[pistolgrip]

Jackhammer felt strange in the old cemetery. He hadn't been in one for probably ten years, and before all this business with the demonic idol thing, he hadn't planned on being in another until they hauled his cold corpse into it in a box. He chuckled slightly at the thought of some pasty humans trying to haul him to an open grave, but then frowned when he realized they'd probably just use a loading drone.

On the drive to the safe house, Jackhammer kept replaying over and over in his head something Robyn had said before. Something about a date--with Al? He was trying to figure out what possible appointment they might have together, but couldn't come up with anything besides another 'run. "But she didn't mention Isaint, and neither of them volunteered me or the other guys... Can you do a shadowrun without a whole team? It must be something small..." Some part of his brain joked that it was a "date" date, but that mostly just confused him and didn't end up being as funny as he would have wished. He found himself staring at the small chain-smoking man, a look of bewilderment plastered on his face. All he could manage to say was, "I think I'm going to be sick."

[adamu]

"Whoa there, amigo. You squawk you walk, buckeroo. Just detailed this baby."

It was a ridiculous thing to say about a car strewn with cigarette butts and fast food containers, with a floor so sticky you risked losing a foot with every step you took.

But the fact was, Al was pretty sure that if the big ork hurled, he would too.

[Jack_Spade]

Isaint was the last to reach the address although he had been the first to mount his bike and drive off. A large plastic bag hung from the side when he arrived:
"Just a few necessities for us all, plus some bleach and spray bottles. I hope you all like dry crackers with salt and isotonic sportsdrinks."
Taking off his helmet, Isaint now sported an impressive Iro-haircut and a long drawn biker mustache as well as the high cheekbones of a native american.
"Robyn, be a dear and take care of the sensor suit inside before we enter.
You all make sure to have our transports parked somewhere discreet and in flight direction. I'll leave Arthur in the Morgan to keep an eye on our stuff."

#362

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn stays in the vehicle and slips into VR to go look for the security systems.  It takes her little time to find what she is looking for and she slides seamlessly into the sensor net, fooling it into seeing nothing out of the ordinary for the span of several minutes.  Slipping back into the meat world, she enters the building and goes to the weak spot she had found, making a direct connection to the security system and setting up a continuous loop indicating nothing was amiss at the site.  After all is secure, she lets ISaint and the others know it is safe to enter, but that she will need to remain jacked into the connection to maintain the ruse.

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn breaks the silence.  "Hey, the hospital can help, but the drugs are tightly controlled.  A good SIN would be a necessity for treatment.  I have a valid and good SIN, as well as access to the hospital.  Would you like me to go get treated and see if I can bring some drugs back or is that too much of a risk to everyone here?  It is possible that the authorities would be interested in knowing what happened and want to ask a bunch of questions."

[Jack_Spade]

Still outside Isaint said:
"Personally, I really can't risk letting them get ahold of my DNA - I have a real identity with a family I need to protect. I'll need to tough this out - but if you can go to a confidential hospital without risk you sure should consider it.
But you are right: The London police will soon be on the lookout for anyone showing signs of this particular infection. We inadvertently sprayed it in an entrance way to one of Europe's largest shopping centers. And although you might get away with saying you were there just for shopping, there is a real chance they'll connect you with the "music group" that broke through a security checkpoint.
That was the main reason I'd rather use mages from Below than a hospital."
Isaint replied while he entered the house.
Quickly he made his way through the different rooms, checking for exits and entrances, recording a map for easy tactics transmission and looked for any other surveillance equipment.
<<Just a heads up: No conversation in here about anything more pertinent than the weather. If you need to converse about something, use subvocal, DNI, write or take your conversation partner outside. Just because we think we took care of surveillance doesn't mean we have.>>

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn shakes her head.  "No, I need to remain here to keep control of the security systems unless you want me to burn them and that would seem a bit rude to our friends.  But we are going to get real sick pretty fast.  The mages might be able to help, but their services are not cheap and the spells are very powerful.  I can try to arrange for us to meet them or guide them to us, if you like."

[adamu]

Having set up an "emergency exit" that led to where his car was parked, Al flopped down onto a stiff bed and blew smoke at the ceiling as he tapped out a text to Isaint and the team: <<Who said anything about using a hospital. If Robyn can suss what we need, we sneak in and we take it. Can't be harder than stealing a cursed dingus from under a high-security mall, and we just did that. And before you enumerate all the risks, weigh those risks against the risk of just sitting here getting sicker with an untreated ailment we don't understand. And then remember what profession you're in.>>

[Jack_Spade]

<<Good point Al. I'm game to do this, provided Robyn knows or can find out how to administer the stuff and someone can find out quickly where the nearest stash is to be found - preferably not from a hospital but a pharmacy. I wouldn't want to take meds from a place where they would be in immediate demand to save someones life. Not to mention the risk of collateral damage at such a place.>>
Isaint had noticed that his body temperature now was at 37.7° C. Not good.
<<But we don't need to rely on only one solution: Robyn confirm the request of those mages. 5000 to show up and another 5000 if they can cure the team.
Finally, since we had a successful animal test: If nothing else works, we'll need to source some Deep Weed. That stuff makes even mundanes dual natured and open for the astral. After that we can do the mana barrier trick again. For that I ask you Mrs. Karasu to start working on such a barrier strong enough to overwhelm us and the bacteria. We'll compensate you for the necessary reagents. It's necessary Rick, otherwise you'd be the only one who can't get himself sorted out since you always can pass through your barriers without intersecting.>>

#364

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn nods and sends a message to the mage she had contacted earlier.  >>Hello.  You helped me and my companions out of a particular fix a few hours ago.  It appears that the virus took on a mutated form of some kind and your cleansing was only partially successful.  I would like to ask if you are willing to come and do a further cure.  I am willing to front 5000 nuyen just to show up and another 5000 to cure us.  Please respond quickly.<<

[Jack_Spade]

While Robyn was occupied arranging the mage's help, he set his own network on the task to find where a suitable stash of the super antibiotics could be found.
After inquiring the brand name from Robin, he set his Agent cluster from defense to search mode. Hopefully this wouldn't take long...

[DireRadiant]

[Yukika Karasu - Sunday July 5th, 2076; Francis Road Safe House, Former German Auto Dealership, Harrow, London]

The Kami recites an endless list of junk as I wash my pants. At least there was some detergent and the washer works. The Unclean Hound Mistress is busy using her skills in our service and cannot play. In fact they are all busy making plans and wondering how sick they are. I consider my plans.

I make a request. <<Deckard-san did you bring lodge materials with you?>>

[Jack_Spade]

He hadn't quite finished the thought when his commlink chirped. His Agent spoke with a silky voice:

<<Search concluded.
Found... one target fulfilling the specified parameters.
Listing: Pharma-Tech Ltd. , Mellis Ave, London.

- has a confirmed stash of Gamma-Acyldepsipeptid (y-ADEPS) antibiotics
- has a confirmed contract with... Hard Corps Security - a subsidiary of Ares Inc.
-- Warning! Heavy Security at target site - confirmed municipal contract for 24 permanent guards due to sensitive bio-hazard materials on site.
-- Rating 7 security host, heavy drone presence.

Do you wish to order a Doc Waggon Contract Y/N?>>

'Oh right, just what we needed'

Isaint almost wanted to speak out loud, but remembered his own order:
<<Good news, bad news time: My agent cluster just found a place that has our medicine. Bad news, it's a heavily secured warehouse in western London. And with heavily secured I mean Hard Corps Security - Thats the guys Ares pulls out when they know they need people with heavy weapon experience. Expect some strong matrix security likewise. Only thing they probably don't have is a ritual mage circle.>>

#366

[Mercy Merchant]

Robyn adds a message of her own.  >>I have made contact with the mages.  They can help us, but they are unwilling to come to the Overworld.  They can come as close as possible and then we meet them Below.  This might be the safest way to do this.<<

[adamu]

"Well crap onna cracker. Ya ask me, Satanists plus Below is a one turd plus one turd makes three turds sorta thing. But I ain't fer sittin' 'round waitin', an' this drug place I wanted ta rob, well, even one feller goes ta work tryin' ta put food on 'is table doesn't go home to 'is kids cuz o' ol' Al, well, that'd be one too many. So reckon I vote fer the Satanists."