Episode XXIII
Posted by The Bellman on May 7, 2008
Kal chats quietly with you as you wait for the train, which rattles in at about 5:15. A couple of other fixers have arrived and picked small crews from the assembled day workers, and a bunch of Undercity dwellers with early-shift jobs are waiting as well by the time the train gets there, so there’s a small crowd boarding the train. As you get on, you notice several Gannies keeping an eye on everyone and occasionally glancing into their eyespaces, probably at scanning devices in the train doors. It’s just as well Kaz isn’t packing.
As the train gets moving the Gannies wander through the car, randomly checking papers. For the obvious groups of illegals they simply approach the fixers, take their bribes, and move on. No one even approaches Kal and there’s no check of you.
At a certain point the train begins to climb and then stops for several minutes. There is a pronounced hum and the lights flicker a bit, but nothing else happens. After a while it lurches forward again and soon arrives at another station. This one looks a lot like a large warehouse or hangar with wide tunnels taking off in all directions. There are no windows. Signage indicates something that might be a station name: “Central: Sub-5″.
Everyone gets off the train and Kal ushers you forward to one of the tunnels. Inside it is a platform for another, much smaller train. This one is strange–the cars are small and clean and there is only one rail. Kal gets into a a car with you, and it immediately takes off, moving quickly and smoothly. After a very short trip the car stops and Kal once again ushers you out onto a platform. He has said nothing since you got on the train at Indy. He now leads you through a series of winding passages and utility tunnels, up metal fire stairs and through doors marked “Emergency” and “Do Not Enter”. After a while you arrive in an enormous basement of some kind, loaded with industrial equipment, maintenance vehicles and crates. It’s impossible to estimate the size of the place, since you can’t see the walls (apart from the one you that has the door just entered through, which seems to go on forever in both directions) and the ceiling is easily 30 meters above.
Kal leads you through the maze of equipment to an “office” of sorts — really something like a shack with a plate glass window on the front and a doorc– standing in the midst of the chaos. He pushes open the door and nudges you in.
A fat man sits behind a desk in a stained tee shirt, looking for all the world like he has been here forever and will never leave, least of all to take a shower. The fat man looks you over and addresses Kal. This what you got for me, Poole?
This is it, Hobbes.
The little one’s okay, we can get him in the shafts. And I guess that one’s fine. He gestures at Kaz. But the old guy ain’t worth shit. Half-share for him.
Kal sighs with apparent resignation, then nods. The fat man makes a funds transfer gesture and Kal flicks his eyes to confirm it, then nods again.
The fat man waves you out, addressing Kal again as if you didn’t exist. Get ‘em suited and up.
Kal leads you out of the office, glancing behind him to confirm that the fat man has gone back to his datapad. He leads you through the maze again and to an enormous freight elevator that could easily carry a couple of forklifts. He ushers you on, presses a few buttons, and waits as the doors grind shut. The elevator begins moving slowly upward. Kal talks fast:
I’ll be leaving you on 121. R&D stretches from 119 to 152 and maybe there’s more, but if so it’s black. My information has the target in a holding facility related to R&D. Don’t ask me why there are holding facilities related to R&D, ’cause I don’t know. We’ll get out of the freight in about 5 minutes, cause it’s pretty damn slow, at the highest freight floor which is 78. I’ll stick you on an express elevator to 121 and I’m out. When you get to 121, get off the elevator and you’ll be in a sort of back-room elevator alcove. The door on your right is your security station. It’s marked. It’s now 6:08. You should be in the Security station no later than 6:20. It’ll be empty until at least 6:45. Your shift technically starts at 7:00, but be out of the station before that. Remember, the tags go bad at 3:00, so be out the front door by then. Zeds usually patrol solo. Two Zeds walking around together would be a little unusual but not a big deal; three would raise eyebrows. Your Links will be fine for communication between yourselves. They monitor outgoing stuff from the tower, but not really internal comms. Questions?
Gummo said
Will the other Zeds freak if they see us? Are they supposed to know everyone on their shift? And how do they talk to the upper-level security?
A.C. said
Am I too old to be a Zed? Is Gummo too young?
To Kaz:
IF we have to be three, it’s a training exercise. I’m walking you two through the place. You watch the AI and guide me by subvocalizing. I’ll hear you.
The Bellman said
To A.C.: Play it young, if you have some makeup or something, go a little young. You’ll be okay. Gummo to you is about the age range for Zeds. At his age you’re just starting. At yours you’ve fucked up a few times and gotten stuck as a Zed instead of moving up. Zed your age is probably pretty hard-ass. The training day thing is a good idea.
To Gummo: Not a problem, new people come and go all the time. Three new faces is not a big deal. Zeds have radios they can use to check in to the Sec stations if the need upper-level help, and there are Sec terminals they can use as well. You’ll have the radios for your uniforms, so feel free to listen, but don’t use them. The Sec stations don’t know you from Chadan.
Kazuo said
Any more clues at all about how to find her? Have you got any contacts you can pass along? Good people to bribe to look the other way, safe place to buy info, anything?
Kaz is keeping an eye on the AI to see if it shows some signs of life. He’s really hoping that Piper anticipated this scenario.
Kazuo said
Any maps or diagrams of the structure, elevators, lifts, stairwells and the like? Are there any databases that we’d have access to that would give us some? The Zeds probably have routes mapped out.
Gummo said
Do we walk out the same way we got in? Is there a badge or uniform for Piper?
The Bellman said
To Kaz: This is all I have. My contacts aren’t gonna help here; if they were I’d have given them to you. I’d suggest you find your way to the detention levels and start poking around. As for who to bribe, well, I think your friend there ((gesturing at A.C.)) knows people about as well as anyone I’ve ever seen, so I guess he’ll know when you meet someone who wants some cash.
To Gummo: When you walk out, walk out the front door. Go down to the public mall levels and just walk out into the Overcity. You can keep your uniforms. A uniform and badge for Piper is a damn good idea — sorry I didn’t think of it. Tell you what, I’ll try to set it up. In two hours, go back to the security station 121 and check in your locker. I’ll make sure it’s empty, but make sure you get there at 9:00 exactly. If I can do it, the uniform and badge will be there.
The Bellman said
Kaliber nods to Kaz. I’ve uploaded floor maps into your Links. They don’t tell you much about what’s in the rooms, but at least you can see where the hallways go and where the elevators and stairs are and such.
Kaz glances into his eyespace and realizes that the bees have disappeared.
Gummo said
((Gummo is ready to go)).
A.C. said
Right. I guess we’re as go as we’re getting.
The Bellman said
The large elevator chugs up 78 where the giant doors open into a much smaller version of the room you just left — a sort of staging area for the towers.
Kal hustles you through the room and over to a bank of elevators. He calls one, and when it arrives he leads you in and keys “121″ into a pad by the door. He then keys a few more buttons and the words “Override Calls” appear in red on the floor indicator screen above the door.
Okay. It’s going to take you to 121 — no stops. You’re on your own. Good luck. I, uh, hope you make it.
He slips out as the doors close and watches as you leave.
The elevator moves fast and opens a few seconds later in a flat, white alcove lit by fluorescents. In front of you is a pair of doors leading out to the main part of the R&D labs. Several other doors also lead off the alcove marked Service, Maintenance, Supplies, Pantry, Utility and Security.
A.C. said
A.C. heads straight for the Security door unless he gets a nod otherwise from Kaz.
Gummo said
Gummo follows A.C.
Kazuo said
Kaz familiarizes himself with the maps while they travel on the elevator.
After the doors open, Kaz follows A.C. as well. The A.I. has disappeared from my eyespace.
The Bellman said
The security station is as described. A small break room, a locker room (just one — no mens and womens), bathroom and shower facilities and a small alcove holding a desk with a terminal for filling out reports. It looks like maybe a more senior officer is usually stationed at the desk, but there’s no one in the station now.
Three of the lockers are slightly ajar, and sure enough you each finds a well-fitting uniform, an ID tag and a radio. Kaz also finds a light pistol in an ankle-strap conceal holster. The ID “tags” actually don’t look like much — they just have the GEMINI logo on them and an identifying bar code. However, they do transmit ID information at all times, so when you glance at your Links (or eyespace) you can see that each tag offers every nearby user an Info box containing your image and some identifying information, including your division (Facility Security) and Rank (Zero), your name (a false name you’ve never seen before) your superior’s name and some information about your available security clearances. Any person (or computer, or door) you meet will have this information without doing anything active to your badge.
In the common area is a large screen showing various security alerts and bulletins, as well as shift assignments for various other Zeds. Your names (your Zed names, that is) do no appear. Once you have suited up, however each of you receives a message on your Links:
Find Raff Neuvol, last seen 138N-8-21-K. This is the Learning of the Hive. The message is not signed and it is not immediately clear where it came from. It would take a better hacker than any of you are to trace it — it is not email or a normal Link message, which would usually have a sender and a source. It has no reply address.
Kaz checks his maps and notes that 138N would seem to be a floor indicator — North section, 138th floor. The rest could be some kind of room code.
A.C. said
(( Front-tailing Kaz. ))
Gummo said
((Ready to go.))
Kazuo said
Kaz performs a quick check on the function of the pistol, checks the magazine and the model, makes sure a round is in the chamber, and then buckles the holster on.
(( Does the name Raff Neuvol appear anywhere on the roster of security people? Is there a search interface for Zeds to use? Kaz realizes they aren’t “real” Zeds, so he’s not really going to try to use any of the consoles, which might prompt a deeper interrogation of the fake badges.
Assuming he gets nothing on the name…))
Quietly to A.C. and Gummo, Allright, let’s make with the training scenario and get to floor 138. Kaz picks a route to the elevators that avoids any obvious major checkpoints or security hubs, and gives discreet directions to A.C. with hand signs, so he can lead the training group.
Kaz pays close attention to the room numbers on their floor to spot the pattern, and so he can get back here easily.
The Bellman said
((Raff doesn’t show up on the security board, and without using a console there’s really nothing to search.))
Assuming a “training” formation you leave security through the front door and go out into the main part of the building. The floor is something like a maze up here, just long corridors with doors off them. Most of the doors have glass windows in them and you can see the rooms inside, which are mostly electronics labs of various kinds on this floor. The doors are marked and the number scheme, though a little complicated, becomes relatively comprehensible after a bit of walking around. Most of the test benches and stations are empty at this time of morning and the floor is quiet. You make your way to a bank of elevators serving the towers (not the service elevators you used before, but “Plebe” elevators) and take them up to 138. A group of young women in short skirts get on at 126, eye you all appraisingly, and get off again a few floors later, laughing and chatting, on a floor that looks like it’s more corporate than the one you left (it has a reception area, not just corridors of labs).
138 arrives and it’s very much like the one you just left — all white hallways with closed doors off them, but this seems to be a floor full of coders, since most of the doors lead to large rooms full of cubicles, many of which are occupied by people working away at computer terminals. You make your way to North Side, Section 8, Room 21 which is a door without a window. The pass-pad indicates that it is a Secure-2 area, which means it’s a level higher than your access permits.
Kaz knows from his Zed blog that some Zeds patrol SecLev 2 areas, but Kal told you he could only get you Level 3 clearance. There’s a button on the door for an intercom system that includes a speaker and a camera. Right now, having noticed it, you are not in range of the camera.
Kazuo said
Can you fast talk some info or access, Chief?, referring to A.C. with the “Chief” name.
Gummo said
Gummo keeps an eye out on the corridor they came from, trying to look like a security guard.
A.C. said
I’m no good with tech. If we walk to the door and use the intercom, I can try to talk us in, but we’d be seen. That ok?
Kazuo said
Sure, if they buy your story that’s great. I was thinking there might be some leads on this side of the door, maybe find out who he is at least. Like the women from the elevator or something. Whatever looks good to you, I’ve got your back.
A.C. said
A.C. approaches the intercom, sketches a salute for the cameras, and speaks when the light comes on:
Security spot check, cube K. Neuvol, R. Please step out for an ID check. Code Bagpiper. Sorry to be going through this again.
The Bellman said
There is a soft click and the door opens a bit. A slight puff of cool air comes through and you can hear a soft hum from inside. After a second someone pulls open the door — a young guy in a tee shirt and cargo pants who looks puffy and tired, like he’s been up for several nights. His hair is cut close to his skull and several jacks glitter in the stubble. The room behind him is slightly darker than the hallway and he squints at you as he checks you out.
Bagbiter?
A.C. said
You Neuvol? (( If yes: )) One moment sir.
Cocks an eyeborw at Kaz, to say: anything from the bees?
Kazuo said
(( The bees left when we entered the elevator. The message from the AI with Neuvol’s name was the last contact. ))
The Bellman said
From the guy: I look like a halfjack to you?
He looks at a panel mounted on the other side of the door.
Neuvol is in K Cell. I can rotate him out if you want, but resub’ll eat up like 50 cycles. Do we have to do this now?
A.C. said
(( A.C. phrases the next few sentences so that they can be heard in multiple ways depending on what the listener wants to hear. Explanation follows… ))
A.C. pitches his voice too low to be heard by a standard mic. Not Backbiter. Bagpiper. Piper, as in what’s been keeping you up nights. Don’t let the uniforms fool you– we’re not Zeds at all, not at all. Here’s your chance to make a difference before the shit hits the fan in the biggest possible way. This is the ONLY chance you get. You ready to play?
((In effect, A.C. is pitching this as both a threat and a way out. If the guy scares easily, he can hear A.C. saying he’s higher up in megacorporate security thtn Zed, dropping by and giving the poor sap one chance to confess to the corporate overlords and save his skin. If he’s more the gamer type, the same words can be read as the truth– A.C. and crew are outside the hierarchy entirely and this is a rescue. A.C. uses his perception and people reading skills to change the pitch accordingly. If he feels like it, he could add the word “along” to the last line, sealing the threat, or let it dangle, preserving the gamer element.))
The Bellman said
The guy looks at A.C. for a few seconds, at first defiant, then his face suddenly changes. A.C. feels the change, as if something clicked.
Look, I don’t know anything about this. It’s Raff’s deal. I’ll rotate him out — he’s been in for like three days anyway — but leave me out of it. I never did anything. I never saw anything either. I just work the panel.
He opens the door and lets you see inside the room as a gust of cold, dry air blows out into the hall. Inside are a series of large, black pods, each about 2 meters by 2 meters and about 3 meters tall. Each pod is mounted on a sort of pedestal that allows it to tilt backwards at a slight angle. There are probably 25 pods in the room, laid out like a standard cubicle farm with paths running between them. The floor is elevated, so whatever cabling there is is not visible. About half the pods are upright and open, but it is dark and hard to see inside. The other half are sealed and tilted backwards.
The guy who answered the door gestures you in and looks over to a small control room in the back, obviously ready to go back there and open up Raff’s pod if you let him.
Gummo said
Gummo looks to A.C. for direction.
Kazuo said
Kaz does the same, looking tough and following AC’s lead.
A.C. said
You just work the panel, eh? Then work the panel. If you can make it so we never came in this door though, that’s extra points. Let’s talk to Raff.
A.C. steps in, and nods the others in.
>> mental, to L.B.: You see anything but walls of white noise, let me know. <<
Kazuo said
Kaz steps in quickly and scans the room for any other workers. Then he looks at the security layout, looking for any controls or communication terminals.
The Bellman said
The guy nods and goes back to the office where he gets to work. A few minutes later you hear the sound of motors and one of the pods, marked with a “K”, begins to rotate into an upright position.
Once it is fully upright the pod locks into position with a loud thump and a door in the side slides out an open revealing an interior pod which rotates slowly around until its opening is aligned with the door. From the darkness of the pod a man slips out, blinking and pulling a complex web of cables and wires out of the jacks in his bald head. He’s short and skinny with several days’ growth of beard and the look of a man who hasn’t slept in a long time. He’s wearing shorts and a tee-shirt, but still sweating slightly even in the cold of the room. He quickly moves from squinting and slightly stunned, to fully pissed off. He doesn’t even seem to notice you at first, but turns to yell at the office.
What the flying fucking fuck, Fitz? Who told you to fucking spin me? Asshole? ASSHOLE? I told you leave me the fuck in.
Fitz peers out from the office.
Dude. You had like 3000 cycles in . . . check the board, man. You were gonna be jelly. Plus . . . Fitz makes his eyes big and gestures at you.
Raff looks confused. What? What the fuck are you making eyes about? He looks around and spots you. Suddenly his look changes from anger to fear. Oh, HELL no.
He turns back to his pod, but, realizing that Fitz is not going to put him back in, he turns instead to face A.C., trying to put on a braver face.
What? What the fuck do you want now?
((A.C. From little boy: “This one stinks! He’s scared and hiding. The stink is old, but its got worse in the last few days.” A.C. knows what LB means–he’s seen this before, the small time huckster who stumbles on a huge score and goes to ground with the shakes because he doesn’t know what to do with it.))
The Bellman said
Kaz: the room is just the pods and the office in the back. By the door where you came in there is also a Security terminal that a Zed could use to call in a problem. Above that is a large screen that has the pod designations (A-Cell through X-Cell), whether they are occupied and by whom, and how long they have been occupied. About half indicate that they are occupied. By far the longest period is K-Cell, occupied by Raff Neuvol. He has been in for 2,996.48 Cycles (whatever a cycle is). Other occupied pods hover in the 600-1000 range.
Kaz finds it a little odd that there is a screen like this with stats on it. It would be more usual to add the info to the eyespace of any authorized person entering the room. There must be some reason for it, though.
Gummo said
Gummo does his best to look menacing.
Kazuo said
Kaz makes a note of all the names, snapping a photo with his contacts. Any that ring any bells?
The Bellman said
Nope.
A.C. said
Now? And what, do tell, have I wanted in the past? …
That’s right, we’re not little Zeds. But you do have a chance to get through this with you skin, and more besides if you play it just right.
So, been keeping company in your pod? Tell us about it.
The Bellman said
Raff narrows his eyes and runs his hand through what was once either his hair or his senseweb. No, fuck that. You can’t kill me. You don’t know what I put out there. I got friends. I got drops. You off me and it all gets out. . . Or . . .
He looks at A.C., who stands silent, looking at him. Kaz and Gummo stand there looking tough, and somehow it’s Gummo who seems to push him over the edge. Something in Gummo’s eyes tells him he’s not dealing with GEMINI at all.
You don’t care. You don’t fucking care do you? You aren’t inSec at all you fuckers. . . Fitz! FITZ!
There’s no response from the control room, the door to which has closed.
Kazuo said
Kaz steps over to the control room and checks the door.
(( Is it locked? How sturdy is it? Kaz doesn’t want Fitz to be doing anything at all right now, so he’ll do whatever it takes to get Fitz under control. Fast. He’ll be violent, threating, &tc, but leaving the gun in the holster. ))
A.C. said
Ah, light dawns on halfjack head. No, we’re not Internal Security. But think about it– what are we then? Not entirely bad. Might even let you keep a little something, as I said. But you are so very, sadly wrong if you think you get to live without answering my questions. Honestly, this is your LAST chance to work with us. You think we actually CARE if it gets out or stays in or runs wild and free? So, you have…
A.C. glances into space for a second…
… forty-five seconds to live. Fuck your friends, fuck your drops. Give it up and live, or lock it in and die. You have forty seconds. Talk. Now.
The Bellman said
Kaz: The door is locked, but not especially sturdy. It could be kicked in. There is a big window on the front of the office that allows the operator to keep an eye on the pods. You can see Fitz inside, basically trying to look busy. Right now he just seems to be trying to keep his head down, but he could wise up any time.
A.C.: It doesn’t take Raff long to flip. Sure, right, whatever, fuck. But not fucking here, man, are you fucking nuts? Look around, man. Get Fitz out of the fucking office before he freaks and reports us all and we can talk in there. It’s true that this room is probably fairly heavily monitored and it being a high security level, someone somewhere is probably watching the pods remotely.
Gummo said
Gummo gets close to Raff to make sure he doesn’t bolt, and walks him to wherever A.C. directs.
A.C. said
((Is there an intercom system for the control room too, to talk to the person inside?))
The Bellman said
((Nope. Maybe inside the pods. But the booth doesn’t look soundproof — Fitz can probably hear you if you raise your voice.))
A.C. said
Fitz! We’re commandeering the office to talk to Raff. C’mon out.
((A.C. figures this node operates pretty much without a lot of megacorporate oversight most of the time. Otherwise Raff would have flagged something by staying in his pod for days at a time… ))
The Bellman said
After a long pause Fitz emerges from the control room. I’m gonna go, you know, get something to eat at the two-six. He looks at Raff. Pig and Rita have to come out in, like, 40 cykes, so I’m gonna have to be back then. Watch the board and ding me if anyone goes yellow, ness?
Raff looks at him with dead eyes. Fuck you, Fitz.
Fitz nods a few times. Right, yeah. So. Lates. He takes off toward the front of the room. ((If not stopped, he leaves the room, closing the door behind him.))
Kazuo said
Kaz figures Fitz won’t be talking anytime soon, but he looks to A.C. to see if he wants Fitz stopped.
A.C. said
No, I don’t think letting Fitz leave is the brightest idea.
Gummo said
Gummo sticks by Raff, figuring Kaz can handle Fitz.
Kazuo said
Kaz nods to A.C. and steps between Fitz and the door. We may have a few questions for you, if you wouldn’t mind staying.
His demeanor makes it clear Fitz doesn’t have any choice.
A.C. said
A.C. smiles tightly at Kaz’s expert handling of the situation. He holds open the control room door for Raff.
The Bellman said
Raff shuffles into the control room.
Fitz looks at Kaz. Dude. I am so not here. Lemme just go get a sandwich. I’m cool.
Kazuo said
Have a seat. If you continue to cooperate, this won’t take long at all.
Kaz bristles a bit at Fitz resisting him, but keeps his temper under wraps. He lets Fitz know this is the last time he’ll be asked politely.
Gummo said
Gummo follows Raff into the control room, if there’s space.
The Bellman said
There is space. Fitz shakes his head. Dude. Fitz goes and sits on the edge of an open pod.
A.C. said
Once A.C., Raff and Gummo are in, A.C. pulls the door almost but not quite closed.
He gives Raff a gentle gesture with one hand, Go.
The Bellman said
Alright, I’ll give, but this is bullshit. What are you going to do for me? Who are you? You can’t just kill me. What I have is big, sav? I need out and I need paid and I need clear from D-Sec. We don’t need to do deets right now, but tell me you have a bankroll and way out of here for me and you’re not just psychos. You know what an eater is, right? Someone set off an eater on the fucking INSIDE STREAM, man — that’s how big this is. You sav? D-Sec put an eater in their own stream — their own net. But I saw the bits before they got et — could’t cap ‘em, natch, but I saw ‘em. So I know the stuff and I even capped some of the eater in action. So it’s big. So tell me you got a way out and we can talk.
A.C. said
OK, that’s your tale. But it’s only noise for now. So. Show me the caps. I assume they’re not residing on the Gemini stream waiting to be deleted as soon as someone catches on.
The Bellman said
Raff keeps looking over at Gummo as he talks. Something about Gummo makes him nervous.
Uh, yeah … but are you listening? I’ll give you a peek — but I need . . . you know, I need assurances, sav? I need to fucking stay alive and get paid! Fuck! Anyway here cheggit.
He makes some complex gestures in the air and begins whispering to himself, then stops, looking sheepish, having momentarily forgotten he is in real space. Well, fuck. He looks around and finds a datapad. Grabbing a cable he plugs in into the pod control board and begins tapping away on it. After a while it lights up with incomprehensible symbols and codes. He hands it to A.C.
OK, this is a sparse feed from my podspace crypto store. Wait . . . There. See? Eater. In the GEMINI stream — see? He points to some symbols and nods excitedly. See? It’s the INSIDE net. He gestures some more, pointing out some distinction that is obvious to him, but invisible to A.C. The bright, dense image of shiftng colors and symbols may as well be Ancient Bixpan to A.C.
So . . . you wanna know what they were trying to get rid of? With the eater, you know? Tell me you can get me out of here and get me paid.
A.C. said
So why’d you stay in so long? You had to know someone was gonna come along in realspace. When were you thinking of cycling out?
The Bellman said
Looking for an out. Once they knew, you know, shit, all I can do is pull together as much payload as I can and look for someone who’ll take it in return for a ticket out. I wasn’t looking for this, sav? It fell on me. Once I was in it I just spent my cykes trying to get as much data as I could and find a buyer. But you found me first. So now I guess I hope you’re the buyer, or I’m fucked anyway. No doubt. So man I’m ready to spill you a hell of a thing, man, shit, you know? So, you know, but I gotta know. Are you a player? Is it safe?
A.C. said
Ever heard of The Firm?
The Bellman said
Raff shakes his head. Is that your people . . . they can get me out, right? He looks like he wants to believe.
A.C. said
You can walk out with us if that becomes necessary. Our people can pay you and set you up, if they decide they want to. But we’re not here to do that. We’re here to get that AI — or better yet the person who coded it– and that person gets a free pass out of here. You only get one if you are essential to that mission, sav? If you can help us achieve our goal, you can tag along, and when we walk, you walk. And when we get paid, so do you. But if you can’t help we’ll put a bullet in you and shove you back into the pod for IntSec to find next time they sweep this farm.
So, we want the eater and its coder. You coming along? If so, where are we headed?
The Bellman said
I have no idea. I don’t think you get what’s going on here, man. D-Sec coded that thing. . . gotta be. You want to know who coded it? I have no idea. But the eater’s just a, uh, a smart virus, right? Made to wipe out traces. You want to know who coded it or you’re going to kill me? Well then kill me cause I know shit about that.
He looks at A.C. for several seconds trying to gauge his response. Look, man, I want out of here. The eater is big, you’re right, and the coder would be fucking huge, sure, but I don’t have it — but I know what they were hiding. Let me tell you that’s even bigger. I’ll tell you, your people, you know, if your people are players, your people want to know this. . . serusly. Please, man, don’t fucking off me.
The Bellman said
((A.C.’s read, confirmed by LB, is that they guy is telling the truth: he doesn’t know who coded the erasure virus, he believes it was done intentionally by people inside GEMINI to hide the tracks of something, and he knows what the something is. He thinks the something is extremely important. He thinks its the most important thing in the world.))
A.C. said
OK, fine. I’m part of a team sent by a top player to find a major anomaly here. I assumed it was the eater, but I’m willing to accept it was whatever the eater was trying to cover up. That’s certainly poassible. So then, that would be what my people are after. Now, does that still exist somewhere? Somewhere in this tower, I mean? I’ll try to keep you as safe as I can, guaranteed. But a lot of expense was spent getting us in here, and I don’t want to walk out with a minnow when the shark I’m after was only a few floors away. So open up. Where’s the big fish? What D-Sec or whoever was trying to cover up– is it in here somewhere? We have some serious firepower… A.C. glances at Gummo …on this mission and we were tonld we’d need it. So, where’s the beef? What they were trying to remove all traces of– where’d they put it in realspace?
The Bellman said
((New thread.))