[Jack_Spade]

<<So, no after mission beer? Oh well, thanks for your help. If you wait a bit I can give you a lift.>>
Isaint looked around, the uneasy feeling still hadn't left him.

#200

[adamu]

The van's rear doors still open, Al dropped his weight down on the vehicle's floor. With his legs dangling, his boots barely brushed the asphalt of the parking lot. The departure of the family - all four still alive and together - was like an unimaginable weight lifted from his soul, and he was suddenly more tired than ever in his life. He'd never been so scared, so utterly terrified of failing at something in his life, though he hadn't allowed himself even to actively contemplate the alternative even for a moment. Now, he was too tired even to light up a cigarette, and Spike licking his ear was all that kept him from lying back and falling asleep where he sat.

Then he got Jackhammer's message, heard Isaint's response. <<Well kid, ya want yer number fergot, its fergot, and vaya con dios to ya. But if'n its money troubles ya got, turns out ol' Al might jist have a line on another job here real quick. Only real pros need apply, but reckon you made the grade an' then some. Ya sure ya don't want in on that action?>>

[Aria]

The shriek of the drone fired missiles jolt the entire group out of their reveries...

[Jack_Spade]

"NOOOOO!!!"
Isaint was on his feet and had the rifle at his shoulder in an instant, trying to shoot the missile out of the sky - no matter how futile this action seemed

[spoiler]
Well, I have no idea where that missile is headed or if it isn't too fast to be hit at all, but I'll try to shoot it down nontheless
If necessary I'll spend a point of edge to go before the missile.
Otherwise: Ini: 16+4d6 35  [4d6=6, 6, 5, 2]
Shoot a missile (Burst): 14d6t5 4[14d6t5=5, 1, 5, 5, 2, 3, 6, 3, 1, 2, 1, 2, 2, 2]
Apply penalties as necessary, medium burst (-5 to dodge)  12 P AP -7 + Successes

Edit: Spending Edge for reroll: Edge Reroll: 10d6t5 2


[/spoiler]

[adamu]

Al knew the sound - pirates used them, and they were bad news. He was wide awake in an instant, moving through the van for the driver's seat without bothering with the doors.

<<Find the drone! Shoot the drone!>> he was shouting as he put the van in motion, knowing French was more than fast enough to get aboard before he could take off. They had to get up to the slip road with the family.

Decker gone, mages gone. Bunch of damned roughnecks with popguns and arrows.

But that wouldn't stop them from kicking some son of a bitch's ass from here to kingdom come in about ten seconds from right now.

Hopefully that wouldn't be too late.

[pistolgrip]

Jackhammer turned to see the missile trails staining the sky. He wrinkled his face with a shallow sigh, knowing full well what was about to happen--what had just happened. He threaded an arrow pulled back, staring down the length of the shaft towards the metallic abomination that had just, paycheck notwithstanding, made the entire business of death, hatred, destruction, and sobriety completely meaningless.
[spoiler]Archery 15d6t5: 2 [15d6t5=1, 3, 3, 4, 4, 3, 1, 1, 4, 3, 1, 2, 6, 6, 3]
Explosive arrow: DV 14 AP -4[/spoiler]

[obidancer]

The dance was the highlight of the evening, milady. the Frenchman had answered to the young and frail looking decker.
But theven dialogue had quickly turned back to business, and in no time the transfer was done. He had mixed feelings about it, but knew that had been the best option for the entire family.

Relief could be seen in his companions. It seemed their mission was over, amiss a few extra details, like finding Art, and understanding why Destiny needed them away from London.
But that could wait. Now the Frenchman was looking forward to finally share some peaceful time with Isaint to learn stories about his past. He has grown to respect the man, for his skills, his leadership and dedication the the job. And that was certainly why he didn't insist on getting those stories sooner. What he may learn could maybe have jeopardize that new relationship and endanger the group and the mission as a whole.
He looked at Al, and got amused by the dog licking the older man's ear. Al too had earn his respect and thrust. The four remaining runners had accomplished a lot together and he knew those few days together had created a strong bond. Hence the small disappointment when Jack wanted to part way already.

However, he had no time to argue. The sound of the missile kicked in his ear like a vivid dream. He surely didn't know it but that obviously wasn't his first time hearing it.

 
Al quickly drove the van away and the Frenchman jumped in in a desperate attempt to get as fast as possible away from where they were. If the missile was headed for them that was going to hurt!

[adamu]

Al was already muttering his voodoo chant as he set the van in motion, calling down all the powers of the Santeria gods to protect his team and the family.

Frenchman was in the shotgun seat before the vehicle was up to speed.

From what little they'd pieced together when not just struggling to stay alive, they figured there were some that wanted the doc dead, and some that wanted him alive. He prayed it was the latter. It would make all the difference in which vehicle those missiles were targeting.

[Aria]

[Thursday June 18th, 2076, ~13:45, Motorway Services, M40]

The two Nimrod Combat Air Frames are sweeping in from the east, still about a kilometre from the runners, hugging the treeline in a defensive attack manoeuvre.  The high speed Tiger’s Eye air to ground missiles weave across the car parks headed at the departing limo and escort passing between Isaint and Jackhammer allowing them to make their desperate attempts to shoot them down… so far nobody else seemed to have noticed anything amiss and there is still traffic coming off the motorway and heading towards the same exit slip that is very likely to go up in flames in just a moment…

***
_#71

[Jack_Spade]

For a moment Isaint thought he had missed, but it was just the insanely high speeds and distances at which bullets and missiles moved.
There was no time to seek cover or waste on calling for the others. All his senses were on high alert to find the source of the missile while almost on automatic a prayer came from his lips for the Saint's guidance.

[spoiler]
Ini 25:
Simple action: AGI boost: Agility Boost: 7d6t5 3 [7d6t5=1, 2, 5, 6, 5, 3, 4]
Simple action: Visual Perception check: INT 7 + Perception (Visual) 8 + Hawk Eye 1 + 3 (Vision Enhancement Glasses):
Perception: 19d6t5 9
[19d6t5=6, 3, 1, 3, 5, 6, 3, 4, 6, 5, 4, 3, 5, 6, 2, 2, 5, 1, 6]
Reaching my Limit exactly

Ini 15: Depending if the drones fire again, I'll aim and shoot either at a drone or a second rocket
Simple action: Aim
Simple action: Short burst
Using Adept Centering to cancel the -3 distance modifier
Agi 8 + Skill 8 + Smartlink 1 + Aim 1
Short burst vs. Drone or Rocket: 18d6t5 5 [18d6t5=6, 4, 6, 3, 4, 2, 3, 6, 5, 2, 5, 2, 1, 4, 3, 3, 4, 4]
If it's a rocket I'll again reroll with edge.
[/spoiler]

There, another object in the sky, barely more than a spec against the grey background. This time Isaint took a moment to steady his aim and squeezed the trigger for a short burst with his lovely, lovely new rifle, screaming his centering mantra: "VADE, SATANA"

#202

[adamu]

All hell was breaking loose. A small explosion of some sort in the parking area, a missile pinwheeling into some parked cars somewhere else, and then another one shot into the tail of the limo. Al could hear full autofire, and yelled at Spike in Tamasheq to get out of the van. He opened his own door to trick the dog into thinking he was bailing too, then shut it once the dog was out the still-open rear doors of the van.

There was a car making for the NeoNet convoy at speed, and a light truck moving to intercept Al. His first instinct was to dodge the truck, get himself and Frenchman up with the family. Wrong answer. Both the NeoNet escort SUVs were unhit - they'd take care of the approaching car. And if Al bypassed the truck, it would still be a threat.

No, if this asshole wanted an intercept, he'd get an intercept.

"Brace or bail, Frenchie baby, we goin' in hard!"

[pistolgrip]

Jackhammer pulled back another arrow and launched it at an incoming drone. The distance was a problem, however, and it made it difficult to hit such a fast target. He decided to close some distance and see if Al needed any help, since he had apparently just had a collision. He reached for his comm as he moved, realizing he'd probably need it back on for whatever was about to transpire.
"This is getting stupid."

[spoiler]initiative 20 [3d6=1, 3, 4]
moving towards van
Archery 15d6t5: 2 [15d6t5=6, 2, 2, 3, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3, 3, 3, 5, 4, 6]
range increments are 11m, 110m, 330m, 660m
Explosive arrow: DV 14 AP -4[/spoiler]

[obidancer]

The Frenchman did brace himself when he realized Al's intention. He didn't complain nor protested.
The shock was violent and the lorry took the blunt of the collision.

[spoiler]
Resist Ramming: 39d6t5 13
Soak Damages[/spoiler]

The Frenchman accessed his commlink with a mental command from his DNI and sent his request to the Van's sound system
Suddenly a very old tunes came to life in the Vehicle amidst the explosions outside, as the Frenchman looked at Crazy Al with a smart grin on his face.
https://youtu.be/rMbATaj7Il8

Let's show them who they're dealing with, he said brandishing his gun.

[Jack_Spade]

Bullets started to rain around Isaint. With a jump and a roll he got out of the line of fire.
"What comes around goes around. Vade, Satana!"
A moment to aim was all he needed to send a short burst towards the drone.

[spoiler]
Ini 5:
Simple action: Aim
SImple action: Short burst Shoot Drone: 18d6t5 7[18d6t5=2, 5, 1, 4, 1, 4, 3, 4, 3, 5, 5, 6, 3, 6, 3, 3, 5, 6]
12 P AP -7 Dodge -2
[/spoiler]

[adamu]

Al had sped straight towards the oncoming truck. A few months ago he'd done this with a Knight-Errant cruiser and he'd shut his cybereyes off just to make sure he didn't wuss out. Now, though, he would see flames on the rear of the limo over on the slip road and no two-bit corp goon was going to stop him from reaching them.

He had poured on the gas. He'd often boasted that he'd never lost at chicken. But that he'd had a few very painful ties. He was older and slightly wiser now, though. Rather than turn away to avoid the collision, he waited a split second longer, adjusting course just enough that instead of a flush impact he put his right front corner smack into the other driver.

Other bastard had tried the same thing, but only one could win, and Al's timing was better. It was still an awful impact for his Bulldog, and as the vehicles met the two drivers literally came face to face - Al's body whiplashed painfully as his van tore into the cab of the truck and kept going, while the truck lurched to a stop, sending its driver through the windshield, face bouncing off Al's windscreen, body collapsing somewhere in between.

"Buckle up fer safety next time, bitch," was all Al had to say. He hit the wipers to get some of the guy's blood off the windshield just as Frenchie blasted the tunes.

Al wasn't sure who or what was in the back of the truck, but with the driver lying on the asphalt, he knew they couldn't beat him to the limo, and that was all that mattered. Frenchie's weapon was out, and he said, "Let's show them who they're dealing with."

"PTL ta that, amigo. PTL ta that," Al answered through a bit of double-vision, murder in his eyes, foot on the gas, one hand on the steering wheet. and the other fishing in his pocket for a stim patch or two.