[gilga]

"Al's place had great beer, maybe it is for the best... We had good beer and then we almost died... Perhaps we are safer where there is nothing good to drink... but is it worth the price of safety?... Not in Germany it isn't."
He texted Vicki just to be sure:
>> Vicki, you wouldn't happen to know anything about beer would you?

[adamu]

Al had been thinking about security, and while many of Solo's thoughts seemed outlandishly complicated, the man's words about their last meet had blown up under their feet had given him a thought.

But it was hard to stay focused with all this talk about beer.

Drinking - right - he found an ashtray and poured water from the complimentary decanter into, then set it by the door to the lounge. Some alien, guttural words brought a thirsty Spike over. The dog lapped at the water greedily, but it was also clear the animal had been assigned his post.

Then Al said, "Solo, they ain't no floor above us, this is the top. Or so they say. Might be worth sendin' one o' yer little ghostly selves to see if there're any unmarked passages or shafts leadin' in here besides this one door, an' if'n they can peek into the rooms below us, see if there's an empty one. An' you got, what, five o' the beasties? How 'bout one down on the street or inna lobby. A few cameras down there, an' spaced along the stairs wouldn't be a bad idea either," he added, looking at Tobbis.

Then he started walking through the rooms, studying the floor.

[gilga]

Okay lets do it. "I am not always sure what of the stuff I say actually make sense, but you seem to be thinking clearly tonight. So lets check the lobby and rooms below, lets send one Solo to the roof just in case someone make us a nasty surprise there." Said Solo.

[adamu]

"Well, seein' as how this is all unnerground, this place even have a roof?"

Al looked around, seeing no sign of any windows.

"Or we jist got a few dozen meters o' bedrock above us, interspersed with a few layers o' forgotten infrastructure, an' workin' infrstructure on top o' that?"

He shrugged.

"Sure as hell worth a look, cuz ol' Al honestly don't know."

[Jack_Spade]

Disguise test with facial sculpt:
Disguise: 14d6t5 5 [14d6t5=6, 3, 3, 5, 5, 1, 3, 4, 2, 1, 2, 1, 6, 5]


True to his word, only 10 minutes later Isaint reappeared from the bathroom. Fresh, cleanly shaved and with a pretty impressive mustache and a fitting new face.
Seeing Al casing the rooms he arched an eyebrow: "You look like a cat trying to find an escape route. We should probably mine the stairs with a packet that we can ready quickly in case of an assault team."
He turned to the family: "Ok, until we hear back from the contacts to your possible new employers, it would be best if you could find some sleep. The suites are ready for you. Please segregate by gender, since the Doc as the prime target will have to have a guard in his room at all times. Enjoy your sleep, you never know when you'll get the chance to do so again."

[adamu]

"Yeah, good idear, I can do that too..." Al did a double-take when he saw the ork. "Sheee-it, hombre, who the hell're you and what'd ya do with Isaint after stealin' his damned voice?"

Chuckling to himself, he set about measuring det cord, saying in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear before they could disappear to their rooms. "Lissen up, y'all, things go sideways an' we git penned up in here, that there's our out. If'n our exits is blocked, I'll blow the floor in here, so stay until ya hear the blast, then head down. Worst case, natch."

Seeing the uncertain looks on the faces of the Pelletieres, he made it simple. "It gits hot, ya jist stick ta yer closest one of us'n, do exactly what they say."

Once he'd set that charge, covering it with a mattress and running a pull detonator outside the room, he set about preparing a surprise for anyone coming up the stairs. Just a small, discreet package with a radio detonator. He bummed one of the minicams Tobbis had and went out onto the landing. He remembered a potted plant that would be perfect.

He took Spike with him, rasping a few strange-sounding words as he discreetly affixed the camera to the top of the stairwell. As he did so, he looked for any cameras the hotel itself might have. He didn't see any, but that didn't mean they weren't there. So next, as if taking Spike down for a step outside, the dog proceeded to relieve itself in the potted plant. Al acted extremely angry, scolding the dog in English, waving his arms and attempting to pull the stubborn dog away from the plant, dropping the parcel into the pot as he did so. Then he ranted and chased the disobedient dog back into the lounge, where he rewared it with a protein bar once they were in private.

While slaving the camera feed to his commlink, he said to Isaint - "Mined stairway, check. Now no one bother ol' Al less'n ya got chow, smokes, or an offer fer the family."

Then, leaving Spike in his position by the door, he pulled an armchair around to where it faced both suite doors, slouched down with his Remington across his knees and commlink's screen in view, and half shut his eyes.

[gilga]

"You guys completely lost your mind... I am genuinely struggling to keep some sort of sanity, but you are completely insane... we are not going to let Vicki with metahumans in the same room, she eats meta humans it is in her nature. It is not her fault but this is what she is... you are risking the family and tormenting a young banshee putting her at constant temptation of doing evil.

Goodnight is completely unstable, she is suffering from some serious emotional trauma. She resorted to violence over trivial things three different times since we met her. She can kill someone in her sleep just from having a bad dream.  Seriously... you are letting all that good looks confuse you. I understand she is indeed breath taking - and Natasha might never be able to stand up to her, but she understand that being around Goodnight is dangerous.   
Am I the only one that still see things for what they are... these sisters are like armed explosives. They get their own room -  and if you ask me, it may be best to even lock their door. I am sure both of them would have no problem overcome a locked door, but the time it may take them to brake it may deter their dark side from emerging. Think about Vick, with an open door and a super human speed she can be anywhere in a spit second.  She can eat someone before we notice it. She may be able to control herself in her own home, but sleeping with metahumans - her hunger will grow wild and being so fast a bite is just a split second from thought to execution. 
A locked door is in her best interest. "

Solo is clearly upset, he knows that the dark should be contained. That safety mechanisms should be put in place to stop the darkness - he demolished his own personality gave up his entire sanity to contain darkness but these runners seem ignorant to the danger.

[adamu]

Al looked around to see whether any of the family members were in earshot.

"Kemo sabe, that's the sanest thing I heard ya done say all day. But what makes ya think either one o' them ladies even plannin' on stayin' here tonight?"

He actually hoped at least the young one would come back soon - she had promised cigarettes.

"Tell ya what, we keep all doors open all the time. That way no one's really alone with no one. Trouble is, you try ta tell either one o' those harridans we don't trust 'em with the package, we gon' have the damned EuroWars in here. So come up with a guard roster now that don't include either o' them alone with the family, but has other tactical reasonin' behind it. An' git it in place afore they come back. Then it's done, an no more damned drama."

[gilga]

Solo is trying to relax "I do not know... I heard ISaint talking about boys/girls room and it seemed like a scene from an horror movie. I completely lost it. I am really trying to keep my balance and then this runs happens. 

They shouldn't sleep here and I will tell them that nicely if they decide to do so. Goodnight have not shown any violence toward me to begin with, she likes M I can tell that. M touches her softer side. I think we can convince her that she is extremely dangerous. Without Goodnight turning this place into a burning inferno in return.

By the way Al... I have a spell that can help with the explosives if you are interested. Will make you smarter."

[Jack_Spade]

"Peace, friend." Isaint went to Solo and Al and explained in a low murmur:
"Don't scare the ware. I counted your silence as assent after I sent around my message. Sorry.

Trust comes from trust - and if I remember correctly, the only reason Goodnight did not try to make hashée out of me was the presence of the daughter. As I see it, the only reliable way to have her on the team is as protective detail to the girl. I am willing to extend this measure of trust.
 
And should she go psycho regardless... well we do what we can to prevent that, but at least it doesn't happen in the same room as the Doctor and his son. I count on the fact that she'll come for me first should she finally snap. That should give you others time to do what's necessary.
I know it's cruel, but if the Doc is killed we don't get paid and the rest of the family won't get a new home, but their enemies won't necessarily lose interest in killing them - they'll be hunted down just to tie up loose ends.
All in all it's better for us to have Goodnight in the tent pissing out than outside pissed off."

[Kinkerbell]

Vicki nods at Nitro's message and...words. "The man has a point. He could have let you go blind, and if he wanted you infected it would have happened by now." She carefully reaches up, placing two fingers on the side of the barrel and slowly but firmly pushes it aside. Then, stepping back, Victoria says, "See? Not so hard. Now, why dont you two play nice? Let the man get his upgrades and take his money. Everyone is happy. Or don't, but that's bad business. And don't think about putting him under and then harming him or you'll get to see what happens when my sister is angry. You and I both know she isnt stable..."

The cybertech nods slowly and reluctantly lowers the gun, and Vicki flashes Nitro a smile. Mouthing, "Good luck," she turns to leave, but she shoots Nitro a message as she goes. <<When you're done, if you're up for it, you might want to see Fee while she cant fight.>> She appends a map and directions, then vanishes out the door.

Heading back to the hotel she gets the message about beer. She doesnt know squat about booze, but she knows a lot about bartenders, and its easy enough to come away from a dive bar with a twelve pack of a San Francisco microbrew and two dozen tabs of Rush. At the last second she gets two packs of Fee's brand of cigarettes, then heads back toward the hotel, figuring she'll stop for food on the way.

[ScytheKnight]

Nitro gives the elvish vampire a nod and a smile, even if it is slightly nervous. By the time Vivki has reached the door the two are engaged in technobable about cybernetics and audio equipment. It took a bit of scrounging to find compatible parts, and modifications to others to make them adaptable, but finally the new ears are being assembled. Rating 2 alphaware ears with Nitro's distinctive rigid antennae, an increased hearing spectrum module to allow hearing into the infra and ultra sonic ranges, a sound damper to protect against sonic attacks and flashbangs and the new additions, a rating 2 Select Sound Filter to block out certain sounds or single them out as well as a Spatial Recognizer to assist in pinpointing their location.

The whole system combining to allow Nitro to listen for sounds outside the normal human spectrum, isolate them and zero in on their location... A system that made his hearing even more like a sophisticated sensor array than normal metahuman hearing. Finally the new system was assembled and preparations made for the quick surgery to swap out the cyberears. His cybereyes closing as he was given the general anesthetic for the procedure.

The last thing he saw was a pear of despairing eyes... and a pair of furious ones.

*****************

His head ached abominably, a combination of the rushed hot-swap procedure and his brain struggling to process the new information. He'd done this type of work swap over before, it was far from ideal, but the line up of funds, a clinic and enough time to get 'ware swapped out on a run was a rare luxury, and from the way the crew he'd been hired to help out was talking, they where going to need any and every advantage they could get.

He starts wandering through the market as his image link scrolls through messages while he was out. Seems like they're still waiting to hear back from a couple of potential buyers. I should probably head back, I'm pretty much acting as muscle now...

He stopped suddenly, automatically checking his orientation system and realizing he'd been subconsciously following the directions Viki had given him.

Dreck... this is  crazy. Shell' frag me.

I did leave her though.

Seven years, and she survived, and she's dangerous.

Because I left her.

Fraggit, I know this is stupid. But, damnit she's here. One way or another, I have to see her again.

Whatever that brings.

Because everything has a price.

Shaking his head, partially in disbelief at himself, and partially to shake the pounding headache he gets his Orientation system working on the directions, this a careful though he tunes the Select Sound Filter to listen for and alert him to any footsteps following him.

Post count 95

[gilga]

"Peace, friend." Isaint went to Solo and Al and explained in a low murmur:
"Don't scare the ware. I counted your silence as assent after I sent around my message.
Trust comes from trust - and if I remember correctly, the only reason Goodnight did not try to make hashée out of me was the presence of the daughter. As I see it, the only reliable way to have her on the team is as protective detail to the girl. I am willing to extend this measure of trust
And should she go psycho regardless... well we do what we can to prevent that, but at least it doesn't happen in the same room as the Doctor and his son. I count on the fact that she'll come for me first should she finally snap. That should give you others time to do what's necessary.
I know it's cruel, but if the Doc is killed we don't get paid and the rest of the family won't get a new home, but their enemies won't necessarily lose interest in killing them - they'll be hunted down just to tie up loose ends.
All in all it's better for us to have Goodnight in the tent pissing out than outside pissed off."

"I do not think you are right" Said Solo. "Goodnight does not always behave like a psychopath. Nobody would dare to hire her if she did.  She failed to keep her personal darkness under control. One thing led to another and she behaved in an unaccepted way. If we start pretending that we are cool with that we will only further damage her, as it will happen again.

She is an established runner of good reputation -  we should expect nothing less from her. I am not risking anybody because Goodnight is too insane to accept responsibility for her actions. Nor because she is too sensitive and may be violent if confronted with the truth. I know one thing about people, they usually behave the way you expect them to behave. If you expect Goodnight to be insane she will be. Expect her to be a professional and you get a professional.

 We have a job and we have a responsibility, so does Goodnight. She is not doing us a favor, she need the money and reputation just like the rest of us.  If Goodnight stays with us, she is treated like a runner - and should be aware of her weaknesses - no body is perfect and we might meet her psychotic nature again, but I expect her to do anything within her power it does not happen, and I am going to send her that message."
 

[Jack_Spade]

"I won't try to stop you. If you are successful and come to an understanding - great. If anyone can manage such an eye to eye talk it's you.
But be aware that you might cost us her goodwill - such as we have left.
When we started we had four mages on the team - now we are reduced to you and Goodnight. We really can't afford to lose more magical fire power or make more enemies. And don't forget the fact that Goodnight could reasonably claim that you yourself are not entirely sane either - or anyone else left on this team."
Isaint made a very light hip thrust at his last words and winked at Solo.
"But if people behave as you expect them to behave, I'd still say: Trust and expect her to behave like any other member of the team and allow her to play to her strengths. As I said before: Respect is what is keeping this group together so far. Being exiled to the dog house does neither this nor that."

[adamu]

Al slouched deeper into his black synthleather armchair as he tried to follow the twists and turns of the debate..

"Solo buddy, i appreciate yer offer, but if makin' me smart as you gon' tie my thinkin' up in pretzels the way yours is, reckon I'll take a pass. 'Sides, charges is all set already. Reckon ol' Al can place a few bits an' bobs of explosive without anyone bewitchin' his noodle, thank ye kindly."

He watched as the four family members set about a bare minimum of ablutions and other sundry preparations for sleep, though William was already splayed on a bed and snoring.

"As fer our esteemed lady friends, listen ta you couple o' head shrinkers. Seems ta me, Solo, ever'thing'd be simpler if ya quit worryin' about what the best damned thing fer Goodbye's career development path is, an' jist focus on the needs o' the moment. Ya both got good points on that, but reckon they ain't no point arguin' it since if we jist keep the doors all open an' a few of us awake, it's all beside the point. Ain't no reason fer anyone ta be alone with anyone fer the duration."