[Imveros]

Damn this aint going to stretch far at all, but its at least enough to fill my belly for now Johnny looks around the market and lets out a little sigh Of course there isn't any good food here. His stomach growls at the thought of the ribs over spaghetti with crushed nightcrawlers he'd eaten only a few short weeks ago after a particularly lucrative collection day. He doesn't give up hope, and after a little searching finds a place selling half way decent roasted crickets. As he chomps away he hears the idle chatter of the masses gathered at the market. They say this monster is 10 feet tall and strong as 10 trolls. Well i heard its a single man who done sold his soul to every devil from the times of old Johnny chuckled to himself. These superstitious folks and their rumors. They should know by now that nothing is more mean than a regular old metahuman with a kink in his soul and an ax to grind

A peppy tune floats across the market, but it ends before Johnny can nail down where it came from. He looks over to his left and notices the sea of green and black forming in one of the booths and figures he has outstayed his welcome. As he goes to leave the market, more rumors catch his ear. Yeah six more people strung up this morning. SIX? i heard it was TEN! gotta be some corp experiment. A beast that big cant be natural. I bet next weeks pay that at Azzies have something to do with it Huh something big must be going down to get this many people spooked. Guess it wasn't such a bad thing to bring the six shooter after all. Drek i was out around 6 when all of this went down...

[SgtBoomCloud]

Arc couldn't help but give a chuckle and a shake of  her head as she took a step back, arms crossed as she watched the pair play out the music as a duo.  They were quite good, even she could appreciate that.  During this time, she let herself think back to hers and Duck's conversation this morning...

He originally had told her he wanted to handle this on her own, but she insisted on coming to get him. Rather than argue with the spunky little breeder, he just relented, choosing to save his energy for something more worth the battle.

"So... Didja ever get a pricetag on all that gear Feathers needed from last night? And speakin a last night... the fuck did we even need them fuckers for anyhow? Seem like just a buncha extra spoons in the pot, y'know? I mean, I'm sure you got a plan and things, and if keepin em secret is part of em, that's all good. You do what you gotta do, wiz? But, if secrecy aint parta the plan... He leaves the sentence open with one eyebrow in the air.

 "Well, as for whats up with these Ancient heads? This meet is straight financing. Aint shit else I need from these gangers. I'm bout to put myself in some serious debt with these fuckin pixies and I might end up being on their "payroll" for a minute over this shit, but blood demands blood. That's what's real." His eyes are finally clearing out and he's starting to notice that Arc is still wearing her gang colors from last night.  "You... probably shouldn't a come dipped in that Howler shit, but... they aint been beefin in a long ass time, so fuck it, right? You done eatin that nasty ass drek yet? We need to go burn one in the ride on the way to the market." At some point in the car, while rolling up some Zen, Duck asks her, "So hey, you ever hear back from 'Rack last night? This shit got a mug shook, wiz? You know if he aight?"

"Hoi, Blindside be the Third in command with the Ancients, Skraa'Cha, and only just fragging recently.  I cannot in good conscience let you walk into that drekpit alone, ya hear?  As for the pricetag, my guy got me a bunch of goods for a hundred thirty seven.  If you can't come up with that, then we gots problems, yo"  She let out a barking laugh, letting him roll his spliff of Zen and focusing on the driving.

"As for the drek with the Howlers...I know, I'm crazy as drek for bringin' them in, but I gots my reasons.  You cool with me, omae.  I'll tell you.  The prof said this weren't gonna be easy, on either side of this fight.  We need combat mojos to help Feathers and Raven, and we'll need guns to geek this Ma'fraggin' mage.  Casualties are to be expected, and that's why I'm bringin' in Lupo and his crew."  Her voice grew low and quiet, her expression hardening as her grip tightened on the wheel.  "If I know Lupo, and I do, he and his precious Howler's are gon' want to be the first ones in the action, to get the credit and the glory for all of it.  Let's just say I'm counting on that, ya hear?"  Her smirk finally returned, almost wicked in the dismal rainy light as she kept driving.

"As for Rack, I ain't hear squat from him.  I'm worried.  After that stunt last night, you'd think he'd try to reach us..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Snapping out of her reverie, Arc brought her focus back in to the present just in time to see the Ancients pile into the meetup location.  Giving a nod to Duck, she stuck around with the elf for a moment longer, sending off a quick ARO mapping her location.  "Wiz playing, Olena.  Here's my garage.  Bring that Scorp' by and we'll take a looksee, aight?"  Giving a finger salute, she skipped off after Duck, joining him in front of the wall of black and green keebs.  She kept silent, her hands in her pockets, jaw set as she gave a curt nod to the go-gangers, trying to look a mix between non-threatening and non-prey.

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena continues to play her sax low, splitting her concentration between the meet and activity around her.  There should be enough gangers in the tent to take care of the Ork and human if needed, but if they came to try to kill Blindside for the Howlers, they are probably not alone.  She carefully scans the faces and postures of anyone nearby.  Anyone angling for a look-see of the meet is a potential target and she assigns priorities of kill to each.

She runs a check on the RFID camera sensors she had put out to keep an eye on the ranged kill sites she would have used for over watch if the weather had been better.  She had placed her little eyes out as she walked around at stretch breaks.  There is no telling who might have decided to use the sites, despite the weather making them almost useless.  She takes her job seriously.  There was even one under the counter of the Kaf'N'Snack booth across the way so that she could get a different view of the meet booth. 

Thinking of the kaf shack brought the memory of Sam Webster back, but she pushed the handsome human into a mental cubby until after the meet.  *No distractions like you right now, thank you very much, Mr. Handsome.*

[ismilealot]

@ Duckdown  When you walk over to them calling out, the Ancients step back, leaving you a clear path to Blindside. Tall and muscular for an elf, he's sitting down, one  leg lazily crossed over his knee, an almost elegant razorgirl standing behind him. He looks at you when he hears your greeting and he almost raises an eyebrow. "Indeed. He said you have business of a personal nature regarding your family. The combination of those two words together has me intruiged. And leery. They seldom combine to mean profit.  But please, have a seat, and we can by all means discuss it." He lazily indicates the only other chair in the booth.

[Triskavanski]

What a terrible night to have a curse

Masquerade tossed and turned through the night, visions moving through her head of a black bird. The curious thing about the bird was that it had a third eye in the middle of its forehead, it called to her spoke with her. Ravens flew in circles above, flying down on the carrion below. A feast of crows, a murder.. the flock quickly devouring the meat as the three eyed one watched... But the thing they were going after was still alive. Some beast, of unknown type, lashed out killing the other birds but slowly succumbed to its wounds. It was then, and only then the three eyed crow swooped in and took its prize from the beast, now having a larger feeding ground of its own with fewer ravens around.


As she awoke, she realized she need more. More people to come and fight the beast. What she needed, was those who were wronged by this creature to come forth, the family and friends of the ones dead.

Loading up chat rooms was easy enough even for her skill, she chose at random, ones with names that sounded like the could be of use to her. Rumor Mills as it were, her avatar for these rooms little bunny gal, with the user name Lollipop Bunny

<< Hey guys! Have you heard of the Barrens Ripper? You know scary thing that keeps killing people... Yesterday some Halloweeners were talking about it. They said it hates bright light! They were going to attack... I uh.. forgot where. But it was near this dinner were I got these really cute shorts, over here..>> Here now she placed the location of the nearest dinner she knew of that fit her description.

@Johnny Lash

She fires off another message, this time as her manly persona, Don. Simply, Don. to Johnny LAsh <<So eh ya. Me and the bois were thinkin of takin out this boogie monster thing, folk been eh calling the Barren's Ripper, cause its bad for business, ya hear.  I ain't gonna be so impressively dress like the last time we met, cause wouldn't cha know it? This place is full of drek, and I ain't bout ta get my good suits ruined.So yeah, if ya interested, shoots me a line, kapeesh?>>

[Mercy Merchant]

Once the ganger goons step back Yelena has a clear view of the Ork, human, Ancients lieutenant, and his razorgirl guard.  *Now if the goons stay in position like they are supposed to I got my shot at all of them.*  As she continues to play the sax, she considers what it is about this particular razorgirl that bothers her.  She has been at all the meets, although always in the background as a good guard should be.  Just something.........Perhaps it is just a combined bitch factor between the two Keeb women, but still..........  Then it hits her, *She acts just like that fragging Squad 9 asshole in Germany twenty years ago and like good old Sergio with.....what did they call themselves?  Oh yeah, Planet Six, or some drek like that.  Now, he certainly was dynamite in the sack even if he was a federal plant.  Gods, how can I remember that sort of fragging drek after so long?  But that is just how she acts.  She has all the same subtle moves and looks that they and others like them had.*  She mentally shrugs.  *No skin off my nose if the Keeb higher-ups want to place their spy in his court. Unless she makes a move at the meet, that is.  I will be watching you closer, you bitch.*

She keeps part of her mind on her surroundings and on the sensor feeds.  *Now is not the time to get sloppy.  It would be bad for the reputation, don't you know?*

[Poindexter]

Duckdown takes a glance at the chair before figuring Fuck it and taking a seat. He leans forward with his legs splayed wide and leans his elbows on his knees. After hearing Blindside's opening remarks about the supposed nature of the meet, he makes a mental note. Lil Mik talk too fuckin much. If he tellin these heads bout family business, he tellin his homeboys bout slottin my sister. He chuckles a tiny bit before speaking. "Well fuck, that personal family business shit make it sound like I came to here to avenge my father's death or some nonsense." He takes a more serious tone before continuing. "Naw, for real? I'm here to take out a loan; a big one. Interest aint no thing neither, whatever's whatever, wiz? But straight up and down, I'm putting together a team to take down this killer in the sprawl. Now, I aint even bout to act like Ancients is stupid and aint heard the word on their streets, so I'll save the explanations and whatnot like that; just get down to the real shit, wiz? And the real shit is 35 g's. That's what I need and I'll agree to whatever terms of repayment and compensation and things you want." He takes a slight pause, the words he's about to say causing him a bit of disgust that he masks well from all but the most observant. "I'm willing to work it off, too. I'm good with that ol' budda ba budda ba, ya heard?" He takes a moment of silence, looking Blindside straight in the eyes without blinking while deciding just how ballsy he wants to be here. Once again, Fuck it wins the war and the skinny shirtless ork lets a tiny grin creep over one corner of his mouth as he says, "Now is this gonna be a quick in-n-out or do you mind if I roll one up?"

[SgtBoomCloud]

Without a word, the short human stood beside Duck as he sat, locking eyes with the dandelion eating razorgirl bodyguard standing behind Blindside.  Her gaze narrowed as she took stock of the situation.  It was definitely in favor of the Ancients, as one would think it should be in their turf.  Guns aren't gonna get us out of this scrap...things turn nasty, we gotta get creative to cool this drek down...  Having nothing to add to what Duck's already saying...it is HIS party, after all... Arc stood silent, shifting slowly and openly from having her arms crossed to going arms akimbo, her damp hoodie glinting in the light of the rainy environs.  Her thoughts drifted to her pouch at her left hip, where her grenades were bundled safely inside, ready to be withdrawn at a moment's notice...should things start turning ugly, that is.

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena is standing only 20' or so away and the Ork is not being particularly quiet and his words carry to her over the low sound of her music.  She finishes the song and chooses another that will allow her to play notes while keeping her left hand near her hip.  Her nostrils flare a bit when she hears the amount the Ork is asking for.  *35K?  That must be some group of runners you are looking to hire, mister Duckman. This must really be important to you if an Ork is begging money from a Keeb gang lieutenant.*

The Ork had said only his friends called him Duck, yet the short human woman had done just that.  *There has to be a story there, somewhere.  An Ork and a human apparently friends.  Good enough friends that she would risk her life going into an Ancients den with him.  I would like to hear that one some day.*

Despite her thoughts on the drama unfolding inside the booth, she is still making an effort to watch her surroundings.

[ismilealot]

@ Masquerade The chat rooms are busy with talk on a variety of subjects as usual. But some guy professing to know a few Halloweeners disputes your words. The conversation is soon lost in chat about a new indie band and clothes as someone starts talking about the new styles coming out and someone else figures you must be a pro Lollipop if you're out in shorts in this weather and pm's you asking a price.

@ Duckdown  Blindside straightens slightly at 35k and gives you a hard look. But remains silent listening to your entire speech. When you ask about smoking he gestures with an open palm. "By all means." He watches you roll one then and looking up at the razorgirl signals her with a flick of his eyes. A signal she answers with a lowering of hers. He then looks back at you and calmly watches you smoke.. "A request of thirty-five k from an orc raised in this neighborhood to a keeb ganger is no insignificant request. It means he's desperate, and since he had not requested help to get his career back on track, or for better living conditions, or for revenge against the man who stole his career. But only asked for cred after his niece is murdered, it makes me think that it is indeed family business. And that he doesn't care about his pride, or the interest, because he doesn't figure on making it out of this alive. And if you're not going to live through this, either you're dead stupid and just planning on shooting anything that might be what killed your niece, or you've got the first real intel on whatever this is. Which is it? Facts, not speculation." He still looking at you coolly, his posture that of a man watching a trid.

[Triskavanski]

Turning back to the chat room again, she wasn't about to let some guy who just happens to know a halloweener << Nuh huh, No you didn't, Just cause you know a halloweener don't mean I didn't hear what I heard. You heard me, They said the Ripper thing doesn't like bright light, so you wanna not get ripped, you gotta get lights.>>

She sighed, sitting up now. In the virtual world she can only put so much into the rumor mill, it was ironically harder for her to change her appearances. Taking her hands and rubbing them across her face, she pulls back her hair into red-orange and black spikes. If she says a Halloweener said it, then one did. If there wasn't one to say it, she'll make one.

Moving to one of the vending machines, near where she was squatting, looking for things more in halloweener's colors.. She pauses for a moment to fire a message back to the person who was asking if she was pro. <<500 Nuyen is the base price,  chummer>>

[Imveros]

Johnny take the last bite of his roasted crickets and sighs. Never enough to go around is there. Gotta be at least a few places around this dump that knows proper portion sizes

Suddenly the theme from Rawhide plays in his ear. He enjoys the little snippit before checking his link. Gotta remember to thank L0n3r4ng3r_45 for that music file. Where does he find those things? then looks down at his link

<<So eh ya. Me and the bois were thinkin of takin out this boogie monster thing, folk been eh calling the Barren's Ripper, cause its bad for business, ya hear.  I ain't gonna be so impressively dress like the last time we met, cause wouldn't cha know it? This place is full of drek, and I ain't bout ta get my good suits ruined.So yeah, if ya interested, shoots me a line, kapeesh?>>

<<@Don_Simply_Don [Johnny Lash] Look Don not sure where you got my SN from, but i don't chase after urban legends. You have any hard facts on this Barren's Ripper, or you just yankin my chain? Been a lot of that going around recently >>

[Triskavanski]

Snapping off another message. <<Course wes gots the intel. As it turns out this pretty little thing got herself into eh a bit of a pickle, if ya catch my drift. And now the Ripper is after her. All ya gotta do is keep it from killin her and ya getcha self a handsome reward. Fail, and well, ya don't have to worry much bout it no more, or anythin else. meanwhile the bois will be you know, makin sure it can't kill no one never again, see.

Its a win win situation in here, cause then people keep comin around mah pizza joint. Specially when we re-open it, cause currently the dough has been a bit rough, with all des killins goin on.>>

[Poindexter]

He watches you roll one then and looking up at the razorgirl signals her with a flick of his eyes. A signal she answers with a lowering of hers.

The fuck was that about? Without letting the slight confusion show on his face, duck sends a quick mental message to his human accomplice.

<<@Arc [Duckdown] This girl got drones in the air or some shit? Take a look for me, will ya?>>

He then proceeds to roll his spliff while listening to the Ancient lay it down.

"A request of thirty-five k from an orc raised in this neighborhood to a keeb ganger is no insignificant request. It means he's desperate, and since he had not requested help to get his career back on track, or for better living conditions, or for revenge against the man who stole his career. But only asked for cred after his niece is murdered, it makes me think that it is indeed family business. And that he doesn't care about his pride, or the interest, because he doesn't figure on making it out of this alive. And if you're not going to live through this, either you're dead stupid and just planning on shooting anything that might be what killed your niece, or you've got the first real intel on whatever this is. Which is it? Facts, not speculation."

After lighting it and taking a long hit off it, he raises it to eye level, offering it to Blindside before continuing. "I aint asked for no help with my career or my living situation or revenge or all that shit, cause I ain't willin to degrade myself for none of that shit. I get where I get in life based on my word and my will. If I need help with any of that, I don't fuckin deserve to have it. If I end up playin hole in the wall spots in the sprawl for my whole life, least I got the knowledge that I never sold out to keep me warm in the grave, wiz?" He takes another long hit off the spliff and holds it in while offering it to the razorgirl, not expecting her to take it. "But this shit right here?" He blows it out into the sky. "I'm willin to make a deal with a dragon over this. Yall Ancients the closest thing a trog like me knows to a dragon, so I came to yall. Now as for not planning on making it outta this alive? Sheeeeeeeyit, when Ares eventually goes all Chicago on this city, best believe Duckdown gon be standin tall. And that's real. I got pride when it comes to my shit.  But this aint that. There aint no pride when it comes to this shit." He gives the cool customer named Blindside a moment to consider his words while he takes another hit. "Now, as for intel on the killer? Yeah, I know some thangs. You wanna talk about trading my info for some of that thirty-five? I'm down to have that discussion."

[Csjarrat]

Feathers does his best to console the roughed up gangers for a while, seeing how badly the encounter had affected them.
Who are you talking about, do you think it was that thing that had taken her?
The lack of action began to trouble him though and if it had awakened and taken another victim, the rest of the "team" needed to know.
If it had, its feeding cycle seemed to be more frequent than the prof had suggested, meaning that it probably was more powerful by now than they had prepared for...
<<To:: Team>>//Hi all, Feathers here. Took the gangers on an astral scout and it sensed us, felt like it was awakening. Be prepared!//