[farothel]

'You can clearly take the rat out of the Barrens, but not the Barrens out of the rat,' she thought

"No offence, but I'm not really interested in your love life," Sammy said, "look, you need to make a few changes in your go-to response.  Violence is not the first answer to everything.  It has its place, I'll be the first to acknowledge this, but not always.  And let me tell you, I grew up in a place not all that different from the Seattle Barrens and see where I managed to get.  If I can do it, so can you."

[Necrogigas]

O'Connor gave a sharp laugh, but the cracked ribs cut it short. He turned to Sammy with an amused smirk on his face, "You think there's hope for me? That's sweet, but you are so very, very wrong. You got out, good for you. I'm happy for you, really, but we are nothing alike. I am a criminal SINner with no skills other than violence. I don't have a place in the world outside of the Barrens." The amusement never left his voice. He wasn't bitter or angry about being a Barren rat, it's just what he was, simple as that. He made his way towards the Kong Mart next to the club. He prefered liquor as his go to painkiller, but mid-run he'd have to settle for actual painkillers. He huffed at Sammy, "Yeah, what I did wasn't the smart play and it accomplished nothing. I knew that going in and I don't regret it. There are three things I won't ever compromise on: pride, spite, and vengeance. This poser gang is a disgrace, and I won't bow to them or play their games. I'm starting to think the real gangs here ain't worth a damn either. How haven't the thrill gangs at least taken them on? You can bet, sure as drek, that if something like the A-kidz showed up in Seattle, the Halloweeners would've murdered them all on live broadcast."

[farothel]

That was probably the difference between the two of them, Sammy thought, he had been part of the gang life and she hadn't.

"It's not because they have a show and are a bit more flashy than you are used to that they can't be effective," she said, "and as to you not having other skills than violence, you can learn.  I did, others did.  It's just a matter of trying.  In fact, this trip to LA might be good for you, as now you are out of your comfort zone and you will have to try."

[Necrogigas]

O'Connor shook his head, mirth written across his face, "Okay life coach, what exactly can you see me doing with my life other than shooting people in the face for money? Where should I, the ex-con from the Barrens, go looking for job training and honest work?"

[farothel]

"For starters to the other people in your team," Sammy said, "me, Snow or Sam can teach you about etiquette and stuff like that.  Snow can teach you tech, I can teach you some magical stuff and maybe Sam can do that as well.  And as to another job, you're very fast, so you can for instance be a stuntman in the trid industry.  You've seen those guys on set, right.  Don't tell me you can't do that with a bit of extra training in some areas.  And you wouldn't be the first person with a criminal SIN to work there.  People make mistakes in life, but that doesn't mean you can still try to make something of your life.  In fact, you're already trying to get out of gang life by doing this job.  Just try to diversify your skillset a bit and you will not only be contacted if people need to be shot in the face for money."

[Crossbow]

Speaking of shooting as a skillset....

When Clementine had stepped up to the booth, the kid who was winning the day had assumed she was someone's arm candy looking for a little fun.  When she started mowing down targets with precision, his jaw dropped. 

She passed his score with a quarter of the time remaining, that was when the moaning started.  When the round ended he was cursing and heading for the door through a crowd, who took the opportunity to mock him.

[HydroRaven]

Clem was surprised at how easy video games could be. She had thought there would be a big difference between shooting a real gun and playing with a toy, but surprisingly she took to it quickly and easily. At the end of it all, it took her a moment to realize she had gotten a higher score than the reigning champ.

The ork wasn't one to brag, but she had seen the top-placed kid trash-talk every person that challenged his position on top of the scoreboard, including her. Before he left through the crowd, she couldn't help herself and said "Would you believe this was my first time playing this?" with a wink and a smile.

Unsure of what to do next, the street samurai put down the gun and went back to the bar to get herself a cranberry juice.

[Mercy Merchant]

If the gangers allow it, Snow sets to looking the bouncers over.  She shakes her head, Con really dished out some hurt before they spanked him.  She does what she can to help.

[Necrogigas]

The amusement drained from O'Connor's face the longer the conversation went on. It had been funny at first, but it was quickly becoming tiresome. He gave a noncommittal shrug to Sammy, "I'll keep that all in mind, though I don't get why this even matters to you." He kept quiet after that. He entered the store and made his way to the aisle with the pills and stuff. He reached up to grab a bottle of pills on the top shelve. He felt a twinge in his back as he did so. He had an idea of what it was though. He pulled off his jacket and as expected saw that the area where he was struck by the stun baton was left crackled from the lengthy discharge. He tried to reach the spot on his back, but it was just out of reach. He pull his shirt up, "Hey Sammy, there's a burn on my back isn't there? How big and how bad?"

[farothel]

'Because it would make you easier to work with,' Sammy didn't say aloud.

"It's not too bad," she said on his question, "you will probably need a new jacket though, and a new shirt.  Get some quickly and we head back to the car in case the others need us.  I'll heal you up there."

[Necrogigas]

O'Connor grabbed a bottle of burn ointment, "Save your magic, this ain't worth it." He decided to forgo a new jacket and shirt. Sure if a bullet hit that exact spot it'd go through, but when was he ever facing away from the bullets? He glanced at Sammy for a second longer than what would be normal. He couldn't figure her out, she said they came from similar places, but he couldn't see it. He couldn't fathom it actually, *Guess you gotta leave it behind to get out.* And that was something he could never do, probably wouldn't even if he could. He sighed heavily, "Look Sammy, I hear what you're saying, I do. So I want you to hear me. You need to stop thinking of me as a person. I am a rabid animal that can't be tamed, won't be. We're runners, realistically, we don't got long. I'm a Barren rat that's fighting a one man war, I got less. I don't have the time to fail fighting against what I am." With that O'Connor walked off to pay for his things.

[farothel]

"If only I could," Sammy whispered to his back.  Shaking her head, she left the store and went back to the car to wait for the rest of the team to finish their stuff in the club.  She would have to talk to Sam or Clem about this, or maybe ask Snow, as she seemed closer to O'Connor than the rest of the team.

[Crossbow]

Inside the club, an alarm sounds like the buzzer at a ballgame.  "THAT'S IT!" shouts Leo, an implanted vocal modulator making it sound like a lion's roar, "Pledges! To the pit!"

Several guys jump into the pit, some are holding wads of scrip, or stacks of chips, some simply have a credstick.  The gang leader leans out from his throne, examining the men.  "Where is the Hunter?  I thought he was going to make the cut?"  someone stepped to the throne and whispered to the gang leader, then he pointed to Clementine at the bar.

"YOU THERE!!" Leo boomed again, his enhanced voice making it seem like the words were shouted from the next bar-stool, "Come forward!" he says pointing at Clem.

"You pledges, deliver your fees to the Master of Coin and prepare for the jumping in." the men all went to the far end delivering the goods, they looked very nervous.

When Clem is in front of the throne, he booms at her, "You have defeated the Hunter, denying him reentry to this organization.  Your triumph has earned you a boon.  Do you seek membership, information or reward, what can the A-Kidz do for you?"

[HydroRaven]

The theatricality of this "recruiting" event was making Clem a bit uncomfortable. She didn't like the attention so much, but was willing to endure it if it meant she could find out where Bacchus was.

"I just need to know where goat-legs is" said Clementine, trying to make her request as neutral as possible. She was sure her teammates had eyes on what was happening, so she simply said "Torley, come talk to this man" while keeping her gaze on Leo.

[Crossbow]

If Torley attempts to move toward the goings-on in the pit, he will be stopped by the same bruisers that stopped O'Conner.  None of them were seriously hurt, despite a few low blows.  The most seriously injured was a guy who probably fractured his hand punching his buddy out.  He is trying to make time with Snow while she wraps and immobilizes the hand. He isn't really necessary, anyway.

“You seek that piece of trash?” Leo laughs boomingly, “He tried to crown himself and pull off his own show and got his comeuppance. His P2.0 subscription was revoked, his backer was arrested, and he is running.”

He gestures toward the people in the pit behind her. “All of Bacchus’ little dogs are now coming back to me with their tail twixt their legs, and soon we will paper-train them again.”

Taking a drink, he motions to one of the men behind her, anyone who reviewed footage from LA Gang Life recognizes him as having a bit of screen time.  “Nike! You were his second, Bacchus, where is he hiding out?”

Nike looks even more nervous as he replies, “He’s heading for the border so he can get on a pirated network.”

“There you go. Head down I5, you might catch him before he hits the border. Especially if he is still driving that POS convertible.”

His business with you done, he ignores you.  Looking at Nike he says, "Well done Nike, a reward I think.  You will be jumped in first.  Gentlemen, no weapons on Nike, but be sure you break something."