System Failure -IC-

Elizabeth looks very cross at Logan’s outburst, “I said I’m the closest thing you’ve got, not that I am your friend. Yea I suppose the irony of it was lost on you. I suppose since you’re cruel enough to not be able to see a kindness being handed to you, I guess I will leave you here with all of your friends.” She turns and heads towards the door, “Oh wait, people like you don’t have any.” And she knocks on the door.

"Simple kindness?? I came to you at the request of your father and made a polite offer to talk. And you 'so kindly' got me shot!"

Logan couldn't believe the audacity of this kid. She actually expected him to thank her! Were all college kids crazy?

"And you still haven't told me what you did with Ronin!!"

She Whirls around and glares at Logan (she’s cute when she is angry), “My father dies 3, no 4 weeks ago now. And I don’t like you smearing his name like that. Why don’t you give me a fragging paper cut and squirt some lemon juice in it while you’re at it.”

She pounds on the door this time and yells at it, “I would like to leave now.”

“And you’re dumb hoop got yourself shot, and me too.” She raised her arm in the sling, “And I don’t fragging know anything about any Ronin. So take your accusations, shove them up your hoop, and go frag yourself.”

Actually she is really cute when she is angry and trying to sound like an adult

Logan fell back on his pillows - or as much falling as the straps that prevented him from rising very far allowed. As gestures of defiance went, it fell short of the desired effect. The sweat that now drenched his face and chest belied his efforts to hide the strain needed to keep up the argument.

Four days. Ronin had been missing for four days. He had to get out of this place. He had to find her. It was his responsibility for getting her into this in the first place.

And whatever happened to Nailz?

He watched as Elizabeth took her leave of him, but he kept his silence. He was beginning to think there was nothing the girl could do to help find his partner. Let her go. Right now he cared little for his street rep, and even less for 'Arthur Johnson' and his alleged daughter.

But he was so weak. Whatever they were siphoning into him must have a depressant quality. Plus the guard would never allow him to remove the IV from his arm.

He'd have to bide his time for now... wait for the right situation... the right moment...

The door opened and Elizabeth was able to take her leave. Logan was able to see the guard standing out there as well as a white man wearing a suit. After Elizabeth left the suit walked into the room, he was carrying a briefcase with him, which he set down on the bed and opened. Without a word the room guard stood up and left the room. The door was locked behind him.

Pulling out a file folder from the case the suit started paging through the contents while leaning against the bed.

“Good evening Mr. , or may I call you Logan?” He pauses to wait for any response Logan might give before continuing, “My name is Sebastian Grace and I have been appointed to handle your case here. I am legally obligated to inform you that I will be recording our sessions for my records, these sessions are subject to lawyer client confidentiality, the camera’s in this room have been deactivated for the same reason. You are free to tell me anything at all, and I will do my best to defend you when this goes to trial. Now I understand that people in your line of work have a pretty negative opinion of people like me, but let me assure you that I am only here to help you.”

Another pause, “I do have one question before we get deeper into what happen in the Lodge. That is: Do you think of yourself as a ‘Shadowrunner’ or is that just a fancy name dreamed up by the movie producers in Hollywood?”

While Logan’s court appointed ‘legal counsel’ is talking, Logan catches a glimpse of some movement outside of the window. He can’t tell for sure what is happening but he does know that he is on one of the upper levels of the building. Then he sees a glass cutter get pressed against the window with a soft clink. Then it just stays there not moving, as if it is waiting for something.

Logan's sour mood after the argument with Elizabeth worsened to putrid when he realized his visitor was a lawyer. He let the legal-beagle's words drone over him like an insignificant breeze.

Then he caught sight of the cutter pressed against the door glass.

He would never be accused of being the sharpest tool in the shed, but he knew an opportunity when one came along.

"I don't consider myself one of those shadowsplinters!" he responded to the lawyer, his voice rising as he spoke. "Actually, I'm Tweedle-Dee! And I'm searching for my long-lost twin, Tweedle-Dum! That girl has my brother captive in her peanut-butter basement and I want him back! Make her give him back! He's allergic to Reese's and whatever will he do when she forces him to dance with the wolves?!?"

Logan tries to resist looking at the door. Instead, he stares so fixedly at the lawyer that the man's own gaze is held by the spectacle. Or, at least, Logan hopes so.

"You're a man of the law! I charge you with putting a stop to the harassment of innocent, law-imbibing storybook characters! It is high time we were treated with respect! R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me! What have you got in the briefcase?? Briefs?? Are you some kind of storybook pervert?? Bringing your briefs to a client interview???"

Logan didn't want to overplay it, else the lawyer might decide to ask the guards to step in. He just needed to keep the man's attention long enough for whoever was outside the door - hopefully a rescuer - to do their thing. He only hoped he wasn't letting himself in for more trouble.

Perception (7d6.hits(5)=3)

Logan’s enhanced perceptions were easily able to notice the noise of the glass window being cut while he talked. Whoever was doing the cutting was doing an okay job at only cutting while he was talking and quickly stopping whenever he stopped.

The lawyer shook his head while Logan spouted his stream of nonsense.

“I don’t think you fully understand the severity of the situation you are in Mr. . The list of charges being levied against you is quite impressive…”

He looks up at the window and sees what is happening. He pauses for a moment, his mouth hanging slightly open.

“Frag,” a familiar voice says outside of the window, even if the word is uncharacteristic of the voice.


The realization of what was happening finally caught up to the lawyer’s brain, he turned on a heel and starting towards the room’s door with a cry, “GUARDS!!!” just as the window shattered inward.

Ronin landed in the room in a hail of glass shards.

The samurai girl wore the same coat and form fitting armor that Logan had last seen her in, a climbing harness and her trusty swords added a deadly edge to her appearance (not to mention the flying shards of glass). She sprang into action charging across the room, drawing her katana, broken glass bouncing off of her armor (and nicking her skin in a few places). She leaped into the air twisting her body, the katana lashed out cutting through the restraint on Logan’s arm, the razor sharp blade shaved the hair off of his arm. Hey leg extended into a kick that caught the Lawyer in the side of the head, dropping him like a ton of bricks.

The sound of a maglock disengaging echoes through the room.

The door started to open, Ronin continued her movement, spinning once again and landing a solid kick against the door knocking it closed again.



Tossing a pair of gecko tape gloves at Logan she says, “Nailz is waiting below, we go now.”

As if to emphasize the situation the guards outside slam against the door with a dull thud but Ronin’s position was able to hold it for the moment.

OOC: Take about two rounds of actions, there shouldn’t be a need for any rolls. In a situation like this, awesome trumps rolls, so be cinematic cool and have fun.

Logan was off the bed and eager to join the fight the instant Ronin's blade released him from the restraining straps. He didn't even notice the loss of arm hair, nor would he probably have noticed if the razor-edge had removed a few layers of skin.
He did not, however, follow his partner's instructions to escape out the window. He would not let her out of his sight again until they were all safely away from this facility; whatever and wherever it was.

Instead, he grabbed the bed he'd been lashed to and, holding it like a battering ram, yelled for Ronin to move and then charged the door. The impact drove the bed through the shattered window and Logan jammed his end against both the wall and the floor, effectively wedging the door firmly shut. And even if it was not, the bed would make opening the door or otherwise entering the room that way extremely difficult.

That done, he went to the window, and, glancing out to see how high they were, held his hand out to Ronin, saying:

"Give me your rope. I'll anchor you while you rapell down. I'll climb down after you."

He looked at his partner, saw the usual defiant resolve in her eyes, and added:

"No argument. I owe you one. Now move! That barricade won't hold long!"

Ronin gives Logan a strange look, obviously they had him on some pretty strong drugs. The Rope was secured to the roof of the building and should be strong enough to hold them both.

“Just go,” She tells him as she sprints across the room and dives out of the broken window. Using the climbing harness and rope to stabilize her, she runs down the side of the building.

Looking down Logan see a very familiar beater of a car skid around a corner and come to a stop near Ronin’s landing point.

Also now that his head was out of the window his commlink once again connects to the matrix.

“Welcome back to civilization,” Nailz says over the link, “Now hurry up and get your hoop down here, I’ll save the lecture for once we are safe.”

As if to emphasize the urgency of the situation, there is a strong thud against the door causing the mangled bed to shift. “Frag this,” Logan can here the guards say, “Go through the wall.”

With Ronin out the window and Nailz pulling up at ground level, Logan wasted no time getting out himself, and judging from the sounds out in the hall, now was a very good time.
He jumped out the window and managed to grab Ronin's rope just as an explosive device blasted through the wall next to the barricaded door. The force of the blast swung Logan away from the building and, as luck would have it, the return swing would have sent the big guy right back through the now widened window.
Logan did the only thing he could; he timed the swing and, when he was within a safe distance of the outer wall, extended his titanium spurs and cut the rope above his head. His momentum brought him within reach of the wall and he used his claws to catch hold, then climb down hand-over-hand.
With his enhanced strength and wired reflexes, he was able to move rather quickly until he was close enough to the ground to just let go and drop.
Shouting voices from the window above made it clear that a hasty exit would be prudent.

"Let's go!" Logan shouted, somewhat unnecessarily as both women were already preparing to leave. "Punch it! Go! Go! Go!"

Gunfire rains down from above as Logan makes his way down the side of the building and to the car. Tires are spinning before Logan even has a chance to get in close the door.

Once again Nailz shows that she is more than adept at her job than her youthful appearance and beat up Comet would lead you to believe. There were several times that it felt like the little sedan was going to fall apart at the hinges as the young drive pushed it far beyond anything the design specifications, it skidded around corners, accelerated hard, stopped harder, and performed maneuvers that you would think should be reserved for Hollywood (they are, but where do you think Nailz learned how to drive? She is as surprised as Logan is that some of them worked). In the end the team left Aberdeen with a smoking hole and a broken window at the hospital, several piles of flaming wreckage that used to be military police vehicles, and some wounded pride.

After some time of hard, offensive driving Nailz pulls the car into the service bay of Jimmy’s street mod, a mechanics shop that looks like it has been closed since the NAN broke off from the UCAS. Logging off from the comet Nailz sat there breathing heavy, sweat covered her body. When she finally decided to move she moved like an old woman, or someone who was dead tired. Dragging herself to a back room she opened a hidden door revealing a bungalow with a couple of cots, a stash of water and protein bars, and a small bathroom.

Looking at the rest of the team, “We should be safe here for a little bit, make yourselves at home.” She flopped down onto one of the cots, “good God, that’s better than sex…” she mumbles before almost instantly falling asleep.

Ronin Walks around to the car’s trunk and pulls out her bow and quiver. She then takes off the climbing gear and stashes it with her other belongings. Climbing up onto some shelving that gives the Samurai a good position to look out some windows, “Check your gear, I hope you brought another pair of pants with you.” She tells him with an uncharacteristic playful smile. “I’ll check your bandages after you’ve done that.”

OOC: I will make a list of the gear that is now being used as evidence against Logan, which is to say that he doesn't have anymore.

Caught by surprise, as is always the case when his partner displays her rare sense of humor, Logan smirks at Ronin's comment, "Hardy har har."
He does check his gear, however, and quickly tallies up his losses: both customized shotguns are gone, along with his transceiver, body armor, and camouflage jacket. It doesn't take him long, as he believes in travelling light. Still, the loss is substantial.

Finished with his inventory count, he eyes Ronin, still perched atop the shelving, and asks:

"So, what happened back at the lodge? 'Help!'?"

He continues to watch her as she climbs down and, coming over to him, begins to examine his wound. The grimace that flits across Ronin's face when she removes the bandage over Logan's heart is enough to tell him the damage is serious.

Except for the occasional hiss between clenched teeth, Logan remains quiet during her ministrations. Aside from responding to her comments, that is.

Ronin took her time examining Logan's injury.  she seems more interested in the nanopaste that the doctors applied than the actual wound itself.  But Judging from the way she is working she is very skilled in dealing with these types of injuries.

"What are you talking about?"  she asked in reply to Logan's question.  "You are a lucky man, a wound like that should have been fatal.  The surgeon did a good job.  You'll make it.  Go get some sleep, I will keep an eye out for the enemy."

Jumping ahead a little bit:

 

Logan wakes up in the bungalow, Nailz is sitting on her cot enjoying a meal replacement shake playing some game on her PAN waiting for Logan to wake up.

 

“Good, you’re awake” (Logan gets the reaction a lot), she whispers, “There’s something wrong with Ronin and I don’t like it.  Back at the campground after you ran off in a panic and got yourself almost killed I went and found her.  She was at the campsite of those people, there were 4 frat boys around her unconscious, she kicked their butts.  Ronin was hiding in the woods nearby crying.  She was crying, Shadowrunners don’t cry.  She didn’t recognize me.  When I mentioned you, she didn’t know what I was talking about.  She didn’t know where she was.  And the strangest thing of all was that she sounded American.  No weird Japanese accent, hell she was even using street slang.  Later that day, she was back to normal as if none of it happened.  When I asked she acted like she didn’t remember any of it.”

Logan had no words to soothe Nailz's worries over Ronin. His partner was a samurai and followed a code of honor. To think that she could have broken down and cried...

Logan put that thought out of his mind. Nailz must have been mistaken. The girl spent most of her time in a virtual reality; who could know what effects that had on the senses.

Logan focused on one thing Nailz had said:
"At the campground? Do you think you could get back to that spot? There might be some clue as to Elizabeth's whereabouts there."

Nailz might think him insensitive, and perhaps he was, but they still had a job to do. And after what they'd been through, he intended to either get some answers from the little rebellious 'daughter' or take her to the J and collect their pay. He had had about enough of this clusterfrag, and decorum be damned.

Nailz pauses for a minute just looking at Logan with a dumbfounded look on her face.  "Seriously?"

Then she shakes it off, "yea getting back there should be no problem.  I wouldn't suggest you walk into the lodge though.  there's a good chance they have you on the same list as people who checks bounce."

Just a reminder to Logan:  Elizabeth is a college student who spent spring break at the camp ground and at the hospital looking over him.  Given how long he was out there is a good chance that school is back in session and she has already missed a couple of days.  So there is a chance they she is back at her apartment as opposed to the camp ground.  Not saying she is, just giving a perspective.

Logan knew he wasn't making good sense. He was worried about Ronin but couldn't show that to Nailz. The girl was alright for the most part, but even he didn't really know Ronin's past and it would be intrusive for him to speak of it.
So, leaving Nailz wondering about his sanity, Logan went to find Ronin. He wasn't sure what, if anything, he could say or do, but perhaps just being there for her would be enough. Ronin could decide for herself whether to tell him what had happened.

Ronin was easy to find, she still sat in her perch keeping a look out. she looked dead tired as well.

"Salish security forces have cruised past this place 3 times but have not stopped.  The last one was about 5 hours ago, they have probably moved their search further out."

'Why wouldn't they search this place?' Logan wondered to himself, but did not say aloud. Ronin was obviously worn out; he could ask Nailz about their hideout later.

"You look like you been chewed by a wolf and drek'd off a cliff. You're relieved, omae. Hit the rack for a few hours. You need it."

He watched as she climbed down, stretched like a cat, then started to head off to the cot he'd just vacated.

"Say, Ronin," Logan stopped her a moment. "You doing alright? I mean, if there were something... a problem... you'd let me know, right? We've never pried into each other's personal biz, but whenever there was an issue... anything that might jeopardize a job... I just want you to know I'm here if you want, or need, to talk, k?"

Ronin doesn’t head back to the bungalow.

“Do you doubt my abilities and commitment to completing our job?”  She follows that up by taking a step back, her hand resting gently on the handle of the katana at her side, she looked perfectly relaxed.

Logan knew that look, while she appeared at ease he knew full well that she was a cobra ready to strike, that her sword could be drawn, strike and returned to its sheath faster than the eye could see.

“If I did not think I could handle the job I would not take it.  I would be at home making rice balls and tea.”
Which is, of course, her way of saying 'barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen

Logan eyed Ronin sternly, his arms crossed over his chest; a universal pose like that of a parent whose child is about to outgrow her britches. He knew without a doubt that his samurai partner could lash out and strike him; possibly even faster than his wired reflexes could take him out of harm's way; but he also knew to do so would refute everything the samurai Code of Honor stood for. Honor to a samurai was more than a mere policy or even philosophy, it was the very definition of her existence. To attack Logan for simply showing concern over her well-being would be tantamount to selling tempo to elementary school kids, or perhaps, grilling one's girlfriend on a backyard barbecue. Ronin's adherence to the Code was as integral, and as vital, as the act of breathing.

So what was this, then? His trusted teammate, partner in crime on many successful - and a few not so - missions tensed and on the verge of drawing her sacred sword against him? Clearly, Nailz's disquiet seemed warranted.

"So, bushido, will you dance the blades with me? Has your honor fallen so far? So be it, then."

Without moving a muscle, Logan activated his spur. The titanium claws erupted from his knuckles with a metallic 'shikt' sound. He made no other move, his arms remained crossed. But he hoped that his words, designed to stab her deeply, combined with his show of being ready to fight should she take her insult further, would shake Ronin enough to make her see her error... and her offense.

If not, then right here, in this place not of their choosing, a long-time friendship - along with one of them - would fall.

I believe the term is ‘Mexican Standoff’

Ronin took Logan’s concern as an insult to her honor but she would not be the first to draw steel.

Logan did draw steel so Ronin would be within her right to strike

But Logan is injured so the fight would not be fair, so unless Logan take a threatening action Ronin would attack, Logan is still her partner and she will show him mercy.

But she also will not back down.

The two stand there and stare at each other. The silence is deafening.
The tension is thick.

Then from nowhere:
“I’m a Barbie Girl, in a Barbie world….” An annoying song from the late 20th century fills the garage coming from Nailz car.

“Knock it off, both of you. Pull your heads out of your hoops. Let’s go”

The car’s engine revs at Nailz mental command as she opens the driver’s side door

With another 'shikt', Logan's spur retract. Nailz's appearance, along with the foolish 'Barbie' song, have made him see how ludicrous he and Ronin have been acting. Just what, in the name of Jehosephat, were they doing?

He turned, knowing it would give Ronin an undefended attack advantage, but he didn't care. Let her do as she would. Something had just died, perhaps forever, and all he wanted now was to try and finish this accursed job and go... somewhere.

Confused, angry, and not really sure why, Logan went to Nailz's car and climbed in the back. He felt foolish and unhappy, but he didn't know what to do about either.

"Yeh," he said to no one in particular, "let's get this over with."

It doesn’t take long to load things into the car and to take off.

Ronin quickly falls to sleep in the passenger seat.

Nailz looks at Logan, “where do you want to go?”

Logan was about to spout off some sarcastic remark in response to Nailz's question when an idea struck him.

"The nearest stuffer shack," he said firmly. "I'm starving."

Starving was an exaggeration, but the place didn't really matter as much as going somewhere he could sit and do some Matrix searching. It was high time they learned a little more about Arthur Johnson.

As Nailz drove, Logan initiated his search:

> Initiate Data Search: Arthur Johnson, Cross-Reference: Arthur's address, Room 436... Running

Default Data Search -1 + Browse 4 Extended Test (10 rolls) = 11 hits
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4126474/

Surprised at the number of hits he was getting, and not a little aggravated at himself for not doing this sooner, Logan waited while his commlink sorted and classified the search results. He resisted the urge to 'count his chickens' too soon, however. The name Arthur Johnson sounded like too common a moniker to expect anything specific, and the address could have been anything at all, if it even was Arthur's childhood residence.

While he waited, Logan's thoughts drifted back to what Nailz had told him about Ronin's encounter in the woods near the camping lodge... and Ronin's reaction to his asking about it. He didn't like the gap that seemed to be opening between him and his long-time partner, but he wasn't sure what to do about it. 'Wait and see,' he told himself. 'What will be, will be.'