[Cato]

Switch nods to Crimson:  "Sounds reasonable, but you'll have to convince Motoko.  I doubt she'd listen to me."

@Jink: This one is at least, but I think the others will get on board, and get Rat to let you know what this chump Breaker looks like.


@Carl:  You know me, chum.  I'm always good for the bills, as long as you have something worth it.  Anything on Breaker's body, or that points to the perps?  I'm after something he had, and I'm not the only one.

[Kontact]

<<@Switch:  I can tell you who did this, but I can't have that come back on me.  Not the kind of name that a guy in my line of work should say out loud.  Also, I'm breaking some serious rules by talking about this stuff in the middle of an ongoing investigation involving a mound of headless bodies.  Grand gets you a name and pictures of the scene.  If you want to know more, I suppose I could tell you a bit about what happened so you can be forewarned.>>

[Cato]

@Carl:  A grand?  You must think I'm made of money.  But I can do it for you, chum.  What do you have?

[Kontact]

<<@switchback:  It is my job and my life; I wouldn't risk both for less.  This is information from an ongoing investigation into a monster psychopath.  If he found out we're actually looking for him, my whole family would be killed.  Anyway, this is the trid.  See if you can find your Breaker in there.  You should delete it after viewing.  It's not something you should have or should want to have.  Regardless, that is a recording of Clean Steve and an unknown number of shooters killing 17 members of the Iron Legion gang in less than 4 seconds.  We isolated 8 different trajectories from the shots, but the lion's share of the killing was all Clean Steve.  As it stands, killing Gang-trash like the Legion isn't a crime, but desecrating a body is.  We could actually put out a warrant with this if the brass had the balls to do so.>>

The trideo is coming from a rooftop ledge, showing a group of about 20 gutter punks in patchwork synthleathers traveling down the alleyway in a mud flow of a mobile mosh-pit.  They were clearly celebrating and tanked to the gills on all sorts of designer drugs and synthonol.  They were also clearly armed and spoiling for a fight.  Enter Clean Steve in the same turtleneck and blazer you saw him wearing earlier this evening.  The mob came on him quickly and with purpose, surrounding Steve almost as a reflex.  A couple of the rowdiest of the bunch made a move on him, and Steve kicked one into the wall while punching the other in the throat.  The rest of the Legion members were stunned for a second, but quickly moved to action, only not against Steve.  They started killing each other.  Before it could go on much further, 8 of the brawling gangers just dropped as gunshot wounds opened in their chests.  Steve continued to punch and kick the panicked Legion in an impossible blur of motion until there were only 4 left, each of them scrambling madly though alley trash.  Steve lazily pulled out a pistol and shot one of them in the back.  The next few minutes involved a vibro-knife and 3 separate trash-bags.  It doesn't warrant a detailed synopsis.

[Cato]

As Switch watches trideo he sees Clean Steve move through the Iron Legion.  Speak of the devil...  Should have prayed harder as a kid.  Switchback shares the trideo with Jink and Ghost.

@Ghost:  "A problem... we might have more than that."

@Carl: Looks like a fella I've seen recently...  Watch your back, and if you come across a headless ork with my good-lookin' body, feel free to keep the money.

[funkytim]

"Well times a wasting.  Looks like we're in a race with Clean Steve.  Maybe he didn't find the schematic, we should go talk to the survivors asap.  I got an in."

[Psikerlord]

"Holy frag!" Jink declares as he watches the trideo with a sickening feeling. "Just knew I shoulda geeked that drekker back at the shop! Next time I go with my gut, si?"

Scratching his silver black goatee, the old biker secretly wonders whether he would have got a shot off before Mr Steve took him apart.... but, eh, Jinky had had a good life, and he had some wizzer gear under his (admittedly) aging hood. Maybe I'll find out soon enough. In any case, he was pretty sure Switch could smash the smiley psycho good, just like he did with the team at Vanian's home. Plus - they had Ghost - a real mage for frag's sake. All that kicking was nought against a bolt of eldritch power, or an elemental. The three of them would be enough to take him. Provided they had some help to distract the off screen gunners....

Poking his metal fingers at the trid, he asks "So which one of these is Breaker? Any of them? Hey Motoko - can you run a datasearch on these faces for us, see if you can draw a match with Breaker?"

Addressing the newcomers more generally he says, "Looks like we could use some help with our run. Once Vanian's sorted - you chummers up for some extra nuyen or what?" He flashes Motoko his best old charmer smile, ever optimistic, despite her steely disinterest.

[UmaroVI]

"Sure, I'm always ready to work. You'll have to fill me in on the details of this job and such, of course."

At least these three seem relatively professional, as runners go. Most people would have forced me to turn that into a shootout.

[Mirikon]

"Once we've finished our contract for Vanian, then getting more nuyen would be fine. But only after we finish our contract. I do not have a rep for dropping jobs in the middle, and I do not wish to gain such a rep in the future." Motoko looked over to the members of her team, and said, "I can't work in here. Too noisy for AR, and as for VR..." She trailed off with a pointed look at Jink, the implication being she didn't wish to be insensate to the world around her in the same room with him. She didn't even bother to try and hide it either "Send the images and any other info you have on this Breaker to my van, and I'll get to work."

[Kouryuu]

As Crimson and switch rejoined the group they had a pleasant surprise
"Seems Mokoto will not need no convincing, she speaks, as always, the language of money. "
A wide smile was across Crimsons Face. "But as it stands our priority is completing Vanian's Contract"

"So how will we do it? Who goes o the shop, and who will give us the rundown on this new assignment?"

[UmaroVI]

"Shouldn't be too hard. Drive over there, keep Vanian in the van so he's safe. Stop a bit away, I gather one of you two," Sundance said as he waved in the direction of Ghost and Switch, "is a magician. Check the place out astrally, maybe over the matrix too if there are any cameras that aren't offline. Me and anyone else who knows how to sneak around properly goes in to get the stuff discretely, anyone who isn't quiet hangs in the van to protect Vanian and come in if we need backup."

[funkytim]

Hey, I have no idea why we should help Vanian first. You talk about about finishing a job well I intend to finish mine.  Frankly you wouldn't have a job helping Rat if we didn't keep him from getting assassinated in the first place.  If we delay we could lose these stupid little schematics to some corp., Neil death goes unpunished and we lose our payday.  I hate to mention this but our down payment was more than Vanian is offering so in my book he can wait.  Sorry Rat for saying this but I don't need you alive anymore to finish my job, not that I wish you any harm though.  Switch, Jink, we should continue following  our leads and if the others want to help they should shit or get off the pot.   Ghost says in a very calm and even toned voice.

[Psikerlord]

"You make good point, Ghost, as usual, but what about ...er..."

Jink takes a moment to perform a few (muted) pelvic thrusts in Motoko's general direction, his dark purple duster flapping back and forth with a plated snap. "Maybe little bit unfinished business, no?" he whispers to his team mates in grandly optimistic (and deluded) style. "I think connection there, hmm?" What you think?

[Mirikon]

Looking at Ghost, Motoko simply shrugged, unconcerned with what the man said. "Then we'll take Vanian, finish our contract, and leave you to do whatever the hell it is you're up to. Frankly, I don't care. But I'm doing the job I got hired for, and then, if the money's right, I'll look in on doing another job. In fact, the further that idiot is from me, the better." She pointed at Jink as she said that last. "I am in no mood to deal with you right now, except at the business end of an sniper rifle, or dishing out black ice. So if you want our help, we finish our contract first. If not, then we're leaving and finishing our contract anyways."

[Psikerlord]

Jink sends Motoko the video feed of Clean Steve and the 17 dead gangers.

"OK, ok, let's keep things shiny," he suggests, "can you do a datasearch and figure out if Breaker is one of the dead in this clip, please Motoko?" he asks, completely serious.

"If yes, then you've helped us ...  and hell, we do a little detour for them, eh Ghost? We can do this?" Jink raises a hopeful eyebrow towards his team.