[Csjarrat]

You see the Troll's monocle display light up a glowing blue and he mutters something under his breath, you can just about make out his subvocalisation thanks to your audio enhancement
"Jimmy, check the alleys. Our guest claims to have been "protecting" us".

"You may come out, but if you try anyzing you vill regret it.
Vhy have you zuddenly begun protecting uz? you have not responded to our calls for months now?"

[Lumen]

Knives straightens his coat before stepping out in to the corridor.  He holds his hands open at sides, showing the troll empty palms.

"I can't speak for management, you understand.  I was just put on your case earlier today mate and was unaware of any lack of response.  Way I heard it the boss hadn't heard from you in months so obviously what we have here is failure to communicate.  I will be more than happy to bring up your complaints mate but if I come back empty-handed the boss is gonna have my arse in a sling.  As your mates will find I've rendered my services here so if you don't mind I can deliver your payment to management and voice your complaints and Bob's your uncle."

[Csjarrat]

The Troll's monocle glows blue again, lighting up one half of his face in the eerie half-dark of the corridor.
You see him nodding and grunting before the connection ends.
"Very vell, vee have had some "issues" with our computer systems here. Vee suspect vee have been hacked, and zat it has somezing to do viz ze Maxwell boys you so handily dispatched.
Vee vill pay you for von month for you vork here today, but vee request an increase in service from your boss, Mr Clerkvell. Vee vill need somevon viz technical skills to inspect our system, or vee face going out of business, and your payments vill dissapear with us.
Are vee agreed?" 

[Lumen]

"Sounds perfectly reasonable to me mate.  I'll head back and inform the boss and see what we can do about providing a bit more support along with a tech lad to come inspect your system.  Obviously we'd prefer you were around and making good quid for some time.  Once the boss learns those Maxwell's wankers have been harassing our clientele I'm sure he'll go about rectifying that situation."

Knives extends his hand offering a shake, "We have a deal mate?"

[Csjarrat]

"I believe so. I vill avait communications from Mr Clerkvell. Please can communications be arranged in person? I now do not trust our computer system until we have had it analysed. Vee messaged many times for assistance and heard nothing back from you.
He pulls out a credstick and holds it up to his monocle, it glows blue, then green for a split second and he passes it to you before shaking hands to cement the deal, hist huge meaty paws dwarfing your own.
"Please, leave the route vay you came in. Vee look forward to your assistance"

[Lumen]

"Understandably so.  I will make sure to bring it up to the boss and I look forward to working with you in the future."

Pleased as punch to actually get some form of payment Knives pockets the credstick and heads back to the old lift.  In preparation he dials his audio back down and covers his ears before hitting the button to ascend.  Once topside he dials the audio back up and heads down the street towards his bike, lighting up a smoke as he walks.  *Ahhh... that's better.  Well the evening turned out better than expected after all the drek in the beginning.  Time to check in then go get a pint.*

Assuming his bike is still there he will hop on and send Johnny a text.  <Oi mate, I'm all wrapped up here but there's a few things we need to talk about preferably over a pint.  Where to?>

[Csjarrat]

<<Good lad, we're just down the Red Lion, just near New Cross Gate. How long you gonna be? I'll get you one in.>>
The weather had taken a turn for the worse and what was just a miserable overcast evening had turned into a bloody cold, drizzly one. not a great night to have taken the bike out by any stretch.
Punching the address into gridguide, you see you've got about a 15minutes drive sitting between you and your hard earned pint.

[Lumen]

<ETA: 15 minutes.  Hopefully sooner than that it's fraggin' freezing!>

Knives bundles up as best he can and sets his agent to guide the bike to his destination in the quickest way possible, flicking his cigarette off into the gutter as he speeds off through the night.

[Csjarrat]

You arrive outside the pub in no time at all, gunning it to get through the shitty weather quicker.
You head through the doors just in time to see Johnny squaring the barmaid up for the pint he's just got in for you.
He spins around and greets you with a smile
"Awright mate, good work getting those fuckers to pay up. come on mate, I got a booth over here, give me the full story""

[Lumen]

Knives smiles as he enters the warm pub and his hand heads straight towards the pint and he takes a long sip.  He follows Johnny to the booth and takes a seat.

"Well it wasn't my finest hour but there are a lot of problems at that sodding warehouse.  Before I even make it inside three of Maxwell's boys show up with bloody crowbars trying to bust in the place.  Apparently they've been harassing our client for months but I chased em off with tails between their legs.  Then there was the lift from hell making enough racket to wake the dead to get in the place.  So I make it inside and have a little chat with that troll you were talking about. Turns out they've been trying to call us for months but are having loads of technical issues.   He thinks Maxwell has got him hacked and was blocking calls to us."

Removing the credstick from his pocket he sets it on the table.  "It's only one month's payment but if we don't do something sounds like Maxwell is gonna run them outta business."  He takes another long drag from the glass.

[Csjarrat]

Johnny listens intently as you regale your story to him, taking hearty swigs of his pint as he does.
"Fack me. Sounds like a rough old night mate, enjoy your pint! Good work on getting a deposit out of em, we thought they were gone for good. So who was it from the Maxwell lads you ran into? They've been giving us shit for years. As you reply, he taps something into his commlink
<<//City of London Banking//1000 GBP has been deposited in your account. Have a nice day>>

[Lumen]

Knives raises his glass to his mate, "Cheers", and takes another drink.

"I've certainly had better nights.  Like I said they may not be around much longer if they don't get the system fixed.  You remember that twat Micky who I tussled with after a dart game a while back?  It was him and a couple brutes trying to knock down the reinforced door on the front of place."

After taking another sip he snaps his fingers and continues, "Oh yea, almost forgot.  The troll bloke asked that we send someone to talk to him in person about continued service.  Can't trust that system they've got till we get it cleaned up.  Please mate don't take his requests lightly.  If we don't step up he's liable to track me down and pop me head clean off me shoulders."

[Csjarrat]

"haha, yeah I heard that troll is a big fucker! Jimmy must think highly of your skills if he sent you in there alone, either that or you pissed 'im off big time!
Fackin ell, not Micky "The Mugger" Maxwell?? fuck. That aint good mate, ee's a facking psycho that one. What did you do to 'im?

[Lumen]

"Yea that's the one.  What did I do to him?  Well after he tried to shoot my fragging head off I pulled a blade across his forearm.  Pretty deep too, should make a wicked scar."  The cruel smile returns, "Should match the previous one I gave him right nicely I think.  I'm not worried about him mate, he's too stupid to get the drop on me and not nearly good enough to beat me.  Kept the piece too as a bit of a souvenir."

[Csjarrat]

oh shit. we can do without a bloody war on our hands mate, you'd have been better off killing the fucker than hurting him! ah well, time for some shots eh knives my old mucker?
Johnny returns with a bottle of sambuca and two glasses, but as he makes his way over to the table you hear a screeching of tires outside.
You hear four shots, the din of breaking glass and screams.................


Chapter 1 Ends for lumen
-Total karma earned 5
-1k payment
-Pistol looted

+1 enemy, Micky "The Mugger" Maxwell (please add this as a free quality)
-2 reputation with Maxwell Crime Family (now hostile)

well done!!