Duck shrugged at the bartender.

"Ain't for me." he said, taking the coffee over to Nouras, setting it down, and stepping outside for a smoke.

"Eh, maybe we could just have me knock on the guy's door. He's clearly got his guard down and may not react well to a harsh approach." he says, packing a fresh pack of smokes and disposing of the plastic.

While Copperhead discussed strategy with the others and waited for them to arrive, Caduceus went back to Hendrix's apartment to listen in a bit on their conversation.  He wanted to confirm that the other person was in fact Tee Hee, if possible, as well as see if they mentioned anything else noteworthy.  And while listening, he also took a much closer look at their auras to see what he could gain from them.  Particularly, he wanted to know if they had any hidden cyberware or health issues that might cause trouble.

After that, Caduceus also began searching around for signs of the chip (or something containing it), just in case it was actually in the apartment.  He looked for any objects with strong impressions left on them.  Secrecy, regret, fear, anxiety, paranoia, excitement, and perceived wealth were all high on his radar.

11:01, Today: Caduceus rolled 5 successes using 6d6 with the Shadowrun system with a target of 4 with rolls of (6+4)10,3,(6+4)10,(6+3)9,4,4.  Assensing - Tee Hee.
11:03, Today: Caduceus rolled 2 successes using 5d6 with the Shadowrun system with a target of 4 with rolls of 5,2,5,3,2.  Aura Reading (auras) - complimentary, Tee Hee.
Total = 6 successes

11:01, Today: Caduceus rolled 2 successes using 6d6 with the Shadowrun system with a target of 4 with rolls of 2,5,5,2,3,2.  Assensing - Hendrix.
11:03, Today: Caduceus rolled 3 successes using 5d6 with the Shadowrun system with a target of 4 with rolls of 3,(6+6+1)13,4,5,1.  Aura Reading (auras) - complimentary, Hendrix.
Total = 3 successes

11:02, Today: Caduceus rolled 4 successes using 6d6 with the Shadowrun system with a target of 4 with rolls of 1,(6+1)7,4,4,5,2.  Assensing - Apartment Objects.
11:04, Today: Caduceus rolled 3 successes using 5d6 with the Shadowrun system with a target of 4 with rolls of 1,1,(6+3)9,(6+5)11,(6+5)11.  Aura Reading (auras) - complimentary, Apartment Objects.
Total = 5 successes

Noruas logs out and opens his eyes.  He unplugs himself before taking a sip of the black liquid. Ugh....too sweet.... he though to himself.

He sets down his drink and leaves the bar to meet White Duck outside.

I'm done here. Let's go meet with the rest of the team.

The scarred rigger continued to monitor the targets and keep an eye on the surrounding area as she directed White Duck to grab various materials out of cabinets and drawers.  By the time she was finished, he had the following:
- 1 rating 4 Maglock Passkey
- 1 rating 4 Keypad Sequencer
- 1 rating 6 Autopicker
- 1 Variable-speed cordless drill – capable of penetrating barrier rating 6 with minimal noise
- 1 Fiberoptic scope
- 1 Electronic toolkit
- 1 Medkit
- The scorpion
- 1 non-descript metal briefcase

"Ya kin get da udders ta carry some 'o it.  They's here now.  The door clicks unlocked just as the decker and mage reach the door of the vehicle."

Wait.....whaaaat?  So WD somehow got to the van to grab our tools before he got to the van to grab the tools with me???

Noruas takes a look at all the tools WD has taken from the drawers and smiles.

Duck seems disinterested in all of the gear, handing it to Nouras as it is handed to him. He holds up the drill for a second, revving it up.

"This in case I run into any cavities?" He asks, smirking.

"If this is the subterfuge required to knock on someone's door, I wonder how many tools we use to get fast food."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:35, Sun 20 Mar 2016.

I presume the two of you reach the van at the same time

Hey Copperhead, do you have a bag I can borrow to stuff the equipment in?

The dwarf smirks at WD's remark and replies jokingly, No tools necessary, prolly just need to negotiate how much of your skinny white ass we need to trade to get a decent meal.

Now help me carry the briefcase. We need to get in an apartment and set up shop.

He turns to CH again, I suggest Duck and I go in first before Snakey joins us. We don't wanna attract too much attention by going in as a group. In the mean time please tell us which apartments next to our targets have no occupants in them.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:25, Mon 21 Mar 2016.

Duck manages to grab the briefcase with one hand and ready/light up a smoke with another. Taking the first drag, he leans against the back of the van with a chuckle, and waits.

"Let's get this shitshow on the road, I'm ready to stop carrying this already."

As far as Copperhead can tell, the adjoining apartment is inhabited, but currently empty.

The area is C, maybe D. You don't see any signs of the Star around, and you're not sure if any of these people pay taxes. You certainly wouldn't bet on them hustling out here though.

Copperhead does manage to acquire a lock on Hendrix, somewhere inside the poorly insulated walls. Not the most ideal firing solution, but you could probably put him down if you cared to.

Caduceus continues to scan the area for what he can. It's tough; tech doesn't show up well on the matrix, and these two are techies. Neither show much in the way of cyberware except some headware, and Hendrix has some surgical implants in his left knee. There's plenty of chips around. Most have imprints of excitement, a few disappointment, a select few drip with lust. They continue to talk. Specifically, Hendrix does. Tee Hee is about as responsive as a sullen teenager, sticking to mono-syllables and grunts. He taps away on his keyboard as well, and rarely looks directly at Hendrix. There's nothing else to positively identify him beyond what you've already collected.

Hendrix finishes up his salad and sits down. The two nibble and engage in matrix activities. It's hard to tell what.


Noruas: you are in contact with the group, so you can talk to them from the bar if you'd like, or go out and try to find them. They haven't gone far. For the act of disconnecting, you just want to post that you're back awake, so other characters can see that. I assume you're doing a graceful logoff, so you don't really have to tell me in this case (you would if you were in matrix combat or something though).

Duck finishes his smoke whilst he waits on the rest of the team to get into position, pinching off the lit end of the butt and disposing of the stub neatly in a nearby trash receptacle. He runs a hand through his hair, turning it as black as soot, then flickers his eyes to an average brown color, presenting himself as an average-looking Asian male in his late 20's.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:31, Wed 23 Mar 2016.

Caduceus returned to his body and relayed what he found.  "I think they are currently jacked in, which can be either good or bad.  Good because they will be less aware of their surroundings, but bad because they will be more likely to notice if we tamper with anything they have a notification set up for.  But, not much we can do about that.  Lead the way."

He steps into the apartment complex calmly, entering the gates after someone else, thanking them kindly if they are courteous enough to hold the door. He then switches on his comms, going subvocal as he moves.

"Look, if whoever it is whose place you're using comes back home, finds you there, and calls the cops, we've never met. If it's a big meaty troll and he wants to kick the drek out of both of you, I can't blame him or her and I'm not helping either of you out of it. If the neighbor has an alarm, and that alarm goes off and messes *me* up, not only do I not know either of you, but I'll be waiting for you outside, and not in a good way, for screwing it up." he says, calmly, as he walks and talks, naturally waiting until the group is alone along the hallways and stairwells to say it. He takes another long drag of his smoke and continues.

"This backup idea is an unnecessary risk. Hell, I take risks too, but I don't even know what you're trying to gain from this aside from making a statement that you all think I'm so lousy at my job that I couldn't punch my way through a wet paper bag or talk someone into giving me a free sample, as neither of these mooks are much tougher than wet paper themselves." He sighs as the group draws closer to their destination.

"Just so you know, the fact that any of you feel compelled enough to go through with all of this is really insulting to me, as you're doing it based on the general assumption that I'll fail at my task and therefore can't be relied upon. I haven't shown any of you that level of distrust or discourtesy, and I'm starting to wonder why I'm having the training wheels bolted onto everything I try to do. Fair warning, next time you guys plan some bullshit elaborate setup like this based around the minute chance I'll fuck everything that I'm damned good at up so badly that the gates of hell will open, I'm going to know it truly is personal, and I'll be pulling an audible."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:11, Wed 23 Mar 2016.

Caduceus went in with the other two men and, as soon as they were through the threshold, the snake shaman paused to call forth a spirit of the hearth.  He chanted hissing whispers audible only in the subvocal mic.  Once present, He requested the spirit to Guard the three of them.

Then, using both the layout information he gained while flying around in astral space and Copperhead's help, Caduceus made his way up to Hendrix's floor to the most empty-seeming adjacent apartment (or storage closet).  He had his spirit provide Noruas and himself with Concealment, then helped Noruas drill a peep hole with Copperhead's drill and one of his own stealth spells. He made sure he had a line of sight on both Hendrix and Tee-Hee, and had his spirit provide Concealment for the holes as well (for those not in the Shadowrunning group).

"So long as those two act hostile twards any of our group, cause accident on them," he said hushedly to the spirit.  "And if they are acting hostile or try to flee, Confuse them."

Finally, with his favors from his first spirit expended, Caduceus concentrated on bringing forth another spirit with a bit more oomph, just in case things went south.

First Conjured Spirit (Force 3) - have a bonus vs. hearth spirits
13:29, Today: Caduceus rolled 5 successes using 6d6 with the Shadowrun system with a target of 3 with rolls of 1,5,3,3,5,(6+4)10. Conjure Force 3 Hearth Spirit.
13:30, Today: Caduceus rolled 4 successes using 8d6 with the Shadowrun system with a target of 3 with rolls of 4,(6+3)9,(6+1)7,1,2,2,(6+4)10,2.  Drain test.

Stealth Spell (Force 4?) - bonus for illusion - I'm still a bit foggy on casting sorcery
13:57, Today: Caduceus rolled 4 successes using 8d6 with the Shadowrun system with a target of 4 with rolls of 5,5,2,2,(6+4)10,1,1,5.  Force 4 Stealth Spell - Drill.
13:57, Today: Caduceus rolled 5 successes using 12d6 with the Shadowrun system with a target of 4 with rolls of 5,2,2,4,5,4,2,3,(6+5)11,1,3,3.  Stealth Drain test.

Second Conjured Spirit (Force 4) - have a bonus vs. hearth spirits
13:48, Today: Caduceus rolled 2 successes using 5d6 with the Shadowrun system with a target of 4 with rolls of 3,1,5,3,4.  Conjure Force 4 Hearth Spirit.
13:48, Today: Caduceus rolled 6 successes using 9d6 with the Shadowrun system with a target of 4 with rolls of (6+5)11,4,4,5,3,4,1,(6+1)7,2.  Drain test.

This message was deleted by the player at 17:18, Fri 25 Mar 2016.

Duck positions himself near Hendrix's door, not going in quite yet, taking a draw of his cigarette whilst waiting for the rest of the team to deploy. Almost idly, he begins to listen to what's going on on the other side of the door, his magically-enhanced hearing filtering out the noises around it while enhancing the sounds heard within.

Caduceus summons his first spirit; an older woman. She looks to have once been elegant, perhaps even cute. She still wears hip-hugging jeans and a belly shirt that was once the style. But her skin is stained red, and her eyes are dark and tired. As Caduceus gives his requests, she complies silently. She shivers as he puts the drill to the wall, but the motor is still silent, as requested.

Looking inside, the apartment is small; basically one large room with a small nook for the bathroom, with the two men sitting and staring into space as they work.

Caduceus calls the spirit back and she seems, if not healthier, at least more real somehow. From her face, she isn't pleased to see you. Nevertheless, she waits to hear your request.

From White Duck's space, the place is quiet, confirming what he's head from Caduceus. By his guess, White Duck might not even be heard if he knocked. Fortunately, there's a doorbell beside the door which, if you have your guess, will still do the trick.

As Noruas watches, Hendrix disconnects from the matrix and puts his deck away, just out of the field of view of the camera. Hendrix checks briefly on the second man, then goes towards the apartment door. It's not clear if this is lucky timing, or if he's responding to something.

Copperhead watches as the heat blob moves and checks her radar, looking for any signature that might indicate a weapon.  Or at least a heavier one.  Radar through walls had trouble picking up anything much smaller than a shotgun, as she'd learned from hard experience.

"'endrix movin' tord da door.  Er mebbe da can.  Eider way, best get ta knockin'."

To confirm, by "camera" do you mean the fiber scope or is Noruas jacked in and somehow spying through a camera *inside* the target's apartment?

When Caduceus's spirit gave him the stink-eye, he gave her the "don't-give-me-your-sass" look, but otherwise let her wait.

After Copperhead confirmed movement, Caduceus said over the mic, "time to show us what you got, Duck."  It was meant to be encouraging, but probably came out almost patronizing.  Caduceus honestly did hope that White Duck could pull off what he claimed though.  "For real though, good luck."

Duck takes a calming breath, pinching off his cigarette, dropping the butt neatly into the case. He approaches Hendrix's door and knocks, listening carefully for the telltale sounds of weaponry being readied, just in case.

Noruas times himself to WD's first knock before plugging into the neighbour's matrix outlet.  He takes a last look at the briefcase near him before sounding off to the other side.

A voice wavers from the other side of the door, "who-- who is it? I'm armed! And I'm paid up! I'm calling the Crimsons!"

Looking up towards the ceiling in a near-eyeroll, making sure he isn't spotted in the peephole whilst doing so, Duck calls out to Dr. Hendrix.

"Dr. Hendrix, my name is Duck, I'm an independent contractor hired to investigate an issue in which your current roommate is involved with. You both could be in serious danger, and I'd like to help." he holds out his hands, opening his coat and taking a brief turn.

"As you can see, I'm unarmed. This isn't a good spot for a conversation, and I don't mean you any harm. Perhaps we can discuss this more privately? If I found you, someone else can, and the next people who do might not be as genuinely interested in your personal safety." he remarks, keeping his voice quiet enough to not be overheard, but speaking firmly enough for Hendrix to catch what he's saying through the door.

There's a long pause.

Duck can hear movement on the far side of the door, and it's a real possibility the hacker wired defenses into the doorway itself, anticipating such trouble.

After nearly a minute, the door opens, Hendrix looks out, checks around both corners, then waves for Duck to enter; "come on, come on. It's not safe."

He closes the door behind him and locks the three deadbolts. The room is done over in Late-American Decker. Stacks of computer disks, trade journals, and printouts fill the room. To the right of the front door is the small kitchen area. Added apparently as an afterthought, it has room for a sink, small refrigerator, and microwave. More printouts cover a small table and four cane chairs.

Farther inside is a small desk with a single chair. Resting on the desk is a cyberdeck. A single coffee mug with the word "Flair" sits to the right of the deck. Directly opposite the work area is the bathroom door. Inside are a toilet, shower, and sink.

The back third of the room is taken up by the sleeping area, with a single twin bed under the room's only window. An iron bar, six feet in length, supports a meager selection of old clothing. Underneath the hanging bar are several plastic storage
boxes, also filled with clothes.

The window offers a lovely view of the apartment across the alley. It appears there was once a fire escape bolted to the wall outside the window, but it has long since been removed.

Tee Hee is in the corner, still recovering from an extended period in his virtual world. The boy is a mess; an old wife-beater and sweatpants, his spiked mohawk is greasy and the roots are growing out, and he smells like pizza that's been left in the sun too long. The only thing clean about him is the shiny chrome datajack above his temple. His eyes go wide seeing White Duck and he scoots back against the wall, grasping at the floor. Hendrix holds out his hands, "Tee, stop. Listen, they came to talk. We can sort this out. Duck? Duck. Listen Tee got caught up in something else. I know it looks bad, but he's really a good boy. We are totally cooperating, see? But we need you to clear up whatever confusion there is. It's just you, right? You're an investigator?"

Duck nods, calmly checking out the surroundings as he enters. He leans against the kitchen bar, keeping a respectful distance from the two as he replies.

"We can absolutely sort this out. Just for your information, I'm not working alone, but believe me when I say I'm probably the only one out of my team that you'd want to run into." he smirks.

"Anyway, they're here on overwatch in case either of you turned out to be hardened killers, but since you're not..." he slowly pulls out his earpiece, visibly clicks his commlink into the OFF position, then re-pockets it.

"Just don't make any sudden moves to attack me or anything, and you're golden. Full disclosure? Manes hired me, and he's fairly pissed off. Marked you as disposable, but I'm not that kind of guy, and I'd rather get as much information that you can give me about this chip situation and either leave you peaceably or offer you a place to duck out if this one's too hot, whatever you want to do, omae. Key thing is, I'm working for a paycheck, but if I can avoid being aggressive about it and offer you an out-for-info trade, we'll both have a hell of an easier time." he looks to Tee-Hee.

"My brothers are all deckers, too, you know. Had security issues with it more than once. I don't have a jack, but I know damned well deckers end up finding out info that proves to be fateful all the time. You're young, neh? I'd rather not see you in the Star reports as some John Doe in an alleyway. Maybe you could help me out and tell me what you know, then I can help you and throw my employer off your scent?"