X-treme Measures

Trask smacked his comm-link on the table for a third time. Lord above, he hated the damn things. The AR may be god's gift to the modern age, but if he had his way he would never have to touch one of the buggers again. He poked the link a few more times, this time finally managing to key the right combination. The small screen flicked to life and a message scrolled up. He scanned it quickly...

"Drek!"

He was gonna be late for the meet even if he left this second. No time to waste. A few quick strides brought him over to his gun safe -- at least it was quick to get to anything in an apartment the size of his. A few quick spins of the lock had the thing open and he pulled out the Sakura, already in its shoulder rig, and pulled it on. He started to swing the safe closed, then paused... better safe then sorry. He reached back in and pulled out the big Ruger. A quick thought that would have clenched his toes if he still had the leg he had been born with, and a section of his thigh swung open, pushing open a carefully concealed hole in his jeans, put there for just this reason. The big gun slid in smoothly and a gentle push signaled the compartment to close. There... on hand if needed, but out of sight and mind. He grabbed his coat and hat and headed out the door.

*** A short time later ***

Trask flipped off the engine on his bike and pulled his stetson from the behind the seat compartment -- bikes and hats didn't go well together -- and got it properly seated on his head. He stood quickly, long duster swishing around his legs as he headed inside, and made a b-line to the hostess. "Pardon, ma'am. Ah'm supposed ta be meetin' a group here, but Ah'm runnin' a bit late. Reckon they probably started already. The names probably under Johnson, should have a private room? Could ya'll kindly direct me ta where Ah need to be?

He greeted the hostess, a sly grin on his face in a desperate attempt to look like he absolutely meant to be late. And besides, it can never hurt to be the suave to a lady.

Which was quite fortunate considering the large percentage of females at the table he was given.

"Well good evening ladies," he said, a side grin, moving up and taking a seat. "I do apologise for my tardiness, but the city has been bursting with activity all evening. Took me forever to get here. So, which one of you is the Mr J that called us all over here?"

“He’s on the toilet right now. If you hurry, you might catch him there.” She just couldn’t resist to put him on a wrong track. Life punishes the latecomers.. Lenilielle smiled at him her most innocent little girl smile and took another sip of her fruit juice. In the background, she thought she saw someone else talking to the hostess. From his looks he might be another Runner. Or maybe the J?

Kit glanced at the new comer when a slightly cold smile broke over her lips, She started to drum her fingers on the table, Getting slightly annoyed at the tardiness of the J.

Digit said nothing as always he had been over looked not surprising seeing as he was so small and child like. He could barely see over the table. "This is sad."He thought to himself. "I'm never going to be a big league player if can't get off the sidelines" He added Also in his thought's....

He sat their though said nothing. "Better to understand by watching"he thought to himself once more. Digit never learned how to be sneaky he was so small that people often forgot he was there he just needed to be quiet. Unless he was in the Matrix. Then of course he could will up a stealth program. He smiled. "Yes id rather have had this meeting via the Matrix. Everyone could have made that i suppose." he mumbled finally speaking, from in his chair behind the table... "DAMN did i say that out loud"

Just as the hostess was about to direct Trask to the others waiting, a red-faced human and a worried looking dwarf bustled in from outside. Dressed in mid-level corporate attire, both men looked hassled, harried, and none too happy.
Stepping up to confront the hostess, and quite rudely ignoring the fellow already standing there, the human spoke as if to one of his subordinates, "Mr Johnson, young lady. I believe you are holding a private room for me?"

A veteran hostess of many years, the girl smiled, suppressing her thoughts of this fellow and his rude manners well, and said, "The room has been ready for some time now, Mr Johnson, if you'll just follow me." She turned her back and started away, but not before catching a very satisfying glimpse of the startled look of outrage on the man's face. Muttering imprecations not quite loud enough for her to hear, Johnson and his assistant followed the hostess through the dining room toward the reserved room. On the way, the hostess looked meaningfully at the group, indicating with a nodat her charges that this was the person they'd been waiting for.
The trio continued on to and through a door set apart from the main dining area, Johnson muttering and fuming the whole way.

“Ooh that’s him.” Lenilielle exclaimed, suddenly nervous and excited again, when she jumped off the chair she had taken seat on. He looks grumpy, she thought. “We better not have him wait for us.” She went to follow the J into the private room. There, she looked around for a good place to put herself, sitting down swiftly (if possible.)

Inside the room you see a round dining table large enough to seat about ten, and in fact there are ten chairs surrounding it. Johnson is seated at the far side where he can face the door. His assistant is not seated, rather he is standing behind and slightly to Johnson's right. The room is not much bigger than the table, leaving just enough space for a narrow walkway when the chairs are occupied. The walls aare an off-white with vid-screen panels placed on three of the four walls, depicting various alternating scenes of majestic landscapes, thriving coastal port towns, and oceanscapes both stormy and tranquil. The fourth wall has two floor-to-ceiling windows that look out on the 'breathtaking' view of the parking lot, now dark save for security lighting. The floor is carpeted with a short-pile, light gray that practically escapes notice.
As each of you enter and take seats, you get a better look at the J and his assistant. The Johnson is a male human somewhere in his mid-thirties. His short brown hair and neatly trimmed mustache are near-perfect to corp-approved specs and his brown eyes are clear and direct. The dwarf assistant is a good bit older than his boss, looking somewhere in the range of mid-forties to early fifties as in the way of dwarfs. His reddish-brown hair and beard are also properly trimmed and his light-gray eyes appear too bright to be natural.

Once everyone is seated, Johnson begins the meet by saying, "Thank you all for coming tonight. Since we're starting a bit late," he throws a sour glance over his shoulder at his assistant who plants his eyes firmly on the floor between his feet, "we'll just get right to business. We've got what I believe you would call an 'extraction'? The job entails breaking into a research facility, acquiring the target, plus some vital computer data, and delivering to a location that will be provided once you have the targets. As I believe you were informed by your respective - ah - fixers? the job pays ten thousand nuyen, half now, half on completion. It is my understanding that before I can reveal any details of the mission, I need to know if you're in or out. Any questions so far?"
Johnson folds his hands together on the table before him and looks questioningly at each of you in turn.

Jim stirred from his stint with his most recent download. (These BTL lifelines got him all locked up from time to time.) Still holds to infrequent use but that could also be because of the infrequent pay. Checking his comm he notices he's been in dreamland a little to long again and runs the risk of missing a potential payday. "Can't believe I did it again! Thats ok this is the last one for awhile. Better hurry, no time for a shower."
The restaurant is only minutes away to walk, so throwing his jacket on stops long enough to grab his PSK-3. "In case theres trouble"

Walking briskly to the front entrance he scans the joint as best he can, being in a hurry and all. Judging by the waitresses reaction to him he must not have been the only one late. I guess she could tell by his hurriedness why he was there. She even finished his sentence. "Uhh yeah hi, I'm here for the.." "...meeting. Sure just follow me. The others are waiting." Upon entering the room Jim notices a group already assembled. Grabbing a seat just before a Dwarf and angry looking human enter the room he throws out a quick "Hello all!" And flashes his suprisingly charasmatic smile for someone who when isnt smiling looks quite grim.

Digit sat behind the table when everyone started filing into the room following the Johnson He could not see the waitresses glare that said come on... So when he herd the shuffling at the table he squeaked "what is he here?" He hopped down from his chair and made his way to the other room. Once again he could not seem to find a seat that allowed him to see above the table... but he was prepared for that.... This time, he stood in his chair. His head only looking from the opposite the Johnson.

He thought about the Johnson's offer which he had excepted by coming. So why was this guy asking. They had all been told. what was he getting at? He thought. Maybe he was opening the table for negotiations. Digit was no face and as he had heard in the chat rooms the face would handle this part. So not knowing who the face was, he waited to see what everyone else was gonna say...

Reclining back in his chair trying to look professionally calm and super experienced, (Truth be told Jim had only been in the game a short while but had learned from years in the sprawl that confidense breeds power), Jim throws a glance at the Johnson. "Well Mr. J. judging by the fact we all managed to show up and beat you to your own meeting I'd say were all pretty interested. Ofcourse a few more NuYen might just convince a few of us to stick around. But I'm sure you've got plenty of other runners lined up just in case." Jim ends his statement with a smile then nods to the group of runners around him. Wishing he himself made it early enough to get a drink.

Kit shot a quick glance at the J acting like a true rookie. Kit has been around the block a few times to know the pressure of being the new face in the growing world, The craft that is Shadowrunning. She took a seat with a curious look on her face. She watched the face's of her fellow runners.

Digit nodded to the new stranger and looked in the direction of the Johnson "Look RnD's gotta have some spiffy IC and maybe some other defenses i can try to get in through a back door but im gonna need better sniffers and stealth that's gonna cost me umm?" He started the math, but then realized he was talking again. He shoved a candy bar in his mouth, and sat down so no one could see him...

Trask follows the J into the room and sprawls out comfortably in one of the chairs. A couple of the others speak up after the explanation, then he leans forward and pushes his had up with a finger as he adds his own two cents. "Others got their concerns it seems, but overall, sounds fair 'nough ta me so far. But while Ah understand true details need ta wait, couple general questions. First, Ah don't need names or exactly what ya need us to take, but what corp or group you targetin'? There some folk out there it don't pay ta mess with. Second, what type a target we looking at? Someone who wants ta leave and their boss won't let 'em, someone you tried to hire away who turned ya down, or someone who has no idea ya'll are interested in 'em? Reckon that shouldn't give away too much detail before we agree, but it makes for a mighty powerful difference how the job needs ta go down. Last, what time frame we looking at? Faster ya need it done, the more dangerous it gets, and the more it should cost ya.

Jim shoots a glance at Trask, happy to see someone else taking a stand on more nuyen. Hey, we deserve it, he thinks. Let's hope Johnson feels the same.

"OH! thank Daedalus" Digit thought "Somebody knows what there talking about." Digit knew that these were the important questions not what kind of soft ware he would need...

So he sat there chewing his candy bar. Making enough noise with the rapper to make a headache victim smack him. And he listened to the professionals... well sort of.

He had fallen for the lady's words, for at least a moment. A look had come across his face, and he had honestly pondered how the J would feel if he just walked in on him in the toilet asking for details and nuyen. Then the moment passed, and the joke became apparent... and fortunately for the both of them that was when the real Johnson decided to turn up.

Shaking his head at the lady again Oh, funny, I'll get you for that, he thought to himself, he followed them all into the private room, taking a quiet seat on the side. He grinned at the questions flying back and forth, and lifted up his hand to speak himself.

"Also, while we're on the subject, what happens if we say we're out? which, of course, I'm not saying I am... I am most probabbly going to say in regardless, but you won't have your big bodyguard over there rough us up or nothing though... right?"

The dwarf in question looked alarmed, but Johnson eyed Chase calmly. "No, Damocles is not the strongarm type, you're quite right about that." His gaze swept the other runners gathered around the table before he continued, "but I am sure those here who wish to take part in my proposal would be happy to - 'escort' - anyone unwilling out of this private meeting."

As for upping the pay: first, those who take the job will be issued certain items we feel will be beneficial to this mission (your's to keep afterwards of course), there will be an additional bonus for keeping any collateral damage to the facility to a minimum (to be determined after mission completion obviously), and lastly, depending on how satisfactorily this mission goes, there will be subsequent tasks for which appropriate payment will most likely be substantially higher as the tasks will be more complex. Again, I am restricted from revealing more information until we have an agreement."

"Well I'm ready to show you what I can do." Plus some free goodies can't hurt. Jim just now takes notice of the attractive elves in the room. The one looking like she don't take any guff from anyone. He gives her a wink.

Lenilielle let the others talk. They had valid points and she wouldn’t know what questions to ask anyway. She just sat there and tried to look taller and older than she really was.
She did notice the interest from some of the males at the table, which increased her nervousness even more.Perverts all of you. She thought. “I’m in.” The young elf girl said simply.

Kit caught the wink of Jim a slight smirk appears on her face " I'm in whats the job exactly? I Dont exactly want to be wasting my time.... If you catch my drift." She looked around waiting to here what the j had to say.

you hear someone knocking on the hinge of the door, you see a man, 5'10", fit, brown hair, good looking, no apparent modifications, in : "hello, terribly sorry for my late arrival, I got the msg for the meeting 1/2 an hour ago, came as fast as I could, my name is Stan but please call me Red Frost, would you be OK with having an extra wheel?... I'm good with a pist, but I prefer to rely on my talking (I can do both good and bad cop), I'm also decent at getting where I'm not supposed to and at sniffing a trail,... do you have those angles already covered?... if not I'll be happy to help... see some extra money would be very welcomed for me right now..." (you see a glimpse of anxiety as he says those last words)

Digit pipped up Breaking the silence, to fill in the new guy. That he could not see from his vantage point really. "Ten Grand a pop for a snatch, and grab, you in or out? Is the question on the table before we get the details, that brings you up to speed." Then he got quiet again...

Annoyed, the Johnson looked up at the newcomer with narrowed eyes and lowered brow. This meeting was supposed to be a private affair, not a circus exhibit. He muttered under his breath something about finding a different location for future meets then turned to his dwarf assistant. They exchanged a few quiet words, then the assistant walked over to take up a preemptory position by the door in case of any further unexpected visits.
"All right, ladies and gentlemen," the Johnson said a touch testily, it had not been a pleasant day thus far, and interviewing this group of runners was turning out to be the crowning irritation. "Before any further negotiations can be discussed, or details of the job, I simply must have your agreements to take the mission. Anything else is just a waste of all our time and I for one have more important matters to attend to. Now, what will it be? Do we have an understanding or do I seek other prospective associates?"

Trask leans forward and looks the Johnson straight in the eye, nodding politely. "Ah understand that ya'll can't or won't give us more intel first. But ya'll need ta understand that there are jobs that just can't be done with the numbers and budget we are lookin' at here, and Ah ain't going down in flames for ya just cuz I agreed without knowing what I was agreeing too. So, ya'll can't tell us more, fine. But that bein' the case, then Ah can't accept without a condition. As long as its a straight snatch of a fairly normal type person from a fairly normal type facility, its all good. Ah reckon they'll be some surprises and unpleasant stuff, and that's fine too, all part of the job. But if'en yer gonna tell us to go kidnap the CEO of NovaCorp out of a secure facility guarded by both CorpSec grunts and the military with magical backup while they are on a high alert and lookin' for and incoming team, I reserve the right ta tell ya'll to take a long walk off a short pier, if'en ya catch my drift. Won't take you money in that case, or talk 'bout the run to anyone, course. Since ya'll can't tell us more, that's the best Ah can do. Ah ain't gonna turn down the job if'en its at all reasonably like, but since ya can't tell us more, ya'll will have to be the one ta decide if'en ya think Ah would find it reasonable. If that means ya'll can't tell me anything and don't want me involved, then tell me and Ah'll walk, no hard feelings."