[Haywire]

#73

To:Rex: "Keep moving is the best way to be ahead of who pursuit us."
To: Mr Johannes: "In Zweibrucken we were found by a group of runners; they lost us, but I cannot exclude they are still in Zweibrucken. Shall we change our meeting or else have two or three meetings and decide at the last moment, to minimise the chance of being found?"

[belaran]

>>> Don't worry, M.Waywalker, we'll stay away from the city itself. We are well aware our opposition might still be expecting us there. But agreed, here is several meeting point proposal, drive toward their general vicinity, and we'll let you know which one we'll use later on. In the meantime, be safe.

The M.Johnson then immediately turned off the commlink - and its icon simultaneously disappears from the matrix.

The next couple of hours are quiet but somewhat stressful for the two runners. They are well-aware that they spent enough time in the SOX to carry a small, but identifiable trace of radiation, and that their numerous opponents could still be able to track them. On the bright side, the several locations sent by Johannes are all south to Zweibrucken, but also far from the French border. A lot of roads irrigate the surroundings of the small town of Hornbach, allowing the beat up van, to drive around, without getting too much attention.

Finally, after what feel like an eternity for the runners, Johannes contacts them back:

>>> OK, here is the final location meet. It's none of the above, but it is close enough to one of them. So if our communication were previously compromised, we'll dodge a potential trap. Hopefully, you should be able to be there within half an hour. We'll be there in 20'.

Before the runner can even acknowledge the message, Johannes commlink goes again offline. Waywalker pulls out a map of the location. It is an abandoned junkyard, twenty kilometer east of Hornbach. The yard specialized in cars and others vehicles, so it is quite large, and maybe even large enough to allow a chopper or a VTOL to land. That would explain how Johannes can ensure they will be there so quickly. Anyhow time to finally delivers the McGuffin...

Let me know how you want to approach this meeting point - especially if you want to do some sort of preparation for the meet...

[Haywire]

#74

Mr. Johannes' reply was forwarded to Rex by Waywalker.
"Fine, it seems that our Johnson is competent."
Anyway, near the meeting point, Waywalker scanneed their surroundings to be sure they were almost alone.

EW (radio signal scanner): 17d6t5 7
teamwork test from sekretar: 6d6t5 2
teamwork test from deck: 12d6t5 3
matrix perception: 19d6t5 5

[Jack_Spade]

Rex had used the time to get himself in shape again. Once he was free of his suit and they weren't in immediate danger anymore, he asked Waywalker to prep the medkit to treat his burns, and followed that up with a little magic taking away the damage he had sustained from the fight with the spirit and it's aura.


Medkit: 10d6t5 1
Doesn't do anything
Heal F4: 12d6t5 5
Removes all damage except the drain.
Drain resist: 21d6t5 5
No Drain

Stun Recover: 22d6t5 9

Release spirit

F3 Shapechange: 14d6t5 5
Drain resist: 21d6t5 6



After that he allowed himself to rest for an hour. When he awoke all but the mark from his reckless magic use was gone.
Refreshed he assumed his friendly dog form once more and released the warrior kami. As it's blessings left him, Rex noticed how famished he was. Soyprotein wasn't a feast but to the dog body's senses it qualified as imminently edible and so Rex didn't hesitate. Drinking from a canteen wasn't easy if you were a dog, but magic fingers and some application of intellect took care of that as well.

Only now did he address Waywalker: <<I've a bad feeling about our Johnson. Someone's going to betray us. Maybe we should change vehicles? Your van can't take much more punishment and it might also have been tagged somehow. You could hack a cheap, disposable transporter, we transfer the cargo and ourselves, while your car drives itself to safety somewhere else. That way we have less to fear from an attack and I can ask a Kami to carry us to safety under a veil.
For now I've dismissed all Kami and subsequently my combat form. I'm reasonably rested so I could resume it, but that might call even more metaphysical attention on us. The Johnson has our measure, so I'm pretty sure he or our enemies now have contingencies in place to deal with my powers.>>

[Haywire]

#75

Waywalker pondered Rex's words while driving through the city.
"I hope you're not right about our Johnson, but I figure it can't hurt to be just a little more cautious on our side."
Waywalker switched to AR to think more clearly, all the input from the van were counfounding him.
"Hacking a disposable transporter could get more heat on our side...let me call a friend of mine."

I'd like to call a Fixer or a Rigger (from my contacts) to get a ride OR to get leased a van to go to the meet.
Shall I roll something?

[belaran]

This is kind of House Rule, but I would ask you to roll your (Charisma + Contact's Connection)[3]. Please feel free to throw money at the problem, by adding 1d for each 250€ you ready to spent for this.

The threshold is motivated that you need a vehicle in your vicinity. If you get more than 5s you even get to pick the vehicle you want from Rigger 5 or Core Rulebooks within +/-20% of the price of your own van (used as warranty). With less than 5s, you'll get a beat, but fully functionnal Renault-Fiat Eurovan (a cheap knock off of the famous GMC Bulldog Step-Van).

[Haywire]

Find a van: 8d6t5 2

[belaran]

Waywalker calls and look up his numerous contacts in the region, but sadly he must quickly accept the fact that no of them can provide him with a vehicle in time. Having to move to his plan B. Going through a small city, he spot an old and beaten Ares Master 2051. It's incredible the old van appears to be working but even more incredible that the owner has retro fitter wireless gear. A couple of runners able to pull a heist inside the SOX have no issue hacking and stealing the vehicle, and few minutes afterward, both van are stopped in a nearby, and empty,  parking lot, away from unwanted attention.

The Ares Mule quickly transfer the engine to the new van. If their new vehicle is certainly in better shape than Waywalker's van, it is both far less discreet and less equipped. The owner did not stop the restoring to retrofitting wireless, but he also "customized" the seat, replacing the original black synth leather, by a pink one. Apparently, also a fan of a old cartoon, the paint job of the van matches the looks of something called the "Mystery Machine"...

Sadly, Waywalker and Rex could not find any other big enough van. But to make matter worth, the owner is clearly not a rigger. No rigger adaption, no tuning and obviously no weapon, nor extra armor. Also Waywalker will need to reboot his 'deck regularly to avoid G.O.D. spots him. While Waywalker goes behind the wheel, try to remember how to actually steer one of those, without a DNI, Rex sits, as comfortably as he can, on the weird and smelly pink leather.

Like two characters of a very weird "buddy movie", the runners are now as ready as they'll never be for their meet.


* In case you don't know, the mystery machine is the nicknamed of Scoobidoo's van...

[Jack_Spade]

Rex groaned slightly when he realized just what kind of vehicle Waywalker had organized for them. He couldn't remember much about his former life, and even though he wasn't the champ of pop cultural knowledge he did recognize the design. The only redeeming factor in his eyes was, that the machine was old and therefore easier to manipulate by magic.
<<Just for your information: My share of the haul will be in cash - not scooby snacks.>>

That said he concentrated to improve the durability of their new transport.



Spending Reagents for Limit 10 F4
Reinforce: 14d6t5 7
Object Resistance: 9d6t5 1
Drain Resist: 21d6t5 6
No Drain

Van gains 6 Body points and 6 additional Armor while spell is sustained



#181

[belaran]

@Jack_Spade you do realize that your new streetname is totally Scoobidoo right ?
@Haywire I let you reply today if you want to some prep work before the meet, otherwise tomorrow I'll move on with the meet

[Jack_Spade]

Time to start walking around as a cat and be called Heathcliff 

[Haywire]

#76

"The last time I saw one of these ancient beasts was in 2045, in a museum... And it looked newer than this!
Well, at least I should put to use those driving lessons from my grandpa I had long ago..."

[Jack_Spade]

<<Alright, lets do this.>>
Rex had found a position on the seat that was somewhat comfortable, had opened the window, put out his head and opened his astral sight, watching for enemies in the Astral... and incidentally enjoying the cool breeze that made his tongue flap.

#182

[belaran]

With their less than conspicuous new vehicle, the runners finally arrives at their meet. Hopefully the last one of this long, messy and exhausting run. It seems incredible that they just got hired the day before - given the amount of crap they had to face up until now.

The location of the meet, a derelict junkyard, lost in the now all but abandoned suburbs of a small town is certainly a good place for such shadowy meeting. The large metal gate has already be opened, probably by Johannes and his team. Indeed Waywalker can already see the icon of the Johnson's commlink, bleeping inside the place, but also his sensor catches a large vehicle, probably a chopper. The later is not running silent, so the decker can quickly learn his brand and ownership: a Rolls-Royce Golden Arrow, a similar model to the Agusta-Cievra Plutocrat. The vehicle is, not surprisingly a rental, tied to a complete, but probably phony, SIN. M.Johannes may have pick a fancy chopper, but he knows enough to stay low profile.

Sadly the sensor array of the van is barely adequate and Waywalker can not get more info from afar. Clearly a chopper is parked in the middle of the junkyard, but he can't even spot any thermal signature around it. Good he wishes he could have kept his van. Turning to his partner, Waywalker hopes that, maybe, the mage can do more...


@Jack_Spade: I assume but I may be wrong, that you may want to do some astral projection and reckon, before getting inside the place

[Jack_Spade]

Damn straight 
Time for a bit light recon: Assensing: 9d6t5 3



<<Give me a minute.>> Rex fell back on his seat and closed his eyes. The area around here was no untouched nature, but it was still so much better than the blighted landscape of the SOX.
Easily, he left his body behind and moved upward to get a birdseye perspective of the whole compound, before moving in and looking for signs of life around the meeting place.