Pete's first shadowrun adventure: Tierra madre

[HereComesPete]

Pants -

You're not going to work for me and definitely not lonestar, I just point people in the right direction. As for the money, find me an easier way to buy smokes an likker and I'll be your best friend.

If you were a mindless thug I'da cut you loose and not said a word. You got skills, but you look like you ain't too busy most days except for at the bottom of a bottle and you look like drek because of it. Do yourself a favour, work for the man and you both gain from it.

If you say yes there's someone outside on a bike, you climb on and they'll take you to money and connections to further your skills. You say no you'll get this five and you can walk away. Simple as that.

[Dog Pants]

F'shure. You rite cheef, I got nut'n bettuh to do. Sick o' fixin bobos fo' fuckin' rum anyways. You on, darlin'.

[HereComesPete]

Pants -

Deigh pushes the money across the table, then reaches under the desk and pulls out an open face black bike helmet.

Here, a present from me. You'll see the bike at the end of the drive, a black crotch rocket. They won't talk, so don't bother trying. Just put the helmet on, climb on and they'll have you where you need to be in about ten. Say hello to a man named Anytime from me when you see him.

[Dog Pants]

Wait, he gives me the money anyway?

Be seein' ya den cheef. Thanks for da break.

I'll try to pick up the helmet and realise I've still got the mage cuffs on.

Uh, ya mind bra?

Assuming he takes them off I'll pick up the lid, find the bike and hop on.

[HereComesPete]

Yes, the money is official informant money. 500¥ for offering information about a crime. the extra he offers is the chance of more at the other end.

He uses the device clipped to his belt to un-cuff you and points to the way out.

At the end of the drive a black bike sits idling in the blustery rain, illuminated by the many bright lamps of the investigation as the lonestar work into the night. It's crisp full faired lines indicate the fact that it's capable of frankly ridiculous speeds. It has no markings, the exhausts are dull steel, steaming as the rain rain hits them. The rider astride it throws you a pair of goggles, lets you get settled then tears open the throttle in a spray of gravel and the screech of tyres. Angry shouts fade away as you disappear up the road.

A few turns later and the mansion is far behind as you take a slip road onto an interstate, it's too dark, the rain's in your face and the bike is going too fast for you catch the number. The bike drops another gear and it becomes a freezing blur of rain and traffic that seems almost stationary as you weave through it.

[Dog Pants]

I'll just try to control my sphicter until we stop again.

[HereComesPete]

Pants -

Soon you hear the revs drop out of supersonic to the merely painfully loud. The bike wobbles slightly under the deceleration as you slide between cars queuing on the off ramp. A few twists and turns and you're away from the traffic, large houses set well back from the road glide by, getting bigger and more spaced out. Soon they stop, but you don't.

A few more minutes and you're slowing in front of an iron gate. A split second at a standstill and the bike is tearing away again, squeezing through the opening gate with scant inches to spare. Up a long drive surrounded by topiary and huge specimen trees you speed toward a squat, modern looking house.

[HereComesPete]

Roman, Deject, Joose -

Well, I think we can dispense with the hoods Anytime. And fetch a wheelchair for the young man who just woke up. As for your question young elf, I shall get around to that very shortly.

Joose -

You're re-cuffed with your hands in front of you, then unstrapped from the stretcher and lifted into a chair, a noiseless medic who smells faintly of sweat and antiseptic pushes you toward the crackle of the fire and stops, you hear him swish off again in his coat and scrubs.

Will do Mister Blake.

You hear Anytime walk toward you, pulling your hoods off in turn. The three of you are now un-hooded, On the left is Deject, in the middle Roman and on the right is Joose.

The room you're in is high ceilinged, lit softly by various means it is mostly pale white in colour. There's some white leather and steel sofas around a block of pale marble shot through with green and gold serving as a table.

Behind you is the fire, if you stretch your necks a little you can see that it is glass, metal and white stone with a very expensive log imitation thing going on, there's even a wood-smoke smell, the lack of any soot is the only real indicator that it's not wood burning. The far wall is full length glass and steel doors. The world outside is pitch black.

Sitting on the sofa opposite with a blanket across his knees is a portly old man, wrinkles cutting across his handsome but gone to fat face. He has twinkly eyes and a small tight lipped smile. He seems genial enough but you can tell he's used to wielding power. On the sofa to his right is another man, he fidgets and can't seem to sit still. He's nursing a large cup of something.

Firstly, introductions. Then to answer the myriad questions you obviously have burning within you're frontal lobes.

My name is Mr Blake. I hired, through an intermediary contact. One of you to re-acquire a painting that I hadn't seen in quite some time. A sudden flight of fancy which Anytime fleshed into a workable plan, such is his skill.

I hired the man you see to my right here to provide a highly capable and precise service of bringing that operative and the painting to me. His name is up to him to reveal if he so wishes. Realise that he pulled all of you from the house and saved you from interrogation.

There's a faint rumble outside, Anytime walks across to Blake and whispers in his ear.

Ah, excellent. A few more moments and we shall be joined by another survivor of the mansions unexpected hazards!

Anytime disappears through the far end of the room, past the wiccans strapped to the gurneys.

[HereComesPete]

Pants -

You pull to a stop a few metres from the main entrance to the house. There's a low slung sports car nearby, gravel thrown about and four grooves cut in the driveway by it's wild stop.

The kickstand is up and the biker is off in a flash. As the helmet is removed a mass of dark long hair is revealed in the lighting, a pale skinned elf with fine cut features is grinning at you. She throws you a letter, it's cover merely states 'For Jon'.

She wanders of, idly pointing at the main door. As you turn toward it you see a large man descending down the steps toward you with a lithe grace that seems at odds with his stature. He's got a blanket in his hands.

Hi there. Looks like we got the one left behind! My name is Anytime. I'll take you inside and get you something to drink, you look like a drowned rat, but I don't expect Lucille to show consideration to anything but her bike.

He throws the blanket around you, steering you inside through heavy glass and metal doors, along a couple of smooth floored clean corridors that have very little ornamentation and through a set of double doors. To one side you see two of the women from the mansion, they're strapped to tables with various people busying around them. You carry on into a long room. It has a fire, white leather couches and quite a few people staring at you.

Ah! do sit down young man.

He gestures idly at the couches and Anytime guides you to a seat next to a fidgeting man.

Anytime, despite your protestations, I think given some of my guests are cuffed and some are not, I think for the sake of fairness we should dispense with everyone's cuffs no?

Well you know me Mr blake, I generally advise caution, but you're running this gun show.

He wanders round and un-cuffs everyone. Stepping behind the three in the wheel chair so he's to one side of the fire.

[Joose]

Lex looks around at the group, and gives Dejects character a smile.

Well, Mr Blake, ive got to get home for bedtime, you know how it is. So what do you say we cut to the chase. I'm sure you havent gathered us all here just to give us a slap on the back for a job well done. So whats up?

[Dog Pants]

As Anytime is leading me into the house;

Where yat Anytime. Deigh say hullo.

I'll stuff the letter into my coat pocket along with the crumpled money.

Say, don't s'pose y'all could fine uh bra uh drink?

[Roman Totale]

Indeed. I have never been one for theatrics or verbose explanations - kindly summarise.

For the benefit of others, Firenza is an older woman with silvery white hair. She is plainly dressed although her garb bears some similarity to the Wiccans who were in the mansion - however it seems clear that she is no longer part of them.

[Joose]

For the benefit of others...

Good point.

Lex is clearly a child, maybe 7 or 8, and human. His general demenour makes him seem older though. Other than that, he just looks like he should get outside more often. He has pale eyes, short dark hair, and seems awake and alert.

[Dog Pants]

Doh. I've been referring to you as the other guy. I'll describe me then, since I assume I've joined you;

Jasper is a tall, skinny black man. No, actually, elf. It's not that apparent though as he's shrouded in a too-large and rather dirty grey coat which looks like it's had patches removed. Under that he wears just some ragged trousers and worn shoes. The outfit is topped off by a scattering of various bones, bird skulls, coins and beads.

[HereComesPete]

As Anytime is leading me into the house

I thought he might, reminding me once again that I owe him. You sit down on the couch, you'll get a drink, something hot with a bit of rum in should do you good I shouldn't wonder.

As he steps behind the others in the chairs after removing their cuffs a few servants appear in answer to some unseen signal, dressed in plain black clothing, tailored and expensive looking. They bring hot drinks and food for everyone, placing them on the tables.

[deject]

Right, Alvrin is an elf, and it's a bit more obvious than Jasper. Pretty much average in every way, you could pretty much perfectly describe him as "just another elf." Well, aside from the jumpsuit. When not slipping past guards and security systems he's rather well dressed in fashionable clothes and suits.

Ah well, now that I can see this is better. And thanks for removing the cuffs, I never much like the feel of metal on my skin. My name is Alvrin, though I suspect you most likely know as much information about me as you need already.

Am I to understand that you are the one who wanted the painting I was hired for? I do apologize but as I'm sure you're aware, there were some circumstances that rather got in the way of performing my job to the best of my abilities.

[HereComesPete]

Well Alvrin, I honestly don't know how to say this but no, I didn't. You seem fully assured that it was me who contacted you however, which is something we will need to address.

I contacted, at the reccomendation of Anytime I might add, someone named Lex. It appears I contacted this young boy, which is as intriguing as your story, if not more so.

[Joose]

Lex nods, and gives a friendly but tight lipped smile.

That would indeed be me. Let us just say, for now, that appearances can be deceiving. You will, Im sure, forgive me for keeping details to myself until we know each other better.

I trust that the painting in question was recovered with us? It pains me that I was not able to give it to you personally, but im afraid I was ... waylaid.

[deject]

Ah forgive me, I must be mistaken then. I was contacted by a "Blake."

As well, whatever the hell was going on in that godforsaken mansion has left large portions of the happenings unaccounted for. I am fairly certain that another was able to obtain the painting.

[Joose]

Lex makes a throat clearing noise, and raises his hand.

No hard feelings, eh kid?