Larry just stared at Rhaef for a moment, his hatred for the man burning inside him.  He really didn't have time for this.  The plans tonight were too important to be playing games with this man.  It pleased Larry to know that he knew more then Rhaef did these days.  It pleased him that it was he that got to take over in Curio's place while Rhaef was framed for the old mans death.  And here Rhaef had thought that he was Curio's right hand man ... Curio didn't care about Rhaef.  Couldn't care about Rhaef - he had framed him for his murder after all.  He wanted Rhaef dead and Larry would love to comply, but he couldn't risk what Rhaef threatened to do.  Not now, not when they were so close to closing The Burnt Hand down permanently. Not on the eve of Curio's re-emergence into the lime light.

After tonight the Hand and all those associated with it would be disposed of.  He and the select few which were hand picked by Curio before the night he faked his death were on the brink of becoming very wealthy men ... and framing the Hand for their crimes.  With the Hand out of the way all of Curio's enemies would be eliminated and he would be a free man again.  And Larry, Larry would be right at his side.  Not Rhaef.  But Larry.

So he smirked at Rhaef, knowing that he was the better man.  He was the winner.  "If you must." he said in a snide voice.  "Follow me."

Larry lead Rhaef and Wei-Li up the stairs and into a small back room where Smalls was sitting at the huge computer terminals he had set up.  Lei was still tied up in the corner of the room but Larry took absolutely no notice of her ... he didn't mention her at all to Rhaef and Wei-Li.  It was a sight Rhaef was used to seeing from back in his days with the Hand ... it needed no explination.

"Smalls, we got some records to wipe clean." he said to the man and gave him the information needed.  In a few moments Small's was busily at work.  Larry meanwhile made a few calls to the men he had infiltrated in the police force on Osiris.  In a matter of moments Rhaef Sorandash and Wei-Li Steal were officially dead.  A wave was sent out over the news that the two escaped convicts from the hospital were found burned to cinders in a car wreck a few miles from the hospital ...

Rhaef smiled as he became a ghost in the machine. His mind wandered, and he wondered exactly Larry had going that he had not risked trying to finish Rhaef more permanently, must be big he told himself. At that moment, he noticed Lei in the corner. He turned to the child as Larry and Smalls were engrossed in their work, and gave the child a quick wink, he hoped it would be enough for the girl to trust him.

As Larry hung up the phone, Rhaef spoke. "I see you've found our wayward shiprat. My captain was very afraid we were going to fail in our delivery of that package." Rhaef faced forced his old sickening smile, "And you know how the Blue Sun doesn't like for its couriers to fail." Rhaef was not sure, but he was taking a leap here, based on what he'd seen and knew of Lei, and the rumors he's heard about Blue Sun, through the years.

"Seems you're taking a risk keeping here, Larry. The Blue Sun is supposed to be very powerful and very well connected. It wouldn't sit well with The Hand, if one of their safehouses was raided by the Blue Sun commando squads." Rhaef could have been lying through his teeth, the Blue Sun and The Hand could be in league for all he knew, but this was probably their only chance to get Lei out alive. "We need her back, and you and I both know that hospital job easily covered your hacking and any reward you might get for her. Plus once the Blue Sun get her, do you think they'll let you live anyway?" Rhaef smiled again, letting Larry ponder this. "I mean, they might even catch us with her, and kill us for real, then I'm completely out of your hands with no trail to you." Rhaef shrugs, "although thanks to Smalls here, you can't go telling them that I'm still alive, they'll think you're trying to bluff them and raid you instead."

He paused again, "Think about it Larry, one fell swoop and all your current problems are gone, is there really any risk in this? Or percentage in other moves?"

Larry arched at brow at Rhaef.  Interesting, he mused, So Rhaef knew a bit about his little friend here. Larry glanced over at the girl.  Her eyes were wide and frightened as she stared at the four people gathered in the room.  Larry was wishing now that he had thought to have the little brat moved before allowing Rhaef and his dame into the room.  But hindsights 20/20.

What interested Larry was how interested Rhaef seemed to be in the girl.  He had figured Rhaef wouldn't even give her a second thought ... Larry barely did.  The fact that Rhaef even felt the need to mention her brought a grin to his lips.  So she's important ... even more important then I thought. Larry mused.

"Ah, Rhaef, always the cautious one aren't you?  Just like old times you tryin' to watch my back.  Thing is though, the girls none of your concern now.  You can tell your captain to be more careful with his cargo next time.  It's really no trouble or risk to the Hand for me to keep her here for the time being ... in fact she won't be here much longer.  And I see no reason for me not to get the money from this girl and the hospital to boot.  Its no trouble at all ... nice of ya ta be concerned though." Larry said.

Just then two men entered the room.  "The cars are here." said one.

Larry smiled, "Ah, see I told you ... not long at all." Larry said to Rhaef, then turned back to the men.  "Grab the girl, we're taking her with us, once business is done at the party we can make our rendevous with Blue Sun." The two men quickly grabbed the struggling Lei and pulled her out of the room.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm a very busy man.  You and the lady are free to go ... I'll show you the door."  Larry lead Rhaef and Wei-Li back down stairs, through the bar and out onto the streets of Old Town Osiris.  "I sincerely hope that I never see you again." Larry said with a friendly smile.  Then he walked briskly to one of the three black cars that were pulled up in front of the headquarters.  Lei was probably in one of those cars.  But Rhaef and Wei-Li didn't have long to contemplate which before they were all driving away.

Rhaef walked up behind Larry and reached him rather quickly, and with a fluidity and speed that would have shocked most anyone but Curio had a gun in Larry's back.

He snarled and his voice hissed in Larry's ear. "I asked you nicely to hand over the girl Larry, now I'm telling you hand over the girl." He press the gun harder into his back. "Now your boys might get me in a firefight, but not before I turn your head into a canoe. Now Larry, whatever else I would say about you, I know you ain't ready to die, especially not like this, so its rather easy. You let the girl out, you give her to my friend. And they get a good ways away. Then you and I will take a short walk ourselves, and I'll let you go. Ain't no need for your worthless soul on my conscious, but if you make it that way I will."

The second Rhaef had pulled the gun on Larry about six other men had their guns out as well.  Most were pointed at Rhaef ... but one of the men had thought to grab Wei-Li and now had the barrel of a gun pressed firmly to her temple.

Larry just laughed, "Rhaef, Rhaef, Rhaef ... you're more foolish then I thought." Larry was careful not to move a muscle but he knew that Rhaef was severely outnumbered.  "You shoot me, your girl gets it too ... and contrary to what you say I know that you don't want her soul on your concious or mine." Larry's voice was calm and full of confidence.

"I have a feeling that this little girl is not worth that much to you ... she may not even be worth that much to me either." he smirked, "But now its just the principle of the thing.  Knowing that you want her badly enough to do something so stupid and desperate as pulling a gun on me, makes her that much more valuable.  Put the gun down, Rhaef.  Don't be stupid."

Larry was gambling, and he was gambling with his life.  It was a dangerous business but it was the one he was in.  He had to bet that Rhaef wasn't willing to risk his life, and the life of his pretty lady friend on one stupid little girl that the Blue Sun wanted to get their hands on.  Because if Rhaef did pull the trigger on Larry he and the girl would die.

Wei-Li had remained silent through the process, relying on Rhaef to get them though this.  All the while she was wondering if coming here had been the best of choices... at least they had lost the police.

Then things had gotten much, much worse.  It had taken everything she had to remain passive as she saw Lei sitting there, tied up.  She closed everything down, forcing it to the back of her mind.  She forced herself to be cold, so cold that it hurt... it was the only way to survive.

And then... the piase de resistance... Rhaef's bluff being called... and she had been stupid enough to be caught.  She tensed, letting her breathing grow a little shaky.  She knew that it was much harder to hold a limp person than a stiff one.  Even as she prepared, she felt the man holding her stiffen slightly, pushing his gun hard against her temple.

"Do Bitch, and its the last thing you do."

There was no mistaking his tone for anything other than a promise.  She bit her lip and remained still.  This was so not good.

Rhaef sighed he did not like this at all. "We're not done, not by and long shot." Rhaef said pulling the gun from his back, and removing his other one and backing away covering all of them. He backed away to cover the whole group. He could sense that his reputation still proceeded him and despite Larry's tough talk, none of his men were particularly keen to engage him in a firefight.

He stepped back a few more steps. "Larry, I can see it in your boys' eyes, and I know even you know that I've walked out of firefights worse than this. So Wei-Li will walk away - not even follow you - now a smart man like you will accept that he won this round and trying for any more is foolish."

Larry smiled as Rhaef backed down.  It was the smile of a completely ignorant man.  A man who actually believed in his illusionment.  Larry truly believed that he was the stronger man, the more powerful man, the better man.  He felt the eyes of all the other men gathered, guns drawn, pointing at Rhaef and he thought that he felt their admiration and respect ... he didn't realize that who they were looking at was Rhaef.  Good 'ol Rhaef.  The Black Hand, back from the dead.  Larry would always be a poor second ... but he didn't know that.  And so he continued to smile as Rhaef pulled away.

"Knew you were a smart one." Larry said.  He motioned for the two other cars - one persumably holding Lei to take off.  A few of the men who had had their guns out disappeared inside the vehicles and they roared to life and took off.  Larry held Rhaef's gaze for a few moments longer.  "You know, you're wrong 'bout one thing, Rhaef." Larry said, opening the door to his car and motioning for the man holding Wei-Li to back down and come with him.  "We are done." he said.  Then got into the car and drove off as well, leaving Rhaef and Wei-Li alone on the street.

Rhaef let out a string of curses that would have made an Alliance marine blush. He hated standing down from Larry. If he'd been alone he would have gotten Lei or at least died in a firefight. But he wasn't alone. He turned to Wei-Li and moved to her side. His old Rhaef pretense fell completely away. "Are you okay? I am sorry you had to get mixed up in all of this." Yet even as he sighed, he knew he was ahead of the game, the Alliance was off his trail, and for the time being so was the Hand. He only prayed none of his shipmates saw the wave before he and Wei-Li could explain. He turned to her, "So any ideas on we can track them?"

Wei-Li allowed herself a moment of colapse to deal with everything she had seen, and done in the past few moments, then she looked up at Rhaef.  Her expression was open, and he could see the fear and disgust she felt there, but even as he watched determination took the place of both.

"We ha..have to find Lei." she said evenly, then nodded, realizing that Rhaef was Rhaef now and he was on the same page.

She closed her eyes as she forced herself to think.  They were in a strange town, on a core world...  even if her family were present here, she did not want them mixed up in this or those people.

"Car or roofs.. we've got to move-- on the bright side.. they aren't trying to lose anyone or draw attention to themselves... "

She focused on Rhaef and nodded.

Rhaef nodded and whistled loudly, a cab sitting a few blocks down began to pull up. As they waited, Rhaef turned to Wei-Li and said, "I'm sorry to have gotten you mixed up in all this, and to get you threatened. I owe you a big one now, and I always deliver on my debts." It was the least Rhaef could but the most he could over.

As the cab pulled up, he opened the door for Wei, and got in after her. "We have a surprise party for some friends, and we need to follow those black cars up ahead. Not to close to notice us, but close enough not to lose them. You do that well, and there's a sizable tip in it for you."

The cab driver nodded and stepped on the gas, following the black cars out of Old Town and into the night of Capitol City.

------->To City Streets

Charlie became the anxious one as she started to lead Geoff.  While she was anxious to find Lei, she was just as worried about seeming weak in front of him.  Only two people really knew about what had happened to her after they first found Lei.  Most would just assume she would need a breather, but Geoff and Acacia...well, they would assume she was about to explode from the inside out.

"Now we're gettin' close to her last log, y'know?  I mean, if I'm readin' this right, which I'm assumin' I am."  Charlie turned the pad around in her hands, bringing the map up again.  "I'm one more for movin' parts'n digital stuff, but I've had th'share of interests in th'sort.  Had t'get familiar at some point, I'm guessin'..."

Charlie and Geoff make there way through the streets of Old Town Capitol City passing by more then a few shady characters.  If it weren't for Geoff's intimidating appearance they probably would have been stopped.  More then a few eyes were wandering up and down Charlie's body.

They reached the base of a large building.  Glancing at the fire escape they saw a piece of torn cloth ... a piece that Geoff recognized from the dress he had bought Lei.

Geoff followed Charlie's lead, walking a few steps behind her. He let her lead partly because she was the one who knew where they were headed and partly so he could throw a glare at any of the men on the street who eyed Charlie and him. He wanted to make sure that the people who eyed her knew that if they made a move toward her, it would be the last move they ever made. Geoff emphasized this point by keeping his hands at the grips of his pistols as he glared about.

When they reached a large building, Geoff looked about to gauge their surroundings. That was when he saw it. The piece of torn cloth on the fire escape. "Charlie. That scrap o' cloth. It's part o' Lei's dress...", he said in a voice barely above a whisper as thoughts of what could have happened to the girl ran through his mind. None of the scenarios that were conjured by his imagination were good ones and he couldn't help but have a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as he thought more about it.

He shook off the feeling though, knowing that Lei was okay. Convincing himself that she was okay. Not knowing what he'd do if she wasn't. He shook his head and put on an even expression as he looked at the building. "She's gotta be in there then. We gotta go in, Charlie. We gotta find her!", he said, his voice increasing in fervor as he felt the urgency of his need to find Lei and know that she was safe become more intense as his imagination continued to throw horrible images into his mind.

Charlie listened to what Geoff had to say about Lei, standing next to him and looking at the scrap.  "You're sayin' that like it's sure'r somethin'.  I mean...how're you t'know that there's not another dress like it?  Y'know, bein' Osiris, there'd be a million people n'such.  What're th'odds of being similar dresses?"  While she had the same fear, Charlie spoke purely in hopes that she could somehow lighten Geoff's spirits a bit.  Things weren't lost yet.

"This's the end of the trail, but th'trail was just where she was accessing th'cortex, sendin' out waves across the world."  Charlie lifted the datapad, clicking a few buttons on it.  "I'll tell ya, though, if they caught her they'd have removed th'notice for it.  No sense havin' people lookin' on an expired contract.  You know anyway we'd be catchin' a Fed report, maybe hearin' if there's been any activity in the area?"

Charlie looked down at her data tablet.  This was indeed where the map had indicated Lei last accessing the net.  However, something else caught Charlie's eye.  She pressed a button and a recent news update flashed onto the screen. Beside the article was a car, burnt out of all recognition.


                               <c>Federation Bulletin</c>
                                   Osiris News

The chase proceeding the escape of the two convicts, recently identified as Rhaef Sorandash and Wei-Li Steal, from the Osiris Medical Facility has now ended.  Their bodies were found in an automoblie accident in the G quadrant.  The nature of their previous detainment has not yet been released to to the public but it was stated by Chief of Staff, Mr. Edward Blooming, "Death is always a tragedy however, in light of the persons in question previous actions their deaths are not entirely regretable.  If they had not died first ... who knows how many innocents they may have killed."  Fortunately, no one has to find out.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was more to the article .... but Charlie had heard enough.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:46, Fri 19 May 2006.

"I'm, lesse, what's-..."  Charlie mumbled off, reading closely the words on the tablet and bringing it close to her face.  She stood very still as she went over it, forgetting that Geoff was there...that they had been chased...all of it seemed to just crumble away for the moment, and the world didn't exist outside of those few words that glowed from the screen.  She bit her lip, doing her best not to collapse as she lowered the pad.

"Geoff...they..."  Charlie's voice begins quivering as she speaks, and she cuts herself off, looking away from Geoff and putting her hand to her face.  "We...they...Wei-Li and...and Rhaef, they're...they're not..."  It was too much for her, as she was feeling her world beginning to crumble.  She pushed the pad into Geoff's hands, turning and stepping further into the alley, leaning against the wall as she slid into a crouch and began to cry...

Geoff had only smiled half heartedly to Charlie's attempts to make him think that it might not be Lei's dress scrap. He knew it was, even if Charlie's reasoning was sound. Charlie said that this had been the place that tablet had led them to so it had to be Lei's. Still, he allowed himself to hope as he nodded to Charlie distractedly as she was looking at the tablet.

It was the tone of her voice when she spoke next that got his attention more than anything. She seemed to be trying to be saying something about Rhaef and Wei-Li, but she seemd to be unable to get the words out. Her reactions and voice did not bode well at all for whatever it was she was trying to say, though. So Geoff took the pad as she gave it to him with a bit of trepidation and worry. He watched Charlie move into the alley before he looked at the pad himself. He let out a deep exhalation of breath as he finished reading, closing his eyes briefly and shaking his head. "Ta ma de... No. This just ain't right. Ain't right. I said...gorramit.", he muttered to himself before trying to regain his composure.

He hadn't been particularly close to either of the two, but he still felt deeply sorrowful at the news of their death. Rhaef had been a good man, if a bit on the irritating side sometimes, and he had been a useful member of the crew. Wei-Li....well, Geoff just didn't know what to think about that. To think that somebody else that he had sworn to protect was lost caused him near physical pain...and for it to be Wei-Li just added to that. But, with that feeling, came a deep resolve. A resolve that nobody else under his care would be dying. Right now, that meant finding Lei and keeping Charlie safe while he did it. So that's what he would do.

Geoff looked to where Charlie was crouched against the wall, crying, and he winced slightly. It must be especially hard on Charlie to have lost Rhaef. From what Geoff understood, it had been she, Rhaef and the captain since the beginning so they must have been close. She had a right to grieve for him. But not now. Geoff couldn't let her grieve now. It may make him seem cold, but they needed to move on and save their grieving for later. So he sighed to himself as he moved to where Charlie was and crouched down beside her, tentatively laying a hand on her shoulder.

"Charlie....we gotta go. We can't be stayin' here. We gotta move on.", he said in as gentle a tone as he could,"We gotta get goin' and find Lei. Find her so....so that she don't end up..." He let the sentence drift away, not wanting to say, "so she don't end up like Rhaef and Wei-Li". It seemed wrong to say it like that. Still, they had to move and Geoff didn't have time to try and comfort Charlie or to allow her her full time to grieve. He regretted that fact, but it was how things were.

Charlie sniffed through her tears, her head instinctively turning away when Geoff came close, keeping her hands up.  "I can't, I-I...I never got to tell...I didn't say..."  She let out another burst of tears, completely collapsing, the entire thought just being too overwhelming.  Her body had begun to shake with the sobs, hardly able to control herself.  She was probably making some kind of scene, maybe there were people even peering in...it didn't matter.  None of that mattered, anything that was happening outside.

"I want to go home."  She murmured between sobs, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hands and trying to get some control.  "I have to get home.  I need to be home...on the ship."  She looked over at Geoff, her nose and cheeks red, tears still sliding down her cheeks and collecting at her jaw.  "We need to find Kale.  We need to tell him."  She put a hand to the wall, trying to find her footing to get up, still shaking as she continued to cry.  "We don't have a lead to follow, and Wei-Li is dead, and Rhaef is..."  Charlie took another shaky breath, looking back at the ground.

Charlie and Geoff were standing beside the fire escape when suddenly a voice rang out.  "Hey!  What do you two think yer doin'?"

Geoff and Charlie turned to see two men approaching them.  Neither one was particularly large but they both had mean faces and were clearly armed.  They looked from Geoff to Charlie and then back again.

"Gorram fire escape seems to be the hot spot today, don' it Smalls?" one man (the larger of the two) commented.

"First, that little girl that we just done got rid of fer good, an' now these two."

"What's up with her?" the larger man asked, motioning to Charlie, "'Ol waterworks here." he said with a laugh and the other chimed in.

"You two best get gone.  I ain't up to arrangin' anymore more deaths here tonight ... looks like ya got lucky." although Geoff and Charlie could tell that Smalls was also a bit intimidated by Geoff's size and the expression that had crossed his face in the course of their conversation. "Come on, lets get goin'." Smalls said quickly to the other man and they both went inside before Charlie or Geoff could say a word.

Geoff had sighed softly and shook his head to Charlie as he stood up from his crouching position. "Charlie...I'm sorry, but there ain't no way that I'm goin' anywhere 'til I find Lei. I can't abandon her. I can't. I promised her I...", he said but was cut off by the sudden call from the two men that were approaching. Geoff's hands instinctively went down to hang by his pistols as he eyed the men warily.

Geoff was silent as the two spoke and was, at first, confused by the men's words. It was not until the men were already leaving that Geoff's mind snapped together to put together what he had heard with the scrap of Lei's dress on the fire escape. Little girl? Got rid of? Arrangin' deaths. ....Oh, god....no..., he thought as he felt his mouth go dry and his blood turn to ice in his veins. They had been talking about Lei. The little girl they were talking about was Lei. She was...

Geoff felt a complex mix of emotions run through him at that moment, but the most apparent was the gut wrenching pain that filled him. The pain of anguish and guilt. He had failed again. Lei had been killed and he hadn't been there to protect her. He suddenly felt rage fill him and he wanted nothing more than to go and rip the two men whom had admitted to killing Lei apart with his bare hands. But, as he took a step forward to do that, his legs suddenly felt shaky and weak and he fell to his knees. He shook his head in something like disbelief and gulped in breaths of air, trying to keep himself steady and keep his mind clear. It was just a death. It wasn't anything new. He was used to it. He was used to it....

Geoff didn't believe that no matter how much h said it. This was different and it hurt. It hurt worse than anything. He had sworn to protect Lei. He had taken her under his wing. He had watched over her and cared for her as if she were his own family and now she was gone. She was gone because he couldn't protect her. He took in a shuddering breath and his eyes suddenly stung with wetness, but he closed his eyes and shook his head, refusing to do what his heart andbody wanted. No. He wouldn't give into his grief. Not now.

Instead he stood up, looking to the ground and trying to keep his legs steady. He didn't even look to Charlie as he spoke then. ".....Let's go tell the cap'n what happened. Ain't no point in hangin' 'round. Ain't nothin'...nothin' fer us ta do. So let's go find the cap'n so we can get off of this gorram rock.", he said in a tone that was nearly devoid of emotion as he waited for Charlie to get up so they could go.. It was a flat and even tone that betrayed nothing of what he felt and that is what he wanted. He wanted to be disconnected. To be away from the part of him that cared about anybody and anything. For now, he wanted to be nothing because that's what he felt he deserved to be.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:35, Wed 29 Mar 2006.

Charlie finally stood back up, letting outa s huddering breath and grabbing Geoff's arm to steady herself, wiping way more tears.  Get ahold of yourself, Charlie.  You can cry when we have Destiny back.  "Yeah, let's...let's go."  She speaks through another sniff, her eyes starting to turn red at the corners from the tears, face still red and slightly puffy.  "Do you...know where we're goin?"

Geoff's face and voice were impassive and even, even though his body was tense and a slight shiver passed through him every so often. "Gotta fine the cap'n. He should be at that fancy party o' his by now. Don't rightly know where that is, but that's where we should go.", he said in a flat monotone,"Guessin' we should go back ta Kyoko's place ta find out whereabouts that party is, fer now."

What Geoff wanted to do was just lay down and die, the way he was feeling, but he had a job to do. That's all that was left to him. To do his job was all he had left. Right now, that job was to get to the captain and tell him what happened. So that's what he would do...and woe to anybody who tried to get in his way while he was doing it. He began to shuffle forward on unfeeling legs as that thought passed through his mind, part of him hoping that they would meet somebody stupid enough to get in their way and another part not caring about anything at all.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:34, Wed 29 Mar 2006.

Geoff glanced back down at the data tablet, quickly clearing the screen of the article on Rhaef and Wei-Li so he could see the map once more.  What he saw was even better ... the next news flash was about the Grand Yacht Party on Lake Ceaurel.

Now they had a destination ...

------->To Osiris: City Streets
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:00, Wed 29 Mar 2006.