[Beta]

Forty adds "No sign magic or spirits in the killing, and there was that smell of lavender and sweetgrass.  I dunno that it tells us anything for sure for sure, but the mage could be just a caster -- or maybe they just didn't need a spirit --and probably has native type magic, like a shaman or something. Don't the Sioux or somebody have their own type of magic?  I dunno if the bleeding Azzies use sweetgrass? "

Forty looks around the room to see how people are responding, then her eyes stop when she sees Henway. "Hey , how big is that guy in the pic?  Could he be an elf or orc?  And those bootprints, how big are they?   Is this all humans fragging humans, or they got metas to blame?  And speaking of boots, that one with the label in the bottom, is that one of those expensive brands?  If it is, maybe not part of the team with the rest, like, the guy who wanted the revenge or something?

[Yok]

She nodded to her new companions. The room was big enough for everyone to fit, but the two Trolls, particularly Henway, were making it feel more congested. Well, I'm glad to see everyone could make it. Ravener, you got the feed from the 'link? Let's start with this and will brainstorm after... what's in the bag? she asked, pointing at Henway's huge golf bag alike. It could almost fit a body.

Dat's da gear dat I don't carry when I'm on mah bike.  And what's in it ain't a body, it's fer makin' bodies.  Big guns, ell em gee wit a gyro mount, and a fin har if we gotta be less obvious goin' in.

He listens to Kachina's recap of what they know so far and nods at each point listed.  I dunno much about da mojo stuff or da grass drek, but seems ta me dat if da guy in da mask always wears dat, den we should be able ta put a name on him if he's done work before.  Maybe get a scan on if he runs wit a regular team and what dey is capable of, neh?  We can reach out ta people, but unless dey got a reason ta be lookin' out fer us instead of dis guy, we gotta be careful dat dey don't tip off da bad guys.  I ain't got anyone I know dat I'd trust enough ta risk it, but I ain't been here long enough to make dose kinda contacts yet.

[Beta]

"Good point Henway." Forty nods at the troll, then comments ""That sure looked like a guy, and I don't think I've ever seen him.  But I've gotten to know the worst of the female criminals in the 'plex, let me think if anyone's ever described a mask like that.  And I got a couple of chummers who might know something-something.  If it is OK to send out the picture?"  While she waits for the others to decide about sharing the picture, she rifles through what she knows of the Seattle criminal underground.

[Turkish]

From what we have gathered, a group of runners came in Shiawase Tower in a black unmarked van, probably by mind manipulating the guards. they bricked all the cameras, and covered by a powerful invisibility spell made their way directly into the HR department. From the boot print found, they, or at least one of them, may come from a more rural area. It seems the masked gunner was only here to kill everyone and leave no witness. Timeframe seems to indicate they may have had only a few minutes to steal anything. One employee, Peter Spears, used his last strength, before being murdered, to pull up some data about Greenfields hires.

Did I miss anything?

"That about covers it.  My contact, whom I would consider trusting, deals in smuggling and that sort of shadow work.  They might know people though who deal in wetwork, but I already asked about the van and haven't heard back yet.  My other contact who might know something, I do not trust to not betray me, at least not without a little social lubrication." VanGuard then indicates his meaning by holding up a cred stick.  "I fear that the price for his silence may not be worth the likelihood that he knows anything useful." VanGuard then shrugs.

[Jayde Moon]

<<VanGuard [Joey] Hey chummer, I know someone who might be able to help fid black vans for you, but you're gonna have to grease the wheels.  Something around 500 nuyen, what do you think?>>

[Beta]

Forty rolls her eyes and says "Frag this pussy-footing around.  I have a couple of contacts who would have a chance of knowing something, and I trust 'em both pretty well, in their own ways.  I'm going to send this out to them."

It takes Forty a short while to prepare the messages--she'd worked out what to say while travelling but she had to remember how to attach an image to the message.  Fragging decades of "improvement" and slotting phones are still a pain!  Eventually, however, she fires off her messages.

The first goes to the 'link of Heather, leader of the Sidhe Devils.  Some joint adventure in prison, and some work to help Heather ward off challenges to her leadership since then, means Forty is happy to fire the message right to the Dog shaman's personal 'link, where hopefully it will draw a quick response.

>>Heather [Forty] Hoi Bitch (no, the joke will never get old) -- it's your favorite loose cannon with an almost proper set of clues now. Looks like a few shooters, no dwarves or trolls.  The bippety-boppety-boo stuff looks like it was just inviz, no sign of attack spells or spirits.  I smelled lavender and sweetgrass so I'd guess a shaman.  But the biggest clue is the face mask on one of the shooters <image1>.  Looking like that, I guess I don't have to tell you the wearer was a guy?  Kind of stands out, so I'm hoping it stands out in your memory.  If you have something for me, then count me in for some preps and spirits next time you need to get scary.  Course, I'm usually happy to help out anyway, but I'll even try not to give you too much lip or get creative in too violent a way.<<

The other message gets fired off to a burner link, registered to someone who doesn't exist, addressing a private nickname.  It might take longer before the question gets answered, but Forty can't expect June to take direct personal messages from a convicted murderer; it is bad enough for a politician, even a low level one, to have spent time in prison.  That the convictions amounted to "Protesting while troll" and "Being troll in Lonestar custody and demanding rights and reasonable treatment" doesn't change that her history holds her back and Forty doesn't want to make it worse for her. 

Idly Forty wonders if the politician knows Angus, but concludes that sharing that same odd smoothness, that makes them stand out less than someone like Henway, shouldn't be a reason to assume a connection.

>>Juli [Forty] I've got some info for you.  No telling anyone about it unless it comes out in public anyway, but maybe you can use this heads-up to be ready for it.  Course I'm wanting for some info back, if you got it, but I'll show mine first. (but speaking of, if there is any way you can sneak out for a night, I want to hear who you're showing yours too lately, after Mr. Bling had to leave town, and whatever else is going on with you.  Happy to help out while staying out of sight, but I miss talking with you like we did Inside.  You could always make even a dumbass like me think.)<<

>>So, info.  Someone hit Shiawase in Tacoma, shot the whole fragging HR department.  Not idea why.    Don't know if the news will come out or not, but you might want to know attackers were probably all humans but could be orcs or elves, and they used magic to almost totally hide.  And I figure Shiawase can't fill all those jobs from the inside, might have to hire in town.  Maybe you can point someone their way?<<

>>So what I'm hoping is if you heard any rumors of someone beefing with Shiawase?  Or is this sort of thing going around other places too lately?  Or just maybe if this mask that one of the shooters was wearing <image1> means anything to you.  Or, if you think there is something-something else I should know that could be connected. You are always better at making connections than I am.<<

[Turkish]

<<VanGuard [Joey] Hey chummer, I know someone who might be able to help fid black vans for you, but you're gonna have to grease the wheels.  Something around 500 nuyen, what do you think?>>

>> Joey [VanGuard] Well worth it for the intel.  I've attached the finders fee along with a little extra. // Attachment: 600Y <<

"No confirmation just yet, but I may have a lead on the van. I will let you all know if I find anything out." VanGuard states out loud, while sending his response to Joey.

[Agleaca]

"I could ask some of the boys to ask around find out what the streets know. maybe offer a bounty. Or I could ask my boss Id owe him but i already owe him for the job so it could be a bigger favor."

[Jayde Moon]

<<Forty [Heather] That's not like anything I've ever seen.  I gotta say I'm not much help on this one, sorry!>>

<<Forty [Juli] Uh... that's Crying Mask right there.  Terrorist group, ultra violent.  They all wear that.  If that's who you're fraggin with, be careful.  No idea what they got against Shiawase but not surprised that it's something, they hit up cyber and bio tech mostly.  I think they come from the False Face Society... don't know much more about it than that.>>

[Yok]

Henway scratches idly at his chin as the new information is revealed.  Huh.  Wonder wut Shiawase did to slot these fraggers off?  Least our job got a little clearer.  Find 'em, slag 'em, get paid, right?  Dese slots are just gettin' what dey got comin' to 'em. 

[Beta]

>>Juli [Forty] You da best!  We were chasing off in the wrong direction, and this is what we needed to get back on track.  I totally owe you some spiritual security--don't you wait you think you need it, need some randomness or you tip watchers off.<<

Henway scratches idly at his chin as the new information is revealed.  Huh.  Wonder wut Shiawase did to slot these fraggers off?  Least our job got a little clearer.  Find 'em, slag 'em, get paid, right?  Dese slots are just gettin' what dey got comin' to 'em.

Forty nods at what Henway says, but replies "Believe me- after today I'm itching for some action. But I wanna make sure we frag the right guys.  I'm getting a headache just thinking about this, but what if it was a team of runners, pretending to be those jokers?"  She pops up off the bucket she was sitting on and strides the few steps back and forth in the room before continuing  "Am I just being too paranoid?  I guess we have to start assuming that this is legit, before we start chasing any shadows.  But someone more level headed keep the possibility in mind, OK?"

[Turkish]

"Believe me- after today I'm itching for some action. But I wanna make sure we frag the right guys.  I'm getting a headache just thinking about this, but what if it was a team of runners, pretending to be those jokers?"  She pops up off the bucket she was sitting on and strides the few steps back and forth in the room before continuing  "Am I just being too paranoid?  I guess we have to start assuming that this is legit, before we start chasing any shadows.  But someone more level headed keep the possibility in mind, OK?"

After Forty poses her questions, VanGuard leans forward as he begins his response.

"Forty, in our line of work there is no such thing as too paranoid.  That is what keeps you walking to the next payday.  I have a few breadcrumbs I am following with the van.  If they aren't actually that terrorist organization and considering that they attempted to obfuscate the evidence of their arrival by bricking the cameras, but they missed one.  That leads me to a few scenarios: 1) The most likely is that it is the terrorist orginazation, 2) it was runners masquerading as the terrorist organization and we were meant to see the mask and the van as a red herring, in that case I would expect the van to be falsely registered to a known member, or 3) we were meant to see the mask, but not the van and it is owned by one of the runners.  I am strongly leaning towards the first option as being most likely, but all scenarios exists until proven otherwise."

VanGuard pauses momentarily, shifts his head a bit towards the right and then to the left, then looks back at the group.  Anyone with enhanced hearing would hear at least one vertebrate pop. "One topic that I brought up previously, but we dropped upon arriving upon the grisly scene, is who is calling the shots.  I firmly believe that we need to someone who we defer to when we cannot come to a consensus on course of action.  Unless anyone objects, I would like to nominate Kachina for the job."

VanGuard then leans back after he is finished and scans the group to take in their reaction, taking particular note of Forty's.

[Yok]

Henway listens attentively as Forty speaks, but as VanGuard follows up on her thoughts the troll's vision slowly lowers until he is staring at the floor in front of him.  After a moment he takes a deep breath and looks up towards Forty.

Wut's dat False Face Society dat your contact said sometin' about?  Prolly oughta find out about dem too.

He turns his head slowly to look at VanGuard.  I wanna know wut dese cry babies are about.  Most of dese terrorist fraggers got some kinda ting dat gets 'em jazzed.  Finally he looks over at Kachina and shrugs.  Don't matter ta me, long as ya don't slot it up.  A ringing endorsement, to be sure.  There is no acrimony, he just really doesn't seem to care who declares themselves or is chosen to be in charge.

[WillAsher]

Ravener leans back before speaking up, 'I am fine with Kachina taking lead.  I don't know much about these jackasses personally, but I will start digging across the Matrix for details.  Anything comes up, message me.'  Nodding to Kachina, Ravener turns up the volume on his headphones before putting his head on his arms and slumping forward.

[Agleaca]

Angus shrugs and states flatly, "Its fine by me lead the way. So do you want me send out some boys to fine out what the street knows or shall we wait for the matrix to tell us more?'