Session Date: 03/07/2025
Thursday, September 21st, 2045
Phoenix in Trouble
Emerick had received a call from Phoenix that she was in trouble. Without a thought, he agreed they would help. Juice has told Jewel to go and help them, to which she agrees. When we are about half a block away from the commotion we can hear gunshots and the sounds of NCPD not too far off. Emerick receives a text asking where they are and he lets her know how far off and where they’re coming from, and Phoenix confirms and says she will head in that direction. There’s about four people she’s in a fire fight with and gives a description of each of them: bigger guy with heavier machine gun, another with a sniper rifle.
As we approach we see people ducking out of sight, hiding in their apartments or behind other things. The NCPD sirens are growing even louder as we see them in the distance, rapidly approaching when we make it to where the commotion is. There’s an open junkyard garage that’s fenced off - something easy to get into. That’s where the fire fight is.
The fence is somewhat ajar and we see movement on the other side, but we can’t specifically see Phoenix. There is a building connected to the yard on the right, the door to the building is broken off of its hinges.
Emerick asks if Phoenix is okay and where she is, if she needs a medtech - she’s taken a few rounds, but she’s not critical. Saint asks Ryne for a boost as he gets his rifle loaded to help give us cover. Ryne does, then gets a sick kickflip off to get over the fence and into the yard so that he can see what’s going on.
Ryne gets a general view of the layout: cybernetic piles galore, some junked cars around - one could spend days in here and find a treasure trove of scrap here. Phoenix is on the side of the yard that we are approaching from, hunkered down behind a broken down SUV. She’s taken a few shots but she looks okay. Ryne starts heading to where Phoenix is, finding cover behind a broken down car about 10’ away from her. He tells her that the rescue is here and it’s time to head out, and she dashes for the fence without a second thought.
The rest of us approach the fence and rip the fence open for her. As we are helping her, Ryne notices one of the gangers - he doesn’t recognize what gang it is - and the leader of the gang comes out with a loaded rocket launcher. They fire and it manages to hit almost everyone — Ryne was out of range, while Sulfur and Phoenix dodge it.
While everyone comes to we see about half a dozen scavs approaching like predators trying to catch prey. We all scramble to the van as Sulfur pulls out his gun and fires into the sky and tells them to turn the fuck around now. Sulfur decides to overcome his fear and shoot anyway. He collapses the lung of one of them, and then he rushes to the car, starts it, and peels out and drives like a hellcat.
NCPD Car Chase & Hospital
The NCPD blows past the yard with the scavs and follows Sulfur driving. Emerick suggests we go to a hospital and Sulfur decides that’s the best course of action, but we still need to lose the cops. Sulfur drives hard and Ryne throws a smoke grenade, momentarily giving us the opportunity to turn without them seeing where we are. Sulfur requests access to the cop scanner and Emerick pulls out his radio scanner and descrambler, and he helps Sulfur navigate out of the police search bubble.
We make it to the hospital and we get checked in and are in the waiting room. As we wait, a large group of people walk into the hospital and they immediately notice that there is about a group of four cops that walk in at the same time. None of them are injured and they are looking around intently. One approaches the counter to the hospital staff. The conversation between staff and police is 5-10 minutes.
Emerick overhears the conversation and the police are needing to speak to management and doctors on shift to detain a few criminals that are on premises. The conversation continues for a little bit, then they get the shift leaders and let them know, and one of the other cops eventually speaks up to say that they may need to work out a way to make sure the correct people leave and who’s allowed to be discharged. At this time, another officer nudges him and tells him to lower his voice. They want to play this out and keep the peace and not cause a panic. They do not act yet as they move on to another area and proceed to have the conversation elsewhere.
As Emerick goes back, Phoenix notices that Net is down and acting a little weird. She does not yet say anything to him.
Jewel is trying not to look like she’s in pain as she scrolls her Agent. Throughout this, Jewel has been stalking Phoenix’s social media and stories to try to figure out who Phoenix is. As Jewel reads the stories, she realizes that there seems to be multiple Phoenix’s writing stories rather than just the one: the stories vary a little from person to person, and this Phoenix is just one of many that takes up the mantle.
Saint is leaning back on a chair just wanting to get out of here - he’s antsy, not wanting to stay here.
Net’s wenging into his hands as he’s wanting to feel something, but if he feels something then he will be in pain, and back and forth in this feedback loop. He doesn’t feel great.
Ryne
Ryne tries to sneak out of the hospital and finds three cop cars sitting outside. As Ryne is outside and looking around, he’s starting to piece together how to get back to the van. He doesn’t have the keys, so he’s trying to figure out the best way to get out of here. The two cops left outside are intently scouring the parking lot. They all have their lights on, but no sirens, and then he hears a few more sirens in the distance. Ryne just starts to walk north.
As Ryne walks, a car pulls up and the window rolls down to reveal Juice asks where the fuck he’s going. Ryne explains that he’s walking away from the cops to get away from them, and Juice bids him return to protect his properties. Ryne argues and Juice tells him to get his ass back in there and protect the group.
Ryne enters the hospital and approaches Phoenix and recommends that she let Emerick know that we need to get our stories straight. Phoenix agrees that she is picking up what he’s putting down and she is going to make some calls and get ahead of all of this since we haven’t been questioned yet. Phoenix will gladly throw us all under her lawyer if needed, but we’ll owe her a favor. Ryne accepts this on behalf of the party including Jewel.
Ryne is the next one to be called back. He goes to the back and they ask him what he’s in for, and he says he needs a basic checkup. He blindly writes a note saying “search for bomb. be unsuspicious” and shows it to her. The nurse turns white and he stares up at the ceiling. She starts to freak out and begins to hyperventilate as she deer in headlights. She sits down in her chair as she basically has a panic attack at Ryne basically saying he has a bomb strapped to himself.
Ryne tries really hard to pass off that he’s talking about cancer but that COOL score of 2 really outed itself in this conversation hoo boy. He does somehow manage to convince her that he’s talking about cancer and they stumble through a conversation. She agrees to take his vitals and do the exam, and then she’ll talk to the doctor.
He texts Emerick and advises he will likely be arrested soon and a lawyer might need to be called. Emerick asks if he has to call or not, and Ryne sends a thumbs up in response.
Interrogation
Ryne gets two officers that aren’t any of the four he saw enter the hospital. They comment that he looks like he’s lived a rough life, then asks why he’s in here wasting time. Ryne asks why they’re wasting his time, and they say that their time is more important than his. They explain that there have been some talk of unpleasant individuals in the area and they’re wanting to talk to them. Ryne quips that half the town are the unpleasant individuals.
Cutting to the chase: there was a recent break out in crime a few miles away. The police are spreading out a bit to search for the individuals. He says he’s sick like everyone else, and he explains that he’s being seen for cancer.
Ryne gives the least information as possible: they went to a corner, then traveled to another corner, he was begging for money.
Emerick
Emerick’s experience is much better: everyone is very punctual, nice, calm, and straightforward. He pays 100eds to be stabilized (remove the -2 to checks). It’s all very smooth.
While waiting, Emerick calls Seo and lets him know what happened and that we may need to make use of his lawyer again. Seo asks which hospital he’s at and Emerick tells him.
Right at the end as he is about to leave, there is a knock at the door. The footsteps were quite different as they came down the hallway - TT thinks of everything when it comes to his care because he pays them an awful lot of money - and so there was a pair of footsteps that were much heavier coming. They stop just outside of the room and then there’s a heavy knock at the door, the stereotypical police knock.
The door opens and the police step in. One steps forward with a datasheet and clipboard and he explains that Em’s the first on the list.
Interrogation
For Emerick’s part, he spins the story that he was a media searching for a lead on some XBDs. He frames it so that all of the party are just people he’s worked with in the past and they were giving him backup because it was in scav territory. He explains that Phoenix was only there to help rather than in an official capacity.
Discharge
Seo arrives as Emerick is discharged and gives Emerick a big hug. Seo asks how he is and Emerick explains he’s sore, but okay. Seo says it’s time to go home, and takes Emerick to one of his fancy personal apartments for the evening instead of going to the warehouse.
Saint
Gets taken back and is stabilized. It takes him twice as long to receive care and Saint texts the group chat saying he hates this shit and he never wants to go back to the hospital.
He asks the group via text how everyone is doing and there is a little bit of small talk through that.
Net
Net is given a DeTox while he’s in the back, along with a SpeedHeal and stabilization. Net cooperates with the cops this time.
Interrogation
He’s too depressy and ouchie to be of any help.
Sulfur
Sulfur is taken back and there wasn’t much in the way of work on him. He’s done around the same time as Emerick because he has the least amount of work required.
Interrogation
For his interrogation, they ask if he’s been in something like this before. Sulfur explains he’s just trying to live out the rest of his days, and that he’s not a risk taker. You don’t get old by taking risks. The police admit that he’s impressive behind the wheel. The police want him to give all of the details and Sulfur explains his memory isn’t that good, the last he recalls was his daughter bringing him here. He recounts some bullshit story about his daughter bringing him here and he explains that he would assume she’s back at work, but he can take a bus back to the house, unless the officers would like to help an elderly man get back home. The officers say they’ll see what they can do and Sulfur explains that the NCPD are the best - in New York they book you for nothing.
Sulfur explains he was in the park, talking a walk. With the god awful tower gone the skyline is pretty now. The cops ask why his daughter said he needed to go to the hospital, and he explains he missed a checkup. He hopes his knee doesn’t give out. The cops ask if he knows anything about the others that he traveled with (showing pictures). He explains that is interesting: he saw them in the waiting room but he didn’t talk to them. The cops explain he got out of the same van as them and he explains he doesn’t remember that. The cops point out he was driving, and Sulfur says the last time he drove was when everything was still manual. The cops absolutely don’t believe that he’s that old.
He continues to say this story over and over, and the cops eventually leave him alone because he doesn’t confirm anything.
Jewel
She is taken care of as well and is released after six hours.
Interrogation
For her interrogation, she just was told that she needed to help some of her buddies, so she showed up. She didn’t know what she showed up to, etc. She doesn’t know a lot, so she just says the most basic information as possible. The police to ask her who told her about trouble and so she explains that the fixer Juice told her about it. The police ask how to get in contact with Juice and she hesitates as she realizes she might have messed up, but she gives them Juice’s information (phone number).
Ryne
Ryne decides to walk home, eventually getting some form of transit to get the rest of the way. Juice meets with him before he actually gets home, stepping out of the car. Juice explains that he can help with what’s going on, Ryne just needs to get into the car. Ryne looks at Juice for a moment, then looks at himself, then the street he’s on. Ryne thinks for a moment, and then thanks Juice, but says he’ll walk home.
Juice sighs, pulls out his gun, and puts it on the trunk of the car. Juice states he’s not asking anymore. Ryne says that this threat means nothing, and Juice says that Ryne can live without it, or die by something other than it.
The fixer explains he can get rid of the cancer and get Ryne more toys. Ryne says he doesn’t need help or more toys - he’s fine with what he’s got - and then asks where they’re going, lighting his joint as he slides into the car. Juice explains that Ryne is going to learn more about this operation he’s running and if Ryne cooperates, Juice will get rid of the cancer. If Ryne doesn’t, then Ryne will never be able to disobey ever again.
They drive through NC and the combat zones, and then on the highway to Pacifica. Deep in the Pacifica Playgrounds is a facility where Ryne quickly sees Soviet markings decorating the building. Juice makes a few phone calls during the drive and when the car stops and they get out, two Soviet soldiers approach and immediately grab Ryne by the arms and drag him off. Juice says that he won’t be the same once he’s done with him, he won’t be the same person on the outside. Ryne will understand what it’s like to serve under him entirely - there’s only one other person in the world that’s earned the privilege.
Juice drugs him, with Ryne falling asleep.