Shadowrun: Knight's Strike

Gizmo followed silently through all the fancy as drek little security measures that would no doubt make his life hell for the next week. When she led him in, his eyebrows raised slowly and steadily as he took it all in. This was a lot of fragging Nuyen she's using to live fancy, but she's a Face-sorta-thing, so that's probably understandable.

What really took him by surprise, was the coffee.

Actual, honest to Ghost coffee.

At that point, he couldn't raise his eyebrows further, even if he wanted to.

He was a bit too taken back to really respond, nodding dumbly as she went about her business. Leaving him in charge of the coffee....

When should you pour yourself a cup? He didn't know the first thing about coffee brewing. All his soykaf came from fragging soluble powder, now this slitch expects him to know what the hell to do with this?

All the while she changed, he looked at the coffee pot like it was an alien creature, his face deep in frown as he tried to figure out how long you had to boil the stuff to get the soykaf out.

Eventually he just figured that it would be ready, and if it wasn't, she'd make a new one.

He stuck to the soy milk, though. Who the frag drinks milk that comes from cow tits?

When she came back, he didn't really have time to ask her.

His eyebrows went back to fully raised as he absorbed the instant change of the mood she gives off. He gave her a once over.... then another... then yet another as he tried to figure out how she so seamlessly switches modes

"You look.... pretty fragging hot, if I'm gonna be honest." He stated bluntly, shaking his head as he tried to think "The plan's simple so far: We make it. We go out and we gather as much data as we can that's relavent to the run, then we make a decision from there."
 
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With raised eyebrows she chuckled like a schoolgirl. "Our plan is to think up a plan!? Genius!" She said taking a sip. "Uuuh~, thanks for the compliment, chummer. Momma always said I was a troublesome gal, and all I did was burn down the kitchen while tryin' to make napalm." She added with an ear to ear toothy grin. She straightened herself and sauntered over to a drawer in the dinning room and took out a couple of hairpins which she used to style a rather messy looking hair swept to the left side, to make her seem like even more of a street surfer; only thing really missing was a skateboard but those haven't been seen for years now.

She returned to the Kitchen and sat herself on the counter. Upclose it was obvious her clothes weren't completely clean or nice smelling, in fact in seemed that her disguise came straight with the smells of cheap synthohol and cigarettes. She sat there legs spread rather than crossed and looking terribly tomboyish for someone who just a minute ago was in a suit and heels. She had half drained her cup by now. "So boss, gotta do the legwork, better call that contact of yours I don' wanna joyride halfway across the city for nothin'." She batted her eyelashes at him mockingly.
 
"Napalm's a tricky business." He stated, though clearly taken aback by her absolute 180 of mannerisms. "I usually let my body Franky sort that drek out for me. Weird guy, not from around here."

"Could we just..." He raised his hand, not able to deal with all this personality shift anymore

"HOw the frag are you doing that? How can you just flip a fragging switch and now you're a gutterpunk? I don't fragging get it, and honestly, it freaks me out kinda."
 
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Ariadne perked up and flashed Gizmo a wicked smile. "Well, like any other skill it takes practice, and drek-load of confidence! It's not the authenticity of the act that sells it but the confidence by which it is delivered, even if you over-act your shtick, if done with enough confidence, just enough tongue in cheek and intense looks people just assume that is who you are, someone who tries to act like a trid show character, or a music icon. Think about who you are as a person and why you act like you do. You don't know, don't you. It's hard to observe yourself, memory falters, behavior is inconsistent, it's human, there's errors all over the place. So if our own personalities are so malleable then couldn't fake personas be just as real. No one really knows why they do what they do, it's all instinct and subconsciousness. That's why if you try hard enough eventually you learn how to do it. Just like you probably had to learn how to drive a car and control a bunch of drones at the same time, unless you were savant and could always do that. In which case, lucky you." She finished her cup of coffee and slid her tush off the counter. She soaked the cup and left it in the sink for now. "Don't try to read too much into who I am, you already know the important stuff. I may have been given luxury before but make no mistake, everything I know I earned through hard work. And I did get BURNED, so no matter what I had it was all lost in an instant when I had to go SINless." There was no act there, that much was obvious. The seriousness of the mood and her demeanor would've made that apparent to all but the blind and deaf at the same time.
 
He listened, nodding his head slightly while she explained it, smirking slightly as she kept talking, nodding when she finally stated she was Burned. He gave a shrug, "Don't know how to console you there, omae. I was born without one. Can't really know how it feels to lose something, if you never had it, ya know?"

He found his coffee very interesting, chugging it down and putting it in the sink. Absently, he started rinsing the mug out "Dont' know what happened with you, but I got more respect for you. I got your back in this.... where's your soap?"
 
"Just leave it, I'll put it in the washing machine after supper. And, like I said, you already know the important stuff, well I guess I can add that I won't leave you behind for the Run but well, I sure as hell won't stay behind and die with you. So I guess it's somewhere in the middle, I won't leave you to be captured but I also won't bail when it's certain death. That hasen't happened yet, others keep telling me I had too many close calls but honestly I had it all under control." She clapped her hands suddenly and struck a pose changing her disposition again. "Shall we roll, chummer. We got us a job to do don' we? Time's a tickin'. Best we begin!" She started towards the door out as soon as she was done. Behind her cocky street persona she was satisfied that Gizmo had started to warm up to her, maybe it was the coffee or her looks or the story she told him but either way you cut it she could now trust him a bit more and that was necessary for a pair of runners.
 
"Washing machine? Frag me." He stated with obvious surprise, looking around to find something that fit that description of a thing that washes dishes. He gave a small nod as she explained the conditions of when she'll stick and when she'll bounce "Trust me, Omae. I'll bounce when I think imma die going down that road, though admittedly I become stupid when partners are involved."

A small smirk came across his face when he thought about memories along the line, but his smirk turned to a confused frown when she switched mentalities again. He'll never get used to that.

He shrugged and pulled out his commlink, contacting his buddy as he walked to the door "Yo Gress! I need that buddy of yours that gave you the Uniform.... Because I fragging need it!.... Frag you, you jacked up slitch! You owe me for Auburn!... Yeah I'm bringing that up, you beetled little fragger! I'm coming to Tacoma, and I'm getting that fragging name if I have to shoot it out of you with gell rounds!"

He hung up, his frown deep as he looked at her "Everything's according to plan."
 
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On her way out she made a brief stop at the closet and retrieved a silver pentacle pendant. She tied it around her neck and tucked it in. A simple focus to help with the spells. In case of trouble, of course. She followed Gizmo into the elevator as he finished his conversation over the Comm. As they rode down she was quiet noting the discomfort Gizmo felt whenever she changed her act. She was just leaned against the side of the elevator minding her own business. As far as she was concerned this was Gizmo's show now, his ride and his contact they were going to meet. She only nodded when he said everything was going as planned.

She was excited to get things started, it was a long dry spell without work and now things were finally kicking off. Sure it wasn't the time for action yet but she was definitely a bit giddy just waiting for it. On top of that it's been a while since she put on an act like this one, a street punker with an attitude. It gave her an excuse to put on some trashy but nonetheless cute outfits.
 
Gizmo wordlessly went down to his van, jacking him in and driving to a shady apartment building in Tacoma. There they found a sweaty, greasy haired individual with a deep frown on his face. He didn't look too good, and the signs of repeated drug use were very hard to miss.

Even so, in his Lone Star uniform, he looked somehow more presentable. If he bothered to actually clean himself up, he'd be a perfect Lone Star officer. The fact that he didn't spoke about his attitude towards Gizmo.

He stared murder into the van as it stopped, Gizmo stating through the mic "Just let me talk to him first. He might just start to try and get into your pants, and I need the guy alive until then."
 
"What? Think I'm gonna get so offended over it that I'll want to kill him? Honestly Giz, seems like he doesn't like you one bit." Despite the short protest, if you could even call it that, she kept her mouth shut. She wasn't in the mood to play around, Gizmo was the boss for now. Whether he could get this guy to comply with his request was on him and in an unlikely event that he does fail she could always get involved, maybe a wink and a smile would suffice given the man's looks. Unfortunately, Gizmo already mentioned this guy was using the uniform to get some tail so a prospect of sex was likely to fail, it needed to me more than that, an experience. Wouldn't be easy, but it takes real player to bribe Casanova with the idea of some TLC. Honestly she hoped it wouldn't be necessary, the man seemed like he wasn't worth the trouble.

"If you need me just shout." She said propping her feet on the dash. The silver pentacle grew warmer between her bosom, not yet active and focusing but ready and set in case she needed it. Her head stuck somewhere between idle fantasies and mind exercises used for spellcasting. Part of her attention was dedicated to the man in the uniform as she glanced over with an innocent smile every now and then. She had one hand in a jacket pocket twiddling a piece of branch she once used as reagent; this one was spent and useless but it occupied her time as she waited.
 
"Trust me, if anything he'll be the one doing the shouting." He grumbled, ejecting himself from his jack and looking incredibly weary as he climbed out.

From her vantage point, she could see the conversation was heated from the getgo, with a back and forth arguing between them. It didn't look like intervention was needed, but Gizmo was winding up tighter and tighter because of it.

At one point, the man shoved Gizmo back, who in turn gave a laugh that said "I'm trying very hard not to kill you" as he reached for the pistol he had stashed under his shirt. With sheer force of will, he pulled his hand away, motioning for Ariadne to come out.
 
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"With friends like that..." Ariadne went to minding her own business as soon as Gizmo left the van. She was twiddling her tiny branch when she happened upon a piece of chewing gum in the other pocket. She plopped that bad boy right in her mouth and much to her expectations it tasted stale. The only benefit was that with the chewing gum she could blow bubbles and seem like more of an airhead. Just in case her acting wasn't cutting it.

Sure enough, Gizmo wasn't joking about this meeting. As soon as they met the shouting started and with each passing second Gizmo seemed just a bit closer to strangling the man with his bare hands. Oh and there he goes. She thought as he reached for the gun, luckily he had more control than his contact and he refrained from splattering perfectly good brain. On cue Ariadne pushed open the van doors and hopped out of the seat like a kid. "Trouble boss?" She asked chewing the gum in the corner of her mouth and smiling at the two. "Anything I can do to help?" She added suggestively licking her lips.
 
The reaction the man gave was both immediate and clear. He turned to Gizmo with newfound diplomacy, with clear reason for where it's coming from "I didn't know you had someone under you.... she uhh... she does what she's told?"

From his face, and the elevator stare, it was clear what the sleaze meant.

"Sure does...." Gizmo stated, eyeing her as he formed a plan in his mind "Honestly, every time she calls be Boss, I get a little tingly down under." With the certain tone he used, he either was a professional liar, or actually meant what he said. "Perks of the job, I guess. Now, could we please talk about the contact?"

"Yeah... Yeah-yeah sure... just..." He gives her his winning smile, which honestly isn't much "You you doing?"

A facepalm showed that Gizmo regretted his plan instantly
 
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It didn't take a genius to think of a proper play here, seemed she had overestimated the guy. With a mischievous smile she sauntered over to the two men. "Boss, you failed to mention how handsome your friend was." She wrapped an arm around his head and sunk her fingers in the man's hair. Her lips gently parted hovered mere inches in front of his with her eyes covered with lust. A led went around his and she leaned into him pressing her breast against his. Her other hand caressed his cheek gently grazing his skin with her badly painted fingernails.

"Too bad, I'm busy right now. We have a job to do and we could get it done faster if only you helped us." She whispered teasingly into his ear. As she pushed herself away from him, he knew the only way to get her was to give them what they wanted and wait for their job to be finished. Either that or try and protest, that was up to him and either way she had a way of getting that Intel. The preference was on the less intrusive and more subtle methods.
 
Gizmo couldn't raise his eyebrow higher as Ariadne did what Ariadne did best: Confuse the living drek out of him by looking so sincere, even if she wasn't.

The man in question didn't last long in terms of willpower. The sleazy smile he had before quickly dissolved as he found a girl who was far more practiced at the art of seduction. The primary look of confusion he had before replaced with lust pretty quickly. He looked visibly disappointed, and even whined when she pulled away, turning right into Gizmo's shit eating grin.

That girl knew her fucking business.

"So. How about just give me the fragging name. I'll pay you, and we can call this a day?"

The sleaze coughed a bit, trying to look like he was in control of the situation, before giving a slow nod "Yeah. Yeah I'll give you the name... say, sweety. Mind giving your number?"

Gizmo stepped in, giving a big "FUCK YOU" smile as he stated "We'll be in touch. After the job."

The man's jaw clenched, but sighed and nodded "Fine. Where's your commlink?"
 
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Ariadne blew the man a kiss from Gizmo's side and proceeded to waltz right back to the van shaking her hips just enough to make weak willed men go crazy over it. The man was a sleazeball, no two ways about it. Turns out Gizmo's description of him back at the offices was not an overstatement. She almost judged Gizmo for knowing the man when she remembered her contacts consist mostly of sociopaths and killers. A little ugly pervert was nothing to write home about compared to some of them. Honestly she felt like she is the one that should be judged for the company she keeps. Yeah they were colorful folks, and every single one of them crazy as a jester. She couldn't help but laugh at herself from inside the van. It was a cute and simple laugh, the duo outside could barely even notice it.
 
The man typed in the wrong code in when he was busy drooling over Ariadne's seductive retreat, luckily Gizmo suspected as much and made him confirm and subsequently correct the number. After the small exchange was over, Gizmo took the dedicated moment to slug the bastard in the crotch with a loud "You fragging deserved that!" as he walked away, grumbling maybe a bit too loud about perverts trying to get it one with his team mates. From the way he said it, it was a rather possessive tone.

He climbed in, going to the driver seat and just taking a moment to unwind "Sonnovaslitch. That asshole's worse than me. At least i'm fragging honest with me being an asshole."
 
"SuuUUUure. Since you're being so honest you wouldn't want to take me to bed right now, would you?" She looked at him with puckered lips and less than lady-like look in her eyes. "Be careful of where your mind's at Gizmo." She backed off immediately, deciding not to push him any further. And she had such a lovely tease in mind too, but he needed to keep his head on the job, not his crotch. "Why'd you rock him in the 'nards? Because he insulted me with his perversions? Or because he insulted YOU? Well, he's your contact, your slotting problem." She buckled the seatbelt and propped her legs up on the dash again. "Where to now, Boss?" She asked before perking up. "Oh, I almost forgot, I'm not sleeping with you on the job." It was a cold statement, nothing there to be disputed, just a pure fact. She did however specify 'on the job'. It would be hard to tell if that meant anything or not with her, it was likely she herself wasn't too sure about it either.
 
Gizmo opened his mouth, then closed it and furrowed his eyebrows at her. His pale, reddening cheeks gave indication to where his mind was at. He tried to remain composed, clearing his throat as he tried to adjust the collar of his T-Shirt when he suddenly discovered it was far too tight for no apparent reason.

"Yeah... Yeah no sleeping on the job. Otherwise you'll just.... frag up." He gave a slow nod, clearly trying to compose himself from her tease "Sorry it's just..." He gestured in her general direction.

He left the subject there, going to his commlink and contacting someone "Spider. I need your hoop to check a fragger out. I'm sending you the details." He gave her an apologetic look as he ended the call, sighing slightly "Listen, Chica. Sorry about my jack bothering me."
 
"Relax Gizmo, I couldn't care less. Hell, if I had a nuyen every time a chummer wanted to sleep with me I'd OWN Ares by now." She blew a bubble at him carelessly. "I'll try not to tease you too much, but if you plan on relying on my sex appeal then you best be ready for it. Or just tell me to probe the fragger and be done with it." She retrieved the pentacle pendant and rubbed it gently showing the faint light emanate from it. "Just a potential alternative, but I would prefer to minimize doing it. Inheriting someone's memories and emotions is not always pretty." She winked and placed the pentacle back in her shirt. "What now? Drinks while we wait?" She asked with a smile almost hopeful that something was going to happen. This side of Gizmo wasn't that attractive, even if she liked seeing him flustered and blushing this may have been a bit much.
 
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