[trv123]

"If you're going to go matrix-astral, you might want to jump in the car with Cal so he can keep an eye on your body." she tells Kumiho over the open comm channel.

[skulldixon]

No need. I can do this from AR

[Stoneglobe]

"Personally I'd continue with the subterfuge just long enough for them to feel like they're in control before suddenly hitting them with the real questions. I've often found taking people like that increases my chances of reading them and of getting a truthful answer. In this instance I think you would be perfect to play the role of one of Lady Marisart's personal assistants who's here to represent her during the meeting. You and her are my client and I'm looking for a finders fee from these 2. We can get them to tell us what they can do for Lady Marisart and as they get comfortable hit them with the questions about last night.

Of course, if you feel more comfortable taking the direct approach we can do that as well.

Kumiho, I'd probably start the commlink hack once you here us talking, less chance of them noticing at that point I'd guess. Let us know what you find if it's relevant and Cal just be ready in case things to get hot. Either inside if they are part of the team from last night or outside if the team from last night turns up to deal with witnesses, shout if they do."

With a slight bow to Calico I hold the door open for her and then follow her into the building.

[trv123]

"No, let's go with your instincts on this one." Calico says to John's mention of the direct approach. "Playing 'the help' is a role I'm familiar with. Now, you should know that when the time comes for me to administer mystical encouragement, if these guys are hiding things then the other guy might become confused by his partner's… forthrightness.  As a preventative measure it might be helpful if we can figure out a way to separate them for that part. Doesn't really matter how that part happens, but I have an idea if all else fails." she says dispassionately, unzipping her bodysuit another 15 cm, revealing the full depth of her cleavage.

[Señor T]

Cal can't help a glance before looking to John. <<Go ahead and leave me the keys. After you go in, I'll pull around the block and park up there facing this way.>> He points to a spot on the other side of the street about a block up the road, opposite the building from Kumiho. <<I'll keep line of sight on the front entrance and Kumiho.>>

[Poindexter]

After a short wait, the little brown painted one man chopper buzzes its way down to the landing pad, the highly upgraded dog-brain bringing it to a landing soft enough to wipe a baby's ass. While the athletic, and Eugene must admit, incredibly gutsy woman begins fastening up her gear, he pops open the door and plugs the thin cord from behind his neck into the control panel, running a basic diagnostic pre-flight check on all his systems. Everything's checking out as normal, and while the auto-doc program does its thing, the tall, cocky pilot reaches across the single seat to remove an old, worn Ingram X from a holster. He pops the clip out then back in and makes certain the weapon is clean and loaded before returning it to the holster. Noticing the raised eyebrow from Tanya, he just shrugs. "Don't imagine needing it, but old habits die hard, wiz?" Soon, she's all snug, secure, and strapped up under the belly of the tiny little one man craft that's just barely big enough for her harness.

"You ready to give this a try?  I have about 200 feet of rope I can descend from when we are ready, so when we get to where we are going to test this out, try to be within a couple of hundred feet of the ground.  Let's do this."

"Wiz." is all he says before stepping into the bird, closing the door, strapping his flight helmet on, and powering the little fucker up. With a buzz and a whoosh, they're shooting straight up into the air. Due to the extra weight, the controls seem a bit sluggish to Euegene, even though the ascent must still be incredibly rapid for Tanya, being strapped to the bottom. As he jumps into the little aircraft, he thinks.  Woman like her? She's probably been in more than her share of helicopters before, but probably passenger types. These little wasps can be a little zippy for first timers. Gotta take it a kinda slow.

Once they're in the air and moving at cruising speed, with the city laid out beneath them like a sick minded childs lego set, he pings her comm.

<<@Tanya [Earlybird] So, my place aint equipped for any kinda maneuvers or anything. What about yours? If that aint on the menu, I got a chummer that works at a place with a landing pad.>>

[Mercy Merchant]

Tanya is ready, her adrenaline already spiraling up in anticipation.  She catches the rotors spinning up to a higher pitch and sets herself against the harness she has crafted on the bottom of the Wasp as it lifts off from the pad.  The vertical lift caught her off guard a bit, as she was expecting a more horizontal maneuver.  Through the open connection between them, Earlybird hears a near-maniacal scream that just goes on and on, and he recognizes it as a scream of excitement touched with a bit of fear, but no panic.  When the scream dies off, Tanya sends a message to her pilot, >>Blooooooody fragging great!  What a rush!  You have GOT to try this some time.<<  Tanya listens to the question and replies.  >>Let's use your bloke's place if it is available.<< 

Tanya watches the ground wiz by at an enormous rate, providing her with a view of the sprawl she had never had before.  The experience makes her blood surge and she feels almost joyful in the thrill of the what is happening.

[trv123]

Calico snaps her fingers with sudden realization, remembering one last thing that needed doing before heading in. "Hang on" she tells John, and jogs briskly back to the car where Cal is waiting. Pulling open the door, she bends over and places her hand on his forearm. "Just in case", she explains, sending the necessary magical current rushing into him. "Try not to lose your shit sitting alone in this car." she warns with a smile as Cal's eyes widen at the explosive new sensation. And with a final wink, she closes the door and walks quickly back to where John is waiting. "In we go." she observes with a nod as she passes into the lobby with him.

F1 pre-edged Increase Reflexes (on Cal): 21d6h5 13
Drain: 15d6t5 4

[Señor T]

In an instant the world opens up to him. Everything seems to move very slowly and very quickly at the same time. It seems like Calico touches his arm for ten minutes, but he knows it's only an instant. "No... problem..." he replies, frustrated as his mouth takes so long to form the words, while at the same time processing that it indeed might be something of a problem. Of course, it wasn't that different from Jazz, but it was much more pure, more real, more whole. Sort of like the difference between coffee and tea. But a strong tea. That was it. A lot stronger. No harsh buzz like with the combat sim. Like coffee. He'd felt a spell like this once before while on a particularly critical mission, but this was so much more... more.

There. His stupid mouth was finally done talking. The corners of his lips pull up to give Calico a big grin. Time for more talking. "Good... luck... in... there." What was the name of that guy that had good tea back in the unit? Anders? Drek, that was good stuff. Alright, time for the next words. "I'll... certainly... be... ready... if... things... go... south."

Why didn't he drink tea more often?

[Jayde Moon]

John and Calico enter the building and check the directory.  Benson and Hodges is the second floor and the two walk up that way and open the door with their name decade on the translucent glass set in the top half of the door.  A young woman looks up and smiles.  She looks as John imagined she would.  Young, blonde.

"Oh, good evening.  Can I help you?"

Behind her are two doors, both of them shut.  To the right is another room, more open.  You can make out a table in there and several seats.  An old soykaf machine, an inch of dark liquid in the pot.

Outside, Cal sits in silence, his eyes scanning frantically back and forth, a thrilling hum working through his body.  What's that?!  Oh, a street bum.  What's THAT!!?  Oh, some kids.  WHAT'S THAT!!??!!  Oh, lady walking her dog...

[Stoneglobe]

I take in the name on the door and the secretary indicate that these two, as Dana put it, amateurs seem to be more successful than they perhaps deserve. Still it's not like you're interested in messy fidelity cases is it John. They're beneath you. After all the only time you were interested in a cheating partner was if it could be a motive for kidnap or murder.

Smiling back at the young woman, definitely the sort of welcome I could get used to, "Good evening miss. We spoke on the phone not long ago. John Chance along with one of Lady Marisart's personal staff. We have an appointment."

[Mercy Merchant]

Tanya watches the sprawl pass below, her excitement not abating one bit.  This is a view it will take a long time to get used to.  The sound as the Wasp's blades propel the small machine through the air is matched by the beating of her heart.  For a moment, she is tempted to hit the release on her rig and descend to the bottom of the rope but then decides that she does not know how that would affect the capability of the aircraft and decides not to.  Still, it could be something to try out later............

The helicopter flies to a place with a small landing pad.  As Easybird maneuvers the Wasp to hover above the pad, Tanya sends him a message through the open link.  >>That was magnificent, Earlybird.  I can easily say that I have never had more fun.  I have just less than 200 feet of rope available so that is the limit of your height.  Get me to that altitude and hold it steady.  No sudden moves up or down or you could have one very badly hurt Brit noble on your hands.<<

[Jayde Moon]

Inside the Building

"Oh, right, yes I'll tell them you are here," she says, standing up and going to the door marked Hodges.


Outside the Building

Cal looks quickly from left to right and then scans up the buildings when his eyes focus in on the building across the street from the offices that John and Calico had entered.  A flash of light, reflected off of something... it's a flicker he's familiar with and one that has cost him more than a few friends.  A second flash barely a moment later confirms his suspicion as glass breaks in the office building on the second floor.


Inside the Building

The sound of shattering glass is heard from Hodges' office, followed by a loud thump.

[skulldixon]

Kumiho hears the Breaking of glass and begins to scan the area around him in AR, looking for any hidden ICONs.

What was that? It sounded like it came from the building you are in.....


Matrix Perception: Spotting Hidden icons: 6d6h5 3

[Mercy Merchant]

The Wasp slows to a hover over the small helipad below and Tanya gets the word that they are just less than 200' from the ground, information confirmed by her wrist altimeter.  She sends a message off to her pilot as he hovers at the proper altitude.  >>Very nice, Earlybird.  The weight on the Wasp will be constant until I hit the ground and disconnect.  Be prepared for the sudden release of weight.<<  Setting her break arm so that she can stop herself just before impacting, she punches the release and drops from the bottom of the Wasp.  With her arms out from her sides the drop is fast.  She has done this from cliffs and buildings many times and this is no worse than any of those descents.  She revels in the thrill of the drop but pays close attention to her altimeter as it ticks off the distance remaining to impact.  Just prior to creating a large divot on the pad, she brings her break arm across her body, bringing her to a stop.  Tanya swings her legs under and brings herself to a standing position and calls out to alert her pilot that she is cutting loose as she releases the rope from her harness and sets the small helicopter free.