GM: Kassandra Players: Thistledown, Molly, Nameless, Adam, Frost, Stumpy. Guest Starring Sage! Synopsis: The runners were hired by Silk to rescue Jenna Barton, daughter of VERY important people in the PCC who was just in the wrong place. They must attack a Rating 3 Aspected Power site and face down barhests and perhaps the most evil killer the Warrens has faced. Date: November 1, 2069 The Sacrifice «Plot» Kassandra says, "Please state your CONSENT for the log. I'll start a pose to get us into it, then throw it to you for a pose or two getting to the meet." «Plot» Sage says, "I give my consent for this run." «Plot» Frost says, "I consent" «Plot» Molly says, "I consent to the events in the run." «Plot» Nameless says, "I consent" «Plot» Stumpy says, "I consent" «Plot» Adam says, "I consent." «Plot» Thistledown says, "KILL ME NOW! I mean…I consent." The Meeting A call hits the streets very close to dusk. Silk has put the word in the ears of fixers and Johnsons, street vendors and bartenders, trix jockeys and finger wigglers that she needs runners for a rescue mission. The payment is rumoured to be good and even moreso, it is rumoured to be about the missing girl and possibly the serial killer. Whatever your reason, you are directed to the Ampersand in the CAS sector, the private upstairs section. Frost is in a hurry today, he has spent most of the day trying to track down this kid, and it didn't go well. He is on the way home when for speeds sake, he sends his Ally Spirit to the meet with a few elementals as backup, hopefully they can get in if there are no wards, otherwise he will have to drive faster. Nameless was muttering to himself when he got the word. "Sick fraggers. Going off on child pornography and who knows what other atrocities. And when the lights go out- they're just another shadow. Another Nameless. Waiting for someone to put a damn bullet in their head and make a better future." When the bartender looks at him, curiously, Nameless cuts him down with a angry gaze, "Ah, shut up! I know I'm not perfect either." He slides some nuyen over the table and heads for the designated place. For some strange reason, the man known as Freeman has decided to take part in this operation. Sage is dressed in his usual red colors, face unadorned by another identity. Arriving at Ampersand, he allows the security to check his arms, and looks for the fixer who's called the meet. Stumpy makes his way to the Ampersand via taxi, helmet loosely in place on his head, fully armored out in his second hand gear. He makes his way to the upstair section with all the haste his short dwarven legs can muster. The rumble of a large Harley is the sound that shows that Creep has arrived. A huge troll decked out in Demolition Boyz colors drives the hog as the small human hangs onto his midsection. Once the bike rolls to a stop the girl reaches up and smacks the troll's helmet and drops off. Her satchel rests close to her side as she shuffles into the club. The bike thunders off and she removes her helmet, tucking it under her arm. On the top floor at the meeting spot, a Japanese woman in a very expensive suit simply appears. She looks around momentarily for Silk, the astral plane around the woman covered with three elementals. Thistledown spent this morning goofing about at the rifle range, then a bit of time lolligagging at the park, some time idling in the coffee shops, and a smidgeon of time meeting girls in bookstores. After such a busy day he went to work to take a nap, awakened from his siesta by one of the kids that hangs around the Knuckle for handouts and informed that Silk was calling a meeting. Rather than leave his comfy chair he just rolled his way into the clinic and decided to take make the trip astrally, sort of pointless to trek all the way out of the Warrens just to come back in again. He triple checks his wards before he leaves his body behind the locked doors of the clinic, his imps standing guard. Thistledown wanders over to the Japanese woman, his astral form flickering constantly through varying clothing styles, each just as outrageous and stylish as the one before, "So…come here often?" He says to her, smiling at the elementals cheerfully. The Japanese woman frowns at Thistledown "Take this serious please, we have spent all day trying to track down this child. We found nothing so far, only Silk seems to know that its connected to the headhunter." Silk is pacing upstairs as the runners arrive via astral travel or taxi or whatever means they may, a number of small briefcases set up and waiting for her attention. A small bar is set up for convenience sake but there is no server, no other lifeforms on this level other than the waiting elf. Adam arrives via a motorcycle— a simple, electronic one with just enough gear in the cargo for a camping trip. He parks his car where parking allows in the CAS sector— stepping off of his bike as he texts over his pocsoc to Frost. « You going to the meet? » As he passes through the synthrcrete parking garage, he steps through some shadows, emerging as a completely different person: a rustic australian with bronzed skin and crew-cut white hair. Masked as such, he puts his pocsoc away, sliding into the club/bar/place of interest at dusk and looking for the assembled runstuffs upstairs. Nameless does not leave the bar unattended. Even though he figured drinking now was bad, but just a tiny winy gulp of beer— or something. Anyway- his head snaps up and says, "Sorry if I am not on the mark here." He pauses. "But who's the kid?" Stumpy nervously takes a seat at the empty bar, holding his hands in front of him, his helmet still on, as he glances around at the others trying to figure out how he should be behaving himself. Thistledown looks at the Japanese woman, "What child?" Once she takes her place at the seat, Creep nods her head to Silk and she draws out her poc-sec, she places it on the top of the table and gets comfortable. She flips up the small screen and presses a button on the side, keeping the small device held firmly in her two cloth wrapped hands. Frost arrives in the parking lot a few minutes later, and simply remains sitting in his car with his eyes closed, his attentions are all on the scene upstairs, he checks his pocsec and sends a reply «Cara is already there» The Japanese woman frowns at Thistledown "A child was taken from the zoo today, we went to investigate to see if it was anything linked to the headhunter we have been tracking. The only thing we found out is no one knows where the child was taken, its like the child simply vanished without a trace. We found no evidence of magic though." Adam chuckles a bit to himself as he climbs up the stairs. The glasses in his natural form display out the text— to which he subvocalizes back « Cute. She ever bitch at you for that stuff? » Finding Silk is, presumably, not a difficult task and he finds his way over to blend in and listen— something he has plenty of experience with as of late. He notices Thistle first— offering him an upnod. The Sage approaches the elven fixer with confidence and poise, making a slight stopover at the bar to mix and pour himself a drink. Then he steps to the table, sits down at a chair, and leans back, smiling slightly. "So…" he says to the Front Range Free Zone's most prolific fixer, and then pauses. A beat, then another, and he nods. "Let's make this quick. I'm not here for the kid. Tragedies happen every day and I don't see people gathering to stop them. I'm here for the money, and if that saves a kid, maybe that's a plus on my personal karma." No mincing about the topic, that's Sage. Nameless puts down the alcohol. The atmosphere, as he perceived it, was way more serious than to what he was used to. "Have there been other cases?" He asked of the Japanese woman. Thistledown notices Stumpy sitting at the bar and forces himself through to project into the physical as well, his clothing settles into a darkly glittering costume as the concentration it takes forces him to pick just one style. "Huh, probably the bears, they get kids all the time…there was this one time a guy crawled into the panda cage…didn't find him until weeks later…systematically pulled off the guys fingers…tragic really." He wanders over towards Stumpy. The Japanese woman (Cara from now on) shakes her head to the others and points to Silk "She has information I believe, We will relay what we know after she has spoken." Silk will give the runners a moment to gather themselves and speak to each other as she sets a pair of video tablets up and then speaks, a faint rap of her knuckles on the table to get everyone's attention. “Time, ladies and gentlemen, is of the essence, so I won't beat around the bush. Your charge is to find Jenna Barton and bring her back. To that end, I have acquired some information and a belonging. Both may help you to do your job.” A picture is displayed on a video tablet of a twelve year old human girl, blond hair and blue eyes, dressed in a cheerleader outfit. Frost climbs out of his car and starts inside, he may have to get personal this time obviously. Stumpy waves nervously to Thistledown, clearly stunned at people popping in out of nowhere. He is about to say something, but stops as Silk begins speaking, and instead moves his stool over by the table. Sage commits the image to his enhanced memory, studying the curve of the child's cheek, the tilt of the nose — the things that can't be altered on a face without effort. Disguises comes in all kinds of formats. Nameless looks at Silk, than the picture, than Silk again. "I know pictures can say a thousand words." He pauses, "But that one doesn't say drek about where she might be or what might be going on." The Japanese woman speaks "Mr. Frost can use the item possibly to get some hints as to where she is at. He is on his way inside right now." Silk glances to each of you in turn and emphasizes her words, “Your only concern is the girl. My employer has gone to great trouble to distract the local law enforcement, so we'd appreciate if you didn't engage them unless there is no other choice. Other than that, the young woman's safety is paramount." She'll move to one side, retrieving a bag clearly marked EVIDENCE in bold letters, setting it on the clear table before her. Inside, a heart-shaped pendant made out of some red gemstone that you have a creeping feeling may be ruby is inside. "This was on the girl before she was taken. Her assailant broke the necklace when he took her is what I understand the PSE has determined. Her parents have said this necklace is one of her favorite possessions." Looking at the pictures, Creep takes it all into memory, her poc-sec gleefully documenting everything said in a handy text file. She presses her lips together and she looks around the table, taking a look at all the people gathered. Adam-Aussie looks over the picture while Silk speaks. He settles down into his seat and looks over the tablet. He looks over to Nameless and nods to what the Japanese woman says, "The item may be helpful in that, depending." Thistledown smiles at Stumpy, "Just another way of looking at things, friend." He murmers as he watches Silk. "Good to see you trying to make the world prettier though, assuming you're hear to recover the girl, not just ice the killer." He leans back through the bar then corrects so he appears to be leaning against it. Thistledown looks over the necklace shown then calls out, "Girl with a rock like that, no taggants, tracers, med bracelet, nothing?" Stumpy nods to Thistledown, "The girl is the priority, though whoever did this shouldn't do it again." A note of finality hangs in his last words. He watches everybody's reactions carefully, jotting down things with a classic paper and wooden number two pencil. Speaking up, Creep murmurs, "I'm assuming that given the expensive nature of the necklace that ritual tracking has not panned out." She sighs a sharp breath out and she says, "Have they gone back to basics and used hounds?" Frost comes up the stairs, slightly out of breath as he starts across the room towards the group with Silk. He comes up behind the others "Alright, give me the locket. I'll see what I can find." Nameless thinks for a moment. "So, the sick fragger likes young girls who obviously have rich parents. Wasn't there a ransom note or something? Anything?" Answering questions as she gets to them, Silk remarks, "No ransom as of yet. No contact at all. Her parents had both a tracking bracelet AND an implanted tracker. Both went dead at 1537." She ticks items off her fingers. "They tried dogs, but whomever this was left several rather nasty surprises around the park. Two of the PSE's best tracking animals are down for the next dozen hours and won't be smelling much besides peppermint for days." Freeman looks over the evidence slowly, wondering who he can threaten or terrorize into giving him the information on the girl's whereabouts. "In this day and age," he thinks aloud, "You'd think her parents would have implanted an RFID chip in her. Kids get lost in the park, let alone get kidnapped at the zoo." He looks up. "I might be able to find xomething out; I'll ask around," His cellphone slides into his hand from the cuff of his suit jacket. Time to instill some fear into some folks. Stumpy raises his hand meekly, "Um… is there any profit to be had from her? Can she do something or know something that will benifit someone?" Frost leans over the table, pushing past anyone he can "Alright, time is of the essence her right, can I get the locket Silk?" he seems a bit desperate almost. Silk raises a finger and comments, "I have more information. And yes, her parents are .. rather wealthy and connected." Sage raises an eyebrow, his fingers stopped in the act of dialing. "Oh?" Adam-Aussie goes to make a comment into the maelstrom, but Silk's last statement just has him nod. Thistledown sighs, "Could we translate 'rather wealthy and connected' to 'how much will we get paid?' Otherwise we'll be here for another 10 minutes while people hedge around saying that we expect to get paid for rescuing little girls." Silk moves a video tablet onto the table, depressing a switch. A holographic image will appear, turning slowly in a circle. "PSE's shaman believe that the perp may have taken the girl here. This is the Shrine to the Sun, which is just above the zoo. It was an Open to the Public attraction for years before being bought out by some private citizens. It has changed hands a great many times and the exact ownership is buried under a maze of shell companies and fake identities." She shrugs and indicates the castle-like structure. "This place has been used in any number of magical rituals over the years. It has its own crypt. It is close and yet isolated. It has security. The PSE can't get any sort of warrant to get in. This is all very coincidental, and so my employer believes that this is a good spot to look." "As far as payment, there is current a quarter million on the table." Frost takes the evidence bag and moves away, he takes a few steps from the table and opens it, pulling out the pendant and placing it in the palm of his hand, he closes his eyes and opens his astral perceptions, focusing on the locket with all his attentions, to everyone else, he simply stands there. To those who take a look to the astral, all his aura and attentions are focused on the tiny locket. Stumpy looks at the place, and whistles low. He looks around the table, "So how are we going in?" "If PSE's traced the girl," Sage asks, "Why are we needed? This seems like a fairly easy place to contain and infiltrate. This isn't a job for shadowrunners, this is something the cops can handle easily." Once she has a place in mind, Creep says, "Wiz, I'll head that way now and see if there's anything I can find out." She picks up her poc-sec and places it into her satchel. She scratches the corner of her lips as she shifts her bag into place saying, "I'll meet you all there." Cara looks over the picture and nods, saying nothing. "PSE hasn't traced the girl. They have a shaman with some sort of precog ability that had a vision that makes him think that the girl might be there. And that isn't enough for a warrant, at least not in the PCC courts. It's all guesswork, but the parents are desperate enough that they reached out to my employer, who reached to me. And that brings us to you." Adam-Aussie shakes his head, "There are proper proceedures. Something that may take too long. Something the perp is aware of and using for a timetable." He looks over the castle and then starts checking his pocsoc. "Besides, it pays, thats what you care about, right?" Stumpy looks to Thistledown and whispers, "Um… should we go there now? Should we plan this out, or go in the front door?" Frost pages: Ok, Aura Reading 3 + KP: 3 for 6 karma, with 3 Rerolls if needed. Nameless pours Stumpy a drink, whom he deems as his future possible drinking partner, and himself a drink. "If it pays I'm down for it. I also want to put a few bullets in that perp's skull. That squeemish bastard." He mutters under his breath. Thistledown shrugs, "No clue, my job is to look pretty an ask rude questions like…" He raises his voice, "Silk, any astral recon done? Or are the elementals just there to look good?" From afar, Adam nods. I want to probe some of my IC knowledge and I am going to ask my contact to dig up a file on that site. Magic Background (5) if I recall reading about that place anywhere on the forums. Contact is Nathan Pearson, ASPA Investigator for the site info. From afar, Adam nods. I want to probe some of my IC knowledge and I am going to ask my contact to dig up a file on that site. Magic Background (5) if I recall reading about that place anywhere on the forums. Contact is Nathan Pearson, ASPA Investigator for the site info. Stumpy takes the drink and nods to Nameless, with a vicious smile at his comment. He sniffs slowly while he lets the more experienced hands work this out. You paged Frost with 'You can tell that this was indeed a very close item to the girl, and can get any number of flashes about her, her life and just generally being happy. You have the distinct idea that she is VERY rich and well taken care of. You get more flashes, just faint ones, of her fear of a man, a tall man with a hooked nose and cruel eyes, he stinks and he has me oh god oh god oh god!'. «Auto-Judge[]» Frost (#1680) rolls Willpower vs TN 8 for "I feel a bad trip coming on": 1 1 3 3 4 11 = 1 Success Silk looks to the air beside her and remarks, "Protection detail. And no, no one has buzzed the site astrally yet. PSE is being kept occupied and staying back for the moment. We have the, as they say, ball." «Auto-Judge[]» Adam (#1093) rolls Magic Background (to Kassandra) for "Seem Familiar? (ME3 if appliciable)": 3 3 10 11 13 «Auto-Judge[]» Adam (#1093) rolls Etiquette (to Kassandra) for "Nathan, can I get a file on this?": 1 5 Molly pages: As no one has stopped me, I'm going to head out, hail a taxi and head to the location. «Plot» Kassandra says, "GMNotes: Molly is off towards the site, Adam is checking info, Frost was psychometrying" «Auto-Judge[]» Frost (#1680) rolls Willpower - 1 vs TN 8 for "Well, lets see if I get lucky: KP:7": 3 4 4 5 9 = 1 Success You paged Frost with 'The moment you see the man's face, you feel an overwhelming surge of fear coming off him. He seems, for just a moment, to represent every fear you've ever had magnified. With two successes you can still function but you should be clearly rattled.'. Molly pages: On the way I am calling my information broker getting maps of the castle. Thistledown nods, his astral form flickering for a moment as he skips out to the Bare Knuckle then Back again with three watcher spirits in tow. "Gentlemen," He is addressing them as he appears, "Never before have so few, done so much for so many. For I see three of you here today, but I see thousands of nuyen in my bank account tomorrow." He looks over towards frost to see how he's progressing, "Cara, you want to come for a jaunt?" Frost staggers forward and reaches a hand out to a nearby table, he takes a moment to steady himself, then slowly opens the hand that has cleanched around the locket. He shakes his head a bit, as his feet become more stable he reaches a hand up to his head and wipes his brow "I don't think we are dealing with a human…." he says loudly. p adam=Yes, you remember this place. It was used some months back in some sort of ritual regarding problems with the astral planes wherein people were getting eaten on the metaplanes. You seem to recall that no one has been able to astrally penetrate it. «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 2: 7 9 You paged Adam with 'Your contact says he can get the information, but it will take a few hours.'. Cara stands up from the table and moves over to Frost, she takes the locket from his hand, then the evidence bag and replaces it inside then turns around and lays it on the table. Frost remains leaning slightly against whatever he found to keep him from falling earlier Nameless looks at Frost and puts down his glass, but first he checks it's contents. "What the hell do you mean we are not dealing with a human. You mean.. human or metahuman? It could have been an orc or something." He shrugs. "I always thought they were the type for this kind of stuff." Stumpy looks to Frost with wide eyes, "What is it?" Adam-Aussie takes out his pocsoc and instead of the speach-to-text taking care of the message, he actually types it out and sends it off. With any luck, the recipient is not too busy this moment. His hand taps the table— making a heavy sound. He pipes up to add to Frost's statement, "And that location is an ample place to conduct— rituals. It was last used during the Metaplanar problem. No one was ever able to astrally penetrate it." Sage looks down at his hands, then back to Frost. "Are you sure? If there's no human element to this, I'm going to be useless." So much for earning money. Sage and his chipped pistols skills are el-uselesso against magical threats. You paged Molly with 'Your contact can work on getting that, and can quickly tell you that the most recent information on file is approximately 45 years old.'. Frost shakes his head "I felt…..fear, unreasining fear, fear of everything, it, " he shudders a bit "I saw his face, and I couldnt breathe, I can make an image of him though I think….just, give me a second." Molly pages: He has my number and my poc-sec can handle the file. Not expecting to get security information on the place, but a lot of the more fancy ones I am immune to. Frost pages: I can make watchers look like anything I want right? Can I make one that looks like the guys head? You paged Frost with 'Sure. and you feel like perhaps you were getting an echo of her fear, so maybe a spell hit her?'. You paged Molly with 'Aye aye. He'll work on it while you drive.'. Silk glances between the runners and scatters a number of one shot callcards on the table. "Keep in touch. I don't think the girl has long, so I recommend haste." She'll step back and start prepping to leave the area to those here to plan in. Frost straightens a bit, and closes his eyes, in the air in front of him a head appears, its misty and translucent, but its a face. He opens his eyes "Alright, this guy or spirit, no telling for sure, he was able to put fear into the kid, it could be a spell, but some spirits are known to cause fear around them, thats what got me thinking it may not be human." Stumpy nods, "So magic is at play. Thistledown is looking at it astrally. The thing is a freaking castle. Does anybody have air transport for entry from the roof… I just have reservations about storming a castle if we can get in another way." Thistledown shrugs, and looks at his three imps, "Godspeed little ones…You two, go buzz the place, watch for traps. You, come back and report on whatever eats those two." Sage shakes his head. "This is too much for me. You want a corporate facility infiltrated," he looks to Silk, "Call me then. But rescue operations against things that may or may not be human? Not my area of expertise." He sighs, stands up, and looks to be heading towards the door, unless someone wants to stop him. Nameless looks at Frost and than at the translucent shape. "Looks… hmm.. like it can die." He shrugs and takes a sip of whatever is in the glass. "I don't think it's human though." He shrugs. Adam-Aussie takes the card— just enough to read the number and see which contact digits Silk is using today— and puts it back down. Locktight memory takes care of the rest. After placing it down, he looks to Frost and notes, "There are a few spells that accomplish this. Foreboding comes to mind. And— the place has not been able to be astrally penetrated yet." He glances around in physical and then astral to make sure Thistle heard that. (But I think he isnt here this moment) Thistledown is lounging by the bar having sent his imps off to die in the manner of all great generals. Adam-Aussie adds in for Nameless, "Yes, if you needed to get to the roof, we have the means to do it." Stumpy nods to Adam-Aussie, "Okay. So we can get to the roof. Do we have a map of this place? Can we see the layout? If we know where they might be, we can plan the fastest way there. Less time is less danger." Frost straightens up and nods to Cara, who simply vanishes from mundane sight. "I think we start with this crypt." Cut Scene Molly is off towards the Shrine to the Sun, located some few kilometers above the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. The sky has darkened as night falls, the full moon's light blotted out in many cases by the clouds above. The crisp night air chills normal folk on the road as she drives, the wind picking up. Back to the Meet Thistledown pages: Two are isntructed to try and enter and see what's inside, one is instructed to hang back and watch what happens to the first two. You paged Thistledown with 'The last one will come back and tell you that the other two slammed into the walls of the castle and will bang their head against it until they vanish.'. Thistledown laughs as one of the imps reappear, "Warded, or it might be consecrated somehow. Eitherway, no dice on the astral. Frost nods to Thistledown "Ok, so we go in person, I'm leaving now then." he starts towards the stairs to head down. Stumpy looks to Adam, "Okay, how fast can you get roof access. I say we all get in, bypass the ground defenses. I assume there will be some, not much time for recon." Thistledown looks at Frost, "She said they were keeping local law off our backs right?" Frost nods to Thistledown as he starts to leave "Yea, do you want me to pick up your meat or will you meet us there?" Nameless sighs. "I don't think any ammount of planning is gonna do us any good without maps or whatever." He shrugs. "We are wasting time." He looks at Stumpy. "I'd go with you via the roof access if that's okay with you." On the Way Adam-Aussie looks over to Frost— noting the whole shortness of breath a moment before. "Normally I'd recommend an adjorn to a location to discuss— but in this case— I think that'd best be a van near this site." With that he pushes his seat out and looks towards Stumpy, "We fly." Cue bad theme music for the thematrically inclined! Thistledown shakes his head, "To hell with that, I'll race you there." Stumpy nods to Nameless and Adam. "Okay, lets go. Who's got the van?" Frost frowns and then heads off to his car. Cara reappears and sits down with Silk "Did you recognize the face at all? Perhaps we can get an idea who this individual is." You paged Molly with 'Your contact will have a file sent to you that will include floor plans a full colour brochure. The place is relatively small, with a crypt in the basement, a ground floor with a great hall and a small landing, and a very tight staircase that one person at a time can go up, that winds up the little tower to the roof with a landing on the second and 4th floor to overlook the city.'. Thistledown says "Vroom vroom." once before flickering out. Back in the Bare Knuckle he strolls at an idle pace out to a waiting black car, which after a sedate drive brings him to the border of the FTZ. He crosses pulling into a small private lot, when he leaves that lot he is driving much, much faster… Stumpy goes chasing after Frost, "Hey! Can I get a ride? My bike… it's in the shop." Shaking her head, Silk remarks, "I've not seen that person before, although … his looks seems to indicate something." She considers a moment and then says, "Something about shamans, as I recall, they start to take on the look of their totems?" Cara looks to Stumpy "Hurry up, the Blue Ford Americar outside, he will give you a few seconds." Nameless runs after Frost as well. "Uhmm.. room for one more passenger?" Frost is already bounding down the stairs towards his car "Just hurry up!" Stumpy bolts as fast as his tiny legs can cary him to the parking lot, not stopping until he sees blue plasteel. Adam follows Frost out— leaving his bike here for now. He motions to Stumpy— thinking that it is OK to give the guy a ride. When he slides into the passanger seat, he turns back into his normal Adam self— morphing from an Aussie to a white-haired pretty boy. Frost climbs in his car with his enterouge, then starts it up and waits till its full. «OOC» Kassandra says, "Ok, you folks pose your plans/riding/whatever. Miss Molly, you are up to bat and are there WAY ahead of your little friends. Show me what you are up to?" Nameless figured the invitation extended to him as well, but just to make sure he points at a seat in the back, looking curious as if saying 'Can I go too?' Bleep, Frost has mail, and look, its from Creep. The most recent floor plans of the keep. Complete with brochure printouts. Unfortunately the information is 45 years old, and that also is the most recent information. She commits all the information to memory and closes down her poc-sec. Pounding on the seperator between the passenger compartment and the driver she says, "C'mon, little faster?" Stumpy gets the car, and quickly buckles. Cara nods to Silk "What totem would you say it looks like?" Thistledown dials Frosty's cell as he's driving, "Frost…how you doing man, I wanted to make sure you had a solid head start…" He then three way dials in Creep, "Hey, how close are you, I want to make this look like a close finish." Frost reaches into his pocket, checks the pocsec and tosses it to Adam "Look it over." he speeds away from the place, not too fast though, a ticket would slow them down. Molly pages: How close am I? You paged Molly with 'You can be at the gate at the private access road, 1/2 kilometer from the entrance to the Zoo'. Thistledown happilly chats with Frost and Creeps voicemail if neither of them answers, holding a long and somewhat trite dialog punctuated by things like, "Oh…that was close." and "Did you know if you're going fast enough the blue shift makes red lights look purple?" "Hmmm. Raven? Crow? One of the birds, I think." Silk tilts her head and looks at the image, nodding. "That would be my best guess." Frost reaches into another pocket as he drives, answers his cellphone "What the hell Thistle, just get there, I don't care who wins." Adam takes the pocsoc and starts typing away to access the floor plans from Creep. "Its— old. Forty-five years old. Likely from original construction if not most recent rennovation. Lets see if we have access points…" He looks back to the other passangers. "Callsign is Aquis. Do you have taccoms?" Thistledown laughs, "You're only saying that cause you're going to lose." Cara nods "I see, very well, unless you have any other information or wish to remain in contact, I will leave now." Stumpy shakes his head, "Sorry. I didn't have the cred for it. Was hoping to pick one up after this." Silk nods, "Be careful." She'll gather her things and shakes her head, "I can't think of anything else. That said, if you need emergency help or extraction, don't hesitate to call me." Frost growls slightly "Thistledown, my car is designed for one purpose, to not be attractive enough to be stolen or screwed with. Just be there." he hangs up on the man. Thistledown keys up his automap, "Frost, what road you on. I want to be able to pass you…CLICK…you didn't, you sonnoffa, you hung up on me…" Stumpy turns to the human in the back seat of the americar, extending a hand. "I'm Stumpy. That's my name, not a description." Changing shirts in the back of the taxi might be something the driver would get a kick from except Creep's torso is covered by a healthy layer of ballistic material. The black shirt is replaced by a dark blue one that has the picture of a wicked smiley face on it. She adjusts her hair, weaving it into braids. The cab pulls off where she indicates and she slots a certified to pay. Her poc-sec chirps and she pulls it out answering Thistledown, "About a half mile from the zoo gates. On foot-ish, and heading that way." She kicks the heels of her boots and a set of inline skates pops out. She begins drifting down the sidewalk towards the zoo. Cara smiles and nods "Of course, goodbye then." and she vanishes, moving through astral space to catch up with her master, her elementals going back to thier native metaplane for now. Adam nods his head a little bit, "East End has a good selection of them. A good investment for this line of work." He smiles— faint and pure— to Nameless and nods. "Good name." And a chuckle to Stumpy, "You too. I am Magical Backup. So between flight, magic, and healing— you'll want to make sure Im not taking a bullet to my head if you want them. As for him," he thumbs to Frost, "He is a one-man army." Nameless shakes Stumpy's hand happily and chuckles— okay, he bursts into laughter when he makes a comment about his name not being a description. "I'm.. Nameless." At the Zoo For Creep: The front parking deck of the zoo is relatively quiet, at least of patron's vehicles. There is a PSE squad car parked there, however, the engine quietly running. There are faint lights inside the vehile. Outside, the winds blow softly, the pretty decorative trees before the zoo and the statues of giraffe's each creating little whispery sounds with the wind. «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 5 for "Mystery": 5 5 11 14 16 Stumpy looks around the cabin wincing, "I don't suppose anybody has a spare com? Frost drives to the spot, not fast, but within the speed limit, he does try to take roads that allow for faster travel though. Adam finishes checking for all of the access points— memorizing the layout to the best of his ability. He dumps the file to a space ODC and hands it back to Nameless and Stumpy. "Floor layouts." Thistledown cruises along at a fair clip, just enough to make things go blurry around the edges, and to make gridguide register an error and request servicing. There are three distinct sounds coming from the vehicle Thistledown drives, one is a bit of classical music, an uptempo number with lots of woodwinds, the other is the sound VRROOOM, capitalized for emphasis as it cuts through the night air, the last is the sound "Whheeeeeee!" shouted for emphasis because otherwise people might mistake what is being done to this vehicle as a sense of urgency rather than enjoyment. Seeing the PSE patrol car there, Creep skates on past and around the corner. She pops the wheels of the skates back in and slips some pads over them. Pulling on a pair of gloves she climbs over the wall as easily as if she had walked across the street. Once she reaches the top she vaults over and lands on her feet, despite hitting the ground hard she manages to keep from leaving problematic food indentations on the ground. Pulling the slippers off her boots she tucks them back into a pocket and heads into the zoo. Tonight is a special night as the Broadmoor Country Club is holding their annual Day of the Dead Dance tonight. You'll encounter some extra security and traffic on your way up the mountain towards the Zoo. Lines of well-dressed ladies and gentlemen will be moving across the street in several places as well as expensive vehicles, limos, and helicopter traffic to and from the resort. «Plot» Kassandra says, "Creep, perception test please" «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Intelligence vs TN 4 for "I have Low-Light, Thermographic, and Ultrasonic vision. Others can be listed as needed.": 1 3 3 4 10 10 = 3 Successes You paged Molly with 'As you make the fence and get situated, your perspective on the police car changes and you see something you hadnt before. The entire back window seems to be obscured with something. As you take a second look, your thermographics tell you whatever it is, it is hotter than the air outside although cooling quickly.'. Nameless glances at the layout and frowns, his training immediatly kicking in to spotting tactical advantages and disadvantages. "I hate damn castles." He says Adam taps his metallic hand against the dashboard, "Smart— or coincidental." He brushes back some of the fine icy-white hair from his brow, "I'm betting smart." His natural hand hits the dash and brings up the GPS system of the car— checking the time to destination, "Nathan is looking into the file of this place, Frosty, but it'd take hours. It'll likely be too late to be of use." Frost nods as he drives "Anything magically important happening anytime soon, moon in the right phase, planets hitting some alignment, or some special date in history?" Molly pages: Vision Mag-3, checking the area around the car for cameras. You paged Molly with 'There are two cameras in the lot, but they are not facing in the direction of the car.'. Adam pages: Great question. ICly, is it any particular event of mention, close to ley lines, et cetra, mojohojo? Pulling out her poc-sec Creep presses speed-dial. Poor Frost's phone bleeps again and she waits for the pickup, she knows he has to be driving so he's her contact person. You paged Adam with 'No leylines to note. You do have a full moon on Samhain, however.'. Thistledown drives quite fast until he hits the party scene, at which point he drops to cruising and schmoozing speed. Frost picks up his phone and holds it in one hand, the steering wheel held in the other "Yea?" Stumpy turns to Adam, "Um, Aquius? Are you planning on using magic or something to fly us in?" «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 5 for "Mystery": 2 2 2 5 9 <Plot» Kassandra says, "Thistledown, you have several young ladies and one young man who would LOVE you to go to the party with them. You'll be slowed several minutes shaking them off." "Well I'm inside the zoo now," murmurs Creep as she holds the phone next to her ear. She scans the area with her goggles and she says, "There's a dead cop inside his car. No cameras on the vehicle, I didn't get close. I didn't see any broken glass so its not a sniper. However the windows look coated. This some kind of blood spirit or something?" Nameless looks at Adam. "I don't know about you guys. But I'm a… let's say I'm a gunslinger." He shrugs. "If we encounter magical stuff, I expect you to take care of them, and I'll keep your head safe. They won't know what hit 'em." Somewhere in the darkness, Creep will hear a chittering bark followed by what might be laughter. Frost grunts and speaks into his phone "Alright, hang on, I was at the zoo earlier, so I'll send you Cara to look inside the car. Don't go near it." Adam motions a hand and closes his eyes, "Yes. It is a full moon on Samhain. Samhain marks the end of the harvest, the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half". It has some elements of a festival of the dead. The Gaels believed that the border between this world and the otherworld became thin on Samhain. Bonfires played a large part in the festivities." He sounds like a wikipedia sometime— but its better than the silence. Stumpy looks to Adam with his GPS, "How close are we?" Frost mentally commands Cara plus 3 Earth Elementals to head to the zoo, the elementals are simply to be around for any orders Cara might give. Should take just a minute for them to get there. "Starting to think someone has let out some of the dogs," says Creep as she pulls out her AZ-150, she charges it up as she looks around. "I might be fighting soon, so soon as you get in com range, you know my freq." She snaps the phone closed and tucks it into her pocket. Frost pages: Ally spirit will stop fast travel in the air above the zoo, look around for anything, then move down to join Molly, watching carefully for any astral signs of trouble Adam looks over towards the GPS after his little lecture, "A couple minutes. Traffic set us back." Molly pages: Looking around the area, got all my vision mods on. I have traceless walk so there's no track for anything to follow. Nameless looks at Frost, "Would you happen to have a spare rifle you don't need?" Frost grunts and keeps driving "In the trunk." Long distance to Molly: Kassandra nods. You are just inside the park gates. From here, there are a few displays of animals and their history, though they are turned off. A walled trail leads up to the first gift shop/bathrooms/food place, also closed. No one seems to be moving around you. Thistledown laughs, opening the passenger side and inviting the young man in, he does a quick loop of the block, "Look, I'm actually off to a private party that I simply /can't/ be late for…but here's what you need to do, quick, right down how I can get ahold of you, and I will go, do my little dance, make sure mum doesn't pitcha hissy and be back as quick as can." He takes the hastily scribbled note, "Now quick, get out and don't you dare look back, if I follow you in there mummy will cut me off from the family." Nameless thinks for a moment. "I also have training as a sniper." He waits a moment. "If that helps you any, I could make good use of a rifle of any kind." Molly pages: Can I get a good view of the castle, I want to zoom in with my goggles and get a look at the windows. I am heading horizontal to the keep and looking at other things. Frost pages: Let me know what my spirit sees when it arrives above molly You paged Molly with 'From here, the castle is 1.7 miles away with several obstructions.'. Molly pages: Okay, I am going to head that direction then. Adam nods to Nameless as he notes, "We are here." With the last remaining minutes up— the little GPS system 'bings' and we is here. Lets park and raise some hell— or save a little cheerleader. So far, no jokes from Frost, so life is good. Frost tries to focus on driving, the phone conversation, and mental commands to the ally spirit, multi-tasking at its best. "I dont think we are going to be in any situations to snipe anything. We are raiding the castle, not defending it." he then speaks into the phone "I've got backup on the way." Long distance to Frost: Kassandra nods. You are just inside the park gates. From here, there are a few displays of animals and their history, though they are turned off. A walled trail leads up to the first gift shop/bathrooms/food place, also closed. No one seems to be moving around you. The police vehicle is on the other side of the gates in the middle of the parking deck. Nameless nods his head. "Just thought, if we are gonna raid it, could take out some of the guards.. if there are any." He taps his sides. "Otherwise, I got all I need right here." The chittering bark and laugh comes again, and again. Somewhere further off a lion's roar answers. Stumpy reaches in his dufflebag, and pulls out a beautiful English longsword. He shakes it free of it's sheath, and takes a moment to secure his helmet to fit snugly on his head. Thistledown drives away feeling rather proud of himself for having only stopped for an extra few minutes. Cara zooms down in astral form near Molly, takes a careful look at the car on the astral plane. Molly pages: Okay, I'm keeping eye on high grounds, things I can climb if they're letting loose animals. Just a note, not need details unless there's none around :) Molly pages: Switching out my skates for my geko tape glove shoes. Adam waits for parking— assuming there is some— else AutoNav can probably take care of that. Then he slides out of the passanger seat of the car. "So a blade and legs. This looks like it'll be close quarters, so thats reassuring." He puts his hand to his ear and tunes into Creep's frequency. « Aquis here. Commcheck. » For CARA: Death. The car reeks of the perils of mankind, the stench of the created and not born. The insides hold their secrets, although they are beginning to bleed (in more ways than one) onto the astral plane. One would need to go inside or open the vehicle to learn more. Frost parks the car and gets out, reaching into a pocket and picking up a comm "Freq is 1583, I've used it before with creep." Commlink-Snowman> Frost says, "Creep come in, we are here" The parking area is empty except for one PSE vehicle. Molly/Creep is no where to be seen, perhaps further in the zoo, past the walls and gates. The Shrine of the Sun is roughly 1.7 miles uphill from here, via a road through the zoo or overland, with the risk of climbing into an enclosure. Stumpy steps out of the car, and possitions himself next to Nameless. "Okay, let me know what they need me to do. Fraggin not getting a com…" Commlink-Creep> Molly says, "I'm here, I am heading towards the castle. Keep in mind there is something going on with the animals here. I keep hearing a barking and a laugh. Not sure if its a para or not. I have my shock stick out either way."" Frost brings Cara back to his shoulder, and starts moving to the PSE car, "Lets see how he died, gives us a better idea what we are dealing with." He draws two pistols from under his long coat. Frost is wearing gloves too, dont want to leave evidence :P Commlink-Aquis> Adam says, "Do you have an audio file on it, by chance?" Stumpy follows in close step behind Frost, his sword out and watching anywhere he can for anything that might jump out that them. Nameless shakes his head and takes a good breath of air. He draws two pistols from under his cloathes. "Here we go again, boys." He tells his guns. "Don't fail me." After a moment he looks back at Stumpy and nods his head. "Don't worry." Commlink-Creep> Molly says, "Haven't paused long enough to record it. It was fraggin' with the lion last time I heard it." As if on cue, and right about the time Frost goes to open the vehicle, the bark and laughter echos out again. Anyone in the parking deck can clearly hear it. Adam unzips his long, flowing white-blue armored jacket and takes out a long smg. He slings it over and goes a clip check— popped it back in and drawing back the chamber. "Sounds like a plan. You want point?" he asks that back to Nameless as he starts to trek out. Long trek ahead, time to do it, double time. Commlink-Aquis> Adam says, "10-4." Stumpy leans up against the vehicle, keeping his back to the nice solid car, and his blade between him and anything else. Frost puts one pistol back into the holster, and reaches out his free gloved hand to open the PSE car door… Nameless looks at Adam and than nods, taking point. He looks at the ground, maybe there are some tracks or something. Or any other clue. The night is shattered with a roar drawn from the bowels of hell as Frost pulls the door open. No tracks on the ground, as ferroconcrete doesn't yield much to the metahuman foot, even for trolls. As Frost opens the vehicle, the body inside begins to fall towards him, apparently not held by any seat restraints. «OOC» Kassandra says, "Frost, perception" «Auto-Judge[]» Frost (#1680) rolls Intelligence: 4 5 5 9 9 Frost steps back quickly, then turns and starts heading to his car. "Ok, this is not good, eyes gone, maggots everywhere." he tries to meditate to compose himself as he goes to his trunk and opens it up. At least one roar resolves itself to be recognizeable as it changes gears, downshifting and reving high as Thistledown arrives in the parking lot. Defining, mutiliating, then redefining the term 'fashionably late' he comes into the lot at full tilt wheeling around to stop by the van. Shutting down his vehicle and stepping out grinning. He starts walking towards the van, pointing back over his shoulder the vehicle goes "Bop-wheep" as it locks up. Adam is trekking out towards Molly and the Castle while Frost and Stumps investigate the car of death and doom. Frost pulls a helmet out of his trunk, and puts it on, then starts digging around, he puts a few flash packs, some spare ammo clips, and then looks around "Anyone want some flash grenades?" Stumpy raises his hand, "I'll take one or two." There are no bloody footprints or even any muddy ones around here. There are some faint traces where the police herded everyone out of the zoo, but thing else out of the ordinary. Thistledown puts his hands out towards Frost as he walks over, "Me too, please." Nameless looks at the body and only three words come to mind. "What. The. /FUCK/" He turns around and shakes his head. "I never saw anything like it." He glances at Frost and than says, "I could use one." «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 4: 3 4 4 7 You paged Frost with 'Cara telepathically tells you that there are strong traces of magic on the body, someone cast a spell on it perhaps 30 minutes ago.'. Stumpy looks to Thistledown, then Adam, then Nameless, then to Frost determining the leader, "Okay boss, time to go in?" Thistledown points to Frost, "Him, remember….I just look pretty and rude questions…oh, and by the way, there's this party down the mountain that I've got to get to, so let's step things up folks…c'mon…chop chop." Frost mentally calls all his elementals to his side and then nods "Someone cast a spell on that body half an hour ago, we start moving now." he waits for everyone to raid his trunk, then closes it down and locks it up. "Lets move." he starts off towards the castle. Nameless says to Frost. "The engine is running, I doubt he's dead for long. Yet, there are maggots everywhere and his eyes are gone, like you said." He pauses, "You look like you have an idea of what the hell is going on." Thistledown takes two of the flash grenades looking them over carefully, "Yeah! I'm armed." For Molly: The road winds up and through the Zoo, showing you many happy sights and exhibits before leading to a set of metal gates that read "No access beyond this point." The gate is perhaps six feet in height and looks more for show than actual defense. Molly pages: The gates warm? Stumpy follows in close step behind and slightly to the right of Frost. Adam is already on his way to the castle. Trek trek trekaroo, Adam is trekking through the zoo. You paged Molly with 'Ice cold.'. Molly pages: Going to go over the wall. «OOC» Kassandra says, "Everyone except Molly, perception check" «Auto-Judge[]» Stumpy (#1369) rolls Intelligence: 2 4 4 9 «Auto-Judge[]» Thistledown (#9317) rolls Intelligence: 2 2 5 5 7 9 «Auto-Judge[]» Nameless (#2047) rolls Intelligence: 1 2 3 3 3 4 5 7 Frost stops, and turns around to look at Thistledown, then nods "Alright, fine, I can buy a new car with this payout." «Auto-Judge[]» Adam (#1093) rolls Intelligence for "!": 1 4 4 4 4 5 5 «Auto-Judge[]» Frost (#1680) rolls Intelligence: 1 1 2 4 4 «Auto-Judge[]» Frost (#1680) rolls 5 (Cara Percpetion): 2 2 2 2 10 Thistledown shrugs, "I just figgured, rather than walk in the open…" Thistledown says "That's how they get you, one at a time, when you turn around to figure out where the guy behind you went, BAM, there goes the guy in front of you, till you're the only one left…and when that happens…it means you were the killer the whole time!" Some sort of disturbance causes all manner of noise in the bushes to your left as you move through the zoo after Creep. The gate isn't a problem, Creep checks the gate with her thermographic. She nods as the metal comes up nice and cool. She takes a few steps in place before she takes off running at it. She takes a few steps up its surface and she snaps her hands out and catches the top of it, pulling herself up. Twisting her hips she vaults sideways over it and she's over. Frost frowns at Thistledown, then unlocks his car "Just get in" he looks at the ground, and then opens his car door. Thistledown points to his own car, "Race you?" Frost shakes his head "Take one car, just in case, and mines not worth enough to worry about." Stumpy ready's his cyber shotgun, and keeps it trained on the bushes as he climbs into Frost's backseat. Nameless points at the bushes, "Guys?" He switches over to thermal vision, "I think we got something here. A chittering bark issues forth, then another. There is no laugh this time. «OOC» Kassandra says, "Molly, perception test" Stumpy looks out the window at Nameless, "No time for critters. We got a lil girl to save. Get in the car… please." Frost climbs in his car and starts it up, he waits for everyone to climb back in. «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Intelligence vs TN 4 for "Open tests suck with virtual dice": 1 1 5 5 7 11 = 4 Successes Nameless thinks about a potshot or two— than figures oh what the hell, and climbs into the car. You paged Molly with 'Once you are past the gate, you can see the bottom wall of the castle. From your closer vantage point and without all the talking of the other runners, you can hear something that sounds like .. crying, maybe? .. coming from that direction'. Thistledown strolls back over to his car, "Coward." He gets into his car, flicks the lights on and starts driving towards the zoo entrance. Frost waits for Adam to get into the car, then starts following Thistle, who will have to ram anything that gets in the way with his car. Molly pages: Anything on thermo and I zoom in with vision mag-3. If I don't see anything on thermo I will check for anything on the ground, fresh turned ground, trip wires, etc. You paged Molly with 'Nothing visual to see at this point.'. Molly pages: Okay, I am expecting an ambush, but I am going to head in that way. Keeping close to cover. Long distance to Molly: Kassandra nods. roll stealth for me please Thistledown chuckles, reving the engine a bit, he checks with the sensors to make sure there's nothing /too/ solid in front of him, then guns it and let's the car have a little fun. A blur of bright green, some squeeling tire, and a very entertained young man goes for a quick romp in the park. «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Stealth vs TN 4 for "Sneaking!": 1 2 2 3 5 7 = 2 Successes «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Stealth vs TN 4 for "Sneaking KP 1/12": 1 1 2 4 5 9 = 3 Successes Molly pages: +4 T# to hear me. Someone will open the gates and allow access to the vehicles. Molly does not appear anywhere in your headlights. From somewhere in the zoo, perhaps ahead of the main party, a scream can be heard. Adam makes it— some distance— catches up with the rest when they drive by— and hangs the rest of the way. Assuming he didnt make it there before they drove there. Adam will be easily able to hike up to the gates Molly encountered before in the time that the others opened the gates, got cars, and drove up. All he had to do is stand there, alone, in the darkness….. Adam isnt as athletic at Molly was— so he simply floats over the fence. Goooo magic. Nameless looks at Frost. "Shouldn't there someone be ahead of us? I haven't heard word of her in some time. Think she's okay?" Commlink-Snowman> Frost says, "Waterboy, Creep, you still out there?" Frost drives along behind Thistledown. Commlink-Creep> Molly clicks her comm once. Thistledown drives like someone driving a lamborghini in a closed zoo. If you have trouble imagining that then let me expand upon it with this idea. The cheetahs are looking at this cat and saying, "Damn, that was fast." As Molly makes her way closer to the castle, there are definitely some lights inside. They are faint and flickering, which could mean candles, or perhaps bad electricity. Regardless, there are sounds coming from inside the castle, faint sounds that barely travel on the winds. Frost does not drive that fast, and Thistle gets ahead of him, he is trying to remain in one piece Molly pages: What do the windows look like, the high floors clear? You paged Molly with 'There is not any movement at or near the windows.'. Molly pages: Okay, I can geko tape gloves my way up the sides without windows. Long distance to Molly: Kassandra nods. Make an audio perception test «OOC» Kassandra says, "Those in vehicles will take less than a minute to drive up to the gates. Adam nor Molly are in sight." «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Intelligence vs TN 4 for "Perception!": 1 2 2 2 4 5 = 2 Successes «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Intelligence vs TN 4 for "Perception KP 2/12": 1 1 3 3 4 5 = 2 Successes Adam bunkers down and goes into stealth mode. This would be a time that outright invisibility spells would not help. He goes to meet up with Creep— or find her at least. An astral scan is visually done of the area. You paged Adam with 'The area is sick past the gates. The closer you get towards the castle, the worse things become. This place has been used and abused over the years, tainting it to those with any sense of humanity. The astral feels tacky with this taint.'. The Castle You paged Molly with 'As you start to climb, you hear the noises from the castle much more clearly. It seems to be some sort of chant, perhaps in Latin or a language close to that. It is definately repeating the phrases over and over.'. Thistledown stops the car, getting out and leaning against it to wait a moment for Frost to catch up then once the van is right behind him starts walking towards the gate. Molly pages: If I open my comm will they hear it? Frost pulls up behind Thistle and stops, he opens the door and stands up "Whats wrong? Just ram the damn thing!" Stumpy looks out, "I could cut it down?" Nameless leands out the window. "Yeah, ram it!" You paged Molly with 'That is a good question. The noise seems like it would cover quiet conversation'. Adam approaches the castle— uneasy due to the surroundings and negative energy, but keeps composure. His crystal blue eyes glow faintly as he scans over the area, shifting back as he finds a nice wall to lean against and Codex— er commcall out subvocally. Thistledown points at the gate, "You realize, that's what gates are meant to stop from happening." he looks at the gate working out how it's locked, "Send one of your elementals to rip it out if you don't want to wait a few seconds." Molly pages: I'll tac up the gain as much as I can and move towards one of the windows. Checking to see if the windows are wired with security. The Lambo is pulled to the side so if you want to ram the gate there may be enough room to squeeze past it. Commlink-Aquis> Adam says, "(Subvocal) Im at the castle. Its— bad on the astral here." You paged Molly with 'Roll Perception and Security Systems'. Frost climbs back into his car and closes the door «OOC» Kassandra says, "Adam, roll audio perception please" «Auto-Judge[]» Adam (#1093) rolls Intelligence for "No Audio mods": 1 4 4 4 5 5 11 Commlink-Snowman> Frost says, "Alright adam, Thistledown, I'm giving you a minute to get the gate or I'll ram it." «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Intelligence vs TN 4 for "Perception, vision mods I haz dem.": 1 3 3 4 4 5 = 3 Successes «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Intelligence vs TN 4 for "Perception, KP 3/12": 2 3 3 4 4 7 = 3 Successes Molly pages: I'll live with 7. You paged Adam with 'You can hear, from the distance that you are at, a faint sound. It sounds ALMOST like chanting, you think, and is repeating over and over.'. Thistledown doesn't appear to react at all to your statement, not a tilt of his head, nor a hitch in his step, nothing. «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Security Procedures for "Comp Default Dice": 3 3 5 10 From afar, Adam will focus in on it to see if he can get the language down and/or where (like what room of the castle) it is coming from. Later probably moot due to echos, but worth a shot. You paged Adam with 'After listening and straining, you can make out a few words in Latin. It sounds like a perversion of the Lord's prayer'. Thistledown looks at the big shadow he casts on the gate from the headlights behind him and makes sure he keeps in motion so tha the shadow never stays too long in one spot. You paged Molly with 'There do not appear to be any sorts of wires, trips, or other standard security measures on the windows.'. An echoing howl issues forth from inside the zoo, following by the chittering barks. Molly pages: Okay, crossing my mental fingers I am going to try to open the window. From afar, Adam nods. Anything with my Magic BG, that lends to the type of ritual it may be based off of that? Sacrifice, etc. Thistledown tilts his head listening carefully, would that sound have come from this side of the gate, or the other side of the gate…he looks for the unlocking mechanism just a little quicker than before. You paged Adam with 'Some of it seems to remind you of maybe an offshoot of Satanism, a perversion of asking God for protection. It could indeed be for a sacrifice.'. Frost remains in his car, and watches Thistledown in his headlights. Adam leans against the stone wall of the castle— he takes a deep breath and holds it. Only the howling of the wind and something else in the distance reach his naked ears. Stumpy sits anxiously gripping his sword, watching the shadows from the back seat. The trees whisper as the wind picks up, the moon completely covered now. The night swallows you, leaving only the lights from the cars. Nameless ponders just shooting the door— but than again. If Thistle doesn't open it.. and if Frost rams it— will he actually wait for Thistle to get out of the way? And if so, can he have Thistle's car? Commlink-Aquis> Adam says, "(Subvocal) I'd advise haste. They are chanting a sacrificial ritual currently. Any more time, and it may be too late." You paged Molly with 'The window opens. Not quietly, not creaking, just opens.'. Molly pages: Okay, I don't know much about magic, but things are looking serious so I am going inside. If nothing else when I'm cracking their heads I can disrupt things. Stumpy hops out the car, holding his sword, and charging the gate intent on destroying what lies in their way. Commlink-Snowman> Frost says, "Thistle, if you dont know how to open it, move out of the way now." You paged Molly with 'Aye aye!'. Nameless looks after Stumpy and smirks, "Go get 'em boy." Frost groans and leans forward, banging his head onthe steering wheel. Thistledown looks back towards the light to see a sword wielding maniac break through the light, the shriek he lets out would do an opera singer proud. The gate is bound with a simple chain and a double-strength key lock. Clinging to the wall two floors up, Creep presses open one of the windows and she heads inside. She adjusts her goggles and she crouches down, the stun baton held loose in her left hand. She switches out her geko gloves with a pair of shock gloves. She looks around the floor and waits taking in the world around her. «Auto-Judge[]» Stumpy (#1369) rolls Edged Weapons (Longswords) for "Str 14, Sword does Str+3 S damage. Aiming for the lock.": 2 2 2 3 3 5 11 Adam takes a deep breath and slowly chants in Enochian— an old tongue similar to Latin, only more angelic in it's origins. With that he lifts off of the ground again, levitating. With similar intentions as Creep, he flies up the stone wall— looking for the source of the chanting and also for a way in. It takes a good wack. Fortunately, the chain is much more breakable than the lock and the blade bounces off the lock after giving it a good gouge, the chain sliced in to. Stumpy grabs the chain, and strong arms open the gate. He hops into Thistledown's car, and yells "GUN IT!" For Molly: The small room you have climbed into is empty except for a small end table. A single door, open, leads into a tiny stairwell that leads both up and down. The chanting is definately coming from below. Thistledown does so…a lot. Frost follows after Thistledown, hopefully they havent wasted too much time with this whole car idea. «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 5: 3 4 9 9 9 «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 5: 1 1 3 4 4 Stumpy looks to Thistledown, "I lost my arm to a sick mage like what we may be fighting. Don't care about the money, but this may get ugly." You paged Adam with 'This area is, when you are making your casting and centering, a Rating 3 Aspected Site.'. Thistledown glances over at Stumpy, "Fair enough…I'm a sick mage, I don't fight, I care about money, but I never get ugly." Molly and the Dogs For Molly: The small staircase doesn't give much room to maneuver. The sound of the chanting increases the further down you go and there is something else that catches your attention as you make the next corner going down. A large dog-like creature stares up at you, sniffing the air. It's baleful glowing green eyes stare up the stairs, drool coming out of its massive maw. Stumpy nods, letting Thistledown focus on driving, saving the finer points of philosophy for later. Not daunted by the barghest, Creep tilts her head back and she says, "Come to Molly puppy." She thumbs the button on the AZ-150 and braces herself, keeping her knees bent and shifting her weight to the balls of her feet. Thistledown doesn't appear to concentrate, or even touch the wheel, but the car seems to know what it's doing. Frost drives along behind Thistledown, he curses at all the time spent doing this, and hopes Adam and Molly are not dead. Stumpy stares at Thistledown disregarding the wheel, "I'm not sure if I'm more or less scared that you're not driving?!" The creature sniffs again and lets out a little bark-yelp, starting to move forward slightly, its body hunkering down as it watches Creep. The clicking of nails on the concrete steps indicates that another of these beasts is coming up the steps. Below, the chanting grows louder, more shrill, more direct as it builds to a crescendo. Adam continues to look for a way in— probably made a touch easier if he follows the gunfire. For Adam: There are doors on the ground floor that look to lead in, as well as a descening wide set of steps that head off and down, possibly leading to the basement. There are also windows on each of the floors, the roof, and two landings. The bug-eye goggles lets Creep keep the animal's eyes locked with hers, and make hers seem so much bigger. She tilts her head as she watches it, keeping her stance even and giving no indication of fear. She takes a step closer on the beast, ready should it lunge. Molly pages: I know Instruction can be used to train animals, can Negotiation work to try to establish alpha status? Thistledown shakes his head, "We wasted too much time already for me to drive with my hands." You paged Molly with 'You can certainly try.'. Stumpy :nods, "No time for stealth. When we get there, I say we charge in and cope." «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Negotiation for "I'm the alpha bitch here": 1 1 2 3 «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Negotiation for " KP 4/12": 2 4 4 5 «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Negotiation for " KP 5/12": 2 3 4 5 Adam goes for the first entrance while flying around— ending up on the first floor through a higher windows. He sets down on the ground— taking out a balaclava and a pair of sunglasses as he descends deeper into the castle and towards the basement and/or to meet up with Creep. «OOC» Molly says, "I'll stand, they don't want to heel I'll teach them to roll over and play dead." The Chant The chant changes now as Molly plays with the doggies and Adam fluters around: Concupitio mala, tu nequamquam dilige Christum; Daemona secteris, nec pete salvifcum; Despicias, rogo te, Christum: nec tempore toto Conspice praesentem te fore judicio; Veridicos preme, nec laudes, sed carpere gesta Quaerito cujusvis, non tua respicias. Dispereas male, ne quaeras tu coelica, verum Crimine frangaris, ne fuge delicias. A whine comes around the corner and then a growl as the second beast looks around the corner. The first creature watches Creep with interest, the way a dog might a bone or a cat a particularly interesting mouse. It stays where it is, blocking the path but not moving forward, watching and guarding the way. Nameless growls. "Are we there yet?!" He seems truelly impatient. "This is taking forever." Stumpy taps his hand impatiently on the dash, "Damn it Thistledown, how much further." His voice strained with fear and a touch of pain. Frost mutters "Shut up and just be ready when we arrive." he continues to follow Thistledowns car. Taking two more steps towards the hounds, Creep pulls her ace from up her sleeve. Or in this case a stun grenade from her satchel. Keeping the stun baton ready to fight she walks towards the hounds and she's not going to stop until either they let her pass, or attack. For Adam: As you enter this level, you see a small 'great hall' to one side of your entryway, and a set of steps going up. The ass-end of a pair of dog-like creatures are fully visible up the stairwell, while the chanting seems to be coming from the far side of the 'great hall' and down the little set of stairs at its far end. FOR ALL MAGICAL TYPES: This area is very tainted and counts as a Rating 3 Aspected (Against You) site. «OOC» Kassandra says, "Init, Creep." «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Initiative with a result of 24. «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 2 for "+6": 1 3 «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 2 for "+6": 3 4 «Plot» Kassandra says, "Init: Creep 24, B2 13, B2 10." Adam creeps on by (not in relation to the actual Creep who is handing a buncha dogs thier own asses) to the far side of the great hall to descend. His gun is at hand— leveled on the dogs in case they are made aware, but otherwise he is avoiding them in exchange for saving time. «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) has the Attribute Willpower with the value '5'. «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 6 vs TN 5 for "Paralyzing Howl.": 1 1 2 2 4 4 = 0 Successes The second animal, the one looking around the corner, eyes the first and you can almost hear the thought in its head of 'what are you waiting on?'. It lets out a long howl that tries to attack your mind, or perhaps just scare you silly. Whatever it is, it's just noise, isn't it? «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 6 vs TN 5 for "Fear": 1 2 3 3 5 10 = 2 Successes «OOC» Kassandra says, "Molly, the other animal is creating fear. You'll need a willpower test vs. TN 5, need to beat its successes." «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Willpower vs TN 5 for "C'mon dice!": 1 4 5 7 13 = 3 Successes The first animal simply fixes its gaze on Molly and exerts its will against her. The walls seem to close in here, and there are sounds beyond the chant, something soft and sucking behind you, above you, clutching at your arms and hair and skin and what is that? «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Clubs + Combat Pool: 4 vs TN 3 for "+1 Reach": 1 1 1 3 3 5 5 11 = 5 Successes «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 6 + 6 vs TN 5 for "Yikes!": 1 1 2 2 2 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 = 2 Successes «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 7 vs TN 5 for "Owoowowow": 1 2 3 4 5 8 10 = 3 Successes «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 7 vs TN 8 for "Wait, electricity? MotherF!": 1 3 5 7 7 9 15 = 2 Successes Charging down between the dogs, Molly ignores the one that glares at her. Gripping the stun baton like a baseball bat she swings for the outfield. She lets loose her own cheer. While normally she's a very quiet girl when the bones crack around the stun baton she lets loose with a wild, "Hooooooo! That's what I'm talkin' bout!" Thistledown pulls up to the entrance his car whipping to the side then going dark as he steps out. He leans against the car watching the others arrive. Stumpy jumps out of Thistles car as it comes to a halt, and bolts with all the speed he can muster towards the door, sword in hand, hoping the others are behind him. Those outside will feel the wind begin to pick up. While the sky remains the same, it FEELS darker here, as if there were extra clouds or shadows cast over you. The sounds of frantic chanting can be heard. Frost pulls up near Thistles car then cuts his lights and engine and climbs out of his, he draws both his pistols, makes sure his elementals are near him, and starts stalking towards the building at a high rate of speed. Nameless charges at the door with guns in hand. He was hoping that girl was still alive. It made him want all the more to sprout wings and fly. The creature smacked will let out a startled yelp as bones crack and electricity discharges. With a strangled dog-like cry it will collapse with a shudder as muscles lock and twitch out of control, sprawled and falling back on the steps into a furry heap on the ground floor. Thistledown looks up at the castle, his gaze shifting to the astral as he looks over the building, "Frost…mind your elementals…this place was warded I think…and dark…" Frost nods and dismisses his elementals, then sends his ally spirit to her native metaplane. "I'll bring them back once we are inside." <Auto-Judge[]» Adam (#1093) rolls Submachine Guns + Combat Pool: 4 vs TN 2 for "Shooting the other dog. BF SuperMac. Gel rounds. -1 from Laser sight. -2 from aim actions. Assuming base TN isnt higher than 5 after mods.": 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 13 = 8 Successes «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 7 (Body) + 6 (CP) for "GUN!": 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 5 9 11 11 Tapping the dog on its head, Creep says, "You wait here, I'm coming back for you." The stun baton discharges and the dog twitches, falling still. She points the stun baton at the second one baring her teeth at it. Stumpy comes crashing in on the sceen of the two dead dogs. He looks back and forth between Molly and Adam, "Are we too late?" He asks with concern in his voice. Adam doesnt really have time to be more discreet than necessary. Time is against them. Hell, they may already be too late from the scripture he keeps hearing. The man reaches the top of the stairwell going down when he notices that the dogs are attacking someone. Add in Creep's battle cry and he makes the snap decision to neutralize the other mutt. Bratttttttt. They shoot so fast in HV mode that it makes more of a boom-whish than a brat-tat-tat. « Will be if we don't pick up the pace. » Nameless crashes in after Stumpy, holding his guns in a T formation. He spits out to the side. "Too late to shoot some dogs it seems." Frost comes in behind the others "Down, its gotta be in the crypt people, go down!" The second dog has enough time to register its mate going down, Molly's bared teeth and the startling sound of SMG fire. Great, who let that guy in? It gets slammed into the stairwell wall and goes down without a sound. The chanting continues and seems to be building to a climax, with the added punctuation of a female scream. Thistledown sits down in his car outside, as the others crash into the castle he takes a small bird out from it's storage case, connecting it to his datajack he sets it on a flight pattern around the building. He then starting conjuring watchers to do the same. "Keep an eye out, I'll feel stupid if they're crashing a party while a girl gets slaughtered outside…" He mutters to the imps. "Course, if they get slaughtered down there, somebody has to stay here to call for help." Into the Crypt The steps into the basement crypt are not lengthy, and can be traversed in single file fairly easily. It doesn't matter who is first at this point. What is before you may stay with you for a very long time. The floor of the crypt, once white marble, is covered in dried blood and what appears to be maggots and roaches, a wiggling crawling mess. A central altar has been built from what appears to be a door, although the amount of black and dried blood makes it hard to tell for sure. Fat and bloated flies buzz lazily down here as a recording plays from mounted speakers along the ceiling, the Latin phrases building in crescendo as you enter. A blond and naked pre-teen girl lays on the 'altar' screaming and crying as a cruel-looking man with a hooked nose and flat, dead eyes looks towards the intrusion. A bloody bowie knife is in his right hand, a white bone wand in his left. "Go away." Written in blood on the far wall is the phrase 'Three for a girl.' «OOC» Kassandra says, "Nameless, I need a quickness (6) test" «Auto-Judge[]» Nameless (#2047) rolls Quickness vs TN 6: 1 1 2 2 2 3 4 5 7 = 1 Success «Auto-Judge[]» Nameless (#2047) rolls Quickness - 1 vs TN 6 for "KP 1/2": 1 1 2 3 4 4 5 7 = 1 Success «Plot» Kassandra says, " As Nameless hits the room and starts in, the flooring under him will give way as he steps in what is either a bad portion of flooring or perhaps a trap. +2 TN on all rolls and cannot move." «Auto-Judge[]» Nameless (#2047) rolls Initiative with a result of 30. «Auto-Judge[]» Adam (#1093) rolls Initiative with a result of 11. «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Initiative with a result of 21. «Auto-Judge[]» Stumpy (#1369) rolls Initiative with a result of 18. «Auto-Judge[]» Frost (#1680) rolls Initiative with a result of 7. «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 2 for "+7": 2 3 «Plot» Kassandra says, "INIT: Nameless (30), Molly 21, Stumpy 18, EBD 12, Adam 11, Frost 7" «OOC» Nameless says, "Ok. I am declaring a called shot to disarm him, as my first shot. Than I'll shoot at the guy from the same gun. Pose first or roll first?" «Auto-Judge[]» Nameless (#2047) rolls Pistols (Ares Predator III) + Combat Pool: 10 vs TN 11 for "Jeebus. That's what I call a TN.": 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 8 9 10 10 10 11 = 1 Success «Auto-Judge[]» Nameless (#2047) rolls Pistols (Ares Predator III) + Combat Pool: 10 - 1 vs TN 11 for "Sheesh. Try two KP 2/2": 1 1 1 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 8 9 11 = 1 Success «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 4 vs TN 9 for "Resist dropping knife.": 2 3 3 5 = 0 Successes «OOC» Kassandra says, "you'll shoot the knife out of his hands." «Auto-Judge[]» Nameless (#2047) rolls Pistols (Ares Predator III) + Combat Pool: 1 vs TN 9 for "Ok. Here we go again.": 1 2 3 3 3 4 4 5 5 5 10 = 1 Success «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 4 vs TN 4 for "No bullet for me thanks, I'll dodge.": 2 4 4 5 = 3 Successes «OOC» Kassandra says, "Target dodges. No damage." Nameless entered in a gung-ho manner, stepped into some crazy shit and the floor fell through. Could the day get worse? Well, not likely. His shot hit the knife and shot it out of his hands, but his second was way too lousy and the target just dodges it. He starts to figure out a way how to get himself out of this mess. «OOC» Molly says, "Going over, or around Stumpy and Nameless going to hit the guy with my stun baton." The hook-nosed man seems unmoved as the knife is struck with a bullet and tumbles out of his hand and into the filth and darkness around him. He snarls something and steps away from the altar, the second round from Nameless' gun discharging and striking the wall, richochetting and spanging across the ceiling. «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 4 (Clubs) + 3 (CP) vs TN 5 for "Oh look. A person with a club": 1 2 2 3 5 5 5 = 3 Successes «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 4 (Clubs) + 3 (CP) - 3 vs TN 5 for "Oh look. A person with a club, karma reroll kp 1/?": 1 2 3 16 = 1 Success «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 4 (Clubs) + 3 (CP) - 4 vs TN 5 for "Oh look. A person with a club, karma reroll kp 3/?": 2 3 8 = 1 Success «OOC» Kassandra says, "He counters with his bone wand, which looks like 4L back to you" «Auto-Judge[]» Molly (#4181) rolls Body vs TN 2 for "Put that thing away!": 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 = 6 Successes Running down the steps taking them three at a time, Creep never loses her step. She sees Stumpy before her and she takes a step to the side and places her hand against the wall and runs up it. She moves around Nameless and she charges at the caster. The stun baton sparkles electricity and she says, "Back off," she swings the club at the guy's knee and he side steps. He brings a bone stick around and smacks her in the side, but the armor soaks it up. «Auto-Judge[]» Thistledown (#9317) rolls 7 (Longsword) + 7 (CP) vs TN 3 for "Stumpy with his vorpal sword going snicker-snack.": 1 2 2 2 2 2 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 8 = 8 Successes «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 4 (Clubs) for "I need like 8 successes. This isnt going to work": 2 3 5 10 «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 5 (Body) for "Lesse. Strength + Sword + probably dikoted + ….": 2 2 3 3 3 «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 5 (Body) for "Lesse. Strength + Sword + probably dikoted + …., karma reroll": 1 1 5 5 7 Stubby runs across the floor, his sword held in his polished wooden hand, he leaps high thrusting the sword out and spinning it in an arc protecting the girl on the alter and slicing into the hooknosed man. The man screams in agony as the dwarf's blade takes his hand off at the wrist, the wand falling to the ground. Blood sprays from the man's abdomen as he takes a backswing from the vicious little dwarf, spilling blood and a darker fluid. He gags and falls over into the muck and insects. The speakers continue booming out the latin phrases, an ominous counterpoint to the battle. Adam engages in an epic, yet cautious advance towards the altar, not the engagement of Ugly McFugly. His cybernetic hand pops out a ornate knife, of which he uses the expensive weapon as a tool to cut off the girl's bonds and get her off of the altar. He offers as he looks down, "It'll be alright," in a calm voice. Hey, his mellow voice has a use after all. The girl, naked and now covered in blood and screaming dwarf with a sword nearby, screams again. Frost holds his pistols ready and enters the room, then looks to Adam "Get her out of here now!" Frost slips his gaze astral to look around the room, damn rituals and all that crap… Stumpy's eyes go wide as he sees the girl screaming, suddenly looking ashamed of himself, and unsure the blade going behind his back as he tries to hide what he's done. «Auto-Judge[]» Frost (#1680) rolls Intelligence for "Astrally peeking": 1 1 2 4 4 «Auto-Judge[]» Frost (#1680) rolls Intelligence for "Astrally peeking KP: 8": 1 2 2 4 22 «Auto-Judge[]» Adam (#1093) rolls Intelligence vs TN 7 for "+3 From Aspected Site 3. Damn site.": 1 2 3 3 5 5 5 = 0 Successes «Auto-Judge[]» Adam (#1093) rolls Intelligence vs TN 7 for "+3 From Aspected Site 3. Damn site. Karma.": 1 2 3 5 5 8 11 = 2 Successes <Auto-Judge[]» Adam (#1093) rolls Astral Pool: 4 vs TN 7 for "Always forget the dang AP": 2 5 8 8 = 2 Successes «Auto-Judge[]» Adam (#1093) rolls Astral Pool: 4 - 2 (Suc) vs TN 7 for "Always forget the dang AP": 4 4 = 0 Successes You paged (Frost, Adam) with 'A few points catch your eyes. The knife isn't magical at all. In fact, it isnt black or white hilted, ornate, nor adorned. It looks like a bowie knife. Point two, the wand isnt magical, at all. It appears to be a piece of bone, maybe a dog leg. Point three, the dying guy has cyberware.'. «OOC» Nameless says, "Am I free of the pit?" Frost frowns as he looks around the room "Just get the girl out of here now, somethings not right, everyone, lets go, guard the girl and get out of here now!" «OOC» Nameless says, "And is the guy still alive?" «OOC» Kassandra says, "You can pose working your way free, yes, and the man appears to be dead or dying. He is certainly missing a hand and has been cut all the way to his spine across the belly." Frost starts mentally calling in elementals, the place is aspected, not warded right? Frost says "This isnt the guy people!"" Nameless starts removing his ass from the pit. All the while speaking. "Imagined a limbless body. Spraying blood. Just like you did now. Or when you get off on your twisted act of child pornography." He growls and levels his gun on the dead or alive bastard. "And when the gutter you were swimming in filled up with shit and blood. It didn't release you." He growls. "It was your grave." And the gun fires again at the body. Just in case. «Auto-Judge[]» Frost (#1680) rolls Intelligence vs TN 7 for "Asseing the Girl, 4 +3 aspect place": 2 4 5 5 9 = 1 Success Adam looks around the room as he cuts the last bit of the rope, "You're right. He's mundane— thats… impossible to create an Aspected Site. Stumpy, guard the— no!" Crap! There goes interrogation. The girl calms to Adam's voice as Stumpy hides his sword and Frost calls orders. She looks around fearfully at the blood and gore and insects and general creepiness of the area. The girl is well in the hands of Adam and Frost, Creep turns around and she pulls a bit of the cut rope off the alter. She starts heading up the steps she says, "Got some unfinished business upstairs." She starts up the steps taking them two at a time. Frost looks around warily with his astral perceptions "Someone give the girl thier coat, lets get out of here now!" Nameless was utterly convinced he did the right thing. He was no shadowrunner really. An assassin of the people. Or so he thought. He had no choice. Morals sometimes mean bad choices. And he was proud of his. "The girl's safe. He is dead." He just follows after Frost. Frost points to Namless "Thats not the bad guy, this place is heavy mojo and that guy is mundane! Someone else or something else is still here! We are still trying to protect the girl from whatever is here, so don't lower your guard!" The girl watches everyone with wide eyes as she tries to cover herself and yet not touch the floor either. The maggots, roaches, and dead bodies are a bit much for her. She looks to be mostly in shock, crying with a hitching sound. But she isn't screaming at the moment. «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 1: 1 Commlink-Creep> Molly says, "Someone get a recording of the voice, we can send it in for a voice matching." You paged Molly with 'Yes, the one Adam shot' Molly pages: Rope that lovely muzzle closed and then we figure out a way to get that puppy home :) Adam nods to Frost as he gets over the fact that the other guy is likely overdead with the additional bullets in him, "Snow— there is the possibility that we caused more damage then resolved damage by taking this. Its Samhain. Its a Full Moon. The veil is thin between this plane…" He takes a deep breath, "Look I need to confirm we didn't just stop an event that was intended to stop another, regardless of how amoral it is." Looking over towards Nameless a moment he then looks to the bloody corpse, "And he is now beyond me bringing him 'live' enough to ask questions…" Nameless looks at Frost. "Tha— .. than.. who the hell is it?" He growls and draws his guns again. Getting Out Frost nods to Adam, then looks to Nameless "We are paid to save the girl, lets just save the girl and get out of here. You keep your eyes out for anything." he turns to Adam "Lets just get the girl back, we can return here later, the message on the wall tells us this is all linked to the headhunter. I saw that bone wand in my visions, but the fear I felt couldnt have come from him. Lets just get out of here now!" Nameless runs after Frost, all the while asking questions like. "Who could it be?" or "Maybe the girl knows something." Wrapping the muzzle of the dog Adam shot, Creep sits on the one she knocked out with her baton. She keeps the stun stick in her hand as she pulls out her poc-sec. Pressing a few buttons she says, "Hoi, Sam, you got a van? Look if you can come meet me up at the zoo I have a bonus for you on your next paycheck." The creepy chanting continues through the speakers as you bustle about and try to get the girl out, try to look around. With luck, Thistledown is still alive outside and not dead in his expensive car. Adam thinks for a moment, "Agreed. Lets finish the contact— for now. But after security turns back on, we won't get another shot…" He takes out his pocsoc and does his best to collect base pictures for later analysis. And he checks Mr. Fugly for some ID. It means he'll be leaving last, but its important to him. Frost gets the girl out to Thistledown with the others, then goes back in after Adam if he isnt out by then. Mr. Fugly has approximately 75 nuyen on him, a bus pass, some gum, a few 'magical' looking trinkets with no intrinsic value. He has no ID or credsticks. Adam would go to the length for blood and prints— but grabbing his detached hand works well enough for that. He lets a sigh out as he takes one last look— heading out. The crisp Colorado Springs night air greets you all as you leave the stench and filth of the castle. The moon has come out from hiding sometime during your gunfight, kissing the ground and the city beneath with silver light. Things seem less stressful with the girl in hand but not clear yet; there are many unanswered questions. Thistledown looks at the girl as she walks out, "Oh, hello. My name's Thistledown, what's yours?" He says, taking off his coat and offering it to the girl. It's a lovely black coat, he sparkles quite a bite once it's off. «Auto-Judge[]» Kassandra (#9777) rolls 4 vs TN 9 for "Mwah?": 1 1 3 9 = 1 Success The girl stops shuddering and simplys stares at Thistledown a moment. She takes the coat carefully and wraps it around herself, staring at the man in awe. Adam comes out with hand in hand— looking at it and feeling turmoil. He can't shake the feeling that what they just did wasn't— right. Such is the shadows. The fair haired man looks up to the successful team, and the blonde girl who is in possibly the worst male hands possible right now. It makes him chuckle a bit— bringing him back to the reality that this is 'over' for now, and he should focus on that until information proves otherwise. A cool breeze moves some of the hair in front of his face, and a natural hand brushes it back into place as he joins back up with Frost first. Thistledown smiles, opening the door to the car and offering her a place to sit, "Don't worry, you'll be fine, my friends are very good at what they do…they let me tag along because they like to have someone around that tells the stories the right way." He chuckles, "THough I would like to know your name, makes the story much more believable." "What do you mean you only have a jackrabbit," asks Creep. She looks down at the dog in its enforced slumber and she pulls off the rope she was using for a muzzle. She stands up and pats it on its head saying, "You did your best pup," and she hurries to catch up with the others. Frost looks at the hand, then at Adam, and shrugs "I guess its all we got, good for fingerprints." he turns and starts back towards the others with him. "J-jenna." The now not-so-naked cheerleader sits in the car and listens to Thistledown, clearly smitten with him. She sniffs his jacket discretely and tries to smooth back her very matted and dirty/bloody hair. Nameless follows after Frost like a shadow, guns ready for the slightest lead that trouble may be ahead. He has the unshakable feeling this isn't over. Frost calls Cara back to this plane, then has her manifest in the back of Thistledowns car, she says nothing, merely smiles at Thistledown. Thistledown nods, "It's nice to meet you Jenna." He looks at the cat manifesting in the back of his car, sitting attop the small bit of space behind the driver and passenger seat, "The little cat back there is named Cara, I'm sure she'd love it if you petted her." He holds out his arm and the bird lands on it, "Try to keep her from eating my nightengale." The small black cat jumps down from the back and crawls into the girls lap. Adam shuffles through the trunk of the car to get a plastic baggie or something to put the hand in. Its not a forensics bag, but meh, its better than cloth. He looks over towards the group and silently finds a seat to think things over. Frost gestures to the others "Lets get out of here." he moves to his car and climbs in the drivers side, starting up the engine. The girl pets the kitty as she hops into her lap, her shuddering slowing as she warms up and relaxes. The most handsome man in the world talked to her and this cat is soft. She focuses on the small things as the runners prepare to leave. Thistledown walks around to the driver side of the car, opening the door and stepping inside. Commlink-Snowman> Frost says, "This wasnt our guy, either its a copycat or something, but the wand looked familiar to me. The other murders were done in public, this place wouldnt have been seen for a while in that crypt. Somethings not right, it doesnt fit the pattern."" Walking towards Thistle's car, Creep keeps her head lowered as she watches the ground before her shuffling feet. Now that the fight's over she goes right back into her shell. She knocks on the driver's side window and says, "Mind if I ride back with you?" Commlink-Aequitas> Nameless says, "SHIT" Commlink-Aequitas> Nameless says, "What if this was all a diversion, god damnit?" Thistledown rolls down his window, "Can't sorry, only two seats." Commlink-Snowman> Frost says, "Our job was to save the girl, thats what we did." Thistledown says "As soon as we get her home, you can ride with me though." Commlink-Aequitas> Nameless says, "Think about it. Rich parents who will want to see their girl again.. while the real guy did his thing while we were on a wild goose chase." Jenna looks over with wide eyes as Creep knocks on the window, asking quietly of Thistledown, "Is that your girlfriend?" Commlink-Creep> Molly says, "Anyone got room for one more?" Commlink-Snowman> Frost says, "No ones paying us to track down the headhunter, this was about the girl, plane and simple. We did our job, but I've been tracking this headhunter for a while." Commlink-Snowman> Frost says, "You can squeeze in back with the two I got." Commlink-Aquis> Adam says, "Or the man was sacrificing the girl to save 3 other people, one of which was close to him." Nameless looks at Frost and says. "I will help you track down the Headhunter. If you need help." He shrugs. "By the look of it. You got nothing to lose if you include me." Climbing back into the back of Frost's car, Creep says over the comms, "Well this guy had something to do with the person who did it. Either he was working with him, or being used by him. The cop car looked like a gallon of blood was spattered on the windows." Commlink-Snowman> Frost says, "Someone real fast run back in and grab that wand thingy, I might be able to pick something up off it." «OOC» Adam says, "We can just say I gathered it along with the other forensic evidence we'll need. Wand. Knife. Hand." «OOC» Frost says, "Thats up to kass" Thistledown shakes his head, "No, she's one of my friends, they all came to make sure you were alright." He reaches down toggling his poc-sec to open mic after dialing Frost number, "Do you think you could tell me what happened? We want to make sure this never happens to anyone again." «OOC» Adam nods. «OOC» Molly says, "That works for me." «OOC» Kassandra says, "Fine by me, you had plenty of time. :)" «OOC» Adam says, "Ko." Commlink-Creep> Molly says, "We should be leaving, we'll have a ticked off barghest waking up soon." Frost turns his car around and starts driving back the way they came. Thistledown follows after the van, driving at a more sedate pace, his hands on the wheel this time. Frost answers his phone "We walked in, shot some dogs, went downstairs, killed a guy trying to sacrifice the girl. Guy was a mundane, but whatever killed that cop used magic, so, basicly, we know nothing else except the guy had written on the wall in the same manner as the headhunter." Jenna ums and nods, "I was at the zoo with some friends and my parents, we were there for Marco's birthday .. and I went to the bathroom over by the lions and when I came out, there was this guy there. He grabbed me and I .. I .." She pauses and shakes her head, "I don't remember .. I don't WANT to remember .. more than that." Commlink-Creep> Molly says, "Well once this is over, free drinks for everyone at my bar." Adam is in car— thinking a moment and notes, "If you do— refrain from doing the final blow before confirming they are of no immediate use." Thistledown nods, "I understand, but I think. If you let those memories out then you can put them to rest, if you just try to bottle them up, they'll go sour. You're here, with me now, soon you'll be home, so things have come out alright, but you shouldn't try to keep those things in." The black cat lays in the girls lap and purrs. Frost looks to Adam "Call Silk, find out where to take the girl." The girl shakes her head. "He was just there and he said something I didn't understand, and then suddenly .. he was like in my head, like worms crawling around there. I tried to scream but I just .. just couldn't. He made me walk out with him and it was like no one looked twice at us. I fell asleep when we left the zoo. Next thing I know I was laying there tied up with that knife man." Nameless looks at Adam. "Really think he would have lived long enough to spill the beans?" He shakes his head. "I only took the pleasure to kill him before he decides to release his spirit." Adam doesnt hear Frost at first— thinking about the angles here. After a few seconds he hits the phone number he had memorized to contact Silk. He explains to Nameless, "Yes. I could have sustained him to that point. Then you could have killed him." Thistledown nods, "I know that trick, if you like I'll show you how to make sure it never happens again. You'd have to spend some time looking into my eyes though, somewhere quiet, would that be ok with you?" Thistle drives on after the van heading for the safe drop off point, contacting Frost and Silk as needed for directions. The phone is answered almost immediately. "Silk. You have her?" Without waiting, she'll send a datafile through the phone with GPS coordinates on it. "Bring her to that location. I will be waiting." The girl nods with wide eyes at Thistledown, as if that is her greatest desire. Adam replies short and directly, "We do. We'll be there." And *click*. Thistledown chuckles, "Mind the jacket, it's uh, slipping open and Cara's claws are very sharp." Not mentioning that the claws will be in his eyes instead of her legs. «OOC: From here, the runners escape and converge with Silk, dropping off the girl.»