[Mercy Merchant]

The soft hand in your metallic one gently squeezes your fingers.  Your eyes are drawn to hers, which are fluttering open, her bright blue eyes focusing on you.  "You say the nicest things.  Of course I am not going away.  Apparently I might have trouble keeping up with you for a while, though.  I cannot feel my legs so the operation must not have worked.  But worry not; Mrs. Calder's oldest daughter has never let something like this get in the way before and does not intend to now.  I will pull through..................and I will walk again, although it may take a while.  Thank you for saving me.  Twice.  I am not entirely sure of what happened at the hospital, but it seemed that we were being attacked and you carried me away."  She looks about the room.  "This is not the same room, and the equipment here is older.  Where are we?"

[Zen Gypsy]

He looked up, looked into her eyes, "Seattle, Downtown.  A trauma clinic staffed by a friend from my ...," he looked down at the contrast between the matte black ballistic poly-carbon and her smooth, tanned hand, "past.  Aisha al-Baz, she's the one who stabilized you, spine and nerve reconstruction will have to be on going."

He paused, slowly slid his hand out of her grip, stood up, looked down the hallway, checked B.'s location, then turned back to Rowena. "Before we can focus on the long term, we need to be concerned with the here and now."  He walked back towards her bed, rested his hand on the bed side, "al-Baz has some Barrens connections, a corporate team won't be able to move through gang territory without drawing attention, we can exploit that."

He took a deep breath, leaned forward, held her gaze, "Rowe, Jacobs told you something.  It may be our only weapon against these bastards.  Anything you remember ...," he took her hand again, squeezed it encouragingly, "anything ..."

[Mercy Merchant]

Rowena smiles as she lifts a hand to run it along your forehead.  "I guess you don't know, and how could you?  I never forget anything.  Some bit of something in my brain when I was born.  Funny, really, when you think about it."

"So, Jacobs was his name?  Poor man.  He took my hand and told me to try to remember what he was going to tell me.  I do not know what it is that he told me, but he seemed to think it was important.  He made me repeat it twice then asked God to look out for his wife and kids and died in my arms.  What am I mixed up in?"

[Zen Gypsy]

Bryant frowned, snapped back to reality by her question, "Problem is, we're in the dark.  Barbara and I work with Raleigh Investigations, a private investigations firm, we were hired to secure a drop off by courier.  That's why I was at the Rec this morning, Jacobs was my contact.  Prior to the meet his firm got hit, hard, in the downtown core, then the extraction team hit the Rec, they got the physical package but not before he gave you something ... a phrase, a keyword ... might mean that package is datalocked."

He continued pacing the small room, "After the extraction attempt, I spoke to one of the gunmen.  He said they were hired in cells, contractors.  Shortly after our offices were hit, and I still don't know what losses we suffered."  God!  He wanted a slim, he needed it, he hated being in the dark.  He didn't know the who, the how, or the why, and it was starting to piss him off.  "Barbara and I moved to Mercy, anticipating that the team would try for you, based on your limited interaction with Jacobs.  During your transfer a corp exec was hit in his residence, both B., and I, feel it may be related.  We got to Mercy just in time, a second extraction team, this time, a ten man, was engaged with Errant, we managed to get you out with a little inside help.  Aisha kept us off the grid for now, but we have to move, our presence here, puts both her patients and staff at risk."

He looked at Rowe, down at her bright eyes, sighed and continued.  "Listen Rowe, you've done enough.  I've put you at risk, and I have no right to ask anything more of you.  And yet ...", he grimaced, "... I have to.  We're going to need to move you.  I can't expect anyone else to deal with the heat that's coming down on us right now."  He took a deep breath, reached down and squeezed her shoulder gently, "If I was halfway across the sprawl and heard wherever we'd secured you just got hit I ...," he shook his head, "I can't trust anyone else to keep you safe, and until we get out from under this thing, whatever it is, you're going to have to trust me."

He looked at her, his game face faltering, if only for an instant.  The crack revealing concern, uncertainty.

"Can you do that?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Saturday  9 June 2075  1540  Aisha's Clinic Seattle


Rowena gives a weak smile and uses her arms to push herself to a sitting position.  "You have saved my life twice and you ask if I can trust you?  Of course, it would be nice to know the name of the man I am supposed to trust.  And I gather that Barbara and B are the same person?  He gave me what I think is some sort of code, either that or he was just mumbling gibberish.  I can repeat it if you like, but I have no idea what it means.  What do you want me to do?  It sounds like some pretty bad guys want what is stuck in Mrs. Calder's daughter's head.  Do you want me to be bait so we can draw them out?"

She looks closely at you and adds, "I am going to beat this being paralyzed crap, one way or another, but it seems it might take a while and I do not want to be a burden to you.  It seems I will need to take a break from waitressing and school, but you do not need to...............well, you know............................"

[Zen Gypsy]

Even Rowena had to blink, did he really just look, embarrassed?

"Bryant.  My name's Bryant."  His first instinct was to tell her Benoit, but he knew that would have been a lie, and somehow, he felt the need to let her see beneath the mask.  "As for my plan, originally I was going to have B., yes, that's Barbara, another of Raleigh's employee's, and a lot more competent than I gave her credit for, impersonate you.  Leak our info to the media, to Errant. get their attention."

He looked at her, nodded slowly, "When B., gets back I need you to info dump what he told you, maybe she can make a connection that's eluding us.  Then we need to talk to Aisha's Barrens contact, if he's willing to provide cover for us.  I don't want to formulate a plan that puts him at more risk than he's comfortable with."

As he spoke, he checked Barbara's position, relative to the clinic, if only to ensure that she hadn't run into any trouble.

>>B.?  ETA?  Rowe's awake, and may have some info that will help us find a way out.<<

[Mercy Merchant]

"Right behind you, Boss."  Barbara moves into the room and you cannot help but notice that her "these-ought-to-be-registered-and trademarked-boobs" are moving easily under her shirt.  The things a man will notice at the oddest times.  She moves past you to the bedside and extends a hand.  "Hey.  I am Barbara, but you can call me B, if you like.  I would guess that you are Rowena."

Rowena smiles back.  "Hello.  I have to say that I do not like the idea of you pretending to be me to lure out the guys that want me.  I will be doing that if anyone is.  Besides, I don't know if you could pull off the cripple in a wheelchair bit as well as I can."

Barbara turns to give you a look then back to Rowena.  "You live on Preger Circle?"  At Rowena's nod and troubled look, B adds, "Boss, we may not have time to do the nicey-nicey with the Barrens guy.  Someone just blew up a house on Preger Circle.  So far, it does not appear that there were any casualties other than the building.  Still, I think whoever is behind this is making a statement that they know who she is and that they are willing to do violence to get her."

[Zen Gypsy]

He nodded as B. spoke, considering their options.  "They need her to come in, they need the code she has, but they haven't given her a way to reach out.  To turn herself over ...," he paused, "Any luck on the corp exec?  Any connections to our employer, or the courier's?  We need something to crack their anonymity, they're wearing it like armor."

He continued to pace around the small room, until finally he poked his head into the hallway, waved Aisha back in. "We'll take you up on your offer, for the car, and for the contact with ... Vlad you said?  Normally I'd tell you to give us twenty then report the car stolen, but if our anonymous extraction teams decide the stolen car is related, they could end up coming here." He paused, looked concerned, "And neither of us want that to happen."

He pulled Aisha aside, to a private corner of the small room, he spoke in a low whisper, "I owe you big, and if you know anything, you know I always pay my debts."  He nodded towards the bed, "Is there anything we should be looking out for as we transport her, antibiotics? Pain killers?  The next few hours are going to be rough, I know that.  I want to minimize her exposure, but I need to protect her too, and the only way to do that is to end this."

[Mercy Merchant]

OOC:  I am very sorry.  I was away for the weekend.  The cabin was supposed to have internet access, but did not.


Saturday  9 June 2075  1550  Aisha's Clinic Seattle


Aisha nods.  "I am getting a small bundle of meds that you will need to give her.  Instructions will be in the bag.  I will make sure that Vlad knows you are coming and ask him to have someone bring the car back.  You know there is an alternative, right?  Just turn yourselves in to the KE and let them help."

[Zen Gypsy]

Bryant accepted the bag from Aisha, and nodded at her comment in regards to Errant.  He looked towards Rowena and Barbara before responding, addressing them as much as the doctor herself.  "Don't think the thought hadn't crossed my mind, but it becomes a question of viability.  Whoever these people are, they have a large pool of resources to draw on.  Financial for sure, and perhaps even political and corporate as well."

He paused, looked specifically at B., as they had discussed this earlier in the day, "It appears that they were able to eliminate a corporate executive in his private residence.  We don't know how far their influence or connections run, they were willing to storm Mercy with a full one assault crew.  We don't know if Errant would have been able to stop them, or if they withdrew because I managed to get Rowe out.  If we turn ourselves in, I can't reasonably expect Errant to protect me, especially when they could be compromised by the same people trying to extract the information from Rowe herself."

He scanned the room, looking at the three women who were struggling through this situation with him, "B., Rowe, if you feel that turning ourselves in to Errant is the best course, then I'll back the play, despite my own misgivings."

No worries, I figured it was just a long weekend.  Canada Day, July the 4th, or just a good time!  Hope you enjoyed the cottage!

[Mercy Merchant]

Both Rowena and Barbara shake their heads and indicate they are backing your play.  Barbara will add, "These guys have a long reach.  The Corp guy that was killed was working for the corporation that hired us, but I do not know if it is the same guy because I haven't been able to reach Raleigh since he went dark and cannot verify my supposition.  I do think it is a good supposition.  I think there is some massive conspiracy going on here."

Aisha looks at all three of you then shrugs.  "Alright, it was just an idea.  Now, you have the meds and I put the instructions in the bag.  There is a folding wheelchair in the corner there.  Be careful of Vlad, eh?  He is fairly trustworthy, but he is a criminal in the Vory and the debt he owes me might not be as great in his eyes as I think it is.  But he should be good for a few days at least."  She looks at the women and adds, "You two are in good hands with Bryant, here.  I wish that I could have met both of you under better circumstances.  Good luck and stay safe."

Aisha will help you figure out how to manipulate the wheelchair and then assist you in getting Rowena into it as Barbara goes out to the parking lot and brings Aisha's car to the alley entrance.

[Zen Gypsy]

As Aisha assisted Bryant in getting Rowe and her wheel chair into the vehicle, he turned to her, and laid a reassuring hand on her forearm.  "We don't know who these guys are, but we know what they are willing to do to anyone who gets in their way."  He looked her directly in her dark brown eyes, "You get a hint of anyone moving around you or the clinic, you go deep, and stay under cover, savvy?"

~

After a brief exchange with the doctor, Bryant settled in beside B., he looked over his shoulder towards Rowena, throwing her a smile, however forced.  He then turned back to B., "The Vory," a pause, "merde!  They are aggressive, brutal and vicious, any chance you can download a Russian linguisoft, or translator directly to our 'links?  I could care less about communicating with them, but I want to know what they are saying when they think we can't listen."

As B., pulled away towards the location Aisha gave them in the Barrens, Bryant tried to stay alert, scanning the traffic for any extraneous movement or elements that might indicate an eminent threat.

[Mercy Merchant]

Barbara nods.  "Already on it, Boss.  Accept the download.................now."  Your 'link pings with a message from Barbara that contains a fairly thorough linguisoft for Russian, updated to include the current Vory slang and phrases.  She turns to look at you and softly says, "Tough girl back there, Boss."

Barbara drives carefully, staying within the speed limit and trying to keep an eye out for any tails.  Your own observation is that no one seems oddly interested in your movements.  Shortly after leaving the clinic, you get a call on your commlink.  >>Mystery man, a mutual friend gave me this code and said I should call you and give aid.  Such aid would clear a debt.  What is the name of the mutual friend and what were you told is my name?<<

[Zen Gypsy]

As Barbara spoke about Rowe's strength Bryant could only nod, he looked out the passenger window and watched the sprawl slide by, his own reflection staring back at him.  "Yeah, she is.  And she should kick my ass for getting her tangled up in all this ... "

His 'link chirped interrupting him, he listened and then responded quietly, >>Aisha Chaka al-Baz.  Informed me her contact, Vlad, could keep the heat off of me and mine for a short period of time.<<  The situation was less than ideal, the Vory were a vicious organization, and while that ruthlessness made the organization itself exceptionally difficult to infiltrate, it also made it very likely that they would try to manipulate the events into some sort of advantage or leverage over either Aisha or himself.

He needed to tread carefully, and not rely on either Vlad or his organization overmuch in the next few days.

[Mercy Merchant]

Saturday  9 June 2075  1600   Seattle


>>Very well, Mister Bryant.  I am sending you a route.  Please do not deviate from it unless I am informed why.  You may use the attached code to contact me if required.  I will see you in about an hour.<<  Your 'link immediately pings with a map overlaid with a specific route in red.  The beginning is a cross street near your location and the endpoint seems to be a parking garage in the Renton District.  A comm code is also attached.