[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena makes sure her weapons are ready then goes to where the team vehicles are waiting. 

[Qwikfix]

Arc was hastily putting her preparations together when the call went out, her eyes snapping up to Nicolai as everyone scrambled to head out.  Nodding grimly, Arc passed off the submachine gun to Blackbird before checking her own pistol and clips.  check...though from the setup, this is last resort drek...good..  As she was in her room, she glanced down at herself, teeth gritting as she bolstered her courage, her resolve.  "I'm going home..frag it all, I'm going to shurvive thish..."  She whispered it out before getting her gear on her body...medkit on one hip, auto kit on the other.  The drones she stowed into the bag after one last cursory check, but she was ready.

Finding Yelena, she followed her while carrying her stuff, her right hand offering the tin can she had completed.  From the outside, it looked pretty nondescript: A pair of wire twisted around each other coiled around the can once or twice before disappearing to the interior, the binder clip over an opening in the lip with its outside arm lifted up.  "It's ready...just flick the arm down againsht the can and it will go off...thinking about 15 sheconds of good jamming, hope it helpsh..."  She tried to mask the concern in her face, but didn't voice it as they headed to the transport vehicles...

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena accepts the device and stows it in a pocket.  "Srui is Yelena's best friend.  Yelena get you back to rigger man.  Yelena want to see young Arc grow up."

[SmilinIrish]

Jan 2      7 am

Jed gathered himself and followed the girls outside.  The last time he went toe to toe with a mage he came out on the losing end.  Right before he met the team a toxic mage put him in ICU for the week.   The cost drained his reserves and was part of the reason he had to go looking for work from less than legitimate sources.  This time he wasn't hunting the lion in its own den.  We was going to ambush.  Hopefully that would be enough to make the difference.  As soon as they were away from Nicolai's base he would make contact with his coyote contact. Couldn't hurt to take the first step that direction first.

[ismilealot]

Nicolai led them to a van. It was specially equipped to accommodate Hellfire's wheelchair. But, otherwise it was a plain black panel van. Once the team was loaded he signaled to Arc. "You drive. Ok?". Over a dozen vans left the secret base after them. A vengeance over twenty years in the making was now in motion.

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena sits in the van and casts her eyes on her companions.  There is a shared history with each one; some she has known for only a short time, others for more than twenty years.  Each is special in his or her own way..  She leans over to Blackbird and taps him on the knee.  "You made wrong choice when lie Yelena.  But Yelena make many wrong choices in life.  Some to be fixed.  Others not.  Blackbird stay alive.  Not die again.  Not die here.  Agreed?"

[Qwikfix]

Arc couldn't help but crack a smile as they walked, slinging her bag over her back and shrugging.  "We all comin' back.  You wanna shee me 'grow up', Srui?  That means we're all going home.  I'll make it happen."  She trailed off as they arrived at the van, mouth parting slightly as she hugged her jacket about herself.  Glad we got the cold suits...frag all.   Getting inside, she looked at Nicolai and nodded grimly as she stowed her gear, waiting for Hellfire to load up before hopping onto the wheel.  "Yeh, null shweat..."

With the couple of minutes she had, she looked over the van, determining its capabilities...rigger interfacing, relative speed and handling, etc, that way she knew what she was driving.  Arms flexing as she gripped the wheel, once the door was shut, she fired the engine up and started driving, noting the ARO map that was forwarded to her to navigate.  On the road, Arc's attention was focused solely on driving, working through the icy terrain in the vehicle as she flexed her skills.  One step at a time...let's get there...

[gilga]

Blackbird looked at Yelena and said "Lets not discuss it right now.  I'll do what needs to be done." He was careful not to enter any sort of conversation or discussion, in light of the lack of progress he made with previous discussions.

[SmilinIrish]

Looking at Blackbird, he realizes that this change in persona has so many implications. Leaning in close, he says When we get home, you're welcome to crash at my place as long as you need.  Joshua moved out.  When this is over, are you coming back to Seattle, or are you needing to completely change venue to complete your disappearance?

[gilga]

Blackbird said "I am never going again to Seattle, too many people there know Marco, it is too dangerous."

[SmilinIrish]

Nodding, Jed closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the side of the van. Jed pulled a disposable phone out of his pocket and paired it with his trodes. Considering his words briefly, he composed a message to the coyote that Mike had set him up with. i find that I may be in need of your services for a long trip. Your info was given to me by a detective named Anatoli. I'm here for a client of my own, but my return arrangements could become uncertain. I may need to arrange transport for myself and 3 others (no trolls) back to Anatoli. Thanks for your consideration. After proofreading the message he decided it was vague enough. He didn't discuss with Mike how he knew the guy or what name he used then. He was hoping that it was enough to  elicit a response.

[ismilealot]

@ Jed >>How soon, how discrete and where?<<

The sky is grey with the early dawn light. Arc finds herself going slower than their driver of the night before as the thin sheet of ice has built up in the ensuing hours. It's not nearly enough to be impassable. But there is no prize for no shows and she makes sure she's careful.

[Qwikfix]

Arc had gotten quiet as soon as the road hit, the grip of her hands on the wheel tightening just subtly enough to show her focus on the road.  The ice proved to be a challenge to her, who was used to coastal Seattle winters of wet, wet, and more wet., and none of this ice drek.   But, her resolve was strong, and her motions came naturally as she navigated down the road, following the paths to get to the rendezvous point to start this little operation.  As the miles wore on, the short human found herself calming, her focus shifting into the mentality that got her through so many jobs before...focused on the goal, focused on the objectives, meeting each problem as it came with the main point of resolving them...

...now for it all to happen...

[Mercy Merchant]

Yelena closes her eyes and pulls the shadow to her, both as armor and to calm her.  She opens herself to the streams of the shadow that respond to her demand, forcing them by strength of will to do her bidding. 

[SmilinIrish]

Considering a moment, Jed replied Our arrival was privately arranged, so the return would need to be equally private.  As for time, we are at your mercy.  We have no deadline to return, but may need discrete accommodations while we wait.  Our client may decide that termination of employment is easier than paying invoices.  As for location, that can be supplied should service be needed, but suffice to say Europe to North America.  Rates?