IC - Mad World

[arcanus]

Francis Drake gasped, Mr Grant turned and looked at his 18" protector from their vantage point upon the roof.

His form seemed to solidify, as if previously it had lacked some form of substance, an understanding settled into his head.

Looking Astrally Francis Drake had a sudden realisation, he could see the Astral Plane, fully not just metals but full colour, high definition astral space.

"Hey pint size, you okay" said Grant, more than a little irritably

[Sinner]

Body+Armour (5 Dice) roll.

12 7 5 5 4 4 3 2 2 2

[arcanus]

Whether through inbuild genetic memory or cybernetic reflexes, Sinner reacts a fraction of a second before the katana slices into the adjacent wall.

Both adversaries spin away, bringing their firearms to bear, a roar signifies the exchange of gunfire between the two.

[arcanus]

The night had been particularly eventful, the group had successfully defeated the Five Fires Seoulpa Rings hitmen and defended their rogue yakuza and mafiosa charges.

Having made their way out of 'The Boyle Heights', they went to ground in the 'Crescent Hills' Trailer Park.

Upon entering the Villa Supremo trailer, Bishop had taken an almost personal dislike, the fact that he was almost wider than the trailer not withstanding. His main source is discontent was that he was used to grander things such as hotels.

Further negotiations ensued with the mafiosa Mr Grant and the yakuza Mr Yen, Grant decided to cut his losses leaving a certified credstick to allow him safe passage to leave. While Yen's plans included employing the group to escort him to his allies in San Fransisco and hopeful safety.

However Bishop, Silk and Doc then began to formulate their own plan, it was time for a new order, they were not mere amateurs just starting out.
They had both experience and power, the Mob had involved them in their power plays, newbie runners would go with the flow take their lumps, thank the saints for their survival.

No not the former members of the Church, they would take the fight to the LA Mob, bring them down from the inside, a new power would arise in the City of Angels.

[Sinner]

Sinner stood in the kitchenette and made the coffee, listening to the discussions between his fellow... what were they all now? Shadowrunners? He guessed that was what they were.
The conversation with Mr Grant who, despite his almost captive and definite fugitive status, seemed to have taken control of the situation, was actually going well.
20,000 for his freedom was a fair price. What were the other options? Sinner pondered the question for a moment.
They could contact the Mafioso boss and negotiate a fee for the his return or execution, however they wanted to play it, but then the group would be ‘in bed’ with the mob and that was a situation Sinner certainly didn’t want.
The added attraction of better contacts and better money also had a certain appeal.
The Jap wanted an escort to San Francisco. The had all the appeal Sinner could want. There was someone in the San Franc area he quite wanted to see, but was wary of approaching. Wary? No, not wary, nervous. How long had it been? A few months, a year, or a bit more? Would she think he was some sort of stalker?

Sinner frowned as his attention returned to the trailer.
Mr Grant was making moves to leave, and although no one was overly happy, no one stopped him.
Time to move!

Sinner considered the options... stay here but the location was compromised.
Renting an apartment would suit them as far as coming and going as they please.
Another trailer park was good, even though it would only meet with more bitching from Bishop. The best place for anonymity in the elf’s opinion.

The team were discussing the pros and cons of taking on the LA mob, not a full frontal assault but a little skulduggery here and there, infiltrating their ranks and replacing the head with a ‘tame’ one. It was an interesting notion, but Sinner was worried that they may be running before they could walk. So long as they all took their time, planned it right, executed it well, then they had a good chance.

As he listened to the developing plans, he became aware that Bishop was still insisting that they went to a hotel. His argument seemed to be based not on safety or security, of which Sinner thought both would be greatly compromised in a hotel, but on his being used to better.
Sinner shook his head but remained silent. This coming from a man who had spent the last eighteen months in a glass tank with a tube up his arse!!

[Sinner]

The sun began to announce itself by turning the horizon a pale grey. Sinner stretched and pulled himself off the couch where he had been sleeping. He checked the time and realised that he’d only been out for an hour and a half.

Rubbing the grogginess away he crept over to the fridge and, disgusted by the poor quality food, grabbed a doughnut and wandered outside.
Birds were singing, the distinct wail of cats copulating rang out from somewhere in the park and even outside the deep reverberation of someone snoring managed to drown out the growing noise of traffic on the freeway in the valley bottom.

Sinner thought for a while about the plan to infiltrate the mob. It was a brash plan and no one could accuse them of aiming low, however, it also had merit. Their anonymity was their main advantage. If no one knows you are there then they won’t be looking in your direction for an attack.

Okay, if this was going to happen they were going to need a lot of gear. They’d need a base of ops, some safe houses, a front, vehicles, weapons, explosives, contacts, preferably out of town, not many locals, and for that they would need money. To get money, they’d need work, and that would earn them a reputation and they didn’t really want one of those – it could blow their cover.

Ah the twisted webs....

[arcanus]

Route 101 sped past, at 90kph.
Sinner's analystical programs were gathering data at a collosal rate, collision chips in impending vehicles allowed him to manoeuver the jeep.
What concerned him more were the multiple vehicles that had now accelerated to match their speed, the choppers were remaining at respectable but suspicious distance.

A Honda Vector bike had cruised up to a safe distance parallel with them and a number of drones had adopted a satellite formation.

Datastreams were whirling around, encrypted datastreams .
'What the hell were they in the middle of?'

[Sinner]

Hmmm! Sinner sighs heavily, realising that Bishop's 'curse' had come true.
But then it was daft of them all to think it wasn't true. The Yak's were bound to have a ritual link to one of their superiors. And if not a link, then the components with which to form one.

"Collision chips," the elf mused aloud.
Seizing control of a drone was one thing, but taking control of a rigged vehicle whilst the rigger was plugged in was something else.

Sinner glanced across at the rider, looking for the tell tale cable that connected him to the bike's rigger control unit.

Perception+Intuition: 10 10 9 7 7 5 5 5 4 4 4 3 (10 hits)

[arcanus]

"Welcome to tonights episode of Cannonball Running
"This evening we have the start of a high speed chase extrordinaire that our sponsers promise will be particularly hair raising and action packed.

Our Cannonballers are driving a Lincoln Citycar stretch limo circa 2048 plate, accompanied by a 45 plate Geronimo overland Jeep.

Our on the mac cam is Audrey, the challengers describe themselves as ambitious, ruthless and high performance roadwarriors.
Bets can be registered via LAN LA/255A, paid in CFS Dollars or water rations"

[Sinner]

Again Sinner’s mind went to the collision chips. How did they work? There was no city grid link for them to work off out here. There was also satellite connectivity, but even that could be intermittent, and would anyone really want the time delays when trying to avoid a crash. That left a signal sent locally, from device to device, that could take control of the vehicles control and engine management systems. And thereby avoid and react to potential hazards.

In his short life, Sinner had never met anyone else with the ability to wirelessly connect to the matrix or vehicle control rigs. There was always some other device required, like a cyber-deck that the user had to plug into. So how secure would the collision device be? It would be out there actively looking for things to talk to, a metaphorical open door.
And who in the hell could hack into a vehicle’s onboard systems while that vehicle was moving?

Sinner could feel Necron straining at the leash. It wanted release.
“Patience,” Sinner cautioned, remembering and old saying he had once heard, ‘Prior Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance’. There was another saying too that was a little easier on the tongue – ‘think before you act’.

Necron snarled but backed down, letting Sinner resume his thoughts.
“Okay, so I get into the coll-chip’s sub-processor, what then? Into the control/management CPU and look for a connection to any of the other vehicles on this little sojourn. If this group were worth their salt they would have a battletac system monitoring their tactics and guiding the vehicles and drones in. If not then there would almost certainly be a comms link that could be exploited.”
“So I’d already be in the system, through a backdoor. I could ride the battletac’s own signal back to the control unit, and from there issue a shut down command to every vehicle’s control systems, with the exception of our biker friend. Then immediately follow that with a command to activate an immediate security lock out of each vehicles own controls, rendering them useless until the pilots and drivers could figure out what had gone wrong. No! Re-issue new security codes, requiring the drivers to either hack their way through them or replace the unit. Either way would be time consuming.”

The beauty of this was that no one would now where the attack had come from and also there would be very little built into the vehicles to prevent it. Not only that but he would be able to do it in a window and not go full VR.

“Over to you,” Sinner thought.
Necron gave a satisfied grunt and strode towards his virtual exit.

You know the plan, what rolls do you require?