Earth
England
Birmingham
The Snakehead called Mr Singh looked the man up and down before spitting out the chewing tobacco. He the leaned over his desk and attempted to interlace his augmented fingers. With a bit of effort he finally did so. The man standing in front of Singh knew this signified that wherever the Snakehead had received the augmentations was of poor quality. Every Snakehead wanted strength but when it came to fine motor skills their Augmentations often fell short.
“Mister Vincent you look well!” Mr Singh said as the pale man entered his cluttered office.
“Thank you, your surgeon was very capable.” Vincent said as he sat down in the chair opposite Singh.
“Now we can discuss the rest of the payment?”
Vincent lifted the duffle bag he had brought into the room and set it on the Snakehead’s desk. The bag was full of augmentations, weapons and tech salvaged from Anadyr. After killing Milo and Pavel he had travelled to Anadyr and finished off the rest of the raiders. He killed most of them stealthily and by the time they realised he was there he’d already killed most of the group. When he had finished he picked up a wood axe and claimed their augs and weapons as his own. He then took a VTOL and got out of Siberia.
“I trust this should cover it?”
Mr Singh was smiling wide and showing his blackened teeth as he inspected the equipment.
“Yes this should do well... as a first payment.”
“No. This is all you get Singh.”
“That’s not how...”
“I killed the people who owned those augmentations. I am not the normal desperate person trying to get off earth. You are paid.”
He’d travelled to Birmingham as it was a Snakehead operated port where he could change his face and get an identity. He’d chosen the name Vincent Mishin on a whim when the Snakehead, Mr Singh, has requested a name for his new identity.
“I see but my bosses...”
“I don’t care Singh. What I want to know is when you sold me out?”
“I don’t know what you’re...”
Vincent moved rapidly and threw the large table aside, sending the duffle bag and its contents clattering to the floor, before grabbing Singh by the neck and thrusting him against the wall. He produced a silenced pistol and pressed it against Singh’s nose.
“Don’t bother trying to ping outside for help. Your men are dead as is the surgeon. When did you contact BC?”
“I don’t know what you’re...”
Vincent shook his head and lowered the weapon. He fired twice striking Singh in the leg.
The man cried in pain and Vincent let him drop.
“You’re lying. I need to know how long I have to prepare.”
“I called about three hours ago. They are coming here now. You were supposed to still be under, nobody would have gotten hurt.”
“I underwent the surgery without anaesthesia.”
“How?” Singh said.
“Did you bother to create new records for me?” Vincent continued ignoring Singh’s question.
“Yes of course!”
“More lies.” Vincent said sadly as he raised the Pistol and fired again this time striking Singh’s gut. “I always know.”
“No I didn’t, no point.” Singh groaned through gritted teeth.
“Alright I need the password for your system.”
“Flatlander Woman.” Singh said and Vincent knew he wasn’t lying.
“Thank you.”
Vincent raised the pistol and shot Singh in the head.
He then accessed the console.
#
Mars
Endeavour.
BC Industries Plaza.
53rd Floor
Jason Scammell stared at the large screen displayed on his wall watching static. Until a few moments ago it had been a direct feed to BC security operative Hani Pearce’s ocular augmentations. Pearce had been deployed along with a team of twenty contractors. Now all had either been killed or incapacitated. They had failed to recover the escapee and Scammell’s best lead was now cold.
Scammell knew the operation was blown as soon as the team entered Singh’s office. The place was empty but the bomb didn’t detonate until the team got to the back office and found the bodies. The escapee knew they would be watching.
“Tell me we got something off the net.” Scammell said finally.
“We’re going through Singh’s Net activity but it’s too well obscured. Near as we can tell he spent just over an hour looking at news wires. However over that hour Singh became an expert on hiding hacks. The News wire stuff is just placeholders we have no idea what he was actually doing.” Was the response from the team on St Lawrence Island, the facility the escape had happened at.
“He was giving himself an identity. Do we have an image of him after the surgery?”
“No, the surgeon and Singh were both dead. Augs tore out of anyone who would have seen him.”
“Great. I need all your files on this, we’ll run this from Mars. I also want the project ended, burn the subjects. If one can escape the rest can too. I also want a full report on the positive findings of the research, I going to need something good to tell the board.”
“All files on Project Blue Jay are now on your server.” The Tech at St Lawrence informed him.
Scammell sighed and ended the conversation.
Scammell then closed the feed from the team, they were of no use now, and opened the files he had received on Project Blue Jay. He went to the files about Subject 47, the escapee. The file photo showed a man of Asian descent and Scammell couldn’t help but wonder what he looked like now and what he had planned for BC.
#
Mars
Kaiser
RSI
Anna Hassan smiled as she pinged the last report on to Decker. Decker was more of a bottom line kind of guy and would just be happy that expenses didn’t exceed profit. She remembered how angry he’d been after one job when the repairs to a VTOL had totalled more than the bounty. When reading reports he was content to just read Anna’s brief synopsis but on this occasion she has requested he read the report in full as she knew the strangeness of it would appeal to him.
Hassan then closed her system and cricked her neck. It had been a slow but long week, The team had done well but Interceptor and Dynamo had become embroiled in an extended gun fight in Endeavour over a bounty. She had taken a pass on the contract as she knew it would be trouble. The money was too good and would attract too much competition. She’d heard through the Grapevine that Interceptor had made the capture but Dynamo had bounced them. One gunfight later and the bounty was dead along with both SI agents and three from Dynamo. Decker had called it a draw considering Dynamo outnumbered them.
Anna however had raised the more obvious concern a war was brewing and RSI would eventually be forced to get involved. Anna believed it would be most prudent for RSI to get involved early so they could manage things on their own terms. Decker still wanted to remain out of it but he could see he had little choice and that Anna was correct.
That was why Decker was meeting with Alex Hanzo, owner of Interceptor Solutions. Anna knew there was some history there but now the relationship was purely business. It didn’t stop Anna giving Decker a hard time though. She packed away her things from her desk and made her way out of the office.
#
Mars
Iazu
Adeyemi’s Bar
When Decker arrived Alex was already sitting at a table with a thin glass of wine sitting in front of her. Decker pushed open the door to Adeyemi’s and made his way towards her table.
“Just a second Frank.” A voice said behind him and Decker slowly turned to see a burly looking man sitting in the corner by the door. It was a good position that allowed him to see everyone who entered the bar before they saw him.
“Hauser. Didn’t know Alex was bringing you out on a walk.”
“Funny stuff. You packing?”
“Yep.” Frank said with a shrug.
“Gonna have to ask you to...”
“Don’t bother. It’s not gonna happen.”
“Then you best just turn yourself around and fuck off.”
“Witty as always, I can tell you spent a while coming up with that one.”
Decker was aware their conversation was gathering some attention which was exactly what Alex would want to avoid. Decker had worked with Hauser back when both had worked at Interceptor. Hauser had always been a brute force player, no finesse. That’s why Decker had never invited him to RSI. The two had always had a rivalry that stemmed from Decker’s being from Earth.
“He’s fine Arnold.” Alex said from her spot at the bar.
Hauser coldly eyed Decker who let a smile play across his face. “Down boy.” He mouthed before stepping past the larger man and approaching Alex’s table.
“Evening.” Decker said as he sat down opposite her. “You eating?”
“No.” Alex said icily.
“I’m getting some Potjiekos.”
“I though you wanted to talk business.”
Decker nodded as he pressed on the screen embedded in the table and placed his order. The small candle sitting between them flickered as he moved. “I do, I just don’t think we should do that on an empty stomach. What are you drinking ?”
“Mariner. Don’t bother, we won’t be talking long.”
“I’m getting a beer.”
Alex sighed and Frank stopped pressing the console.
“Look Alex, I’m not messing with you. I haven’t eaten. I want to talk about Dynamo. I heard about the job and we both know that was bullshit. We don’t work that way, I want to help.”
“So you’ve finally taken your head out of your ass?”
Decker smiled lightly. “You’re started to sound like Anna.”
“She was obviously a good hire then.”
“So is that why Hauser on guard duty?”
“They know I won’t stand for my people getting murdered while doing their jobs. It’s Dynamo’s style to go for the pre-emptive strike.”
Decker glanced back at Hauser shrugged before returning his attention to Alex. So what’s your plan? How can RSI help?”
“Well it would be nice if your people started putting assholes in body bags.”
“We’re not that kind of outfit Alex. My people decide how they want to do it, They’re not assassins.”
“Rich coming from you.”
Decker shrugged again. “It is how it is.”
“How Zen of you. You told that to the purpose built assassin you employ?”
“Eckhard?” Frank said trying to hide his surprise. “Everybody chooses their own path Alex, what we were doesn’t always dictate what we are.”
A Synth waiter approached the table and placed a beer and a glass of wine on the table. Alex and Decker fell silent while it went about its work. It nodded and returned to its position behind the bar.
“And keep your crackers outta my personnel files.” Decker said with more of a pout than he had intended.
“If you keep yours outta mine.” Alex said as she lifted the glass to her lips.
“Alright, enough dancing around. What do you need?”
“Hopefully nothing. Interceptor is handling the situation. All I need to know is if I have your trust to do what needs to be done. RSI, Dynamo and Interceptor are the three operating at this level. The smaller companies will like what I tell them to like and the bigger ones couldn’t care less.”
“Ok so what you’re saying is you just want to make sure the other big fish in our rather small pond are ok with you making a move on another fish.”
“Jesus, you still love over extending metaphors.”
Decker ignored the jab. “Yeah RSI won’t have any problems with that. I can’t say we’ll start capping Dynamo operatives in the street but we can throw a few spanners in the works.”
“Do it. I’ll have my people talk to your people.”
The Synth returned with Decker’s Potjiekos and placed it on the table next to him. It then placed a spoon beside the plate.
“Is that everything sir?”
Decker didn’t have a chance to finish because the glass window in the front of the building smashed as small black cylinders flew into the restaurant. Decker’s augmented eyes were able to detect two percussion grenades and a disruptor grenade. They adapted their settings to deal with the sudden change in circumstances before Decker was even fully conscious of what was happening.
A red warning message flashed across his field of view warning him that a Disruptor grenade was about to detonate. Although Decker had invested heavily in countermeasures Disruptors where something he truly feared. With his right hand he flipped the table and pulled Alex as close to him as possible while with his other he reached out, grabbed the Synth waiter and dragged it between himself and the grenade.
It detonated and Decker’s eyes flickered for a second before returning to normal. The Synth went gone limp in Decker’s grasp and he dropped it before pulling out his Bulldog Revolver and getting into a crouch.
He looked over at Hauser who was nowhere to be seen.
“Fuck.” He muttered. “Behind the bar.”
He stood and grabbed Alex by her black blazer and half dragged her across the room. He turned and saw two men in black combat suits enter through the broken window. Decker fired twice forcing the men to duck but they quickly returned fire with their automatic weapons.
Decker quickly sent out and emergency ping to RSI and hoped someone was at least close enough to the office to be in a position to help.
Thinking quickly he grabbed a bottle from behind the bar and poked his head above the bar. He spied a lit candle sitting at a table near where one of the men was in cover before ducking down behind the bar again before another salvo came. Using the motion tracking software Decker lobbed the bottle over the bar and it landed with a smash beside the candle.
Decker heard a whump noise as the booze caught fire, It was swiftly followed by a scream. He then poked out the side of the bar and saw one of his attackers was on fire thrashing wildly in the middle of the restaurant having abandoned his cover. Decker fired two rounds and both found the man’s skull. He couldn’t take credit however he was fully trusting his augmentations now.
“Decker move!” Anna said via the communication augmentation. While Decker had been occupied she’d synched them. He turned around and saw she’d opened a door to the kitchen.
Decker scrambled towards the door that Alex was holding open and the pair crashed into the kitchen. Decker kicked the door closed and quickly got to his feet. He couldn’t see a way to defend the space so he turned and looked for another exit. Anna was standing by a gas cooker which she was toying with.
“Gotta be a back exit!” Decker said as he moved towards a door in the rear of the kitchen. He was about to kick the door open when Alex stopped him.
“Two on the other side.” She said before marking the targets and sending them to Decker. He saw two silhouettes added to his HUD. Alex was sharing what her Augs could see with him. Neither form was moving which meant the lag wouldn’t be an issue. Decker raised his revolver and fired two more rounds through the wall and into the heads of the waiting assassins.
He then kicked open the door and stepped into the alleyway behind the restaurant. A man and woman lay in puddles of blood. Unlike the other two they were dressed casually. The man was reaching for a pistol but Decker fired his last round into the man’s chest. He then produced a speed loader and reloaded his weapon.
“Decker it’s Anna what the hell is going on your heart rate is...”
“ I’m with Hanzo we’re being attacked. No idea how many, I need an exit.”
“Damn. We don’t have any air assets in Iazu.” Anna answered.
“Just find an exit!”
“On it.”
“Frank my people are telling me to go this way.” Alex said as she pointed down the alley.
“Fine.” Decker said as he followed Alex down the alley.
A few seconds later a loud explosion came from the restaurant as the kitchen erupted out into the alley.
“So predictable.” Alex muttered. Then Decker understood why she had been messing with the cooker, she knew the remaining Dynamo operative would toss a flash bang before entering the kitchen. She had used the gas to create the bomb the agent then detonated himself.
“Smart.” Decker muuttered
“What was that?” Anna asked via the communications augment.
“Explosion. Get us out of here.”
“Wait stop moving!” Anna cried.
“What?”
“They’ve set up a kill zone at the end of the alley. You’re moving straight towards it.”
“What, Alex’s people are telling her... fuck.” Decker said as he realised what Anna was telling him meant.
“Yep.” Anna said as Decker ran forward and grabbed Alex by the arm.
“We gotta go this way.” Decker said but Alex pulled against him.
“But Mags is...”
“Trying to kill you. Where’s Hauser?”
Alex looked like she was considering something for a long moment before nodding and following Decker in the opposite direction.
“Ok good Frank keep going. Dyanmo have a drone in the air tracking you, so they know you’ve turned ar... aaaand their VTOL has just taken off from the kill zone.” Anna informed
“Can you stop them?” Frank said as his augmented legs propelled him forward.
“Yeah just a second.”
Decker could hear the VTOL somewhere above them. No doubt something nasty was taking aim at them.
He saw glint in the sky in front of him which quickly grew into a dynamo drone as it approached at great speed. It screeched overhead before impacting the VTOL. Decker didn’t look back he just kept running.
“Direct hit to one engine. From the chatter it sounds like they’re going down.”
An explosion erupted somewhere behind Decker. “Think they landed. You got an exit?” He said.
“Monorail station one block north.”
#
Mars
Kaiser
RSI
Anna Hassan had never actually met Alex Hanzo but she had spent so long hacking Interceptor files she felt she had some kind of bond with the woman. At least Hanzo had been nice, Anna had never seen Decker as furious as when she stalked into his office.
He had recalled the entire team as he believed Dynamo could try again.
“You got a serious friggin problem on your end Alex. Hauser was always a dick but switching teams?” Decker said after he had finally calmed down. He was standing in his office with Anna Hassan and Alex Hanzo.
“I’ve alerted Interceptor personnel they’ve got Mags in custody and they are actively hunting for Hauser. It was only a those two in on it.”
“Can you be sure of that?” Frank asked.
“Of course.”
“Next time you might want to do a bit more vetting on who you choose for bodyguards.”
“Frank this changes nothing. Interceptor is still going to take care of Dynamo. If we need you we’ll get in touch.” She stopped talking and her eyes went slack for a second, she was receiving some kind of message.
“My people are here to get me. They need clearance to land on the roof.”
#
After a tense goodbye that saw armed RSI Personnel staring across the VTOL pad on top of the building at armed SI Personnel. Decker and Anna returned to her office.
“I want to know everything that’s going on with Dynamo and Interceptor. Go through their files and find out what the hell is going on here.” Decker asked Anna.
“I wouldn’t be so sure that was Dynamo.” Anna said after a breath.
“What?” Frank asked.
“The MSS feed is stating all those involved with the hit where independents. None of them where ever employed by Dynamo or Interceptor.”
“Except Hauser.” Frank said “Besides that’s the MSS they could find their ass the dark with six augmented hands.”
“You don’t know he was involved Frank. You’re taking his absence as guilt. For all you know he could have been abducted. I’ve reviewed the recording from your Augs. When the shooting started you weren’t too worried about his safety, it’s inconclusive what happened to him.”
“I...”
“It’s fine Frank, you chose the person you like, Hauser just wasn’t that person.”
“Fuck you really think Hauser was pinched by Dynamo or these contractors?” Frank said before shaking his head. “The man was a prick but nobody... We need answers.”
“You know I wanted to get involved in this thing and strengthen our position but I don’t think things are as cut and dry.” Anna said with a frown.
“I know. I want to speak to Mags.”
“Mags?”
“Mags is Alex Hanzo’s you. She was the one who lead us towards the kill zone.”
“So she’s a PA?”
“I don’t need a PA. You’re not a PA.”
“Sure Frank.” Anna said rolling her eyes. “So what’s the plan? You want to snatch this Mags person from wherever Interceptor have her held?”
“Yeah, but it’s gonna have to be black. I mean like the night, Alex cannot know it was us.”
“Oh intrigue! Joy.” Anna deadpanned.
“What other jobs we got this week?”
Anna used the motion controls to display a BOLO on the large wall screen. A picture of a very handsome man filled the top right corner. The name read Charlie Lewis.
“So what’s pretty boy’s story?”
“He’s a Cat burglar who specialises in Casinos.” Anna said reading off her notes.
“What could he steal from a casino?”
“I know I was shocked too. Everything is digital however the stuff people wear to go to the classier establishments is not. Jewels, fancy tech you know.”
“So he steals from the patrons of the casinos?”
“Bingo, although I have it on good authority he has plumbed a few Digital Vaults in his time.”
“I guess the Casinos want to keep that quiet.”
“Oh yeah.”
“Ok who’s next?” Frank said.
“You’re not going to like this one.”
“Try me.”
Anna used the motion controls to display another bounty.
A heavily augmented strong looking woman filled the screen. Her name read Carla Reynolds.
“She’s an Arms dealer who primarily trades in disruptors. The MSS contacted us directly with this one.”
“Always happy to help the local constabulary. Hate disruptors though.”
“Reynolds is attending a very small arms fair where she is going to be selling her goods. The MSS have no interest in getting in the way of the fair. Doubt they could afford the bounties if that became open season. They want Reynolds because she’s selling Disruptors. Apparently one of her cripple makers was involved in the murder of an MSS officer. The cops are crying out for blood and their brass wants someone to take the fall. The Arms Dealer is as good as it gets.”
“So what’s the catch?”
“The Arms Fair is taking place of the surface. Outside of an Atmo ring.”
“Ah I remember that. A few years back, when they still did these things in cities some gang steam rolled one of ‘em and made off with a ton of loot.”
“Yep not a great day to be an Arms Dealer.”
“Ok sounds good. Prepare the briefs and keep me informed.” Decker said as he walked out of Anna’s office and into his own.
Anna turned to her own console and began to prepare the mission briefs.
Jobs.
High Roller.
Target- Charlie Lewis
Location- Golden Mile, Cangwu.
Information- This is Mr Charlie Lewis and Mr Charlie Lewis is a Cat Burglar who specialises in Hot Prowls. For those not in the know a Hot Prowl is a robbery that takes place while people are about. They’re often asleep at the time. What makes Mr Lewis notorious is he does this in casinos. High class casinos. He steals whatever he can get his hands on but more often than not he does one big score and then goes quiet for sometimes years at a time.
He is currently believed to be active in Cangwu’s Golden Mile. The Golden Mile is a strip of the finest Casinos the city has to offer. It’s very exclusive and entry doesn’t come cheap. Most of the Casinos have agreed to allow Bounty Hunters into their casinos but you’ll need ID and the security goons will most likely blow your cover before you get started. You know how rent a cops are, all has beens and never wheres.
All seems pretty cool, sip a few cocktails and bust a pretty boy. Trouble is the picture above is around two years old and Lewis changes his appearance for each cycle of robbery. The only reason Casino security knows that’s him is they lifted DNA from one of his robberies. So he could be anyone at this point.
While Charlie does steal physical objects he’s also been known to pocket Creds by accessing the digital Vaults of casinos. The Digital Vaults are kept separate from the Net are normally just a simple storage device. Charlie is able to access the devices by bypassing physical security and connects the digital vault to the net. He then strips the Vault of just enough so as not to arouse suspicion or trigger any alarms. By the time the first casino realises they’ve been hit he’s done three more.
This guy almost certainly has outside help and may even be part of a gang so be aware. He’s very professional and is very slippery. He may not fight but he will do his best to get away.
Charlie and accomplices are to be brought to the Rising Sun Casino and handed over a security officer called Mr Graves. It’s a Red Dragon owned place so don’t hang around. You will then receive payment.
The Bazaar
Target- Carla Reynolds
Location- Aeolis Mons, 5.08°S 137.85°E
Information- Arms Fairs, Hard Suits and Disruptors. What’s there not to like?
Carla Reynolds is wanted by the MSS because one of the disruptors she sells was involved in the murder of MSS Detective Rico Thompson. Det. Thompson was hit with a disruptor before being murdered by an unknown assailant. The MSS predictably had a shit fit, this is first cop to die in the line of duty in almost ten years, that’s because people like you take the actual risks. Nevertheless they want someone to pay for this. The disruptor used has been traced back Carla which means she’s in the noose for this one. MSS are paying big money for her too.
So Carla is an Arms Trader who trades primarily in disruptors. Apparently she is something of a savant when it comes to bypassing shielding. Speak to Jenks I think he some examples of her work. Before she discovered this skill Carla was a Gang Girl. I don’t mean this in moll kind of way, she’s got rap sheet with career highlights such as armed robbery, assault and dealing of prohibited biological agents. She knows her way around the underworld.
Carla is attending an arms fair near Aeolis Mons, so there’s no Atmo Ring, that means Hardsuits. They hold these Fair’s out here to avoid attracting gang attention. There was an incident a few years ago where a few Gangs teamed up and hit one of these things. They made off like bandits, which is what I guess they were, you know what I mean. Well the Red Dragons did the best though. It was their plan and they pulled a Judas on their allies and became the best armed gang on Mars.
We only need Reynolds but the other arms dealers will not like one of their own getting pinched so when you move make it quick or make it stealthy. You don’t want a fire fight out there either a hole in your hard suit you’re done.
Just the facts Ma’am.
Target- Margaret “Mags” Borodzicz
Location- Interceptor Solutions holding area, Iazu.
Information- For a kick off I don’t know if the location is accurate, this one is kind of last minute thing. As you probably know Frank and Alex Hanzo, CEO of Interceptor Solutions, narrowly avoided being assassinated yesterday evening. It’s why RSI is on full alert today.
Frank knows that Mags was involved and wants to speak to her about the attack. He also believes that a SI operative called Arnold Hauser was involved with the betrayal but there’s no evidence of that. Frank doesn’t believe the SI is secure and wants to move Mags into our custody. As you can imagine SI would never go for that.
Which is how we arrive at this mission. Your team is to locate Mags and bring her to an apartment Frank has rented in Endeavour. There are to be no fatalities on this mission, violence to SI personnel is to be minimised and all connection to RSI is to be minimised. That means you cannot be captured or killed, back off if it gets too hot.
SI personnel will not hesitate to gun you down and they are as well trained and armed as we are so keep you head on a swivel.