@GM. Assuming Michael can drive the car to the alleyway on the backside of the building…..


Michael touches his comms set and says, “Everyone, there is an emergency exit door on the backside of the building that opens into an alleyway. So far the alley is clear and would be a better pickup option than fighting through the crowd the avenue side of the building. Confirm?”

Feb appreciates the extra help under his arm.  As he gets to cleaner air he scans the area.

He keeps an especially keen eye on Cranmore just waiting for him to do something.

"Copy that Michael.  Neko, let's head to that exit."

In reply to Feb (msg # 151):

" You heard him. Keep moving."

Neko nods to the others and sticks her gun in Cranmore's back, making for the exit Michael informed them of.

"Right, let's get the hell out of here."

You have lost the mage to the flames and the samurai in the smoke, but have Cranmore and, with luck, the oblong grey box he smashed Firebird in the face with is the optical drive that you have been sent to recover. If not, that too may be lost to the flames.

The hallway is thick with smoke until you reach the stairs and make your way down to the alley exit. You come to the door in the wall and unluckily there appears to be some sort of key card reader to disable the lock.

The sirens are close. None of you can see any fire trucks, ambulances or police cars, but the volume of the sirens tells you they are somewhere near the condo.

"Ah hell..." Neko mutters. She looks around at Firebird and Feb.

"Either of you good at cracking locks?"

She jabs Cranmore with her pistol.

"Hey, you got a keycard for this?"

" Is it burnable? "

Rachel shrugs as she also jabs Cranmore with her staff.

Cranmore fumbles in his pockets for what seems like an eternity. ”Did I have the card or did one of the others take it?” he says.

Spending an Edge gets you the card automatically. Otherwise, I roll … on 6- no card, on 7+ all good.

In reply to Mr. Johnson (msg # 157):

I will spend an edge.

Cranmore fumbles for a long frustrating moment but eventually produces a flat plastic card with a mag strip. ”Oh, I do have one,” he mutters, tapping it on the pad and unlocking the door.

The door opens into a narrow alley, where litter and large garbage cans clutter your path to Michael in the waiting Sai. The sirens are deafeningly loud, and you can see red lights flashing on the walls of the building next door. The emergency response must be arriving in the avenue side of the building. On the alley side, you see don’t see any cops or firefighters… yet.

Michael drives the car around the building to the alleyway entrance and waits for the rest of the team with the motor running. “I am driving to the alleyway entrance near the back of the building. Hurry! Meet me there!”

Rachel continues leading Cranmoee to the car

Neko hasn't been around for a few days so bumping the thread...

The walk over to the car is uneventful, but you find another minor annoyance when you get there. With Michael in the driver's seat, that leaves three spaces empty for four passengers: Firebird, Cranmore, Neko and Feb...

As the his four companions walk over to the car Michael realizes the math issue with their escape and gets out of the car’s driver’s seat; relinquishing it to Neko or Feb. He comments with a smirk , “Next time we should take a van.” Trying to keep his face in shadow away from Cranmore’s eyes Michael explains, “You four take the car. I’ll make my way by another route and we’ll meet up later. Just make sure I get my share.”

He texts Firebird and Neko a contact number where he can be reached and walks away from the group, down the alleyway to the street, away from the sirens, and gets lost in the crowd of people. Michael does a quick search on his pocket secretary for public transportation and businesses in the area.

Rachel pushes Cranmore into the car.
"Get in."
Once in the car, Rachel responds to the text to Firebird from Michael with her own contact number.

@Michael. its a long walk to a BART station, but once you get ont the train your ride downtown back toward Wuxing is tolerable enough.

@Neko, @Firebird. Cranmore has enough sense not to resist at this point. You make a point of creeping out of the neighborhood to minimize the chance of drawing attention and the fire works to keep the cops distracted.

Do you meet back up?

I think Neko eventually drives us back to Wuxing.

Michael suffers taking the BART train back to the Wuxing Corporation building as he makes sure he is not being followed. He also periodically shifts his perception to the astral plane to make sure his aura didn’t attract any attention from KE or other parties. I will have to do better next time masking what I do if I don’t want to get caught. Sloppiness breeds mistakes. He thinks to himself, shaking his head a little. I will have to do better. He promises to himself.

Once the train is half way to the Wuxing corporation building and the coast is clear of being followed Michael takes out his pocket secretary and sends a text message to Neko and Firebird. “ It appears I’m clear of anyone following me. I will meet you at the place we first met.” Putting his comms away Michael makes his way towards the Wuxing corporation building to find Mr Findlay for their payday.

Still no sign of Neko IC, so I guess we’re back to just Michael and Firebird.

With a rendezvous point set for the Wuxing lobby, you converge back to where this run began just a few short hours ago. The director’s aide, Allan, finds you and escorts you back to the conference room where you met with Findlay. Cranmore is led off to whatever interrogation room they have in store for him and Feb is taken by medics into the small medical facility you were escorted through earlier.

You’re left alone for a few moments. If you have any plays to make or need to talk out your next steps, now is the time.

Rachel eats some of the food still there and drinks some fresh real coffee and real milk.

" Hmmm, something is wrong? "
This message was last edited by the player at 04:31, Tue 05 Dec 2023.

Michael glances around the room and shifts his perception to the astral plane; checking the landscape. He then replies to Firebird’s comment. “Why do you say that? Do you sense something wrong?”



@GM

On the train ride over Michael would have tried centering his energies to recover essence in case he had to cast more magic. Assuming he had time to do so.

In the room Michael uses a check the situation action. He will probably also use a clairvoyance spell to gather more information.


This message was last edited by the player at 04:21, Tue 05 Dec 2023.

" Given what we have done and how we have gotten this contract. It seems making us wait is very unlikely corporate. "

Rachel says while eating and drinking.

Michael replies, “You believe something is wrong then?”

" Not sure yet nest to remain on edge. "

Rachel says as she tries to sit and look comfortable.

" But look comfortable."

Michael checks the room again and sits in a comfortable chair himself to wait patiently. He asks, “Do you have any plans afterwards?”