[Chrome Head]

Gaze looks at him just long enough to reply "No thanks." and turns tail as fast as he can. The first rule for self-defense was to avoid engaging in the first place, and he was going to follow that age-old advice this time again, even though he looks cowardly for cutting and running. As he picks up speed, Gaze realizes that there's more than a dozen men coming after him, so it's unlikely he can outrun them all. Cool-headed, he remains calm and scans his surroundings, noticing a back alley with a lot of debris such as old sometimes burnt cars lying around; this would be a good defensive position.

Reaching that position would be a bit challenging though, as there are a bunch of people in the way in that direction, and they don't seem to care for moving aside, with also Aldo's men coming at him from two directions now. As he easily pushes a middle-aged woman aside, probably a junkie given her emaciated look, a nearby teenager finds a way to trip him somewhat and attempts to tackle the adept. As he easily escapes, he realizes that the mob of thugs is catching up dangerous, and Gaze barely makes it to his defensive position before a first punch is thrown at him, but missing his head widely. The expert karateka evades a few more punches using the uneven terrain to his advantage and feeling out the layout. After finally finding a stable foothold on the damaged pavement, he's able to return blows. His kicks rapidly take down 3 of the thugs, and as they get back up and the others are scrambling to enter the fight as well, they hesitate to move in after the masterful display, just long enough for Gaze to have a chance at getting away once again.

With grace and precision, Gaze makes his way up to a second floor balcony by taking advantage of some of the debris and the imperfections in the wall, noticing a strange green light behind him as he does so. This isn't going to buy him that much time, he realizes, with half the men helping each other in reaching up to his position and the other half or more taking the longer route inside the building. He can already hear them climbing up the stairs as he makes his way through the old building. The holes in walls and the yells of the squatters living there make it impossible for him to remain unnoticed, and with every corner he turns he's almost grabbed and pummeled by a different person. With the pursuit heating up, Gaze continues punishing his eager pursuers with hard blows to the legs and abdomen when a chance offers itself. Inside the building is a difficult place for a place fight though, and there are a lot of civilians, so in a desperate effort to stay ahead he jumps out the second floor window and back into the streets with a well-timed roll that takes most of the hurt out of the fall -- the two men directly behind him are not so lucky though and one of them seemingly breaks a leg in his landing.

Gaze's tumble is creating a lot of distance between him and the thugs, but not losing them yet, what with the screaming and yelling and the fingers pointed at him. Okay Joe, you're in enemy territory, vastly outnumbered, and you have to lose them somehow. This isn't gonna be easy but don't give up, wait for your chance! If you keep at it, you'll have the chance to confront Aldo later. Using anger as a motivation isn't the kind of philosophy he wants to follow, but it just can't be helped right now. He can still see the crook's face, smiling and drinking with him and shaking his hand just moments ago, and that's just pissing him off right now.

The men are after him once more, and while he has caught his breath, Gaze is starting to feel the strain in his muscles. Thankfully, the adept is a natural athlete and he has trained extensively precisely in order to handle situations like this one with a cool head and an able body. Sprinting harder this time, Gaze hopes to lose them by sheer speed, and he almost does, with only a handful keeping up with him until he has to slow down. By now he's making sharp turns through narrow, encumbered alleyways. The first of Aldo's men to catch up with Gaze gets a foot to the face that stuns him and he falls down just in front of the martial artists. The three men there once again hesitate but decide that their numbers are good enough to win this through pure brute strength. Gaze sweeps the legs of the first one, dodges a right hook from the second, but gets grappled in a bear hug by the third man, who's much larger than himself -- was it an ork? For a moment, Gaze thinks that this is the end, but with his fighting instincts kicking him, he skillfully escapes from his grasp just as the other man is about to knock the wind of him with a nasty uppercut to the gut, that almost impacts. Within a few seconds, Gaze makes quick work of the two men, while the other one gets back up and yells their position to the rest of the group. Gaze is already climbing through a window, going through the abandoned building with ease, but he can swear that he's seeing that green light again behind him.

Gaze manages to hide inside a different building for about 30 seconds, while the three men and possibly others are searching high and low, converging on his position. Gaze also hears the groans of some of the men he had hurt but that taken out just yet. It's not like he's trying to kill anyone, even though he would be able to do as much with just his bare hands. And these men haven't drawn guns on him either anyway, and they're visibly not trying to kill him. They are probably getting increasingly annoyed with him though, with many of them pretty beaten up by now. Maybe this is some kind of test? Bah, no time to worry about things like that. 

This little lapse of time was enough for Gaze to find an opportunity to disappear. Under the cover of darkness, the adept sneaks past the band of ruffians unseen and retraces his steps somewhat. Gaze, seemingly unnoticed, makes his way to the roof of a two-and-a-half-story building and runs and jumps from building to building, ending up maybe a block away from where they lost track of him -- at least that's what he believes. As he is creating more distance between them, Gaze still has this nagging feeling of a green light following him around, but it's annoyingly never there when he turns to look for it.

Hmm, I think I lost them, what should I do now? Gaze picks up his comm' and looks for directions, but there was no GridGuide here, and the triangulation of his position was very vague. He checks to see if he can at least connect to the matrix. Maybe he could contact a friend that could help him out, otherwise he'll have to find his way out of here on his own, and that might take some time.

[Mercy Merchant]

You seem to be relatively safe up here, but you can hear the yells of angry men in the distance.  As you fiddle with your 'link to try to get a signal out, the small screen flickers and a voice comes across.  >>Hey, kemo sabe.  You are good.  Very good.  You seem to have lost the horde for now.  Word on the street is that Aldo is calling in favors from other families.  Won't ask what you did to him.  And you did all that running to avoid a lousy 20 nuyen fee?  Not sure it was your wisest choice, chummer.  We can help you, but now you have to ask.  And the fee is up to 30 nuyen.  Interested?  Still your call, kemo sabe.<<

[Chrome Head]

I still have a lot to learn about how things are done around here. Well, whoever this girl was, she's pretty good too...

>> I won't even ask how you got to my link. Can you help me, chummer? I was obviously wrong to refuse earlier on. <<

Yup, time to stop with the bravado.

[Mercy Merchant]

>>Wise choice, kemo sabe, but from where I stand, you were doing well on your own.  I might offer an exchange for the 30 nuyen if you are interested.  I will be with you in three mikes.  There are some bad apples searching for you on the ground and I need to outwait them.  Spike out.<<

There is a noise at the door to the roof and the girl with spiked hair steps through the door.  In the dim light, you can see that it is far more than her name and hair that is spiked.  She is wearing a collar and wrist bands studded with spikes.  She walks to within ten feet of you and talks in a soft voice.  "So, decided yet?  30 nuyen and I can take you to the edge of Aldo's territory, but my sources say that he has got the bosses of the nearby territories mad at you, too.  Something about trying to kill him?  Too bad you did not succeed, chummer.  That would have benefitted everyone but you.  Your alternative is to pay the 30 nuyen and come meet some people.  If you decide to help, I will refund the money.  Your choice."

[Chrome Head]

"Aldo's lying. Anyway, at this point I'll take the help from anyone, Spike. Name's Gaze by the way, and I'd like to talk to you some more, but obviously not here. Bring me some place safe, have me meet with whoever you want, and we'll discuss. Soka?"

I don't know why I trust her. But I'm running out of options. Let's see where this goes.

[Mercy Merchant]

From the shadow she is standing in, it appears that Spike shrugs.  "If his lips are moving he is lying."  She taps at an ear.  "What?  Come back Drake."

Nodding to an unseen person, she then says.  "Trish, Tina.  I need a distraction.  You guys have anything left?"

She nods again and motions for you to follow her.  As you do you see the reflected glow of a double burst of green color from over the rim of the building and a lot of yelling from down below.  Spike calls over her shoulder as she races for the opposite edge of the building and stops just before going over, looking at you.  "Been watching you and I know you can do this."  She places a hand on the ledge and drops over into space, only to catch herself on a thin window ledge and use it to continue her motion in a leap to a rainspout hanging off the building across the alleyway then down to the ground in two more jumps. 

[Chrome Head]

Without skipping a beat, Gaze hops over the ledge and follows suit, with a slight smile. The girl sure is full of surprises.

[Mercy Merchant]

Twenty minutes and some really interesting parkour moves later, you arrive at a small door in a pockmarked wall.  She carefully opens it and motions for you to precede here.  A dim and flickering bulb barely illuminates a short hallway that ends in stairs descending below the surface.  A number of inch-thick cables are strung along the walls, disappearing into the stonework at intervals.  The stairs end in a rickety wooden door and you can see an eerie green glow through the crack between the door and the jamb.  Spike again motions you to go forward.  The door opens to one weird scene.  The wall opposite you has a number of trid screen  monitors juryrigged to it by anything from old shelving units to wire and heavy tape.  None of the screens are completely intact, as all have some sort of crack or cracks across the faces.  Rudimentary cables tie into larger bundles of cables that connect to the walls and ceiling. 

A young man is seated in a chair in front of the bank of monitors, seemingly passed out, but his hands are moving almost of themselves.  The monitors seem to be showing videos of some show that might be called "Barrens Life", except that you recognize some of the landmarks that you have just run past this evening.  A noise attracts you attention to another wall, along which sit an old couch balanced on blocks of wood and other debris and three ragged cushion chairs.  Four small kids are sitting on the couch, each no older than perhaps ten, but almost certainly a couple are younger than that.  A young person of indeterminate sex is sitting on one of the chairs, apparently asleep.  Spike puts a finger to his lips to indicate that you should be quiet and points to another corner with three more chairs of dubious quality and vintage.  There are two more doors leading out of the room and you hear the sound of a toilet flushing as one of the doors opens and a young woman comes out, hiking up her pants and showing that she quite definitely is not wearing any underwear.  She stops and turns to face the door.  "For fragging shit's sake, Spike.  You should at least warn a girl when you are bringing company over."  She jumps a bit to finish with her pants and turns around.  Her face is actually quite red as she says, "Sorry about that.  Name's Angel, by the way.  Can I get you some drek soycaf.  Not too bad, but too good, either.  I'll be right back."

At that moment the door to the stairs opens a gain and two girls of about fifteen year old slide into the room.  They both nod at you and giggle a bit before sitting down in the empty chairs near the couch.  They look at you and lean together to talk quietly.  They seem to be copies of each other.  Spike motions you to take a chair near her, and in the better light, you get a better look at her and revise your estimate of her age to be mid-twenties, maybe.  She nods and says, "Quick intros.  Drake is zoned out on the trix, trying to lead Aldo's goons in circles with reported sightings.  Some luck, but I think they are getting wise and double checking the data so I am going to have him do a couple more and stop.  He was able to crack your 'link's security codes and put me in touch with you.  Rain is jumped into one of the three Fly-Spy drones we still own that can fly.  It was her that was tracking you for us and kept me knowing where you were."  Angel comes back into the room with a tray of chipped mugs full of a steaming liquid, which she passes out to you and the rest.  Spike continues, "Angel you already met and have already seen more of than most boys in the Barrens."  At that, the twins open their mouths with an ooooooh and giggle to each other.  "Angel takes care of us and tries to keep us fed and healthy.  Tough work out here.  The twins are Trish and Tina.  They were providing you some help by tossing a bit of distracting mojo about.  The kids there are Amos, Chalk, Whitey, and Carla.  They are our foot messengers and all around scrounges.  Crackers and Moira are out on sentry watch right now so you might meet them later.  And I am Spike.  I know your name and I like your style.  Started off just wanting to help because Aldo was after your ass, but now I want you for what you can do.  You got some serious moves and we can sure use some of that if you are willing to help."

With that she stops talking and looks at you expectantly.  You notice that everyone who is awake is looking at you expectantly.

[Chrome Head]

Gaze takes a long breath and lets his guard down a little, but only just a little. "Hello everyone, nice to meet you. I think I'll have that soycaf, Angel, thank you."

They were all obviously expecting a lot more from him, so even though he's not much of a talker, he started talking. "My name on the streets is Gaze, my real name is Joe. Before I tell you a little bit about why I'm here and what's my business with Aldo, I just want to thank you for your help." Angel was handing him a cup of burning hot soycaf and he took it gratefully, but waiting for it to cool a little.

"As you can maybe tell, I'm not from these parts. Friends of mine live not far from here, a mother and a boy. She's a dancer who works for Aldo and she wants out and asked for my help. I've taken it upon myself to get her safely out and so tonight I went to see Aldo directly. Obviously, I wasn't well prepared for that, but I thought I could simply negotiate an agreement for her freedom with him. I see now that he didn't mean one word he uttered in front of me, and now I've angered him further by avoiding the beat down he wanted to give me, I think." Joe sips at the hot beverage before continuing. This was a rag-tag group of SINless kids living in a Barrens basement, but truth be told, the skill set they had resembled that of a team of runners, to some extent. And yet they lacked equipment, money and probably education -- but they made up for it with cooperation, trust and sheer willpower. I'm impressed.

"I don't know what you want from me, but I think we can probably help each other. From what I hear, we at least have a common enemy, so that puts us on the same side, no?" Joe stares at them, waiting to see who answers him first, as that will tell him who the leader is in the group. So far, he thinks that would be Angel or maybe Spike.

[Mercy Merchant]

Almost as one, every alert eyeball among the group goes to Spike.  She nods at you.  "Common enemy.  Yes, that sounds about right."  She nods again then looks at the four younger kids on the couch.  "Alright you four, looks like we won't need you any more tonight.  Off to doss with you and good job.  Early day tomorrow so no goofing off.  Brush your teeth, bed, and sleep, in that order."  Without a word, the four slip off the couch and head off through the other door.  Angel takes a seat on the vacated couch and sips at her drink while the twins just sit and giggle as they talk softly to each other.  Spike looks over to you and says, "Not sure what your plans are for the night, but you are welcome to stay here.  Not the Ritz, but got a mattress you can crash on.  Might be better than going back out there.  We can connect you to someone if you need to send a message." 

She points to the bank of monitors, focusing on several.  "Looks like Aldo's troops are manning the choke points out of here.  Chumps don't know all of them, but it would take a while to get you to those.  Wait a sec."  She looks over at Rain and then to you before looking silently at Drake.  Two of the monitors change to show a small room from different angles.  You see Myotama on a small couch with Tommy next to her.  Both look like they have been beaten.  Spike whistles and says, "This the woman and kid?  You did not mention she was O'Reagan's old lady.  Looks like Aldo is protecting his assets and watching the kid.  Sorry you had to see that, Gaze.  You want to do something about it?"

[Chrome Head]

It's painful to see Myotama beaten again, but even more painful to see Tommy having suffered the same treatment. Anger boils up inside Gaze, but he manages to keep it somewhat in check.

"Yes that's my friend and her kid. It's painful for me to see them this way.." It was hard to swallow. With a bit of desperation, Gaze replies "You bet I want to do something about it. I must get them out of there no matter what, with or without your help. Will you help me? Can I do something for you in return?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Spike nods.  “Yes, we can probably help.  That does depend on whether or not you can wait for us to get an ops plan together or if you have to charge in right now.  And I am sure that someone with your skillset can help us with at least one or two things around here.  But first, it looks like they were beaten a bit.  Is there any information Aldo might now know about you that could help him get to you?  Your address?  A family?  A job?  Is there anyone that you should warn?  I can have Drake get you a clean connection to the trix if you need to contact anyone.”

[Mercy Merchant]

"Those are all important questions, let me try to give you the rundown. Before tonight, I've never met with Aldo and I don't believe he's ever heard of me. He now knows I'm a shadowrunner and he knows my handle, but that's not a whole lot to go off of. He could perhaps figure out who my fixer is, for instance, but I doubt he'd risk going down that path. Otherwise, he could try using my appearance to track down where I live and who I deal with on a daily basis, but that takes time and it's quite far from his turf and I don't think this is worth it for him. What he does know is my whereabouts after meeting him, up until moments ago, and he knows of my intentions, which are to free Myotama and her boy Tommy, the two that you've seen on the screen, plus anything those two might be forced to tell Aldo. They know what I do legitimately and where I work. So the most important thing to do for me right away is to alert my boss to what is going on."

"Earlier this evening, I've met with Aldo in his office and offered to work for him in exchange for the release of that poor woman and her son, but now I see that it backfired. I was probably naive in thinking that a man like him could be sensible about something like this. Then he probably wanted to establish his superiority by sending more than a dozen thugs after me, figuring that would be a sure thing, but that failed, and I injured a few of them in my escape, probably angering him. At this point, my best guess is that he's mad at me because I've hurt his ego and put his position of power into question on his own turf, and he'll probably try some kind of gambit by taking the ones I care about as hostages. They must be quite valuable to him regardless of any link between them and myself, so I trust he will protect them to the extent that they behave submissively."

"As to whether we should have a plan, I say of course! Even if I'd like to charge in, as you say, I think my chances of success are slim to none without preparation and support. I also need to consider what the next steps will be for myself and for the two I'm rescuing after the operation. Aldo and his family are not enemies I want to have, but it might be hard to avoid their wrath, and I'd really like putting an end to that threat if possible."

"So all in all there's a lot to consider, both tactically and strategically. This is your neighborhood and you know better who I'm going against, you're the ones who should suggest a plan. I'd like that phone call, too, please."

[Mercy Merchant]

Spike nods several times during your talk then stands up and walks over to Drake.  She leans over the young man and taps something into the device on his lap.  Within a few seconds, your 'link lights up and Spike looks over to you.  "Go ahead, Gaze.  Make your calls.  You have just less than ninety seconds of secure time, so do not waste it.  It could take an hour to get another window.  I will wait on other questions until you are done."

[Chrome Head]

"Thank you so much." Joe dials for Saito-Sensei hoping that he will pick up even though it's late. If he doesn't he'll just have to leave a message. While waiting for the rings, he thinks ahead of what to say in order to be as thorough in as few words as possible.