[Xzylvador]

"I do not see how having met our employer or not changes his, or her, trustworthiness. If anything, you're more likely to be stabbed in the back by someone you know than by someone you've never met.", Matt suggested.

[HydroRaven]

"It all depends on what your definition of "trustworthiness" is, Matt. I for one like to know who I'm in bed with" Mel answers. After a short moment, she adds "So to speak."

Mel continues with "Someone I've never seen or met makes it that much easier for them to dispose of us in any way they please, and it makes it that much more difficult for me to track down should he/she choose to ignore his/her obligations once the job is completed." Mel shifts her legs, crossing them the other way. She then stares away, nowhere in particular. "Which is why I like the concept of having the final payment held in escrow in this case, once we agree to the financial terms."

[Xzylvador]

Matt almost burst out in laughter but managed to keep a straight face. If these people really thought just seeing a person meant it would be easier to track him down, they were in for some serious dissapointment. Next week, he could be a female dwarf, 30% shorter and heavier than he was now.

[HydroRaven]

As much as Matt could change his appearance, Mel knew that changing an astral signature was much harder to do. Even if Matt could change his appearance or mask his astral signature, the chances of finding him were much higher if the team had interacted directly with him before. She knew Mr. Fox could find unique info about him and trace it back to him through the matrix later on, she knew that any juju-slinger would have an easier time identifying someone they had already "sniffed" before. That always made face-to-face meetings much more desirable in her books. After all, if contact with someone didn't make it easier to track them down, why wasn't the Johnson here with them?

But she also understood the need for privacy in the big leagues. Not meeting the Johnson didn't make him more likely to pull a fast one on them at all; it just made it harder for the team to track him down should something unexpected happen.

[Triggvi]

"Information is information. If the Johnson wants to try and stiff us we sell it to who ever will pay for the info. Whoever is hiring us wants the info bad enough to pay 130k+ for it. As runners we always keep our options open, so one way or the other we will get a payday."

[Ympulse]

The header on the portfolio blinks for a moment, and shifts to read "2k/week 130k Upon completion"

[Triggvi]

Mr Fox places the comlink in his jack  and stands up. "Perhaps we should take this discussion some where more private. Matt, Mel, Watcher, Blint let us plan our next move and get this job done. I have bills to pay"

[HydroRaven]

"I'll take the 2k a week" says Mel. And who knows, we might find some valuable paydata on the way. Someone like that is bound to have info on his competitors or on other high-placed people."

Mel then turns over to Mr. Fox. "Good idea. I don't like the idea of talking out in the open. Do you know a place around here that's a little more private?"

[Ympulse]

The Soykaf Cafe - Ten minutes later

The Soykaf Cafe is a franchise establishment, which means that no matter what, you'll always know what's on the menu. Known for it's lounge-chair atmosphere, the entire cafe is bathed in a dull white noise, filling in the background. This is by design, as the lack of silence makes sharp noises and conversations harder to hear, and isolates those that want isolation, much like the 'runners.

You've selected a grouping of chairs near the back, two walls and a rail separate you from the rest of the cafe, and you all sit holding your moderately more expensive than normal Soykaf delicacies.

[spoiler]
Anyone trying to listen in on a conversation in this building is at a -4, and the team has a couple hours of time to discuss and research things.

Free Access is provided here as well, Matrix tracking is at a -2, but all Matrix actions going out are conversely performed at a -1 for the high-traffic area
[/spoiler]

[Triggvi]

Mr fox cones in and cans for signals. He seems scanning for an listening devices and such. After he he is certain there are none he will talk.

"What do you thing of this assignment?"

[HydroRaven]

Mel sits down with the rest of the team. "I think the assignment is definitely up my alley" she answers to Mr. Fox. "Now, I'd like to know if this man is married, if he has any children, etc. If I can get close to him, we might have an easier time getting a foot in the door." Mel then takes a quick look at the file they received along with the commlink.

[Triggvi]

"I will do what I can, if he was that easy to track they would have gotten a B team to follow him around."

[Xzylvador]

Matt took a sip from his soycaf and made a sour face.
"The little we do know about this guy kind of worries me.", he said while reaching for the sugar pourer.
"How does a guy make it to be CEO of a double-A without the entire world already knowing everything about him? And we're to find out 'who he is' and 'who he's working for'? I'm just guessing here, but I'd assume you've already passed through a lot of background checks before stockholders appoint you as head of a multi-billion company. Jezus, if he's CEO of an AA-corp and is still having his strings pulled by somebody else, that somebody isn't going to be a nobody."
By the time he stopped pouring, half his cup must've been filled with sugar. He took another sip, seemed a little more satisfied than before and reached for the 'milk'.
"And if the Johnson's paying us by the week instead of days, that's gotta mean he ain't expecting this to be a quick and easy job either."

[Jian]

"Mhmm." Watcher made a noise at Matt's words. "Well, the event's a place to start... get eyes on him, I can certainly give him the aura checkup- that can get us something to build of of."

[HydroRaven]

After listening to Matt's train of thought, Mel answers "To me, all that rhymes with more bargaining power for this information." Mel then turns over to Mr. Fox. "How hard would it be to get an invitation to that event tomorrow night? Is there any way you can hack a few of us into the guest list?" She then turns over to face the whole team in general. "Or if that doesn't work, does anyone know anybody that could get us a couple of last-minute invitations to this thing?"