Ghost Cartels Part 1

[Dog Pants]

Good idea Nik, we don't like competition. Can we vector Chopper and Frank to these guys? I'd like to know who else is interested in our friends.

[Joose]

N-Zo finds some interesting info on the two Japanese: They are both known members of the Yakuza, specifically the Kenran-kai (an ultra conservative gumi loyal to Shotozumi). Usual laundry list of offences that you would expect, looks like these guys are pretty low level.

They both get into a car with a third guy, and speed off. They only go a few blocks before turning down an alley and parking behind a warehouse. Getting out of the car, the mage looks about, but doesnt seem to spot Lelands astral presence. The guy who was driving gets out, briefly speaks to the other two, and starts talking urgently into it. Its all in Japanese though, so youve no idea what he is saying.

Alec, on the other hand, heads back to the safe house, looking pleased with himself.

[Grimmie]

The safehouse is bugged still, but I don't want my dragonfly too far away if he goes on foot again, so I'll land it on the rooftop.

Can I do as previously suggested, feeding the video from my dragonfly into my LEBD for facial-recognition of Caine?

[deject]

I will get the address of the warehouse and go back to my body to pass the information back to the rest of you guys.

[Joose]

Consider your LEBD loaded with Caine pictures, and your meat-body repossesed. What next?

[Grimmie]

I want to recognise the fuck out of his face and send the details around, it might give us an idea of what was in the case.

[HereComesPete]

Hmm, did we work out if the first nation types work for anyone else yet?

If not can N-zo run some searches on who they worked for before branching out into the verge as their power base grew.

Probably best for me an Chopper to leave the two yak alone, I figure strictly watching like Nik says means watch them, even if they get jumped by yaks we watch.

And if Alec an Xa are on to their gook tail and we forcibly remove it we might change their plans or spook them and lose them.

Possible that we can have a look at the warehouse where the yaks went, see what they're up to in area. What do you think Al?

Grimmie, does your drone have an audio feed too? Can send a copy of the conversation of the yaks to N-zo for translating maybe?

[Roman Totale]

*yawn*

This bar work is really exciting guys. Are you sure no one needs me to break into anywhere, or ask a few polite questions?

[Dog Pants]

Yeah, you're right Frank. We don't want to risk spooking them. Let me make a couple of phone calls, see if I can find out what the Yak are doing here.

I'll slope off somewhere quiet and ask around my contacts to see if we're at cross purposes, or can maybe help each other out.

[Grimmie]

I think all drones have the basic audio/visual things on them as standard.
It's things like environment scanners or UV sensors that I need to buy extra for.

Do you want me to fly over and trail the Japanese, or just try and salvage anything I picked up from the bar?

[The Shutting Downs]

Searches for the two guys we are following - past alleigances (not mentioned in Info dump 1)

Littletree - (13 dice) 4 3 1 6 6 2 2 5 3 5 2 5 1 - 6 hits

Firebird - (13 dice) 5 1 6 1 6 6 5 4 2 6 5 1 4 - 7 hits

I'll follow the leads i get, and see if I need to break out the hard hacks...

[HereComesPete]

Do you want me to fly over and trail the Japanese, or just try and salvage anything I picked up from the bar?

I think we can leave the Japanese angle to Al for now. Likely we'll pick them up following the main targets again.

The big black dude and two orks are interesting, they sound like major buyers.

We have Nik's and Leland tailing Alec and Caine so we get Chopper or me to back Al in having a watch over Xa because he's still at their base at this time.

N-zo does a search of Caine and his buddies faces courtesy of Nikolai's drones sensors and finds out about them too.

Sound good to everyone?

[Joose]

I'll slope off somewhere quiet and ask around my contacts to see if we're at cross purposes, or can maybe help each other out.

Your contacts come up blank on specifics, as they are Shotozumi-gumi linked, but you do find out that the Kenran-kai are a bunch of hardcore traditionalist nutjobs. Literal death before dishonour types. They are often used by Shotozumi and other highups to do things that need discretion rather than just big muscles. If they are following your guys, its probably on the say so of someone high up.

Searches for the two guys we are following - past alleigances (not mentioned in Info dump 1)

Firebird has the absolute stereotype ganger history. You could have lifted the info you find on him from a textbook. A few small time gangs in his youth, moved up to the slightly bigger time when he joined the First Nations in the last couple of months.

Littletree is a little different, as he was practically born into the First Nations. He talked his way into the gang quite young, and has had no other major connections.

One thing you both come across though (im not sure, could have mentioned this already): First Nations have been Yak hired muscle until quite recently.

[Joose]

It should also be mentioned that Caine is no longer in the bar. At some point, when you were not looking, they left. You are not sure how they did it, but they seem to be slippery buggers.

[deject]

So what's the lowdown on the Yaks? and where the hell are our marks?

[Dog Pants]

Well these aren't your usual Yak thugs, someone's hired these guys for something pretty specific. I can't help feel it's something to do with the Yak contract they were doing not long ago. Maybe that's the same reason we're here. I'll keep my ear to the ground, see if I can shed any light on that. Doesn't hurt to have a little background info.

Can I get any info on what was going on between the First Nations and the Yakuza? Or at the very least take an educated guess?

Hiro - Yakuza contact, loyalty 1, connection 2
Kia - Yakuza contact, loyalty 1, connection 4
Seattle street gangs knowledge - 2
Yakuza knowledge - 2

[The Shutting Downs]

Firebird has the absolute stereotype ganger history. You could have lifted the info you find on him from a textbook. A few small time gangs in his youth, moved up to the slightly bigger time when he joined the First Nations in the last couple of months.

Any names for the small time gangs?

Browse - 13 dice - 6 5 3 2 5 1 3 6 4 1 2 1 5 - 5 hits

[Joose]

Can I get any info on what was going on between the First Nations and the Yakuza? Or at the very least take an educated guess?

Hiro - Yakuza contact, loyalty 1, connection 2
Kia - Yakuza contact, loyalty 1, connection 4
Seattle street gangs knowledge - 2
Yakuza knowledge - 2

Well, like I said, the First Nations *used* to be Yakuza heavies: Guys the Yaks would roll in when they needed extra muscle, or when they wanted to distance themselves a little. The First Nations were happy enough with this for quite a while, as it got them a good income and a degree of security. Recently though, Blood-Of-The-Buffalo, the leader of the First Nations, has decided that his gang could easily be the Amerind version of the Ancients (the biggest Elf gang in america), and has cut ties with them. They have had quite good relations with some other gangs and assorted crims in the past; like the Dogmen and Koshari, so are probably chumming up with them. Quite why the Yaks are pissed enough to get the Kenran-kai involved, no-one seems to be sure.

Any names for the small time gangs?

Yeah, but a quick search confirms that they are *seriously* small time. Half a dozen kids from the same street kind of small time.

[deject]

I think I will try some astral tracking to find Alex again.

Assensing (4) + Intuition (4) = 5, 2, 6, 3, 5, 2, 3, 1: 3 hits.

[Grimmie]

Isn't Alec back in his safehouse? That's where my bug tracked him to.