[VegasRigged]

I order my air spirit to guard the prisoners we've secured on the roof until Syl can pick them up

"We can wait for a while, i have to scrub my astral signature from this area, and if he arrives before I have finished then we will meet here. It sounds like you vouch for the security of this position?"

[Mercy Merchant]

He laughs.  "Not too sure I can vouch for the security of the spot of ground I am standing on, to be honest..  Vlad is about two minutes out."  He pulls a cigarette from a somewhat mangled pack and straightens it out before lighting up.  "So why did you come to help us here?  You are not from this neighborhood."

[VegasRigged]

I work quickly scrubbing my signature so no mage reviewing the scene later can tell my astral signature was active here.

"It's true, I am not from this neighborhood. I noticed the media cover and investigation brought me here. As for my interest, that remains my business for the time being, perhaps if I knew more about you I would feel more inclined to share"

Unlikely, but he might open up.

[Mercy Merchant]

The man grins.  "Not much to know about me.  I am not from here, either.  I was just in the area, boozing it up a bit when the drek started and I sort of volunteered to help."

[VegasRigged]

"Interesting, I wonder how the Vory survive without volunteers. Now, I dare to assume you are a shadowrunner, so what sort of payment do you intend to exact from mr Vlad?"

Almost certainly a lie. The odds of one good samaritan are low, the odds of two are astronomical. If this man wants to claim to be another volunteer so be it, as long as I get a few of my prizes I could hardly care less.

[Mercy Merchant]

He laughs.  "No, you don't understand.  Vlad and I are friends.  I do not charge friends for helping them.  Ah, here he is, now." 

You turn to see several people approaching you.  Escorted by several gun-toting men is a man in his thirties who walks with an air of authority.  While still more than twenty feet away, this man raises his arms and calls out, "My friend!  I see that you, too, have been very busy.  And two burning armored cars?  We have taught those bastards a lesson they will not forget, yes?  And who is your lovely companion?"

Bryant turns back to you.  "She has not yet given her name, but she is the mage who helped us with an illusion and then some rather direct action against the mercenaries.  Perhaps she is waiting to meet you to say who she is."

[VegasRigged]

I nod and smile under the scarf "I am indeed waiting for the man in charge, and you seem a man of natural command. As I was telling your friend here, I came with the interest of apprehending a few of these mercenaries. I understand you intend to interrogate them and I would like to join you for such an event, as well as take a few with me when I go."

I'm calm and polite, but theirs a second need here to keep these people away from my prisoners on the roof.

[Mercy Merchant]

The man introduced as Vlad nods and shrugs.  "Interrogation is easy."  He points to the eldest of the four prisoners and asks, "Why were you attacking this neighborhood?"

The man laughs through a bloody mouth.  "You will get noth............"

In one smooth move, Vlad lifts his Predator V and shoots the man in the forehead, sending blood and brains out the back of the man's head.  He lowers his pistol and turns to the next man, who is staring at what is left of his companion.  He pales as Vlad lifts his pistol and you can see a clear stain appear on the front of the man's pants as he wets himself.  "No, wait!  I will tell you anything.......anything!"

One of the other men snarls and says, "You idiot!  Say nothing or................."

Vlad does not even look at the man as he raises his pistol and kills him.  By now, both of the others are begging to talk.  Vlad has three men and a woman escort one of the prisoners away then turns again to the other.  Champagne looks a bit pale but has said nothing during this exchange.  He does move a couple of steps away, apparently to get out of the line of spray if Vlad were to shoot the other prisoner.

[VegasRigged]

I approach the survivor, his fear will be easy to push through, as just beneath it is all the knowledge that might save his life. the flip side of reading him would be that these strangers would know my trick. Better to go with the Russian's tactics.

"We need to know who sent you, what your exact mission parameters were, what you were paid and where you were told to collect said payment. If I were you,  I'd be quick and clear."

My tone is even and flat, my body language clear and unequivocal empty. He will get neither support or mercy unless he's dropping into panic.

[Mercy Merchant]

The man is practically blubbering and the smell of urine is clear.  "I will tell you anything I can.  I was just hired a couple of weeks ago.  I was supposed to go to some place in South America because I speak some Spanish, but was diverted here.  I do not know all the details, but I do know that we were looking for that man," he is pointing to Champagne, "and some girls that is supposed to be crippled and possibly in a wheelchair.  They have some information our employers need or want, and that is the same thing, right?  Please don't kill me."

At the same time, you get two messages.

>>Miss Coulter.  Tanya Marisart.  I hope that you are well and unharmed.  We have finished our activity here.  Your friend is quite effective.  We have taken two men prisoner and placed them in the boot of the car.  Should we pick you up somewhere?<<

>>Marissa?  Are you well?  I have not heard from you.  Miss Marisart can apparently hold her own in a fight.  We have taken two prisoners and they are stashed in the trunk of her limo.  Please let me know how you are.<<

[Imladir]

[spoiler="OOC" ]Hum the first message, from Barbara, is supposed to be to Cynthia no? If so it's of course possible she's still taking care of the wounded, but it's almost ~20h from Eva's point of time that I'm sending her the message.[/spoiler]

[Mercy Merchant]

OOC:  You are right.  Sorry about that.  I edited the post.

[VegasRigged]

I glance over to Champagne as the prisoner mentions a girl in a wheelchair, judging his reaction and that of the Russian.

"A poor choice it would seem, do you know where you were going exactly? Or how they planned to move you? Who was in charge of this operation?"

As he stammers out his responses I bring out my 'link and reply quickly:

>>I am both well and unharmed, if you would park just south of me and extract as I've instructed my companion, I will join you shortly.<<

>>I'm fine dear, four more on the roof just south of my position. Extract unnoticed, minimum necessary force.<<

[Mercy Merchant]

"I just got in the car or truck or airplane they told me to get in.  I was a fragging farmer a month ago.  This guy made it all sound so romantic and offered more money than I was ever going to get on the farm, so I went to Crostcieu and signed up.  There was an officer with us here, but he was killed by some sort of blast from the sky.  We were not told there would be any fragging witches here."

Vlad spits on the ground in front of the young man.  "That is all you know?  You jumped up weasel!  And you punks come to MY home and kill MY people?  People that look to ME for protection?  Do you see how bad that makes me look to them?  Now to save face I have to kill all of them or you two.  So which is it going to be, eh?  Who am I going to choose here?"

He starts to raise his pistol and both boys wail and throw themselves on the ground near his feet, begging for mercy and repeating over and over that they will say anything.  You can see his finger tighten imperceptibly on the trigger as he looks over to Champagne.  "What do you think, my friend, eh?  They do not deserve to live, do they?"

The tall man steps forward and says, "Wait, Vlad.  Perhaps they know a little bit more, perhaps something that they can use to buy their lives?  Why not let me see if I can get anything from them?"

Vlad fires a round into the ground near the head of one of the men then raises his hands in surrender.  "Fine, you may have them if you wish.  Two hours, though.  Nothing more, you hear me, my friend?  Get something from them or they become part of one of the foundation of the building I will have to rebuild from their attack.  Two hours."

Champagne and several of the locals drag the men to their feet and begin moving off with them.  Vlad watches then turns to you.  "And I am told that you helped us here?  May I offer you a drink in my office?"

[VegasRigged]

"It will have to be a brief drink, but that sounds appealing."

The idea of making an ally here is worthwhile, but for a man like this safety is a central priority.

I send a brief message to Syl >>I'm going to meet with a member of the Assaulted party, stay in the area in case things get interesting<<

The violence here has been somewhat disturbing to say the least, but I will have time to process the sight and smells later. For the first time since hearing about the media smokescreen I'm beginning to slip back into my mind. The gears are reminding me of the danger.