<@Brett> [Day: Tuesday, March 2nd. Time: 5:00 p.m. Location: On Redway Avenue, downtown Bucharest] <@Brett> [You're two blocks from Luca's, a restaurant where you're supposed to meet with a man called Andrei in order to hopefully obtain some mandrake root to cure Sonia. It's a little 2-story place on a none-too-busy corner. Alysha's totally going through your personal belongings while you're away.] <@Brett> [Start] * Montana has nothing to hide, so he's not worried about Alysha going through his things. Really. * Sonia does have things to hide, but she brought them all with her. She stretches out her arms and adjusts her glasses. "So who's going where." * Gordo would be slightly annoyed if she doesn't put his old airplane books back, but most of them have been scanned into his ereader anyway! * Nigel also does not care if Alysha looks through his belongings. It is mostly books and suits anyway. <@Brett> ( man you guys lead boring lives ) (Now, time to go and get shot!) Nigel's show right now. He can take who he wants, but I think he was leaning towards Gordo and Shiho. Darlin', can ya hook him up with somethin' that'll clue us in on what's going on there? * Gordo nods. "Plan's to look as ex-military and competent as I can." * Sonia frowns a touch and says, "'Sides you sneaking in?" * Shiho owns a lot of books in various languages, mostly Japanese. And a bunch of clothes. It is doubtful any of that will surprise Alysha. * Montana grins. "I *could* do that. But then who'd keep ya company?" * Nigel nods. "Gordo and Shiho seem to be the best option. It frees Montana up to scout out the place for an alternate route if needed. Sonia should stay out of it so we don't tip them off, and besides we may actually need a getaway driver." * Sonia rolls her eyes, pulls out some components from god-knows where and starts to fiddle with them. "Yeah, sure." She takes a few moments, then says, "Turned that tracker into a bug, that'll do you. Also give me a rough map. And I agree with English, me and the van don't need the company." She hands the bug to Nigel. * Nigel takes the bug and nods. It's probably for the best that I don't pretend to be anything I'm not, I'm pretty bad at acting. <@Brett> ( Sonia's presumably driving with her feet while doing this. ) (I assumed we were stopped, given we were two blocks away.) <@Brett> ( Maybe she's circling the block! ) * Nigel chuckles. "I don't think you need to pretend to be anything. You are a legitimately badass bodyguard. And you may have to actually do that job, depending on how this proceeds." As long as you don't grin at the guy like you're inviting him to punch you, we'll probably be okay. (Are stopped then?) (*Are we) (Since I just cobbled, yes!) <@Brett> ( I dunno, I'm not driving. ) But if he don't, how'll they know he's in charge. * Shiho grins at Sonia before getting out of the van. * Montana snerks and pulls his hat a little lower. * Nigel also gets out of the van. * Gordo gets out and stands a little behind Nigel and to the side. * Sonia smiles back a little at Shiho's grin, and then looks over at Montana and says, "So you gonna hang out in here, boy?" * Montana rolls his head to one side to look at Sonia. "It's an idea. I was kinda hopin' that they could do the scouting." * Nigel starts walking towards the restaurant. "Okay. I have no idea how this is going to go. Be prepared for anything." (Split chan?) <@Brett> ( Lesse ) <@Brett> ( #mc5-2 ) (Me and Sonia?) <@Brett> ( Yep ) (Okay!) * Gordo nods. "We'll keep ye covered." * Shiho stays just ahead of Nigel. "It'll be fine, don't worry." <@Brett> [The rest of you head towards the restaurant! It seems like a nice enough place from the outside. There's a couple tables and a bar, and stairs leading to the second floor. There's a couple of customers here for a n early dinner, too.] * Shiho scans the windows before opening the door for Nigel. * Gordo whispers to Nigel, you know how to spot him? <@Brett> [A dad and his two kids go into the place. Guess it's a nice family joint.] <@Brett> ( *poke* ) (Don't look at me boss, I spoke last) (Sorry. I'm here) * Nigel shakes his head. "Not a clue." He approaches the restaurant and looks around for anyone who looks like they may be waiting for him. * Gordo nods. "Upstairs?" * Nigel shrugs and starts to head for the stairs. <@Brett> [There is, in fact. The bartender is staring at Nigel suspiciously. Or more precisely, Shiho. Not many Asians in these parts.] (Asian people are so suspicious!) (What was the name of the guy we were meeting?) <@Brett> ( Andrei ) (Can't trust 'em. They're all ninja.) * Nigel approaches the bartender. "I am meeting an associate here by the name of Andrei. Do you know where I can find him?" <@Brett> [The bartender shifts his gaze from Shiho to Nigel, then hits a button under the bar. Then he starts polishing a mug, not saying a word.] <@Brett> [Still, within a few minutes, a 30-something man with aviator shades and his hair tied in a ponytail emerges from a back room. "The Canadian, I presume." (Do the goggles do nothing?) <@Brett> ( They add +1 to taste for all beers. ) * Gordo 's been eyeing the exits since the button press and is now watching the man carefully. * Shiho stands still, face expressionless. She's standing just behind Nigel and on the other side from Gordo. * Nigel turns around. "Your English must be poor. You do not seem to be pronouncing Englishman properly." He smirks and gestures to the room in general. "Do you want to discuss this here, or is there a more private place?" <@Brett> [He gestures at the door he came from. "Right this way."] * Nigel nods and follows. (I told you no smiling! Smirking is nearly a smile!) (Those boys just can't follow instructions.) * Shiho follows Nigel. That is the way of the bodyguard. (He's just trying to make Shiho nervous. =P) * Gordo follows as well, and remembers to check the corners of the room, and eventually the ceiling. (Or more likely, he can't resist himself, because Andrei annoys him.) <@Brett> [Gordo spots cameras as they're lead down a short corridor. The man opens another door at the end of a hallway, behind which is a small make-shift office. Two MiBs flank a partularly rotund 50-something man in a pin-stripe suit. Another two are loitering near a picture of dogs playing poker. The room stinks of tobacco, not surprising since the man's smoking a cuban cigar.] <@Brett> ( And gimme awareness checks. ) 2d6+8 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+8 for Shiho and gets a natural 7 for a result of 15. 2d6+7 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+7 for Nigel and gets a natural 7 for a result of 14. 2d6+5 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+5 for Gordo and gets a natural 8 for a result of 13. (Sorry, had to AFK for a sec) <@Brett> ( Both Nigel and Shiho notice a shadowy outline of another figure in the back of the room, hidden in... erm, the shadows.] ) <@Brett> [But enough about that. The large man takes a puff of his cigar and says, "So, my Canadian friend. You said you have something to offer. What would that be?"] (An actual ninja!) * Nigel shrugs. "That depends on what you want for what I want. I hear you have some mandrake root. I am interested in buying it from you." <@Brett> [The man grins. "And where did you hear that?"] * Nigel shakes his head. "I'm not sure that information is relavent. I have my sources. Of course if you aren't interested in selling it, I suppose my sources were misinformed." <@Brett> ["Fair enough. But you know, mandrake root isn't cheap."] * Nigel nods. "I am aware of that. How much are you asking?" <@Brett> [He puffs on his cigar again, a sly grin on his face. "Four-hundred thousand Euros." (Which, for the purposes of this game, is equal to about $800,000.)] * Gordo 's eyebrows go up at the figure. (How much money to Alysha give us access to?) * Shiho remains deadpan. <@Brett> ( ($300,000) ) * Nigel nods. "You could have just said you did not want to sell it. No one is going to pay four-hundred thousand Euros for mandrake root. I will give you one-hundred thousand Euros." <@Brett> ( The expected price she figured was $500,000, FYI ) (Right.) <@Brett> [He laughs at that. "You must be joking. You would do better to grow your own mandrake than try to find someone willing to sell for such a paltry sum."] * Nigel shrugs. "I am not even entirely convinced you have some mandrake root. Show it to me and I may be able to offer you a higher sum." <@Brett> ["And I am not entirely convinced you can pay. I do not know you, and I do not know who sent you. Show me you have the money, and maybe we can negotiate a more reasonable price."] (Do we have a means of showing him funds?) (Actually... an even better question is... do we have a means of showing him funds that Nigel can hack to make it look like we have significantly more money than we have?) <@Brett> ( Sure can! :D You can show him a credit card, which is different from modern day credit cards as it actualyl displays the funds you have in the credit account.] ) <@Brett> ( As for hacking, gimme a hacking roll ) 2d6+10 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+10 for Nigel and gets a natural 9 for a result of 19. <@Brett> ( K, you can pretty much put whatever number you like :P ) (Great.) * Nigel nods. "That is fair. I'll show you that I have the funds available, and you show me the root, and then we can make a deal." Nigel hands over his credit card, which at this point should read around two million dollars. (I figure two million is enough to prove we have the money, but not so much that he will drive the price up to something ridiculous.) (By hand it over, I don't mean literally. I mean he shows the amount of money available to him. I'm tired and typing carelessly) (Sold for two million!) (I need to afk for a few min.) <@Brett> [He looks like he was about to take another puff on his cigar, but stops with it mid way to his mouth. Instead, the figure in the back finally moves, emerging from the darkness to reveal a guy in a black robe, purple hood and a silvery mask that's featureless save for the eyes. "I'm impressed," he says in a whispery voice. "I didn't think you actually had that kind of money."] (That may be. x.x But if we show him the $300,000 he is just going to laugh and kick us out.) * Nigel shrugs. "I kept my end of the bargain. Where is the root?" (Oh wait... different he) (blargh. Nix that) * Nigel turns to the shadowy figure. "And who might you be?" <@Brett> [The masked man pulls out a small laquerware box. Some of the MiBs cringe as he opens it, but all that happens is he reveals a single mandrake root. It looks a little like a wrinkly person, its eyes and mouth screwed shut in death. "I am Andrei."] * Nigel nods. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Andrei. I am sure." He looks over the mandrake root and nods. "So now can we discuss a more reasonable offer?" <@Brett> [The masked man shuts the box, and the guy with the cigar coughs, and grinds it out in an ash tray. "Yes, well... How's 300,000 Euros? A significant discount."] * Nigel shakes his head. "At least you are becoming more reasonable, but the project I have at hand is going to include some other significant expenses. How about $150,000 Euros? I really can't justify spending much more than that. I have other sources, you were just the most convenient one." <@Brett> [The man frowns. "250,000. Any lower, and it would be more benificial to sell it to someone else."] (How small is this tracker?) (The tracker/bug?) (It's not a tracker anymore, it's a bug. It's a half-mangled marble .) (Back) (Aha) (Okay.) (I only have so many flux CP!) (I think we may have to give up on this negotiating thing, because Alysha just didn't give us enough money to buy with.) (By the way, Brett, does this room have any like potted plants?) (nobody loves me enough to spring their own cash for it) (i see how it is) <@Brett> ( It's got a plastic fern. ) (Oh, I'd spring my own cash.) (I'm not sure how much cash I have, honestly.) (Yeah, that's the problem.) (I mean, in theory we're paid borderline-ludicrous amounts of money.) (I didn't think about springing my own cash, actually! Shiho probably wouldn't either, she never touches her own money except to buy books.) <@Brett> ( This is why I don't like putting hard numbers on stuff. ) (Let me put it this way, Brett. Do you *want* us to be able to buy it or not?) <@Brett> ( Directly? No. If you think up some clever way of being able to do it that I haven't considered, however, I might let youget away with it. ) (Well basically, Montana cares about Sonia an awful lot and will throw whatever he has at buying the root. So.) (How do you cleverly have money? ^^;) (I mean, I think I have a way... But I'm afraid we may get shot.) <@Brett> ( Through a scam or somesuch. ) (Because, I'm pretty sure that Nigel can fake the money transfer) <@Brett> ( something more than throwing bills at the guy and yelling "Shut up and take my money!" ) (Yay wirefruad!) (Actually, Nigel might not THINK of that, but...) (Dependent on rolling well?) <@Brett> ( It could :P Depends on what you do. ) (I think Montana laying money on the line is pretty interesting, all things considered: it puts him kinda out there in an awkward exposed position to the group.) hits the comms. ~Don't stop negotiatin'. Nigel, can y'fake a money transfer or somethin'?~ (Make that a /me) ~And gimme a hint on your floor and location in case.~ * Montana pauses a brief moment, then continues with, ~If yer thinkin' too risky, I'll throw whatever I got in to solidify a transfer closer to base price. Tell me later.~ <@Brett> ["Well?" asks the guy.] (Okay, Brett. This is what I want to do. I want to rig a transfer so that it looks like we're transfering $500,000 I will actually transfer $300,000 of real money and $200,000 of fake money, but I want the fake money to be perpetually the last money used. It's basically just a ghost number, so unless they try to access the last $200,000, it shouldn't become obvious. Hopefully, by the time it is obvious we'll be gone) (Also, where are we in the building?) <@Brett> ( Alrighty. Let me check za book ) <@Brett> ( In a back room ) (On the first floor?) <@Brett> ( Yeah ) <@Brett> ( K, it can be a forgery (electronic documents) or computers (databases) roll ) * Nigel nods. "It's a fair offer. I'm still a little unsure if I should trust someone who drags me into a back room for a fake meeting while he lies in wait to ambush me." Nigel shrugs. "Not that I didn't notice you when I walked in... but on principle it seems unbusinesslike of you. That said, I think maybe we can make an arrangement." 2d6+10 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+10 for Nigel and gets a natural 3 for a result of 13. <@Brett> ["Nor did we know if you would resort to violence," says the man.] <@Brett> ( Might wanna DR that ) (Well fuck. Yes) 2d6+10 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+10 for Nigel and gets a natural 5 for a result of 15. (You know... today is not my day.) <@Brett> ( Might wanna DR that too ) (... Can I lend him a DR?) (I have a second DR... sigh... ) 2d6+10 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+10 for Nigel and gets a natural 8 for a result of 18. (Better) (ABOVE AVERAGE) <@Brett> ( There ya go ) (YOU DID IT) (That's above average!) * Nigel makes some motions to transfer the money. However that is done. "Okay. You hand the root to my bodyguard." He motions to Gordo (because that way Shiho's hands are free to kill people if needed) "and I'll finalize the transfer." <@Brett> [The masked-man removes the root from the box and holds it towards Gordo, whilst the other man brings up a holocomputer.] (Success is the best) * Gordo glances at Nigel. "I need that box, or is this safe to bare hand?" 2d6+10 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+10 for Montana and gets a natural 5 for a result of 15. * Nigel shakes his head. "It's fine. It's not alive." * Gordo takes the root. "Aye then." * Nigel finalizes the transfer. "It should all be there." <@Brett> [Gordo gets the root! It may not be alive, but man, just holding the thing feels ominous.] * Gordo goes back to his postion and shifts uncomfortably. * Shiho keeps looking bodyguard-like. <@Brett> [The cigar man begins checking it over. "So it would appear," he says at last. "Perhaps we should do business again some time, my Canadian friend."] * Nigel nods. "Perhaps... and maybe next time I'll buy you a globe." Nigel smiles and backs out of the room. He is still not convinced that they won't shoot him. * Gordo waits for Nigel to get to the door before making his own exit. * Shiho follows Nigel and Gordo out. <@Brett> [You make it out! At least, as far as too the end of the corridor, before Nigel hears behind him, "Hold on a moment..."] * Nigel comms once he is out of the room. ~Retrieved.~ That's nice and ambiguous to listeners. * Gordo coughs into open coms. "This thing's bloodly unerving." (GET IN THE VAN) * Montana is there, though blended and to one side. When Gordo steps out, he taps his arm and grabs the root with the other hand. "Keepin' it safe," he murmurs to him quietly before he disappears again, this time with the root (if Gordo has the sense to let go). * Shiho mutters, "Let's get the hell out of here." * Gordo totally lets go. * Nigel heads out of the restaurant after that and back towards the van confidently, but still checking occasionally to make sure that no one is shooting at him. "Sounds good." <@Brett> [Montana feels weirded out.] (Nigel's ignoring the guy talking at him?) * Montana leaves through the back, trying to shake the weird icky feeling. Ugh. (He might want to walk faster.) (Oh. See? I told you I was tired) (Damnit) (nix that) * Nigel turns around. "Yes?" (Oh. Montana's still leaving.) (The boy has priorities.) <@Brett> [The man turns the holocomputer around. The data is shown in Romanian, but it's pretty clear something's wrong. "You seem to have miscalculated, 'friend.'" The MiBs begin drawing guns.] 2d6+10 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+10 for Montana and gets a natural 6 for a result of 16. * Gordo shoves Nigel down the hall and tries to get to someplace there's more cover, or even the door to the street. * Nigel sighs. "Well, that is unfortunate." And he is shoved and continues to run as fast as he can out of the building. <@Brett> ( Actually I think I'm gonna call it here, if that's cool with y'all. ) * Shiho pulls out her own gun and follows her co-workers in running like hell! (Cool with me) (I'm good with that) (Yes. That is fine. Especially since I am like 5 minutes from face planting my keyboard) (I can live with that.) <@Brett> [It has been called!]