[Sludig]

*woofer sighs knowing what the Changeling is trying to do* "Do you really want more of this crap?  Somehow I doubt that, but here take it, full anyway."

[inca1980]

7:05 am June 20th, 2072, Some Knight Errant Detention Facility

@Woofer:

The changeling chuckles as he grabs your tray and slides it in front of himself and begins the messy task of trying to eat through the muzzle using a plastic spoon.  He pretty much starts to ignore you and once in a while glances at you and chuckles again. 

After the mess-hall clears out and you file out with everyone else and go back to your cell.  Servo already has a permanent job in the library and goes along to do that and you have alone time during which you pretty much just stare at the ceiling from your bunk.  At around 10:00 AM you notice someone pass your cell and drop something inside and keep on walking.  You climb down to take a look at it and it's a pack of Marlboro Lights cigarettes.  You open it up and it's only about half full but there's a paper note inside which you unfold and read:

"Enjoy the smokes brother"

[OOC: roll a Gang ID Knowledge test]

[inca1980]

5:00 PM June 20th, Area 39.

@Mercedes, Walks & BB:

You look at the time and notice that it's already late afternoon and you're not much closer to either contacting Germaine, or finding out where Woofer is being held if he's even still alive. 

@Mercedes:

Somehow you feel that he is still alive.  You can't really explain the feeling and it's rather strange, but you know he's out there somewhere. 

[Sludig]

Woofer looks at what is rolled up with the note.

[inca1980]

@Woofer:

It's just that note and the cigarettes, nothing else. 

[OOC: roll the knowledge test to learn more.]

[inca1980]

@Mercedes, BB, Walks:

You decide that contacting Germaine directly would be the first most obvious step after realizing that his wife is dead.  Karina assures you that transmissions in and out of Area 39 are quite secure and trace-less.  You call his old commcode and after only 3 rings you hear the other side pick up but remain silent.  After about 10 seconds of complete silence on both ends you hear a voice on the other line that you instantly recognize to be Germaine's. 

"Speak"

The call is on AR conference for the three of you to participate in. 

[FastJack]

"Hello, Mr. Robinson. I think you know why we are contacting you. You have our associate and we want him back. Now, this could go easy on your end and you could return him, or we could disclose the information we have on you and your family to your employer."

[OOC: Let me know if you need any rolls]

[Sludig]

((Knowledge Roll, with a default to Logic))

3d6.hits(5)=2

[inca1980]

10:00 am June 20th, 2072, Some Knight Errant Detention Facility

@Woofer: 

[OOC: You actually have the knowledge skill I was looking for so I'll roll the extra dice for you.  Gang ID Skill = (3d6.hits(5)=1).  It's actually 2 dice but knocking one die off doesn't change anything.  So you get 3 hits total.]

You have often heard of different gangs in jail being distinguished by what kind of brand of cigarettes they prefer.  Cigarettes tend to be used as currency but for actual smoking each gang tends to gravitate towards a specific brand.  You heard of Marlboro Reds being smoked by Crimson Crush, but Marlboro Lights you're unsure of.  Using your special knack for analyzing situations your gut tells you that it's probably some kind of human gang.....maybe even with ties to Humanis on the outside.  You'll have to confirm your suspicion next time you're in the mess-hall.

Servo eventually comes back from work and he lets you now that it's yard time.  The geared up wardens ask the both of you to step out of the cell and they lock you to a chain as they lead you into a yard.  Once outside, they let you free and the scene is similar in size to the mess-hall except a little more relaxed with inmates with their shirts off taking in sun, working out and just shooting the shit.  You can see that a lot of them have cyber-ware, some of it rather showy and over the top gangsta-ware, but it's all been nerfed internally.

Sure enough you notice a group of humans eying you and eventually one of them pulls out a pack of Marlboro Lights and starts smoking. 

Your assessing of the situation is interrupted by Servo asking you a question.  You didn't even notice he was sitting close by.

"So what you in for?"


5:00 PM June 20th, Area 39.

@Mercedes, Walks & BB:

You see the little green translucent audio equalizer bar-graph under the blank AR icon which represents Germaine go flat as another silence ensues.  Then it jumps into action again as he suddenly replies; his voice dripping with the usual sarcasm.

"I don't see how you could tell my employer anything that they don't already know.  As for my family....well it is a shame that I must be the bearer of bad news, but both my wife and son died in a horrible accident.  And this, just as we had been reunited with our boy.  Very touching story really.  My wife, god bless her, was always very devoted to her philanthropic work, especially since our boy went missing.  She along with our boy perished in a fire at the Bird-Bear House where she was volunteering.  My boy had Kruegers all this time and was merely too ashamed to come to us with it.  I admit....I was a fool, I made some mistakes, let my fears and prejudices take over me ..... Well, such is life.  I've always told my dear friend Brackhaven that building codes in the barrens are woefully inadequate and a public safety hazard to one is a public safety hazard to all!

But on a more cheerful note, I'm very glad you called and was hoping you would.  Understand this:  I have the full backing of my employer Aries Macrotechnology and I'll come out straight and say why.  I have something they want.....or should I say I'm the best chance they have for getting something they want.  It appears our mutual friend Mr. Olivier Sanon has been up to something...something big.....something earth-shatteringly big, and my employers want to know what it is and even better yet, how to get it.  You found him once, you can find him again. 

So instead let me make you and what's left of your team a proposition.  You tell me what is so god-damn incredible about what Mr. Sanon is up to and how to find the poor bastard, and I'll do everything I can to return your friend Mr. Steele to you. 

[FastJack]

"Yes, we heard about your family's tragedy. I guess to a man like you, every cloud has a silver lining, doesn't it? Of course, some people like to seed the clouds to make sure the storms come.

But enough about history. We're contacting you because we need Mr. Steele. We're looking for Mr. Sanon as well, but we can't do so without our compatriot. Since our goals are similar, I'd think you would be more inclined to helping us, instead of hindering us. I propose a deal. You return Woofer to us this evening, and when we find Mr. Sanon, we will pass on whatever information we discover about any of his 'projects', along with any relevant datafiles, back to you.

It's a win-win, Germaine. You get the information without need to file any expense reports."

[Kontact]

"He just told us that once he's got what he wants from us, then Ares has all they want from him.  All we have to do is what he's asking us to do and he's ruined.  Hilarious.  I don't think he's thought this through at all.  But, wait, what?  The setup at Angel's was for the murder of Jeshua Robinson, but the kid officially died in a fire at the orphanage?  What exactly did they arrest Woofer for?  This just gets better and better."
Brian pauses a moment to think of options.
"I say we release the evidence now, the trid of Germaine hiring us and asking us to kill his kid, and the trid of the phony arrest.  We get it to vloggers and tell them that this is the guy who burned down Bird-Bear house.  The combination of him sweating over anyone finding out, and the ordered execution should be enough to ask the question, "Did an Ares suit burn down an orphanage just to assassinate his wife and son?"  Then we go over Germaine's head.  Get the number of someone at Ares, let them know that we'll take the job, contingent on them releasing Woofer and shooting Germaine into the sun.  I'm sure that they won't have any problems getting rid of a guy who's been tied to arson at an orphanage." 
He turns to Mephistopheles.
"Meph, you guys said you wanted this Sanon thing shut down, right?  Should I assume you want it buried, or is a touch of info to Ares acceptable?"

[Sludig]

Woofer looks at Servo, "Murder, but I didn't do it, just like everyone else in here, how about you?" *looks at what cigarettes Servo might have on him.*

[inca1980]

10:05 am June 20th, 2072, Some Knight Errant Detention Facility

@Woofer:

You see that Servo rolls his own cigarettes with a tobacco called Coyote Spirit.

He replies:

"Innocent too..."

He chuckles a little at his own comment.

"But they caught me hackin' cars and stealin' them.  Used to be damn good at it too...man, do I miss the feelin' of the pavement under your wheels when you're jumped deep into a ride...."

He trails off lost in a memory until suddenly the both of you are interrupted by a red-haired middle-aged human with more tattoos on his ripped torso than a 50 year old yak.  The most prominent one is the giant rounded ear in the middle of his chest which is similar to the logo for Humanis.  He doesn't even acknowledge servo but he speaks to you in a quite friendly tone.

"Hey brother, what you doing over here speakin' with this damn tusker.  You know he don't got enough IQ to even carry on a coherent conversation.  Come on over and chill with us.  Name's Eric....come meet the gang."

Servo doesn't say a word and just keeps looking off into another direction and starts smoking his rolled cigarette.  You can tell he's biting down hard to control himself.


5:05 PM June 20th, Area 39.

@BB:

Mephisto looks at you dead-pan.  He touches an AR link and instanly Karina's AR image appears.  She is also watching you with a dead stare and then speaks:

<<Under no circumstances are you to share information regarding Mr. Sanon or anything having to do with him out to third parties.  I thought it was clear to you how much we need this buried, but let me be very explicit:  Do not share any information.>>


@Mercedes, Walks & BB:

Mercedes begins negotiating with Germaine and after a little back and forth:

"Although your offer does make sense....I must politely decline.  I have already realized something rather fortunate.  Something is different about this one.  He has a connection to this Mr. Sanon that could be exploited.  I think a more appropriate deal would be this:  In addition to your information on Mr. Sanon, you destroy all files you possess having to do with your first job...namely anything that has to do with me, and in return I won't torture and break your Mr. Steele.  It is not so much that I am scared of the legal ramifications of what you possess....my current level of immunity is quite sufficient....but primarily for shear peace of mind.  Once you do these things for me, I will release Mr. Sanon from Hollywood Detention Facility and your legitimate legal status will be re-instated."

His voice seems to freeze as he may have realized Mercedes smooth talking cajole a little piece of information from his loose lips. 

"The authorities still don't know that Jeshua was ever in Bird Bear House to begin with.  This is how I was able to exert a little influence to have our subsidiary Knight Errant attempt to take you into custody.  Once you give me what I want, we can clear this whole matter with me proving how Jeshua truly perished.  So I hope you will exert discretion in what you intend to share with the world, for your friend's well-being hangs in the balance."

[Kontact]

"You guys are getting all this right Meph?  It's like he's a bond villain.  I'm guessing all the obfuscating going on with this place will make anything he says inadmissible as evidence.  Pity, that.  I'm sure Woofer's friends at KE, and his dad's friends, would love to hear all this."

[FastJack]

"We will consider your offer, Germaine. But now, we have to discuss our options. We'll be in touch."

And with that, Mercedes hangs up on Germaine. Turning to the others, she smiles. "Now we know where Woofer is, let's go get him."

She starts heading out the room, but stops to look back at Karina's image, "And don't worry, I had no intention of giving Robinson anything."