"The location tracker on your PocSec was on," Bailey says. Suddenly suspicious. There was clearly something up here. Something grabbing Mindi at random? She looks around, biting on her lip gently. "Laur, can you like, see anything?"

OOC: Gonna spend for Enhanced Awareness and see how much of a trap this is. Checking the Situation.

Rolling Dice…
11:57, Today: Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Bailey, rolled 3 using 2d6.  Enhanced Ability. Fail Take 1XP
11:58, Today: Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Bailey, rolled 4 using 2d6.  Check the situation. Fail Take 1XP
11:59, Today: Laurie rolled 8 using 2d6+1.  Check the Situation. Weak success

@Bailey - how many vodkas did you have at Nighthawks?!  Silver lining: take +1 Rep … see you in OOC XP and Nuyen to figure that out.

Mindi’s assailants were extremely efficient. There is little sign of their presence here. No scuff marks in the dirty alley way, nothing dropped or left behind. They were pros, and magical pros at that.  Examining the lingering traces of magical energy, Laurie notices nothing that would indicate the presence of a spirit or a spell as she knows it. This power came from within. Mindi was attacked by an adept.

As the fuzziness cleared from her mind, Laurie followed the lines of mana in stinking the alley. The cold dead concrete revealed nothing.

”This isn’t spell work and I don’t sense the presence of a spirit. I’m only guessing, but I think this was someone trained to use their powers to fight. Why would an adept attack you?”

In the dim lights of the stinking alley, she replies, ”Adept? Like magic? It has to be related to out meeting with the Johnson. Too much of a coincidence that the attack happened at the same time as our call window. It’s a big payday, this must be the competition."

Wincing as she picks up her smashed phone and producing a key ring from her handbag, she adds, "We should get out of here. I'm parked around the corner."

"Yeah, I'm all for getting out of here..." Bailey puts an arm around Mindi, helping her as she limps toward her car.

Leaning into Bailey, Mindi hands over the keys as you approach a parking lot occupied by a gleaming Toyota Elite. Deep merlot that looks almost black in the night, chrome in all the right places. Her thumbprint disables the security and you are welcomed inside to stone grey synth leather seats and climate control that pushes back the cool damp winter air blowing in off the Pacific.

Tell it to them straight
”Because of the attack we’ve missed our call window with the prospective client.” she begins, wincing through the pain of getting settled into the back seat of the sedan.  ”Our client is looking for a change in employment, but unfortunately for her, Xerxes Research doesn’t have a very flexible contract renegotiation policy.  Some opposition was not entirely unexpected.” she continues letting you pull out into traffic leaving the ambush site behind in the rear view mirror.

”She wants out. The company wants to keep her. Everyday that passes means that the knot tightens around her.  There is a bright light on the horizon however. In two weeks, Beaux Retail is hosting a fashion show in the Cross arc. Ms J believes she can easily convince Xerxes to allow a bit of an outing to spend some cred at the show.” she pauses, absentmindedly picking at dried blood on her pant leg. ”That’s the time and place. Once she is out, there is another job waiting for her and the new employer will arrange for pick up at a time and place set by us.”

"So it's like, an extraction job?" Bailey says, checking the rear view cameras. She was pretty sure this car cost more than her apartment. Probably more than her parents' apartment. Just don't crash it.

"I could pick up a job at the show, easy. And Laur, you could... I dunno. Maybe get a job as a caterer? And then we get her out of the show and to the pick up spot? Easy peasy. Well, it would've been if they didn't already have a read on you."

Laurie recoiled in dismay at the idea of posing as a wage slave for some posh arc fashion show, but kept her mouth shut about it. A corporate extraction job was a spring board into the big time shadowgame. Just the kind of score she had spent her life dreaming about. All the small time mule jobs and break-ins and running with go-gangs would be a distant memory. If it took a little humility and dressing up in a serving girl outfit to be seen as a pro, it would be a small price to pay.

“Maybe a bright side,” Laurie chimed in responding to Bailey’s comment about the competition, ”If they knew about the call and they attacked to try and keep us from ever making the meet with Ms J, maybe they think the pressure is off now. I mean, they did leave you in a pretty sorry state. Another hour and I’m not sure my magic would have been enough.”

"You two finding me is one helluva bright side, if you ask me." Mindi says closing her eyes and leaning back into the comfort of the sedan's seat. "Head south, down to San Mateo. I think I'd better avoid home and you two don't need to try and explain all this at an Imperial checkpoint. Which reminds me, you'll need decent identification to get into San Fran so you can get to Cross. What else can I do to help?"

"Well, a recommendation for the modeling gig couldn't hurt. Or an in for whatever will get Laur through the door?" Bailey turns onto the freeway at the first chance. Which was maybe not a great idea- she wasn't an experienced driver. City kid. But what other choice did she have here? She pushes a bit of hair back, trying to clear her head along with it.

"What sort of gear will we need? Something we can smuggle into the city. Or someway to get it past a check point."

"If we had some legit IDs we could go into Cross and have a look around. Like we're just out for a trip to the mall. They don't hate elves enough to not take our cred." Laurie replied, looking out the passenger window as San Fran was left behind in the rearview cams. "We could at least get to know our way around the place, know what we're up against?"

"Smuggling our gear and ourselves in is an option too." she adds, "We could find a way in past the checkpoints then lay low until break out day."
This message was last updated by the player at 22:12, Sat 19 Feb 2022.

"Iconic can help get you working covers that allow you into the show on the day of the event. Maybe even a few days earlier for rehearsals and set-up," Mindi replies. "We can see about setting it up so you are stay inside the city for a few days, maybe even at Chateau Cross so you have a legitimate reason for hanging around the place."

Bailey was up for a few nights a the Chateau Cross. Maybe along with a friendly, handsome barman? The possibilities were endless. But first, she's got to figure out how to not get murdered by corporate retention experts. That would really put a damper on the entire trip.

"We just need to get our stuff in as like, a dead drop. Then we get in on Iconic IDs and pick it up. Maybe like... A drone? Or invisibility? Or just hucking it really, really hard?"

”Yeah, a drone drop somewhere we could pick up. Nothing too big, just body armor and a pistol.” Laurie said with a nod. ”If we think we need any other gear, we can probably pick it up at the arc. They probably have more than enough … stuff…” she added, finding it hard to articulate what they might need on a job like this. Making the jump from gutter punk to prime runner was bound to have a steep learning curve.

OOC: Ok, I think it's time to move from here into a planning stage. This scene feels over?

Sounds good... you have time for legwork outside the city, then we'll fast forward to the hotel to scout things out and do the planning.

”Ummm, did we talk about how much this run pays?” Laurie asked a bit sheepishly.

"Payday only comes if you come through." Mindi replies, "Sixteen thousand all in. Eight each if it all goes well but you are on the hook for your own expenses." she adds briefly opening her eyes to glance at Bailey, "That includes room service darling."

On to Legwork... you have a week. Let me know what you want to accomplish before trying your fancy new IDs at an Imperial checkpoint.

"Hmph!" Bailey responds to the implied accusation with a little sound, mostly through her nose.

OOC: I'd like to know more about who it is we're extracting, hoping to learn more about why they want to keep her so bad and what sort of resistance we might expect.

So I think Invisibility might come in handy here... Laurie wants to use her Talismonger connection to learn how to summon a teacher spirit who can help her or to buy a spell formula outright.

If there is time after trying to learn the spirit and spell; Laurie will look into Xeres Labs and see if she can find out what they are up to in San Fran.

You hold up with Mindi overnight at a San Mateo hotel. It's no Chateau Cross but Mindi needs a few days rest and a few days to make some calls to set up your cover story for the run.

@Bailey:

You check into the local Shadowbuzz, make a few calls, tap into your contacts looking for details on one Dr. Miranda Novak and...

Citation Needed 19:18, Today: Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Bailey, rolled 5 using 2d6+1 ((1,3)). Fail Take 1XP

...come up empty. No one has ever heard of this woman.

or...

...initially you come up empty, but a few days later, you receive a cryptic message from an unknown caller asking you to meet.

Follow this lead and (1) you get some useful info about Dr Novak, but (2) it will come at a cost.

@Laurie:

You check into the local talisleggers, make a few calls, tap into your contacts looking for a tutor and...

Go Shopping 19:30, Today: Laurie rolled 8 using 2d6+1 ((2,5)). Weak Success

...your contacts come through, but it's going to take a few days to get what you need.

Choose one:
-pay 1000, learn to summon an elemental with teacher aspect
-pay 3000, get the spell formula

---

Legwork (part 2):
Bailey can follow up on the lead about Dr Novak alone, and
Laurie can focus on learning the new spell, or

Bailey and Laurie to follow up on the lead together, but
Laurie can only bond with the spirit and won't learn the new spell, or

Bailey can change directions and chase down info the the potential opposition, and
Laurie can focus on learning the new spell.

If Bailey wants to chase down the lead on Novak, Laurie will put the spell research aside to follow up the lead together.

Sounds good! Bailey will followup on the cryptic message, then they work on the lead!

OK, Bailey and Laurie are off to check out the cryptic message...

After the shaker in '52 the San Bruno waterfront was lost to the waters of San Fransisco Bay. Like carrion birds, Shiwase Atomics swooped in and snatched up the desolate and destroyed properties for a tenth of their former values. It took a few years of never ending construction, but the corp's vison was finally realized in late '56 and the San Bruno automated port facility came online.

Running along the Bay north of San Fran airport for about five miles, there is a massive drone and robot controlled warren of automation. Heavy machinery dedicated to unceasing, uninterrupted commerce that can be seen from low earth orbit if you know where to look. At any given time, dozens of ships are moored at the Shiwase piers where thousands of automatic robotic tenders swarm over them, their dog brains endlessly loading and unloading containers,  moving them to and from the army of waiting trucks and road trains.

This is where the cryptic message tells you to meet.

"Feel free to take my car darlings," Mindi says sleepily, "I'm in no shape to drive anyway, and ZipCar won't go past the exclusion zone around that Shiawase complex. Be careful, this stinks of a set-up."

Bailey could get used to this. Driving through town in a luxe car. The seats were more comfortable than anything in her apartment, including the bed. They may have to take it out to get a couple cocktails after the mission.

"What do you think? You get out and monitor from afar? Make sure no one's going to jump out at me. I can handle myself if something goes rough." Bailey asks as they drive across town. Headed toward the port. She didn't seem overly concerned with the possibility of a trap