The Hiring (14JUL2063, Saturday)

The lights are dim in the tiny bar. A Chinese-American woman sits at a back table, calmly working on a pocket secretary. She looks up at the door and closes the screen of the device.

A Japanese man glides into the bar with a quiet air of confidence. His suit is out of place, being far too nice for the ambiance of this crappy little dive. He quickly picks out the woman and strolls over to her.

As he does, a young man steps off a bar stool and walks towards the table, saying "Hey, you the one they called Ichiro?"

The Japanese man pauses for a moment then answers, "Hai, and you are Junkyard?"

Junkyard smiles, "Hey, you said that with a straight face. Most slots stumble over it the first time."

They reach the table and sit down.

"Good evening gentleman. I assume you are Ichiro-san and Mr. Junkyard. Good."

She reaches forward and places a small jade frog on the table and presses its back. A strong hum fills the space, the telltale sound of a white noise generator.

"More details will be revealed when you have your team. For now, I can tell you this much. You will need to penetrate a facility and escort a pair of people into the heart of it. The people in question have some training and should not significantly compromise your stealth. Stealth will be crucial. Junkyard has the necessary skill, tools, and background to handle physical security systems. Ichiro-san can quietly handle guards. As I understand it, both of you are competent socially, providing you with multiple avenues to accomplish your goal."

"I have contacted some peers and assembled some dossiers of available professionals. In making your decision you should know that you will be operating in an urban environment, penetrating a facility inside a skyscraper, rating B neighborhood security, and trained security staff on site with access to heavy weapons. There is a possibility of simple drones and/or patrol animals. That is all that I can tell you right now. Here are the dossiers. Call me in one hour and let me know if you have accepted the mission; at that time you can notify me which professionals you wish to accompany you."

She slides a data chip to the pair. The color coding communicates that the chip is a "glance chip", encoded to be read once and to self-format if an attempt is made to copy it.

http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~mjcasav/wp/SRIII/03/talent.htm

Slides walks smoothly and calmly out of the bar.

[Note: I just made up the "glance chip", so don't bother looking for it in your books. :)]
[Lars (Ichiro) e-mail follows]

Ichiro nods his head politely as Ms. Fung leaves, "Sayonara, Fung-sama."

To Junkyard he bows his head and says, "I am honored to work with you Junkyard-san. I believe our path in the shadows together will prove mutually beneficial."

"Before we view the dossiers, I believe our team has certain roles that should be filled. It is better to have a plan, even for this endeavor, than to surge forward like a barbarian, neh? The facility is described as not possessing several drones or security vehicles requiring heavy weaponry, so I do not believe that to be a requirement. A mage will be a good addition, spells of illusion and deception coupled with combat ability would be preferred, but I do not expect these dossiers to be that detailed. Security is well handled by yourself, although a person with supplementary electronics may be nice. In the end, a team of professionals with stealth and the ability to handle trouble quietly and efficiently is our best chance for success." Ichiro nods to himself satisified with his own analysis.

He produces a stylish silver and black pocket secretary from within his tres chic neru-style high collar suit coat and slots the data chip. Although it is a little awkward for both Junkyard and Ichiro to view the screen at the same time, the samurai does not make a move to bring his chair closer, instead keeping well defined personal space between the two runners.

The screen brightens to life and a desktop background of swirling autumn leaves on a green background awaits their commands. Ichiro cues up the datachip as well as executing a small voice dictation program that he leaves running in the corner. Before he starts reading the dossiers, Ichiro removes a small earpiece with miniature micropone and fits it into his ear.

Ichiro looks over the various dossiers with Junkyard, carefully taking in their details. At each dossier, Ichiro quietly mumbles short Japanese words and phrases into his microphone. The words appear on the screen in Japanese kanji creating the samurai's notes. The pair spend a solid half hour looking over the various dossiers. Junkyard attempts some minor comments and conversation during the analysis, but it is clear Ichiro is absorbed in the task at hand and simply grunts or says nothing until all have been examined. When finished, Ichiro taps a button putting the small console in hibernation and looks to Junkyard for the first full comments and thoughts on the task at hand.

[Tim (Junkyard) e-mail follows]

Junkyard, who has been quietly taking in everything the all-business sammy has been saying, decides to let Ichiro in on the fact that he can speak and read a little Japanese. "That's a pretty whiz secretary you got there, Ichiro."

The young man then points to one of the kanji on the screen and says, "I don't suppose you could float me a copy of that character set for my secretary, could ya? Mine seems to have lost its original set. Yours looks way slicker, anyways."

Ichiro will immediately notice the goofy smile on the young man's face, a face just a shade too clean for the slightly stained technician's coverall he wears. The name printed above the chest pocket identifies him as "Joe”, who apparently works at a place called “Al’s Electronics Repair.” From his appearance, one gets the impression that he just had enough time to scrub his face and hands before leaving his workshop to meet Ichiro and Ms. Fung. Junkyard quickly loses the smile under Ichiro’s serious gaze and slips right into a more professional demeanor, his efficient speech and use of jargon revealing his military background.

“Well,“ Junkyard begins, “I agree that we could definitely benefit from a mage, since we can’t afford to assume that our opponents nor the security will be purely mundane. That paramedic sorcerer Trapper or the sword-happy Shark follower Cutter might fit well, but neither are full magicians, something I would much rather have. On the other hand, I worry that Chavez will endanger our mission with flashy magic that draws too much attention. I’m not really sure what to make of the Monkey shaman Zira, but monkeys usually lack the sort of subtlety we require. So, my choice would be either Cutter or Trapper.”

Junkyard continues thinking out loud, now that he finally has the floor, “Although I don’t doubt your abilities, Ichiro, I also don’t doubt that you might like to have some backup. That Sgt. Jax looks like he’d be a good trooper to have on board. Word is that he can bring the heavy ordinance if necessary, and the files speak well to his stealth and professionalism. Also, the street sammy Cowgirl would probably be a welcome addition, since she seems to understand the need to balance both stealth and lethality.”

Junkyard pauses to scrunch his face up, as though he were trying to remember something. He then nods and produces his own pocket secretary from one of his coverall’s many pockets. Junkyard’s device is nowhere near as slick looking as Ichiro’s. The greasy fingerprint smudges that adorn it and the jury-rigged power switch reveal its heavy use and abuse, yet it runs just as smoothly as the newer model the samurai sports, more of a testament to the repair skills of its owner than the original quality of the device. Junkyard starts scribbling onto it before he looks up again.

“Just had to write down some notes of my own. Figured we might want some of this info for later, since that datchip expires after this use. Anyways, I also agree with your assessment that I could probably use some back up with the breaking and entering aspect of this mission. From the looks of things, that Aussie bodyguard Haymaker probably has the right skills. That dwarf Moriarty might do in a pinch, but his recent loss of street cred leaves me wondering.”

Before the samurai can begin to weigh in with his responses, Junkyard adds, “And, finally, that ex-Yakuza sharpshooter Blaze seems to fit well with the high stealth requirements of this mission. I saved him for last, though, since I’m not really sure how the various Yakuza deal with each other.”

Junkyard pauses to look at Ichiro knowingly before finishing, “No offense, Ichiro-san, but I thought you would know much more about that than I would. So, are we on the same wavelength here, or did I misunderstand the parameters of the assignment?”

[Lars (Ichiro) e-mail follows]

Ichiro takes in Junkyard's comments quietly, nodding in agreement at most comments and slightly scrunching his face in passive disagreement at others. Junkyard's knowledge of Japanese has seemed to improve his image in the samurai's eyes.

Ichiro opens the files on the pocket secretary and spawns off multiple screens, queuing up each of the prospective magical runners. "I agree that the troll does not seem compatible with this mission. Both of the orks seem capable, but they lack the versatility of a full magician. Spirits and astral projection will both be valuable tools. While Zira," Ichiro points to the Chinese-American shaman's dossier, "follows an unorthodox path I believe she is the best for the job." Zira's window is minimized to a tile and sent to the top of the screen, while the other three are closed.

Ichiro continues, "We do need additional combat operatives. You do not insult me by suggesting their presence, to not do so would increase the chance of failure and that would be a greater insult. I favor the dwarf as well. He is reported to have good short range abilities, and will provide an additional firepower safety net if the run turns... noisy. I would recommend he join the team." Jax's dossier is sent to the top of the screen next to Zira's.

"I agree that this man," Haymaker's dossier opens, "supplements your abilities well and has skills for close suppression of enemy assets. I am concerned he will not have the necessary stealth though."

"Finally, a third street soldier would be useful. Both the urban assassin and the Nishidon soldier have potential. Both are reported as quiet soldiers, but the predilection for shotguns leans against, this Mirage." Ichiro points to the assasin's file. This operation may also require some subterfuge during the penetration phase. Allow me a moment to place a call before we settle on this pair."

Ichiro removes himself from the table, nodding an acknowledgment to Junkyard and heads towards the bar. On his way to the bar, Junkyard sees him activate his earplug cellphone.

[Phone call, the entire call is in Japanese]

The phone is answered after three rings with no video feed, "Good evening"

Ichiro replies, "Good evening, Narogo-sama."

The video feed flickers to life. A well-dressed Japanese man in a classically styled black suit with a thin necktie stares back into the screen. His hair is slicked neatly back on his head and his face is smooth and healthy except for a tiny scar below his right eye. His black eyes carry an air of hierarchical aloofness.

Narogo speaks, "Ah, Ichiro-san. I have business to attend to, will this take long?"

Ichiro answers smoothly and with the slightest hint of deference, "No, Nagoro-sama, it is but a quick question. Your time is valuable. I would not wish to keep you from your honorable duty. The demands of a wakashira-hosa are many."

"No, it is all right, I have time for a quick question."

"Thank you Nagoro-sama. I wish to know about a former kumi-in from the Nishidon-gumi clan. He is known on the streets as Blaze."

Nagoro furrows his brow in contemplation, then taps a few keys on a nearby keyboard.

"Yes, I have something here. Hmmm. The fortunes do not favor you this day, Ichiro-san. The only information I have is that he left his clan...and a note that he was not a good opportunity for recruitment. It seems he lacks the passion for purity that our clan shares with the Nishidon-gumi. No doubt another that has "gone native"[English] as the gaijin say. That, or he has become a follower of the New Order." Nagoro adopts a look of disgust as he finishes.

Ichiro waits patiently, saying only "Hmmm."

Nagoro finishes, "Well, if he wishes to consort with the barbarians, good riddance. Be careful in your quest for redemption Ronin, the taint of the gaijin stains one's honor more readily than the cherry does a white kimono."

"Hai, I will be strong."

"See that you are. I must go now."

"Thank you Nagoro-san."

"You are welcome, Ichiro-san. Good evening."

Ichiro waits for Nagoro to end the call and the screen flickers off a second later.

[Lars (Ichiro) e-mail follows]

Ichiro returns back from the bar prepared to continue business. The conversation did not seem to change his demeanor.

"Junkyard-san, my inquiries have not tipped the scales. I agree further combat support is needed, but allow me the honor of relinquishing this decision to you. Mirage or Blaze, either will suit our mission. Be assured that I look forward to serving at either of their sides," says Ichiro with a respectfully bowed head and open hands.

Ichiro sits up at the table and holds the pocket secretary out towards his companion. "The pool of runners at our disposal does not include a decker nor a rigger. While the rigger is only needed as an emergency evacuated, a decker is critical. A decker will be able to provide us maps of the facility, provide electronic support of any deception our team develops, and will be able to provide overwatch during the actual execution. I will be asking Ms. Fung to recommend a decker to approach for the mission. If she does not comply, then I strongly suggest we subcontract a decker for essential operatons."

Ichiro pauses to let the determination of his statements sink in. "If a decker is not available, let me suggest a possible alternatives. We may want to consider passing over Haymaker for the detective, Moriarty. He does not have the combat abilities, but he will be able to obtain information to help prepare for the mission and will have supplementary electronics abilities. This is of course a gamble, for if he cannot provide useful information we will be handicapped during the operation. Your thoughts on this matter would be appreciated."

Ichiro waits patiently for Junkyard to add his comments.

[Tim (Junkyard) e-mail follows]

Junkyard nods his assent, and weighs in with his expertise, "Ichiro-san, I believe I will need information from Ms. Fung before I can determine the necessity of a decker. If the facility can be isolated from the Matrix, then commissioning the services of a decker could be a waste of resources."

"As to the decision between Blaze and Mirage, I will go with my instincts on this one. I've learned that trusting one's instincts usually leads to better outcomes; it's a trick I picked up from my dog Rascal. Anyways, my gut tells me to go with Mirage, given his better knowledge of security systems and the like. I am a little concerned about his preference for using a shotgun, but he seems to also understand the need for stealth. If you really have no preference, then Mirage gets my vote."

"I agree that having a rigger on call could be handy, but I don't know what sort of advance we'll have to operate with. The true usefulness of having a rigger on retainer will also ultimately depend on the location of the facility and a number of other factors about which we really don't yet have enough information."

"It seems like we are mostly in agreement, so perhaps we should contact Ms. Fung again and take the job. We can inform her of our choices and ask the necessary questions about the facility and the two individuals we'll be sneaking in there."

Junkyard finishes with one last comment, "I almost forgot to tell you, Ichiro- san. I'll be bringing my dog Rascal along for the run as well. Trust me when I say that I'm only half as useful without him. I hope you don't have any objections about that, 'cause it's not really open for discussion."

Junkyard's final words carry a tone of severity without being threatening; there's obviously something more to this dog of his than he lets on. The young man then assumes his lopsided grin again, perfectly content to let Ichiro have the last word.

[Lars (Ichiro) e-mail follows]

"Mirage it is then. Your instincts follow mine on this matter," a slight smile playing on Ichiro's face.

Ichiro nods in agreement with a slight look of self disapproval at Junkyard's decker comments. "You are correct, Junkyard-san. I have made an assumption that could have weakened our resources and position with Ms. Fung. We shall ask her about the facilities matrix connectiuon before proceeding. I apologize for my assumptions."

"I have learned in our short time together, that you will not endanger our mission to serve your whims. If your animal companion is important, then I am sure he will serve us well."

Ichiro glances at his green and silver flat panel watch. "I believe Ms. Fung is expecting us." Ichiro activates his earplug phone and calls the fixer.

Junkyard's Tale

It was a Saturday night when I got a call from a certain Ms. Fung. It’s a good thing I had already taken Rascal for a walk, because I needed to go meet with her and this Ichiro guy about a job. I don’t normally like trekking all the way downtown, but that’s where the work was leading me, so I packed up my toolkit, making sure I grabbed my white noise generator, and left to catch the tube.

I dusted myself off a little before walking into the bar. It wasn’t super high class, but it didn’t feel quite like the “come as you are” kind of place that Moon’s is. I thought lots of this shadowrunning business went down at Moon’s, but I guess not everybody meets there. If they did, the corp and government types would catch wind of it, and we’d all be had.

Fortunately for me, the bar was a little more laid back than I expected. Unfortunately, the beefy Japanese guy seated across from the woman I figured to be Ms. Fung was anything but laid back. Dressed to the nines and wearing a blank expression, he looked like one of those trid characters, a real “corporate muscle” type.

After the meets and greets, Ichiro and I got right into the business of selecting our team. Much to my surprise, we seemed to agree on most points, and he deferred just a little to my expertise with security systems and such. To hear him talk, I’m glad he’s looking after the tactical situation. That way, all I have to worry with is getting past security.

Ichiro warmed up a little, when I let slip my knowledge of Japanese. I’m not too sure about such things, but I get the impression he’s either Yakuza or used to be. I could care less, so long as he gives me room to work and make the calls regarding my end of the job.

Well, we finally settled up on who we wanted to call in for the job. Ichiro excused himself to call Ms. Fung back, but stopped short when the breaking news report began blaring over the trid screen in the bar. Just our luck: one of the runners we had planned on calling just got himself geeked, along with a couple of his chummers. From the looks of things, they got a little to rowdy and greedy in that Bison of theirs. Well, I guess I’ll be going at the breaking and entering activities alone, now that Haymaker has made himself permanently unavailable. I wonder if those boys will end up on Moon’s wall? I wonder if I’ll end up there…

Whoa…I gotta avoid that kind of thinking. That’s what gets you geeked. Letting your mind wander and starting all that second-guessing drek. You gotta be able to trust your weapon, your tools, and your squad. If you run around questioning everything, you hesitate and lose whatever advantage you may have had. Here’s to hoping the folks we are bringing in for the job are just as dependable as my trusty pliers.

After filling Ms. Fung in on our choices, we agree to meet with her and the rest of the team tomorrow night. In the meanwhile, Ichiro and I will prepare what we can, based on the additional information Ms. Fung gave us. I’m a little worried how the two folks we’ll be escorting into the facility will handle themselves. As long as they do their job and pull their weight when the drek hits the fan, we should be alright. The one thing that’s really motivating me this time around is the sweet payoff. Upwards of 15kY each, if we keep expenses down and get the job done in time, as well as the possibility of bonuses for extra paydata we dig up.

Sunday passed with little happening, as far as I was concerned. I gather up my gear, leaving Rascal and my Savalette at home, since I know this Russian place Ichiro wants the team to meet at doesn’t cater to those who carry. I know Rascal is rarely allowed into places, and I figure I can at least leave my stun baton at the door. I’d rather not be caught with nothing more than my toolkit and wits if something should go down.

The team finally congregates around 8 PM. Ichiro and I have arrived early, and I’ve taken care to cover us with my white noisemaker. Ichiro’s tried to make a few attempts at small talk, but I was busy fiddling with my pocket secretary and reviewing what sort of gear might be necessary. I get a little involved with tinkering and checking for radio chatter on my headware commlink, so I barely say much to the various team members who arrive. The shogtun assassin Mirage arrives right after Zira the Monkey shamsn. They both come off a little wet behind the ears for the sort of shadow work we’ve been called for, but I guess I am as well. Boosting a few cars and relieving Fort Lewis and other places of their “forgotten” hardware may keep me and Rascal off the streets, but it can’t pay like this shadowrunning work does. Finally, a fairly grizzled dwarf makes his way towards us. The stogie stuck in the corner of his mouth has been chewed past the point of smoking, but I don’t think he much cares. From his walk and his bearing, I can tell this is Jax, the former UCAS sergeant. Before I can stop myself, I’ve snapped to attention and returned his greeting in a crisp military fashion. Old habits die hard, I suppose.

At least I’m paying attention now, since Ichiro wants to get right down to business. We exchange contact information with the crew and share with them what little intel we’ve gotten so far. One order of business that needed my attention was Mirage’s lack of a radio. I was surprised that he didn’t have one, when the shaman Zira did, but I at least knew that Kitsune could score me one by tomorrow morning. I called him up before it was too late and told him what I needed. I knew he’d catch flak from his old lady, so I figured I’d sweeten the pot a little with some extra nuyen when I dropped in to pay for the micro-transceiver in the morning.

With that taken care of, we moved on to the other concerns of the mission. Ichiro kept hammering at the idea of a rigger for support and strategic withdrawal, and the job of obtaining one somehow fell to me. The rest of the team would set about conducting whatever sort of surveillance they preferred, and everyone would rendezvous at lunchtime tomorrow. I decided to go home and pick up Rascal, in case I wanted to scope the place out for myself. Zira was going to scout the place astrally, while Jax stood watch over her meat-bod in some coffin hotel. Ichiro set about to calling his pals in high places, with the intent of meeting up with Mirage and checking the place out from the inside, under the guise of corp types. I wasn’t too clear on what Mirage planned to do with his evening, but we’d all find out what happened the next day.

I got back with Rascal and met up with Sgt. Jax at the coffin hotel. Zira was still scouting out the mojo side of things, so Rascal and I sat down to wait. I discussed the plans with Jax, and he agreed to continue the conversation I’d started with Maksim about obtaining a rigger. All Maksim could offer up was another ex-military sort who was intent on his combat chopper. Our mission required a little more discretion, but I didn’t have the time to take care of it myself, so Jax would try to cover it before our team met for lunch tomorrow.

I waited around until Zira got back and reported on her Astral recon efforts. After assessing what she had found with Jax, I decided to abandon my recon plans in favor of seeing what tomorrow might bring.

As we came to find out at lunch on Monday, it’s a good thing I didn’t go snooping, because Mirage did and got caught in the act. According to what Ichiro’s source said, Mirage had been apprehended by the security boys at the building and turned over to Lonestar. Given his lack of a SIN, it’s no surprise that he had an “unfortunate accident”. I wonder a little about who Ichiro might know on the inside that could inform him of such happenings, but I figure it’s just best to stay on his good side and not get caught busting into this building on our upcoming run. With my old military SIN, I know exactly where I’d end up, and I really don’t think Leavenworth is where I want to be.

The decision was made to call in one of the other prospects we had considered, another assassin sort who was a known ex-Yak soldier. Fortunately for us, this Blaze character had a good fixer contact who hooked us up with a rigger named Frank, who agreed to meet with us that very evening.

With a full team again, everyone set about sharing their intel, so that we were all up to speed. Ms. Fung was called about the change in our roster, and Ichiro arranged for a time and place where we could meet with her and the two packages we’d be escorting. Ichiro and his contacts proved quite valuable, since he had turned up the various Lonestar frequencies for me to monitor, and he had scoped out the target building from the inside. I had failed to gain access through the front door, but with this new intel, I intended to check out the building myself, using a vehicle to gain access through the garage. I was content to let Ichiro delegate duties for the rest of the team, and I cut out to head home and pick up Rascal. I might need someone watching my six during my afternoon recon.

I took a bit of a detour on the way home and boosted a van. Some guy caught me in the act, but didn’t seem to care all that much. I doubt he believed the lie I told him about losing my keys, but I haven’t caught any heat yet, so I guess I’m in the clear. I went ahead and went home to get Rascal and some gear to set up a couple of minicams in strategic places in the building. With any luck, I’d be able to monitor their feeds and get an idea of the security camera coverage and guard activities in the garage and the lobby. During my afternoon activities within the target building, it occurred to me that I was really out of place in this part of town. Since we plan to make the run tonight, I’ll have to deal with any fallout from that later.

The team meets up again at Louie’s Shrimpboat restaurant, where we manage to cut a deal with Big Frank the Ork rigger. He’ll drive us in and pick us up when we call for 5 kY if all goes well, and we’ll cut him in for a full share if he takes any fire. We then move locations again to meet with Ms. Fung and the two packages at some Italian joint. I understand the need for secrecy, but Ichiro is wearing us out by moving the meets all over downtown. At least Firenze's is explicitly not a Mafia front.

The call goes in to Ms. Fung, and the packages arrive a while later. I’m a little thrown off when they question my decision to only have a couple of backup frequencies, but after a little discussion, I realize that they are just new to the game. They’ve obviously been well-trained, but they may not have had as much experience as some of our crew. Like I said before, if they get their job done without compromising us or becoming a liability, then I’ll have no complaints.

We planned on starting the run later that night, so everything is put into motion. Some decent sneaking on the part of Zira and Blaze put them into position to take out the one guard at the garage entrance. Zira slings some whiz mojo; I’ve never seen a guy just freeze up like that. No time to wonder, since it’s my turn to take point. Little did I realize I spend much of the night out in the lead, risking my hoop to take out multiple layers of security systems.

Anyways, a few choice camera spoofs, and I managed to get the team safely into one of the elevator shafts. It’s a good thing the whole squad was in shape, because we had 27 floors of climbing ahead of us. A brief stop at the tenth floor to bypass some security measures allowed us access to the higher floors that Ichiro had not been able to see during the day. I encountered some particularly tough maglocks and alarm systems at the access panel for the 25th floor. My attempts to open it set off a silent alram, which caused security to open up the elevator shaft and take a look. Sgt. Jax was covering our six and managed to scramble for good cover just in time. The rest of us were far enough away, and the security team dismissed it as a false alarm. With the potential disaster averted, the rest of our team hussles on through the access panel and I seal it behind us. At this point, we may be taking a roof exit out of here, depending on how much the heat gets turned up on the lower floors.

Getting out onto the 26th floor is no small task. Fortunately, the stillness and silence that greets us when the elevator shaft doors are opened prompts me to check for some serious security measures. I pat a little dust off of my coverall, and it reveals the lasers that crisscross the room.I manage to wriggle under the lowest one and start disabling the sensors. I spend almost half an hour scooting around on the floor, taking out sensors. The rest of the team, who I’ve left hanging in the elevator shaft start getting antsy. I manage to get them to lay off until I’m done, since the radio chatter is making my job really difficult. Once the team can safely step out in front of the elevator, I let them know. When Jax arrives and takes a look around with his dwarf eyes, he clues us all in to the presence of security drones in the corners.

At this point, my nerves are almost fried, but I have to take out at least four more sensors to get us to the nearest stairwell access. My dusty coveralls trick isn’t working anymore, and nobody seems to have anything other than smoke grenades to show me where the lasers are. After some prodding, the female tech we’re escorting comes up with the powder from her makeup kit. Armed with cosmetics, I get right back to work, trying my darnedest to avoid tripping the sensors and hoping that Jax and Ichiro can handle the drones if I fail.

After sweating my way through disabling those four sensors, I have to jimmy the lock on the stairwell door, which opens onto a stair filled with IR light. Jax takes a peek and confirms the presence of two cameras that cover the route we need to take. There’s no way I’m sneaking past these things without help. I was sure we were out of options when Zira came up with a wild plan. She offered to transform me into some sort of small critter using her Monkey mojo. If she could, I knew my signature would be less, and I’d stand a good chance of scooting under the camera’s field of view. After a couple of tries, I suddenly found myself naked and in the shape of a large snake. Zira had promised me it would wear off, so I grabbed my toolkit in my mouth and slithered up the stairs. When Jax confirmed my position under the camera, Zira called off her spell.

So, there I stood, butt naked under a security camera. I shrugged and got to work. At this point, I’m probably too damn frazzled to care if anyone sees me in my birthday suit. Once that camera is spoofed, Zira works her mojo again, and off I slither up the next run of stairs. After spoofing that camera, I feel confident we can get onto the 27th floor without being seen, so I hussle back down the stairs and back into my clothes and armored coverall. I definitely don’t want to be caught with my pants down when the drek hits the fan on the other side of that door.

By the looks of things, the rest of the group is a little stunned by my nudity, but I’ve got a job to do. As soon as I’m ready, we head up the stairs and make our way into a fairly empty room that occupies much of the 27th floor. There’s a big round enclosure in the center, and what seems to be three other stairwell accesses in the other corners. I check the door on the round room and can’t find any security measures.

Much as I suspected, the drek hits the fan when I open that door. Before I even know what’s happening, a series of flashpaks has blindsided most of us. Then, I get torn up by some kind of demon wolf thing. It’s only much later that I find out what happened in that room, because I was overcome by the worst fear I could possibly imagine. Blaze and I were both sent running by the wolves, and we made it back down to the elevator shaft before the effect wore off.

By the sound of things after the fact, Jax and Ichiro held their own and took out two wolves while Zira forced the other two critters to tear each other to death. In that short time, our packages have buttoned up and secured their package, some kind of weird green orb that’s probably magic.

We decide to make our getaway and head back to the elevator shaft. It’s a good thing that the item the techs are hauling seems to weigh little, because we have agreed that an escape to a nearby rooftop is our best choice. Even after Zira finds a magic door to the roof in the top of the elevator shaft, I agree with Jax’s idea to grapple over to one of the neighboring buildings, where the security is much lower.

I manage to bypass the security on one of the shuttered windows on the 25th floor and shoot a grapple across to a rooftop lower than our current position. The rest of the team hussles down the line as I get started on spoofing the security between us and the garage under this building. At least these elevators go all the way down. Ichiro makes the call to Frank and confirms our rendezvous. A few more spoofed cameras in the garage and another whiz spell from Zira, and we’re piling into Frank’s van. We make a quick pass back by the target building to pick up Rascal, who I had left skulking in the garage to provide me some eyes and ears in case something started going down.

The call goes into Ms. Fung and Zira works a little healing mojo for Mirage. The cyberware the rest of us are sporting keeps her from healing us as effectively, and we are soon out of time, as Frank is dropping us off to make the handoff. We leave the packages in the care of Ms. Fung and take our leave. Most of us are a little worse for the wear and need some time at home for R&R. Before we part ways, it occurs to me to share something with the team that I noticed while we were sneaking through the high-security floors. I thought I had recognized the logos, and a quick refrence on my pocket secretary confirmed it: the facility was Saeder-Krupp owned, but, by the looks of the security, it wasn’t a real high profile project. I guess they figured nobody would bother looking there.

I don’t know much about corp politics, but I’d rather not have the biggest megacorp of all on my tail. I really hope there’s no fallout from this run, but right now my nerves are too shot and I’m too torn up from demon wolves to care. I’m just glad I can heal up at home without worrying about the hospital.

In the end, the pay is good. Rascal and I take home 17.4 kY. Not bad for a couple of mutts.