group. Blinding fast. Prone to use of combat drugs.

Repeat Materials Request: Spell Formula: Detox.>>
« Last Edit: <10-10-15/1141:54> by Poindexter »
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rednblack

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« Reply #221 on: <10-15-15/1410:17> »
"We do not know where we are going in Manhattan. At the moment, all we have is the airport where the man who tried to kill us was headed to on a flight from SeaTac tomorrow. We do, however, have the runner's commlink, which we need to hack in order to answer several questions, such as the man's itinerary in Manhattan and who he intended to meet there. We do not have the skill set necessary to access the commlink ourselves; instead, we were hoping you could connect us to some talent in Manhattan who would be able to assist us while we were en route. If not, we will work with Elijah here instead, although presumably he will wish to be paid for the previous job before undertaking the next. Either way, the aforementioned loan is a prerequisite."

"That . . . presents some 'issues,' Mr. Abbey says after a long and thoughtful pause.  "Moving around in Manhattan is a challenge even for a man such as myself, with formal invitations extended by various AA and AAA corporations.  I find it highly doubtful that you'll be given free range of a good portion of Manhattan without flying deep, deep under the radar, unless you can come up with the requisite passes.  Even then, should your travels take you to specific corporate grounds, you'll need additional passes for each.  As to hacking the commlink, I would strongly suggest that you do so here, before your flight.  Bureaucracy takes time, even if it is the bureaucracy of forgery, and once you land, you will definitely need to evacuate the airport in a timely manner.  Perhaps Grotto1 could be of assistance there?"

"Once we have hacked the commlink, we would be obliged for any assistance you can provide regarding the local security and administrative challenges in Manhattan. I assure you that we will not forget your assistance. If we successfully navigate our way up the chain, we may find ourselves in possession of other prizes such as the Manet. As impressive as it is, I doubt that whomever used it for bait chose to use the jewel of their collection. Indeed, even larger purses may await. This may be a very profitable expedition for us all."

"I will no doubt be interested in whatever you may acquire along the way.  As to your question of security, you will need a Manhattan Development Consortium pass to move around the city proper, and specific neighborhood and corporate passes to travel to specific areas.  Any corporate territory will require a specific pass for said corporation.  You will need to broadcast a SIN at all times, as well as MDC specific permits for any hardware . . . or substances that you may possess.  Mr. Mercer, I know that you are planning on having your ground vehicle in Manhattan, and that brings about its own unique challenge.  A Personal Vehicle Pass is required for traveling city streets, and I know from personal experience that acquiring one legitimately can take weeks, if not months.  Scanners exist on every street corner, and the MDC has many drones on patrols checking on passes and credentials.  You do not want to be caught trespassing there.  One glimmer of hope is that the MDC, as well as many of the corporations in Manhattan, take a rather kindly look on shadowrunners, surprisingly enough.  Should they be caught, they are usually released once a tit-for-tat agreement can be made.  Professional courtesy, or some such.  As distasteful as it is, perhaps disguising yourselves as shadowrunners once you're in Manhattan proper would be wise.  For obvious reasons, doing so at the airport, or soon after your departure would be problematic from my perspective."

He takes a moment to look down at his comm before continuing.  "Ms. Killarney, my thanks.  My associate here has run the numbers, and it looks like a one-way trip to Manhattan runs just over 3,000 nuyen, but I will round it down to an even three.  Should your stay be short, say one-to-three days, I will not require that the jet return back to Seattle in that time, but should you be there longer, you'll need to pay an additional 3,000 for the return trip home.

"Are there any other questions, or embellishments that I can offer you all at this time?"
« Last Edit: <10-15-15/1556:56> by rednblack »
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Tecumseh

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« Reply #222 on: <10-29-15/2023:26> »
"Thank you, Duncan. I believe that will be all for now. You are a generous host, as always."



Back in the privacy of the Roadmaster, Achak contemplates the incongruity of being dressed in a suit while being surrounded by a good percentage of his life's possessions intermingling with a good percentage of Mercer's life possessions. Sister Rebecca had the look of a wanderer too, so maybe most of her life was in this vehicle as well.

"I don't know much about Manhattan," Achak says as the Roadmaster drives off into the rainy night. "I used to run with some smugglers - just border runs between Seattle and Salish-Shidhe, real easy - and they talked about Manhattan a bit. Rumors about smugglers working underground, Neo-Anarchists or the like helping people escape the corporate eye on the surface. I'll reach out and see if my guy knows a guy."

<<@Megedagik [Achak] Might be taking a trip to the Rotten Apple. Know any guys or gals that direction? Coyotes, specifically.>>

Achak looks around again at the massive vehicle. "I'm not sure we're going to get the Roadmaster out there. Would probably take a week, at which point we'll probably be somewhere else. Even if we're still there, the personal vehicle requirements Duncan mentioned are likely more than we can handle.

"The restrictions on weapons might be a headache too. I'm not in a position to geek a vampire with my bare hands, and my tools of the trade aren't inconspicuous."
He spins his gunstock war club in his hands, which contrasts sharply with his suit. "I don't get much smaller than an Ares Crusader. But before we worry about that, let's figure out where limp dick was going" - he catches himself a moment too late, wondering if Rebecca will react negatively to the off-color language. You can take the ganger out of the Sprawl but not the Sprawl out of the ganger. "... before his plans changed. I'll ping Elijah and see if he can crack this commlink for us tonight."

<<@3LI [Achak] Payday in the morning when we claim the bounties. New task in the meantime. How much to crack the security on a commlink?>> He transmits the model and specifications.

"In the meantime, we should take Duncan's advice and see what Grotto1 has to say. Mercer, do you have a subscription? Stake manages" - Achak's voice breaks a bit before he recovers - "managed that for us."

Malevolence

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« Reply #223 on: <10-30-15/0340:42> »
Mercer nodded as Duncan spoke. The others provided their input, all of which closely mirrored his own thoughts.


Passing as Shadowrunners should be no problem - if they could fool other 'runners without even trying, tricking the corps should be simple.



"I reckon our needs to move about there are likely to be fairly modest. Airport, lodgings, and whatever location the 'link takes us to." Mercer presents a pained expression. "I'm not pretending it'll be easy, o'course. It sounds like getting from point A to point B, should the meetup place be across a good part of town, could have us showin' our mugs at any number of checkpoints and jurisdictions. But if you can start making arrangements to get us from here to a reasonable safe place to stay in Manhattan, we should have the last piece of the puzzle by mornin'. I suspect our stay there to be short, a day or two at most unless things go the kind of wrong you don't come back from. The three day window you offer should be enough."


"If it's okay with you, I'd like to keep my ride here when we fly out in case we need you to make arrangements to ship it wherever we happen to end up after Manhattan."


The payment details are worked out and pleasantries exchanged again as the team departs. Soon the team finds themselves back in Mercer's van. Achak updates Eli and asks for his help with the commlink and brings up concerns about weaponry.


"It sounds like we're gonna need some good ID, and if it holds for us, any licenses should hold for gear. It might get us looked at closer, but if Duncan's right about their love-hate with 'runners, it might not even matter, short of the delays any 'tit-for-tat' arrangements might cause."


He mentions Duncan's suggestion for checking up on Grotto1 for help with moving around Manhattan. Mercer agrees it is a sound plan, but that it'll have to wait until they know where they're headed - like so many of their plans. Hopefully this Eli character gets back to us soon.
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rednblack

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« Reply #224 on: <10-30-15/1318:06> »
"I reckon our needs to move about there are likely to be fairly modest. Airport, lodgings, and whatever location the 'link takes us to." Mercer presents a pained expression. "I'm not pretending it'll be easy, o'course. It sounds like getting from point A to point B, should the meetup place be across a good part of town, could have us showin' our mugs at any number of checkpoints and jurisdictions. But if you can start making arrangements to get us from here to a reasonable safe place to stay in Manhattan, we should have the last piece of the puzzle by mornin'. I suspect our stay there to be short, a day or two at most unless things go the kind of wrong you don't come back from. The three day window you offer should be enough."

"I am more than happy," Mr. Abbey says, "to provide whatever assistance I can with your lodging.  Please keep me abreast of what district or districts you will find yourself in so that I can make the requisite inquiries."

"Thank you, Duncan. I believe that will be all for now. You are a generous host, as always."

"And gentlemen, sister, as always, it is a pleasure to see you.  I only wish it was under more happy circumstances." Mr. Abbey responds, extending his hand to each hunter in turn. Ms. Killarney approaches Mercer from the sides, and presents him with a credstck containing ¥10,000. 

<<@Megedagik [Achak] Might be taking a trip to the Rotten Apple. Know any guys or gals that direction? Coyotes, specifically.>>

Achak doesn't wait long before a reply pings.

<<@Achak [Megedagik] Best bet I know is a chummer who goes by Lazlo Heights.  The screw is, she and I don't really talk much anymore.  I'm attaching the last commcode I had, but it would be best to leave my name out of the conversation.  Personal beef aside, she's a stand-up coyote, and I know she knows the area.>>

<<@3LI [Achak] Payday in the morning when we claim the bounties. New task in the meantime. How much to crack the security on a commlink?>>

<<@Achak [3L1] That old thing?  Tell you what, I didn't know Stake well, but this one's on the house.  Just before to make your review of me reflect it, neh?  Send me a tracking pin, and I'll send a drone to do the pickup.>>

About twenty-five minutes after Achak sends a pin from his link, he receives another message from Elijah saying that the drone is keeping pace with the Roadmaster by the back door.  Once opened, a Rotodrone enters, and a receptacle tray opens.  Once Iki's commlink is inside, the drone passes off into the night.

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