False Flag

Just A Simple Job

Face was just about to tuck into a fresh hot pizza that had been delivered, when his Fixer called. The Fixer, Joe, said “I have a line on a hot job, that should be relatively simple. Seems a Johnson needs a shotgun for a courier job, pays premium. Do you want it?” When face said yes, Joe advised its an out of town gig and that Face & the team are to meet the Johnson at 5.00am at a disused airfield in Puyallup.

Face rounded up the team and they headed to the airfield a little early to scope the place. The airfield was deserted. At precisely 5.00am a Helicopter landed and a human wearing nondescript BDU’s exited the heavily armed vehicle and stated “if you are hear to meet with the Johnson, step on board”. As soon the team boarded the chopper, it took off and headed South, landing shortly after at an old deserted auto mechanics shop. Another helo was already on the deck. Existing the chopper the team were guided into the disused shop where a smartly dressed elf, whose ramrod posture screamed military. Without preamble Mr Jonson advised the team the job is to escort a smuggler, Michael Wind Rider, and his cargo to the Front Range Free Zone (FRFZ) in Denver. Mr Johnson said the pay is NY 17,000 plus any medical expenses (if required). Face tried to negotiate the fee up, but without success.

Accepting the gig, Mr Jonson handed the party a commcode to contact him once the job was done or in an emergency. Mr Johnson also provided contact details for Michael Wind Rider. With that, Johnson boarded his Helo and left. The Team were guider back to the chopper they came in on and were dropped back at the disused airfield in Puyallup. Once the chopper departed, the team called Michael Wind Rider who advised he would pick them up from the same airfield at 6.00pm tomorrow. Wind Rider advised the party to tool up and be prepared for a 3 – 4 day trip.

At 6.00pm the following day, the Team waited at the airfield all tooled up. A few minutes late a drone flew over the airfield, scoping the place then a screaming T-Bird landed. Wind Rider, and Amerindian Orc, beckoned the party to board his transport, Sundowner 2. Once aboard Win Rider advised the first stop was reno to pick up the “package” then take a zig zag path to the drop off in Denver. The pic up in Reno went without a hitch. The package was an oblong metal container 2.5m x 0.5m x 0.5m with an impressive maglock securing it closed.

From Reno Wind Rider headed to the “refuel station about 30km South of Provo in the Pueblo Corporate Council. As Wind Rider lander the party could see a motley collection of old shacks. Win Rider said this was a smugglers refuel station and transmitted the codes to get access. Wind Rider asked the Team to get the refuel lines from the shack as he checked over one of the engines. Teflon, Milo and face headed to the shack, opened the door to reveal a dark dust, dirty interior. They could see the large tank of aircraft fuel with the refuel lines attached to a drone next to it. Adjacent to the drone was a table with a control pad for the drone. As Teflon went to step in, he noticed writhing on the floor across the shack and was attached by a snake, a Deathrattle. Dispatching the snake, Teflon could see numerous others in the hanger. Deciding not to battle his way through he asked Benny to hack the drone and refuel the ship. In short order they were back in the air again.

Wind Rider announced the next refuel stop was near Laramie, within the Sioux nation. Wind Rider advised crossing the boarder was not without risks and asked Benny to join him on the flight deck and help with spoofing the boarder patrols. On the approach to the refuel station Wind Rider announced that he is a bit worried as he can’t raise the refuel station control. With Benny’s help the find that there isn’t any jamming or atmospheric interference, just no response. Running on fumes Wind Rider announces they have to land but warned the team to be ready for anything.  As they land the waypoint station is completely dark and Benny is unable to pick up any matrix activity at all. Worrying.

As the party exit the T-Bird to investigate, Teflon & Milo notice moving shadows through the upstairs windows of the refuel station. Heading to the main building, Teflon & Milo try to open the main doors to find them jammed. A window opened and a voice called down demanding they leave immediately. Teflon tries to negotiate with the “voice” to say they are in need of fuel and are willing to pay. The voice shouts back “what can you offer?”. At this point, Flash Cat who his disembarked the T-Bird spots the person behind the voice from an open window upstairs and Lightning Bolts said person. Any hope of negotiation now over the Team take cover as they come under bow & arrow fire.

Arriving in Denver.

As Milo and Teflon moved forward to engage the defenders and find access to the building, Flash Cat came under fire and was wounded. Face sprinted to Flash cat’s aid whilst Benny took control of the Heavy Machine Gun in the T-Bird’s dorsal turret. The combined threat of the heavy weapon coupled with Teflon and Milo breaching the building was enough to get the defenders to surrender. Flash Cat, after being healed and full of bravado demanded the defenders, the Prairie Igasho, leave waypoint station. The team were then able to refuel and carry on to Denver.

The flight was tedious, with the only brief bit of excitement dodging patrol craft at the FRFZ border. Wind Rider bought the T-Bird into land at a private section of Stapleton Airport and taxied into the open hanger. A fifty-by-fifty metre chain link fence with a gate at the opposite end to the hanger. The terrain surrounding the hanger is wide open except for to rusting belly cans.

 As Wind Rider shut down the T-Bird, Face put a call into Mr Johnson on the commlink they were given to advise the package had arrived. Flash Cat, invisible, moved out the hanger to investigate the rusting belly cans, when he noticed a dust cloud caused by a speeding van heading in their direction. As he turned to call out a warning a shot rang out, killing Wind Rider instantly as he descended the ramp from the T-Bird.

 Taking Cover, the team realised two snipers were hiding in the rusting belly cans. Flash Cat took out one of the snipers with a spell. As the rest of the team targeted the remaining sniper the can under further attack from two different assailants. The battle was fierce and touch and go for a while as one of the new assailants was also a mage who was using invisibility. To add to the confusion the van burst through the gates in the chain link fence, but was taken out be Benny using the HMG on the T-Bird. Eventually the team took out all hostiles. The two snipers wore chameleon suits but had no other ID on them. The other two assailants turned out to be an Aztlan Blood Mage and Adept.

 Shortly after a blacked out van pulls into the area. A well dressed Ork, accompanied by 4 heavily armed soldiers alight from the van. The party recognised the Ork as Bennett, who accompanied Mr Johnson at their initial meet. The package was transferred to the van and Mr Johnson called to say that payment had been made to the runners for the job and arrangements were being made to transport them back to Seattle. On the meantime they were to accompany Bennett to a hotel in the UCAS sector.

Betrayal

 A few hours after settling into the hotel, Mr Johnson calls to say he has a small job for you, a simple snatch & grab, whilst he makes travel plans to get you out of Denver. Mr Johnson asks you to meet him at 23.00 in the hotel’s lounge on the 2nd floor. Arriving at the appointed time, the runners spot Mr Johnson’s muscle, the Ork who collected you at the airport. The Org directs you to a secluded booth towards the back of the lounge. Mr Johnson greets you and offers you 15k New Yen to snatch a freelance defence contractor, Gerald Jones, to have a “chat” with Mr Johnson. You are told that Mr Jones will be at the upmarket brothel, Madam Cassandra’s House of Leisure in the CAS District tomorrow at 21.30. Mr Johnson says the job must be done quietly with a minimum noise & damage. Mr Johnson also provides details of a local fixer, Chuy who can help with transport & equipment,

 The following morning the runners go shopping on Mr Johnson’s dime. Securing some smarter clothes and transport, non-lethal weapons and directions to the brothel with lowest level security check points. The runners are also provided with fake sins.

 Deciding the best plan is to book Madam Cassandra’s as clientele and arrive before Mt Jones is due to scope the place. The runners head to the CAS sector, passing the checkpoint easily, much to Flash Cat’s relief. Entering the brothel, the runners are taken to the room Face had prebooked and waited the arrival of Mr Jones. Promptly at 21.30 Mr Jones enters flanked by his security and heads upstairs. Teflon hacks the establishments node and finds the room. Mily & Teflon, invisible courtesy of Flash Cat head up stairs to snatch Johnson.

 That’s where their plan falls apart. As Milo and Teflon approach the room, they find the door unlocked. Entering cautiously, they hear the sound of gunfire. From within and discover one of Mr Jones guards has shot Mr Jones, the girl and the rest of the security detail. As the gun smoke clears the murderer triggers a cyanide capsule. Simultaneously the alarms go off and every Vid Screen in the establishment is showing Mr Jones being murdered by the runners.
You realise you have been set up. Even worse the victim’s name is not Gerald Jones, but is in fact UCAS Representative, Iain Lesker.

The shit just got worse.

Sirens fill the air. As the runners try to escape, Flash Cat goes invisible and flies above the house to see Lone Star surrounding the house with numerous officers and includes a High Threat Response Team. To get here this quickly, Lone Star must have been tipped off. Mr Johnson’s betrayal is complete.

With little option, apart from being gunned down, the runners surrender.

Jail break

 The runners are taken into custody. Cyberware is controlled and Flash Cat & Benny are both drugged. The paddy wagon takes them to the nearest Lone Star station, where they find the station in chaos, with officers arming themselves and heading out. The runners are processed quickly and taken to the cells. Over the next few hours, the runners are taken individually (except Flash cat and Benny) to an interrogation room where detectives Montoya and Ennison question the runners none too gently to try to get confessions. However, the runners stand firm maintaining their innocence and stating they have been framed. A short while later the runners are escorted to a larger room to be told their “brief” is here. A skinny human with the whitest hair you have ever seen enters the room and introduces himself as Robin Goodfellow. Pausing for a minute, Goodfellow appears to shut down all the listening & recording devices in the room. Goodfellow states that he can get you out and expunge your record as your interest align, but my services come with a price. Are you in. Considering they predicament the runners accept. Goodfellow says at 8.00pm tonight all security & locks at this substation will go down giving you a chance to escape. Goodfellow provides details of where to meet him along with transport in the Aurora Warrens. Goodfellow then injects both Flash Cat and Benney an antidote to combat the drugs they are under.

True to his word, as precisely 8.00pm the runners hear the locks to their cells open. Any cyber restrains come undone and both Flash Cat and Benney have pretty much recovered. Exiting their cells the runners head to where Goodfellow told them their gear is stored. The station is surprisingly quiet. The runners overcome both detective Montoya and Ennison and secure them and with the aid of Flash Cats spells manage to get out of the station and to the transport Goodfellow has arranged.  Heading to the location in the Aura Barrens, they find Goodfellows safe house in the basement of a derelict building. Goodfellow, greets you and is dressed very differently in casual gear. He says to call him Puck.

Puck says that he will get the runners out of Denver back to Seattle and expunge their Criminal record, but he needs their help first. Benny recognises the name Puck as an eminent Technomancer, whose word is good. Puck advises the runners that they were double crossed by Colonel Shane Bennet of the UCAS Defense Intelligence Agency and also Ghostwalker’s right hand man. Puck says he has a lead on intel that will bring Ghostwalker’s plans to light and clear the runners’ names. The intel is located in the Ramsey Building in the Hub. This is the Zone Defense Force HQ in Denver. Puck advises that he can get you uniforms and fake credentials to get you in so you can help him. With little other choice the runners agree to help.

The following morning the runners head to the Ramsey Building in a limousine. On route, puck starts swearing. It transpires that Ghostwlaker has called an Emergency meeting at the Ramsey Building today for all sector representatives. As the runners arrive at the building, they see a number of other groups entering the building, the representatives and their security. Puck advises they still need to do this and the party heads in. At the security station Benny notices on one of the monitors, that Mr Johnson (Colonel Shane Bennet) is already in the building. Puck leads the part to a sub-basement to a secure node. He asks Benny to help him and asks the other runners to stand guard.

Entering the node, Benny searches for the file “VH-5151” whilst Puck acts as guard / security to deal with any Black IC and countermeasures. Benny manages to locate the file and download it securely, but not before he is spotted by Mr Johnson, who is also in the node. The alarm is triggered. Benny & Puck escape the Black IC and leave the node in a hurry. Unfortunately, the alarm has spread to the real world.  As the runners head back to the lift they encounter for first security team.

A Deal

The runners dealt with two groups guards (including Lt Maddox, the erstwhile Mr Johnson’s right-hand man) as they made there way out of the sub-basement, opting for the stairs rather than the lift. At the top of the stairs the Ramsey Building entrance was only guarded by two MPs. The runners decided to rush the guards using brute force and surprise. Whilst most of the party took cover to engage the MP’s, Randy brazenly made himself a target right in the centre of the entry hall. The MPs were quickly despatched. Flash Cat run to the nearest exit to find it locked. As Randy unleased a full auto round into the door, Benny nonchalantly heading to the security desk and opened the doors. The party hastily exited the Ramsey building and made their getaway in Puck’s car that was untouched in the parking lot.

As they headed back to Puck’s base in the Aurora Warrens, Puck delved into the Matrix to review the liberated paydata. Suddenly Puck opened his eyes leant into the front of the car and instructed Face to head to the coordinates he punched into the cars GPS and warned the runners not to expect a warm welcome. The coordinates led to an old military hospital in the CAS sector, near the UCAS border. Heading round the back to a loading bay the runners were greeted by 3 figures, a human female and a Troll and Dwarf carrying heavy ordinance. After some hasty words from Puck, the female, Perri, directed the car into the hospital and led the runners through corridors to a command centre. Much of the hospital had been converted to living accommodation. It transpires that Perri was head of one of the 3 facilities containing the Nexus Data Haven that was working to expose Ghostwalker’s plans. Puck advised that on the paydata he discovered that Ghostwalker was planning to take out Nexus and gain complete control of Denver. He also advised that Ghostwalker had instructed the ZDF under Colonel Bennet to neutralize this base in the next 6 hours.

Pucks announcement coincided with a broadcast from Ghostwalker that he was taking control of Denver and ordering all representatives and officials of the various nations to vacate Denver’s Front Range Freezone within a month. It transpires that Ghostwalker was inciting all the trouble in Denver (including setting up the runners) just so he can take control. Following Puck’s announcement and Ghostwalkers speech, Perri ask the runners if they will help defend this branch of the Nexus Data Haven until all civilians can be evacuated. Perri advised that the Nexus data Haven would be forever grateful and that along with Puck would ensure the runners get back to Seattle and their criminal records expunged.

After agreeing, Perri gives the runners access to the Nexus armoury to equip, telling the runners they can keep whatever they take. Initially deciding to set up their defence at the loading bay they arrived at, Benny took control of a surveillance drone and sent it out to snoop. He saw ZDF troops converging on the hospital and what looks like a ZDF command vehicle parked about ½ a click away. Randy, realising the command vehicle is where Colonel Bennet would most likely be, suggested the runners try to take the command centre and Colonel Bennet out, which should throw the ZDF assault into disarray. Agreeing, the party headed into the streets, and with Benny’s help using the surveillance drone, avoid the first set of ZDF troops, but their luck run out when a second group spotted them……