Date: March, 2072
Location: Seattle, UCAS
Mr. Johnson: Scion
Team: Azuma, Highside, Troublemaker
Overview: The team is hired to extract a new employee from Horizon, then assist him in getting to the foundations.
Taken from a letter by Azuma:
Guang,
Yes, I am interested in a pre-fabricated shower for my new home. I will check with my “roommates” to see if we can install it without undue damage to the structure.
As I get more work here I learn more about how to prepare for a job. This week Troublemaker and I each received a call to meet on a downtown office building. Another runner was there already, Highside, but no Johnson. Highside turned out to be a wheel man, which meant this job might have some travel.
We all received a call from a Johnson calling himself Scion, whose avatar was that of a gold-painted crocodile-headed Egyptian pharaoh. I expected further drama but instead was presented with an immediate job — so immediate that I had no time to retrieve my bow and SMG. Scion wanted us to extract a man from a Horizon dinner event happening at a building across the street, the Horizon Splendor building. Specifically from the 28th floor. We had 15 minutes to prepare.
Provided with rappelling gear and piton launcher, Troublemaker and I worked up a very quick snatch-and-grab plan, with Highside grabbing us off the street for a quick getaway. Since we both lacked our full complement of weaponry and this was a hardened facility, speed was of the essence.
I fired the rope across the street into the balcony as Troublemaker was going to stun the two waiters on the balcony. Sadly, he does not have that capability and ended up slaying them both with a mana spell.Using their clothes to infiltrate was unlikely at this point. We sped across the rope and I attempted to disable the remaining person on the balcony, except to my surprise he proved to be enhanced. As I struck him again I called from Troublemaker to finish him off since it was clear this might be a protracted fight.
As Troublemaker and I sought cover behind the balcony bar as we moved toward the door, it was clear the guest had notified security. A large-grain round punched through the bar and into my armor, bloodying me too early in the job. Troublemaker and I ran for the door, the sniper’s second shot nearly hitting Troublemaker. As I ran into the room our target had been announced and was standing at his table with the spotlight on him. I darted across the room, landed one solid punch that left him limp, and as security within the crowd started shouting and drawing pistols I ran for the door. Troublemaker was faced with some sort of animated air spirit and was able to dispatch it before I got to the door.
Unable to provide myself cover as I came through the door with the target, I took another sniper round, this one sending me sliding into the cover of the balcony edge. Two small drones descended on us, but Troublemaker and then I dropped over the edge and performed a rapid descent on the rope. The van was waiting and managed to get clear.
We holed up in the Ork Underground and called Scion. The call did not go through and we got the voicemail of the target we had just extracted. We awoke him and called Scion again and this time got through. It was evident this was a self-extraction at this point. Scion did not have our payment and instead changed the terms of the deal and essentially turned us into his brokers for any foundation contacts we might have.
I called Moreau from Draco Foundation and Troublemaker called Nazareen from Atlantean Foundation. We met with both and neither seemed interested in our target until I overheard him whisper something about a “cordex.” That seemed to get both bidders interested. While we awaited offers from our safehouse, Highside received a call from his fixer saying that Saeder Krupp was interested in finding anyone who knew about our target. Troublemaker and I instructed him to ignore it.
The target told us he had an offer and a place to meet, so off we went. When we got to the van two people were waiting for us. A man now known to me at Lin Yao Chang offered us 100,000¥ to turn over our target. I declined and the smaller of the two disappeared. Troublemaker’s hand was nearly severed by a monofilament whip as we hurried to the van. As Troublemaker moved ahead I attempted to cover him. I took one strike from the whip that went deep into my torso, but I was able to land a throwing dagger in the invisible attacker. Immediately after I was struck again and was struggling to stay conscious from the wounds. As I limped toward the van Troublemaker created a magical barrier that allowed us to escape.
We met Moreau and his waiting stealth helicopter, received our payment, and got out. Troublemaker and I later received anonymous calls regarding the now-identified Lin Yao Chang where the nameless voice stated he was impressed with our ability and work and could look to Lin Yao Chang for assistance in the future. This is clearly where I am out of my element. There appears to be a level of politics here, counting our experience with Junior, the police, and now this job, that is so far beyond my grasp.
Had Highside not been skilled with first aid skills, I would have fallen that night. I think we can find a place for his skills in future work.
I look forward to more tales of your import experiences. Should the time come when you are importing something less nefarious than organs and more palatable than durians, please let me know so that I might participate.
– Aaron
Rewards:
5 Karma for completing the run.
+1 Reputation with Draco Foundation
-1 Reputation with Atlantean Foundation
+1 Street Cred
Gain Moreau as a contact, Initial Loyalty 1, or gain +1 Loyalty if you already have him