chicago mission ♔ the people under your feet are shooting stars in the night

[rationalizes]

♬ Dreamworld - Rilo Kiley

WHO || Gar, Kat, Mark, Dumage, Martha, Myri, Buffy, Sven, Spike, Desmond Descant, ??, ?? [Closed]
WHAT || The Knights infiltrate Nightscape to intercept a deal for the Eternal Jade. And... so does Des. At the same time. Hilarity ensues???
WHERE || Chicago. Nightscape.
WHEN || Friday, March 9th, various tiemes.
HOW || Actionspam; Don't sweat tagging order.

It's been a busy day. Following Gar's discovery of a message that seems to imply a trade for the artifact known as the Eternal Jade will take place at a location called "Nightscape" the next evening, several of the Knights headed out to the area outlined in Hoffman Institute files, only to discover the place was an office building that sold pharmaceuticals. However, as Myrilandel stared at a strange canopied fruit stand attached to the front of the building, she began to notice something, well, quite odd about it. A long line of people waited against the edifice to enter the stand, but none of them looked as if they fit into the commercial sector whatsoever, with their leather, vinyl, spiked hair, glitter, colored hair, etc. In fact, only by staring at the image presented and concentrating could the others recognize there was something wrong with the whole picture - something that caused theirs eyes to rebound off from it and find the entire scene innocuous otherwise. The line of people disappeared into the canopy - but none of the crowd ever came out again, defying any logic about how many people could humanly fit inside the tiny stand at a time.

It was clear that it wasn't just any fruit stand.

It was an entrance. They quickly surmised just what it had to be an entrance to. Myrilandel managed to note a number of guards emerging from the club after hours, dressed in some kind of futuristic looking armor that... looks a lot like Halo armor. She spotted the symbol on the side of the van they climbed into, and the surveillance team took note of it before heading back to the hotel.

Meanwhile, the research team back home (Kat, Buffy, and Sven mostly, since Gar passed out asleep in her chair) threw themselves into finding out what they could about Nightscape: and found rumors about an invite-only underground club, whose location was protected by magic, which seemed to mesh with what the other Knights had seen. The most interesting aspect of the club, however, wasn't just the fact that invitations to it come in the form of pills that implant directions into the subject's unconscious mind, but that supposedly it played havoc with the memories of those who frequent it. Every visit fades from the patron's mind when they leave, in the same way a dream does - they could remember a vague feeling of what it was like, but not any details about what actually occurred - and the more they attempted to remember, the more the memories would elude them.

Today, they've managed to look up that symbol Myri noticed on the side of the van and identify it as belonging to a private security firm that hires out to wealthy patrons in often underhanded deals. Which has allowed a plan of action to be hatched. :O

The Knights will coordinate efforts to plant a fake detour between the security firm and the club, derailing a van full of guards to lead to a stop light that will be controlled by Kat. And allow them to come up through a conveniently placed manhole to plant a device on the underbelly of the truck that will cripple its battery temporarily. At this point, the Knights will assume control of the vehicle, and Kat, Gar, Buffy, and Spike will don the armor of the guards and take their weapons, proceeding to the club as security personnel. Mark and Myrilandel will transport the captured guards to somewhere safe to keep them out of the way and possibly interrogate them. Dumage and Martha will drop off Sven at the club - he'll be attempting to bluff his way through the front door as a patron so that they can have an eye in the crowd as well, and then the ladies will park on the street to sit and wait as a getaway car / backup if necessary.

Obviously, nothing could possibly go wrong. :)

[ooc; subthreads to come!]

Comments

[shootfirst]

[/TIMELY ARRIVAL as Gar and Kat catch up. And Kat gives Buffy a judgmental face]

... I don't think I even want to know why Fred's become a topic of conversation. But I'm way too happy to put an end to it. We're coming with you. [Annnd she shoves the door open, moving out into the lobby, along with Gar. There's a robotic shout from above out there saying "There they are! Stop them!"]

[bigbad]

[Spike glares at Buffy a little bit because that all sounded a great deal like blah blah blah excuses excuses WARM THE DAMN BENCH.

But she does have a point. And it does make sense to put the guy with the headaches on back-up instead of front line. With all luck, he won't have to hit anyone else. So he nods and turns to Jade.]

Come on, love. Let's wait for our opening.

[nothingsodivine]

...Wynn's had sex? [That is Des's only contribution right now. He's staying close to Jade, thank you.]

[slays]

Believe me. We're all surprised. [ But beyond that, she doesn't hesitate, and into the fray with Kat she goes. She doesn't hesitate and runs for one of the nearest guards, sliding to kick out his legs from under him (melee atk 19, dmg 15). This time she's not going to bother hesitating for diplomacy. She learned from the scuffle upstairs, okay. They just need to take these guards out and they're golden. ]

[rationalizes]

[WHY IS EVERYONE TALKING ABOUT WYNN SEX ON THIS MISSION??? Gar is scarred for life. She slides out and aims for one of the two guards who are perched up on the stairs, shooting down. The shot hits the railing instead, blowing a chunk out of the marble and the guard ducks and then... crit fails and discharges his weapon into his own foot. Yep. That just happened. Crack team, over here.

Kat's attempt to shoot at the guard on the opposite side of the balcony is just as unsuccessful but it at least causes him to back up and take cover, rather than shoot again.

The guard's knocked onto his ass, but he keeps a death grip on his gun - and raises it to shoot at her from his prone position, delivering a critical wound to her torso for 20 damage. Fuuuuck.]

[nothingsodivine]

[Des recovers another four HP, so he can... Feasibly grab his revolver and actually use it, but he doesn't, because he has one opening right now and that's GET JADE OUT OF THE BUILDING. He'll apologize to Wynn for cockblocking his kids later. He turns to Jade.] Tell me something. If you're out, they have to stop shooting them, right? 'Cause I'd like to have a little bit of faith that they wouldn't shoot a bunch of people who aren't relevant to the problem.

[bigbad]

[When Buffy gets shot, Spike resists the urge to run out there and protect her. She can clearly take care of herself, and she doesn't even like him. Plus, he's not going to leave Jade to Des' protection.

Spike slams a hand out in front of Des, giving him a dirty look. As far as he's concerned, Des is far, far too likely to gamble with Jade's life. He remembers who it was he pointed the gun at upstairs. Sure, it worked, but that didn't make Spike any more happy with Des.]

Don't even think about it.

[borrowedheaven]

You do realize that to them you're the problem, right?

[nothingsodivine]

Get out of my face. [HE IS NOT SCARED OF YOU, SPIKE. And he turns back to Jade.] Yeah, that's... Kinda the idea.

[slay]

[ Buffy's eyes widen. She hears the shot before she feels the pain in her gut, blood blossoming in the front of her shirt. She looks down slowly, pressing a hand to the wound and pulling it away, mottled with blood.

She takes a moment to process the shock, because god that hurts and her balance check of 23 means she doesn't even stagger from it, but it still hurts like a motherfucker. She cringes, releasing a harsh gasp of breath as her abdomen tenses and irritates the wound, but then she's over it.

She'll deal with it later, when the others are safe and they've sorted out the Jade issue. She leans forward, ignoring the fact that it aggravates the pain in her gut and grabs the guard by the front plate of his armor, winding up to deck him (melee atk 25, 12 damage). She releases him and lets his head knock back into the floor once she's delivered the blow. ]

1/2

[rationalizes]

BUFFY!! [The horror and guilt and fear in Gar's voice is palpable, because that would be enough to kill most squires and SHE TOLD YOU TO LEAVE THAT ARMOR ON oh my god she is the worst squire babysitter ever how will Wynn ever forgive her ;~;

But then Buffy... knocks the guy out, his head cracking against the floor, and she realizes maybe she'll be okay. Apparently, there's some kind of adrenaline fueled whatever going on as a result, because she critically blasts the guy on the steps, and he falls over the balcony railing with a loud HERK. He doesn't move anymore when he lands.]

[shootfirst]

[And then, just to keep up with the badassness on parade, Kat does the EXACT SAME THING to the opposite guard. He bams against the wall up there and then slides down into a heap, and she turns to Buffy urgently]

Can you walk out of here?

[slays]

[ She flinches a little at the noise of the Gar and Kat's shots, but when she looks over and sees their concern as she straightens up once the threat has been eliminated, she tries to ease up. Right. Good guys. Their worry draws her attention back to her wound and she glances down at it, pressing her hand to her gut as she considers the wound, but then she nods and looks back up, swallowing. ]

Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Don't let the point blank range shot to the important bits fool ya. This? This is nothing. [ It's not nothing. And it's clear from the way her movements are a little strained as she walks back toward Des and Spike and Jade. ] You guys in one piece?

[bigbad]

[Oh, well, guess they didn't need him and his headaches after all. But he's gonna focus on them mot needing Des instead.]

Oh, look, your little suicide plan wasn't needed. [He steps forward to meet Buffy and hovers anxiously. He's slightly less anxious because he just saw her take a bullet, barely flinch, then knock a guy's face in, but there's still that taking a bullet thing. He doesn't flat out offer her an arm or anything, but it's clear he'd be chivalrous and try and help if he didn't think she'd beat him up for it.]

We should leave.

[nothingsodivine]

Lucky me. [Des runs a hand over his face.] Look, why don't you guys tend to your wounded and I'll get the girl somewhere safe- call Wynn if you still think I'm a dick that can't be trusted. He owes me a favor. And if she wants to go all Eurotrip, that's her choice.

[He looks at Jade and frowns.] You can trust the Knights. He's got weird taste in strays, but Wynn's good people. [Nat20 diplomacy check, bitches.]

[rationalizes]

And how are we to get in touch with you?

[slays]

[ She's sold on Des being the one to watch over Jade courtesy of that diplomacy check, but Gar brings up a good point that makes her think to suggest something else. ] I have a better idea. How about you both come back with us and you talk it over with Wynn yourself?

[borrowedheaven]

How about we don't stand here and argue about this? I'm didn't promise to talk to anyone. [She just... grabs Des' elbow to drag him towards the exit, back to her cave] I'm going with Desmond.

[nothingsodivine]

Because I've got already got one British guy in my life. I don't need the whole package deal. What? You don't have cell phones? [Annd he's being dragged off now.] It's Des.

[shootfirst]

[Kat yanks out her phone and hits the recorder, holding it up] Number. Now.

[nothingsodivine]

[INSERT NUMBER HERE.]

[slays]

We're really just going to let them walk out of here?! [ She looks to Gar, exasperated and desperate for someone to join her on team NO YOU'RE COMING TO ENGLAND WITH US. ]

[rationalizes]

I did give him my word. [And Gar never fronts :| ]

This is far from over.

[shootfirst]

[Kat slides the phone away and then heads out the door after him, where they all... shove through the fruit stand, past a bunch of confused people. She points at Des through the crowd, threateningly]

You disappear on us, and your nuts will disappear when I find you.

[bigbad]

[Spike watches them go off, arms crossed. He's with Buffy on this, but if it's what the girl wants, there's not much he can do short of kidnapping her, and that strikes him as a far worse idea.

He turns to Buffy.]

Nasty bullet wound, there. [His tone is somewhere between worried and impressed. Because she's just so sexy and tough, but... ouch.]