Clubbing the Competition

Clubbing the Competition
Part of Cross Flight Love Fight
Date 2082-02-13 GM OrionsRequiem Location Tacoma, Seattle Metroplex Status Threat Level: Medium
Factions Involved
ShadowHaven Cecelia Cross Alexander-James Brodrick Johnson III	Nova Riche
Silverpaw Shine Sp4rks Babylon	Nova Riche Gang Leader Nova Riche Gang Mage Nova Riche Gang Decker Nova Riche Ganger x10

Summary

Cecelia Cross hires a group of Shadowrunners in order to rescue Alexander-James Brodrick Johnson III from a group of gangers

Background

Since E-Vue has been open for a month and a half, it's time for it's Q1 inspection by Seattle authorities. The club is co-owned by Brodie J and Cecelia Cross under an nigh-unbreakable lease between the two of them. Cecelia called Brodie J for a meeting and planning session the night before so that they could get their club together before the inspection, since they are not supposed to be selling drugs alongside their other legitimate business dealings. However at the time that Brodie J was supposed to show up, only Tee and Vee arrived. While not unexpected with Brodie J's personality, it is irritating, especially when Tee and Vee inform her that Brodie J's commlink is off and the biomonitor he wears has gone silent. Cecelia is irritated by this and figures out that he probably got kidnapped while trying to find someone to warm his bed, and does some quick research. Finding out that the Nova Riche have sent off a series of ransom requests to Federated Boeing in the last hour, she figures out who took him and calls runners from ShadowHaven in to take care of this problem.

The Meet

The runners arrive at E-Vue and are greeted by the bouncer and the human bodyguard of Cecelia Cross. Cecelia is finishing up a meeting with Tee and Vee, and as such is too busy to attend to the shadowrunners. The group decides to check out the club, including listening to DJ Hi-Horse as he spins the club's music for the night before Valentine's day. Sp4rks, Babylon and Shine spend some time dancing, drinking and doing drugs while Silverpaw waits impatiently for the job to begin, and after awhile the DJ announces that it's time for the "Shadowrunner Shuffle." The shuffle is a mix between the electric slide, pop'n'lock and bump and grind moves where a bunch of the corp kids put on mirrorshades and the lights change to fast pulses of light that create a series of shadows. During this dance break Cedric Lupei, through a mixture of boldness and a lot of toxins that change his brain chemistry, decides to try to hack his commcode onto Babylon's commlink by handing her a pair of wireless-enabled mirrorshades. With some assistance from Sp4rks, Babylon notices the marks on her commlink and prepares to become Vindictive on Cedric. However after casting Mind Probe to discover his intentions, she decides to just give him the commcode for the bold choices he made. As the music faded from the shuffle, the runners receive an ARO from Cecelia's bodyguard telling them that she is ready for them.

The party moves up to the private booth and meets with Cecelia, she appears frustrated and busy, sending a flurry of AR messages and with a Matrix Perception, Sp4rks identifies the sparkles around her matrix icons are sprites since he has recently run across several examples of these strange creatures.

Cecelia explains that she and Brodie J own E-Vue together, and while she does not care for him, she does need him in order to pass the inspection and maintain E-Vue's popularity boom since it's grand opening. She explains that she has reason to believe that the Nova Riche have taken Brodie J and that his bodyguards who are in the room have been unable to track him down because his biomonitor and commlink have both been turned off. She tells the runners that Brodie J was spending the night bar hopping and Shine chips in explaining that she had met him at the Daze a few hours before.

Agreeing to the terms of the job, Cecelia offers the runners 12k NuYen for the job, but after a quick negotiation with the group, moves up to 14k if the runners ensure that Brodie isn't hurt. After being teased by Babylon about her concern, Cecelia makes it clear it is simply for the fact that if the man is to be hurt, she wishes to do the one who does the hurting. With the pay sorted, the team leave E-Vue and decide to begin planning.

The Plan

The runners take their time in deciding where to start their search, but thanks to the familiarity with The Daze by Shine, Silverpaw and Sp4rks, they decide that the punk-rock runner bar is as good a place to start as any. They drive through town and move towards the less crowded bar. The runners greet the bouncer who allows them into the venue while they take in the cameras outside as they get a sense of what might have seen Brodie J's abduction. The runners order some drinks as Shine gets in contact with Alessa P and the runners are invited into Alessa's office where they meet the punk rock pixie. They request access to her security footage, in case they can see how Brodie J was taken.

Understanding that there is something of a risk to revealing any footage of her clientele, Alessa initially refuses, saying that her reputation makes things difficult even if she wants to help out. Sp4rks assists Babylon with negotiating, saying that she can watch the footage that they access, and Shine offers a favor, which intrigues the pixie's nature. Deciding that she will trust the runners are subtle enough not to give away any information or access anything they're not looking for, she invites marks onto her security console for Sp4rks who is able to search through the files and pull up the file of a side camera recording from earlier in the night. It shows Brodie J, with his briefcase full of drugs, leaving the Daze from the side alongside a human woman with half-black, half-red hair wearing a black jacket with neon blue highlights. Brodie J turns to say something to his new companion before being hit by a van sharing the colors of the human woman's jacket before being dragged into the back of the van and letting it drive off.

The group thanks Alessa for the footage and gives their assurance that they will pass on that she helped them out on a job, as well as keeping quiet about her sharing the footage. Thanks to another skillful negotiation, she decides not even to take the marker from Shine. The group take some time to formulate a plan and use their knowledge of the local gang scene to learn that the Nova Riche have a territory of about 10 blocks in the southern Tacoma area. Gearing up and mounting their bikes, the runners head in that direction on their bikes.

The Run

Arriving in Tacoma early in the morning, the runners easily spot the warehouse that is tagged with the Nova Riche's AR graffiti. Babylon, being a member of the Ancients, checks in with Ether in order to make sure they're okay starting issues with the gang of corp kids, and he gives her permission so she tags the wall in both the meat and in AR. With that job done, Babylon astrally projects and finds that there is a mana barrier around the warehouse. Sleazing through the magical defenses, she begins to try and assense the area, but is caught out by a Fire Spirit that is guarding the area. While the spirit is confused about the presence of another astral body, it doesn't take any aggressive action, though it does inform the gang mage of the presence. Babylon is able to see Brodie J isn't hurt, though he is rather nervous, while the rest of the gangers seem excited at the prospects of the kidnapping ransom.

Pulling out of the astral before the Mage has a chance to begin astrally targeting her, Babylon informs the team of what's going on. Sp4rks examines the matrix around the building and finds that there is a cyberdeck that seems to be in command of the gang's PAN. Getting a handle on the deck's attributes, the team decides that it might be best to try and talk their way in, rather than trying to fight an entrenched enemy with a hostage. The group disguises themselves and knocks on the door of the warehouse, claiming to be there to join the party. Eventually talking their way in, Babylon begins to get angry at these people who are squandering their privileged status by committing crimes badly and not even getting anything out of it that they couldn't get with their regular lives.

The ganger leader decides to pull a weapon in response to Babylon's lip, however the gun gets bricked by Sp4rks. As the others begin to pull weapons, Shine quickdraws her pistol and aims at their leader, and the mage attempts to send a manabolt at Babylon but is shut down by her counterspelling. The Fire Spirit tests the leash against the mage who was schooled and is released back to the Metaplanes. Having thoroughly intimidated the Nova Riche, the shadowrunners convince them to release Brodie J and return his briefcase, though not the drugs inside and bring him back to E-Vue.

Aftermath

On the way back to the club, Shine is able to make sure that Brodie J isn't hurt, while flirting with the man, and Babylon is allowing him to believe they are just looking to party. When they eventually make their way back to E-Vue, Brodie is a little disheartened as he realizes that he'll have to work, but given some gentle persuasions by the runners, he is persuaded to go inside where Tee and Vee greet their wayward charge before leading him upstairs to Cecelia, who thanks the runners in between trying to treat her sudden migraine at the fact that her success is partly tied to Brodie J.

Rewards

• 2 CDP
• 14k Nuyen (7 RVP)
• 6 Karma (6 RVP)
• +2 Cross Applied Technology Rep
• +2 Federated Boeing Rep

Optional Contacts:

• Alexander-James Brodrick Johnson III At 3/2 (at 4 RVP)
• Cecelia Cross 4/1 (4 RVP)

Game Quotes

"What's wrong with you?! You're a corp kid and a mage! You could do anything you want in the world! GAAAHAHHHH!!!!" - Babylon to the Nova Riche Mage

Player After Action Reports (AARs)

Shine:

What was I thinking, telling Brodie J to slot it when he tried to pick me up at the Daze? Perhaps it was the poor lighting, or his inappropriate manner of dress in a runner bar, or my not being able to hear his charming voice over the pounding punk beat? Or perhaps, it was I at fault. Bitter and alone in a runner bar on Saint Valentine's eve? But he's such a dish! I'm truly pleased he was able to set aside my poor manners later. The man doesn't even seen to realise the danger he was in. Bless. Such a handsome man, so full of life, of joy. So rare in these dismal times. So glad to make his acquaintance.

And, may I say, what a team we made? Babylon, Sparks, Silverpaw and myself. Truly, we were the French connection. And Silverpaw, she is Scottish yes? The "Auld Ally" against the English. Surely that is enough for her to count as "French" in this instance too, no? Truly we French and Quebecois must stand together. Who knew we numbered so many in the Seattle Shadows? A revelation I enjoy.

Babylon

Ah Cecelia, I knew she still carried a torch for our dear Brodrick, the blessed fool. I can't deny they make a lovely couple, if only to watch the fireworks from a safe distance. I'm sure she could have gotten that inspection delayed for less than it cost to hire us to get him back on such short notice, but I'm not complaining - I got paid and got to stick it to those Nova Riche pricks. Fragging rich kid ganger posers, thinking this life is easy; I've seen the other side of that life and can see why they'd want to slum it, but frag, what a waste, especially that mage. I'd give so much to trade fortunes with him and he doesn't even realize how good he has it. Stupid drekhead.