Official Tensided Cyperpunk RPG Campaign

[Marcao]

It was impossible for him to miss the Cadillac as it moved through the street as if it owned it. Damn, brand new too? His eyes followed the car, immediately aware that he would likely be asked to step inside and if he did, his backup would be unable to offer assistance in case negotiations broke down. He frowned slightly, his thoughts confirmed a moment later when the muscular man with the soulless eyes motioned for him to enter the vehicle. He could see no weapons, armor or cybernetics but that did not mean they were not there. It was a nice suit though and he doubted the man would want to get blood in it. He took a deep breath, deciding that the prudent thing to do was see what hand fate would deal him. He really did need a job to keep his mind at ease, and the money never hurt.

He took a step forward and then another, his eyes darting about his surroundings for a moment as if looking for something. He stopped moving in the edge of the sidewalk, his posture changing slightly his weight transferred to his right in a curious motion. In the fifth floor and the roof, Jose catches the signal, meaning that it looked good but to wait a while. The AK-47 beneath him was a good weapon, and through the scope he could partially see the man in the suit. If Ernesto got inside that car, there was nothing they could do. And so he waited, confident that Ernesto knew what the hell he was doing and that he was getting that six-pack that he promised.

He watched the muscled man for only a moment longer before nodding and bending down a bit, his eyes trying to see if there were anymore friends inside as well as what spot inside the vehicle had been designated at his own. A heartbeat later he was trying to move inside the vehicle, his black leather jacket, mirror shades, black jeans and leather boots making him stand out like a blemish in the face of movie star in comparison to the finely dressed muscle around him. Once he found his intended spot he would take a deep breath and look around, searching for the man that had made this trip possible. He was now away from the reach of his would be backup, but he was not terribly concerned. Without risk there was no reward, and he still had a card or two to fall back on if he needed it. The question now was what Andy had in mind, and if he would be able to deliver. He would not take a job that he did not have a chance to reasonably complete. He knew his limits, and disliked trying to mislead those that hired him. He wanted to hear what Andy had to say. After that, he would be able to tell him if he was the man he was looking for, or if what he wanted he could not complete.

The moment that Ernesto disappeared within the vehicle, Jose and his boyz would watch and wait. It was out of their power now, but they would do nothing but wait and watch until the Cadillac either drove of away from their line of sight or allowed Ernesto to exit the vehicle.

[Arthur_Tuxedo]

Ernesto Vega: The man Ernesto assumed to be a bodyguard turns out to be Andy himself as he is the first to speak. "Pleasure to meet you Mr. Vega." He extends his hand. "As your reputation preceeds you, and I feel no need to disclose my personal details, I'll keep this short." He motions to the driver "Take her around the block, Tony." As the car begins to move, he continues. "I know that you specialize in solving problems... people problems. Should you choose to accept my offer, you will work with a small group of individuals to take care of a very dangerous individual. Your pay will be five thousand dollars. If you're as good as you say, it should be a clean and quick job. The details are on this disk. Commit them to memory. The disk will destroy itself in one hour. If the offer is not to your liking, then we never met. I don't know who you are, and you do not know me. Do we have a deal?"

* * *

Dr. Lennox: Lennox takes two running steps toward the open window before the cop has a chance to fully take in the room and clambers out.

Coordination check
Difficulty 15
AT 10 (5 + 5)
d10 roll = (drumroll) 5 + 10 = 15
MoS = 0

Lennox almost slips and falls out the window, but barely manages to keep his balance enough to lower himself down so that the drop is not too painful. After picking himself up and dusting himself off, he sees the squad car. It looks like just one pair of cops came to make the arrest.

* * *

Stavis Reinheld: It becomes obvious that he is in fact talking about you as he stops and brings up his SMG. "Stop or I'll shoot." There's an alley you can duck into, some cars you can hide behind, or you can go down into the subway station.

* * *

Dirk Harrison and Blaine Richards:

Coordination check
Difficulty: 12
AT: 10 (5 + 5)
d10 roll: 6 + 10 = 16
MoS: 4

With a fair amount of grace for a heavy guy, Blaine vaults himself over the bar and lands in a crouch on the other side.

Coordination check
Difficulty: 12
AT: 14 (9 + 5)
d10 roll: 3 + 14 = 17
MoS: 5

Not to be outdone and realizing the good cover the thick oaken bar can proven, Dirk similarly hops the bar, drawing his Ruger in midair and covering the entrance upon landing.

The cops stream in, guns drawn, taking in the room. They obviously haven't spotted Dirk and Blaine yet.

EDIT: Range from both is 4 squares, just out of point blank.

[Gerard_Paloma]

Dirk's eyes dart to the bottle in the doorman's hand, and he licks his lips.

Just one drink, that shouldn't hurt, right?

"Not right now," Dirk says in a low growl. He snaps his gaze back forward, forgetting the sweet, sweet alcohol for the time being. Shoot first, drink later.

Dirk spends a second lining up the lead cop's head in his sights before squeezing the trigger. The corners of his mouth turn up slightly.

Squeal for me, piggy...

((point blank range, no penalties for just one round aiming, -4 for general targeting (head). And even though it doesn't say on my character sheet, I've got steel core rounds loaded up.))

EDIT 2: ((Since I started aiming last round, I can fire this round, the GM informed me. Also, since it's point blank, the modifiers are different, so I decided to aim for the head instead, since I'll still only need better than a 1.))

[CorSec]

The cops stream in, guns drawn, taking in the room. They obviously haven't spotted Dirk and Blaine yet.

EDIT: Range from both is 4 squares, just out of point blank.

((Is there anything under the bar that I can use as a weapon?))

"I still need to see your ID, sir," Blaine comments wryly to his other behind-the-bar companion. Blaine takes a hit from the bottle he brought with him, contorting his face as the harsh liquid assaults his throat. "Want some?" He asks, offering the bottle to Dirk.

[Alyrium Denryle]

Lennox almost slips and falls out the window, but barely manages to keep his balance enough to lower himself down so that the drop is not too painful. After picking himself up and dusting himself off, he sees the squad car. It looks like just one pair of cops came to make the arrest.

Dr. Lennox doesnt have much time. He sees the squad car...
"It may dangerous to try and steal that thing" He thinks to himself as he looks for an escape route that may be more plausible.

WHile he feverishly thinks he does have the sense of mind to move his head, away from the window.

If he cant find another escape route though, he may be forced to "borrow" the car.

((Essentially, if there isnt anoher, better escape route, I may have to steal that car. If there is a better way, or several better ways, please do let me know.))

[Utsanomiko]

With hindsight making it obvious, Stavis had already realized his first mistake was letting the cops get the drop on him. Never turst other schmucks keep the law off their backs, he knew all too well. Figures everytime the snoids get violent on me is cause of someone else was being conspicuous. Oi, they need to think about getting a trenchcoat if they want to do things of that sort.

Stavis' second mistake would depend on if his new decision to run and lose the cops will be able to play out. Sure, he could stop and play innocent while claiming that he had merely colleted his change from an unconnected call and the extra quarters were due to mechanical failure, but that story probably wouldn't match with the banged-up phone and a trenchcoat with enough equipment to burglarize an office building.

Plus it might not be a case of a stolen buck-fifty so much this month's four broken-into and 'borrowed' cars and several hundred dollars of stolen merchandise to turn up in pawn shops. And suppose they look into what I actually paid for that I'm wearing? These old boxers? The $40 shades, the cheap black tie, and the butterfly knife? No wait, I got this tie out of some apartment over by 23rd St., along with that box of cajun buffalo wings. Those were just marvelous; I wish I had some right now.

So Stavis takes things into overdrive as his lanky frame takes a run for the subway. "Sorry, but I got a meeting to attend right now! I'll drop by the station later and we'll disucss things then. Ciao!" he yells as he runs.

If there isn't a good-sized crowd or a waiting train down there, my second mistake was not taking the alley...

[Marcao]

The car was comfortable beneath him and as such, he allowed himself to settle a bit more into it. When the man that he had assumed to be a bodyguard turns out to be Andy himself he blinked. His expression shifting slightly from mild surprise to a bit of embarrassment. When Andy offered his hand, his right hand moved and reached for his own. His hold on it being firm but unassuming, immediately hinting at the nature of the man beside him. When he spoke of his reputation he said nothing, although he did nod when he spoke of keeping it short. “I prefer it that way Andy.” When he motioned to the driver, his eyes naturally followed the motion. The second he continued however, his eyes returned to his. His left hand moving as he removed his mirror shades and slid them into a pocket. He had always found it rude not to look at someone’s eyes when one talked business.

He did not reply to his words about his specialization. The fact was that there was no need for him to do so. He did blink when he spoke of working with a small group of people, but he said nothing. He did not wish to interrupt Andy in the middle of his pitch, he would speak of his reservations when the opportunity provided itself. He remained silent as his would be buyer continued, his eyes sliding towards the disk as he spoke of it. If there was not a disk reader in the car, he would have to make it back to his apartment to view it. His eyes sliding towards Andy and locking on his as he began to speak. “Your offer is fair Andy, and I will assure you that I will take it seriously.” He paused for a moment, tilting his head to the right as he continued. “If I decide that I cannot accomplish the job this meeting never took place. Of that you can rest assured. However, if I am to see the disk I will have to return to my apartment, unless you have a disc player somewhere within this fine automobile?” His eyes darted about for a moment before they returned to him.

”I will be honest with you. If I feel that I can accomplish this task, I will take the offer. If I feel that I cannot, I will tell you so and not waste your time. The pay is right, the fact that you think it can be a clean and quick job is also right. However, if I take the job I will give you my absolute best. I will give you one hundred and ten percent, all day and every day it takes to complete it. However, I cannot guarantee that the others will have my work ethic. As such, I must ask you if these people are professionals.” He paused, watching Andy for a moment. “Working with other people that I do not know introduces variables to my work.” He paused for a second. “I am not a social animal sir, but I can work with others. This does not mean however, that I am prepared to baby sit them. I will worry first and foremost for the mission and myself. Is that acceptable to you?” Honesty was his policy and the truth was that he preferred to work alone. If this people were professionals, then he would work with them especially if the job called for it. If they were not, they were more likely to get on his way than anything else. Still, if nothing else, they were living, breathing body bags. He could use that.

[Arthur_Tuxedo]

Dirk Harrison and Blaine Richards:
Dirk vs. cop
Difficulty: 20
Range: 4 squares (point blank, +5 to hit, relaxed aiming) ((my last post stating that it was just outside of point blank was in error, it's just inside))
AT: 18
Modifiers: +5 for point blank, -4 for general targeting: head, -1 for recoil on second shot
Adjusted AT: 19, 18
d10 roll for first shot: 15 + 19 = 29 ((btw, the d10 is open-ended meaning that if you roll a 10, you roll another d10 and add the result))
MoS: 14 (2nd degree critical)
Specific location (head, d12): 3 (left temple)
Opponent's Resistance: 10 (20 / 2 for Armor Piercing)
Damage (2d10): None (3 - 10 Resistance) ((damn, I had high hopes for this one, was looking to be messy))
d10 roll for second shot: 3 + 18 = 21
MoS: 1
Specific location (head, d12): 12 (throat)
Damage (1d10): 8 ((He wasn't wearing any armor on his throat, so it's only 50% damage but 0 Resistance))
50% Threshold exceeded

Dirk takes aim at the cop who still doesn't see him and gleefully squeezes the trigger. The crack of the .44 magnum revolver reverberates from every wall in the club as the muzzle flash dramatically lights up the room. The first shot glances alongside the thick helmet of the officer, causing him to flinch reflexively. The bullet continues on to put a hole in the wall.

The officer is not so lucky the second time, as the bullet finds his throat. Blood and bits of spinal cord spray everywhere, and the policeman drops instantly as his central nervous system has a gaping hole put through it, killing him as instantly as any death could possibly come. Due to the round's supersonic nature, he never even heard the crack of the gunshot.

The other two assault cops scramble for cover.

Blaine remembers the flechette loaded shotgun under the bar. It's in a locked compartment to which he happens to have the key. A quick turn reveals the Mossberg 590 pump action 12 gauge in all it's black rubber and steel glory.

((That was fun, finally someone got shot ))

Dr. Lennox: The squad car is unlocked, but the keys aren't in the ignition. It would have to be hotwired. On the other hand, there are plenty of fence's and people's yards around here, and Lennox knows that there's a subway station 3 blocks from here. There's also a manhole leading to the sewer, although it is quite heavy as manholes are wont to be. Lastly, across the semi-busy street there's an alleyway behind the stores there.

Stavis Reinheld: Stavis runs down the metro station stairway as two loud cracks from a high powered magnum ring from the nightclub. The cop stops and looks back to the club, hesistating.

Ernesto Vega: Andy lets the silence hang a few seconds before responding. "To answer your first question, Mr. Vega, I will call you after the destruction of the disk. A simple yes or no is all that needs to be said. As for your second, we only hire professionals and veterans. Do your part, and I'm sure they will do theirs."

The car stops back in front of Ernesto's apartment building. "If there's nothing else..." he says as he opens the door.

[Gerard_Paloma]

Dirk's grin widens as the dead cop falls to the floor. The spray of warm blood was refreshing.

Another one bites the dust...

He tracks the remaining two cops with his gun, lining one up even as the officer dives for cover.

((Aiming this round. Dirk is as low behind the bar as possible.))

[Utsanomiko]

Stavis jumps down the last 4 steps of the staircase, hoping that whatever he finds at the bottom involves an escape route.

[Alyrium Denryle]

Dr. Lennox: The squad car is unlocked, but the keys aren't in the ignition. It would have to be hotwired. On the other hand, there are plenty of fence's and people's yards around here, and Lennox knows that there's a subway station 3 blocks from here. There's also a manhole leading to the sewer, although it is quite heavy as manholes are wont to be. Lastly, across the semi-busy street there's an alleyway behind the stores there.

Dr. Lennox quicky decides against the car... that would be suicide... So he(as quickly and silently as he can) makes his way to the subway station, the cops here were on to him, and he needed to be... somewhere else. He took as direct a route as possible, while still puting physical barriers like fences and entire buildings between himself and the police(as many as he can) ANd trying to make sure any patroling cops didnt see him.

[CorSec]

Blaine Richards, Murderer. The title does have a ring to it. Too bad it's a sour note in Richards' ears. Sure, I've done illegal things. He thinks to himself. But I've never killed someone. Blaine is no stranger to the malice of the city, but he's never shot at someone with the intent to kill them.

As his hands pull the Mossberg from its hiding place, two shots ring out. His ears filter out the harmful sound but not their effect. Even though he couldn't see the target he swears he could feel the body hit the ground. Any peaceful intention the cops may have had are completely gone. Anyone remaining in the club was going to leave in a body bag or as a bloodied survivor.

Blaine wanted to mourn the loss of life that just occurred. He wanted to mourn the loss of his humanity that was about to occur. Time was not a luxury he had. There'd be time enough for counting when the dealing's done. He wasn't quite sure where that thought came from but it made good sense, if a bit macabre.

He could have easily drawn his own handgun and joined the fray, but with his limitations he knew the shotgun was a much more prudent choice. Point and click.

Blaine rose to a half crouch; just enough to see over the bar. He saw one of the cops running for some cover. He brought the shotgun to bear on the target and gently squeezed the trigger, trying not to over-anticipate when the hammer would fall.

Point.

And.

Click.

((General targeting rules.

Spot inquiry: What kind of weapons are the cops carrying? Lethal or non-lethal? How many targets - cops and other - are there? [VP and Radar check]

After firing, Blaine ducks back behind the bar.))

[Arthur_Tuxedo]

((Since Ernesto is separated from everyone else, I don't see any harm in executing this turn now))

Dirk Harrison and Blaine Richards:
Dirk crouches low behind the bar, lining up another cop as he crouches behind a table. The cover provided by the thin wooden table is nothing compared to that of the oak bar, but in addition to his heavy body armor, it might make things difficult. Only Dirk's gun and above his eyes are exposed.

Blaine comes up, quickly lines up one of the cops in his bead sight, and fires.

Blaine vs. cop:
Difficulty: 20
Range: 4 squares (point blank, +5)
AT: 5 ((You know, if you're going to use a weapon, you should really pick up some points in it))
Modifiers: +5 for point blank, +1 for spread, -3 for moving target
Adjusted AT: 8
d10 roll: 8 + 8 = 16

Forgetting to lead the moving officer in the heat of the confrontation, Blaine sends a hail of fleschettes to imbed harmlessly in the wall.

Blaine also notices that the officers are carrying Colt M5s in an SMG configuration. Definitely lethal. Also, there are two cops in the bar and one more outside running back toward the entrance. There are about 70 people in the disorganized mob, about half of which has reached the exits, and the other half are still scattered about.

Stavis Reinheld:
A passing train rolls up just as Stavis needs it, waiting to take him to safety.

Dr. Lennox:
Stealth quickly proves to be futile as the cop sticks his head out the window to see the good doctor running. They both run down the stairs to catch up.

Lennox vs. cops: extended roll, CMoS of 20 or -10 ends the chase, Lennox starts with CMoS 10 because of his head start.
Difficulty: 6
Lennox's AT: 2 (he knows the area better than them)
d10 roll for Dr. Lennox: 2 + 2 = 4
MoS: -2
Lennox's CMoS: 8
Cops' AT: 0
d10 roll for cops: 18 ((open-ended d10 and all))
MoS: 12
Cops' CMoS: 12

Rushing down the steps, the cops anticipate where Lennox is going and split up to try and pincer him. He runs through a narrow alley and realizes his mistake when he sees one cop in front of him and the other behind. He manages to clamber over the fence and continue the chase, but they definitely have the edge over him now.

EDIT: Fixed two mistakes in my post.

[Alyrium Denryle]

"Oh hell" Dr. Lennox thought to himself as he desperatly attempts to escape... He consideres using a few of his special talents to gain the upper hand. He makes a quick choice, and as he is running from the fence he just climbed over, he looks back, and attempts to send them into a world of pain that they could not possibly imagine.

[Gerard_Paloma]

Dirk swears under his breath as the flechettes fly wide of their intended target. The flying metal would definitely keep the pigs on their toes, though.

Dirk brings his gun to rest in the general direction of the crouching cop, and fires, his grin quickly returning.

((Random targeting.))

[Marcao]

Andy had all of his attention, his eyes watching him as the silence hug about the inside of his vehicle. When he chose to answer his first question he nodded, acknowledging without words that it was a satisfactory arrangement. When he continued and spoke of all that was necessary he almost smiled. His right hand moving as he tried to pick up the disk and watch it for a moment before slipping it into a pocket. “I can work with that.” When he spoke of only hiring professionals and veterans he nodded. “Then I am sure that I will not have a problem working with them.” Still, he had no intentions of putting his life on the line for people that had not earned his respect. As far as he was concerned, his would be allies were all expendable if the need arose.

He felt the car stop, his head turning and glancing outside the tinted window. They were back before his apartment building, his eyes sliding towards Andy after he spoke. He opened the door, and his eyes slid to the sidewalk past it. Was there something else? A moment later, he began to speak once more. “Actually there are two more things. If I choose to accept this assignment, I will require at least half of the money in advance.” It was standard procedure. He was not certain of what he may need in order to complete the assignment. He may need the money to bribe a few people, to purchase a new tool or gather some information through other means. In order to do that, he needed currency. His right hand moved, disappearing into another pocket and retrieving a pen and a small notepad. He opened the pad, writing down into the paper a series of numbers. “You can transfer the money into this account.” His eyes watched Andy for a moment before he continued. “Furthermore, if I accept your offer you will need to contact me about meeting the others. You may call me to do this. If you feel that the phones are not secure, you may contact me at this email.” He wrote down the email, adding beneath it the encryption key he was using as well as the name of the encryption protocol. When he was done, the piece of paper was ripped off and handed to Andy. “I look forward to giving you an answer to your offer Andy.” If he could do it, he would certainly agree. There was something about Andy that he liked.

”now if you will excuse me?” He glanced down at the watch on his right wrist, smiling for a moment before he glanced at Andy once more. “I have fifty four minutes before the disk self-destructs.” He nodded to him, moving to exit the vehicle and close the door behind him. He did not look back, walking quickly into the building and heading straight for the stairs and his room. The door leading to his room was unlocked and closed behind him. His steps taking him to the kitchen, the fridge opened and the six-pack he had promised Jose retrieved. He walked back out into the hallway, scrambling up the stairs before he arrived before Jose’s apartment. He knocked on the door using the same pattern as before, Jose’s eyes watching him past the slit a moment later.

“Hey Ernesto, you are still alive eh?” Jose’s stone was smug, the fact that he had watched him exit the vehicle clear upon his face. “I take it the gringo turned out to be trustworthy?”

He chuckled softly, rolling his shoulders in a shrug. “That remains to be seen. Still, so far so good. I have your six-pack Jose, I am going to leave it right here outside your door. I would love to stay and share a cool one with you, but I still got work to do. Thanks for the assist.” He leaned down, the sound of glass bumping against each other emitted from the beers as they were placed down. “Adios Jose.” He nodded, and turned on his heels walking down the stairs and back into his room. Once inside, he walked straight into the living room and removed the disc from his pocket. He watched it carefully, walking to his laptop and waiting for a minute or so as it set itself up. Afterwards he popped the disk inside and waited to see what job Andy had in mind. He was not concerned about the target, for it was not really an issue. If it was human, it could be killed. What he was worried about was the difficulty of the task. He would not take a job that was suicidal in nature, nor would he take a job that would require an obscene amount of effort to perform. What he was interested in was the details. Who was it that Andy wanted removed? Why did Andy need a team of professionals to accomplish this? What sort of security would be involved? How many bodyguards? What connections existed? If it was a man, woman or child was not a concern of his. All that concerned him were his chances for success.

[Utsanomiko]

Stavis stands up from his jump, his quickly-beating heart rises upon the sight of the needed subway train. He slides his trenchcoat off his shoulders, and begins to takes it off and fold it under his left arm as he begins to run for the train. He presses it against his body (covering his shoulder holster from view) as he additionally pulls the hair clip out of his ponytail.

This should buy me time if the cop's still on my tail, Stavis rationalized. Or should I say, on Mr. Grey-coat-and-blonde-ponytail's tail. I hate it when someone gets the drop on me; it's no fun unless *I* get the drop on *them*.

It was still around one in the morning, so Stavis' normal expectation of this hours passengers included drunks, hobos, a few occasional night-shift blue-collar workers, and some rag-tag punks, gang-members, and the like, but nobody he couldn't reason with or get the drop on, worse comes to worse.

When Stavis hops on the car, sits down to catch his breath, he'll assess and compare this assumption to the current passengers, consider his options as to where to go (there's a few other bars and joints on this side of town, but Stavis will stay in the subway untill he's more than several blocks away from The Third Degree), and probably later figure out where he can eat or crash/hide for the evening.

Stavis' initial hope of staying to watch/pick up after the carnage definitely dwindles as he crosses the subway station, his footsteps echoing between long strides. His nervousness of the (likely still pursuing) cop has all but dissapated now into his new stream of thoughts as reaches for the doorway of the subway train.

((A dollar and a half goes a long way when you don't have to spend cash to get what you want, afterall. ))

[CorSec]

Blaine curses to himself as he pumps a new round into the shotgun. Someday, I may actually learn to use one of these things. He glanced over at Dirk to see him readying his next shot. He's as cool as a cucumber. If we make it out of this he can have all the damn drinks he wants.

Blaine cursed again as he reminded himself that he was in a fight to the death, and in order to survive it would involve a lot more shooting and a lot less thinking.

He rose to a half crouch again, this time taking a little longer to aim before firing another round.

A ham and cheese sandwhich would taste great right now.

[Arthur_Tuxedo]

Dr. Lennox:
Feeling himself to be in a tight spot, Benjamin reaches out with his mind to touch the mind of one of his pursuers in an attempt to convince the man's brain to send signals of intense pain throughout his body. It is a cruel thing to do, but sometimes necessity overrides morality.

((You didn't say how much pain you were causing (it's +1 Difficutly for every -1 to the victim's AT) so I'll assume it's -4))

Sensory implanation: Lennox vs. cop
Difficulty: 19 (Willpower 5 + Telepathy stand-in 5 + constant 5 + Difficulty modifier 4)
AT: 17
Modifiers: -1 for first action of Multiple Actions
Adjusted AT: 16
d10 roll: 1 + 17 = 18 ((ouch, a 1. Good thing I haven't gotten around to including botches, eh? It wouldn't have been a botch though anyway, the MoS isn't low enough.))
MoS: -1

Just as the doctor feels himself breaking through the officer's meagre defenses, he trips over a sprinkler and has to catch his balance, ruining the attempt. Oh well, this cop's mental barriers are so close to non-existant that a second attempt should be child's play. Still, the task at hand is to lose those cops.

The getaway: Lennox vs. Cops
Difficulty: 6
Lennox's AT: 2
Modifiers: -3 for second action of a multiple action
Adjusted AT: -1
d10 roll: 19 - 1 = 18 ((wow))
MoS: 12
Lennox CMoS: 20
Cops' AT: 0
d10 roll: 3
Mos: -3
Cops' CMoS: 9

As Benjamin clambers over another fence, he hears the cop behind him trip over that same damn sprinkler, only the officer isn't quite as agile and falls flat on his face! The other cop is nowhere in sight at the moment, however, and could be quite bothersome.

Stavis Reinheld:
Safely aboard the metro, all Stavis has to do now is wait a few stops and go on with his life. It's not as if the officer ever got a decent look at his face. The subway train is filled with the usual variety of no goods and miscreants, but none look particularly threatening.

Dirk Harrison and Blaine Richards:
As Blaine spends his time aiming, Dirk squeezes off two more shots.

Shooting: Dirk vs. cop
Difficulty: 20
Range: 6
AT: 18
Modifiers: -3 for 1 second aim
Adjusted AT: 15
d10 roll for 1st shot: 9 + 15 = 24
MoS: 4
General location: 6 (Body)
Specific location: 1 (L. clavicle)
Damage: None (9 - 13 Resistance)

d10 for 2nd shot: 8 + 15 = 23
MoS: 3
General location: 5 (Body)
Specific location: 3 (L. Torso)
Damage: None (10 - 13 Resistance)

As soon as Dirk acquires the squaddie in his sights, he squeezes off a shot, then another as soon as he brings the gun back on target. Both hit the officer on the left side of his body, but neither penetrates. Even armor piercing rounds with the power of .44 Magnum behind them aren't enough to get through the heavy composite body armor.

With heavy bruises from the impacts already forming, the trooper yells to his partner "Shit! Call for backup!" His partner fumbles for the radio.

After yelling this command, the one who got shot angrily returns fire without bothering to aim.

Shooting: Cop vs. Dirk
Difficulty: 20
Range: 6
AT: 12
Modifiers: -10 for not aiming, -2 for recoil, +2 for full auto
Adjusted AT: 2
d10 roll: 8 + 2 = 10
Mos: -10

His long burst doesn't even come close, and the semi-dark conditions prevent him from being able to walk the stream toward his target effectively. Blaine and Dirk are showered with alcoholic drinks and bits of broken glass from the bottles that the bullets rip into.

The third cop comes huffing and puffing back through the entrance.

Ernesto Vega:
The disk contains information about the target as promised. It seems there's a certain researcher gone rogue that needs to be eliminated. Who he worked for and what he was researching is on a need to know basis, and of course, you don't need to know.

He has no combat training himself, but has taken his work to a fortified position, recently discovered, and never leaves. Besides a few robotic sentries (3 Centurion MK2s, basically roughly man-sized platform that rolls around on a track with a .50 cal machine gun on it, very nasty), a few of the more elite guards went missing around the same time he did, and are probably protecting him. They are extensively cybered and well trained and equipped. The kicker is that the researcher has designed a device to scan for the IFF chip the unnamed corporation places in its workers, which necesitates outsourcing the job. The researcher is to be eliminated and his computers and all backups destroyed with explosives.

It seems he was known to associate with an ex-employee, Stacey Alvarez, but given that she always travels with dangerous people, they have never bothered to interrogate her yet.

That is all that can be gleaned from the disk.

[Gerard_Paloma]

The glass and alcohol rains down on Dirk, and his eyes go wide, and then narrow again immediately.

"Hey asshole, if you don't watch where you're firing, I'm not gonna have anything to drink over your dead fuckin' body!"

He adjusts his aim slightly to bring the bruised cop's head into view, and pops off the last two rounds.

[Utsanomiko]

With a few huffs and a sigh, Stavis steps in, takes a few looks around (at both the passengers and the available seats), and then makes his way to an open spot as he slides his trenchcoat back on and sits down, feeling much more relaxed and almost back to his usual jovial self. Stavis skips the next two stops over the subsequent two or three minutes as he considers and deeply ponders some of his options of less conspicuous places to go...

One that sticks in his mind is a place a bit farther up town, close to some of the housing complexes, about another eight or ten minutes on this subway line ((it snakes around the district a bit before getting there)), and then a four-block walk from the subway terminal. The place is a sort of an all-night gas station's convenience/liquor store, next to a lot usually filled with run-down cars of ambiguos ownership. Typically the place is run untill 5:00 AM by this mid-30's guy most people call 'Bubs'. for one reason or another ((names were never very relevant in Stavis' mind, so it's likely he's never actually aksed the guy what his name is)). A few general moochers, late-night liquor runners from the projects, druggies with major munchie needs, and street punks should be hanging out there this this time.

But other than Bubs, the only person he can recall that'd be there right now is some kid named Jake; a 20-year old kid touting himself as a ladies man for basically screwing every girl too trashy to be charging for it, take it as you will ((Stavis takes with a shrug and a chuckle)). The benefit of an aquaintance like this is a four-room apartment with a decently-stocked fridge and a couch to crash on. An occasional couple bucks and heads-up on any girls of his type' he's seen is a pretty good deal for a place to crash one a week or so. If Jake wasn't planning on being busy with said girls of his type or leding out said couch ot someone else, Bubs had a cot in the back that he didn't mind paying customers using, and that buck-fifty could be well-spent on part of a square meal (like potato skins or Nut Goodies). Hell, if I'm up to staying up 'till five watching the place, and let Bubs go early, I could probably even *make* some cash. but if worse came to worse it was another 5 or 6 blocks south-east to a decent hotel to check into. He definitely had the cash for that.

So basically, Stavis settled on going to Bubs' place, figure out whose place he'd be eating/crashing at, and in genral look for a way to lay low till at least three or five, and then sleep till nine or ten. Tonight I ought to try and keep out of the cops' noses. But tomorrow it's back to looking for cars, cash, merchandise, and fun sellable things of such sort, he mused to himself, as he settled into his seat, stretched, and found a random song to put into his head for the next several minutes.

[Marcao]

The fact that his target was a researcher was not terribly unusual, and it simplified matters a great deal. Researchers knew the risks they took once they sold their soul to a corporation. He did not know who the researcher worked for or what he had been researching and it did not matter. It could have been something as exciting as biological warfare or something as tedious as another corporate sponsored trinket to ram down the consumer market. It did not matter. The target was viable and he would not even have to contest with something tasteless such as a child assassination or removing someone’s family. He always preferred to avoid those if possible. Of course, if the money was right he was willing to do just about anything. As long as his chances for success was high and the risk manageable.

The fact that the researcher had no combat training himself was not surprising, the fact that it was a man noted and taken into account. He always preferred to kill men over women. He supposed it tied down to his early years. He could still remember the grotesque position his elder sister had been found when she had been killed. The fact the target area was a fortified position was not a good sign, but at the very least the target itself was believed to never leave it. The robotic sentries were noted and he arched a brow at their armament, well aware with the damage 12.7mm rounds could inflict on the body. Nonetheless, they were machines and that made them predictable. They were a threat that could be dealt with. The elite guards were a bit more worrisome. The fact that they were cybered and well trained meant that it would not be a cake walk. Still, the risk was acceptable and every man wanted to know if he was up to the challenge. These men would be arrogant and think they were the best. It was about time they found out they were not. Furthermore, if they were well equipped it meant that extra-cash would be about. Professionals used the best equipment they could buy. After they were dead, that equipment could be disposed of for some extra-cash or appropriated. There was no need in letting anything go to waste.

The IFF chip uncovered the reason why he and the others were being hired to perform this task. The mission objectives totally predictable. It was a straight forward seek and destroy mission, with the researcher the primary target and all computers being the secondary. The female was not known to him, and he gave her little thought. If she got on his way, she would die. If she had the good luck of not being around she would live. He went over the data in the disk three different times as he sought to memorize the information and see if there was anything he had missed. In the end, the disk was removed from his laptop and placed aside. When the disk self-destructed he did not want it inside his reader. Afterwards the laptop was turned off and he walked into the kitchen before retrieving another Heineken. He sat down in the couch near the phone, his eyes glancing at his watch. Fifteen more minutes and Andy would call. He would have his answer. He drank the beer slowly, his mind already trying to formulate a rudimentary plan of attack. As long as he got his working money he would be able to prepare for just about anything. As for his would be partners? He hoped they were up to it. As much as he disliked working with others, the words of his would be employer suggested that they would be up to the task. His eyes settled on the phone, his left hand holding the bottle of Heineken as he waited for the call to arrive. The answer would be yes.

[Alyrium Denryle]

As Benjamin clambers over another fence, he hears the cop behind him trip over that same damn sprinkler, only the officer isn't quite as agile and falls flat on his face! The other cop is nowhere in sight at the moment, however, and could be quite bothersome.

Ben reached out, his mind just about to crack the will of his pursuer, when he trips over a sprinkler, he nearly falls on his face, but in a feat of agility, manages to regain his balance in time to quickly climb over a block wall, and hear one of the cops trip over the same sprinkler... "Here the fuck is the other one?" he said to himself in a near whisper as he continues to make good his escape. He looks and listens for the cop, making sure that, as well as escape, he doesnt put himself in any ambush positions... He does not want to confront that cop ((Alertness and spot rolls I believe))

[Arthur_Tuxedo]

((Since it's pretty obvious what Blaine is going to do, we'll start))

Blaine Richards and Dirk Harrison
Dirk continues to fire at the sighted police officer he had hit twice already as Blaine mechanically squeezes the trigger on the shotgun.

Shooting: Blaine vs. cop
Difficulty: 20
Range: 6
AT: 5
Modifiers: +1 for area
Adjusted AT: 6
d10 roll: 27 ((HOLY SHIT! 2 10s then a 7, not making this up)) + 6 = 33
MoS: 13 (2nd degree critical)
General location: 8 (head)
Specific location: 3 (left temple)
Damage: 12

As Blaine had never used anything other than a pistol before, he didn't know how to use a bead sight, just as he pulled the trigger his foot slipped on some spilled booze and the resulting spread of fleschettes that would have completely missed nailed the assault cop right in the face! Normally his helmet would have saved him, but he had pulled the visor up to talk on the radio. The officer is thrown backward off his feet, dead before he hits the ground.

Meanwhile, Dirk still has the other one in his and is still firing angry bullets at the unlucky officer.

Targeted shooting at head: Dirk vs. cop
Difficulty: 20
Range: 6
AT: 18
Modifiers: -4 for general targetting (head), -1 for recoil
Adjusted AT: 13
d10 roll (1st shot): 6 + 13 = 19
MoS: -1
d10 roll (2nd shot): 4 + 13 = 17
MoS: -3

Unfortunately both shots miss, although one comes damn close. The cop is still furiously firing on full auto, attempting to adjust his aim based on where the bullets are currently going.

Full auto firing: Cop vs. Dirk
Difficulty: 20
Range: 6
AT: 12
Modifiers: -3 for limited aiming, +2 full auto, -2 recoil
Adjusted AT: 9
d10 roll: 3 + 9 = 12
MoS: -8

The stress of being in a combat situation is still such that the rounds are going wide, but they're getting closer and Dirk has just fired the last round in his cylinder...

The cop that Dirk shot is in a state of mind such that he can't be reasoned with, and his fellows' shouts that they should retreat fall on deaf hears. The newcomer finds cover in the doorway and looks intent on using his radio.

Dr. Lennox: ((You're right that I should have included Spot and Alertness in these rolls, but since I didn't, let's just work with what we've got.))

The getaway continued: Lennox vs. Cops
Difficulty: 6
Lennox's AT: 2
d10 roll: 17 + 2 = 19
MoS: 13
Lennox CMoS: 33

((Cop's roll doesn't matter at this point))

Lennox realizes where the other cop was when he goes to the aid of his fallen partner. The good doctor knows he had gotten away when one asks the other where the suspect went, and the other replies that he doesn't know. Before they can find out, Lennox heads down into the subway station.

Stavis Reinheld: Adrenaline dies down as the metro train pulls into the station. Only one person boards, a brown haired man of average build wearing a Hawiian shirt and khakis. The doors close and the subway train starts to take off as two policemen with shotguns descend into the station and attempt to look at the passengers as they speed by. They were too late, however, and don't give any signs of having recognized anyone.

Ernesto Vega: The disk starts to fizzle at the appointed time, a thin layer of acid having eaten through a protective coating. After about half a minute, as the acid evaporates completely, the disk is covered with irregularities and devoid of any useful data. The follow-up phonecall is as short and sweet as the first one was, terminating before someone could trace the call, if someone in fact had that intention. The half-payment of $2,500 was transferred to Ernesto's bank account, and Ernesto was given an address to be in two hours in order to meet the rest of the team.

[Hotfoot]

Walking the streets was always a risky proposition in this city. Boys playing as men in street gangs would try to prove themselves through violence, police had itchy trigger fingers, and even the nice old lady who lived just down the block had a Mac 10, just in case. Mikal always smiled when he thought of that elderly woman, had she been half a century younger, she would have been most appealing.

While the streets themselves could be dangerous, they also offered the opprotunity to hone one's skills in the art of hiding in plain sight. Dodging and weaving through crowds, acting casual, it was all a matter of not standing out, of lying through body language. In many cases, it was the difference between being a suspect and being a witness.

Today, the purpose was rather simple. The objective, going to the bar. Get a few drinks. Listen. Find a woman. Talk. Listen. Bed. Barring that, find potential new job opprotunities. It was not such an unreasonable objective, and it was one he had successfully fulfilled numerous times before. Mikal was already anticipating the sensation of Vodka spilling down his throat when he heard the gunshots. No, not just gunshots, gunshots coming from the bar he was heading to, several blocks away. His mood soured, and under his breath he muttered some very unkind things in Russian. He couldn't tell where the shooting was exactly, but he was not in the mood to chance walking into a middle of a shootout. Regardless of the specific location and individuals involved, at the end of it the cops would be swarming around the general vicinity of the bar, asking questions and being a general annoyance. Such a situation was not helpful towards finding work or getting laid. A pity, he had heard from an associate that the bar had many fine qualities.

At the next intersection, he turned left on the sidewalk rather than crossing the street. The Electric Nipple was farther away, but a much safer alternative.

Current Inventory:

• X-Light Armor
• USP Tactical .45 (Concealed, Loaded, Two Reloads)
• Silencer (Concealed, not attached)
• Combat Knife (Concealed)
• Smoke Pellets (Concealed)
• Stripwire Binders (x2, In Pocket)
• Mirrorshades
• Cell Phone
• Various personal effects