[Mulcarn]

As Maxwell waited for a response from both Grail and Amy, his comm started ringing.  This time with a voice message instead.  He balances the phone on his shoulder held to the side of his face.  That way he could listen in and fondle the randy vampire without interrupting.  Maxwell stops mid-stroke once he hears Kynos' monotone, half robotic voice chime in.  Warning him what was about to happen.  Letting the link' fall from his shoulder into his hand in one fluid motion.  Furiously, frantically, Maxwell types out a one-handed text before shit hit the fan.

@Kynos - <<Stop!  Stop!!  Stop!!!  What are you doing?!  If you fuck up and miss then i'm dead and so too is Amy.  There's a reason why I didn't duplicate that hellblast the moment I saw him.  Just let me finish talking to them.  They've made an offer that everyone should hear.  A very, very lucrative one if it piques your interest.>>

[Jack_Spade]

Kynos listened to Sovereigns message and frowned
<<What figures are we talking here?>>
After receiving the number he replied: <<Ok, getting the money from him like this is certainly easier than from his finally and really dead corpse. Give Amy that tag I gave you and make sure she keeps it with her, so we can track Grail when we need to. The money will come in handy to get the gear we need to end him. I already have an idea. I'll withdraw for now.>>

To Irris he replied:
<<As far as I know, Sovereign's setting up a nice payday with a vampire. Keep your sights up and ready to retreat into the bunker.>>

[Jack_Spade]

Realizing that Simone also needed to get that information, Kynos repeated it for her benefit, while still keeping a wary eye on the little party.
While he didn't have anything else to do, he made a quick call to his armorer contact, placing an order for more ordinance - but this time only legal stuff.

[Mercy Merchant]

Simone sends an acknowledgement of the message back to Kynos and continues to watch.  It is clear that at least one of the mages's hands is fondling the chest of the other woman and Simone feels pangs of something she knows she has no right to feel.  It is obvious that the other pair have know each other from the past and she has only known him for a day or two.  Still, the feelings are there and she has to deal with that.  But that will have to wait a bit.  Right now, they are still in danger.................wait, what had Kynos said?  These were vampires?  Her hand moves reflexively to the handle of her ax and she has to steady herself to keep from slipping it from her back and charging in.  It is bad enough that the scary mage is dealing with vampires, but it seems that he has bedded one as well.  She shakes her head and forces herself to calm down.  He does not belong to her and there is a job to do here.

SImone lowers her hand from the ax and waits to see what happens.

[gilga]

Maxwell nuzzles Amy as she laments. Pressing his mouth to one of her ears, nibbling and tickling her when he whispers back. "You know, you look cute when you pout. With you in my arms I could capture you and fly away. Maybe i'll find a lofty nook hidden somewhere and pleasure you in every way imaginable until you've had a dozen orgasms. I mean... I wouldn't make for a very good dark magician or lover if I wasn't planning on doing something devious with you." Removing himself from her ear, he smiles at her once again and runs a free hand through her hair to comfort her. His smiles switches to a frown once he heard Grail's reply. Maxwell covers his mouth and raggedly coughs. A reminder that he isn't at full strength yet. After clearing the bloody phlegm that pooled in his lungs, he looks back up a Grail and says. "Alright. So you're saying you could have taken this place whenever you felt like it. But taking it without significant backlash from UCAS officials and their hunters or from members of the infected undead would've been another story. Let's say for the sake of the argument I buy that. However, a few caveats I like to point out that's making it hard to say yes. How do I know you're going to release the ones enthralled to you and not kill them a week later. Thought you only released them on the cusp of death.

Also, i'm all for different feeding alternatives for Amy... I mean Vixen. But her version of you being high sounds like a fucking nightmare. I'm going to take her word for it and ask the pertinent question - Why the hell should I leave you alone with her during all that? I'm not callow or calloused enough to want her to have to go through that again. No, fraggin' seriously. Sell this harebrained idea to me. Money doesn't mean drek-all to me. It's only ever been an excuse. A means to a end. I've wasted and destroyed more nuyen than anyone could ever hope to dream of in their life. Unlike me, you have shit for willpower or self-control. How do I know she won't be harmed any further?"

Grail looked at Amy, "Is that what you told him? That I was a drunken master that accidentally turned the hottest decker in the shadows to his side. This is naive Amy, even for you. You are with me because you are useful, skills that are difficult to find. You knew all along that it would come to that if you would not cooperative. Yet, you insisted on being 'rescued' it is your doing. Stop portraying me as the bad one."

Amy looks at Grails and says "I am so sorry Sire, I did not know what I was thinking. My path is clear now and I will do my best to be of service."

What - How? Why? Thinks Maxwell. How can his lover seems completely loyal to that *Thing*?!

She looks at Max and says "Please Max, he is the only one that can teach me to keep my beast at bay. I may resent him for turning me, but now I am but a toddler in a world whose rules were changed. Without his help,  I will go insane. Damian has gone into great distances to make it a smooth transition for me. These pixies are more for me than for him - I am the one who would not feed on people."


Grail looks at Maxwell's smiling "You do not have to take the money if you are uninterested, the way I see it this is your lover. This food is difficult to find and very expensive to acquire - it is going to become even more expensive once you shut down this farm. There are not that many of them you know...

As for my cult, feel free to call the police yourself. I am sure that their new chief is looking for some achievement to establish herself. That way you know that I am fulfilling my end of the bargain, and you will have the chief of police owing you a favor. Might come in handy with you torching buildings for leisure... just saying. "

[Mulcarn]

Maxwell was forced to bite down and grit his teeth into a scowl in response from Grail's excuse.  Trying, as hard as he might to not turn the vampire into a walking matchstick.  The mage tries a therapeutic mental exercise to cool himself before things escalated into violence.  Closing his eyes, he exhales and reopens them slowly.  A visual cue for any psychologist to interpret as irrational hotheadedness being bottled and suppressed.  Maxwell snorts briskly and with an abrasive tone says.  "Don't tempt me, fang-boy.  Just because i'm having a hard time walking or seeing straight doesn't mean I can't fuck you up in ways that'll make sociopaths cry.  Fine, I accept you're fraggin' deal.  One condition though and it's nonnegotiable - Vixen is coming with me to the bunker to grab the food."

Berserker Rage: 12d6t5 4
Dodged a bullet there.

Maxwell looks down again at Amy.  His expression softens as he tugs on her hand.  Trying to lead her, if only temporarily, away with him.  "Okay-okay... Let's go get you something to eat.  I'm not going to let pride get in the way if it means you starving to death."

[gilga]

Maxwell Grail said "If you want to kill me, take a number Max. Half the city wants that - I am still kicking so I must be doing something right. At least get some good sleep before you do."
Seeing that Maxwell relaxed he said" Your Vixen is free to stick with you for a couple of hours, just have her home before morning. Your building is not very safe for her to be with all the media attention so be discreet love bunnies. As for the pixies, my men will remove half of them from your possession."
He looks at Amy and tells her "Pay them the agreed amount and feel free to stick around, but be back before morning. We cannot allow a vampire to be seen here when the news reporters arrive."   Amy hugs Grail briefly and then says "Take care, Sire"

Grail does a singal and 8 men decloak in nearby greenhouses. With your permission they make their way to the third floor and relieve you from the pixies before disappearing through a nearby sewer access. Amy delivers you 10 credsticks with 15k nuyen each to complete the transaction.

(other than that she'll probably want to get a room and make use of the couple of hours she still has before sunrise.Feel free to move her in that direction.)

[Jack_Spade]

Watching the transaction with hawk eyes, Kynos had to control himself really hard not to just chuck a grenade after the heavily loaded soldiers while they are in the confines of the sewer. Taking them out in one swift strike. But a bargain is a bargain. Thinking of Sovereign's other problem he takes care to stash 12 more pixies out of sight in the sewers in their life support cages.

When that is done he contacted Sovereign: "You know I didn't think it would be possible to still feel dirty for anything I'm doing in my line of work, but dealing with Grail definitely makes me feel filthy. Oh and be careful, I stashed buckets of wood mulch around with concussion grenades inside. If you kick the bucket, well you'll be kicking the bucket."

[Mulcarn]

Maxwell and Amy walk hand-in-hand together.  Stopping to join up with the others at front to distribute the money.  Fishing through his jacket for his credstick, he slots it with the full amount from one of Amy's plus a partial amount from another.  Netting his bank account with twenty-four thousand.  Pausing to answer Kynos before distributing the rest.  "Tell me about it.  Before I forget, here."  Maxwell extends a fistful of credsticks to be handed over to the keeb.  "There, a nice bonus to top off a successful run.  Should help make up for a month's worth of no money and no luck.  I've already taken my share.  So make sure you grab twenty-one thousand for yourself and for everyone else.  Nyx should be back any moment.  I hope at least.  I sent a fire elemental to fetch her a while back.  Fill her in on what happened if you don't mind.  Her cut too as well.  Assuming she's even still alive that is."

Glancing down to Amy, then back up to Kynos.  Maxwell draws a clenched fist to his mouth and coughs awkwardly before introducing her to him.  "Ahemmm... this is Amy, or as she's known in the shadows, Blue Vixen.  If there's nothing else you guys need from me then she and I have some catching up to go do."

[Jack_Spade]

"Actually, yes there is something I need urgently. " Kynos opened a zipper on his FBA trousers and reached inside, pulling out...
his commlink.
"Nagisa managed to blow a few fuses or whatever those things have. I need them replaced. I hate to run on damaged equipment."
He turned to Simone with a smirk: "And you can do the same for my body - that frag grenade hit was a bit uncomfortable - even for me.
If anyone needs me, I'll be taking a nap in the infirmary."

[Mercy Merchant]

Simone remains pretty much numb throughout the exchange.  She takes a good look at the female vampire and has to admit that Amy is much prettier than she is and it is clear that the two are an item.  Defeated, Simone resolves to make the best of things and nods to Kynos; after all, she is a professional and there is a job to do.  "I can see to that.  Lead on to the infirmary.  I can help anyone else that needs it, too.  Didn't you say the grenade hit two of you?"  She smiles at Amy and the man that she had thought for a few minutes would be her scary mage but is really someone else's. 

She walks with Kynos to the lower level medical bay and sees him to one of the beds.  She is a physician and med equipment is med equipment.  She hooks Kynos up and takes a bioscan to see what the problems are before pushing the buttons to begin the treatment.  "Do you want to go to sleep?  I can give you something to help with that."

[Kuirem]

Wheely shrug but doesn't comment and follow the others inside. Nuyen is good to take and it doesn't seems a breach to the contract with Casa. Maybe they will get lucky and the vamps won't attack thanks to this deal, one can hope.

He answers to Simone gloomily "I'm fine thanks, almost got hit but my drone took it all.". You could almost believe he would rather have got shoot himself.

[Mercy Merchant]

Simone looks at Wheely over her shoulder as she gets Kynos situated. "Hey, I am pretty good with stuff like that.  Let me take a look at it after I am done here and we'll see if I can do something with it.  Did you pick up the pieces?

[Kuirem]

"All in my car, I was planning to check on it after this mission because I doubt we have time for that now. I wouldn't mind some help because it's more or less a puzzle now."

[Jack_Spade]

Kynos had rolled down the FBA to the waist and removed the shirt, revealing the developing green and blue contusions across his emaciated body. The bandages on his arms had bled through. After removing them, Simone was confronted with a tightly woven net of crisscrossing scars, likely self inflicted. The current wounds were only the latest addition.
The artificial muscle enhancements showed prominently under the tightly stretched, hard, leathery skin, making it possible to identify the stenciled serial numbers. SImone recognized them as being more than a decade old and pretty outdated, although still functional.
The readout warned her that the amount of cybernetic and biologic enhancements in this body should by rights have killed it's owner.
Belated Kynos replied: "Don't bother. It's been a long time since I had trouble sleeping. Surgical removed conscience and all that. I heal up quickly. I just need something to prevent inflammation."

Kynos sighed and let his head fall back on the gurney. With closed eyes and a sudden weariness in his voice he added: "Forget about Amy and Sovereign. Seeing you making puppy eyes at him is almost worse than getting hit by a dose of pepperpunch.

This is a business venture. Any feelings that go beyond loyalty to the team are counterproductive. Sovereign is on the road to perdition and he likely won't travel alone. Which is a pity. He is - if you discount his flair for the melodramatic - very competent at what he does.

There will be no happily ever after for anyone staying close. With any luck we'll manage a draw where we eradicate Grail and all other vampires in the city... and while we are at it, all the other damned spell slingers around here. There's only hell fire waiting for us..."

Kynos' voice became softer, less monotone as drowsiness overcame him. Almost unconsciously he muttered the lyrics to an old song before he went to sleep:
"Lebt wohl, schöne Witwen, in Gent und Brabant,/Ich habe geträumt, mich geirrt, mich verrannt.
Es gibt keinen Frieden für einen wie mich,/Ich packe das Schwert und das halte ich.
Viel zu verkrampft, meine Hände sind heiß,/Längst ist der Griff schon nass von Schweiß.
Mein Traum macht mir das Töten so schwer,/Aber das Sterben, das Sterben noch mehr."

Farewell, beautiful widow in Gent and Brabant, I've dreamed, I've erred, got carried away
There is no peace for someone like me, I grip the sword and I bear it
much to cramped, my hands they burn. Already the grip is wet of sweat
My dream made killing quite hard, but the dying, the dying so much more.