We Be Gangers

This is the Game Thread for the game "We Be Gangers"

"Roll Call!" Janesta's voice rang out in the small dining/living room that she shared with her "boarder" gang members. If you didn't know better, you would think Janesta ran a "military" operation, though that couldn't be further from the truth. Janesta was a "down" kinda girl, who loved having her "crack" team at hand. And today, she had a little pick-up job for them.
"Anyone up for a little fun?" She said, letting her voice calm a bit as she stepped toward the even smaller walled off kitchen, and looked for the coffee machine, frowning.
"Ok, how many times do I have to remind you ANIMALS that whoever finishes off the coffee has to start the next pot!" She said, raising her voice to make the point. She looked over her shoulder with a frown, stepping fully in to the kitchen and reaching in to the cupboard above the coffee maker for the Insta-Soy-Caf that she would be drinking instead of the regular stuff.
Janesta looked at the small tin of Insta that she pulled out and a thought occurred to her. [color=cyan]- It's wierd, that the Insta stuff tastes different from the regular stuff... Especially since they are both fully synthesized products... She frowned in concentration while she prepared the coffee cup she was about to enjoy. Although, she would enjoy it less than a properly brewed cup...
A few moments later, Janesta returned to the dining/living room and ran her eyes over the lounging crew, scattered about, some of them still wearing their sleeping clothes. She could tell from the stained sweat pants and grungy tee-shirts.
"Back to the "little fun" I was going to tell you about..." She glared around the room, making it clear that the distraction and delay were ENTIRELY because of the coffee. "We have a good chance to make some proper mischief, and I don't intend to pass. You all ready for the details? Or should I wait for you to wake up fully... Maybe drink some coffee?" Janesta said with a grin. - Afterall, there's no harm in rubbing a little salt in, is there? It preserves the meat better, right? She thought to herself, her grin widening. She waited for some responses from the crowd before continuing on.

Jason grins at Janesta "You know me boss i'm in for a little fun!" He stands up off the couch stretching his large frame. The sound of bones creaking. He rubs the back of his head.

Blindside sipped his mug of cooling soykaf and tried to sink deeper into the couch when Janesta starting yelling about the coffee. His head was still pounding from the party last night and lecture was the last thing he wanted. Blindside wanted to hear what Janesta had to say, be he also wanted four more hours of sleep and a shower. He was wearing a faded pair of jeans and a wrinkled white wife-beater, both of which stank. His hair was matted and defying gravity, the result of too much hair gel and sleeping in his van. He wanted to ask for her to wait, but though better of it and drank more of his coffee.

Body did not really drink at the party. In fact he himself was trying his best to sneak in the front door. When Jenesta was taking roll call. Having gone free running early that morning.

He was only gone for a few hours just running around the neighborhood. Jumping over, and climbing various objects. A parked car here and a garbage can there. He tried to do this every morning if he could, and had been scolded by Jenesta about bringing unnecessary attention to ones self. So he had also been practicing his stealth skills of late. This made things take a little longer. But he needed an excuse to keep doing what he had been told not too....

Though he was new to free running(and not very good). He loved it. It let him escape from the hood. Mentally if not physically. A form of meditation that he was not use too. He wiped the sweat from his tan bald head with his Green bandana. Hopping to hide what he had been doing from Jenesta....

He steadied his breath the cool calm steely gaze set into his face. and he walked in to the dinning living room. He was a good looking African American Elf for the most part. His hood around his neck and his sweats paints stained. He looked around the room at the after effects of the party, and smiled...

He walked without skipping a beat across the room and high fived the big guy near the couch, Turned to Jenesta in the same swift movement, and put his back against the wall, at the side of the couch. All timed actions and all smooth. He nodded to his boss in an attempt to spur her on "Yeah whats on the menu J?"

What did it take to get Leon's attention? He had spent the night tracking down yet another mark for Janesta, it was easy enough, just stay to the alley's and the rooftops and he would never be found. The man in question had been innocent enough, another corp wage-slave that spent half his paycheck on whores instead of the family that had asked Janesta to track him.

Leon felt the beast that dwelled within him stir, this man trashed the very thing that was most sacred to Leon, a family. He imagined the woman as his Anna Marie, he had almost charged at her had Janesta not known and stared Leon down at the meeting.

Leon did as he was told, tracked the man, provided surveillance, and recorded it all, video and auditory of the mans actions. His relationship was over, he had squandered the gift of a family, not something Leon could ever do to his Anna Marie. Leon followed the man back to his car, toying with the handle of a knife that was close at hand. He felt the beast within stir, growl, roar in his ears. In an instant the knife was in his hand and he took one step, then another at the bastard that through away his Anna Marie.

"Leon, you're done, come home."

His feet became lead, and the knife was back in it's holster. The master had slipped the collar back on the hellhound and tugged. Clicking off the ear bud, Leon immediately disappeared back into the shadows, his eyes nearly a blaze of fire as he made his way back to his car, removing the chip and placing it into a manila envelope marked for the woman, the woman who was so like his Anna Marie that he had nearly taken a life.

Within a few hours in the wee morning hours, the suns rays barely starting to rise, Leon had made it back home, with the rest of his gang, Leon did his best work at night, with the shadows to hide him and quiet him. His debt to Janesta required that he do extra jobs, but Leon didn't mind, for one day he would be with his Anna Marie, just as was promised.

Walking in through the front door, his Sedan parked on the opposite side of the street, Leon had already heard that there was another job to do already. "What kind of job did you have in mind?" His southern accent was betrayed with inflections of french, giving a very good idea of where Leon was raised. He handed the envelope with the evidence to Janesta and took his customary spot against a corner that always had a shadow, he preferred the warm embrace of darkness, it let him see everything and everyone, even his Anna Marie.

He kept his hood up to hide his face, it held the telltale signs of exhaustion and he knew it did, a weakness the others didn't need to know. He bowed his head as the others entered the room, not knowing, or possibly already knowing and not giving a damn that Leon was there in the shadows to watch over them and the meeting. Leon decided to give his eyes a break, turning on his radar so he could keep track of everything for a good distance around the room, he turned his eyes off so he could take a break from actually watching what was going on.

With a slight sigh, Leon, in his dirty clothes, the armor hidden beneath it, and the leather jacket to keep him warm pulled up a photo of Anna Marie on his AR, it was a reward for doing this mission, as well as paying off some of the debt that had been accrued since he knew Janesta. He relaxed and waited for the others to get ready and listen to whatever the next job would be. Leon was the watcher, the silent guardian for the team, he did all the intel and lately he had been helping Body with learning stealth, he had considered taking him with for this mission, but decided against it, maybe next time.

He knew Tink fairly well, He had been with Janesta longer than Leon had, he even respected his skill with electronics and the drones that could go into places that Leon could never hope to go, yet. The others, Leon was still feeling out, his nightly activities kept him out of most of the parties, and Leon, in and of himself, wasn't the most social of guys, or the easiest to get along with. Still they were apart of his team, and he gave his skills whenever it was asked of him.

"Comment était la fête mes amis?" He often spoke french when he was relaxing, it was hard for him not to when he wasn't thinking about it, Janesta translated for him often when Leon forgot to use english.

Ghost, Phantom: GREAT Post. + 1 Karma each.
- All Note: Posts like this will earn you a Karma some of the time. Don't expect it at all times, but it won't be uncommon to see this either..

"Well, I heard tell that Marco's gang has just recently jacked a Fence." Janesta paused for a moment, letting the idiocy of that kind of a choice sink in. There are two things you simply don't do. Don't get involved with Dragons. And don't jack your Fence. Period.
"So... I was thinking that it just might be a good time to go, uh, liberate their loot. I already have a fairly hefty, though well below market, price from the Fence for the job. And since we owe Marco one anyway, I figured that this would be just the thing to take care of the problem." She said, looking around at the group.
"I expect that this will be at least a 3-part gig. 1, we'll have to find out where Marco is keepin' this stuff. Ain't no way he's gunna leave it kickin' around in one of his normal basements. Maybe we can get his GPS data from his 'link?" She says, musing. There isn't really a good way to figure this out, unless Runder had some sort of an idea... She looks at Runder to see if he has a reply ready.
"Next, we're gunna have to find a way to get in, take the stuff, and get out. And part three is stashin' the stuff somewhere safe for 2-3 days 'till the Fence can come an' get it." She grinned. Part one and two were actually the easy parts! 'Round here, keeping something like a Fence's hoard quiet was going to be a challenge. And if the word got out, there wouldn't be a door un-opened finding it.

"So, the floor's open. Let's hear how we're gunna get this stuff done. And then, let's go out an' do it!" The idea of getting back at Marco was an exciting one. Janesta wasn't one to hold a grudge, but this was plain good business.

Jason cleared his throat. " I may have a solution to getting in, we all know how Marco's boys roll, but do they know how we roll?" he looked at everyone " How many times has his boys bullied us cause were different , I say we bully his boys a bit! Cause a distraction once we locate the goods " He cracks his knuckles at the idea he had pitched to the group.

A glint in Janesta's eyes indicated humor, and perhaps appreciation. "That might work..." She said, smiling slightly. Her eyes unfocused for a second, as though she were playing a scene through in her mind. "Yes... That just might work". She returned her eyes to the room, looking toward Jason.
"Well, Jason. What can I do to keep the good ideas flowing? Let's get you on a roll!" She said, smiling.

Body thought to himself Marco's boys were not really known to be hood rich. So he figured the place would have low physical security and he voiced this thought to Jenesta and the group. "probably wont be any electronic locks or mag locks. So I can probably get in the back during said distraction" He said shrugging... "I can take who ever else is quiet with me scope out the joint." he looked at their resident hunter but did not say anything... Then he looked at tink "Those mice of yours would be helpful in scoping out the place" and he smiled at his little friend whom he had come to respect a great deal. "Other then that i got nothing..." and he sat back against the wall waiting for reactions...

"Mon Ami, you'll need recon, and as for distractions, I'm sure i can find ways to keep them occupied once inside, how about a deux fois par attaque? I can sneak inside with Body, you set up a couple of couple of explosions outside. Set off the distraction, they leave to regardez autour de, we take out whats left, load up the loot, and leave. We use Tink's petits amis to find our treasure, and get an accurate headcount and floor plan. Everyone else is on backup in our van, things may get dicey, and i can take out a few guards, but not the troupe entière. Sonne bien, oui?" Leon always had a bright sunny spot for causing mayhem and destruction for Marco's men. It didn't have anything in particular to do with Anna Marie, except that Marco himself had a girlfriend, almost a new one every week, and that definitely tweaked several raw nerves in Leon.

Normally the quiet one, taking the orders given directly from Janesta, Leon decided to take more of an upfront control of this mission, it seamed fun, almost as if it were made just for him as a reward. "The only thing i can think we would need would be a few explosives and the information on the size of the loot to see how big of a truck we need, all of which we can get à la clientèle, oui?" Leon already saw in his mind what kinds of fun would be on this mission, such mischief brought a dark twisted smile to his lips, not the usual stoney facade of nothingness, but of a beast that looked about to eat dinner.

Blindside leaned forward and put his coffee down. "I doubt we will need a more than one vehicle for the pick up. If we do then we need more than a distraction because loading will take too damn long, even with Jason. Hey Janesta, How big is the haul anywho." he says while standing up and pulling out his comlink. "I'll let you guys plan the heist itself for now, I'm going to call a friend and see if we can use his junkyard to stash the stuff. It would be easy to hide, easy for a bot to monitor, and we can hang out nearby. If we act like nothings new then less people get suspicious." Blindside walks past Janesta to the kitchen while typing furiously.

Jason listened to the other ideas being pitched "Hey maybe were going about it all wrong.... How about we pose as potential buyers of said goods." He paused to think this idea through "That way well get a location and still cause the distraction which may work better then bullying Marco's boys well much that is. " Jason grins hoping Janesta likes his new idea.

Her voice woke him up. It was strong, curt, and complaining about coffee. He groaned, reaching up to rub his eyes, only to find his visual enhancer draped over his head. Moaning, he pushed it off, pulling himself from the chair he had once again fallen asleep in.

It had been a few months on since he moved into Janesta's station, and the excitement still hadn't won off. And for Runder, him being excited about anything that wasn't written down in some book somewhere was a suprise of it's own. The worries of keeping his family pleased - which, of course, always failed - had left him as easily as they had been to let him find his own path in life. He had found himself recently, reverting to a childhood state, staying up all night on the Matrix to watch pirated vids of old movies and read up on who was sleeping with what for how much.

He secretly wondered if his knowledge of 1990 buddy cop movies would impress Janesta. Hell, just if it would impress anyone.

Getting used to the gang was no real big deal - he said hello, they responded in their own way, and that was it. It was work for Janesta: he would do it with a dragon himself if that's what it took to be on that... what was the word they used? Chick? Chick's side... yeah...

Reaching out with a sleepy yawn to grab some gum - he might be a social recluse, but nobody alive wants to hear a man with morning breath - Runder groggingly marched into the main hall, just in time to hear Janesta's comment about locating the drop point. He gace a quick nod to everyone, quietly coughing, before addressing her.

"We can just track his commlink... but that is if he goes there again, especially with that specific comm. Best thing to do would be to track his vechicle, or at least one of his men that guard the place. People dump comms all the time, but they think twice about getting rid of their old school Toyotas..."

"Oh.." he suddenly exclaimed, excited. "Can I have some coffee, please?"

Janesta turned, noting Runder and trying not to mix the grin with the frown. Staying up all night was a useful activity, some of the time. But it definitely had it's downfalls when the rest of the gang was up at the crack of 10:45 in the morning... She stepped gingerly to the side, letting Runder ease his way in to the overcrowded room. Somehow, and she still didn't know how, the living room always seemed to manage to have a seat for anyone who wanted one. The place would fit 3 of her friends, maybe. But the 8 guys had no trouble. She was baffled. Maybe one of these days, she would get around to cleaning up the junk in the storage room, and get the guys to renovate the place for a "proper" hangout. Especially with Runder around, they would be able to set the room up real nice with lights and a Trid station to die for. At least, one for the digitally challenge, like she was.
"Yup. Pot's in there. You've just volunteered yourself to make the next one!" She said, not even trying to conceal her delight. She was going to be able to refill with the decent stuff. Made right. At least, as right as Soy-Caf could be.
The next few moments were filled with the excited buzz of active collaboration. Janesta was continually surprised by the willingness, and capacity, of these boys to put their heads together and come up with astonishingly foolish and dangerous ways to solve simple problems. - Leave it to the boys to find the most convoluted and complicated ways to solve any possible scenario! She thought to herself, grinning. She didn't bother interrupting the flow of ideas. They would settle on a couple options eventually, and with some careful work, Janesta would help them prune out the obscenely dangerous parts and focus it more toward surviving.

Kazuki Jotaro: 2 good workable ideas, back to back. Good work on that. 1 Karma.

"C'est la vie, the slow route works as well. Simple then, we need Runder or any of our matrix friendly frères et sœurs to get access to the security vids, we can get the comm link he used assuming it wasn't hidden, we can get the plate from his car and trace that to an address. We can also hit up our usual contacts to see if they know of his addresses as well, I'm sure i can track him down if we can get a lead. Either way, that's two groups, one of the numérique et de la viande, easily capable by our group, agreed my friends?"

Leon appealed to the general assumption of the less insane and stupid plan, they needed information before they can move on to the other phases. "Thanks to Blindside, storage won't be that big of an issue. That simply leaves breaking in and getting the loot out, neither of which we can do without more information of where the loot is, and how much is there, yes?"

"Aw..." he mockingly sighed, as he shuffled past the others as gently as his less-than-dexterous body could move. "It always runs out when I want some..." A joke came to his head, something about nice guys always finishing last, but he knew that it would only sound awkward and pathetic if he tried to get it out. Besides, he'd already said far too much for the hour already.

Janesta had that effect on him.

"But I'm with the man from Lou on this one," he added, now rummaging through the cupboards, scanning each and every container with a droopy eye. He had to get the tiny footstool he had brought with him when he moved in to reach the upper shelves - a dwarf is still a dwarf no matter how tall he is. "We should be ready to change the plan around according to what it is that we find when we're done with the footwork first. For all we know, his stash is in the corp territory guarded by giant octupuses with ninjas on every roofto - where the hell is the real coffee gone? Are we out?

Jason started to think a little more "What exactly did Marco take to begin with?"He looked in Janesta's direction waiting for an answer to his question.

Dwarf: +1 Karma for making me laugh. Real Coffee... Now THAT is good "morning" RP.

Janesta watches as Runder shuffles by, making his way in to the kitchen. Once he is past her, she notices a faint odor, smiling appreciatively as she realizes that he was chewing on some gum. He definitely got THAT one right. No one wants to hear morning breath speak...
"Sounds like you guys have it mostly figured...." She starts to speak, talking right over Runder in the kitchen, until his words sink in. Her thought is put entirely on hold as she tunes her ears in on what he was saying.
"Real Coffee?!?" Janesta starts to laugh. No doubt the rest of the group would be joining the laughter shortly, as his question sank in on their heads as well. Janesta isn't the kind to make fun of someone, but there are some things that you just have to have a good laugh at. "Wow!" She says, calming herself down a bit and wiping her eyes.
"Where was I?" she asks, looking around trying to find her place in her thought. "Oh, right... Sounds like you're almost ready to hit the streets. Next question: How do you plan to do your recon? Leon?" She asks, turning and addressing Leon as she finishes the question.

"Umm... I am not sure what they took. The Fence didn't give me a list, although I suspect he could if pressed for one. Knowing the tech level we have, and with a good level of suspicion on what Marco's boys have, my guess is that it will be fairly obvious what is loot, and what's not." She said, turning back to Jason. "Besides, I have independent confirmation that Marco is looking to offload most of it, if not all, elsewhere. Probably because most of what he got would be too flashy around these parts." She shook her head. It was still hard trying to wrap her head around the stupidity of jacking a Fence. How did Marco ever expect to get anywhere near reasonable prices from now on? It's not like the word wouldn't spread... He's going to be paying a "risk" premium for the rest of his life now!

Drugged dwarf wrote:

For all we know, his stash is in the corp territory guarded by giant octopuses with ninjas on every roofto

The comment made Body smile. Aside from the Octopuses, the ninja would be welcomed. Anything to liven up the joint. Though without any real martial training he had doubts he could handle such a threat, but he was willing the to try. The joke was that the ninja would be working for a two bit nickle and dimer like Marco. And that made body's smile turn into a smirk... though he said nothing...

After some time he said "O...K... so we need to know what he took J has got that and where he's got it Leon is on that i guess... He let it sink in... What are the rest of us doing then...."

(OOC: I underlined my speech hope that makes it easy to read)

Body's comments brought Janesta somewhat back on track, though she did have to pause before she could respond in detail, still chuckling about the idea of them being able to afford real coffee. The Ninjas and Octopuses thing was funny too. Too bad the coffee sank in first. Although, not terribly surprising.
"Well, Body, I think we have a couple of workable ideas on the table. Leon suggesting taking you inside Marco's joint to look around for information. Not a bad idea. Though you will likely want to take Runder along, since he can do some things with a jackpoint. If Marco has his data stored digitally, at all, anywhere, you're going to want Runder tagging along. And we won't know until you're in.
"It looks like Leon was thinking that it might make sense to have some sort of a "Distraction" going on outside to keep the heat off you two or three indoors." She stopped there, trying to sort through the rest of the ideas that have been bangled about.
"I think that's about the size of it so far. 2 Groups. One to make a distraction, and the other to take advantage of it. Is that about right?
"And after, we'll review the data and see figure out what to do next? Right?" It sounded like she had summed it up just about right. Janesta paused then, waiting for some other input, corrections, or further ideas. Though if the basic outline was down, the next step would be to go get materials for the distraction, and start to put the plan into action. Whether it be as buyers or attackers; the two ideas were distinct enough that they could talk out the merits of each, choose, and get to it in less than another 30 minutes or so. And still time to get down to the storefront to open before noon. Not bad.

"Wait.. what?"

He had given up on his search, the laughter from Janesta bringing his mood down. That's what you get for talking so much, he thought to himself. Retreating as far into the kitchen as his body would let him, he tried to make himself invisible, after realising that he was sitting smack in the centre of everyone else.

That is, of course, until their fearless leader's statement.

"Um... I-I-I don't think that's a g-g-g-good idea..." he said, stammering, his eyes darting to and fro. "I don't.. uh.. do well... with... the whole... meeting... people... thing.. .yeah..."

~ Rakker, got a favor to ask you, I'm looking for a place to store some things for a couple days. I thought you might be able to help a guy out, having a junkyard and all. Anyway, did you here about Marco's boys? Dumb shits, I hope it wasn't you he fragged with. Gimme a ring when you can.~ Blindside looked over the message one more time, hoping that it didn't offend the guy. He liked it better when he was the once contacted, he never knew how to make a deal sound right. He jammed the send button and hoped Rakker was in a good mood.

Looking back to the group he saw Runder doing his awkward thing again. He walked up behind him and shoved his 'link into the guys hands. "Don't worry about meeting people. If you run into anyone Body and Leon will handle it. Now I'll make you a deal, I'll make more coffee if you make sure my message gets removed after it's read. I don't want to give away our storage spot before we start." With that he went into the kitchen. Janesta kept her reserve soykaf in the back of the highest shelf, and Blindside needed the stool to reach it. He began to daydream as he slowly prepped the coffee. He hoped that the distraction would involve a car chase. He imagined the van swerving around corners while the others were in the back, rear door open firing wildly at Marco pursuing them in... His train of thought ended as the lid to the machine snapped down on his finger "Damn coffee bastard!" he swore under his breath.

"Hey Blindside you get lost in there cant find the coffee? " Jason laughs under his breath as he heard the coffee maker lid slam, with him being a troll his ears hear low sounds.

Body nodded "i got your back lil bro!"He said to Runder in response to what Blindside had said. He watched as the little one waddle around and did his morning shuffle. It amused him. Which was nice because not much made him smile. He also nodded to Jenesta in approval of what she summed up.

Then he moved on. Ok So team leaders When we find a way in Leon you lead ill follow. And Runder you stay close on my rear. I'm in charge of keeping you safe. k? So we need a team leader for the distraction team you guys decide. In the mean time lets just find the place. Iight?" He wondered if Leon would mind being team leader. He did just kind of assume. But he did not take it back after all From what he knew of the man and it was not much he was probably the best man to lead the small insertion.

Also he did not move from his spot it was not up to him to say when the meeting was over so again he waited for responses to what he said...