Session Start: Sat Dec 31 16:47:48 2005 So with extracting Minami's father turning into such a fiasco, moving Mina herself had to be done immediately as well. The secretary drove the team back to the Terazaki home... then somewhat unexpectedly decamped with the van, meaning that everything would need to be lugged through the train system. Taki had some responsibilities as well, and snuck out when she had a spare moment. [Tuesday, March 29, 2004 - 0040 local time] [Outside Minami's home] [mini start] * LadyNightshade takes a deep breath, calming herself, before scanning the area looking for anyone that might be watching her or the house. It's a pretty calm night. Nothing is visible under the streetlights at first glance. A few cars go by, and busses and trains rumble in the distance. * LadyNightshade slips into a nearby alleyway and makes her way up to the rooftops to get a better look around. * LadyNightshade pulls out her cellphone and dials Mitsuko's number while she waits for the group to make their departure. The nearby rooftops afford a better view of nothing going on. Hi there, Taki-sama. I can seeee you. * LadyNightshade smiles and blushes a bit at that. I'm gonna need your help. Have you noticed anyone else watching the place? Oh, my. Would you mean the apartment with the lit window on the top floor across the street and five buildings down from where you are? Or the man on the building next to you? Or the car with tinted windows that parked just twenty minutes before you guys showed? Yes. I think that's all of them, though if they have a second layer we could all be in trouble. We're baiting them into following us to the Palace. Oh, now that's interesting. What we need to do is keep track of who follows the group when they leave. We also need to make sure that the group stays unaware that anyone is following them. If they actively try and lose them that could cause problems for us. * LadyNightshade takes another deep breath and tries to relax as she scans the locations Mitsu referred her to. They don't know that's what we're doing? Do tell. We're going to draw out their main force by offering them a promising enough target. The apartment down the street is... just an apartment with a lit window, nothing suspicious. The car in the street, though, that does look out of place now that she looks. It's too nice a car for this relatively run-down neighborhood. And the rooftop watcher next door has a camo blanket, but now that she knows he's there he's perfectly obvious. Mmmm. Sounds like someone finally made up their mind. Yeah. We need to make sure this happens on our terms. All right, this should be fun. Depending on the situation, I would like to make it clear to them that they know we know they know. ...huh? They less time they believe they have available to prepare the better. You mean, let them know that we know they know. If we confront the tail after he discovers the palace and let him barely get away, it should make it pretty clear, I think. Hmmmm. Yeah, sorry. Too many 'knows'. What that entails is going to depend on how many are actually tailing them. Indeed. It will be easier if there are more of them. That gives us some leeway to slaughter for emphasis. This is probably too much to ask, but if we could trail them back to their base, assuming they would go back there, it gives us a place to watch to keep track of their progress. If I attack myself, they wouldn't know you were around and would be able to track them wherever. Ideally, yeah. ...yeah. We'll see what happens. Some loud banging comes from within Mina's house, followed by some shouting. Leena's voice seems to represent one side of the argument. * LadyNightshade just shakes her house. "I don't think they'll have any trouble following that bunch." It's a mixed bag. Mr. Obvious on the roof there seems a bit of a noob. The three guys in the apartment are slicker. Some of them are on our side, I think. Probably the ones in the apartment. Wait, what? The Americans have been tracking her as well. ...mmmm. We may need to be careful who we slice up then. The shouting settles down, and a minute later the lights go out in Mina's house. The front door opens and Mallet bounces out with a huge trunk balanced on her shoulder. The others follow, looking alternately amused, bemused, and frustrated. Looks like it's time to go. They march off down the street in a line, headed towards the nearest train stop. Let's see who follows. * LadyNightshade scans the car and the other locations for reactions. The guy on the roof stands up, flips open his phone, and calls someone. He gets some sort of answer, and drops down into the street, leaving his camo blanket behind. The car doesn't move. I know what the apartment guys look like - I'm circling around to check what happens. I'm gonna follow Mr. Obvious. * LadyNightshade hops down into the alley, going invisible and heading over to where he hopped down. The team isn't quite oblivious - Mina definitely gave the car an odd look on the way out the door, and Darkmoon is looking around, but so far they haven't noticed anything. * ObviousGuy is crouched behind some shrubbery, and rubbing one ankle. Apparently he's not so good at dropping off roofs. * ObviousGuy gets up after the group is well down the street, and limps after them. * LadyNightshade just shakes her head. He's making this too easy. Do you see anyone else moving? * LadyNightshade looks around for anyone else as she trails the guy a safe distance away. I'm not in position to see the street... the apartment guys aren't making a move yet. Once the team has turned the corner, the passenger-side car door opens and a man gets out. The driver starts the engine and pulls away. The car does not, however, follow after the team - it turns away towards the main highway. * LadyNightshade tries to keep track of both men as they follow the group. She looks between the two to see whether or not they're aware of each other. If the men in the apartment aren't moving, I guess it's just these two... The man left behind by the car is not following the group. He's going up to the Terazaki house, and peering in through the windows. No... they've been very careful, though, so I guess that isn't surprising. * ObviousGuy turns the corner, still following the team. Taki is going to have to decide to follow him or stay behind to watch what the other man is doing. I'm gonna keep following the man trailing the team. Can you catch up after you find out what the other man is doing? ...what other man? The one that got out of the car. He's heading up to the apartment. ...I could, but then I won't be able to catch up before your friends get on a train. Up to you... Hmm... I don't think there's anything he could do in there at this point since she'll not be going back there anytime soon. * LadyNightshade sighs. You should probably stick with us. Right. I'll get moving then. * ObviousGuy is still limping along, but at a trotting pace. He's switched to a parallel street, now that he's figured out where the team is headed. I'll stick with him. You trail the team and see if anyone else starts following them. * Mitsuko seems to be running, and Taki can't quite make out her reply. * LadyNightshade checks out what the guy is wearing and if he matches up with the other groups that attacked them. * ObviousGuy is in an odd mix of urban camo and yuppie casual. The boots look familiar, though. * LadyNightshade notes all that. The team marches up into the train station, luggage and all. * ObviousGuy is maybe thirty seconds behind them, and he brusquely shoves aside anyone that gets in his way. ...oh, my, he is new at this. * LadyNightshade casually gets into the same car he does, choosing a seat far enough away that she can still keep an eye on him. Makes our job easier. Let's just hope he's not doing it on purpose. * LadyNightshade scans the rest of the people boarding the train. * ObviousGuy waits way too long to get on the train, and ends up in the last car. I'm up front with your friends... Do they always argue this much? Yeah, pretty much. The train rumbles out of the station as Taki slips in behind the man following the team. * ObviousGuy seems to realize he's out of position, and begins elbowing his way up through the train. * LadyNightshade tracks his movement, and only moves when he's not looking and only far enough so she can keep him in sight. He's moving up. Do you think they're likely to notice him? ...hard to say. * ObviousGuy has his phone out again, and is muttering something into it. He's making a call. There could be more coming soon. Around him, people are making rude comments and starting to shove back as he passes. Yeah, fuck you too! He's absolutely terrible... * ObviousGuy has worked two train cars forward now, and when he goes through the next door he'll be in with the team. Almost makes Hardhat look like a ninja. Was that him shouting? Yes. He's almost to the car you're in. ... He's going to give himself away. Your friends are looking around, they almost got me. * LadyNightshade moves up closer to him. * ObviousGuy isn't looking behind, he's too busy manhandling the people in front of him. He can't be this stupid. Any ideas? I'd take him down, if possible... if he made a call there may be others waiting for us at Tokyo Central. Alright. * LadyNightshade moves up to the man before he can reach the door. * ObviousGuy is almost there, and Taki catches glimpses of the team through the grimy window. * LadyNightshade puts a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Excuse me, sir?" * ObviousGuy ignores her. Sir? *repeats herself a little more forcefully, keeping her hand on his shoulder* * ObviousGuy really doesn't care about people behind him - it's the people in front of him that are interesting. He reaches for the door handle. * LadyNightshade shoves him up against the door then pulls him back out of view of the window. "Sir, I'm trying to be polite here. You're not making this easy." * ObviousGuy eyes his assailant. You can almost see the list in his head. Interfering with my mission - check. Teenage girl - check. Unnaturally strong - check. * LadyNightshade smiles politely when he turns to face her. You're being rather rude, you know. Shoving people out of the way and cursing at them, what makes you think you can just go around acting like that? * ObviousGuy panics, and fumbles wildly under his coat for something. * LadyNightshade keeps a careful eye on his hands and dashes a hand into his coat to grab his weapon before he has a chance to. * ObviousGuy gets to the gun just a split second before Taki does - he's got it in hand, but she's got it pinned in the holster and he's not going to pull the trigger while it's there. Now now, we don't want to cause a scene, now do we? You can't kill me here, not in front of everyone else. I have no intention of killing you. I simply suggest you sit down and stop trying to cause a scene. * ObviousGuy fumbles behind him with his free hand for the door release. * LadyNightshade puts her other arm around him, pulling him away from the door. Nuh uh uh. This puts Taki rather up close and personal with the guy. He smells like shingles. * LadyNightshade attempts to maneuver him back into the car and into an empty seat. There really isn't anywhere to maneuver to - the car is pretty well packed. * ObviousGuy tries to wrench the gun free once more. He clears the holster, but Taki still has it held under his coat. Come on now sir. You don't want to do this here. *hissed* Traitor. Would killing me here help you with your mission? I am, but not against who you think. My mission is obviously blown, anyway. All that's left for me is to do what damage I can. I'm willing to allow to finish your mission. All I ask is that you not so obviously give yourself away. The people standing around you are starting to realize that something is wrong here, though it's so packed that no one can tell what. * ObviousGuy looks at Nightshade really, really strangely. People are starting to look. I suggest you put your little toy back before someone gets hurt. If you're so afraid of making a scene, then the only one here getting hurt is you. I'm only afraid you'll lose track of your intended targets. You know they have people watching over them, don't you? Don't you want to know where they're going? I'm sure those you work for would like to know. ...but that means you WANT us to know where they're going! * ObviousGuy makes a grab with his free hand for his cell phone. I told you I wasn't what you thought I was. * ObviousGuy flips open his phone and jams a speed dial button. * LadyNightshade doesn't stop him. "If you tell them about me, tell them I'd like to talk to the one in charge." * ObviousGuy holds the phone up and shouts, "Three-one-three-nine! Abort!" Goddamn it. *slams him up against the wall again* * ObviousGuy bounces off the wall. The phone comes loose and drops underfoot, and the gun winds up fully in Taki's left hand, with her right keeping him pinned. Call them back. Tell them not to call it off. I was at the school. I heard what you had to say. I believe you. Please. Let me help. If you let this go now you'll never get another chance like this. * ObviousGuy swings with his free hand in a massive overhand hook. at Taki's face. She ducks it easily. * LadyNightshade presses the gun into his side. "Goddamn it, think about this. THINK. You have just as much to lose here as I do. If they find out what I'm trying to do..." No! I will not betray Japan! Neither will I! Let me help you stop the betrayers. I know things. I can help you. * ObviousGuy spits in Taki's face. "You are one of them, this is a trap, and the only thing I can do is die with honor." I'm trying to help you, goddamn it. If you go in that car, acting the way you are they will spot you and take you out. They're not stupid. If I leave you here and you follow them, would you believe me then? Obviously this isn't going to work out between us. * ObviousGuy is gagging now - he seems to be trying to swallow his tongue or something, and not doing a good job of it. I suppose it was too much to ask to expect you to think past your own ideals. Stay in this car, watch them out the window. Get off where they get off. Follow them from there. Hopefully this will solve both our problems. * LadyNightshade pushes herself off the man and makes her way back through the crowd trying to disappear from sight. [break mini] Session Close: Sat Dec 31 19:16:20 2005