Turing Point PbP (Closed Game)

[johndaw16]

Daniel
I chuckle. Damn straight, Grandbanks. My brow scrunches as I try to think what I've heard about trading in the Corr. I got no idea about whether we'll be able to spend cash, though. I got a feeling, though, that the kind of people who are used to taking cash are going to be the same kind of people selling bootlegged sh-t. I down some more coffee. Right, Riko?

Oh, and Grandbanks, you know I can hook you guys up with some decent boom. I smile, and try to look like I don't feel the bottom sinking out when I talk about giving away, or even lending out, my stock. Shake it off, though, the sh-t in this briefcase is going to make everything okay.

---
Riko
I shrug, I suppose we could get this all put on cred sticks... although that would be a lot of trouble you have to admit. If it ends up we need to do that we might want to wait until we're out of town anyway. I think that's our best plan. Anyhow I'll see you guys back here in a few ya? I won't be too long.

I head off back towards my apartment, not in such a hurry a this time. Things are looking pretty good. Maybe I'll pack a few things to bring with me just in case too.

---
Grandbanks
Daniel offers, Oh, and Grandbanks, you know I can hook you guys up with some decent boom.

Naw, that's cool, Daniel. I got somethin already. Just a little pistol, old as hell, but works. Don't make any sense runnin a place with a full register and liquor shelf and not keepin around somethin to wave around or punch holes in people if you gotta.

I'm gonna be keepin my share of the money in cash still in the plastic for a while. Easier to tuck away like that.

Riko heads out the front, and I call, You oughtta get some sleep, girl. I ain't leavin till after the lunch rush anyways. She won't listen to me. Gonna be up on those Nets till we leave playin detective.

---
Daniel
I watch Riko leave, and turn back to Grandbanks. I've got my bike outside, gotta go fill up, but after that I'm ready to go whenever you guys are.

I stroll out of the diner and head out to fill up my bike's poor empty fuel tanks.

---
Riko
Grandbanks shouts, "You oughtta get some sleep, girl. I ain't leavin till after the lunch rush anyways." as I walk out. I look over my shoulder and wave as I walk off. "You're sweet Grandbanks, I'll be fine don't worry."

15 minutes later, here I am on the Net again. I grabbed a bag for the loot right when I walked in the door, but I've got a while before we're meeting up at Eddie's again.

For John:
Spoiler:
[sblock]On the walk back over here I got to wondering about this character who's dropped this whole mess in my lap. I try to track down who he might be using all the clues I can think of. I look up people who might have been the first to find Juilette's body... realtives, co-workers, police officers. Those rings around his wrists have me looking up jail records, people who just got out recently or inmates missing.[/sblock]

 

[johndaw16]

Grandbanks
First of the lunch crowd starts tricklin in bout the same time Riko walks out the front. I'm hardly believin the rich guy hasn't been back yet, and each customer comes through that door that ain't him (or some huge stranger with a semi-automatic) makes me chill out a little.

Maybe gettin ahead of myself, but I start tryin to narrow down what boat to buy, and how long I should hold off on gettin it so people think I might have saved that and don't wonder where I come by the cash.

Thinkin about how cute Riko's nose is, and if she'd sleep with me, and if I'd wanna sleep with a girl that weird anyways.

---
For Riko...
Spoiler:
[sblock]Your Net investigation yields you a few more clues about the identity of the stranger who owned the briefcase but nothing definitive. Joliette has two surviving relatives, her father and a younger sister. There is no record of a mother, and its is widely rumored that both of Mr. Kane's daughters were largely bio-engineered in a lab somewhere. Perhaps even some sort of cloning? Neither of them have been implicated in any manner, details on their personal movements though are pretty hard to find. The Joliette case is under heavy security and not much more than rumors have surfaced on the Net and nothing really seems that reliable. Joliette was last seen living at a ultra-trendy "underground" rave on the outskirts of Baltimore. The lead officer on the case is Capt. Pieter Debonakov. You look at all the official alerts and news files for the past three days. No one on the alerts matches the man's appearance, so if he's a fugitive no one is "officially" admiting he's escaped.[/sblock]

---

OOC: Grandbanks I'm going to go on ahead and say that around 3-3:30ish is about when the lunch rush ends. So thats the approximate time you'd be able to leave off and let Eddie take over. So Riko and Daniel have roughly 3 1/2 hours give or take a few to go off and get some sleep or whatever before you'd be expecting them back on in.

---
Riko
By the time I show back up at Eddie's I've gotten a shower, put on some makeup and nicer clothes, and have a small backpack's worth of goodies for the trip. There are still a few late lunch people dawdling around finishing up their food. I put some money up on the counter and sit down Hey Grandbanks, get me a soda? We share an amused grin, this little exchange seems pretty ironic when we both know how much money is sitting under the counter.

---
Daniel
I stride back into Eddie's smelling a f-ckload better than I did this morning, and with a smile a little less forced now that I've got a solid two hours' sleep under my belt. Sidling up to the bar, I nod to Grandbanks and wink at Riko. You gettin' outta this sh-thole soon Grandbanks?

I take a wry glance at Riko's money on the counter. Chick like that, you gotta wonder how much she's used to paying for her own drinks. Or, hell, anything.

---
Grandbanks
Riko sidles back in round 3:30, all kinda dressed up. Drops a couplea bills on the bar an asks for a soda, and kinda grins and flicks her eyes down where the case is at. Sorry, Riko. Ain't enough for a soda now. Just started a 50% hot chick tax bout an hour ago. Pay up. Grin back at her, thinkin how two bucks ain't jack now.

Daniel comes in, ready to go: You gettin' outta this sh-thole soon Grandbanks?

Hey now. This here is what they call a 'fine dining establishment', assh-le. I smile. Daniel's really all right. Eddie'll comein bout 3:30 and I can take off, but I gotta drop some stuff from under the bar at my Mom's place before headin out.

---

For everyone, in a spoiler to save space...
Spoiler:
OOC: [sblock]This is looking good guys. You're about to take your first "adventure". So on that note I have to finally get up off my butt and get your character sheets posted up on the Rogue's Gallery. So keep an eye out on that thread. (They should be up by Friday early afternoon.) What I want you three to do now before things get much more under way I'd like you all to take stock of what you'll bring along with you. Make it as detailed as you like, but remember if you don't say you have you won't have it when you need it. In order to save some space on this thread and to keep things story oriented I'd like you to put up what you're bringing wiht you on either the OOC thread or the Rogue's gallery thread, preferably the OOC one. Anyways that is all.[/sblock]

 

[johndaw16]

Grandbanks
Soon as the other customers leave or ain't payin attention, I wedge a kitchen rag in the case to keep it from closin and stuff it in a plastic grocery bag. Be carryin that and my bucket of fish guts down the street once Eddie shows. You two wanna walk back to my Mom's with me, we can split stuff up however we wanna carry it.

---
Riko
After dropping my money, Grandbanks goes, "Sorry, Riko. Ain't enough for a soda now. Just started a 50% hot chick tax bout an hour ago. Pay up."

Yeah, well if you're charging 50% for eating then I'm charging 50% for looking, so pass me my soda. I give him a wink.

Grandbanks still lives with his mom? I can sympathize a little, I was every bit ready to get out of my parents house. Anyhow, Going to Grandbank's Mom's sounds fine to me.

---
Daniel
I glance around as we get up and start walking out of the diner. Riko, I got something for you if you want to borrow it. Might need it up there. I hand her one of my guns. You said you're covered, right Grandbanks?

---
Riko
My eyes go a little wide for a second, Wow thanks Daniel... I look over the gun carefully. I've used a few guns before, wanted one of my own for a while in fact, but I'm no expert. Not a great shot either really. Always a good thing to have around though, even if it's just to wave around.

As we're walking the rest of the way towards Grandbanks' mom's place and making some small talk, Daniel mentions something about a bike. You've got a motorcycle? I give him a weird look, what the heck do you need one of those for in a place like this?


---
Daniel
For some reason I'm a little embarrassed she'd just up and ask something like that. Make me sound like some kind of freak or something. I try to cover it with a wink. Some of us aren't so hot at making a living staring at a screen, babe. My line of work, I got to get from place to place. Wherever people are buyin' or sellin'. Just last night I had to take a trip to sell some guys some boom. I laugh loudly. Sh-t, guys, thinkin' about how down I was this morning knowing how bad I needed the creds from those damn guns. Damn. Damn. Sh-t is definitely, without any doubt, too good to be true. I kick back into my hours-long marathon effort not to start fantasizing about the sh-t I'm going to buy. Start me right off with a new ride, that's for damn sure... though it might be true I won't need it much anymore, that don't mean I know how to get used to walking everywhere.

I stop laughing, and look seriously at Riko. But, hey, you know what to do with that thing? 'S not gonna do you much good if you just wave it in somebody's face, not if they're twice as big as you are.

I notice Riko's utterly blank look, and start explaining to her about the different parts of the gun, and show her how to hold and aim it, and try to give an idea of what to expect when it fires.

---
Grandbanks
Riko looks like one a them hungry little kids starin at the candy bars in Lucky Dragon, only kinda scared too, I think. Daniel's showin her how to use the gun, which is good thinkin. Wouldn't be surprised if she gets in a snit for Daniel thinkin she doesn't know how to shoot. Girls are like that.

Little advice, Riko? If you ain't used to guns, always run instead a shootin if you can.

---
Riko
I appeciate the sentiment, but I can't help giving them both a slightly offended look. Come on guys, it's not like I've never shot a gun before. I just wanted to make sure I knew where everything was so I don't whip it out and forget the safety is on you know? I wonder for a bit how much trouble these two have been in before. Sometimes I borrow my boss' gun when working late at night, but I've never had to pull it out anyone. They seem pretty nice both of them... hope I'm right about that. Anyway Daniel, I don't even make any money on the Net it's just a hobby. I work running the power and data lines around town and trying to keep them working for more than ten minutes at a time.

---

It's only a short walk to Grandbank's place. He spends a few minutes inside gathering his things, and then climbs to the roof of the trailer to tend his catfish. Apparently most of the fish at Eddie's comes from Grandbank's rooftop aquariums. His Mom's not home to ask any awkward questions so you split the contents of the case inside the trailer after he's finished with the fish.

By about 4 you're all set to head out again. Now it's just a matter of choosing a way into the city.

OOC for all, spoiler for space:
Spoiler:
[sblock]I've left this pretty open for Grandbanks just in case he wants to specifically mention doing something at his place. Your Mom's at work just so you know. Nothing unusual.

You got a few choices on how to get into the Corr proper. First off you could head out to the docks that dot the Bay-side edges of the Stilts. From there you could hire/hitch a ride with one of the fishermen or salvagers that run up Bay daily. You'd most likely get dropped off near the Potamac Industrial Zone and have to jump a ride on one of the automated industrial transports that run the area. Not too risky and pretty cheap but the PIZ is pretty far from the part of the Corr you want to be in.

Or you could hoof it out towards I-17 and catch a ride there. There's fairly frequent traffic along I-17 that would give you a lift towards the 95 highways for a couple of bucks or a bottle or two of hooch. Once you got to the 95 highways you'd need to hitchhike again or snag a lift on one of the industrial transports or jump onto one of the commuter metros. Not very risky either but there's a small chance that some sort of authority would catch you three trying to get into the Corr. Without official documentation which would just be a huge pain in the ass.

Getting into the Corr via official channels is also a rather big pain in the ass and an option that would take a good couple of weeks to get setup not to mention a bunch of money to pay fees and bribes to get the licenses and permits and checks run through. So thats not really an option for right now. Besides no one actually does that very often, its just too easy to sneak in.[/sblock]

---

 

[johndaw16]

Riko
While Grandbanks is grabbing some stuff for the trip we talk about how to get up into the Corr. Daniel is pretty keen on his bike, and I certainly don't blame him, but there's no way all three of us are going to fit on there.
I turn to Daniel and ask Maybe you could take your bike up there and meet us? Grandbanks and I could hitch a few rides up there or take a boat. I've always hitchhiked myself, but that tends to be easier when you're a girl by yourself. Just have to make sure you're not getting a ride from a total freak.
How are we going to split up this cash anyway? Do we even want to bring the flake with us? Would you rather I use the guns in the case than yours Daniel?

---
Grandbanks
I don't care either way 'bout the flake, really, but if you don't need it in the Corr, might as well leave it at your place. Dicey enough skippin borders without that much illegal sh-t. I'm goin from one little room to another, throwin stuff in an old canvas backpack. The cash, now... if you're still wantin mostly the flake instead, Riko, how bout you take enough for your gizmos and me an Daniel split the rest in half?

After splittin sh-t, Hey guys, how bout you go on out? I'll be right there. Gotta take carea somethin real quick.
For John:
Spoiler:
[sblock]I go back up on the roof with a couplea packs of bills and duct tape and a plastic grocery bag. Shrink wrappin looks pretty waterproof, but can't be too careful. I lay the stacks next to each other in the bag, wrap duct tape around the square, and tape it to the bottom inside of the tanks, under the layer of muck the filters don't get. Gotta have somethin left of this if we get held up in the Corr, an anybody gonna think to look under catfish sh-t for cash is gonna find it anywhere.

OOC: If you don't want to allow this, just let me know and I'll change/delete it. I won't hid the money there if it would be visible to the casual eye peering into the tanks.[/sblock]

---
Daniel
Yeah, sure thing Grandbanks. As Riko and I head outside, I reply to her comment about my bike. Sure, it seems like a pain in the ass to hitch rides to the Corr when I'm used to taking my bike places, but honestly, it don't make sense to put that kind of miles on it on a trip like this if I'm honest with myself. I can't afford to have the damn thing crap out on me when I need it for a run. Plus... I don't want to get too far from that briefcase, even with all that money now in my own bag. Damn. Seems to me like our best bet is to head to the docks and get a ride on a boat. Fewer people to have to bargain with for a ride. Fewer people got to get near that money.

---
Riko
I nudge Daniel jokingly as we walk out, You're not getting nervous or something are you? I usually stick to the roads, but it'll be easier to get one of the boat guys to do it. Just wave a few bills at them.

---
Grandbanks
Makes sense to me.

---
Daniel
Well, let's head down to the docks then, if you're ready Grandbanks.

---

The Stilts is home to an amazing number of small craft that ply the waters of the Bay*. Most of the craft are either fishing trawlers or more commonly scavengers and tug boats. The docks are quiet by now, the early morning fishers have all unloaded their catches and the scavengers won't cast off until dusk at the earliest. You three spend a short while scanning the boats and captains that line the dock and settle on what looks to be a lean sleek scavenger.

After a few inquiries the captain, a dark skinned African with a thick European accent by the name of Amadeus, agrees to cast off early to give your party passage up the Bay. For the a hundred he's promised to take you all and hold his tongue.

For Grandbanks...
Spoiler:
[sblock]As you guys are haggling with Amadeus over the price of passage you notice a vaguely familiar face watching you from a distance. It's a woman you remember from earlier in the day at Eddie's, she came in for an early lunch shortly after Daniel and Riko had left. She's about 20 yards down the dock, shes leaning on a light post smoking a cigarette taking casual glances your way. You turn back to the haggling quickly hoping she believes she's still unnoticed.[/sblock]


With a bargain struck Amadeus spreads his arms and welcomes you aboard. He points to a stick thin boy sitting in the bow, legs dangling over the water. That be Tull, he's me help. He's mute so don't pay him no mind.

---
Riko
I decide to let the two boys work out most of the details with this Captain. It's not like they could mess it up considering how much money we have to bribe him with, and Daniel is used to this sort of haggling anyway from the sounds of it. Once we're welcomed onboard I take a seat near the back. You would think that living in the Stilts would get you tired of the water pretty quick, but that never happened to me, and I end up staring out at the water with my backpack on my lap while the boat prepares to set off.

---
Grandbanks
Once we figure who we oughtta get to take us, I palm an ugly-ass crumpled hundred to Daniel, sayin, One a them new ones would look outta place, quiet like, out the side of my mouth.

I'm lettin Daniel do his stuff with Amadeus, but then I interrupt, Scuse me, Captian, I need just a sec with my friend here.

Pull him over by Riko, There's this woman down the dock was in Eddie's this mornin. Don't remember her bein there when we was talkin about anything, but maybe I should go talk to her, you know? All casual like I'm hittin on her snoopin ass, an see if I can figure out what she's up to or let her know we're just goin shoppin in the Corr since Riko here's finally saved up enough for a new toy, right Riko? Nothin suspicious in that.

---
Riko
I raise my eyebrow curiously and glance down the docks towards this woman. I don't really recognize seeing her offhand. Are you sure we want to bring any attention to ourselves? It's probably just a coincidence that she's here now. I slide through a few possibilities in my head. We left the actual briefcase back at Grandbank's, and it seems unlikely that the actual money had some sort of homing gizmo. Considering we just decided on the fly to take a boat she would have to had followed us the whole way here. Possible I suppose. I'd rather just get moving. I mean if she's spying on us she already knows we're taking this boat and there's not much we can do about it. Unless you want to go "pop a cap in her ass" or something, I say with a grin winking at Daniel.

---
Grandbanks
Naw. She keeps lookin at us an tryin not to get caught doin it.

 

[johndaw16]

Daniel

Unless you want to "pop a cap in her ass" or something

I give the woman a serious look, kind of squint like I'm sizing up the distance, and turn back to Riko. Nah, she'd have to at least move a few more feet this side of that trash barrel; I'm not that great a shot. I break out a grin. Yeah, I gotta go with Riko on this one. It's easy to let this kinda sh-t make you paranoid. Lady's probably just curious or something. Best we try to act as normal as we can, and not go stirring up business with people got nothing to do with us.

Anyhow, everything's cool with the Captain over there. Didn't need a h-ll of a lot of convincing. You know what they say, a crumpled hundred is worth a thousand words, right? I smile.

---
The woman that is watching seems to lose interest as you three talk amongst yourselves. She turns and walks away even as Riko and Daniel are dismissing the idea of capping her -ss.

Amadeus stuffs the offered hundred into the crotch of his pants. Settle on in, you can put your bags in the bow stowaway. We'll be gone in just a moment. As the captain speaks over his shoulder to you, he moves about the small boat nimbly untieing lines and checking things over.

True to his word the sleek boat is running up the Bay in less than five minutes. Tull sullenly sits in the bow, grudgingly giving the aft of the boat over to the three of you. Amadeus sits at the wheel and pays you three no mind, he figures you've paid for a bit of privacy. You all can look forward to a calm hour on the water and a beautiful sunset before the boat will reach the edge of the Potomac Industrial Zone.

---
As Amadeus pilots his boat closer to shore, the entirety of the Corr looms over you. The docks of the PZI rise to dizzying heights above you, over a hundred feet of sheer concrete wall plunging to meet the dirty waters of the Bay. One of the super-cargo ships rests at its berth a quarter mile away or so, non-descript rectangular containers filing out from the bowels of the ship in an endless line.

Amadeus slowly pulls his skiff to the foundations of the PZI, solid concrete footings buried into the bottom of the Bay. The PZI casts a long shadow over you, and twilight has already descended down here. The captain lets you off on a spur of the concrete foundation that thrust farther out into the Bay.

Amadeus points to a twisted rusted serpent of pipes, electrical conduits, and access stairs. There's the way up to Zone, its another score of miles before you're in the Corr though. You should be able to jump on one of the industrial carriers on their way into the Corr though so don't fret for your feet.

As the small boat pulls away into the deepening gloom, Amadeus calls out over his shoulder, If y'all be needing to return the same way ya came, page me. Before you can ask how you can do that without a number, he points to a dozen luminescent numbers painted across the aft of the boat, just barely visible.

---
Grandbanks
Sh-t. can't remember that many numbers. anybody bring a pen?

I watch the boat get farther off, and I'm lookin forward to the climb after sitting still that long, but I'm not liking this place much. Bout any wall in the Stilts you could knock down if you kicked hard enough, an get through to air and the bay, but not these. Maybe somethin cool up top, after we get outta the concrete and dark.

---
Riko
I say the numbers over a few times under my breath. I think I can remember them. Besides, we could always get another boat. Might be better that way. I sling my backpack over my shoulders and start walking towards the junky pile of metal reaching up the concrete barrier. I push Daniel's gun into a more comfortable position in my coat, partially just to remind myself it's there. There's no reason for anyone to be down here, but then again that might be a good reason by itself for the wrong sort of person. I look over my shoulder to make sure the boys are coming along too. Once we get up there hopefully we can find an auto-transport or something to hop on.

---
Daniel
I give up my own rushed try at sticking the numbers in my head when Riko mentions that it will probably be better to take a different boat back. That definitely is true. There's a ton of boats anyway. The captain probably just wanted to drop a line in for another hundred for himself. Can't blame him.

I smile at Grandbanks and turn to follow Riko. Yeah I doubt we'll have any trouble finding somebody to hitch on with. F-ck, that twenty miles looks a lot longer without a bike under me. Guess it's nice not to be constantly getting my -ss into knots worrying about the damn thing breaking down though. Let someone else do the driving, it'll be a luxury ride. Right.

---
The climb up the side of the concrete is treacherous. Many of the metal supports that hold everything together along the way are nearly rusted through. More than once one of you stumbles as a rusted piece of metal gives under your weight. Handholds and footholds have been crudely chiseled out of the concrete and without them you doubt that the climb would possible.

The state of things keeps your pace slow, and it takes you close to a half an hour to get halfway up the side of the docks. You decide to take a few moments rest on the remnants of a staircase landing that clings to the face of the concrete. The view of the Bay from there is spectacular, better than anything you could get from the Stilts. The In the quickly fading light you can just barely make out the glistening top of the Seawall to the East. You all get ready to move, so that you won't be climbing in complete darkness, when a voice calls out to you from the gloom.

D'er be a toll, to climb our wall.
Another voice calls out from directly above you, Teh smell to me.
A third voice add its chorus to the discussion from the darkness below, Hoi, mayhaps best to term 'em. Let the Sweepers 'ave 'em.

A quick look about reveals no one to your eyes, whoever they are they must be hiding in the twilight or under cover.

 

[johndaw16]

Grandbanks
I shift, casual as I can, so my left hand's holdin on to the staircase an I'll be able to get at my gun with my right. Don't know what the slang 'term' means, but I ain't too stupid to figure it out.

I try to sound reasonable, but not scared. Not like they could get whatever they want outta me. Hey, friends. We didn't know this was your wall and ain't got a lot of cash, but fair's fair. How much you chargin?

I keep tryin to see them in the dark.

---
Riko
I keep myself behind Grandbanks. Smart of him to say we don't have much though. I'm certainly ready to pay these goons a couple bucks if they'll bugger off. I am concerned about one thing though, I whisper to Daniel and Grandbanks What do you suppose the sweepers are? I figure we should probably ask once we get up there either way.

---
Daniel
These fools can't be that dangerous if they're stupid enough to just let us know they're here like that. Either that or they want to scare us. Well, probably best not to try to scare them, since they can see us and we can't see them.

What do you suppose the sweepers are?"

I whisper, F-ck if I know, but I ain't keen on finding out. I slip my right hand inside my coat to where my gun is resting. I glance at Grandbanks, who's looking a little jumpy, and I try to look relaxed. Probably just some fools like to scare people for money. I wait to see if anybody replies to Grandbank's try at talking to them.

---

You all strain your eyes looking for the owners of the three voices, but to know avail. Whoever they are they're well hidden. Grandbanks inquiries are met with silence, and you're all left on the landing for a few tense moments. Even in the lonely silence of the PIZ you hear nothing but your own shallow breathing.

The ringing clatter of a metal on metal startles, all of you. A crude ladder of pipes and chains dangles from above a foot from the back edge of the landing you're on.

The first voice calls out as the ladder rattles, If ya' want up start climbin, da rest teh way ya canna climb.

The voice from above answers Grandbanks,We ave teh toll when we see what ya got.

OOC:
[sblock]Do any of you have a light? That would probably let you find the three tolltakers. On this side of the docks its almost as good as the middle of the night so climbing is going to be dangerous, a significant penalty will be assessed to any Climb checks unless you use a light of some sort. Oh and you all can take over things like Spot rolls now if you choose, just go to the Rogue's Gallery and allocate those Skill Pts. as you see fit and give me a copy of the breakdown. And then just roll on your own since you'll know you own mods. and such, otherwise I'll with the default breakdown that I've been using. [/sblock]

 

[johndaw16]

Grandbanks
I turn around and whisper quiet as I can, What do we do?

---
Riko
I frown, This sucks. Next time we're hitching a ride. I guess we might as well climb up there, you two first though.

---
Daniel
Well, sh-t. I move forward and grab hold of the ladder - partly because I don't want Grandbanks going up first; he's got the damn briefcase. Climbing the thing is hard as all crap, especially in this dark, but I try to keep my mind partway on how to get at my gun if I need to.

I glance back. It's so dark I can barely see Grandbanks and Riko, but I sure hope they're about to follow me.

---
Grandbanks
I lean into Daniel's ear when he shoves in front an whisper quiet as I can, Listen, they were talkin real casual about killin us, so it's gotta be easy to get away with that sh-t around here. So if we gotta...

---
Daniel
My stomach drops a little when I realize what Grandbanks is saying. That mountain of cash is suddenly looking like a lot less of a windfall. I don't turn, just pause, then keep climbing.


---
Riko
I follow up behind them both. I've done a fair amount of climbing during all the repairs around the Stilts, so it isn't very tricky.

ooc: I'm guessing Riko totally missed the reference to killing us since she can be sort of clueless like that at times.

---

The ladder is blessedly short, no more than twenty feet in length. The top is attached to another landing similar to the one you were just on, its a simple rectangle of steel with one of its long sides bolted to the concrete of the docks. As the last of you pull yourselves on to the landing, a figure steps away from a niche carved into the concrete. In the last of the light you can see that its a guant unwashed man, he's dressed in some pretty ragged work clothes and reeks of sewage. You recognize him as being the owner of the first voice, the one who told you there was a toll.

The man clicks on a small flashlight, Seh t'no good to climb more, ya go our way now. The light illuminates the remainder of the pipes, conduits and stairs you were climbing before. But the long snake of metal is completely broken about 15 feet above the landing, all that remains are unrecognizable pieces of twisted metal sticking a few inches out from the concrete. At leat the man hadn't lied about that, climbing any further would have been impossible.

This way. The man with the light reveals a narrow scaffold that runs away from the landing into the darkness. As you contemplate your situation you can here the ladder rattle as someone climbs up.

---
Grandbanks
Kinda was hopin he'd be whale-sized an p-ssed off, so if it came to bashin his head an runnin off, I wouldn't feel so bad. Hopin the El Toros and small bills will work for his toll, or maybe we should just blow his mind w/ a crisp benjamin an get out fast.

I follow him, tryin to get a peek at any weapon he's got.

---
Daniel
I step behind Riko to try and get her to walk in between me and Grandbanks. Hey, guys, awful dark to be hanging out in this nasty place, ain't it? Thanks a lot for the help finding the path, looks like we woulda been all kinds of screwed tryin' to keep going' like we was.

---
Riko
I squeeze in between Daniel and Grandbanks and keep my mouth shut. Hopefully we can get through here quick without any trouble.

---

The gaunt man with the light leads the way, walking casually along the scaffold as if it wasn't a mere six inches in width. The drop below you is a good eight stories or so onto a foundation of concrete.

A second man, climbs up onto the landing as the three of you vacate it, looking over you shoulders you see that he's in no better state than the first man. However his face is covered in weeping open sores and he smells more like rotten meat than sewage. He clicks on another lights behind you as he follows. He gives you a grin more gums than teeth and says, T'aint a nasty place, tis home. Ya better kep up too. Or we'll be 'avin to fish our 'olls out teh Bay.

The third man cackles at his friends wit, a few feet above. A chain rattles as he laughs and you think he might be swinging across the face of the docks.

OOC:
[sblock]
After giving the two men that you can see a few discrete glances you notice that they both seem to be lightly armed. They each have a knife within easy reach, and some sort of metal pole dangling from their belts. Both of the poles are black, about 2 feet in length, about 2 inches in diameter, and are tipped on one end with an odd looking coil of some sort. You still can't see the third man but he's pretty close judging by the sound of his laughter. I won't force you guys to make Balance checks, because you can go ahead and take 20 on it and just take a long to walk along the scaffold. If you'd like to hurry or preform some sort of move action other than walking I'll require a Balance check. Btw as if you didn't know, the fall would be lethal.
[/sblock]

---
Riko
I make sure to keep up pace with the man in front with the flashlight. I've walked stuff like this plenty at work and heights stopped bothering me a while ago. These guys are pretty filthy. I lean forward a little to Grandbanks and whisper, And you were wondering why I wanted to bring you guys along huh?


---
Daniel
Sh-t. F-ck. Sh-t. Sh-t. Oh, f-cking f-ck.


...


F-ck.

Yep, this just stopped being worth it, and we just got here.

What the hell is up with the way these guys are talking? And what in f-ck is wrong with his face?!

Just had to go off helpin' the poor little hot chick pick up her nice deck, didn't I...

I pretty much stop trying to get any better of a look at the creeps, and focus on not falling off the scaffold.

Ha, hey, sorry about that, man, didn't know you live here! Yeah, we're tryin' to keep up, we ain't so skilled at this climbin' all over the cliff stuff as you all.

---
Grandbanks
Amadeus needs an ass-kickin.

My brain keeps goin in the same slow circle while I try to shuffle cross this scaffold. They just want cash, an we can give them the small bills, if they find the benjamins, they off us, or they wanna take it all. Then what? Never killed anybody yet. Can we bash their heads before they get us with them stick things? Somebody else gonna hear a shot down here? Can we get through this place without them? Gotta figure some way to keep them from finding the bens. Maybe they'd take the flake...

Riko's little ass needs a kickin too.

---

The scaffold runs the entire face of this side of the docks, about 50 yards all told. Walk length of it and turn a corner with the scaffold. As you turn the corner you're met with an amazing site. An entire community clings to the concrete walls of the PIZ docks, nestled in a steep walled "valley" created by a series of major drainage pipes. Runoff from all over the PIZ and beyond pours out of a three massive tunnels big enough to drive two trucks through abreast. The murky what rushes below you, churning and frothing its way to the Bay.

The little squatters community is made up of hovels bolted and screwed to the face of the concrete walls, all connected by a tangled maze of scaffolding, ladders, and nets. Rope and wire bridges span the gap between the walls of the "valley", dangling in the oily mist rising from the drain pipes. Chinese lanterns, stolen neon lights, and salvaged flourescent lights festoon everything giving the place a carnival like glow. You can hear the raucous calls of myriad birds: chickens, gulls, geese, pigeons and crows.

The man with the sores leans close, over Daniel's shoulder. Tis our nasty 'ome.

You hear the chains above you rattle, and a teenage comes swinging into view above you like Tarzan. He comes to a halt once he rounds the corner and deftly repels to the scaffold in front of the gaunt man leading you. As soon as the kid lands the lead man speaks to him. Bender, go get teh Elder, we got a 'oll to collect.

You wonder who this Elder is as the kid scampers off, you notice for the first time that he's half lame, his back and shoulders grotesquely twisted and mishapen giving him a hunched profile.

 

[johndaw16]

Riko

I definitely feel a bad vibe coming from both sides as I stand between Daniel and Grandbanks. I almost want to speak up and say it's not my fault we're stuck in some freak show. Not much to be done other than wait for this Elder character though.

Presumably if you follow these huge pipes in far enough some of the branches start poking up into the streets. Treking through the sewers doesn't sound nearly as nice as hopping on an auto-transport, but I suppose that's what we're in for.

---
Your "guides" lead into the small squatters village silently. As you walk along the narrow suspension "alleys" of the place, curious faces peer at you from all sides. Most of the homes here are sad affairs. Most of them are makeshift shelters, tented roofs made from scrounged tarps, tape, and cardboard, with walls and floors of styrofoam or sheet metal. All told maybe a couple of hundred people could live here you think. Bird droppings cover everything and the entire place reeks of filth.

Your little party comes to a halt in front of the single most impressive home in the whole place. A steel cargo container, like the ones the mega-container ships bring up the Bay, has been suspended in the center of the village. It hangs in the air more than 50 feet away from the nearest concrete wall. Chains, cables, ropes, and wiring coil around the container so thickly you can barely see the steel underneath. These makeshift cables stretch off into the distance to their anchors in the concrete walls. A makeshift deck has been built around the container, pieces of wood, steel and cardboard woven through the cables.

The doors to the container are shut, but Bender sits outside it with an older man standing next to him. As you stand before the container Bender and the other two man take their leave backing off back onto the bridge that brought you to the container. The older man looks relatively clean and healthy, if a little skinny. He has greying hair, a short neat beard, and is dressed in a faded pair of canvas work pants and an older leather bomber jacket over a white t-shirt.

Well, c'mon inside I haven't got all day. Lets see what you three have got on ya. The old man turns and opens one of the doors to the cargo container and you can see that the inside is furnished like a small trailer home.

The old man takes notice of your reluctance to follow him into his home. He turns back to your group, his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket. You don't have to worry about me, I won't rob you. There's a toll but I'm not interested in money.

He turns and steps into the container, taking a seat on a beat up threadbare recliner. You three going to come inside or do you want to talk out there in the stink and the wet?

---
Daniel

I turn to Grandbanks and Riko and sort of raise my eyebrows, as if to say, Well, what choice do we have? I take a step forward. Ah, sorry we're all dazed and confused, sir, just don't think we've ever seen anything at all like this town you have hangin' off the cliffs here. It's incredible. I don't try too hard to smile this time, because I don't trust myself to do it without looking crazy nervous, and he might get insulted. Instead I just try real hard to look sincerely impressed with the town. That much isn't hard at all.

---
Grandbanks

So what's he want? If he's a junkie, he'd be happy with money. Money gets food, guns, clothes, anything you'd need. Needs a favor, maybe? Sh-t. Maybe he's one a them cult f-ckers an wants our souls or to hack off a piece of us or get it on with Riko or somethin.

I shrug and go on in with Daniel. Not like we could break and run for it up here. Not like we're any more screwed in that trailer than out here. Besides, this guy ain't as creepy as the other ones. At least he knows what stink is, not like those other guys. Christ.

I hope he don't take my cigarettes and coffee.

---
Riko

I slink inside behind Grandbanks and shut the door to this cargo container behind me. I'm more than happy to be away from the skeezballs that dragged us up here, and it might just be my imagination but it smells a little less bad in here. I'm going to need a shower like crazy once we get up to the Corr.

---

The old man smiles wryly as you all enter. He seems to be amused by your behavior. Sit down, make yourselves comfortable...please. My name is Cage, I guess you could say I'm who's in charge around here. Cage settles back into the recliner, propping his feet up on a old crate and pulls a flask out of his jacket.

Kid you can keep your compliments to yourself this place ain't nothing special, nothing but a haven for some of the people that fall the farthest down the cracks. We don't need your money or your lives so you can stop looking so nervous now.

Cage pauses long enough to take a long pull from his flask, What are you three carrying on ya? You got to be on your way into the Corr, and folks from the Zones don't go into the Corr unprepared. So what you got? I'll stop ya if anything interests me.

---
Riko

I glance back and forth between Grandbanks and Daniel, but they seem hesitant to speak up. I list off my stuff quietly, I'm not thrilled about giving any of it away to some hoodlums, All I have is money, some paper and pencils, an old deck, water, and some tylenol. Oh, and a change of clothes. I wonder to myself if paper and pencils might be high up on their list of wants. I'll be a little pissed to give up my drawing pad, but I suppose at this point I can always buy a new one.

---
Grandbanks

I hand the guy my backpack.

Maybe Daniel will give up those two pistols of his from the case, and this old guy will just let us out with the rest of our stuff.

Sh-t. This was supposed to be a f-cking easy little shopping trip.

---
Daniel

I got a couple of excellent guns I'm not crazy about parting with. But I bet you could get some use out of them, or else sell them for something more than decent. You seem like an astute enough businessman to be able to take care of that nice. I smile as I slip my hand into my bag and dig out the pistols that we got from the briefcase.

---

Cage takes a moment to think over what you three have said. He seems to be appraising you each individually, gauging your honesty or maybe he's trying to figure how much grit y'all got. Either way you guys start to get fidgety after a bit.

Well y'all sure ain't got much we need. Girl let me see those clothes, and what size are you shoes negro? And I'll take a look at those guns. And whats in that big bag there, eh?

Cage looks pointedly at the long bag that holds the Daniel's two shotguns. Looks like you might be able to get out of this place just fine, maybe minus a few articles of clothing. Funny how some places even money doesn't count for anything anymore. What's this world coming too.

----
Riko

I shuffle through my bag and toss my extra shirt, pants, and socks onto the old guy's table. Nothing so nice that I'll miss them.

---
Daniel

I try real hard not to show how startled and relieved I am that he wants to look at this useless load of boom. I've been desperate to unload instead of our mountain of cash. Also try not to shoot Riko a "What the hell is wrong with this guy?" look. Coupla shotguns, man, excellent stuff. Here, go on and take a look at them. I hand over all four guns, the shotguns and the pistols, keeping hold only on my own personal weapon.

I pause while he looks them over. Now that's a lot of fine boom you're holding onto there. I don't see that you've gotta go and take a man's shoes off his feet on top 'a all that.

---
Riko

Boys never ask for direction, so I speak up while the old man is looking through our stuff, So Cage... what's the best way up into the Corr once we're on our way out?

---
Grandbanks

It's lookin like we're gonna get out of here with our cash an our pistols an ours skins, and without having to kill anybody either. Almost wish I brought extra clothes to give this old guy to say thanks for bein decent and not f-ckin everything up.

Wonder what's wrong with my shoes.

---

Cage chucks the two BACA pistols back towards Daniel, Ya can keep those, der hot and I don't want anything to do with em. But these shotguns will do nicely.

He then looks over Riko's clothes, holding her shirt up to judge her size, These will do fine too, and I'll let you keep your shoes since you'll be needing on your walk up.

So you want to go up to the Corr? He nods to himself as he speaks, stuffing Riko's clothing into the bag with the shotguns. Supposing you wanted to hop one of the industrial transports in; normally that'd be fine. But I don't think you want to go that way now. Some fancy lady got killed up there a few days back, found her and a big dealer laid out in one of the alleys. There's been BACA all over the PIZ ever since, you won't see em but they're there.

Since you're from the Zones I suggest you go another way, unless you want to spend a long time getting questioned by the BACA. I've been sending anyone thats come our way through the pipes, they stink but no one pays them much mind.

---
Daniel

I glance at Riko. Fancy lady died? That's about another way of saying the same thing that batsh-t dude was babbling about in Eddie's. Eh, if we play our sh-t right, it'll keep on having nothing to do with us. Thanks for the tip, man. Where do we go to get into the pipes, and how do we find our way once we're in there?

---

You can reach the pipes from here fool, you can't miss the three huge sewer drains out there. Cage chuckles at Daniel's apparent naivety. I kinda like you three so I'll give ya a light or two and some glow sticks. You'll need to head up a bit at first, till ya hit the access tunnels to the optic lines. The you just walk along those until you hit outskirts of the PIZ. After maybe 5 miles or so you should be able to hop a transport above without the BACA spotting ya. They're really only scouring the area close to the murder scene.


---
Riko

Not a bad trade, I hadn't thought to bring a flashlight... not that I had planned on wandering around through sewer tunnels either of course. Well, thanks for the advice and the lights... I'm not really sure if we're free to go or what, so I sit around some more to see if Cage has anything else to say to us.

---

Cage stands up after he's stuffed Riko's clothes in with the guns, and tosses the heavy bag further back into the recesses of the trailer. He then walks over to a large metal cabinet and begins to rummage around in it for the promised lights and glow sticks. You can go on and open the door, holler for Bender and tell him you're going up through the pipes and that you've paid your way.

---
Grandbanks

I pick up my backpack Cage left sittin on the floor an cross to open the door.

Hey, Bender! We paid and we're takin the pipes.

Soon as we get outta earshot, gonna talk to Daniel about those pistols. Somebody like Cage afraid of havin them, and for free, probably means we don't want them either.

 

[johndaw16]

Daniel

Once Cage fishes out the lights, I take one and hand Riko hers, and step outside to do the same for Grandbanks. I call back to Cage, Hey, appreciate the lights man. Where's Bender?

---

Bender scampers up seconds after he's called. He just motions for you to follow him and takes off. Within a few minutes you've all made your way to the top-most drain pipe. Bender stands at the entrance and points towards a metal catwalk that is suspended a few feet above the rushing water.

---
Riko

I slink past Bender onto the catwalk and start heading further into the pipe. Once we're away from everyone I turn around and smirk at Daniel and Grandbanks, Well, that sucked a lot less than I thought it was going to. I had no idea this was the area that stimnet actress was killed in, probably a good thing those jerks brought us out here. I can't believe they didn't care about all this money, they must never try going to the surface. I wonder what they eat down there... As the light from the sewer exit starts to dwindle I crack one of the glow sticks.

---
Grandbanks

I follow Riko across the catwalk. Gettin a little tired of tightrope walkin. Riko's relieved (can't blame her), but looks a little smug for somebody whose little easy shopping trip just turned into dodging squatters and BACA cops and who knows what else.

You guys think maybe we oughtta wipe down them BACA pistols and get rid of them? Anything makes Cage nervous probably oughtta make us nervous too.


---
Riko

Sounds like a pretty good idea to me, Cage did seem to freak out about them a little. The sewers is probably exactly where they'd expect to find them too so they wouldn't make for any surprise ya?

---
Daniel

Works for me. Don't know what I'm doing wanting to lug around so many guns, half of 'em hot, anyway. Not like I need to sell 'em. That last bit I add quietly, with a grin for my companions, and then a self-deprecating laugh when we all seem to simultaneously realize how dumb it is to be hushed about our money in a place where they look right at it and turn it down. It'll be easier movin' around without those shotguns, for damn sure.


---

The light fades quickly as you make your way deeping into the sewers. Surprisingly enough the stench seems to lessen the further you go, maybe its the lower two pipes that carry all the nasty sh-t. Sooner than you expect your little group is thrown completely into darkness Riko's glow stick and your two flashligths illuminating the narrow catwalk and the 10' or so immediately around you.

If you shine the flashlights around you, you can see that the rest of the tunnel is pretty unremarkable and still amazingly large. The tunnel walls are bare concrete with rivulets of condensation dripping down them. The catwalk you are on is made up of rusted steel grating welded to stainless steel supports the stick out from the wall parallel to the ground. The water looks cold, dirty, and maybe 15' deep in the middle.

You walk for 15 minutes wondering just how far you have to go before you get an opportunity to head up.

 

[johndaw16]

Reserved by Johndaw16