[ismilealot]

Nicolai considers Jed's words and looks him steadily in the eye as he answers. "Safe house is from before. All who knew, long time dead. Do not know betrayer. Tsina decker live long enough to tell all of kill. All faces known, broadcast to gang. Safe house has identities, new clothes." His face changes and he looks grim. "But correct. I have not been there, forty years. I do not know if others found. Only know secret alarms never trigger." He looks at Hellfire. "I tie Hellfire to me. He and Yelena must live. Is why go to safe house. Need to locate friend and use to find bosses. If not, no place safe. Bounties on all very high. Pride in kill us higher." He spreads his hands wide. "But, if mojo can change forms, much safer."

Velenkoradi tires of preening in the small space of the van and glides through the van wall into the morning air. He delights in making tiny tornadoes of the lightly falling snow and the newly minted sunrise makes a metallic glint inside one of them. As Marco watches, the glint rights itself, and separates from the rest of the snow to home in on the van.

[Qwikfix]

Arc is fuming as the plan unfolds, her mouth parted slightly as she locked gazes with Yelena.  The expression she was conveying was unmistakable....concern...and a bit of fear.

"That'sh all well and good omae, but if we change formsh, how we getting the gear in?  Anything I leave behind is a lia-fragging-bility, ya feel me?"  she bit her lip, watching the little swirls in the snow as she started to pack her drones.  "besides....can't swim...never liked the water..."

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena nods.  "Have seen much danger today.  Yelena also not like going in lake.  Must be other way."

[gilga]

Marco said "I can keep the van invisible as long as I am awake, I do not have drugs but I think I am going to be up for another 8 to 10 hours.  We can escape with the van. Should be good for a while, if we are discovered or attacked, we can always shape change to escape. Or fight - we are not that terrible at self defense... after all we are still alive...

As a second option if we have to ditch it a spirit can accelerate us to a speed that resembles a vehicle, but running in the snow can get tiresome, and running so fast on the snow may be very dangerous - so I suggest we keep with invisible car... The other way will be hilarious - but Arc is not in the mood for physical comedy.  "

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena frowns and shakes her head.  "Yelena not need that fun either.  Invisible van best choice.  Nicolai tell where go to meet Vory judges."  She then looks directly at Nicolai and Hellfire.  "Or someone tell Yelena why not want go there."

[ismilealot]

Nicolai frowns at Yelena and his voice is laced with the edge of a vibroblade. "We find, we go. But judges always in hiding. Price on all heads very high. Must stay alive long enough to get to judges and present case. You have been in comfort to long. Have forgotten how to survive." Hellfires deep, gravely voice is equally sharp. "You have grown stupid with fatness."

Outside Marco watches as the metallic glint hovers in the air. He loses it when it flies over the van.

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena narrows her eyes and her voice is low.  "Yelena owe much both of you.  Even owe life.  But Yelena pay debts in past more than once.  Yelena maybe stupid with fatness, but Yelena looking two men who lose Bratvas to traitors from inside.  To someone trusted.  Not happen Yelena yet.  So maybe Yelena not so stupid."

She turns to look at Nicolai.  "So did not have location for judges when starting this?  Big plan was to kill Tsina Molovna and take Bratva then go into hiding until find judges?  Is right or have plan?"

[Qwikfix]

Arc grumbled a bit at the joke, but otherwise did not lash out at Marco.  Instead, the human girl was busying herself, hurriedly packing away her drones and confirming her inventory as it was all stuffed into a backpack.  She felt herself growing tense at the exchange between the Russians, and when the realization of what they had in mind came into light she snorted.

"Tch.  Half baked frag up ish what we got.  Only a true pa'taq would go in so blind.  We trushted with thish job.  And I ain't going down for that. What'sh our plan now?"

[SmilinIrish]

Maco and I can keep the van invisible in shifts.  If the bratva has any mages or spirits left they can spot the spell though. 

[gilga]

Marco said "Our spirits will spot any astral form that comes close, I have like six of them... difficult to hide from so many sets of eyes... But I am all for crossing the border I am not going to seat and wait for some Vory judge, in fact the less I know about these things the better. "

[ismilealot]

Nicolai's lips grow thin at Yelena's retort. But he is unable to deny the logic of her words. He pauses, getting control of his anger, then answers, "Plan was torture Tsina until confess. Then post confession and you and Hellfire confirmation in several open message drops. Judges declare us untouchable until they judge. Send for us. We go and prove our words. Now, no confession, only you and Hellfire word. Maybe enough. Maybe not. Must still try or all hunted."

At Marco's side a spirit appears, "Many dark souls are here."

[gilga]

Marco said "indeed there are... they speak of justice but are oblivious to their own actions...  perhaps they will learn one day...  Who are you spirit?"

[Qwikfix]

As Arc is listening, she is going through her drone inventory, checking each one with the acuitive speed of one who knows her tools inside and out.  Okay, Roto-1, check.  Roto-2, check.  Fly-1, check.  Fly-2....wait...  she frowned.  She could have sworn she had recalled every drone she had in the air...so where was...

Instantly, her mind pulled up her AR feed, singling out the drone, listed as active..

...and watching the van...

She stood still, keeping her composure as she zippedal the bag up, her mental finger on the drone''s killswitch as she glanced sidelong at Yelena, speaking in Or'Zet as if she is annoyed.

"don't react.  They know we are here, and when I blind them they will strike.  We need to move.  Now"

Perception: 7d6t5 4

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena grimaces and looks at Nicolai. "Is moot point.  Arc say they know location.  Must be watching with own drone.  She can blind then we must move so keep invisible.  Nicolai and Hellfire think of different place hide.  Blackbird can leave, but Yelena must remain to finish justice.  Have killed Bratva boss, which is serious crime.  All Vory will be looking for Yelena if not prove to judges this was justified.  Part of process."

[SmilinIrish]

Jed's blood turned to ice at Arc's words.  He needed to improve his ability with those watcher spirits.  He should have known, should have provided warning.  In O'zet to Arc he said hold a moment.  Let me see where they are.  Casually asserting his will, while pretending to argue with Arc about something, Jed cast his astral sight up and away from himself.  The good thing about having learned this trick was that he could assense without becoming astrally active.  He panned the area with the sense, trying to pinpoint which direction they would come from. 

  The spell provided a limit to my assensing roll of 5.  I got 4 hits
smilinirish:14D6E5 → 4( (4, 2, 2, 5, 2, 5, 3, 4, 2, 2, 1, 1, 6, 5→ 4 successes against 5) )