”It is a relatively simple matter,” Findlay replies, ”Ideally managed discreetly and quickly.”

Listening to the briefing Michael takes mental notes. “I do have a few questions, Mr Findlay. One: you mentioned the team went dark four days ago. Do you have an intel or reason for Cranmore to still be in the city? With a four day head start he could be anywhere in the world by now. Two: can you tell us what data was taken? How are we to verify that we retrieved the correct data? Three: do we know why Cranmore came to CalFree in the first place? Was he planning to meet someone to sell the stolen data?

”All we know is that Cranmore came here straight from Hong Kong, that he hired some local help for protection and found a place to hold up. Wether he is trying to make contact with Yamatetsu or has gone rogue and is looking for a new buyer, we cannot say for sure. The pattern of behaviour makes us suspect the latter. We also don’t know if Church and his team made an attempt at recovery at the Pacheco Street safe house or not. We don’t know if Church was burned by the target or if something else pulled him away from the mission.” Findlay replies. ”Church is no stranger to the shadows so the reason his team have gone dark might have nothing to do with Cranmore at all.” he adds with a shrug ”What is on the drive is inconsequential to your task. The files I will provide will help you identify the device. It is of little real value without the encryption codes, which would be very difficult to replicate, but likely not beyond the capability of Yamatetsu.”

" if he came here from H.K., it is unlikely he has gone elsewhere. Unless the third 0arty he is involved with have access to better resources to break inscription. And if he is Rogue the only better places for this operation is Angeles, Seattle, or Denver. I doubt he would jump a transcont again. The potential rogueneA is the new factor. The rest of this I have studied since I was six. Matre Dios.

“So Cranmore infiltrates your corp. Then swaps the drive and skips. You hire Mr. Church to retrieve the drive. They track Cranmore to a safe house and go dark.  Do you have any reason to believe that Cranmore turned Church? Have you sent anyone to the safe house yet?”

Feb takes a breath.

“And that’s 16k each right?” he says with a straight face.

Michael waits patiently for Findlay to answer the others’ questions .

”Fair question. We don’t know. And because we don’t know, you are the someone we are sending to the safe house to find out what is going on.” Findlay replies. ”And the job pays sixteen total. I suggest you divide you shares equally, but that is your business.”

Check msg #15 here (link to a message in this game) if you are wondering if this is a fair deal.

Alternatively consider that if you were consistently pulling in four to five thousand per job, you could make up to a quarter million a year, and should easily be able to pull in over a hundred thousand … tax free … in cash.

In reply to Mr. Johnson (msg # 31):

" That is in Imperial NuYen. Not CalFree Bear Dollars. Then 16k to split evenly is fair. I doubt Cranmere turned Church. It is highly unlikely. I think I rmemember Church from my corp days. "

”Yes, nuyen.” Findlay replied.

Standing he added, ”I’m happy to stay and talk through the details but, if that is all, you can have the room to discuss things between yourselves.”

Anything else for Findlay or are you beginning planning and legwork?

I might have another player interested in picking up the NPC Neko, so she will stay with the team.

Feb nods to Findlay.  "I expected, but it doesn't hurt to check."  He listens to the rest of the responses.

"Yeah, let's talk a little here to figure out what we're going to do.  I don't know Church so I wanted to make sure.  Looks like a Search and Rescue of not only the data but the personnel."

He sits forward in his chair, and puts his folded hands on the table.  "Where would y'all like to start?"

"Probably should do our own reconnaisance."

Nodding his head in agreement Michael says, “I agree we should do our own reconnaissance of the safe house. Do we know anything what the surrounding area around safe house?” Turning to Mr Findlay Michael asks, “ What does the corp want done with Cranmore?”
This message was last edited by the player at 15:10, Mon 09 Oct 2023.

”It would be most beneficial to us if Cranmore was brought in alive.” Findlay replies. ”Perhaps we could agree to a performance incentive, say an additional five thousand, if that could be managed. Otherwise, the damage Cranmore caused is done, if he escapes, it is inconsequential, if he is killed, so be it.”

"That sounds about right  and helping Church is more of that corporate loyalty look at me remembering things."

Rachel blurts ilout and goes back to eating.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:09, Mon 09 Oct 2023.

”Whatever deal you strike with Church and his team is your business.” Findlay replied flatly. ”As I said before, we have no way of knowing of the present complications Church might be managing or if they come from prior dealings that had nothing to do with Wuxing. If something from the past has risen up to cause his inability to complete the mission, well, that’s his business. If the cause of Church’s problems are due to the job recovering our property, then I’m afraid to say that he knew the risks when he took the job.” he adds matter-of-factly. ”Such is the world of shadowrunners. That’s why you want to go corp isn’t it Ms Firebird? The cred, the perks, access to executive suites and the knowledge that your enemies now have to deal with your powerful friends?”

What is the plan for reconnaissance of the safe house?

“I think it’s time to get the address of this safe house and do some recon.”  Feb stands  and pushes his chair back in to the table.

“I’m ready.”

You have Findlay’s files, which include the address, pics of the two shadow runners and Cranmore…

Looking for anything else?

" I don't want to go Corp. I was Corp. And the Corps are all more the same then different. More worried the Corp wants more of me then I am willing to give. Buy the sameness is reassuring. "

Seeing as everyone is ready to leave Michael stands up as well. “Let’s go for a drive then.” He replies.

”OK, I’ll drive.” Neko says leading you to a nondescript grey Renraku Sai sedan parked in the building’s underground garage.

Any stops to make before you check the safe house?

Following Neko to the car Michael opens the sedan passenger side rear door and gets into the back seat. He considers for a moment and says to the group. “I hope one of you knows how to pick a lock if we need to in order to get inside the safe house. I was going to suggest doing some astral recon once we get closer to the safe house’s location. Anything else useful in the file Findlay gave us? I assume we call him once we have something interesting to report.”

Rachel hasn't  sent for her Ford Americar yet so gets in Neko's car.

"Physical Security is not in my skil set."

Neko slides into the driver's seat and gives a wry smile to Michael in the review mirror.

"Locks might be the least of our worries if this guy is as paranoid as he should be. But you're not wrong... does anybody need to pick up any gear before we head to the target?"

As Feb gets in the car he says to Firebird, "I've got ya covered on the physical security." 

He pulls his coat aside and shows his gun and two knives.  "When you mages are occupied I'll watch your backs.  I can also go in first.  I just don't have the skills to pick locks.  Yet."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:42, Wed 11 Oct 2023.

Picking through traffic gives you some time to look at Findlay’s file and the area surrounding area.

The safe house is in an A-zone. If things go ballistic, you can expect Knight Errant or Nobunga Security to be up your ass in no time. Their contracts guarantee response in a matter of minutes.

The safe house is on the second floor of a low rise condo. There are about fifty units in the three-storey building. The images Church’s team provided show that your target apartment has a balcony.

Next door on one side is a small commercial building. Cafe, restaurant, hair salon, cosmetic surgery; typical business ventures in this part of the ‘plex.

Next door on the other side is an identical condo building. Cookie cutter upper middle class neighborhood.

The pics of the runners look like they were taken by a high flying drone. They show a big man, mid-thirties, sporting blacked out cyber eyes and a tribal face tattoo. His jacket bulges oddly, might be carrying a shotgun or an SMG. The second runner is a dark-skinned man, short cropped hair, razor cut. He wears an armor vest that is decorated with little bits of crystal and marked with arcane symbols. Sumerian maybe? Nothing you’re very familiar with, but obviously the spell slinger.

Cranmore is greying, fat, soft, looking like corporate comfort has been a bit too good to him. The pic looks like it came from surveillance at the airport when he arrived in San Fran.

Church and his crew did their homework. Is there anything you want to know?