-
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/BerkaZerka/BountyHeadBebop/Fortune_Cookie_zpsbfhzjilk.png)
Crew of The Dandy Desperado; Capital City, Europa
Everyone is just finishing a rather somber meal together at the exclusive Jade Palace Japanese Restaurant in the European Capital of (aptly named) Capital City. After nearly six months without any profitable runs and spending an inordinate amount of time trying to help DarkTech discover a cure for the Pale Horse Virus, this feels like it could very well be the last meal of the crew.
All the money is gone and unless something comes up soon, this is the end - the collection agency is after everyone for ship payments and the repo-men are not far behind!
When a round of fortune cookies are set down at the table by the server with the check, it feels like a moment of truth - as if these fortunes actually held some real sway on the fate of the Desperado.
As each one is opened and read, they reveal a series of inane and mildly amusing fortunes, until the last – which is opened to reveal only a bloody scrap of fortuneless paper with the hastily scrawled name “A.C. Morrison” written on one side...
-
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/BerkaZerka/BountyHeadBebop/PC1_zps997ab758.jpg)
Bounty: 7,500,000w for A.C. Morrison
Wanted For: Illegal Drug Trafficking
Bounty Posted By: Jovian SSPB
A.C. Morrison is one of the central figures in the criminal drug trade that plagues the Jovian System, wanted for the manufacture and trafficking of a variety of illegal drugs. Currently he is the subject of an undercover sting operation being conducted by the European SSPB Special Task Force, but to date continues to elude (or supplicate) the authorities, while maintaining ‘business as usual’.
A long-standing bounty, in the amount of 7,500,000 writ, has been posted on A.C. Morrison by the SSPB, but has largely been seen nothing more than a political move to make the people of the JPC feel as though the government is actually doing something about their drug trade problems. In reality, everyone knows that A.C. Morrison is too powerful, influential, and important to the wallets of too many corrupted officials to ever be caught.
But still, the call of the 7,500,000 writ bounty continues to sing its siren song across the solar system – drawing rookie and veteran cowboys alike to a silent and hidden death…
If this scrap of paper is on the level however, it may somehow hold the key to finally collaring the slimy bastard and collecting the huge reward.
But it will take some caution and subtlety on the part of the team to avoid tipping their hand to those helping A.C Morrison – which very likely includes the Jovian SSPB itself. No, there won’t be any going to the police on this one, except to collect the bounty once A.C. is in hand.
So what to do now? All there is to go on is a bloody scrap of paper from a fortune cookie.
-
"Didn't see that coming" Samuel states as he reaches for a cigarette, not really caring if he can smoke in here or not. He lights up and continues.
"Where is that waitress?"
-
Cillian tries his forensic abilities on the fortune, checking if there's anything he can determine about the blood, the paper, or anything else that might give some sort of clue.
-
Montoya smiles and nods to himself in a blatant manner, the underground resistance to the secret society was clearly making their move. Of course it took time to set up but heros of justice wouldn't be left to fail as the Society blocked them from jobs.
"Time for us to get moving! We'll bring him in fast and get on another roll of justice adventures!" He poses dramatically with his chopsticks pointed out across the table.
-
'That's great captain, but..." his cigarette dangles from his mouth daring to fall out
"Don't you think the waitress on purposely delivered that particular cookie to our table? We should find her and question her."
-
"Let's just order our check. I think we're gonna want to give our thanks to the chef, yeah?" Butch says, eyeing the bloody cookie
-
Cillian tries his forensic abilities on the fortune, checking if there's anything he can determine about the blood, the paper, or anything else that might give some sort of clue.
Cillian sees that the strip of blank paper is the same as that of the other fortunes.
The fact that is has no fortune on it, suggests that it came from the place the fortune cookies were made, only that it did not go through the full process. Someone intentionally placed it among the finished batch.
The blood and hurried writing suggest that whoever did it, was doing so as they were dying, desperately trying to get the message out so that their death would not be for vain.
While the cookies themselves are of a high quality, they are obviously not made here in the restaurant. that means that the restaurant is ordering them from somewhere else and removing the individual packaging before bringing the fortune cookies to the table.
-
Crystal briefly considers taking the waitress out back and beating her with an electric stick until she confesses where the cookies are from, but realizes that that's a horrible overreaction to something that she would easily get if she just asked (probably).
"Hey Gilbert, can you check out if there have been any murders in fortune cookie factories recently?"
-
"Now theres an interesting thought, i bet the staff know which factory they get thwir cookies from. That would narrow it down quite a bit. May even have a ledger or something we could peek at."
-
Montoya nods along with the others "Let's ask politly, and check their website too!"
Montoya flicks open his computer to try and hack the resteraunts computer and locate their supply logs.
-
Gilbert debates doing the search here, in the restaurant, before his yellow-bellied nature overpowered him.
"Maybe... we should wait", he replies in a hush whisper.
-
Montoya Computers 17+2X 1d20 : 8, total 8
As Montoya starts looking at the restaurant over the web, the waitress comes back to pick up the check.
"Thank you again for dining with us!" she says with a smile, apparently not noticing the unusual fortune among all the rest.
-
"Miss, uhm. Do you know, or could you find out for us. Where your cookies come from? They were most delicious and we were just sort of ...curious?"
-
While that's going on, Cillian wanders off to see if he maybe he can just go look in the kitchen. The cookies must come in boxes, maybe the boxes say where they came from.
-
“Oh, yes,” the waitress replies, “We get our cookies from Wong’s. I can get you some in the wrapper if you like. They have their info on them; if you ever want to order some.”
Hearing this, Montoya cross-references ‘Wong’s’ with his search. He quickly finds that the Restaurant does indeed order their fortune cookies from a company called ‘Wong’s Fortune Cookie Works’ on Ganymede.
Bringing up Wong’s Fortune Cookie Works reveals nothing unusual, but does show that Wong’s is situated on the floating city of Uliga Island – an industrial heavy district – not too far from Ganymede’s more densely populated regions. Nothing on the Net indicates anything unusual about Wong’s, but there is an address, should the team wish to go and take a look for themselves.
Not satisfied, Captain Montoya lets his finger fly across the keys a little more, massaging the data, until it yields a little more than it normally would. It seems that the net chatter about Uliga Island suggests that the entire district is one of Ganymede’s biggest ‘crack towns’, where just about any illegal drug can be obtained for the right price. In addition, it is also known to be the home of a brutal gang called the Chinese Hell Hounds – known for their penchant of burning enemies alive with gasoline-filled tires around their necks.
Cillian meanwhile, wanders into the kitchen and finds a stack of boxes labeled ‘Wong’s Fortune Cookie Works’. One of the open boxes is half filled with fortune cookies in plastic wrappers, all labeled the same. One of the trash cans nearby has discarded wrappers in it, where servers arrange the cookies on trays before bringing them out to the tables.
-
Montoya flourishes a bow to the waitress "Thankyou my fine lady, that would be wonderful!"
Then he quickly forwards all the info he found to the other's devices "We have our lead gentlemen! And lady!" He says as the waitress leaves "Also where is Cilian?" He asks as he looks around "We can't dramatically rush to the ship with 'Adventure begins' track two playing if we aren't all here..."
-
Sam just looks at his flamboyant captain as he uses his curent cigarette to light another cigarette.
-
Montoya calls through the crew comms "We have our lead ladies and gentlemen, to the ship! Adventure and swashbuckling await!"
He then flourishes a bow in the direction of the establishment owner and leaps towards the door.
-
Cil takes a wrapper and goes back to the table.
-
Sam eyes the check and sighs, the new guy always gets stuck with the bill.
he lays down the appropriate change and tip and walks after the Captain.
-
Crystal follows the captain out to the Dandy
-
Butch shrugs, following the captain
-
Gilbert follows everyone out, nervously looking at the other patrons and staff to make sure they didn't catch anyone's attention.
-
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/BerkaZerka/BountyHeadBebop/Europa1_zpsujnwhr2p.jpg)
The crew heads back to the Desperado, to find that Jacob will be staying on Europa, to track down his stolen ship. As no one offers to help, he simple says 'not to worry, he can handle it by himself,' and leaves.
With that settled, the ship takes off - engines roaring - lifting off Europa for Ganymede!
It seems that the crew cannot afford to take the Mini Gate however, and will have to travel through conventional space.
Twelve hours later, they set down in the waters off the ports of Uliga Island - which is more of a large floating industrial and manufacturing complex than a city per se, but for all of its narrow alleys and chain-link enclosed factories, the place is quite clean and well kept.
It’s actually hard to believe, judging from the surface, that it could have any drug or gang related problems at all – but that’s the Jovian Peoples Confederacy for you – all about outward appearances…
-
Sam looks around through a puff of smoke and takes in the sights.
"well this maybe a little more complicated than I had imagined. Luckily I know a guy. Let me give him a ring and see what we can scrounge up."
Sam heads to the long range coms and dials in his information broker to see what he knows about their target. Or at least where they should look for some information on him.
-
"Lets go check out Wong's." Butch says. "Shouldn't be too hard to find something."
-
"Indeed, to action!" Montoya adds "prepare for combat and take everything needed for a dramatic swashbuckling escape, the society will likely try and interfere with our bounty!"
He then ensures he has his full pirate ensemble on including a couple of concealed stun grenades and military pistol.
-
Sam shakes his head, and his cigarette ashes onto his lap. He brushes it off and dials his info broker anyways. Even if the rest leave him here, he can get on the comms and meet up with them outside. "One sec Captain, just let me finish this call."
-
Curious about the gang activity, and terrified of confronting them, Gilbert searches for online information about the local gangs and their affiliations.
-
Sam shakes his head, and his cigarette ashes onto his lap. He brushes it off and dials his info broker anyways. Even if the rest leave him here, he can get on the comms and meet up with them outside. "One sec Captain, just let me finish this call."
Samuel gets a hold of his contact and laughing can be heard on the line, followed by the explination that "nobody has information on A.C. Morrison, or he'd have been brought in by now."
Curious about the gang activity, and terrified of confronting them, Gilbert searches for online information about the local gangs and their affiliations.
Computers 20+3X 1d20 : 15, total 15
-
Gilbert's computer search brings up the Chinese Hell Hounds and reveals that they are the primary distributors of illegal drugs on Uliga Island and the regions round about, as well as being involved in every other kind of underworld goings-on. One thing that sets the Chinese Hell Hounds apart from other gangs is their apparent fascination (or theme) of fire related crime – arson and murder, by burning victims alive, being the standard mode of operation.
Gilbert then stumbles upon a stray piece of information related to the Chinese Hell hounds – apparently the remains of a top secret SSPB file leaked onto the Net, but later purged. The information is pretty hacked up, but does indicate that Wong’s Fortune Cookie Works was on a list of suspected Chinese Hell Hound drug trafficking fronts slated for SSPB Sting Operations.
Doing his best to recover the rest of the file, Gilbert is able to put together that the Boss of the Wong’s front is thought to be Teresa Cong – a dangerous psychic with Pyrokinetic ability. Further, the file indicates that a secret SSPB in-house bounty is set on Teresa Cong in the amount of 800,000 writ. Checking the public files confirms this; as ‘officially’, there is no bounty on Teresa Cong.
-
Montoya begins stretching and practice posing with his sword to ensure he is ready to swashbuckle once they set out.
-
Gilbert starts to feel sick to his stomach, almost sure that they're about to get in well over their head. He relays the information he's learned (by whispering to each member of the group) then speaks.
"So... hahaha... We should start by checking into the fortune cookie factory, all while making sure to avoid the Chinese Hell Hounds. Asking around too much will probably draw the wrong kind of attention... Maybe we should try having someone go undercover to pose as a potential new member."
He suggests, hoping that knowing Chinese will not be a prerequisite, as he would be the only one qualified in that case...
-
"Hey, think we could convince some SSPB officers to help us out or split the bounty if we give them that Chinese hell hound leader?"
-
"I think bringing in the SPD would be a bad idea, considering that this Psych's bounty is same as mine." Butch says.
"I like Gil's idea though. Can't hurt if someone tries to get in and get some info."
-
Sam shrugs. "I kinda look the part. Flame sword and wverything. Plus im packing other fire and explosives. Shouldnt be too hard for me to get in."
-
" . . . um . . ." Cillian says quietly ". . . if they're a Chinese gang. . . well. . . um . . . do you speak Chinese?"
-
"Chinky Chang chong wing wugugong?"
Sam says laughing
-
Moonkit laughs out loud at Samuel's improve.
Tubbs meanwhile, replies to Butch, "I know a little Chinese; The Red Jacks got some of their goods from the Triad."
"But you don't got to infiltrate them," he continues, "You just got to be a buyer. That's their business. If you're buying, it's all good."
-
"Buying is easier with credit though. What are we going to do? Offer the Dandy as collateral? Ive still got my guy on the line he could give us info that would help us pose as proper buyers. Seeing as how we are broke as hell..."
He trails off wondering where they're going to get collateral. Its possible they could sell their ships?
"Ive got an idea. I could say i want to use The Raven and random cargo as a disguise. You know Han Solo type deal. You've heard of star wars right? Trust me. This will work. Its perfect! I can offer to transport large shipments. What do you think?"
"Hmm then again it would be nice to have some backup... Butch? What do ya say?"
-
Montoya cuts in "Hmm busting in the front door might not work so well, fire can be pesky to deal with!" he poses for effect "Why don't we all just head in on the Raven and pose as potential buyers, don't need to put money down if we are just discussing a future sale! Some false IDs and disguises would be in order!" he seems overly thrilled at the idea of disguises
-
"I don't want to put the Dandy up as collateral either, seems risky, all things considered."
-
"Can't Gil just do some fake bank hacking? Like to make it seem we actually have cash?"
-
"Uhm... you can't just not buy..." Tubbs says to Montoya.
"You 'buy or you die'; that's how it works in the business. Not saying you need to buy the whole store, but you never leave without a transaction, even if it's just a sample."
"In fact, they're likely to only sell you something small at first, just to make sure it isn't a set up or sting."
-
"Alright lets figure out how much a sample is. Surely we have enough left over? We'll give them our comms channel and say to contact us the bext day or something to set up a bigger deal? Honestly im just flying by the seat of my pants here. Scrap is easier to deal with out on the rim than this core politics stuff."
-
Montoya pauses "Well, we can't bring in a bounty for now but let's check our assets, should have enough for a same left! Then onward to adventure!"
-
Gilbert rotates looking at each member of the crew, wondering if any of these plans will work. If they cant successfully pose as a buyer, or worse, if they get caught, then this ordeal will not end well for them.
At least his captain didn't sign him up to be the potential buyer.
-
"Alright. One sec" sam turns and gets back on the comms with his "inside guy" and tells him the details of what they want to accomplish. He gives the go ahead to have them setup as potential buyers and waits for further details.
-
It doesn’t take long for Samuel’s contact to set up a meeting with the Chinese Hell Hounds – which will take place (after dark) on South Furnace Street, at some rundown row-houses across the street from an active steel mill.
The contact goes on to say that the streets of Uliga Island are relatively safe and normal during daylight hours, but at night, the Chinese Hell Hounds take over. If you’re going to be out on the streets after dark, you’d better be buying drugs or looking for good time – all of which the Chinese Hell Hounds are glad provide for the right price. Cross them however, and all that will be left of you is a charred corpse.
He also mentions that the Leaders and Bosses of the Chinese Hell Hounds are all easy to identify, by their black pinstriped suits with red ties and black hats. Lower ranking ‘Hounds’ wear dark colored suit pants with wife-beater tank tops and black hats. On occasion when they do wear suit jackets and a tie, the tie is anything but red. A lower ranking Hell Hound caught wearing a red tie is in for a world of hurt.
All and all, the Chinese Hell Hounds seem to operate more like a smalltime syndicate than a street gang – and Samuel’s contact surmises that they are more than likely, underlings of the Chinese Triads.
As for the local SSPB, Samuel’s contact indicates that they are satisfied with ruling the day and keeping the place spick and span – “At least they ain’t got no vandalism or graffiti – what other major city can say that?”
Finally, he warns Samuel that what goes on at night is not really the SSPB’s concern, unless it involves important public officials or those rich enough to have purchased ‘Extra Security Protection Services’ from the SSPB. Both the SSPB and Chinese Hell Hounds respect their “understanding of one another” – and neither wants to start a war in what has proven to be a mutually beneficial arrangement.
As for what the Chinese Hell Hounds are selling, the team can get a large variety of harmful drugs – those common to the dregs of society – which can be purchased On Hand, as well as Pain Killer, Stimdose, and Tranquilizer.
The gang also deals in the following (but under the 1/2 the normal timeframe as outlined in Availability - or 1/4 for a Rush Order): Black Hole, Gamma Green, Lightspeed, Oblivion, Poison Liquid (Ingested & Injected), Poison Powder (Ingested), Recall 13, Snapdragon, and X-88.
-
"Hey, you guys think we could get some X-88? I could always use the stuff", Crystal throws out.
"I mean, opportunity and all..."
-
Montoya nods as he straightens his doublet "Seems like the best choice following some trancs, we can use it and I don't want any others on board incase the SSPB show up!" He annouces "Just a small sample for now though, so they know we are legit, then we go from there. Maybe a sword fight and battle followed by daring escape!"
-
"We're gonna have to figure out how to bring out their boss. Making a second purchse for a bigger sample can't hurt though."
"Lets not give the crime gang too much cash though, yeah?"
-
"Once we infiltrate them we can always get our cash back yeah?"
-
While everyone tries to think about how to trap A.C. Morrison, Gilbert tries to use his inside knowledge of how a syndicate tends to work to determine which idea would work best.
---
Streetwise 5 1d20 : 18, total 18
-
As Gilbert recalls, the Syndicate tells him what to do, he does it, and they don't kill him. Not much more to it than that...
-
A few hours later, the crew of the Desperado found itself making its way down South Furnace Street in two rented SUVs. It was dark out, but there was plenty of light over the road.
On one side was a tall sturdy chainlink fence that bordered the property of a huge forge. The massive open steel building was about 150 feet from the fence, at least a hundred feet high, and ran parallel to the road for nearly 1,000 feet. It was currently running production - long sections of orange glowing rods could be seen as they were worked through loud machinery.
On the other side of the road were low income row houses. While not exactly falling apart, it was clear that their residents cared nothing for them.
At the top of South Furnace Street, the houses were lit from the lights over the road, as well as lights on inside, though no one was out or about anywhere near any of them. Down at the far end of the street, where the team was now driving, the overhead lights appeared to be off. The street was dark, but lights on the houses illuminated enough of the area, that a large mass of people could be seen milling about down there.
A few cars drove ahead of the team, pulling up one after the other at the curb near the crowd. No doubt making buys, before swinging around and leaving back up the street the way they had come...
-
"I've got a bad feeling about this," Crystal says seemingly nervous.
"I think i'll stay back while you handle this one, Gilbert."
-
Sam feeling pivotal to the deal (it was his contact after all who set the thing up) was driving the lead SUV.
"Looks like this is our stop. You guys ready for this? Just act natural these guys deal drugs for a living, if we don't act like we're normal druggies they'll know somethings up. So, we good?"
He slows down near the crowd prepared to let the passengers in the car make the deal.
-
"Hmm" Montoya replies "I'm not sure we will ever look like a normal group of druggies and if we want more info we can't just do a passing deal. Gonna have to chat to them about a proper big deal!" He says enthusiastically
-
"I've got a bad feeling about this," Crystal says seemingly nervous.
"I think i'll stay back while you handle this one, Gilbert."
"Won't it be safer if you head out? I think we should keep drivers in case the deal goes south, but we need boots on the ground." Butch says.
-
"Won't it be safer if you head out? I think we should keep drivers in case the deal goes south, but we need boots on the ground." Butch says.
"Shhhh I just want to make Gilbert thing he might be in danger for a few seconds"
-
"Although, I don't think I cut the most comforting figure - given that i'm heavily armed and armoured, maybe it's better that we actually send someone more... subversive out there?"
-
"Hmm" Montoya replies "I'm not sure we will ever look like a normal group of druggies and if we want more info we can't just do a passing deal. Gonna have to chat to them about a proper big deal!" He says enthusiastically
"Looking like druggies and acting like druggies are 2 different things. Ive seen CEOs higher than most homeless junkies. Never judge a book by its cover, actions speak louder... etc. Anyways, we gonna do this shit or just wait for them to get spooked and start blasting?"
-
Gilbert, who is begrudgingly in the backseat, lets out a low whimper at Crystal's suggestion before speaking.
"I-I think it's best if our... more-combat oriented members take the lead here."
-
The cars ahead of the team have all made their transactions and pulled off, leaving nothing for the team to do, but pull up to the buy spot.
A small group of about twenty Chinese men, dressed in black pinstriped suit pants with wife-beater tank tops and black hats, mill around the front of a large nondescript row house - drinking and carousing with a dozen or so prostitutes. Some of the men are armed with machine pistols and submachine guns in full view for effect, while a man near the road wears VR Goggles and looks into the windows at the team as they pull up.
Another Chinese man, in a black pinstriped suit with a red tie and black hat, sits in a folding beach chair on a nearby stoop, with his feet propped up on an overturned bucket. He more or less oversees the proceedings with a practiced indifference.
"Hey party wagon!" the man with the VR Goggles says, looking between both SUVs, "what will it be?"
-
Montoya puts on his best 'Serious leader' impression and leans across and calls out "For now just some trancs, but we were I terested in arranging a more... Lucrative deal with your group. Maybe for somewhere less conspicuous next time..." His impression is probably thrown off by him being in his best pirate regalia sans hat and eye patch, but he is pretty confident that the man gets his drift.
-
"60,000 writ," the man says, stepping back to let another gang member step to the window with a brown paper bag for the exchange.
The guy with VR Goggles continues talking to Montoya, but keeps an eye out warily on the rest of the team. A bead of sweat rolls down the side of his head, perhaps the heat from the forge across the way is getting to him?
"You're new around here," VR guy says, "but if you like the product you come back and we go from there, OK?"
"We can talk tomorrow; come back tomorrow if you're still in town. We'll talk."
The boss on the stoop meanwhile, watches the transaction, apparently aware that it is taking a little longer than usual. For now however, he is content to let his men work.
-
Crystal is careful not to make any undue, sudden movements with her weapons but make sure they're close at hand.
-
Cillian notes that VR Guy's gaze lingers longer on Butch than anyone else. Consulting his lopan, Cillian is aware that they are in a precarious situation, but no direct danger is currently imminent.
Also, they are charging 36,000 writ too much.
-
Cillian looks to captain Montoya. "Um. . . so. . . Mister, um. . . VR Guy?
You mean. . . we have to come back tomorrow. . . that's when you'll have the other half?
Of the stuff. . . that we're buying?"
-
Montoya catches Cillian implication "Ah so 60,000 was yhe price of two of those bags! Sorry I didn't even realize. Being so new to the area." he give a flamboyant and innocent t grin "We only need the one bag though of course before we chat again tomorrow." he keeps spilling innocently.
-
The man in the VR Goggles, feigns shock - "Would I price gouge a new customer? No way man! That shit ain't right! That don't go down here no how!"
"60,000 is for two bags... but if you need only one then that's OK. 30,000 and you come back for more tomorrow yeah?"
"You'll like it - 'Hey Mikey, he likes it!' - Yeah it's that good, you'll be back. See you then!"
VR guy then backs away, as his man hands Montoya the bag and collects the writ. Once that is done, VR guy waves the team's SUVs off, and signals for the next vehicle to pull up.
Looking, the crew can see four more cars lined up at the top of the road, waiting their turn...
-
Montoya smiles broadly and thanks the man "And see you tomorrow! We'll be back the same time!"
He waves happily then sits back down "So crew, how did we do? Think they are on to us or we have the meeting tomorrow and see?"
-
Montoya smiles broadly and thanks the man "And see you tomorrow! We'll be back the same time!"
He waves happily then sits back down "So crew, how did we do? Think they are on to us or we have the meeting tomorrow and see?"
"Later Montoya. " Butch whispers
-
With the deed done Sam casually drives the lead SUV away from the drug scene and meanders through the town as they decide which way to go
-
"Say, anyone think we should stick around and see where they go after they finish their business?"
-
Sam nods to himself and replies over the comms: "yeah that's not a bad idea, let's kill the lights and pull in a nearby alley to see where they head after they deal their wares for the night."
And with that sam kills the headlights and pulls into the closest alley where the crew can keep an eye on the gang.
-
The team waits a long time, watching a steady stream of clientele roll through South Furnace Street, one after another, after another, after another, and so on all night...
Around 5 am the next morning, the gang wraps things up, halve leaving the area to head home, and half just entering the row houses already on the street. A long whistle blows, signaling the shift change at the forge across the way and workers there begin leaving as a more fresh ones arrive.
The sun is just coming up, when a faint whirring sound can be heard overhead, somewhere above the team's SUVs...
-
Crystal walks around casting restore vitality on her teamates who were too foolish not to nap, relying on Cillian for Luck as needed.
Will Rolled 5d20 : 17, 1, 6, 16, 7, total 47
TN 14
PsychosisRolled 5d20 : 2, 20, 10, 1, 17, total 50
TN 5
-
With a little help from Cillian's lopan, Crystal restores everyone's energy without over-extending herself, making them feel refreshed and ready to go.
Cillian notes that he can actually see the psychic energy ripple across the chi lines, as Crystal does her work, though only perhaps because he is so close to her as she employs it.
Maybe with some experimentation, Cillian could use Feng-Shui to detect Psychic energy the same way he does spirit energy? Or is psychic energy really just the same thing, only on a different wavelength or something? Or maybe he's just letting his mind wander because he's tired from sitting in an SUV all night...
Crystal restores Cillian's Vitality last and he instantly feels better - though perhaps with nagging questions still in mind...
-
Feeling mysteriously refreshed Sam sits up and rubs his eyes against the first rays of sunlight from the coming dawn.
"Alright so do we follow the ones who left to go wherever or do we go door to door and try to rustle up some info. And whats that sound?"
-
whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...
(sounds getting distant)
-
Montoya,raps out and runs to try and take a fire escape or climb somthing to get in top of a building "Is that a chopper? Gil, try and lock its signal to track it!" He tries to locate it by eye.
---
(Perception 9) 1d20 : 3, total 3
-
Getting out of the SUV, Montoya finds no fire escapes, or other easy access, to any of the nearby rooflines. He does however, spot a camera drone rapidly rising away from the area and out of sight.
-
Naturally, Gilbert tries to hack into whatever it is Montoya keeps screaming about.
---
(Computers 20+3X MTN 10) 1d20 : 3, total 3
-
Gilbert quickly runs a scan and finds that there are currently 400+ drone signals in the immediate area...
-
"T-There's too many of them..." Gilbert stutters out in dismay.
-
Filtering the scope a bit, reveals about 300 with MTN 15 level encryption, scattered in regulal-looking 'patrol patters'... Must be SSPB drones.
More filtering removes about 24 from the nearby forge, security drones watching the property.
That still leaves about 75 private drones? Ranging from zero encryption (easy hack) to about 35 MTN 10 systems.
-
Montoya. Foiled by the cunning lack of easy roof access quickly tries his own hacking scan, this might be too urgent to leave to Gil alone
---
(Computers 17+2X MTN 10) 1d20 : 18, total 18
-
With some luck, Captain Montoya locks onto a drone heading in the direction he had seen the one going.
After a little trial and error, he hacks into the controls - to which, whoever was operating it simply releases full control without any fight at all.
Montoya brings what it was looking at up on his screen and sees South Furnace Street and surrounding area, with the two SUVs central.
-
"Whatd you guys find out?"
-
"They were watching us closely! This drone was probably hacked and sent to spy on us!" Montoya leaps back into the SUV "Let's roll put!" he points dramatically out the window but forgets to give actual directions.
-
"Can you trace back whoever was watching us?" Butch asks. "Probably a good lead if anything."
-
"Im not likin this feeling of just sitting here, we need a plan and soon." Sam lights up a smoke and rolls the window down a bit so the others aren't as bothered by his addiction.
"Truthfully, I say lets go get some grub. We know who we're looking for now, lets follow the one's who just left, im sure theyre hungry. Maybe we can get some info that way. People are less guarded over a good meal ya know."
-
Montoya nods happily "Onwards to a cooked breakfast!" He announces loudly, surging the crew into stomach filling action.
As he does he quickly attempts to trace back whoever it was he stole the drone from.
-
"After we should probably check out that factory. Can't hurt, yeah?"
-
"After we should probably check out that factory. Can't hurt, yeah?"
"Of course, after sausages!"
-
"Of course, after sausages!"
"The Captain sure does LOVE his sausages" Sam says then laughs a little harder than he should
-
The breakfast at Pancake Palace is truly grand! A real feast!
So grand in fact, that every digs in, pigs out, and then, stuffed to the gills... suddenly realizes that no one has any money to pay...
-
Butch looks around, trying to spot any cameras in the place.
"We really need some bounties, guys. Seriously."
-
"We used up all our cash on the car rentals and the tranquilizers didn't we?"
Crystal tries to check out the security at the pancake place
"Maybe we can put those tranqs to good use?"
-
"No."
-
"Hey, they'd wake up well rested, unharmed and probably get payed for work they didn't have to do!"
-
The only noteworthy camera in the place is over the cash register.
Other than that, security is at a minimum - though the place is packed with customers this early in the morning.
'Rachel', the sixteen year old server, comes with the check and places it down in front of Captain Montoya. It's a big one. Even without a tip (poor Rachel :'() it's still substantial, not that it really matters at the moment.
"I can get that whenever you're ready," Rachel smiles.
Damn, she was an excellent server, she deserves a big tip!
-
"Alright Gilbert, now's your time to shine. Seduce the lady!", Crystal whispers urgently into the group coms, hiding her mouth movements.
-
Gilbert shoots Crystal a quick glare then looks at Rachel, beginning to sweat profusely. He knows the kinds of terrifying things Crystal will do to him if he doesn't obey her, so he doesn't dare protest.
"H-hey baby. Wanna c-come back to my ship for some, er, hot pockets?"
---
(Socialize 11 (w/ -2 Age; -2 Size) 1d20 : 12, total 12
-
Sam bursts out laughing.
"I'm sorry. Oh my god. DUDE Hotpockets!?"
The laughter continues...
-
"H-hey baby. Wanna c-come back to my ship for some, er, hot pockets?"
"Oh, you're too much!" the young lady replies to Gilbert with a polite giggle, as she walks away to tend another table.
-
Montoya quickly tries to hack the camera above the till, trying to review footage of the last few hours and overnight on high speed fast forward incase somthing catches his eye. Snagging a thief or corrupt staff could get them off the bill as well as serve justice!
"Everyone check the crowd for bounties or suspicious people." she stage whispers.
-
Montoya finds nothing untoward in the establishment's security record. Nor does there appear to be any bounties among the patrons (present company excluded).
-
While he has access to the systems Montoya runs through staff members, cross referencing with criminal records involving drugs. Also with the Internet in general to see if they posted picks of them with drug parafinalia online anywhere.
-
A complete lack of network security and Montoya's curiosity are all that it takes to pin the cook as 'their man'.
-
Sam meanwhile gets up "Headed to the John. Be back in a minute. " he also looks for their waitress to ask her if anyone from Wongs factory frequents the establishment. ..
-
Montoya calls the waitress over after Sam asks a question "My lovely lady! Before we pay I'd love to chat to the cook! He did amazing things with what I think we're eggs!"
-
Sam asks the waitress about Wongs, but she replies that she doesn't know where all the customers come in from.
When Captain Montoya mentions speaking to the chef, the girl agrees to go fetch him.
A minute or two later, a grungy strung-out-looking dude in an white apron over a TMNT t-shirt comes out from the back to the team's table.
With a goofy grin, he says, "Hey amigos! Rachel says you really liked the grub. Tubular man, haha!"
---
Cillian meanwhile, consults his lopan the whole time.
Rachel is an unremarkably normal girl a third of Gilbert's age, while the chef is a good natured pot head.
-
Montoya very carefully slides 4 trancs into view "The food was wonderful!" He says loudly "so we thought we'd offer you these at a good cost" he adds very quietly
-
"Oh, what? For me?" the chef asks, looking around nervously, but with a thirsty look in his eyes.
"How much do you want for them?" he leans in to whisper...
-
"Normally 2000 each right, so say 7500 for the 4?" Montoya whispers back, covering them over with a napkin so others wouldn't see what is happening
-
"I don't like the idea of selling drugs to kids, Montoya." Butch says. "We can get outta this without selling drugs."
-
"Whoa, who's going to sell to kids?" the chef replies, "Strictly for the responsible grown up types!"
Then pondering a bit he adds, "But yeah, I don't really do those... Now, if you had some premo green (weed), then I would be interested, haha!"
-
"Whoa, who's going to sell to kids?" the chef replies, "Strictly for the responsible grown up types!"
Then pondering a bit he adds, "But yeah, I don't really do those... Now, if you had some premo green (weed), then I would be interested, haha!"
"How about 7000 for the 4 and you can trade up tonight. You know you'll come out of the deal much better!" Montoya replies encouragingly
-
"Yeah, I don't really have that kind of money to spend..." the chef admits, "might be able to swing for one though... eh?"
-
Gilbert blankly stares at the table, unable to muster a thought after his incredibly harsh (in his eyes) rejection.
-
Montoya acts like he is thinking for a minute "how about pay for 1, and trade 2 for the meal?"
-
"Hey yeah!" the chef grins, "Good idea!"
"Let me see your bill; I'll comp it for you! Hehehe!"
As he takes the check, he leans in and whispers to Montoya. "One of you meet me around back at the kitchen door. We'll make the trade for them there. Too risky in here."
-
Montoya nods "out back in two minutes then." Once clear he asks the crew "So! Crisis averted and we don't need to steal, just trade some of the drugs for the food! Who wants to make the trade out back?" He asks in a slightly better whisper than normal.
-
"Feels wrong to be trading tranqs. Those are dangerous. Sure he won't try and roofie someone?" Butch asks, mostly to Cillian. The kid knows this stuff. Somehow.
-
Sam walks back from the restroom and looks at the crew talking among each other. Sitting down he asks to Montoya: "Whats the deal? We figure anything out?"
-
Sam walks back from the restroom and looks at the crew talking among each other. Sitting down he asks to Montoya: "Whats the deal? We figure anything out?"
Montoya replies "Made a deal with the cook bout trading 3 trancs to cover the meal and get some credits too, there are a few reservations about trading them though." He glances around before leaning in dramatically to stage whisper to the crew "We are out of time though, we have to send someone out to meet the cook for the trade or we have to dine and dash right away! I would feel terrible not leaving a good tip though, our lovely serving wench was very pleasant today!"
-
". . . I can go if you want. . . ?"
-
The crew heads out, free to go, as the chef has picked up the check.
Cillian meets the chef out in the alley behind the restaurant at the kitchen door, to wrap up their transaction. It goes without a hitch and he now has some cash for the team to work with.
As Gilbert is leaving, the cashier waves him over and hands him a folded paper note, explaining that it is from the server Rachel...
-
Gilbert stealthily reads the paper, trying to make sure no one else notices.
-
The note reads:
"Hey big boy ;) - I wasn't able to say anything at the table, but you look like the sort of man who can treat a girl right and provide for all her material needs. I can be you sugar girl if you can be my sugar daddy. :-*"
"What do you say? Meet me at Laurel Park, tonight at 6:30 pm, if you want a sample of what I can do for you. Bring a sample of what you can do for me. 8)"
"~Racy Rayray."
-
Gilbert hastily puts the note into his pocket and works to prevent himself from hyperventilating. He didn't think he'd be able to woe the girl, and she seems to be using him for money, but that's perfectly fine with him!
Now he just needs to think of an appropriate gift, and plan around the stakeout tonight.
-
"So, back to the Dandy?" Sam lights up a smoke and rolls it between his fingers as he waits for someone to decide something
-
"So long as we aren't being followed, back to the dandy to save on food and costs till our meeting!" Montoya annouces as if saving in costs is a grand purpose
-
"We should go to the factory and check it out, Montoya."
-
"We should go to the factory and check it out, Montoya."
"You know, I had entirely forgotten about that!" He Replies "Not like me that, we do indeed need to do some recon there. We thinking two teams, one infiltration and the other in the door as 'clients' or all stick together on this one?"
-
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/BerkaZerka/BountyHeadBebop/WongsFortuneCookie.png)
Finding Wong’s Fortune Cookie Works is easy enough – as the team already has the address.
As the SUVs drive up to the building, everyone sees that an eight foot high chain-link fence with barbwire top surrounds it, while a gate in the fence opens into the parking lot in front of the building. The gate is currently closed and locked and Wong’s appears completely unmanned during daylight hours.
The facility itself is comprised of a hundred foot long, sixty foot wide, thirty-five foot high, steel-sided, flat-roofed warehouse-like segment, with an attached seventy-five by thirty-five foot cinderblock front office area, and a forty-five by forty foot cinderblock connected shipping annex, both of which are have twelve-foot high sheet-metal roofs.
A number of steel doors and scrolling metal warehouse doors open into the building - all appearing well secured at the moment.
-
Montoya nods "Well this is more like it! Sneaking into a suspicious warehouse to foil the plans of evil doers!"
He jumps out of the SUV but stays by the door with it open "Gil, hack any cameras in the area so they can't see us while we break in to investigate!" He pauses "And disable alarms and such too!"
He heads to the back of the vehicle to gear up.
-
"100 creds says the cutting room's where we need to be."
-
". . . they have really good security . . . for a fortune cookie factory. . ."
-
"Think we have to break in? I bet Gill could pose as some fatass wanting to buy fortune cookie's at factory price. We could get him and Cill a tour."
-
Gilbert looks away from Butch, ignoring his comment.
Assuming he can, he attempts to hack into the company's internal network, to find blueprints or anything else useful.
---
(Computers 20+3X) 1d20 : 3, total 3
-
Cillian is secretly disappointed at not getting to tour a cookie factory.
-
Gilbert searches the local networks and doesn't find the cookie factory. It's quite possible that it only has hard-wired security within.
He does note however, that the air above is still thick with drones, and one of those mid-grade security ones is hovering overhead about two miles up (far enough to be invisible to the naked eye)...
-
"Well I've got many such tools here that could help us get in. Being a scrapper has its perks sometimes." Sam pulls out a hunk of thermite from his pack and also a steel cutting tool and holds them both up for the party to see.
"Pick your poison" He says smiling at the opportunity to do something useful this trip other than drive.
-
"How is it going Gil? We ready to move in?"
Montoya calls forward while rummaging through his stuff in the trunk.
-
"N-no. But we're being watch, so we should leave, quickly," Gilbert replies.
-
"Confound their cunning defences!" Montoya announces "Ok, we move out, hack the cameras and drone from further away, then return and break in!"
-
"Confound their cunning defences!" Montoya announces "Ok, we move out, hack the cameras and drone from further away, then return and break in!"
"We still get to use these right?" Sam said as he place his thermite back into his pack, rather dejectedly...
-
"I still think Gil and Cill investigating should be a pretty good way to get in."
-
"Hmm, you want to call and see if they do tours Butch?" Montoya asks, clearly preferring the.breaking in option.
-
"Hmm, you want to call and see if they do tours Butch?" Montoya asks, clearly preferring the.breaking in option.
"Kinda doubt they do, considering that it's a front for the mob. But if they have someone there demanding, they probanly can't refuse."
-
As the team sits in their SUV's, indecisive as usual, a police patrol car pulls in behind them and flicks on its lights...
-
"Gogogogogo" Crystal says, shoving Butch into the driver's seat.
"Corrupt cops! Loitering charges! We need to go!"
-
"Ok, move! Circle a few blocks and come back near here but in the shadow of buildings!" Montoya adds
-
"AWAY!!" Bitch shouys onmyje gass pefal
-
"Uh, um, I think we should stop", Gilbert stutters out, anxiously looking behind them.
-
Since Sam is still driving the lead vehicle he rolls down the window with all of his permits in hand. Hell spend a luck point if needed to convince the cop they are new here and lost.
-
Montoya pauses "Ah that might work too, good thinking Sam. Though be prepare for a fight everyone, we know they are corrupt here!"
-
Butch peels out his SUV and tears down the street, to which, the cop car immediately gives chase, leaving Montoya's SUV sitting alone in a cloud of choking dust and gravel...
-
Montoya looks at the others "Well we evaded them perfectly! Shall we move on to the infiltration plan or follow the others?"
-
Montoya looks at the others "Well we evaded them perfectly! Shall we move on to the infiltration plan or follow the others?"
"I say lets get in there while we can" Sam wheels the SUV into the parking lot and parks casually in what he thinks is Employee parking.
"Time for the thermite?"
-
A dragging noise is heard from under Samuel's SUV. Parking in the lot, he gets out and sees the (closed) gate and lock that he just drove through, now tangled among the underside of the vehicle.
-
"Well shit"
-
Montoya simply nods "Excelent work, now act quickly to find a way inside!"
He carefully navigates the gates remains to get his weak s from the trunk... There just so happens to be a new gas cylinder launching grenade launcher to try out.
-
Crystal pulls out her shotgun and pulls on her gas/voice mask to hide her features, "Butch, you think you can lose them?"
-
"Duh." Butch grunts, countinuimh to drive away
---
(Butch Drive 16) 1d20 : 2, total 2
(vs. Cop Drive 12) 1d20 : 9, total 9
-
Butch tries to cut down some narrow alleyways, but finds he is at a serious disadvantage, not knowing the area like the cop does. So far the cop has stuck hot to their tail...
-
Cillian looks at the factory. Does the Captain really need to use a grenade launcher?
-
"Duh. Of course."
Crystal kicks open the back of the van door and fires at the police car's tires.
---
(Auto Shotgun 13+2X) 1d20 : 12, total 12
-
Gilbert begins shaking back and forth. Everything that he hoped wouldn't happen is happening.
In an act of desperation, he tries to hack a nearby drone and send it into the cop's car.
---
(Computers 20+3X MTN 10) 1d20 : 15, total 15
-
Crystal's shot blows out the tire, causing the cop car to skid and spin out to a stop.
Butch is just rounding another corner when Gilbert locks onto the drone over the fortune cookie factory and sends it diving down into the cop car's windshield - smashing the glass into an opaque spider-web of cracks.
-
"Dammit guys, I could have done that without almost killing those poor cops."
-
"Clearly," Crystal says.
"Hey, what are the odds they got or plate number?"
-
Montoya loads up a suppressor canister in his grenade launcher and heads for the buildings nearest entrance to see what kind of security is on the doors.
-
"Clearly," Crystal says.
"Hey, what are the odds they got or plate number?"
"Would guess so. Definitely would have been shoddy police work if they didnt."
-
A whirring noise is heard by Butch, Crystal, and Gilbert, as a camera drone with flashing police lights flies down in front of their car and commands through loud speakers: "YOU ARE UNDER ARREST! EXIT THE VEHICLE AND GET ON THE GROUND!"
Looking, Gilbert sees that this is one of those MTN 15 security drones he had seen in his earlier scans.
-
Montoya loads up a suppressor canister in his grenade launcher and heads for the buildings nearest entrance to see what kind of security is on the doors.
Montoya sees simple hardlocks.
-
"Shit." Butch mutters.
"Tell me when you wanna hit it. Gil, you think you can hack this thing?"
-
"M-maybe", Gilbert replies while his shaking intensifies. "But there's going to be more of them in the area, and they already know what the cars looks like, so we won't get far..."
I can't go to jail. I can't go to jail. I can't go to jail. I can't go to jail. I can't go to jail.
Gilbert starts thinking to himself, as he attempts to hack into the drone. While they know what the car looks like, the group itself should still be unknown, so if he hacks into it, maybe they can escape on foot. (Luck point for focused effort, and use another one if required to succeed.)
If he's successful, he'll try and alter the footage of the drone to show the car going further away from the fortune cookie factory, so they can run back to it. If he can't do that, he'll simply stop the feed.
---
(Gilbert Computers 20+3X MTN 14) 1d20 : 19, total 19
(vs. SSPB 14+2X) 1d20 : 14, total 14
-
Crystal readies her shotgun in case Gilbert fails to hack the drone.
"We bail out and run when the drone's down. Montoya used pseudonyms when we rented these right? I really hope he did, anyway."
-
Montoya sees simple hardlocks.
"Um. . . Is that . . . I mean, if it's a criminal cookie factory. . . Shouldn't they have better security?" (Cillian makes sure he has Danger Sense active.)
-
"One way to find out, these could just be the cover Locks with the big stuff inside afterall!"
He asizes up the lock and his pistol as he calls "Sam, think you can handle this lock?"
Upon hearing the others through the comms "Of course I probably did! Just loose the cops, get out of sight on foot then meet up with us here! Make sure to do it while a drone isn't watching!" he adds helpfully
-
Gilbert locks onto the drone and quickly realizes he's fighting for control with a live (and expert) operator. Nevertheless, he prevails and momentarily gains control of it.
He is able to alter the previous footage, but knows the operator can simply restore it if he wins back control. With little choice, Gilbert fries the camera irreversibly.
"YOU MUTHAFARKER!!!" The speakers curse.
-
"Alright gang,ey's move. Gil, you feel like lighting up this van or it's not worth the trouble?"
-
"It'll draw too much attention", Gilbert replies, getting out of the van as fast as his ass lets him. He'll then start heading back to the factory (making sure to avoid the cop car they crashed before).
-
Gilbert sees a number of MTN 15 Security Drones in the immediate area, two moving toward their current position fast.
At this rate, they will be on scene in about twenty seconds...
-
"Run!" Crystal says, trying not to shout as she does exactly that, headed for Montoya's position.
-
"One way to find out, these could just be the cover Locks with the big stuff inside afterall!"
He asizes up the lock and his pistol as he calls "Sam, think you can handle this lock?"
Upon hearing the others through the comms "Of course I probably did! Just loose the cops, get out of sight on foot then meet up with us here! Make sure to do it while a drone isn't watching!" he adds helpfully
"Most definitely Mon Captain." Sam pulls out the thermite charge and attaches it to the lock.
"Fire in the hole. Might wanna back up"
-
Montoya draws his sword dramatically as he moves back the appropriate distance.
"And once open we charge! Prepare for swashbuckling and bounty catching!" he keeps his grenade Launcher in his other hand.
-
Butch runs with the group
-
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/BerkaZerka/BountyHeadBebop/WongsFortuneCookie.png)
The front door (melted through by Samuel's thermite) opens into a reception area with a counter, some raggedy-looking couches, a coffee table, and some vending machines with nothing left in them. The floor is littered with cigarette butts and other debris, while porno magazines cover the coffee table, giving the whole area a dark and unseemly feel. A camera watches over the area.
Captain Montoya, Samuel, and Cillian see no one about and it's all quiet, indicating the machinery is not currently in operation.
---
Running into the alleyways, Butch, Crystal, and Gilbert get out of sight before the incoming drones can spot them.
On Gilbert's computer, a news alert flashes over his screen - "BREAKING NEWS... Unknown assailants have opened fire on SSPB units in the factory east district. Workers are advised to remain inside, until an 'all clear' is issued."
An overhead video shows the police car chasing Butch's SUV and crashing; then the camera angle swoop down into the car and go blank.
Another overhead view then replaces the first, and shows a few dozen police units setting a perimeter three blocks out in all directions from the wrecked police car - as well as some sort of swat response team in route.
-
Mo toya immediately looks for the nearest electrical panel, if they have internal cameras he was going to hack them!
---
(Computers 17+2X) 1d20 : 20, total 20
-
Crystal keeps on running, making sure to avoid the crashed police car by a wiiide margin.
-
Montoya knows that a camera system can be hacked into, right from a camera itself; and one happens to be handy here in the room.
Pulling a chair up under it, he gets his electronic tools out and opens it up, snipping a few wires here and there.
Unfortunately, he causes a short and the camera snaps, pops, and then bursts into flames - threatening to ignite the ceiling tiles above!
-
He pauses the. Leaps down "Distraction caused! Now we just need another camera!"
He heads off to find the next access point.
-
The ceiling tiles begin to take fire...
-
He pauses again, maybe this might be too big of a distraction. "Change of plans, put out the fire before the entire building goes up!" he looks for a fire extinguisher and failing that, somthing to knock the tiles down with.
-
Cillian frantically tries to use his Lopan to do *something* about the fire. Maybe alter chance so it doesn't spread?! Does fire even have chi?
-
"I got this!" Samuel says, pulling small fire extinguisher from his utility belt. He quickly douses the flames, before the ceiling goes up in smoke.
Montoya and his team then move on to explore the rest of the front portion of the factory, including the following points of interest.
---
An office here looks more like a nightclub than an administrative work area. A fully stocked wet bar, complete with a counter and barstools, occupies one wall, while card tables and chairs are set out on the floor. A couple of worn out velvet couches sit in a semicircle under a disco ball facing a high-end entertainment center next to a collection of x-rated videos.
The only thing ‘office’ about the whole area is a large black executive desk tucked neatly in the back of the room with a laptop on its surface – though even that seems somehow perverse in the setting.
---
Then there is the men and women's restrooms. Nothing unusual here, except a camera hidden in the vent above the woman's stalls...
---
Then the Machine Room: a cluttered workshop and storage area for the various pieces of machinery and parts used to automate the fortune cookie making process.
---
And finally Operations: But both doors to the Operations room appear to be locked with simple hard locks.
---
As this goes on, Butch, Crystal, and Gilbert finally arrive on-scene, having eluded and/or hacked all the camera drones looking for them. Their hearts sink however, when they see that Samuel has foolishly crashed his SUV through the front gate and parked it in the lot. No way the cops will miss that little detail when they start closing in on the area...
-
"No swashbuckling required but it is looting time! I'll start on cameras, Gil, when you get here the laptop in the 'office' is yours to hack!" Montoya gets the camera from above the women's stalls, might have info in there from secret talks between women afterall.
Everyone else cover out entry and escape points while breaking into the operating room!
-
Cillian stands around uselessly for now, waiting to dispense luck as needed.
He's disappointed the cookie factory turned out to be so sleazy. Not like willy wonka at all . . .
-
"Wh... What happened... here?" Gilbert asks, still struggling for breath after their epic get away. It's the longest distance he's moved in one go in a while after all.
-
"Does someone smell smoke?"
-
"Captain set the ceiling on fire, but Sam fixed it. . . And there aren't even any cookies."
-
"They don't make cookies in the reception area," Samuel replies to Cillian. "We got to keep looking. I can smell them cookies somewhere in here!"
"Wait... why do we want cookies again?"
-
"We gotta get around quick guys. Police are gonna be here any minute." Butch warns.
-
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/BerkaZerka/BountyHeadBebop/WongsFortuneCookie.png)
With the teams back together, a quick search of the place was made.
The laptop in the office was no match for Gilbert, who hacked into it with ease. It proved to contain all the legitimate business contacts of Wong’s Fortune Cookie Works. There was nothing in it to lead to A.C. Morrison – although Gilbert did find an extensive collection of pornography stored on the hard drive and a wireless feed from the hidden camera located in the women’s restroom.
There really wasn’t anything incriminating here, except perhaps for the voyeuristic propensities of the owner.
As this went on, Samuel used his large crowbar to break into the locked operations room. Inside, were a few old desks and a row of filing cabinets that contained all the paperwork related to Wong’s legitimate business. There was nothing in them to connect Wong's with any sort of drug distribution operation.
Also in the room was a panel of camera feeds, showing all the areas under surveillance in the factory; including the view from the camera hidden in the women’s restroom. Each of the cameras in the facility was also wired for sound, which meant anyone avoiding the cameras might still give themselves away by being a little too loud.
From here, Samuel could see that the entire factory was currently empty.
The rest of the team confirmed, hitting all the rooms for a once-over.
The Receiving Room was a large open warehouse with a thirty-five foot high ceiling and watched over by a camera set high in the southeast corner. Large boxes and crates were stacked everywhere, moved into place with a small forklift, while a scrolling metal door allowed baking supplies and equipment to be brought in by the delivery trucks. A second scrolling metal door opened from the Receiving Room into the Packing Room and was currently open.
In the Shipping Annex, a camera was set twelve feet up the southwest corner of this room, which was used to stage the boxes and pallets of fortune cookies for delivery. A small forklift was also located here, used to load pallets onto trucks through its scrolling metal door. A number of empty pallets were currently stacked along the east wall.
The Mix Mixing Room was where the fortune cookie dough was prepared in a giant industrial mixer and pumped through tubes onto the conveyer belt that started in the adjacent Spraying Room. Huge sacks of flour and other ingredients sat on pallets that lined the edges of the room, leaving very little space to maneuver around the machinery.
Machinery in the Spraying Room would then roll out the fortune cookie dough on the conveyer belt and coat it with a sugary glaze, before it passed into the adjacent Cutting Room. Fifty-gallon drums of ‘Uncle Carl’s Ready-Mixed Fortune Cookie Glaze’ sat along the east wall, pumped through tubes and into the sprayer – no doubt Wong’s very own “secret” ingredient.
A catwalk, overlooking the conveyer belt and machinery as it heads along the process, was accessible from a fifteen foot high ladder in the room.
In the Cut Cutting Room, machinery would cut and shape the fortune cookie dough as it came in on the conveyer belt from the Spraying Room and then send the now individually folded cookies into the adjacent Baking Room for the remainder of the process.
The catwalk, overlooking the machinery and conveyer belt as it heads along the process, is set fifteen feet up the southern wall of the room, but is not accessible from here (except to the very determined).
In the Baking Room, hot oven coils hang from the ceiling and would bake the fortune cookies as they passed under on the conveyer belt. The hot cookies would then continue out of the room and into the Packing Room to the north.
The catwalk continued through this area as well.
And finally, the Packing Room. A camera watched over the area, set high on the northeast corner of the room. The conveyer belt that ran through the cookie making process ended here, dumping the folded and baked cookies into large cloth bins, where workers would then slip paper fortunes into them and pack them into bags and boxes for shipping.
Piles of empty pallets are stacked here, no doubt to be filled, wrapped, and transferred to the shipping annex when production was running.
The overhead catwalk ends in the back half of the room, but is not accessible from here. Under the catwalk are stacked hundreds of boxes of paper fortune strips for insertion into the cookies – literally millions of them.
-
"This place looks like a dead end guys," Samuel called over the intercom system.
-
"I saw a ladder in the hall to the roof," Samuel continued, "I'm gona go up and see where the fuzz is."
A moment later, a hail of bullets came crashing down through the structure's roof.
"Ugh..." Samuel gasped, "we're surrounded. ... I'm hit, bad..." His comlink then went silent.
"THIS IS THE POLICE! WE HAVE THE BUILDING SURROUNDED!" a loudspeaker blared from outside the front of the building. "ANYONE SEEN WITH A WEAPON IN HAND WILL BE SHOT! COME OUT WITH YOU'RE HANDS UP!"
"Welp, I'm out of here." Cillian stated simply, holding his lopan over his head and walking out the front of the factory. There he was immediately tackled and taken into custody by a SWAT team.
As this went on, Gilbert observed his computer feeds. They were indeed surrounded - by hundreds of cops and more than a dozen security drones (recording the standoff as it unfolded). Moments later, the lights and power to the factory went out and Gilbert's computer feeds all scrambled - the telltale sign of a jamming transmitter having just been set up over them.
Strangely enough, from where he was standing, Montoya could see that the Shipping Annex still had power and light for some reason...
-
"Oh well. Samuels most likely dead, Cillian pussied out and we're Farked." Jacob Said over the comlink from whereever he was. "I'm blowing up the entrences. I'm a dead man walking if they catch me." And with that Jacob rushes to place C4 at the entrences, he may have forgotten how much he should be using howevever... (he'll use too much C4)
-
"Lights are out." Butch says, as he squints, wishing he installed a night vision enhancement when he had the chance.
"We need to get out. I'm not letting them have moonkit." Butch adds, quickly drawing his shotgun and looking to the team.
"Someone tell me something good."
-
"I-I think we should surrender!" Gilbert stutters out. "We're surrounded... and without my computer I'm useless!"
He then starts shaking, as he slowly begins to shuffle towards the reception with his hands up.
-
Standing dramatically (even though he can't be seen by most of them) Montoya shouts "The shipping annex has power! Regroup there and look for a secret escape hatch or hidden treasure room before the police get inside!" he pauses "Bring any loose computers too!" he then activates his rapiers dramatic music score and charges toward the annex
-
As Jacob went to booby-trap the doors with C4, everyone but Gilbert moved into the shipping annex. There, the team could see a small forklift and large stacks of empty pallets along the east wall. Nothing looked out of place - though a muffled humming sound could be heard coming up through the floor.
Someone would need to hop on the forklift and move the pallets to see if there was anything hidden underneath them...
-
He then starts shaking, as he slowly begins to shuffle towards the reception with his hands up.
Making his way back to the entrance, Gilbert was disappointed to see that Jacob had already set C4 to blow the area if the door was opened. While Gilbert was not sure how to disarm the trap, he was fairly certain that Jacob had used much much too much. Perhaps enough even to level the entire building from this door alone.
-
Keeping a close eye in the celling as she moves, Crystal tries to open the door (and will swap to her shotgun to blow the lock open if it’s locked) while shouting to Gilbert and Montoya, “One of you get those pallets out of the way, we don’t have much time!”
-
"I... okay..." Gilbert says aloud to himself. Resigned to defeat, he waddles over to join the rest of the crew.
-
With a satisfied smile Jacob looks at his handiwork and nods. It would have to do.
"Okay, doors are now deathtraps, we got a relatively Good headstart should they try to storm us" Jacob said over the comlink as he ran back to the others.
-
"Were gonna get out of this. We're gonna make it." Butch mutters to himself, as he draws his shotgun.
Keeping a close eye in the celling as she moves, Crystal tries to open the door (and will swap to her shotgun to blow the lock open if it’s locked) while shouting to Gilbert and Montoya, “One of you get those pallets out of the way, we don’t have much time!”
"I got it. Shouldn't take too much time for a cyborg to move crates." He says, hopping onto the forklift and moving the pallets as quickly as possible.
-
Seeing he has little else to do, Montoya does a quick look for alternate entrances, windows and cameras from which they might be watched while making their dating escape. He also keeps the dramatic music playing to make sure everyone stays excited about their great escape from the syndicate. "Don't worry, we will escape from these police soon with evidence in hand!" he calls out while thinking 'The syndicate caught onto us quickly this time, to think they had such control over local police, I have been letting my guard down!'
-
Moving the pallets with the forklift, butch uncovered a large concrete lid of some sort, roughly four feet wide and eight feet long. A large steel ring in the surface of the lid could be strung with a chain that hung in the corner of the annex, so that the lid could be lifted up using the forklift.
After rigging everything, Butch pulled the lid up.
Beneath the opening was a stairway heading down into a metallic basement of some kind, where light could be seen shining up the stairs and the sound of humming generators could be heard. There was a salty tang in the air - reminiscent of the moon's vast oceans.
-
"Look at that." Butch says triumphantly. "Next step the ocean."
"Any thoughts on how to cover this up so they can't follow us?"
-
"Of course, dramatically! Pallets back on top and C4 on the chain and forklift! By the time they work it out we will be dramatically sailing away and watching the flames" Montoya announces
-
Crystal rushes down the steps herself and looks around, worried that whoever was in the factory before they entered had already made off with whatever vehicles, if any, there were down in the (presumably) underwater passage.
-
"Look at that." Butch says triumphantly. "Next step the ocean."
"Any thoughts on how to cover this up so they can't follow us?"
" yeah, I can get creative here aswell" Jacob said with a ominous looking smile as he pulled out some c4.
-
Crystal rushes down the steps herself and looks around, worried that whoever was in the factory before they entered had already made off with whatever vehicles, if any, there were down in the (presumably) underwater passage.
The stairs descended about eighty feet beneath the shipping annex and opened into a high-arched hollow under the floating island's superstructure. The place had no floor - just a narrow sixty-foot long pontoon pier, floating on the unimaginably deep water of Ganymede’s Ocean surface. Docked along the pier was miniature submarine, measuring forty-feet long by ten-feet wide.
A small platform just off the stairs to the right held a bank of batteries that hummed with power, as they provided the area (and shipping annex above) with lights and electricity.
-
Once the C4 is in place, Montoya follows down to see what awesome getaway ship they have waiting for them. Clearly left by a resistance member so they could escape the syndicates evil plan.
-
"More... exercise..." Gilbert sighs in dismay, upon seeing the stairs. He then descends the staircase, checking to see if his electronic devices are still blocked once he reaches the bottom.
-
"Haha! A masterpiece!" Jacob exclaims as he finished putting down the C4, this time he set it up for remote detonation. Or maybe he did for the other aswell, he just couldn't remember. Either way, he set it up for a glorious explosion.
And with that, as he presumably was the last one to leave through the tunnel he will set it off when he was safely away from the hatch.
-
"More... exercise..." Gilbert sighs in dismay, upon seeing the stairs. He then descends the staircase, checking to see if his electronic devices are still blocked once he reaches the bottom.
Gilbert's gear was still blocked by the jamming transmitter above - but doing some signal diagnostics to see if he could break through the jamming signal (he could with more time), he inadvertently discovered a feint electronic ping coming from inside the docked submarine. A quick analysis revealed it to the geo-taging request signal of a cell phone.
-
"Well there we go." Butch says, as he enters the submarine. "Everything works out in the end."
"Anyone know how to drive a sub?"
-
“Not a clue”, Crystal says as she also heads down the hatch.
“Is everyone alright? No injuries that need healing?”
-
"Only ones injured are dead or captured." Butch says, grim. "Not our best outing."
-
Montoya looks for a ships wheel, just incase.
If he doesnt find one he checks the controls to see if he can pilot it.
-
"Guys, I think there's a person in that sub," Gilbert says, after taking several moments to first catch his breath.
"Either that or someone left their phone behind."
-
"Well he or she's gonna get a rude awakening." Butch says, hefting his shotgun, now cautiously watching the shadows of the sub.
-
"Hmm, narrow down the location and spread out! search for the stowaway!" Montoya quietly calls out, readying his stun sword and turning the music over to dramatic suspence
-
Fortunately, there was nobody aboard the small submarine and it was a simple enough design that Montoya could easily pilot it. The question was, where would they go with it?
Once it was determined to be free of any lurking syndicate members, Gilbert entered the vessel, and used his sensors to find a small cell phone that had apparently fallen (or perhaps been hidden) behind the steering console.
Fishing the phone out, he discovered it to be locked, but was able to hack into it with out breaking a sweat - or at least adding to the copious amounts of sweat he had already worked up running from the cops.
The cell phone belonged to an SSPB agent from Ganymede named James Lee. Its ringer was off and the volume had been muted, but it was still active (though just about dead battery-wise).
-
Montoya immediately heads down and away before coming back up to a depth able to get a live stream of the surrounded building.
"Right, let's watch the finale then decide where to go!" he asks Gil to bring a steam or two up on his laptop
-
"Lets first get out from under the whole place. Who knows if this tunnel will hold the whole place collapsing." Butch says.
"Whats with the phone? Owner of this submarine maybe?"
-
"Maybe it's the guy whose blood was on the fortune cookie we found?"
-
Montoya immediately heads down and away before coming back up to a depth able to get a live stream of the surrounded building.
Montoya set a course and piloted the submarine out from under the floating Uliga Island. As the vessel moved beyond the radius of the jamming transmitter the police had set up around Wong's Fortune Cookie shop, Gilbert's net connections abruptly came back online.
There immediately followed a shuddering THUD! - as a shock-wave from the exploding factory rippled through the waters and rocked the sub. The sub seemed to take the hit relatively well, except for a sudden gush of water, spraying in from a now separated seam in the hull (and right into Butch's face).
-
"Oh, that's not great..."
Crystal checks to make sure the submarine's drain pump is on.
"Better not go too deep underwater. Montoya, think you could patch the hull? Doesn't seem like too big of a breach"
-
His equipment back online, Gilbert buries himself into his work and tries whatever he can to gain info from this cell phone.
-
"I'll get a little closer to the surface!" he says as he quickly looks for a sealant kit or expanding patch kit of some sort on the mini-sub.
(Not surfacing though incase we get spotted, just cruising speed away whilst searching)
-
Butch spits out the water, and grasps around for a towel.
"Cant let the water get into any circuits." He mutters.
"This place has to be related to the bounty right?"
-
"I'll get a little closer to the surface!" he says as he quickly looks for a sealant kit or expanding patch kit of some sort on the mini-sub.
The submarine was equipped with emergency repair kits, so Montoya took one and begun applying it to the leak.
-
His equipment back online, Gilbert buries himself into his work and tries whatever he can to gain info from this cell phone.
The cell phone belonging to the SSPB agent James Lee only had one number stored in it - that of his office on Ganymede (which had been called a number of times). Following the name on the net however, revealed that Agent James Lee had been missing from the force for about three weeks now.
Delving even deeper uncovered a stray piece of information – apparently from a top secret SSPB file leaked onto the Net. The file was pretty hacked up, but did indicate that Wong’s Fortune Cookie Works was on a list of suspected drug trafficking fronts slated for SSPB Sting Operations. Cross-referencing this file with Agent James Lee confirms that he was one of agents assigned to these missions.
It also seemed that agent James Lee had sent a hasty non-encrypted message to his office voicemail from his cell phone on his last call. A small portion of the message was still in the Ganymede Telecom system buffers and indicated that Agent James Lee thought he had finally cornered A.C. Morrison – the message ended abruptly however, with the sound of gunfire and swearing in Chinese. What is even more disturbing though, is that there is evidence the message was intercepted as it was sent and hacked out of the voicemail system – so that it was never delivered – but there is nothing left to indicate who might have intercepted the message and hacked it out.
Perhaps the most important find on the phone however, was the geo-tracking which was still functioning. It showed typical travel from place to place up to where the the investigation had led agent Lee here. Then, following his last call, it only showed two points, with no travel in between - here under Uliga Island - and a point under a place called Alester House, a large estate located on one of the private islands to which the floating Uliga Island was anchored – about fifty miles from Wong’s Fortune Cookie Works.
The fact that there was no GPS data between the two points, corresponded with the fact that the submarine would have been underwater with no geo-tracking signal between the two - only recording once the sub had surfaced in each point.
The cell phone showed a total of six trips between the two points, from the time agent Lee had dropped the phone behind the control panel
.
-
"A mansion on top of a private island, sounds like a pretty likely location doesn't it?", Crystal says.
"We'll have to see the place first but I'll bet it's fortified and guarded up the ass"
-
"Well now, the plot thickens! We will have to plan our daring entrance but using the sub will grant us some surprise!" Montoya adds
-
"Poor guy got lynched for doing his job." Butch says. "We have an obligation to take this bastard down."
-
"Ah, and once we do, publish the evidence and send it to the police! He fell fighting evil and shall be avenged!" Montoya adds
-
"Can't we just go back to the ship and try again tomorrow?" Gilbert whines. "We already escaped certain death once today."
-
"Well, we could but..."
Crystal scratches the back of her head as she ponders for a second
"There's not much we can actually do to prepare for this outside of scouting the place, which we'll do from the sub anyway, right?
Police might have some of our faces too, I was wearing a mask when I was running to the factory but I don't think Butch or you were, we could have been identified and going back to the ship could be dangerous - you mind finding out if they know who we are Gil?"
-
"Yeah we're burnt. We need to get a good hit and then get outta of this system asap."
-
Jacob sighs and speaks up.
"Do the sub come with an uhhhh, scope? Scopetube? Binocular tube? Whatever its called we'll probably need it."
-
Gilbert groans, realizing they wont be leaving yet. He then pulls out his computer and begins researching anything he can concerning the island so they're prepared.
-
Taking a while to root-out every last bit of information, Gilbert managed to uncover some real gems.
Officially, Alester House and the island itself were owned by ‘Arthur Connolly Holdings’ – a super-rich money laundering – er… “money lending” corporation. While nothing illegal can be proven against it, the company has developed quite a bad reputation over the years, as a merciless band of greedy loan sharks that would have no problem foreclosing on a hospital or orphanage, should it ever get the chance.
(http://www.BountyHeadBebop.com/BHB/AlesterHouse.jpg)
Alester House is a large estate located on one of the private islands to which the floating Uliga Island industrial complex is anchored. Because of this, the estate is reachable by motor vehicle, along a private road that leads from Uliga Island and onto the natural island, before winding a mile or two up the verdantly green hills to the manor proper.
The area around the manor (see Estate map) is surrounded by a twelve foot high heavy chain link fence, entered through a stone gatehouse watched over by a camera. An intercom at the gatehouse allows two-way communication with the manor from the gatehouse, so the gate can be opened remotely when needed.
Beyond the gatehouse, the private road winds through a heavily wooded area, before opening up to a clearing in which the manor stands. The trees surrounding the estate have been cleared fifty feet from the fencing, where a dirt track follows the fence along the inside to allow regular patrols to dive along its perimeter. Further security also includes a camera at each corner of the fencing, looking down the length.
The manor itself, a three-hundred by two-hundred-forty foot wide, sixty foot high, stone mansion with Spanish-tile roof, is situated atop a hundred foot high cliff overlooking the ocean. It, in addition to a garden, swimming pool, and tennis courts, sits on a twelve foot high raised stone courtyard. A matching stone wall extends to either side of the raised courtyard, to hide the chain fence behind and offer a more refined vista of the area from the manor. Additionally, a very large garage and fenced dog kennel are also located on the grounds. Cameras on the manor house watch over the clearing.
The fenced-in dog kennel houses a dozen vicious and aggressive guard dogs, trained to attack anyone they don’t recognize – in other words, Gilbert and Gilbert alone. The kennel can be opened remotely from the Security Room in the basement of the Alester House by means of a buried hardline between the two.
Each of the dogs in the kennel are equipped with an unusually bulky collar – perhaps an explosive device or other nefarious trap.
A camera watches over the interior of the garage, which houses six fancy sports cars, an unmarked delivery van, and a relatively modern tank – complete with a turret mounted 115mm Military Main Gun and 20mmC Military Heavy Support Gun.
Also in the garage is a work area with an elaborate set of mechanics and electronics tools, where the tank is currently being serviced.
In addition to the cameras and fencing mentioned above, below is a list of the manor’s other security measures.
Two Snipers are stationed on the roof of the manor house, ready to pick off anyone noticed by the security cameras that come into the clearing or near the house.
Two Manor Thugs also patrol the grounds in an old Jeep, equipped with a 12mmL Police Vehicle-Mounted Chaingun.
Each of the three small clearings, in the wooded area that surrounds the manor, contain an underground missile battery that can be raised up and controlled via buried hardline to a panel in the manor’s Security Room. There are twelve Surface-To-Air Missiles in each battery, which the manor will use to defend against air-based attacks or intrusion.
Gilbert also managed to snag some maps of the interior, though the layout of the basement was not available - nor the underground sub-base apparently...
(http://www.BountyHeadBebop.com/BHB/Alester1.jpg)
(http://www.BountyHeadBebop.com/BHB/Alester2.jpg)
-
"This definitly seems more heavily defended than normal, so somthing MUST be going on. We should sneak in and out like ghosts, never let them even know we were there until they find their secure room empty and see our silhouette disappearing on the horizon!" Montoya announces, partly intended as a rousing speech to help lift everyone's spirits
-
"Yeah... you guys sneak in and out. I'll stay on the sub and... uh... make sure its ready to leave when we need to disappear," Gilbert suggests, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"I can help everyone better from here anyway."
-
"But without you who will tame the dogs? You're the best with animals aren't you Gil?", Crystal says with a smile
-
"This place is a farking fortress." Butch says, grimacing. "We will have to be really careful here."
"Gilbert, how close do you need to be to hack the secuirity cameras? This gotta be an in+out mission."
-
Jacob continues his search for what he has now named scopetube.
Upon hearing Crystals remark on Gilbert, he sighs, and mumbled mostly to himself "the difference between having a dick and being one"
-
After a bit of travel, the submarine came near the coordinates that had been gotten off the phone. Sure enough it was right off the cliffs of the Alister Estate. Instruments on the control panel showed a thirty meter wide tunnel or cave opening, hidden about fifty meters below the surface of the water - significantly larger than the diameter of the small submarine itself.
Gilbert meanwhile, was looking at a news-feed on his computer, currently showing the SSPB taking the Dandy Desperado into custody and teams of heavily armed police storming into it to do a search.
A reporter then came on to reveal everyone's name and face, including the various bounties on their heads. Apparently, one of the crew had spilled the beans and told them everything - including their current mission to nab famouse drug kingpin A.C. Morrison.
Because Samuel was shot up pretty bad the last time anyone knew, that meant Cillian had to be the stool-pigeon.
-
"Fark that brat screwed us." Butch shouts, slamming his hand against the sub wall.
"They mustve taken Moonkit. Fark!"
-
"Yeah... hopefully she's okay," Gilbert replied, silently mourning the loss of his snack-runner.
"But uh... where do you guys want me to drop you off?" He asks, shifting nervously in his seat. "I doubt we can just pull into the docking bay without drawing attention to ourselves."
-
"Let's get in close and see if they have any detectors in the underwater passage! If we can slip in there, we can be in and out before they know what hit them!"
Montoya checks for what sensors the sub has and if it has a system log for being ping-d or returning a passcode when it approaches.
-
Montoya's check didn't reveal any high-tech security protecting the underwater entrance. It looked like any old submarine could simply go right in anytime it wanted...
-
"Lets go in. We cant burn anymore time planning." Butch says. "In and out. Grab and destroy."
-
"Onward!" Montoya announces, then remembering he was driving, he sits down and carefully pilots it in, trying to keep it slow and stealthy and out of sight.
-
"This is not a real sub. There's no scopetube." Jacob said with a disappointed look on his face.
"Was there any security guarding the way in?"
-
As Jacob stood there murmuring, the periscope abruptly slid down from above to knock him in the head. After rubbing the bump with his hand for a second, he grabbed the optics and looked through.
(http://www.BountyHeadBebop.com/BHB/GrottoMini.jpg)
Their mini-submarine was just under the surface, along sturdy stone pier, in a huge natural water-filled grotto with a seventy-five foot high ceiling. The wide pier ran eighty feet out from a landing, where a cargo elevator and wrought-iron spiral staircase ascend to the Alester Manor high above. A camera, located fifty feet up the south wall, watched over the area, while a control booth for an overhead crane (build into the high ceiling over the pier) stood at the west edge of the landing.
Docked on the opposite side of the pier was a hundred and fifty foot long submarine, complete with conning tower. Two pallets of chemicals had recently been offloaded from the submarine with the overhead crane and set down at the far end of the stone pier.
-
"Gil, can you get the camera?" Crystal says, donning her gas mask and looking over her weapons and armor as she makes sure she's ready for the forray into the mansion.
-
"Hmm take out surveillance first, then rig explosives on that other sub!" Montoya adds. "Jacob, keep an eye out for any enemies while I get us ready to dock. If we can't hack it from here I will try and let someone out in a blind spot" Montoya waits for confirmation that the camera has been hacked before surfacing.
-
"I... uh... sure," Gilbert replies, still depressed that he had to join the others with the infiltration. He tries to hack into the wifi, then gain access to the cameras that are connected to the network.
-
Checking his options, Gilbert could see that the house security was designed to have no external connections to the net and that everything inside connected through a hardwired system - except for one easily overlooked backdoor. It seems that someone had secretly tapped into the outside web through a smart TV in one of the guest bedrooms to gain access to their favorite porn sites. The connection was still open and allowed Gilbert just enough of an opening to get his foot in the door.
After some serious keyboard wrangling, Gilbert had used that single entry point to fight his way into the central system and hack into the cameras. From his laptop, he could now create a continuous loop through the grotto's camera to mask their presence as well as see through all the other cameras in the house.
(http://www.BountyHeadBebop.com/BHB/AlesterB.jpg)
Running some facial recognition software through the feed, he got a hit on the basement level - seeing A.C. Morrison walking up the hallway towards the playroom before disappearing off camera.
Oh, and Gilbert now had access to the fire-control system of the estate's three missile batteries, which was nice.
-
"This guy is Farking sick." Butch mutters.
"But it looks like we have an easy job here. We just need to avoid some guards and then pick this guy up."
"Gil, think you can upload some stealth schematics into my brain comp? I have a feeling we will need all the edge we can get here."
-
"Cameras on loop, doors unlocked front of us and locking as we leave... Gil, maybe best you wait in the sub after all so you can keep an eye on the real camera feeds." Montoya muses
"Who wants to steal the other sub and who wants to blow it up as we leave?"
-
"I think we take his sub. We need somewhere to hide out before retaking the Dandy."
-
"Gil, think you can upload some stealth schematics into my brain comp? I have a feeling we will need all the edge we can get here."
"Uh... Sure, maybe?" Gilbert replies, searching up if that's a thing and if so how to do that.
"Cameras on loop, doors unlocked front of us and locking as we leave... Gil, maybe best you wait in the sub after all so you can keep an eye on the real camera feeds." Montoya muses
Gilbert sighs internally with relief, before nodding his head vigorously. "Yeah, good call."
-
"We should definitely rig the other sub just to be safe. If we have to escape in it later we can just disable the explosives ourselves."
Crystal retrieves a single claymore package and hands it to Jacob, perhaps a little overly stingy after his wasteful display back at the factory.
"Set this up somewhere on their sub just in case Jacob"
-
"Oh, let me check if they think we are dead!" Montoya suddenly adds "Or Gil, can you check since you are already up and running?"
-
"Who wants to steal the other sub and who wants to blow it up as we leave?"
"I can handle the blowing up part, though I'd still hafto enter it to blow it up." Jacob said with a shrug.
Crystal retrieves a single claymore package and hands it to Jacob, perhaps a little overly stingy after his wasteful display back at the factory.
"Set this up somewhere on their sub just in case Jacob"
Jacob didn't seem to notice the stingy bit and took the c4 with a grin. "Easy peasy"
-
"Alright. Crystal, Inigo, youre with me. Were gonna do a quick snatch and grab. Jacob, take over the sub. Gil, see if uou can run a distraction, maybe activate the mortars. This is a hit and run, so we gotta be quick.
Jacob, when youre finished setting the sub, watch the entrance. We will probably need some supressing fire."
"Lets take this guy down."
-
"Onward we go! Remember, speed and stealth then back to the Subs!" Montoya readies to spring out of the mini sub the moment Gil says it is clear.
-
"Yeah, I'll just go in deep enough to do some damage. I'll be on the crane though, should be good from there"
-
"Uhh... Not sure mortars are hackable... but I'll see what I can do," Gilbert replies, attempting to have the mortars shoot the front gate and the outside of the
message mansion. To go along with that, his next course of action would be to alter the footage of the cameras at the front gate to make the guards believe they are being attacked.
-
After Jacob had disappeared onto the larger sub and the others krept up to the area around the cargo elevator, Gilbert hacked control into the missile batteries and began launching them at the gates and areas surrounding the house. He could see on his feed that the blasts were considerably more powerful than he had anticipated - the proximity alone shattering every window in the mansion and even knocking the front wall in!
Alarm bells went off above and guards were swarming in a confused panic. Gilbert could see that the ruse had worked however, as A.C. Morrison and two bodygurds rushed down the hall and onto the cargo elevator.
"They're headed your way," he alerted the others.
All Montoya, Crystal, and Butch had to do was wait for the cargo elevator to come down.
When it did, they easily got the drop on the guards - putting them down with a single shot each, from Butch and Crystal. A.C. Morrison, who was unarmed, simply shot his hands into the air and screamed, "Don't shoot! I'm worth millions!"
At that moment, there was a loud explosion from inside the larger submarine - and a few moment's later, the entire vessel began sinking under the waves!
“WHAT?!? I can’t flippin’ believe you blew up my sub!" A.C. yelled; "Unflippin’ believable – DAMN!”
-
"God Farking dammit Jacob", Crystal says, gritting her teeth as she does so.
"Shouldn't have given him the claymore."
She eyes Morrison up and down before continuing, "I'd say we should just kill him outright but if he's dead the JSPD might just not follow through with paying out the bounty. We should get get off-planet with him as soon as possible and publicly turn him in to a slightly less biased police force.
Butch, strip him before we get to the sub, I'll guard the entrance. See if he has any implants too, we really can't afford to be followed from here."
-
Butch, strip him before we get to the sub, I'll guard the entrance. See if he has any implants too, we really can't afford to be followed from here
Butch nods.
"You heard the lady." He says, smashing Morrison with the butt of his gun before stripping him down.
"You got anyone locked up here?" Butch asks the criminal
"We gotta be quick, he, and everyone else on this planet, knew we were coming."
"Jacob, you left the sub first right?" He checks on the com.
-
Mintiya gives Jacob a second before saying "Right, everyone in the mini-sub and tie this guy up in his underwear! Time to make our getaway! Oh an I'll scan him for communication implants."
-
"M-maybe someone should check upstairs before we go? You know... could be some drugs, or rich people in those cells we can ransom off after rescuing them?" Gilbert suggests. He then checks the video feed to see if there's any problems with them going up for a quick snatch and run.
-
"Jacob, you left the sub first right?" He checks on the com.
"No, I'm slowly sinking to the bottom of the ocean. It's been a nice run." Jacob said sarcastically.
*pause for effect"
"Who in their right mind would want to be in a sinking submarine? I'll set up shop and cover you on your way back here" Jacob would then try to get to the closest vantage point and cover Crystal's and Butch's escape.
-
Who in their right mind would want to be in a sinking submarine? I'll set up shop and got your back on the way back here" Jacob would then try to get to the closest vantage point and cover Crystal's and Butch's escape.
Butch laughs.
"At least I cared enough to check, right?""M-maybe someone should check upstairs before we go? You know... could be some drugs, or rich people in those cells we can ransom off after rescuing them?" Gilbert suggests. He then checks the video feed to see if there's any problems with them going up for a quick snatch and run.
"I have a feeling this guy has a lot of victims locked up here." Butch says. "Clear me a path, maybe block any media attention, ill do a quick look."
-
Butch laughs.
"At least I cared enough to check, right?"
"I suppose" Jacob said as he scratched his chin. "Oh well, still alive. Oh, and if you're going up there I'll cover you from the crane, the higher up I can get the better"