[Mercy Merchant]

@Cynthia   Freed frowns.  "This is not the way to earn liberties, Cynthia.  The deaths were witnessed by a man by the name of Roger, who has been helping the KE.  As a hacker, he is being help as your accomplice and will likely go down for the murders as well, but I think that he did not have anything to do with them.....that it was all you.  I have enough knowledge of how a TM can act to know that I do not have enough knowledge.  You can help yourself, and Roger, if you just tell me the truth.  Otherwise I am afraid it is an operating table for you as the KE doctors run their experiments.  There is just so much we do not understand about TMs that people like you are automatically suspect.  So, what is it to be?  Confession and then a long time talking to me, or the operating table and a lot of horrible experiments?"



@Eva   Sylvia laughs.  "I am not so familiar with this part of town either, dear.  But I can use the drone feeds to help predict a good spot to try to help our targets."

Tanya nods and adds, I have been in touch with a ranking KE officer and he has expressed frustration that they are not allowed to interfere just now.  The unofficial excuse given is that they are waiting to see how many gangers are wiped out.  The real reason seems to be that someone is confusing the issue and has paralyzed the KE from inside.  Whatever the reason, the KE forces have been told to stand by but not move in."

>>Marisa.  So good to hear from you.  Are you in danger?  What do you need me to do?<<

[Imladir]

[Cynthia Rawson - Monday June 11^th, 2075 - In a...dream?] #151

Cynthia stays silent for a while, shuddering when Freed talks about experiments. The more she thinks about all of this, the calmer she becomes though. "So, we seem to be at an impass right? No matter what I say, you won't believe me. Of course, it seems a bit far fetched. I don't blame you for not believing on the first day. But one would believe that after having been told for days the same thing, you'd think that maybe, just maybe, there were some truth in what I said. And you'd tried to check. With a lie detector, drugs, magic, whatever. But no. Oh no." her tone drips of irony when she continues "She's a Technomancer, we know nothing of Technomancer, so they must be evil. Right?"

She snorts "Yeah, much better than trying to understand, right? You know, had you asked me, I'd have said that trying to understand would have been the job of a Professor. That's what I get for never having set foot here, see how much I don't understand about universities."

With a small laugh, she looks at the window "So tell me, what happens after our discussions? Do you lock me with your rats, maybe with Roger?" Suspiciously, she adds "Maybe after having me dosed with whatever drug that can make me forget of the day? I don't see why you would, but  don't find any other reason you would do all this."

[VegasRigged]

"Thank you Tanya, that is very useful. If we take one of these men, that would make our little ploy here more likely to succeed. Eggs in different baskets as it were."

"Syl, if we can hit them before they make their intended targets we'll have an easier time taking them alive."

>>I am in some danger, but nearly so much as those who threaten me. I need you to gather a few vehicles and soldiers, good able men who will take their money and not ask questions- I'll pay what they want. Very soon I'm going to want you to get these men and vehicles to a location in this neighborhood (sends vague gps) pick up a few packages and make them dissapear for a while. Can you do all that in the next-<<

"Syl, how long till we intercept?"

[Mercy Merchant]

@Cynthia   While examining the university grounds, your catches a curious anomaly.........or rather, your brain does.  You think that you might have just seen a man and woman walking across the yard of one of the buildings.  While this may not be unusual under normal circumstances, you are pretty sure that you had seen the exact same couple walking the exact same path a few minutes earlier, when you first came into the room.  From behind you, you hear Doctor Freed stand up from the desk and sigh.  "Now, dear, what would I have to gain with drugging you to forget things.  No, I am here to help you, but I am running out of time.  Now look, you are working yourself up into a state of paranoia and confusion.  I am preparing a small dose of something that will help you sleep.  Please take it and I will have the nurse take you back to your room.  We will talk later, but please remember that if you do not give me the information soon, I will have no option but to turn you over to the KE inquisitors."

She brings you a glass of liquid and puts it in your hands before walking to the door to summon the nurse.  There is a large potted plan next to you or you can drink the liquid.

[Mercy Merchant]

@Eva   Tanya nods.  "Yes.  I suppose that I could arrange for my KE contact to pick up a package we leave for him.  My only real concern is that neither he nor I know how far the suspected rot goes in the KE, or how high."

Sylvia gives you a grim look.  "It will take us about twenty minutes to get to the combat zone and my source tells me that the gang in the immediate vicinity of the mercenaries is apparently allowing them free passage.  That would mean that they will be in the target area in about five minutes.  We cannot intercept them before the fighting begins."  Indeed, your holo projection is being updated as she speaks and you see that she is correct in her assumption.

>>Not sure about the men, Marisa, or the cars, for that matter.  But I might have an idea.  Are you involved in the psuedo gang violence that the news feeds are full of right now?  You know that is a hoax, right?<<

[Imladir]

[Cynthia Rawson - Monday June 11^th, 2075 - In a...dream?] #152

When she notices the anomaly, Cynthia frowns. But forgets about it as soon as Freed speaks again, puting it down to the couple going around a building or something. Absent-mindedly, she takes the glass, looking into it.

With a bitter laugh, she says "I accuse you of drugging me, you deny it, and give me some drugs. If that's not irony, I don't know what is." she shakes her head, then adds, grumbling "I might as well take it, better sleep than listen to you..."

As soon as Freed has her back turned, Cynthia gifts the plant with some water *Sorry plant, but better you than me.* Once she's done, she puts the glass on the desk, and gets back in her chair. *Now, I just have to make her believe I've drank this drek...without knowing how long it should take... And finding the right moment to take off... Easy... I hope I'll get my link to the 'trix as soon as I'm out of this fragging office. If I get out of this mess, I'll learn some hand to hand combat, promise...*

As time passes, Cynthia tries to give the impression that she's dozing off to anyone or anything who might be watching, while paying attention to anything she might hear: when Freed comes back with the nurse, she tries to judge if they're expecting her to be sleeping or if it should take a bit more time, and reacts accordingly.

[Mercy Merchant]

Freed walks over to you as a male nurse enters the office, pushing a wheelchair.  The professor looks at the empty glass and then to the nurse.  "I keep thinking that she might develop a resistance to the drug, but she has not yet.  Get her back to her room and secure her there.  Things are happening elsewhere and we need to be moving on this.  Might not have enough time to get everything I want.  We have to know what this bitch knows and what she might have told the meddling Marisart woman.  She has Important friends, with a capital I, and I can only keep her off the scent for so long.  I hear that she just will not stop asking questions.  We might need to take some direct action." 

The male nurse mutters something noncommittal then bends over you to lift you into the wheelchair.  He makes a particular effort to place his hands on your chest and cops a feel of your breasts as he does.  The professor is either not paying attention or does not care as she says nothing to him about his lack of professionalism.  He straightens and moves behind the chair, pushing you to the door.  Once in the hallway, your almost closed eyes see an amazing sight.  The hallway extends only about five feet to either side of the doorway, enough to give someone inside the room the impression of a normal hallway beyond the door.  In fact, the paneling gives way to bland gray paint then opens into a large room that closely represents a sound stage from some trivid production.  In effect, the office you just left appears to be nothing more than a trid set.  You arte wheeled to a small room that appears to be a real cell, but you pass another with a man inside that resembles some guy you met once in a cyber cafe.  Was Roger his name?  Maybe.  In any case, the bruises and welts on his face do not help his visage any and you might be mistaken.  The man manages to croak out a few words as you go past in the chair.  "Hey, shy girl.  Stay strong, yeah?"

[Imladir]

[Cynthia Rawson - Monday June 11^th, 2075 - In a...dream?] #153

*Hey, bitch yourself. Frag... So there's really something. Drek, I really have to get away from this.*

As the nurse makes sure to get a nice and complete feel of her breasts, Cynthia tries to stay impassive. Well, she succeeds, but would like nothing more than place a nice kick in some sensible parts of his anatomy *I can't believe it, you're doing this to me? Frag, I almost feel bad for you if the only breasts you get to feel are my "not quite existing" ones... But just you wait, fraging asshole, just wait. I'll get you.*

In the...hallway...Cynthia is astonished by the efforts that went into making all of this. *This becomes weirder by the minute. What did I get myself into...*

As she passes Roger's cell, Cynthia's thoughts still for a moment. *Well, at least, finding Roger will be easy. Getting out of here though... I'll have to wait until he removes me from that chair. Hey asshole, see that kick I was talking about? It may be coming sooner than you expected. It will be a glorious moment of "Knee, meet balls.". Ooh... Come and get it.*

[Mercy Merchant]

As he approaches the cell that you are sure is your temporary home here, you see another man in the uniform of a guard approach with a tray in his hands.  The "nurse" wheels you into the room and you feel a sharp sting in your arm and the faint sound of someone talking to you, but you cannot make out the words before blacking out.  Then, from out oif the darkness, you hear a different voice.  "Good, you finally took steps to avoid the first drug.  Doing so will allow you to help yourself out of here and avoid a terrible miscarriage of justice in the future.  What you are living right now is but a phantasm of that future...............a possibility.  i can show you the path and will guide you as far as possible, but at some point, I will not be able to go any further and you will need another to help you finish your task.  This may be a dream to you, but I assure you that it is dangerous and you can die here or, more likely, remain in this place, trapped in your own mind.  Are you willing to take a chance?"

[Imladir]

[Cynthia Rawson - Monday June 11^th, 2075 - In a...dream?] #154

As Cynthia notices the second man, she can't help but be less than pleased *Drek...* She doesn't even have the time to try anything that she feels the sting.

When she hears...Someone...speaking, she keeps silent for a moment, completely lost, not knowing at all what is happening, why it is happening. Nor, for that matter, where it is happening. Finally, she exclaims "What? That's not a dream, it's a nightmare! There's no company I like more than my own, but there's no way I'd want to be drooling in some hospice with nurses groping me or worse. But who are you!? Frag, where am I, and what is going on?"

[Mercy Merchant]

Monday  11 June 2075  0350  Somewhere in Cynthia's Mind

"It is good that you can question things.  As to what is going on, that is a more difficult question to answer and to even begin to understand what I say, you have to suspend some disbelief in what you know of reality.  Right now, you are in an alternate reality, one related to but not the same as where you originated.  I am a spirit guide and will help you get out of here, if you will let me.  This is a chance for you to become a bit more than you were, but at a risk.  There are two options before you and you may accept either.  The first is to opt out of this "dream" and return to your known reality, no different than when you entered this one and no wiser as to the existence of this place.  You will simply wake up and continue life as it was before and the days spent here will never have happened.  The other option is to remain here and learn more about yourself.  This is a risky option, as you may be hurt and may not survive, but if you succeed, you will be better and stronger in what you do.  I should have said that you have three choices.  The last one is to make no choice and do nothing.  This choice will leave you here in this reality, where these people intend to send you to be experimented on, to plumb the depths of what you are.  These experiments may be enough to leave you in that drooling state.  Now, I am a patient spirit, but you do not have much time to decide."

[Imladir]

[Cynthia Rawson - Monday June 11^th, 2075 - In a...dream?] #155

"A spirit guide? Frag, that's what I get for interacting with a mage..." Cynthia sighs, shaking her head. She stays silent for a moment, thinking back to what was said. "Wait... That's not the kind of spirit you are... This is about Resonance, not Magic. Are you a sprite? Or an AI maybe?"

After a pause of a couple of seconds, she continues "Anyway, I'll pass on the third option, thank you very much. And to be honest, I don't really like first option. Not that I'm a dare-devil... Or not much of one... I don't like to flee. And... Worst of all, here I would flee from myself right? So bring it on!" With a small hesitation, she adds "But err... Would you mind explaining what is the goal?"

[Mercy Merchant]

"Is there really so much difference between a spirit and a sprite?  They are both manifestations of will and power.  But in this case and for your point of reference, I am not a sprite, but a spirit.  No sprite could guide you where you need to go without suffering immense pain and perhaps complete destruction.  I have been tasked to fulfill the role of guide here because as a spirit, I am not as at risk.  The goal is to increase your understanding of Resonance and yourself.  To effect this transformation, you will need to journey into your very self, to try to pull a bit more from you than you currently can.  I must warn you yet again that the risk to yourself is considerable and should not be relegated to some spur of the moment decision.  But if you wish to continue, we will do so."

[Imladir]

[Cynthia Rawson - Monday June 11^th, 2075 - In a...dream?] #156

"Is the Resonance a form of Magic? Err... If a sprite can't go there without suffering, how come I can? Wait wait, more importantly, who tasked you to do that exactly? I'm all for taking informed decisions, but I'd need to know more for that. Like how I should call you. I think the risks - drooling and so forth - are quite clear, but what I should do in there?"

[Mercy Merchant]

"Resonance and magic are related in several ways, although they manifest in a completely different fashion.  You can go where you need to go because you are not a sprite.  Same for me, although at some point, my slight similarity will prevent me from going farther with you.  You may refer to me as THE ALL POWERFUL GREAT ONE.  Sorry, I have always wanted to say that.  Actually you may call me Gene.  Beyond that I am a guide, not an answer book and you will need to discover the rest for yourself.  Otherwise it is not much of a journey of discovery, is it?  So no more answers on that sort of line, please.  If you say yes, you will fall asleep until the drug that mean man gave you wears off and we can get started."