[pistolgrip]

From the moment the explosions rocked the building, it was a blur of magic, bullets, and explosions. Before long Aaron found himself in the back of a car, the other runners doing wizardly things with both magic and the matrix. The job had gone south. What was supposed to be a quick guard duty for a team of professionals saving a doctor had turned into a field trip with the potential to cost Aaron his job, or perhaps even his life. Still, there wasn't anything to be done about that right now, so he enjoyed the car ride and tried to make any sense of the chatter. Apparently the whole thing was being covered up.
"Suits me just fine." he thought to himself. "At least I won't make the news. But I guess I won't be making my next shift either..."
Aaron frowned as he considered what Madezyne would have to say, and then thought of how long this might go on. He had debts to handle, after all. Piss off the wrong people and they come looking for you, corp-gov conspiracies be damned.

Back at Al's, Aaron stayed quiet. He grabbed a couple of beers, but to someone of his bulk it was like drinking water. Al was clearly not a man of high tastes, but in a way it was a welcome break from the usual fare at the hotels. At least Al wasn't likely to be particular about wrinkled suits or scuffed shoes.
Seeing everyone set in on some kind of planning, Aaron took up his normal position at the door. Anyone in uninvited was asking for a broken neck. Yet here came a man asking for the albino fellow, and nobody seemed to terribly put off by the whole thing. At least no guns were pointed at anyone's head. As things got a bit more busy, Aaron decided that the front door was the wrong door to guard. He moved up to the room with the family, standing outside their door in classic bouncer fashion. At very least, no one was going to muscle past an oversized ork in full body armor. It wasn't much, but it was all Aaron could offer, and it was the best he knew how to do at that point. Clearly he was in way over his head, so he let the professionals sort it out while he kept his eyes and ears open.
14

[gilga]

Solo listened carefully to Nitro... "well I had them for like a few hours... bah cool toys. Saved a couple of us from dodging bullets but definitely not sustainable tough. I am just trying to get a grip on this  drone things. As much as i can without a rig that is. Thanks for the tips and as so many people fucked with us already - just welcome abroad"

Solo started to feel the responsibility, they lost snow and daddy, not much redundancy left for such a large team. Again people started to give orders - but these were tactical. Just find a buyer for the good how difficult it may be. That magical Decker seemed interesting enough.

I am the mage he giggled to himself... i guess we are really fucked up. Tough nonsense was a an amazing conjurer. He said to Hallucation..."Playing mage is a difficult shoes to fill for me. I'll try to do my best, but if I am to play mage i need spirits and a lot of them. I'll pull an all start binding stuff, but I'll need to go get a bunch of runes - anything magical you need? I ."

He places an order at his favorite talismonger friend.
>> Debbie, This is nonsense,  I need some runes like 1,000 of them, chaos tradition as usual just make sure. M... I also need some relationship advices but nothing good happens after 2:00 am. Let me know when you can ship me the runes...  (if hallucination wanted anything he'll order it to her).


"Okay M, he say... I am going to the matrix for a little while. Cross referencing stuff about the doctors very hip research with a possible interest map of the relevant megas... If you get lonely, try not to do stuff that will put me in an awkward state." He laughed.

He looked for Tobias that seemed already deep in the matrix doing something... something odd.
"tobias seemed to be... *scripting?* what is he doing there... coding is the kind of work to do in the office over months... not the quick dirty hacks they do in runs. Somthing odd about that one."


With a small shout... "Anyone want to do some matrix searches with me? I want to understand a bit of the politics around our good doc. You should proboly also help" he grabbed his hand... "Rachel... I am borrowing your husband... it is only fair after you got a dance already." he laughed "Now lets see what sort of work you can do for what megas so you can make an informed decision before we are all dead...".

He prepared his working environment, finding a nice place to cuddle up and dived into hot sim - that safe house was a bit depressing and the matrix was so much better than that world. He rushed in, browsing tiny bits of data trying to figure out what exact use are these corps going to have with the doctors research.

[Aria]

[Thursday June 18th, 2076, ~01:56, Al’s Machine Shop, Docklands, London]

The Doctor looks a little surprised by Solo’s request but takes the time to answer Al’s question

“No, nothing that I’d call a breakthrough… I never get to see the whole picture, that was one of the frustrations with my current position, the Japanacorps keep things so close to their chests…”

Rachel visibly pulls her shit together and with a muttered “sorry” interrupts her husband,

“It’s Boston isn’t it?!  That’s what has changed in all this…those poor people…”

***
_#25

[gilga]

While trying to piece togheter some background profile Solo consult with the doc. "So Doc, you think that jap mega want you to keep silent? I always felt that this CFD is way bigger than the media would like to admit tough I have no experience with it. Urban brawl league had their worst year in decades... you are saying this is a lot smaller than people on the street thinks?

What about Evo and NeoNet? does anyone of them really need you? where do you think your contribution is the greatest... trying to figure out what's your end game is. For us it is just another day at work... but this night can effect your entire career and family life."

[adamu]

[Thursday June 18th, 2076, Al’s Machine Shop, Docklands, London]

"Nah, correct me if I'm wrong, doc, but I don't think he's sayin' it's smaller than ever'one thinks, jist that his role in it is jist one piece of a much bigger work. Hell, lady's right, with Boston goin' under, ever'one knows it's big, an' every corp knows there's money ta be made."

Al started to wander off, wanting to leave Solo and the doctor to figure out the man's best deal - though he was already pretty sure he knew who they should contact first. But he added one more thing on the way out: "So with all that money at stake, who would want him dead instead of alive? Well, I reckon it's these headcase types theyselves. They sure as hell don't want no cure found, an' who knows which people at the tops o' which corps is infected. So ya can't jist think about what corp offers the best deal. Ya gotta think about which corps got an individual ya kin trust ta make the damned deal with."

[gilga]

That's great idea Al, I'll cross reference with some rumors, social networks and sleazy gossip sites. It take a while for the idea to sink in, and then Solo has a pretty worried expression on his face: 
"...But Al,  do you really think that headcases can hide their nature well enough to keep a cooperate job? This is unthinkable... Some of these *things* have nothing in common with meta humanity.   Are we giving eTher a call? I am not sure we are enemies today. She is highly ranked and is definitely clean.  We can off course wait for a few hours - but under the circumstances - a Johnson don't just forget he hired such a massive gig and become unresponsive after missing his drop... If your runners are thinking how are they going to get paid they are unpredictable. He do not want unpredictable with all the mess that's been going on... it's been like 5 hours already... can we write treat Art as history already?"

[ScytheKnight]

[Thursday June 18th, 2076, ~01:56, Al’s Machine Shop, Docklands, London]

Nitro takes the time to get his car turned around, carefully, and opens up his RCC loading up several programs as well as a top of the line Agent. This done there's a low buzzing sound as a full half a dozen Fly Spy minidrones take wing and fly out the window to take up a surveillance net around the safehouse. "There we go, many people insis on trying ta watch a dozen drones at once, pha waist to time and jus sensory overload. Ye get yesself a good agent an let it handle the network. Ya jus make sure ye let the blighter know what ya lookin for an it'll ping ya if annythin shows up. Leaves ya mind clear for more importan tasks."

This done he takes a look around the safe house, nodding in approval at the workshop and giving a low whistle at the damage done to the van. "OI! Wassyaname Al wassit? Ya happen ta have any spare parts layin aroun this workshop o yourse? Ya got some nice tools here an if we're gonna be sitten aroun for a few hours i might be able ta fix this clapped out junker a bit." Not even bothering to wait for an answer he lifts the hood and starts poking around to assess the damage and see what he can fix without parts, and what's going to need replacing.

Drones are running silent. RCC is running Virtual Machine, Signal Scrubber, Clearsight 6, Fly Spy Maneuvering 6, Fly Spy Stealth 6 and a Rating 6 Agent. Agent's orders are to use the drones to setup a surveillance net and inform Nitro of anything approaching the safehouse or lurking around nearby. Signal Scrupper and Vectored Signal Filter both provide 2 points of noise reduction, with two unused program slots the RCC itself provides 2 more giving the drone network a total 6 points of noise reduction.

Once I know how many dice I'm rolling (build/repair has a lot of modifiers) going to attempt some basic repairs on the van using the workshop tools and equipment. Doubt I can get it fully repaired, but hopefully get it into a more drivable state.

[gilga]

Solo suggests to Nitro... "If you are going to do some repairs and modifications I think I have just the spell to help ya... I am quite capable with hardware if you want to wait for some more dedicated help."

[ScytheKnight]

Nitro lifts his head from the guts of the van and tilts his head quizzically at Solo both his cybereyes focusing intently "A spell? Ye one o those mumbo-jumbo mage types? I thought ye was talkin' about learnin ta be a rigger... an dinn I hear ye talkin about lookin fer stuff onna Matrix?"

[gilga]

Solo laughed... "Well, I mainly see myself as a decker but I am awakened since birth and sort of learned how to use magic to push my skills to the limit.  Mumbo jumbo is what I think about most magical traditions with the chanting and rituals...  I am a practical person, I just stick to what works.

I deck when decking works, I sling some mojo when mojo works... and now I'll try to learn a bit more about driving and gunnery. That way I'll have another option for the cases where a fast car or some air support are the best answers.  If you work alone, you have to know your limitations and work around them. You may be the best decker in the world but sometimes it is better to have a gun than a Deck... other times Mojo does things that guns can't and I can see the potential in being able to drive and shot from drones for the times when this is the best course of action. So I am no rigger, and due to mojo limitations may never be - but as I work alone, driving fast enough or shooting stuff from distance may save my life if I can learn how to do so."

[ScytheKnight]

Nitro grins and chuckles, shaking his head. "A regular ol' Billy JOAT eh? Well, I can say i understan tha whole magic malarky at all.. but if he wan' ta become a riger an not want ta messup ya whole aura thingamawhatsit then ye jus need ta make sure ye get yesself some quality 'ware. Don't just grab any old hunk-o-wires someone offers ya that fell out o tha back o a truck, get yesself some Alpha or Beta ware... also, ye might wanna go poekn aroun' somethin about some place ya can trust that does genetic work, there some treatments out there that'll halp ya body accep an adapt ta implants better."

He looks back into the van, shaking his head with a sigh "As fer ya magic, do as ya will... this pile o' junk is almost beyond savin' I'm sure as dreck not gonna be able ta put her back tagether in a few hours... but I reakon I can at leas get her runnin better so it doesn kill anyone tryin ta pull any fancy drivin."

[gilga]

"Genwork you say... isn't it a bit of dangerous right now? I'll look into these augmentations once I have the cash, mojo will be hurt but nothing in life is perfect, and it feels that driving is either you have it or you don't - I've seen incredible things in bike races and such. I just got myself a racing bike and am itching to try my luck in street races to pick up a few tricks" He gently and casually touches Nitro's hand. "Think of something... I bet your mind is clearer then ever. Cheaper than brain augmentations... I could make a fortune in universities" he laughs.


Nitro is heavily augmented so it is a bit difficult to effect him with health magic.
Improve Logic (-5 dice to due to augmentations): 10d6t5 7
Hell of a roll tough... +4 logic.
Resisting drain:
Drain: 15d6t5 6
no drain.

By the way, I think Al's car is in the shop but perhaps you can fix Snows car.

[adamu]

[Thursday June 18th, 2076, Al’s Machine Shop, Docklands, London]

"...But Al,  do you really think that headcases can hide their nature well enough to keep a cooperate job? This is unthinkable... Some of these *things* have nothing in common with meta humanity.   Are we giving eTher a call? I am not sure we are enemies today. She is highly ranked and is definitely clean.  We can off course wait for a few hours - but under the circumstances - a Johnson don't just forget he hired such a massive gig and become unresponsive after missing his drop... If your runners are thinking how are they going to get paid they are unpredictable. He do not want unpredictable with all the mess that's been going on... it's been like 5 hours already... can we write treat Art as history already?"

Al smoked for a bit and digested Solo's speech. Turned it over. "Yes. Yes. And yes." He decided he needed to pee, but it could wait another few ticks. "I been followin' this Sybil thing close as I can on Jackpoint. Reckon I'm takin' it pretty seriously. Accordin' to the community, yes, these soulsnatchers is wormin' they way into all levels o' gummint an' corp. Like ya say, some's freaks. But they learn from they hosts, an' some is real good at blendin'. An' hell, some stay in they positions even after they git found out."

He thought of giving Silk a call. He decided he would, just one more check on Fairy Twinkle Dragon's bona fides. But he already knew what his gut told him. "An' yes, since we don't know which organizations wanna pay the good doc an' which want him dead, well, less you find some real pot o' gold offer in these here searches yer doin', my vote is indeed for a call ta eTher. I worked for her before, an' that run was her goin' against factions in 'er own corp fer the sake o' uncoverin' data on this virus. I wanna make one more call, but someone I trust trusts her, so seems like the right play ta me.

"An' as fer Art, don't know if he screwed us or got screwed hisself, but that don't make no matter nohow. He's outta the picture, an' that's jist how it is. Now if'n you'll excuse me, I gotta go take a wicked piss."

In the bathroom, he got a call from the Vicar. Some of his lads had come through, and brought Al's Bulldog out to the off-license a few blocks away. He took Spike, walked over, watched the van for about ten seconds until he was absolutely sure no one was watching, and drove his baby home.

Which was what got the hippy's attention.

"Yeah, Al's my name, don't wear it out. Alouicious Harlan Guthrie, esquire, at yer service. An' if by that you'd like ta have a crack at my girl here, well, reckon you kin start with the perforated radiator." Then he sat down on the floor and dozed off briefly as Solo and Nitro discussed the fine points of what appeared to be endless arrays of cybernetic bells and whistles and devil-worshipping doohickery.

[Jack_Spade]

Isaint nodded at Nitro's explanation. Agents were precisely what he had in mind to keep an eye open in the matrix:
<<Susi: New order. Direct surveillance. Record any online presence entering a 100m radius. Search for weapons, cyberware, military hardware, high end commlinks and armor, use fuzzy logic algorithm(TM) to increase search parameters logically. Instruct agent cluster to assist through distributed processing.
Also keep an eye out for attacks, marks and other illegal actions.
If illegal actions are detected, initiate full defense, alert me, activate jammer, smoke and mirrors and prepare defensive actions>>

While he walked around the place to familiarize himself with the layout so that he would be able to find his way around even if he was blinded, he started to read up on what he could find about CFD on Jackpoint.

#68

[pistolgrip]

As Aaron stood guard over the family, he couldn't help but overhear talk of some kind of virus. Not being one to keep up with the latest scare stories, this "sybil" business was completely over his head. But whatever it was, apparently it had drawn major corporate and government interest. And that "interest" felt a lot like a big red target on his head just then. He noticed Isaint wandering around and decided to flag him down for a chat.
"You look like you know what you're doing. What's our plan here? I've done defense in some hot situations, but never against full military outfits like that. And my jobs are usually measured in hours. This is way beyond my scope."