[SgtBoomCloud]

Marissa pursed her lips at the image.  "Looks like some kinda connect the dots drek.  Not sure what it is, but the reboot suggests they may have a spider on payroll.  Ain't surprising.  Could pass it off as simple as some yahoo wannabe drekhead playing with a new deck, maybe?  Either way, let's hope we don't need a bigger boat..."

Thinking to herself quietly, she brushed a stray strand of auburn from her face.  "I'll trust your guys' abilities as much as my own.  My skills would befit the checking out from long range.  La Sombra, if you think you can order a fraggin' taco and not tip off our buddies, I approve."  She gave the thumbs up to the orkette to emphasize her point.  "Five minutes out.  Enough time to abort if we ain't all in"

[JackVII]

[05 MAY 2075 | 21:00 | DFW | In Phoenix's Car]

"They must have someone pulling matrix overwatch. That's not good, since there's no way to hide a MARK. Oh well, we do what we can, I guess." Wraith replied, sounding just a bit frustrated. "I still think we might be able to get some value out of getting a first-hand look at things, unless anyone has other plans?"

[Poindexter]

Looking at the picture pop up in his field of view, Ian feels like he recognizes it. Realizing no one else does, he clears his throat and speaks up. "Isn't that the Pegasus constellation? Saw that on an album cover way back in the day. Wonder what it means..."

[JackVII]

[05 MAY 2075 | 21:02 | DFW | In Phoenix's Car]

Wraith glanced sideways at Hopeless. "Of all the random things to pick up. Nice work, omae. Let me phone a friend and see if I can figure out what that's all about..."

<<@Bug [Wraith] Hoi, you ever hear of anyone using pictures of constellations for matrix overwatch alerts? I was just snooping a mark and they received the attached message. Immediately rebooted their link after that and are still online now. [Image Attached]>>

[rednblack]

The Phoenix seamlessly weaves her Shin-Hyung through the third level of the Highway 12 Expressway, making good time but refraining from going fast enough to warrant immediate attention from the Star, barely.  At their exit, The Phoenix pulls them around and at points underneath the giant mag-train station, where the ARO billboards are temporarily replaced by full-wall ads hocking trid flix and bio-chems.  Upon exiting the tunnel, the scaffolding goes down and down, and Hopeless thinks that he catches sight of some gangers busting on a kid with some pipes.  As they close in, he sees that it's just a group of teenagers killing time and smoking on their nic-sticks, but his pulse quickens, and he wipes his sweaty palms on his pants to calm himself.

One more block down, and they're met with the giant ARO of long-necked bird, its wings extend in a dazzle of lights shining down on the lobby itself before the bird closes them, and turns its head to the side before the plumage is shown again.  And then again.  As they approach, The Phoenix weighs her options.  She can circle around and see if a parking space opens up across the street, take one further down the block, pull in at valet parking, or try her luck in the garage.

<<@Wraith [Bug] News to me, chump.  Constellations might be a code, but I have no idea what.  Weird they'd just reboot.  Careful out there, wiz?>>

[Poindexter]

Things are looking worse and worse by the moment. So, not only are we going to spy on some violent criminals in the midst of some violent acts; but also, they've been alerted to our presence already, and on top of that, we're going it under the god damn train station. The man in the backseat grips his hands together tightly and breathes deeply, the way he's been practicing. Luckily, there hasn't actually been a train going by yet, so he's able to hold himself together, but he's starting to become visibly nervous. Visions of Loki's shit eating grin as he slipped away from the riot dance through Ian's head for a moment.

"So, ummm... We're just having a look at them tonight, right? That's all?"

[Jayde Moon]

"That's all I'm doing', anyway."

Way too early to try something more, Gabriella thought to herself.

"Even if we wanted to do something, best case scenario is we blow our bonus... and I'm not ready to do that an hour into the job, chummer.  I got rent t' pay."

[SgtBoomCloud]

"I'm with La Sombra on this one.  I like money.". Marissa grinned, pausing as they took in the AR sight of the Heron's signature feature before she pulled the car in a slow, casual loop, thinking quietly to herself before speaking

"...sight, it's red and blue pill time.  I ain't valeting this drek...don't like strangers with the ride, no?  I could park close, park nearby streetside, or try a garage.  It's feeling like we probably gonna tail these guys to their destination, and try to record some of their drek, right?  Will we need visual to do that?". She glanced at Wraith for the last bit, seeing as she already had sights on Minami's link again.

[JackVII]

[05 MAY 2075 | 21:05 | DFW | In Phoenix's Car]

Wraith nodded, "Yeah, we're just looking. I reacquired Minami's 'link, but I don't want to risk MARKing it again to actually get a location. I mean, you could pick up a set of MARKs walking down the street, but getting a second set so soon after rebooting would raise alarm bells. So yeah, we're going to need visual confirmation. I don't think I am going to be able to physically track him again through the Matrix."

[SgtBoomCloud]

Marissa gave a nod.  "Good to know, won't push you to do it either.  Thanks...hmm...okay, this'll do.."  Having run a full circuit around the Heron, the Phoenix opted for a parking spot about a block down the road, open enough to give a decent view of the entrance: namely, where the patrons drop their cars for the valets.  Bringing the Honda to a full stop, the lady took a deep breath, checked the time, and gave a nod.  Six minutes...

"Okay, here's what I'm thinkin'. Minami and his underlings have this place in their territory, so it stands to sense that they arrive and leave using their features..valets.  We don't have a visual for Ototo, but we do for Minami, and I bet you we can see him from here.  Once IDed, we'll tail the car best we can without drawing attention--I'm running everything but the car silent now--until we get to the place where we can set up for some footage getting."  Shocked she is actually making a plan, Marissa cleared her throat.

"This obviously is tricky on the caution biz, cuz we are not going to face our destiny tonight on just one hoop.  There's a chance we might lose their tail..or break away if they seem suspicious.  So anyone local could maybe answer this, or Wraith can crosscheck this drek, but just how many taco stands do you think we'll find in Minami's territory, eh?  It probably is more than one, but we can narrow it down as we go...maybe even beat them there if we lose their tail."

Putting on her glasses, the Phoenix opened the door and stepped out, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it whilst having it perched upon her lips.  "We got a few minutes.  Speak now or hold onto your butts..."

[JackVII]

[05 MAY 2075 | 21:05 | DFW | In Phoenix's Car]

Wraith nodded, "I'm not sure how well the Matrix is going to answer that, but I can run a search and see. Worst case, if we lose them, I can try to MARK his 'link again, run a trace, and reboot so they're none the wiser."

The woman slipped into unconsciousness again to run her search, slumping into Hopeless' shoulder.

[Jayde Moon]

"I'm along for the ride at this point.  We just keep it cool.  If we can snag anything useful tonight, that's icing on our O&I cake... but we don't need to push a thing, so if they get spooked, we let em ride and they can laugh at their paranoia later.  We get to the taco stand, I'll grab a bite and see what I can hear... but no risks."

[rednblack]

The Phoenix lights a cig, and feigns stretching her legs and working the kinks out of her neck, as she casts brief surreptitious glances at the entryway of the Heron.  Inside the car, Hopeless rolls down his window so that he can peak around in the astral, and immediately wishes that he hadn't.  The heavy construction and mess of meta-humanity in this part of Dallas is stifling.  Sararimen, gambling addicts, and the occasional over-worked hotel staffer getting off a double make him depressed just looking at their auras.  It doesn't help that practically as soon as he rolls the windows down, the din of merengue blasting from the party buses is overwhelmed by the quick whoosh of a mag train.  At least no one seems particularly interested in their car, or its inhabitants.

A passing drone whizzes by overhead, broadcasting the evening's nightclub act in the Heron's bar a jazz combo called NeuBleu.  The advert reads, "Clean liquor, dirty girls."

Phoenix plays it cool, and ashes her cig with a quick flick of her middle finger, but she's caught sight of their quarry.  About ten meters out from the main doors of the Heron, there stands Minami, talking on his link.  The Phoenix turns around to rest her hands on the hood of her Shin-Hyung for a second, and catches a brightly lit window for the boutique she happened to park next to, and it just so happens to have a great reflection of the Heron's entrance.  She sees an Americar pull up, Minami palm his link, says something, and the car pulls away, then turns into the parking garage.  Minami quickly finishes he comm call, gives his droopy eye a lazy scratch and disappears inside the hotel's main entrance.

[SgtBoomCloud]

The Phoenix suppressed her grin as she successfully sighted her quarry, tilting her head to one side with the appearance of stretching her neck.  She paused as their mark spoke to the car that pulled up, watching the vehicle enter the garage.  hmm...the time's about right...but he didn't leave...hold up.. Taking. A few steps and a long drag of her smoke, Marissa leaned up against the passenger side door, muttering into the crack in the window to works to the others.

"Spotted the mark.  One ugly mother slotter.  Was on a link call, spoke to a car that pulled up.  Here's the weird part.  The car pulled away into the garage, and ugly went back inside.  My guesses?  Either he's meeting inside to talk and then leaving, or the tag spooked him, and our Otőto went out without.  Thoughts?"

[SgtBoomCloud]

The smoke finished, Marissa realized that remaining outside the car now would make things look a bit odd. Stripping the butt and tossing the remains, the redhead joined the others back in the car, heaving a bit of a sigh as they all seemed content to follow her lead on this.  Heh...this is new...good? I dunno..but new  Grinning and silently chuckling to herself, she trailed off when she took a glance in the back mirror to spot a BMW pull out..nice one, too...and guess who was driving it...

"Look alive and be cool, peeps.  Time to see just how far the rabbit hole goes..."  They were in luck with their mark turning before passing them by, giving the Phoenix the opportunity to start up the engine unnoticed and rejoin the flow of traffic while not seeming to be coming from the club.  Trailing behind, Marissa could not believe her luck: the night traffic was thick but not heavy, allowing her to weave between cars and keep pace with the BMW while still concealing her own ride fairly well.  The drive was easy, fluid, and Marissa couldn't help her ear-to-ear drek-eating grin.  "All too easy.."