Session Date: 2/23/2023
Net is on his way to get a kiddie pool for Garf. He leaves the Combat Zone and gets one, then heads back and realizes he’s in an area with heavy gang activity. He keeps his eyes peeled for negative activity and he doesn’t see anything immediate, but he does see a pedestrian 1.5 blocks ahead. He puts his mask on and continues through to the area where the stakeout is happening.
He arrives without incident and sets up the pool, then helps Garf into it. Once she’s set up, Net explains that it was either this or he run drugs for Juice. He refused to run the drugs and so here he is. Seo disapproves and warns Net not to get too personal around Juice. Garf asks Net how confident Net is at breaking security tech, and Net says it’s entirely possible he can, it just depends how advanced it is.
He leaves and returns back to the safehouse. Alice and Charley are out front, with Powder and Crack Pipe in the garage. Net tries to return the money from Charley, explaining he got a pool that was cheap. Charley is a little surprised by this gesture but ultimately lets it go as Net goes inside to look for Cipher. Cipher is still talking to Torrent, so Net grabs something to eat then goes to the garage to work on the car.
Emerick, Omen, Seo, and Garf get a message from Juice saying taht he has help headed over and they are likely a good fit for the group. Seo and Emerick talk Garf out of telling Juice to fuck off, and Omen asks when the newcomer will arrive - about 30 minutes.
Omen is in another building trying to scout things out from a closer vantage point. The warehouse is a bit patched up, but it is very much a last minute job. Everyone is doing their job but there doesn’t seem to be any super obvious patterns of movements. There are two lesser used entrances that we could try to utilize. He stays longer to continue to observe to try to make sense of any patterns that may be there that he’s just not seeing yet. He ultimately sees five cameras.
The newcomer, Bruce, is in a car on the way to the stakeout. He asks about the group and Juice explains that they are typical edgerunners and he wants us to be the active arm in the whole conflict with Nuclear Chrome. He admits that he wanted extra muscle for the added protection, and that we do whatever it is he needs. This week the band needs equipment, so we are procuring it. Juice explains the current job to Bruce and will throw extra money at Bruce.
Bruce arrives and Garf first holds him at gun point. Emerick manages to talk the two of them down and then we all intorduce ourselves to each other. Omen is still not there, and Emerick explains to him that Bruce seems to be very serious and professional, a typical solo. They talk for a bit, with Bruce going deeper into our warehouse to pick his own stakeout spot. Seo and Bruce talk about the martial arts - for Bruce it’s karate, and for Seo it’s tae kwon do. Bruce offers to spar, and Seo says maybe later in the evening when things wind down for the day.
Omen makes his way back to the group and asks Bruce if he is the new help that Juice was sending over, with Bruce responding that he’s the muscle. Omen mentions that Emerick has a high kill count and that seems to catch Bruce’s attention.
Garf gets the idea to get a sewer map and asks Emerick to do it, which he does. Bruce asks about the map and we have a few more discussions about planning and the like.
While Net is in the garage, Powder asks if he is okay. He says he feels he’s doing okay, and Powder promises that not everyone is a hard-ass like Juice is. She comments that Juice just likes to run a very tight ship. She offers her support then goes to her area to vibe.
Torrent and Cipher have a whole conversation about their parents and everything, eventually ending up with Torrent recommending that Net see Katchya for help with his smoking. They continue to talk for a while longer, then they both go to check on Net. They make it to the garage and Cipher asks how long they are staying, with Net replying that he’d like to finish what he’s currently working on, then grab a bite. Cipher lingers a moment then glares daggers at Crack Pipe.
Net asks Torrent if she wants to go with them again and she says that she already was planning on it.
As Cipher stares at Crack Pipe, Alice tells Net that if he wants any cigarettes to just ask her. She goes to walk past Cipher to go inside, and Cipher blocks the door. Alice asks if he has a problem and he says that he sure does have a problem. He goes to shove Alice and she asks what the fuck, and Ogre seems to come out of nowhere and pull his gun on Cipher.
Ogre chambers a round, and then Juice speaks up to ask what the efuck is going on. Torrent is trying to cover for Cipher saying that he fell, and Net goes to break the grapple between Cipher and Alice, but Cipher lets go of Alice and puts his hands up. Ogre relaxes and Juice demands to know what is going on. Net says they pushed their luck and Juice asks if Cipher learned his lesson, to which he just nods. Juice explains that we all want to live, and we all want money. Everyone agrees. Crack Pipe feels one last cigarette should be allowed after this whole exchange, to which Net agrees. Cipher shoves him out of the way and runs out, with Torrent on his heel.
Cipher sits outside, his body completely tense. Net comes out and chews Cipher out for such a brash display, then they chat a little more and Charley approaches. Charley asks how old they are, then says it’s stupid to let Alice bother them like this. Charley says not to touch his band members and just keep their head down and work.
Cipher says he is going home and storms off, with Torrent in tow. They make it back and Mamá Rosa chews Net out while Torrent and Cipher talk. Torrent learns that Net’s real name is Nathaniel.
Cipher is hitting a punching bag, just angry. He admits that he would have done worse if Ogre and Juice didn’t show up. Torrent says they should just work and stop causing trouble. She then asks Cipher why they’re together if they are always fighting, and Cipher admits that it wasn’t always like this. They talk a little more before Cipher asks to be left alone.
Torrent leaves and goes down to find Mama Rosa still scolding Net, only stopping to offer dinner to Torrent.
Bruce takes the first watch at the stakeout. There are two people walking down the street toward us. He isn’t sure if they are okay, or if they have some affliction. He lets us know what he’s doing, then sneaks closer to them to scope the situation out.