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Mailing List Logs for ShadowRN

Message no. 1
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Operation
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1998 12:08:49 +1200
*****PRIVATE: Faerie
>>>>>[Where've you been the last couple of days? I miss you... but that's
not the only reaons I'm looking for you. I've set up an op, I need your
help, if you're not busy. Come see me soon.]<<<<<
-- Lightning <18:57:33/08-26-59>

*****PRIVATE: Lightning
>>>>>[Sorry, out of town, should have told you. Got a target, as usual.
Stupid Goddess. Anyways, what have you got?]<<<<<
-- Faerie <21:29:42/08-26-59>
Message no. 2
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1998 09:44:45 +1200
*****PRIVATE: Faerie
>>>>>[I know a LoneStar cop who's short on morals, and long on greed. He's
been using my chips for a while now, and he's finally fallen a little too
deep into debt. He came asking me what he could do to pay it off, and I
said I'd think of something. And I did - he's arranged a transfer from Vice
to SWAT, and he's going to help us swipe a whole drekload of SWAT gear from
LSHQ. Obviously I don't trust him, so before we move, I'll need you to
mindrape him and find out if he's tipped anyone off that we're coming.
While we pull the op, he'll be locked up somewhere, just in case. The op
itself shouldn't be too hard, we'll be going in as plumbers, and he'll
arrange for a fault inside that requires said plumbers to be called in.
When we go in, you take off in the astral, you'll be inside the wards so no
alarms will go off. You'll lead your elementals to the basement, wherein
the generator is located, and slag it down. That'll kill all the cameras in
the building, and we then enter the garage, subdue anyone present, and
swipe a SWAT van each. Then we simply drive out. Even if someone notices
what's happened, the power cut will stop the dispatchers getting the word
out. Hand radios are a concern, they'll still work, but we should have time
- there won't be many who see us leave, and there won't be many who know
that the SWAT vans have no reason to leave, and there won't be any who fit
into both categories - at least until they all get together and compare
notes, anyway, but by that time we'll be away.

The astral bit is a little dangerous, and might not work. If it doesn't,
we'll be chased, and we'll have to ditch the vans and make a run for it.
We'll have a cunning escape route ready just in case.

Of course the gear will be nova hot, but Segen knows some smugglers who can
get it out of town for us, and I've got connections in Denver who'd be
interested in whatever we don't want to keep for ourselves. Even with that
cost, it'll still be a reasonably big score - you've seen SWAT teams
before, you know the sort of drek they carry in those vans... SMG's,
assault shotguns, APDS for the snipers, all sorts of wiz grenades, armour,
classy black fatigues... and not just the weapons, but also the
electronics, and the surveillance drones... the list goes on and on. And
what we can't sell, we can always use ourselves.]<<<<<
-- Lightning <15:42:45/08-27-59>

*****PRIVATE: Lightning
>>>>>[Okay, as long as it works, it should work, and yeah, they carry
plenty of nice toys, but we'll need to discuss backup plans as well. For
starters, some sort of bomb in the generator would be better than an astral
strike - or we could try both in the hope that one would work. Can your guy
plant a charge down there?

I'm on my way home now, I'll see you in about four or five hours.]<<<<<
-- Faerie <20:53:26/08-28-59>
Message no. 3
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Operation
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1998 13:26:44 +1200
*****PRIVATE: Faerie
>>>>>[We're moving tonight, the cop is at CLHQ now - he's called in sick,
and the plumbing fault is arranged, and your modifications have been
activated. The smuggler express is booked for midnight. Green light, as it
were.]<<<<<
-- Lightning <19:25:42/09-01-59>
Message no. 4
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1998 11:59:03 +1200
*****PRIVATE: Segen
>>>>>[+++++activate pager

Trouble - I hear from people I know back home that my cop contact has been
busted. I suggest you take cover. Tell Terminal and Chastity ASAP, I've got
Thirstein telling them too, but whoever gets this first, sort of thing.
Good luck.]<<<<<
-- Lightning <17:57:46/09-06-59>

*****PRIVATE: ThunderStone
>>>>>[+++++activate pager

Get to Chastity and Terminal ASAP and tell them that the cop got busted,
and that they better take cover. After that, stay away from both of them.
Chastity will explain what she thinks you need to know. I've got someone
else telling them too, but whoever gets this first, sort of thing.]<<<<<
-- Lightning <17:58:01/09-06-59>
Message no. 5
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Mon, 7 Sep 1998 12:05:07 +1200
*****PRIVATE: Lightning
>>>>>[I got Chastity out of CLHQ, but Terminal wasn't around. I left the
message like you said, and added that he should call me. I haven't heard
from him though, and it's been a couple of hours. How urgent is this?
Chastity wouldn't tell me much. Shadowy drek, right? Tell me if you can,
otherwise let me sit here twiddling my thumbs, I don't much care either way
really.]<<<<<
-- ThunderStone <20:01:10/09-06-59>

*****PRIVATE: Lightning
>>>>>[Update - Terminal called me, told me that Segen got picked up by some
cops who were watching and waiting at CLHQ. Don't know how Terminal avoided
them, I guess he's smarter than I thought. Maybe they tagged me, I don't
know. No-one has any idea where Lee is (and I don't know who Lee is, for
that matter, but I gather that s/he was involved). Chastity is with
Terminal, they're hiding out at number 1, they said you'd know what they
meant. I got a number for it, >>LTG number<<. Do you want me to see what I
can find out about Segen?]<<<<<
-- ThunderStone <21:46:21/09-06-59>
Message no. 6
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1998 12:27:47 +1200
*****PRIVATE: ThunderStone
>>>>>[I'd leave it if I were you... distance yourself from us. We stung
the cops, swiped a small fleet of SWAT vans. I doubt it'll come out any
time soon though. Anyway, keep away, you might get burned.]<<<<<
-- Lightning <13:17:22/09-07-59>

*****PRIVATE: Lightning
>>>>>[How the hell did you manage that? Never mind, I don't want to know.
And if and when I do, I'll talk to Chastity.]<<<<<
-- ThunderStone <18:33:08/09-07-59>
Message no. 7
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1998 12:40:31 +1200
*****PRIVATE: Nighthawk
>>>>>[A while ago some of us hit the cops HQ downtown, swiped some SWAT
vans. You might have heard about it, they might be keeping it quiet, I
don't know. Anyway, what I'd like is for you to find out where they're up
to in investigating the matter, how much they know, that sort of thing.
I've no idea what LS matrix security is like, so if it's too hard, don't go
risking your life. Segen's been arrested, I'd vaguely like to know where he
is and what he's told them. Anything you can find would be greatly
appreciated. TIA.]<<<<<
-- Faerie <18:39:30/09-08-59>
Message no. 8
From: "Paul J. Adam" <Shadowtk@********.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 00:37:36 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Faerie
>>>>>[Knew you couldn't resist me, sweetheart...

Okay, I just got some entirely innocent MSP in Akron raided ('cause I
staged my little raid through them). Sob, sob, boo hoo, they got grey-
ICed while I got away clean. But I figured some stuff out about _your_
little raid...

The Star busted some guy about it, but he's kind of messed up. They
can't go put the thumbscrews on him until he gets out of Intensive Care,
since they were sort of rough busting him... Not much I could get on the
guy they're holding, just that he's at >>location<< and he isn't saying
anything to anyone just yet. "John Doe, multiple gunshot trauma with
complications, prognosis uncertain" is the hospital story.

There's a vague description of some guy they're looking for, could be
anyone (Pixie, poser, breeder, you could read it any way you really
wanted... it's so vague you could just about fit it to _me!_), no name,
no nothing. IAD reeled in some dirty cop about it, too, but either he's
not talking or they don't like what he's saying.

That's about all I had time to grab. I could spin you a description of
how I fought my way out, inches ahead of a tidal wave of the coldest
blackest IC you ever saw, but I'll let my heroic success speak for
itself.]<<<<<
-- Nighthawk <00:37:40/09-10-59>
Message no. 9
From: "Paul J. Adam" <Shadowtk@********.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 00:56:03 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Lightning
>>>>>[You were selling, a while ago. I'm buying.

+++++include list.txt]<<<<<
-- Nobleman <00:55:32/09-10-59>
Message no. 10
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 12:21:04 +1200
*****PRIVATE: Nighthawk
>>>>>[You're right, I can't resist you. If only you could be mine.

On a less sarcastic note, thanks, that was just what I needed. Just one
more thing - any idea where they've got the dirty cop tucked away?]<<<<<
-- Faerie <18:19:34/09-09-59>
Message no. 11
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 12:21:34 +1200
*****PRIVATE: Nobleman
>>>>>[Okay, the arms and ammo are easy enough, the grenades I should be
>>>>>able to find within a day or two, but the plastique'll be a bitch.
>>>>>I'll let you know by tomorrow if I've got a source for it. I'm not in
>>>>>town at the moment, but I've got some people there still, they'll be
>>>>>able to make the delivery.]<<<<<
-- Lightning <18:20:40/09-09-59>
Message no. 12
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1998 12:41:12 +1200
*****PRIVATE: Methos
>>>>>[We've lost a team member, so I suppose you'd better reduce our
retainer by the appropriate amount. Segen was killed in a rather
unfortunate accident.]<<<<<
-- Faerie <19:38:11/09-09-59>

*****PRIVATE: Nighthawk
>>>>>[Segen's been taken care of, he won't be talking.]<<<<<
-- Faerie <19:40:43/09-09-59>
Message no. 13
From: "Paul J. Adam" <Shadowtk@********.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Fri, 11 Sep 1998 02:16:51 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Faerie
>>>>>[You want me, I'm yours, that simple...

Other than that, I'll see what I can get on your dirty cop. Cost you
expenses plus a SWAT HK227. I always wanted a machinegun.

Expenses might go as high as >>sum<< because LS IAD don't frag around,
they take _serious_ precautions to keep their private data private. But
I think I can get in there, as long as I know what questions to ask once
I'm inside.

I just need not to get caught afterwards...]<<<<<
-- Nighthawk <02:16:43/09-11-59>
Message no. 14
From: "Paul J. Adam" <Shadowtk@********.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1998 12:13:22 +0100
>>>>>[Decker needed for some discreet investigation. Contact me at
>>encrypted<< for more info.]<<<<<
-- Serpent <12:13:31/09-12-59>
Message no. 15
From: "Mark A. Imbriaco" <mark.imbriaco@*****.COM>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1998 10:48:17 -0400
***** PRIVATE: Serpent
>>>>>[ So, you're looking for a discreet decker. Look no further. What's
the deal? ]<<<<<
-- Sue D. Nym
Message no. 16
From: Team ODIN <jhary-a-conel@***.NET>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1998 19:33:54 +0200
*****PRIVATE: Serpent
>>>>>[

+++++relay: >>encrypted<<

Might be available. Send more info. ]<<<<<
-- Orion <19:32:31/09-12-59 CET>
Message no. 17
From: Jaimie Nicholson <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 14:33:11 +1200
*****PRIVATE: Nighthawk
>>>>>[Since we do not understand sarcasm, I will now change the subject.

Let me know what the expenses come to, and we'll bring back a SWAT HK227 if
Lightning hasn't sold them all yet. Otherwise you might have to settle for
a cheap clone.]<<<<<
-- Faerie <20:21:16/09-12-59>
Message no. 18
From: "Paul J. Adam" <Shadowtk@********.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 17:46:59 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Nighthawk
>>>>>[Wasn't too big a deal. Only came to >>smallish
sum<<.]<<<<<
-- Nighthawk <17:46:43/09-13-59>
Message no. 19
From: "Paul J. Adam" <Shadowtk@********.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 18:49:41 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Sue D. Nym
>>>>>[There's a shipment of Renraku processor chips coming into Seattle
in about seven to nine days. They left Nagasaki on the _Kinagawa Maru_
yesterday.

I need to know which container aboard ship they're stored in and exactly
when she's expected in Seattle.

Pay's >>fair but not generous sum<<. Half when you get the container
code, the rest when the Kinagawa Maru makes port within an hour of your
estimate.

Deal?]<<<<<
-- Serpent <18:49:42/09-13-59>
Message no. 20
From: "Paul J. Adam" <Shadowtk@********.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 18:58:08 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Orion
>>>>>[Fairly simple job. I need an infiltration job doing on a trucking
company.

In a week or so, they're going to be taking containers off a ship to
their destinations: but each trucker calls in to headquarters with his
load and destination. I need to know which truck has the container I
need, pretty much as soon as it's loaded.

I tell you when to look, and which container I need. You tell me which
truck. I pay you >>encrypted<<. End of your involvement.

Interested?


And, yeah... it's me. Ironic or what?]<<<<<
-- Mitchell <18:57:43/09-13-59>
Message no. 21
From: "Mark A. Imbriaco" <mark.imbriaco@*****.COM>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 14:36:16 -0400
***** PRIVATE: Serpent
>>>>>[ Deal. Easy money, chum. Do you already have a buyer for the chips?
I know a few people who might be interested in that area if you wish to
discuss it further. ]<<<<<
-- Sue D. Nym <14:21:42/09-13-59>
Message no. 22
From: Team ODIN <jhary-a-conel@***.NET>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1998 21:14:49 +0200
*****PRIVATE: Serpent
>>>>>[ You?

We heared a lot of things about you, from you being dead to you
being a criminal, a shadowrunner, a traitor for everybody from the Tirs
to Aztlan and CAS, to being on an undercover operation. And yes,
that was what we heared _before_ we checked the conspiracy
boards...

Well... dead you are not. There _is_ something checking out your
"Mitchell" account, so it might change soon if you keep using that... I
think.

The job... sounds good. It would help to know the trucking company
beforehand, to have a backdoor installed before D-Day (see? I try to
adopt military lingo... *grin*). This is not neccessary, but would help
along.

Did I get the job description right? You just want to know the truck,
not it's route? Somehow I can't believe it...

Well, to make a long story short: I am in. If you need further help
(some say we are capable of physical action, too...) feel free to
contact us. ]<<<<<
-- Orion <21:14:35/09-13-59 CET>
Message no. 23
From: "Paul J. Adam" <Shadowtk@********.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 22:36:41 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Orion
>>>>>[Yeah, me.

I guess I must have annoyed _someone_. One minute Von Drexler puts me in
charge of SIGA. Life isn't exactly good, but I'm fighting the good fight
for the UCAS. Including kicking the drek out of a nestful of bugs, which
I still feel bad for losing the team in, but we _did_ do good work
there...

What did I do? I still don't know. I come into work and a couple of
bozos from the Naval Intelligence Service brute squad try to arrest me.
After I tie them in granny knots and get out of the Pentagon, then out
of DC, I discover that Von Drexler's dead, Lilith _isn't_ dead,
Coppinger's back in charge, it's like I was never there at all. I'm some
sort of traitor but nobody knows why.

Any minute now I expect Lynch to come leaping out of the woodwork too.
That would be _really_ ironic.


The trucking company? Eddie Stobart Haulage. All I _need_ is the truck
and its expected route. Figure it'll hit I-5, which is good enough for
me.


You want to help out a little further? When you know the route, stop the
truck at a handy set of traffic lights in Tacoma before it hits I-5 -
just turn them red for a couple of minutes as the truck gets there. Let
me know where, I'll be there to do the hit. Pay you >>decent sum<< for
that.

Right now, I can't afford much more, and since I'm characteristically
uncharitable it would be downright hypocritical of me to scrounge
freebies off friends. This job's raising money for the next, bigger job,
which in turn... you get the picture. I'm not exactly rich right now,
but I aim to fix that.


I'm going to find out what the hell happened to my life.

I need money to do that.

This is how I'm raising it.

It sucks, but there it is.


And, Orion? Thanks. Thanks a _lot_.]<<<<<
-- Serpent <22:35:32/09-14-59>
Message no. 24
From: "Paul J. Adam" <Shadowtk@********.DEMON.CO.UK>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1998 21:45:24 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Sue D. Nym
>>>>>[Got a buyer for the whole container... so make a bid for a TEU of
Renraku Suzukaze-449s if you want to try to top that. (And, yes, if your
price is better, you get the deal, ich bin ein mercenary...)

Otherwise, looking forward to the info.]<<<<<
-- Serpent <21:45:32/09-14-59>
Message no. 25
From: Chickenman <jaimie.nicholson@********.OTAGO.AC.NZ>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 1998 12:19:54 +1200
*****PRIVATE: Nighthawk
>>>>>[The cops don't seem to be pushing too hard on this one, any idea why?
Also, anything else you can find would be useful.]<<<<<
-- Lightning <18:18:53/09-22-59>
Message no. 26
From: Team ODIN <jhary-a-conel@***.NET>
Subject: Re: Operation
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1998 23:32:03 +0200
*****INTERNAL: Cyberdeck Logs
>>>>>[ Static. Then, green text scrolls rapidly down, too fast to
read. Then the image turns black, and a... a feeling of depth adds,
even before lots of dots appear. Most of them are either too small to
identify, or plain pyramids hanging in the black void. To the right,
you see an enormous star, radiating green.

The view turns. Directly behind the observer, a small, anonymous
white pyramid marks the decker's login point.

Text blinks in the lower left corner: "CAMERA.EXE Initiating..." and
the POV shifts, backward, and the decker's icon comes into view. A
gigantic red cockroach. The high quality of the image, and detailed
shadowplay and texturing indicate a powerful cyberdeck in action.
The roach starts moving, following invisible lines through all three
dimensions. Suddenly, it stops near another pyramid, much larger
then it's starting point, but as nondescript. Approaching slowly,
finally the main SAN comes into view, standard UMS icon, the ID tag
stating "Eddie Stobart Haulage". The cockroach waves a claw at the
access point, but continues slowly along the icon's wall, to the
underside of the pyramid. Carefully both antennaes touch, rather
caresses the wall above the cockroach. Finally, it stops, and taps a
code on the wall. Nothing seems to happen, but as the roach moves
up, its red body passes the wall like a ghost, a ghost in the electrons.

'Inside', more default UMS. This system isn't too well protected,
probably the reason why a backdoor could have been installed.
Again, text scrolls through the window, too fast to be read. The red
cockroach seems to much less conspicious now, although how it is
not clear with a (probably) human sized, bright red insect. Slowly, it
advances, the antennae probing the air. Two times the roach stops
and examines passing datapackages, until it reaches a white box,
the UMS default for a data store. The entrance is covered with a
sparkling wall of energy. again, the antennae probe it, then the roach
retreats a few paces, and starts somehow folding itself together,
becoming much smaller in the process. It lays low and stops moving.

A stopwatch, superimposing itself over the image, shows the passing
time. 12 seconds seem like an ethernity, until a grey, human
persona approaches the data store. The default icon lacks grapgical
depth, even facial features, even the writing on its chest isn't
synchronoized with its movement, always showing the viewer this is
"Eddie Stobart Haulage ID#0734". The persona flashes what looks
like a passporet to the data store, and passes the wall of energy.

When it leaves the data store exactly 8.3 seconds later, the
cockroach starts moving again. It pulls out some threads from
somewhere under its chitin platemail, and starts connecting them.
Quickly - much faster then physically possible - something like a
grey overall results. With some problems, the oversized roach
climbs into the "skin", and mystriously, fills it perfectly. The now-
ID#0734, equipped with a pair of long, red antennae, approaches the
wall of energy, and flashes a white cardboard. You notice there's
"passport" printed on it, and lots of "0"s and "1"s. A
short burst of
static runs over the access ICE, then the disguised decker enters.

Inside, there are lots of small packages, floating in mid-air, arranged
symetrically. There's a tearing noise as the cockroach rips open its
disguise from within, then it pulls out a small hand-held device from
somewhere on its body. "Really gotta get a new interface," it
mutters, as the device - looking like a tricorder from old sci-fi
"Enterprise" movies - starts browsing the data, faster then the eye
can follow. A mere second later, it beeps with an anoying sound,
and a data package in the upper right corner of the room starts
blinking. The cockroach moves toward it, the other packages floating
around it, examines it briefly with its antennae, then seems to tear a
piece of the package, stuffing its loot away into unseen pockets.
You notice the package still looks intact, though.

The antennae bend back, and start tapping morse code onto the rear
chitin plates. Text scrolls through the image, probably whatever the
roach is sending. The description of two cars, a van and a sedan,
plus a way of travel through Seattle, together with rows of ETAs.

Then the shutdown process starts, and the static returns. ]<<<<<
-- Orion <20:39:59/09-25-59>

*****PRIVATE: Canis
>>>>>[ Here's the list:

+++++include route.dat

We are green, start with the lights. You will see when and where to
set the lights. I'll fly matrix overwatch. See you, good luck. ]<<<<
-- Orion <20:40:02/09-25-59>
Message no. 27
From: Lorna Buck <lorna@******.FR>
Subject: Operation
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 18:29:18 +0100
*****PRIVATE: Marlowe
>>>>>[The new eyecam works nicely. So does the new Shadowland handle.

And our friend Serpent is a man of surprises.

+++++begin video
The background noise echoes oddly, splashing and laughter and slightly
distorted music. A swimming pool, full of a mix of the playful and the
fitness enthusiasts. Hart, though, is most interested in the man sitting on
the poolside next to beside her: white, Human, with dark-blonde hair tied
back in a short ponytail. He'd be handsome if his eyes weren't so
unblinkingly serpentine, but from a distance his good features draw
glances, and his iron-hard physique outright stares, from some of the
female swimmers.

"An interesting place for a meeting, Commander Mitchell."

'Serpent' shows no particular surprise at the use of his real name.
"Christian, if you must. Mitchell's buried for a while."

"Why is there a warrant out for your arrest?" Hart asks.

"I was hoping you could tell me. All I know is the charges of espionage and
treason."

"Then you know as much as I do. And I'm not turning over a productive
informant without more data." Hart lifts herself out of the water to sit
beside Mitchell, noting with amusement his appreciation of the sight: she's
wearing a sleek black one-piece that her muscular curves fill most
pleasantly, the water sheeting off her chest and thighs, and Mitchell
enjoying the view. "But this is a good meeting. No reflectives for a laser
mike, too much and too random background noise for a shotgun… we won't be
eavesdropped on. Which was the last clue as to who you were."

"As long as you don't plan on turning me in just yet."

"No need. And we don't collaborate with DC much any more. SIGA, sure,
they're okay guys when they're around. Which isn't often. But the FBI?
Fuck'em. Rude, obnoxious suits out of DC. The Projects were good troopers,
they had a mission. I met that D'Arkan guy, he made me think of Eliot Ness.
Crusader type. I could work with them, hell, most of the Department figured
them for good metal, but they trod on too many toes, did too good a job,
and the suits shut them down. Regular Feds? Seneca just suck away and
never give us a thing back. Fuck'em. Other spooks? Worse. I turn you over
to them, they get the collar and all the credit, the Department gets jack,
I lose a good snout. They can kiss my ass."

"If you weren't married, I'd kiss it for you." Mitchell suggests.

"Yeah, your profile says you're a ladies's man. So my being married
matters?"

"It matters a lot." Mitchell draws his fingers through the water. His left
hand. "I was married. To a woman I thought I loved. I didn't, I was just in
lust, she was stunning and a great lay and she got so turned on by the
thought that she was screwing a SEAL… but I married her, and some bastard
of a weasel-faced lawyer stole her. I'd never knowingly take another man's
wife." He looks at Hart again, where she sits beside him, the Lycra drying
tight across her breasts. "I learned to resist temptation." A smile.

Hart chuckles. "Gallant and yet honest. I'm properly flattered and touched.
If I were thinking of cheating on Andy, you'd be in with a chance."

Mitchell shakes his head. "Look around. See her?" A dusky Elven girl of
maybe twenty, impossibly slender in a thong bikini, walking slowly away
from him with a deliberate sway to her hips: glancing back to meet his eye
with a direct invitation in her gaze. Whatever she sees in his face seems
to please her, as she makes a passable dive into the water and swims away.
"I don't have a problem getting laid, Julianne. But that girl and I will
likely have a night's sweaty workout, competing to see who can make the
other come most often, and she'll sneak me out early in the morning because
she doesn't want the neighbours knowing she brought a strange man home.
We'll meet a couple more times for the same sort of pointless but
pleasurable passion, and then she'll start to make excuses because she's
got some other beau to chase after, he's a up-and-coming Urban Brawler
where I just repair computers. I'll be in the way of her hedonism now, and
I'll never even be sure what her surname was, and I'll just be one more
notch on her bedpost."

Hart listens to the outburst in silence. "Whereas I…?"

"Are attractive, intelligent, capable, a tough-minded bitch who calls
bullshit when she sees it, in fact exactly what I look for in a steady
relationship. Except you're married. So I'll make do with casual sex from
girls who like my scars and my muscles and don't care who I am, and I'll
enjoy a platonic friendship with you, and if your husband ever ditches you
I'm yours that very afternoon."

"You really are a strange one, Christian." Hart sounds almost tender. "And
you're forgetting I'm a police officer who might haul you in any minute?"

"No. I just don't worry overmuch about it. The price of doing business."

"Like heisting Renraku's processor shipments?"

"Precisely. Just business." Mitchell nods.

"Well, it was a neat job that annoyed them no end. They're out for blood.
Preferably, whoever bought that container."

"A contract? How neat. What's Lone Star's position on the matter?"

"Take the job, and tip me off as to when and where so we can find the scene
fresh." Hart, characteristically, is all business. "We can close it off and
allege the killers were Red Samurai out for vengeance. And… we can wave you
off if it sounds bad."

"Wouldn't think so." Mitchell shakes his head. "It's a corporate job. That
shipment was meant to go to Cheyenne, the buyers were from Mitsuhama, and I
bet all of Renraku and you and I will soon find out that MCT swiped some
major contract when Renraku couldn't make a delivery."

"Fair enough. Just don't wake Homicide up too much. SINless chip-pushers
and corporate expediters, we can ignore to a point. You know the rules,
though."

"I used to _write_ the rules." the former Director of the Strategic
Intelligence Gathering Agency replies with a slight edge: then he relaxes
and smiles. "I have a fair idea what I can and can't do, Julianne. And I'm
not Lone Star's enemy, even if I have to work around and occasionally
through you."

"You're working up to a big score…" Hart slides into the water, looking up
at Mitchell.

"Which won't be in Seattle, nor in any Lone Star jurisdiction." He follows
her in, treading water with a natural ease where she's hanging from the
side of the pool. "Now, if you'll excuse me…"

"Of course. Go chase your Elven cutie, before she finds some other Charles
Atlas." Hart sounds like she's having trouble keeping her face straight.
"No sand to kick in people's faces round here."

"I'll improvise." Mitchell is gone, cutting the water with an impressive
stroke: but then SEALs by definition are powerful swimmers. Hart watches
his startlingly fast progress to where the dark-skinned Elven girl is
temptingly alone, seeing the beginning of a mutual seduction in progress
before she manages a comfortable, if slow, dog-paddle to shallower water
and a ladder out of the pool.
+++++end video

The weirdest thing of all is, I believe him. Especially when he says he
isn't hitting on me. That flash of bitterness about his ex-wife… well, I
read the file and I found out why. So will you, if you look. His and your
exes could have been sisters.

Any word on that bodyguard job? Sounds interesting.]<<<<<
-- Julianne <18:27:43/09-29-59>

Further Reading

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Disclaimer

These messages were posted a long time ago on a mailing list far, far away. The copyright to their contents probably lies with the original authors of the individual messages, but since they were published in an electronic forum that anyone could subscribe to, and the logs were available to subscribers and most likely non-subscribers as well, it's felt that re-publishing them here is a kind of public service.