Section 3: Ace’s Wild

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

“Randell only distrusts one type of people – the living,” Ace says. “He trusts his lists… if he did them. If it was one of his men, less so. He definitely hates the Twinklers… “ He turns to face Pacman for a second. “And anyone even remotely related to the government.”

“But, other than that, Randall mistrusts people equally,” the spider goes on. “Still, Randall’s good people. He stays bought, and he doesn’t take sides.” He shrugs. “He wronged me last time; he owes me, and he knows it. That’ll kick in next time we do biz. But I’m not on his list. You tell him I’m cargo, he’ll forget all that in the moment. The customers in the hangar are the only ones he will hear.”

“Randall hates it if you are late,” Ace says, “Almost as much as he hates if you’re early. Messing up his schedule slots him off. He doesn’t like his customers to overlap each other. It frags his assurances of discretion, neh?”

“Randall may or may not ask for your weapons. Probably not, but if he does, turn them over without arguing. His crew is good. Buzz, in particular, will find most of what you’ve got… If he searches you, he will scan you. Buzz will definitely scan me whether they search the rest of you or not. I pretty much expect him to strip search me.” He chuckles. “Last time, when Randall let me reclaim my stuff, I told Buzz it would have been stupid if I cut Martin’s throat with the weapon he missed instead of taking Martin’s away from him. Buzz wasn’t sure if I was kidding or not, so he might take it to heart today. If so, it will be interesting to see if he finds what Tears missed.”

[Juramenta]

{Headstone}

Headstone silently listens to everyone’s comments about Randal.
He had not felt the need to interject up until this point and simply listened trying to understand where everyone was coming from.
’’There is not a man alive who can live up to their own legend’’ he says leaving a pause to let it sink in.
’’I explained that with Ace and I my point stands with Randall.
He won’t be a problem if you stick to the plan and all will be fine. Divert from the plan and bullets start flying. Minimum of four surround Ace, preferably five. Carrying or walking are both fine by me, it does not give a benefit or disadvantage one way or the other. So do whatever you feel comfortable with.

I’ll send a reminder of phase two once it initiates.
If you don’t like reading, just remember that the next part is all Revs. Simply relax and follow his instructions. If there aren’t any, keep your focus on Ace.’’ he speaks with a very calm sounding voice.

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

As Headstone gives his pep talk, Revs continues to follow Basil’s Dynamit, he finds himself very glad he took the rigger’s advice to do so. Once off the highway, Basil turns from one single lane paved road to a series of unmarked turns onto gravel roads, followed by dirt roads. Finally, Basil slows to a near crawl to be sure Revs notices the tiny, hidden dirt road that leads to the UnAuthorized Airport. Even following the Dynamit, the turn-off is hard to find. No sign, no clue is given to show where the road begins. It looks like little more than a couple of tire tracks where some unfortunate person has gone off the road into a grassy field. Or, perhaps, a badly kept up private driveway.

But with Basil as a guide, Revs does eventually make out the tracks and head down the poorly maintained dirt road. Once the minibus get a bit further down out of sight from the last dirt road, it widens just slightly, to driveway widths rather than mere ruts. But even so, the rough road gives the shocks quite a work out.

As Revs slowly make his way down the road, trying his best not to rip out the minibus undercarriage (How is Basil managing it in the sportscar?), the area eventually opens into a wide field. There the team catches sight of a battered old building (a barn by the looks of it) made of graying weathered wood.

The Dynamit pulls to a stop, and Revs gets a message from Basil. -Wait in the car, lad, and send me a list of everyone with you. Spit spot.-

[archolewa]

{Baby Blue}

Baby Blue studies the route carefully as Revs drives, her head on a swivel as she tries to catch as many angles as possible, from the front, behind and to the sides of the van. She glances at Rev's speed gauge, and counts the seconds under her breath as she looks.

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

Looking out the front windshield is not too bad. The headlights give a fair view. However, out the sides and the rear window, there is very little light… No lights are visible save the headlights and taillights from the minibus and the Dynamit.

[archolewa]

{Baby Blue}

Baby Blue will try to alternate between looking with her eyes, and with her lowlight binoculars, especially whenever they make a turn.

[Tay-Dor]

[/quote]{GM}

Ace chuckles. “Or... he’ll think you’re hiding something between us.” Ace shrugs. “Hard to be sure with Randall.”
[/quote]

[El Cid]

"So when he goes to fire, I throw you at him to distract him."

[Tay-Dor]

{Headstone}

Headstone silently listens to everyone’s comments about Randal.
He had not felt the need to interject up until this point and simply listened trying to understand where everyone was coming from.
’’There is not a man alive who can live up to their own legend’’ he says leaving a pause to let it sink in.
’’I explained that with Ace and I my point stands with Randall.
He won’t be a problem if you stick to the plan and all will be fine. Divert from the plan and bullets start flying. Minimum of four surround Ace, preferably five. Carrying or walking are both fine by me, it does not give a benefit or disadvantage one way or the other. So do whatever you feel comfortable with."

[El Cid]

El Cid just quietly shakes his head from behind the ork. El Cid has talked enough and gave his opinion. Hopefully Headstone's seeming ignorance won't get him killed. Sticking to the plan is good, but he hasn't seen a whole lot of that from this group so far. El Cid will do his part.

[Charybdis Richelle]

{El Cid}

"So when he goes to fire, I throw you at him to distract him."

{GM}

“Could work,” Ace allows. “At least I’d get a chance to roll and maybe grab his backup weapon.”

[kennethboyd69]

Tears

takes off her armored jacket and draps it over Ace and buttons the top button so it dosent fall
Nods at ace and smiles
"Thanks for the details Ace. Heres my jacket it aint your armor but its better than nothing. I gave you my vow. I also wont make any twitcy moves or comments. If drek goes south see ya in hell."

[Charybdis Richelle]

{Tears}

Tears takes off her armored jacket and drapes it over Ace and buttons the top button, so it doesn't fall.

She nods at Ace and smiles.

{GM}

Ace blinks one. Twice. Hard. Genuine surprise. Then he returns her smile.

{Tears}

"Thanks for the details, Ace. Here's my jacket, it ain’t your armor but its better than nothing. I gave you my vow. I also won't make any twitchy moves or comments. If drek goes south see ya in hell."

{GM}

“Null sheen on the deets, Tears in the Rain,” Ace says. “They’re as likely to save my hoop as yours.” He hesitates a moment before adding. “Thank you, Tears. I am genuinely touched by the thought. But keep it. You’re more likely to be a target than I am.” He shrugs. “Besides, I ain’t helpless. I ain’t naked. I don’t waste hard earned nuyen on anything that ain’t armored – not even my socks and skivvies. I ain’t got a huge wardrobe. It’s minimalistic enough for a Zen monk. But everything I own offers protection.”

[shaidar]

{Revs}

Revs keeps quiet for the journey, focussing on following Basil and keeping the van as undamaged as possible. When they leave the highway Revs turns on his low-light vision, hoping that it and his excellent sense of direction will be sufficient if they need to retrace their steps.

On arrival, Revs parks behind Basil and turns the engine off. When he receives Basil's message he turns his head towards the group "We've been told to stay in the van. We'll be fine if everyone just stays frosty and a little flexible, whatever happens.". He then turns back and replies to Basil's request, sending the street names, race and gender of everyone in the van, and includes Ace as 'cargo'.

Once the message is sent he asks Baby Blue " Do you still have the stun baton? I just want to make sure we know where it is so there are no surprises."

[archolewa]

{Baby Blue}

Baby Blue picks it up from the ground at her feet and offers it to Revs.

[shaidar]

{Revs}

Revs takes the baton. "Thanks, I just wanted to be sure where it was."

He finds somewhere nearby to store it (driver side door?) where it is visible and out of Ace's immediate reach.

[Charybdis Richelle]

{Baby Blue}

Baby Blue picks it up from the ground at her feet and offers it to Revs.

{Revs}

Revs takes the baton. "Thanks, I just wanted to be sure where it was."

He finds somewhere nearby to store it (driver side door?) where it is visible and out of Ace's immediate reach.

{GM}

Ace chuckles. “It’s like you don’t trust me or something.” He shakes his head. “You have my word, but if you need a security blanket to feel safe in the dark…” He shrugs.

Meanwhile, the door to the Dynamit opens, and a graying, middle-aged British man steps out. Revs and Baby Blue recognize him as Basil. Apparently, Ace does too. When Basil emerges, Ace mutters under his breath, “T. Basil Rutherford.” He puffs a short burst of air through his nostrils.

As the crew waits, they all have a chance to study Basil. He stands about 5'10" and weighs around 145 lbs, putting him on the slender side of average. His once black hair, full pointed beard, and mustache are mostly gray, though hints of their former color remain. Strong lines of wrinkles frame his hazel-brown eyes. His face holds a long nose with flared nostrils, thin lips (currently pursed into a straight line), and a shield-shaped, pointed chin. A dark reddish-brown scar runs from Basil's right ear to his right eye, all the way over the lower lip, widening as it approaches the eye. A lighter thin scar runs from the left corner of his mouth to his left ear. This second scar is almost completely hidden by his beard.

Despite the unseasonably hot weather, Basil wears a full-length tweed overcoat over a full three-piece tweed suit with a white long-sleeved button-down collared shirt. He sports gloves and a tan camel flat cap as well. In his right hand he carries a dark wood cane with a copper head, embossed with silver lilies.

As the team takes all of this in, the doorway to the barn slides open just wide enough for a lone bulky human man to step out. This burly Caucasian man could be the poster child for every cliche redneck ‘good-ol’-boy’ hick on trideo. He is taller than Basil, standing around 6’2” and probably has twice the Englishman’s bulk as well, most of it muscle.

“Top of the morning to you, Randall,” Basil calls out.

“Yer late, Belfry,” the hulk of a man says.

Watching the exchange, the team sees that Randall’s ruddy skin looks as rough as sandpaper and as weathered as the barn sitting behind him. This ox of a man wears faded blue denim overalls, a short-sleeved, red and black checkered shirt, and well-worn brown leather work boots. But what catches everyone’s attention most is that he carries a large assault shotgun equipped with a 50 round drum. Those with a keen eye for weapons recognize it as a Franchi SPAS-22. The whole crew has an odd sense of deja vu, as if they have been suddenly thrust into every black and white simsense ever when the angry farmer storms from his house bearing a shotgun to warn intruders off his land. Except that in most of those films, the shotgun is a measly double barrelled toy rather than the combat ready assault variety the Randall brandishes before him now.

“I rang you up,” Basil counters.

Randall just grunts in reply.

Basil steps up closer to Randall, into normal conversational range, and the two of them have a short, quiet exchange. Basil nods and approaches the minibus. He gestures for Baby Blue to lower her window.

Once she does so, Randall calls out in a booming voice. “Let’s do this quick. Darkness is fadin’. Ya come out one at a time, starting with front passenger, then driver. After that, everyone exits from the passenger side door. Yer cargo goes last. One a yer crew can exit with him. When the cargo exits, he does so hands on head, fingers laced ’round the back. Ferget any restraints ya got. They ain’t holdin’ him at all. Just givin' ya a false sense a security.”

“O’Riordan, no drek outta ya. Martin ain’t quite fergiven ya fer the nose, neh?”

“That was yer fault, Randall,” Ace calls back. “Puttin’ me on my knees, nose in a corner, ’n then puttin' my client at risk. I had no choice ’n ya fraggin’ well know it.”

“Don’t change his feelin’s none,” Randall says.

“Martin 'n me are frosty,” Ace says. “I even slotted the stick fer his medical. But if it makes ya feel better, I already gave my captors my word – no trouble ’til they turn me over. I give ya the same.”

“Great,” Randall says. “Now shut yer trap. Cargo don’t talk, neh?”

---

OOC: Edited for sequencing in the cross-posted messages.

[shaidar]

{Revs}

{GM}

Ace chuckles. “It’s like you don’t trust me or something.” He shakes his head. “You have my word, but if you need a security blanket to feel safe in the dark…” He shrugs.

Revs looks at Ace "After forgetting to lock the doors, I'm trying to get myself into good habits."

Once Randall has given out the instructions Revs unbuckles his seat belt, unlocks the doors and slips the van keys into his pocket, ready to exit after Baby Blue.

[archolewa]

{Baby Blue}

Baby Blue opens her door, trying to be quick enough to satisfy Randall's desire for haste, without being fast enough to make him jumpy. Jumpier. She slips out and takes a few steps from the van, arms at her side, angled away from her body, hands splayed and palms open facing Randall.

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

Ace chuckles. “It’s like you don’t trust me or something.” He shakes his head. “You have my word, but if you need a security blanket to feel safe in the dark…” He shrugs.

{Revs}

Revs looks at Ace "After forgetting to lock the doors, I'm trying to get myself into good habits."

{GM}

Ace nods. “Live ’n learn,” he says. “Ferget ’n die.”

---

{Revs}

Once Randall has given out the instructions Revs unbuckles his seat belt, unlocks the doors and slips the van keys into his pocket, ready to exit after Baby Blue.

{Baby Blue}

Baby Blue opens her door, trying to be quick enough to satisfy Randall's desire for haste, without being fast enough to make him jumpy. Jumpier. She slips out and takes a few steps from the van, arms at her side, angled away from her body, hands splayed and palms open facing Randall.

{GM}

Randall nods his - if not quite approval – acceptance of Baby Blue’s actions. “Yer a customer, so ya can keep yer toys. But yer on my land. Ya keep them put away. If there’s trouble, me ’n my boy’ll handle it, neh?” He says in a voice meant to carry. “That goes fer all a ya. I don’t take kindly ta others drawin’ on my land. Trust me, my boys ’n me got this handled.”

Randall waits just a moment to see if anyone has questions or objections, then he says, “Alright, now the driver.”

[shaidar]

{Revs}

Revs opens his door, steps out slowly, closing it behind him. Holding his hands out from his sides he makes his way slowly around the front of the van.

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

Randall nods. “Frosty,” Randall says. “Ya kids can’t keep a schedule, but ya can at least follow directions.” He nods. “Everyone else out the passenger-side slidin’ door where I can keep an eye on ya. One at a time, now. Next.”