[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena is not so far gone that she fails to notice the new arrivals.  She nudges Marco and takes his head to kiss him.  It is during this kiss that she has her epiphany; everything comes together in her mind in a rush.  Everything is clear, at least the important things.  Between kisses, she whispers to Marco, "I love you.........I love you........I love you."  After she breaks the kiss, she leans her forehead against his and adds, "Marco let Yelena love you?"

[Shaman_Yuri]

>>Can. All in? With Z.<<

I forward the message to Arc even as I start speaking.  "Lexi says they're ready to party," I provide to Arc and the troll as the former settled beside me and the latter across from me.  "Says they're ready whenever we are.  They're with Z?  Not sure who that is.  I don't think she's mentioned him or her to me.  Any ideas how we get the other group to the show in time?"

[gilga]

Marco is taken out of of his toughs as he begins to softly kiss Yelena back. "Did she feel that too?" He is taken by surprise by this burst of emotion. "I will... I will"   He had no idea how to explain his emotions... words or even thoughts could not describe the monstrosity of Yelena's closure, an eye for an eye is biblical - Marco cannot deny it. It is not christian but victims have right for retribution.   But Nikolai's briefing included the verb 'killing' for many ajectives - adepts, mages heavy weapon guys... whomever did not recieve the verb 'killing' was to be sold to slavery. This is not the lone assassin - that gets her way without collateral damage.  What Nikolai had in mind was a bloody massacre, a massacre that did not even seem to be focused on killing Tasina. There is no excuse for that - Yelena is no longer a scared teenager that knows no better - she have seen good and turned her back to it, there are no excuses and no way to defend her.

"I love you scary lady and I treasure every single moment we have together." He say and he is terrified from the words that are coming out of his mouth.

[Duck N. Cover]

Despite sitting on a sawhorse with a varnished plank on top--marked TROLL SEAT--and sitting in front of food she could have knocked back in one gulp, Tuskaloosa was glad to be where she was when the KE showed up.

If I had been outside by the bikes I definitely would have caught their attention.
Attention we do not want.

[SgtBoomCloud]

Arc gave some pause, already having devoured her third taco, wiping away a bit of sauce from her chin as she watched the off duty patrol coming in, clearly celebrating a recent bust.  And either I got hit hard in the head, or the thing they're talking about was our bust...well frag us  Still, her only outward reaction she had was a brief skipping of a heartbeat...thank Howlers for training her to be cool with the law nearby.  Beside, we're just a bunch of friends dressed for the streets having a meal.  Nothing wrong with that

However, it did occur to her that planning their little goose chase here wasn't the best of ideas now.  But, they weren't going to leave right away..she had one last taco to finish, enough time to make their departure look natural.  Slurping some soda, she glanced at the forwarded message that Firefly sent her, eyebrow lifting a bit.  "Woah-hey, he's back in town.  You'll like him, totally chill. Um..hm, yeah, we got a logistics issue, huh."  She scratched her chin, taco in her free hand as she tapped her cheek.  "Tell her to meet at the Park?  She'll know it, we can get there and figure it out then.."  Along with that, Arc typed up a quick message to Merlin, forwarding copies to her team to let them know the plan.

<<@Merlin {encrypt CC: team}:   Slight shift, started a chess game.  White knight to E5.  Black rook going D7, whitewashing colors.  Timer is still set>>

The street coding was a bit garbly, but the mechanic knew the Howler mage would get it: law presence in area, moving a few blocks down at the same meet time.  No gang affiliations should be seen.

Arc took another drink of soda as she saw Yelena and Marco off to the side of the booth, kissing and having their little moment.  Thankfully, they weren't attracting attention..being young-looking as a couple and clearly foreign probably helped.  Still, she grinned and gave a little chat as she finished her meal, and after about ten minutes or so, the mechanic stood, a hand fixing up her hair before she took care of the garbage.  Paying for the meal, she smiled at Gloriana before motioning to the others, hugging her jacket to herself before departing into the cold exterior of the Shack.

Once clear, she would speak up then.  "Two blocks south, one west.  Merlin will meet us there"  Walking or riding, they would show up to see Merlin waiting for him, the smooth-faced ork waving over to the short human.  Grinning, she bared her teeth before reaching up and bumping forearms.  "Nh...yeah, I know, I look like hell, long story..."  If they were clear, she began to relate the situation at hand, the opportunity to close the deal on this insidious club...and the situation that he was being called on for..

[ismilealot]

Merlins' jacket was inside out and necklace tucked in when she saw him. "Dayum, you look hell is right. But iffn' you standing it means the other guy aint, so good. Glad we finally doing summat what helps Feathers. So, whatchu got?""

[SgtBoomCloud]

Arc glanced to either side for the all clear before finishing the greeting, the much shorter mechanic looking up at the ork with a shared degree of respect and understanding.  It was different..for her at least...to talk with a Howler and being treated as if an equal, the bile not rising in her throat at the mere thought of it.  Instead, she gave a smile as she brushed her hair from her head, a few more burnt pieces breaking off.

"Tch, y'all know better than these here that it takes a bit ta bring this slitch down, heh.."  Glancing to the others, she motioned to the ork.  "To those that don't know, this be Merlin.  Knew me back in my Night Howler days, and he helped take down that smiley hoop killer that was in the Barrens a few weeks back."  she paused to let that sink in before turning to him, gesturing to the others.  "Y'all know Yelena.  That's Marco, Tuskaloosa, and Firefly.  We been working on the Stardust."  Taking a moment to right her thoughts, she started spilling it.

"I'll finna start with the good news.  Thanks to a job we did, we got enough evidence and leverage to bring the feds down on their heads.  Not if, when, and before they move out.  Problem is, the Dust knows the asset we just gave to the feds got away from my hoop, and they hired me to get it.  I'm finna go and answer for that, so they don't go sniffing, ya feel me?  Now we get to the fun part.."

"If NineLives don't buy in my failure, I gotta backup.  Tell his hoop we gotta tag on her, damaged from fire, and we tryna track her down.  We meeting up with some street urchins that will help too, but the point is, tag's gotta be on a mojo's noggin.  Chase the Devil Rat, but the devil rat's been tagged."  she sighed grimly, looking up at him.  "I know you got fam, Merlin.  I ain't gonna make you do a suicide run.  These kids we meeting are the best hopscotchers I've ever seen, but they green.  If this deal's a go, they're gonna need someone who knows better what can keep em alive, you feel me?  Think you can manage a young team of mojo-fueleds?"

She looked back to the rest of the team, wondering if she missed something out.  "...Open to questions...I've got feds ready to help me out if things go ugly anyway in about 30..."

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena let Marco stand first and come to her side so the rifle was blocked form the KE when she stood up.  She maneuvered carefully to keep the rifle on the far side of the new arrivals, breathing a sigh of relief when they were out of the building and walking the three blocks to meet Merlin.  Once there she nodded at the Ork mage, and nodding again when he mentioned going after Feathers.  Beyond that, this was Arc's show and Yelena let her do the talking.

[gilga]

Marco greets Merlin and tries to stay focused when Arc is chatting, he becomes a bit more alert when the KE enters but non of his weapons is strictly illegal. One thing he is certain, Scary lady must keep something illegal on her. He plays along and seats in a manner that obscures her gun.  If any, their couple in love behavior should be a lot more interesting to prying eyes than a gun, therefore Marco kisses  her as passionately as is socially acceptable given the circumstances, if things get messy the two of them will have a wonderful excuse to suddenly leave - "Get a room".

[ismilealot]

@ Arc  Merlin looks at Arc and says, "Best Hopscotchers? Tcha. You ain' been ta da trials in at least five years. An as far as a tag, you wanna keep those kids safe you needs a tag what keeps failin'. Now that ain' hard ta do. Just get a bit a code what stutters the signals at irregular intervals. Hrock gots some. An NineLives be smart. He be wantin' the signal. He be gettin' his own peeps out dere an he be making damn sure you tellin' the truth. You already be lookin' like twice chewed orc food. You cain't stand up ta dat. You wanna stay safe. Get yer self arrested. An not in front o' him neither. That straight up looks like a set-up. Get arrested an send him the message. He'll send someone to you in prison straight away. But, they be getting the info an passin' it along. He gets the comm code, see's it stutterin' an thinks you a damn fuck up. But, he won't find out you lyin' fer a few days. An by then maybe the feds come down. In the meantime I can get that tag far away, lose it. An come back." Merlin stops and looks at you, waiting.

[SgtBoomCloud]

Arc blinked, processing the new idea in as much speed as her head will allow, head tilting as she took a glance back at the team, surveying their reactions.  Smirking a bit, she sighed and gave a laugh.

"You a real omae, you know that Merlin?  I'm a see about getting that tag...in the meantime though, I think this cuts down on our risk time..if everyone cool with me sitting on my heels in KE holding, I'll call Blake off on his back up."

Arc straightened her back, smirking as she took in a deep breath.  "I do need the KE's attention...luckily there be a pack of em at the Shack near here...but I need to be held overnight...use my one commcall to hit NineLives, the one of yall can come get me in the morning?  Now what can I do to puss em off just enough to hold for the night..."

Turning to them, she gestured towards the youngest human there.  "Firefly, think you can run the stuttering code he describes on a tag?  If not, I'll hit up Hrock..and then go get fiesty back at the Shack..."

[Shaman_Yuri]

"Firefly, think you can run the stuttering code he describes on a tag?  If not, I'll hit up Hrock..and then go get fiesty back at the Shack..."

Can I?  In my sleep...

"Easily, Arc-sensei," I answer dismissively.  "We just need the tag and it'll take me a few moments.  If I just have parts, maybe a bit longer depending on the parts."

[gilga]

Marco softly said "Don't you need their love for a less... 'I got myself locked up because you might be violent' reason?"  Other than that he was fascinated by the technical chat about tracers and signals.

[SgtBoomCloud]

Arc nodded to Firefly as she fished in her jacket pockets, eventually producing a small chip..an RFID tag.  "this'll do?"  she grinned, offering it to her with an outstretched cyberarm.  "if you need the tools for it, I'll let you access my arm.  Full kit built in"  as the mechanic looked to Marco.

"it ain't gonna look like that omae.  I just ran into some trouble on the way and got put in holding.  All truth, or finna be"  she winked, laughing before looking back to Merlin.  "once we got the tag, yall can be on your way.  If you need the help of the youngsters volunteering, we can pass you their code.  But for now I need a reason.."

Pausing, Arc found herself pacing as she came up with an idea.  "hoi...yelena and Marco were being close in the Shack.  What if I was part of that, but because of my accident, you cut me out...I get upset, someone runs in to bring them out to split it up.  You say you need me to cool off, then pick me up in the morning..legit?"

She was grinning, looking like hell but grinning as she started removing most of her equipment save her jacket, including the remaining drones in her arm.  "yall will need to hold onto these till I'm out...and my name is Lauren Summers by their records.  No need throwing my street handle out there eh?"

She paused again, gauging their reactions.  Tonight seemed to just get crazier and crazier...

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena nods and goes to her Scorpion, removing the weapons case before dismantling the rifle and storing its major parts in the foam slots.  After making sure everything is good, she snaps the case closed and replaces it in the carry bin.  Turning to Arc, she says, "Arc want Yelena hit?"