Emerging from the trance-like state of being one with the digital world, the Salaryman shook her head.

"There is little in the way of a connected presence in the area.  Primarily it is only those data terms which are still functioning.  If there is a Net presence it is either kept offline when not in use or is hidden or disguised somehow."  She explained.

Overrider nods.  It is good to know.  I had some hope for come cameras in the area that you might be able to tap into to monitor the area at the meeting time but...  He gives a slight shrug and turns to Prodigy.  Ready to have a look at the area?
This message was last edited by the player at 14:33, Wed 05 Feb 2020.

She nodded to Overrider, and grabbed up her backpack putting it on. --You have a communicator?-- She asked him, over the speaker that SalaryMan provided.

Overrider taps the mask where his jaw would be to indicate he had a mandible implant.  100? he asks for the frequency band?  We can go lower if we stick together. Say 28?  Splitting up I would feel safer at the 100.

--100 in case we need to split up.-- Prodigy said with a nod.

Then she looked towards Gargoyle giving him a thumbs up, as she moved to join Overrider.

Quick knew that if he stepped out in front, that he might only be in the way. He was here to provide medical support. So Quick hung back and listened intently to his comm.

At the mention of his phone, Gargoyle reflexively opens the thing and checks for messages.  "It's not off, we just burned though a good chunk of battery with your phone splice earlier.  Thirty percent charge."

Gargoyle stands and picks up his sledge, ready to go.  "Yeah, lets check it out.  They picked the location, so they know it real well or they've already scouted it out.  Hell, they might have someone lurking right now to see if we do our homework before the meet."

Phoenix walks into the bar, glancing around before he takes a seat.  He doeks not look worried, or hurried, almost like he could have been born in this joint.  He appears of average size and build, wearing generic brand jeans, work shirts over t-shirts, work boots, mirror shades, and a denim jacket.  Appearing in his mid- to late thirties, with short, wavy brown hair, intense brown eyes, under thin, arched eyebrows, framed by a face like an eroded cliff, haphazardly put together from disparate features that make it seem almost cruel and arresting.  A smile crosses his face, making the viewer wonder if it improves his features, or makes them less inviting
He is dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt, work boots, and a thick, denim jacket that could be armored, and probably hides a weapon or two.  He sits at the bar, ordering a bourbon on the rocks, and one of the bar's infamous greasy cheeseburgers.  He then turns around on the stool, seeming to listen to the music, though his eyes can be seen taking in everything around him.

The Batallion had it's usual locals around the bar. A trio of boosters were in the back section playing pool, drinking smash and getting a bit loud. Sitting at one of the tables, jacked into the network sat Arcade working on some bit of programming or something else... Mouse leaned against the bar, chatting up the help, while Barrage cleaned a couple of glasses before he approached Phoenix.

Barrage had started to speak, but nodded at Phoenix's order, grabbing a bottle from behind him and a glass from below the bar, pouring two fingers lengths worth of bourbon. There he turned and headed towards the kitchen window, turning in Phoenix's order. Leaning back against the shelving in the back he took to watching as he waited for the food. About 10 minutes later, Barrage sat the burger down in front of Phoenix "30 Credits."

With a nod of thanks, Phoenix slips Barrage cash to cover the food, then turns to face the rest if the bar as he eats and sips his bourbon.  Having made so many deals on the behalf of his employer over his years in a suit, he is unsure if he has ever been in here before.  It could be any one of several dozen bars ge has frequented in the past.
Admittedly, he finds the ambiance intriguing and the clientele interestjng.  Perhaps he could find some work, at least of a temporary sort.

Is it still the same crowd?  Or have they moved on?

The Salaryman sat at the same table where Overrider and Prodigy had left her.

There was a cable plugged into the socket behind her ear as she spent the time waiting for the pair to return reviewing various information.

Barrage runs the credits for Phoenix and nods to the man. "What brings ya in choomba?" As he slides the credchip back to Phoenix "I know it ain't the food." Barrage, though he hadn't given his name yet, was a large man, with chromed out arms dressed in a tank-top that said ARMY across it. He poured himself a shot of whiskey, shooting back as he leaned back against the bar shelves looking at Phoenix.


OOC: It is more or less the same folks as listed before. The "Party" had left and some should be returning shortly. Others were still sitting in the bar.

After scanning the crowd for a couple of minutes, his eyes lingering on the youthful+looking asian woman with the plugged-in 'trodes, he turns back to Barrage and regards him with an infrequent smile.  Don't you know?  I'm here for the ambiance, he responds.  Even with the smile that crinkles the corners of his eyes, and the quipped joke, his voice seems to lack the humor he seems to want to get across.  After a moment, the smile fades.  I am not as good with the jokes as I used to be.
He takes a sip of his bourbon, feeling the liquid burns it way down his throat.  I am looking for a way to supplement my retirement check.

In reply to Phoenix (msg # 137):

Barrage nodded to Phoenix before he spoke up "Well Mouse at the end always seems to have his nose involved in something. As long as it doesn't come into my Bar I don't care." he offered with a nod towards the little man towards the end of the bar before he poured himself another shot. "Arcade over there" he points to the kid jacked in the corner "Can find something for ya. But that one there" pointing to Salaryman "She's new, had a few friends. Odd call came in and they all got up and left. Maybe they got some work for ya. Careful though looked pretty shot up last time they came walking in. But same rules, you bring trouble here an you'll have trouble from me too. Understand that Choomba?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:04, Fri 04 Sept 2020.

Thanks for the info, he says after listening to Barrage, and taking a couple of bites.  I will check with them after I've eaten.  As for bringing trouble here, I prefer to think of myself as a problem solver, not a problem-causer.  He gives a mirthless chuckle.
Looking at the man, Barrage might notice that some of the few wrinkles around his eyes might be tiny surgical scars.  I'm called Phoenix, by the way.

"Well don't solve any problems here or I'll have to solve one of my own. Can call me Barrage, Choombata" Barrage's tone serious and never waiving as he moved along the bar to rinse the glass he was using before hanging it up. You could tell already he was serious and being that this bar is the nicest bar on the street, others took him serious as well.

With a gust of cold wet wind the front door to the Battallion opens, sound of acid rain can be heard as it comes down in a downpour. The acrid smell reaches you as some individuals make their way into the bar.

Phoenix smiles again.  Hopefully, there won't be any problems you need my help to solve, Barrage.  He raises his burger in a mock toast, and begins to eat it in earnest.  He continues to look around:  Mouse at the end of the bar, Arcade jacked into the net in the corner, the girl jacked into the net at the table, at the other patrons here and there.
He finishes his food, and his glass of bourbon before moving to the end of the bar.  He sits silently on a stool and waits until Mouse acknowledges him.  I am called Phoenix.  I understand you might know where a man can find work.

Prodigy, the older teen, walked into the bar and made her way back over to the table with SalaryMan. She then takes a seat, turning on the radio that's likely still sitting there that they borrowed from Barrage. >We're back from checking the place out. How'd thing go with you?< Came her voice over the communicator.

The Salaryman regarded the return of Prodigy and Overrider and gave them a nod of greeting when they returned to the table.

"I have not been able to gather any other useful information.  Though if you have returned with more data points it may enable a better forecast to be calculated."  She replied.

"Otherwise I believe the only option is to limit our liabilities as much as possible going forward until we are given additional information regarding the scope of this project."

Overrider waves at the greeting and sits down at the table.

The place is banger central.  I saw some Bozos so it might be their turf which is bad enough but there might be another gang there as well.  The Bozos are really bad but if it is contested turf it will be much worst.

Perhaps Gargoyle can check to see who controls that area and who is the neighbors?

>>There is some possible secondary ways out too if we need them, though not many. It looked pretty run down.<< Prodigy would add through the communicator on the table.

"That may be why the location was chosen."  The Salaryman suggested.

"The presence of one or more parties of that variety with some believed level of equity in the local resources is a deterrent to others who may be interested in our potential client."

"I believe, unless other resources present themselves which may be leveraged with the Bozos to convince them that there is no conflict of interest between ourselves and them, that we attempt to present the appearance of a strong position from which we would be negotiating should they wish to engage in such matters in any way."

After a few moments, Phoenix realizes that Mouse is too far into his cups to give a coherent answer to the question.  Even if he had heard it.  The fellow must have had a rough day.
So, he moves over to the kid in the corner, making his introduction and asking the same question.  Judging by the activity behind the netrunner's eyelids, he is either giving a few security programs a run fir their money, or in the process of being quickly and efficiently lobotomized.  Neither outcome truly effect him, so he moves on.
Seeing the suited Japanese woman now has company, and picking up the very localized transmissions of one of her companions on his wideband cyberscanner, he decides they may have something cooking.  He decides to approach them.
After a few moments of waiting for at least one of them to acknowledge his presence, he give a small smile and introduces himself.  I am called Phoenix.  I was wondering if, perhaps, you chombattas might need a little extra muscle for whatever it is you're working on.