Ranse Lemuel, Dances-In-Air, and Hondo were at a little bar in central Phoenix. Jerry the Fence called Ranse and asked if he would be interested in a delivery job. Ranse checked with the boys and decided they were in. Jerry rented them a beat-up black sedan for $400 and setup a meeting with a Mr. Doe. Dances-In-Air decided to arrive at the meeting invisible.
Mr. Doe was waiting in the lobby of the Mayo Clinic Hospital in north Scottsdale. He appeared badly burned and his face was bandaged beyond recognition. He was walking around with an IV bag on a pole. Mr. Doe hired the team to deliver a package to Chuparosa Park. A delegation from the Navajo Nation was waiting for it.
Ranse accepted the letter-sized package. Dances-In-Air quickly grabbed it, concealing himself and the package with his invisibility spell. Mr. Doe simply turned and walked slowly away, holding onto his IV pole.
In the parking lot, two large Russian trolls approached Ranse and Hondo. Dances-In-Air was still invisible. The trolls offered Ranse $2000 for the package, he refused and they let the team pass; however, once the team was driving out of the parking lot, the trolls followed on motorcycles.
Hondo was driving the sedan southbound on the Pima Freeway. The trolls were about 10 meters behind. Just as the trolls passed an off-ramp, Dances-In-Air teleported the car off the freeway and onto the road below. Hondo reacted quickly and adjusted to the new road beneath the tires. They trolls stayed on the freeway, frustrated.
Once they had traveled a couple miles on surface streets, Hondo returned the car to the freeway. After a few miles, a flying Derr UAV began closing in from behind. A Venelli Vulcan was visibly mounted on it. Hondo pulled off the freeway at the next off-ramp. The UAV was following. Dances-In-Air blasted the UAV with an invisible force, but did little damage. Ranse teleported the car from the off-ramp to the underpass below the freeway. Hondo held on to the steering wheel tightly as again he was forced to adapt to an unnatural change of road. The UAV wasn't seen again.
Ranse cast an illusion to disguise the car, and the team reached the gates of Chuparosa Park without incident.
The two Russian trolls were standing in front of the entrance to the park. Their motorcycles were just a few feet away. Dances-In-Air, still invisible, clambered his short form over the park wall and walked toward the center. Ranse and Hondo spoke with the trolls again. This time the trolls offered $5000 for the package. Ranse refused again and the trolls let them pass.
Three trolls and two orks waited inside the park. The lead troll watched Dances-In-Air as the dwarf approached invisibly. Dances-In-Air delivered the package and informed the Navajos about the Russian's interest. In gratitude, the Navajo leader gave Dances-In-Air a $500 tip.
The team left, returned the car to Jerry, and picked up their $3600 fee.
Ranse Lemuel, Hondo, and Dances-In-Air found themselves once again hanging out in their small bar. They were waiting for Damanta Laidir. They'd heard she was a decent hacker and liked to carry an Smith Panther assault cannon. While they were waiting, Jerry the Fence called Hondo. Jerry had another delivery job. The catch was that the recipient didn't want the package. Jerry offered $7500, but Hondo got him up to $8000 easily. Jerry also offered to rent his black sedan to the team again for $400. Jerry gave Honda four tickets to the ASU, already in progress. Hondo began to thank him for the tip, but Jerry interrupted, "Go to the game. Sit in these seats. You'll get the details there."
The team drove Jerry's sedan to Sun Devil Stadium. Their seats were just a few rows back near the 15-yard line. The mascot was throwing T-shirts to the crowd. Hondo had immediately ordered a dog and a beer; so, his hands were full. The mascot threw a rolled ASU T-shirt straight into Ranse's chest, and then continued throwing shirts to the crowd. A moment later when the shirt bag was empty, the mascot wandered out of view.
Dances-In-Air suggested that Ranse unroll the shirt. Inside were two maps. The first was labeled "The Package". It showed the location of a utility box in the Rolling Hills Golf Course at Mill and Curry. The second map was labeled "The Destination". It showed a map of a mansion in Paradise Valley at about 56th St and Shea Blvd. On the bottom of the map was written: "On the roof. In the vent. Past the filter." The team left the game and drove to the Rolling Hills Golf Course. They found the utility box and inside was a 6" cube in brown paper. It felt metallic underneath.
Taking the package with them, the team drove within half a mile of the destination. On the drive, Ranse cast an illusion spell over the group to disguise all three of them. Dances-In-Air healed Ranse to get rid of the effects of the illusions mental drain. Once within half a mile, the team approached the mansion on foot. It had eight-foot high brick walls with razor-wire on top. Multiple security cameras were also mounted on top. Still disguised by Ranse's illusion, the team quickly moved to the wall. They were standing in the cameras' blind spot next to the wall. Ranse directed the illusion to make it look like the three had turned around and ran away.
Dances-In-Air climbed on top of Hondo's shoulders and used a side mirror he had borrowed from the car to see the roof. Then the dwarf cast a telekinesis spell that lifted the whole team to the roof, almost instaneously. Two seconds later, the head of a troll climbing a ladder onto the roof was visible. Hondo shot the troll with his Smith Hummingbird. Dances-In-Air and Ranse blasted the troll with magic. By the time the troll reached the roof, all he wanted to do was hide. The troll dove behind one of the four chimneys on the roof. A second Russian troll came up the ladder right behind the first. Dances-In-Air fired off another spell at the hiding troll. Ranse focused his energies and launched a magical burst at the half-hidden troll that knocked the troll unconscious and threw the troll from the roof.
Hondo turned his submachine gun on the new troll, ready to fire.
Ranse used magic to tear into the mansion's ventilation systems. Hondo and Dances-In-Air (the Cowboy and the Indian) held off the attacking Russian Troll. A lightning bolt from the wizard in the courtyard shocked the whole team, nearly ending the mission in failure.
Once Ranse dropped the package into the vent, Dances used telekinesis to carry the entire team off the room and beyond the estate wall. The effort knocked Dances unconscious. Ranse picked up Dances, then he and Hondo ran to the car. Hondo got the car started and moving just as a very fast and very angry Troll reached the car.
The team made it safely back to their usual bar, and three people were waiting for them: Jerry the Fence, Damanta Laidir, and a heavily bandaged Mr. Doe. Jerry paid the team $7600 for the delivery and immediately offered them another job. This time: wetwork. After determining that the target was a small-time criminal, the team accepted and were directed to Mr. Doe.
Mr. Doe was already waiting, and while his face was bandaged beyond recognition, he seemed like the same guy who had hired them at the Mayo Clinic Hospital a few nights before. Mr. Doe informed them that the target was Antonio Penne and that he was usually around 99th Ave and McDowell in Avondale. The assignment was simple: kill Antonio Penne.
Damanta started the mission by hacking into the security cameras around 99th and McDowell. She quickly located Penne and started the cameras observing his location to loop. This would decrease the odds of the mission being recorded.
Ranse, Dances-In-Air, and Damanta rented the black sedan from Jerry the Fence. Damanta jacked into it and drove it using the matrix interface. The team arrived at 99th Ave and McDowell in Avondale without incident.
Hondo had left the bar to find his old friend Lachoneus, a skilled sniper. Lachoneus was soon en route to Avondale, but Hondo had other business to take care of.
Anthony and four Ork thugs were loitering outside a large electronics store. The team drove by for a closer look while pretending to look for a parking spot. Dances used a view spell to see that Anthony was protected by a magic shield. The team parked about 20 meters away from Anthony's gang. Dances and Ranse boosted their magical abilities and Damanta's agility. The three stepped out of the car. Meanwhile, Lachoneus was driving in the parking lot toward the store.
Anthony immediately noticed the two armored mages and drew his Grim Grouch, but didn't aim it at anyone. Two of his thugs followed suit. Then Damanta pulled her Smith Panther out of the car. Ranse focused all of his energy on a powerful wind spell, tearing the thugs apart and collapsing Anthony's magic shield. One of the Ork thugs climbed to his knees and crouched behind a concrete pylon while drawing his Smith Woodpecker. Dances-In-Air cast a black cloud spell on Anthony and the two conscious Orks thugs, killing the two thugs instantly and hurting Anthony badly.
Lachoneus leaned out of his car with his sniper rifle. Damanta fired her assault cannon into Anthony knocking him unconscious and against the wall. The mages started healing each other. Lachoneus slowly pulled the trigger of his rifle and ended Anthony's life.
Damanta climbed back into the car as two corporate security guards ran toward the entrance from inside the store. Dances-In-Air and Ranse quickly climbed into the car. Lachoneus also dropped back inside his car. The guards came outside and began looking around, but all they saw was a bunch of scared people trying to flee the area.
The team returned to their usual bar at Arcadia Crossing. Jerry was waiting there with $17,100 for them. The team decided to take a couple weeks off and relax. Ranse Lemuel and Dances-In-Air both had Cranial Accelerators installed. Ranse replaced his bulky armor with dermal plating, and Lachoneus bought a new Venus racing bike.
After a two week vacation, the team met at their usual pub. Jerry the Fence had some bad news for them. One of the Mr. Does knew the team frequented the pub, and after Anthony Penne's assassination, Jerry suggested the team try someplace else like George and Dragon. Jerry also had a new mission for the team. The basic idea was that a couple objects had to be destroyed. Damanta managed to talk Jerry up to $18,900 from $18,000, and loan them his car instead of renting it to them.
Hondo drove the car over to St. Francis Cemetary, where Mr. Doe was waiting. This Mr. Doe was invisible. He informed the team that he wanted the prototypes for a cyberblade and a cybergun destroyed. The prototypes were in a Venus Corp laboratory at Banner Desert Medical Center. Venus Corp was working on reverse-engineering the cyberware; so, they could produce and sell it. Mr. Doe also asked the team not to kill any mage squires. The reason for this request remained unknown, but Dances-In-Air negotiated an extra $500 to buy non-lethal ammunition.
It was about 11 PM at night, and Hondo drove the team into the quiet parking lot outside the laboratory. The team waited while Damanta used her hacking skills to do a little scouting. First, she looped the external cameras and unlocked the front door. In the virtual matrix world, she was cutting through the laboratory's network security like soft butter. She used the internal camera system to locate the lab with the prototypes, and then started the cameras on the team's planned route to loop. She hacked into the elevator node, and then healed herself while waiting for the team to get ready.
Damanta Laidir was logged into the Matrix, waiting in the elevator node. Hondo, Rance Lemuel, and Dances-In-Air climbed out of the car and walked into the Venus Corp laboratory. Damanta had already unlocked the door and looped the cameras. As the team walked up to the elevator doors, Damanta opened them remotely. While the elevator rose to the third floor, Damanta healed herself and prepared the third-floor cameras.
The team quietly walked to the laboratory door which led to the cyberware prototypes. The matrix security in the door was very strong. Damanta wore herself out as she first hacked into it, then unlocked the door and disabled the alarm. The team moved into the dark room.
Hondo closed the door and stood behind it, waiting with his Grim AR-7. Dances and Ranse blasted the combination lock on the prototype cabinet. Once the cabinet was open Ranse and Dance (Razzle Dazzle) destroyed the prototypes quietly, using magic. Dances-In-Air picked up some papers that looked related to the prototypes.
Outside in the hallway, a three-man patrol was walking toward the lab door. Damanta watched through the security cameras as they walked past the door. Then a voice, inside the Matrix, asked "What are you doing here? Identify yourself." Damanta began to stutter a reply, then simply sent a message over the team radio: "I think my cover's been blown." A bright blast slammed Damanta's matrix persona. She disconnected from the matrix completely, just escaping a trap program.
Damanta was now badly stunned in the parking lot. The team could no longer look through the security cameras. A moment later, the team could hear the security patrol run past the lab door, heading toward the elevator. Ranse moved to the door, and opened it slightly. Ranse saw a fully-armored security guard run around a corner. Dances cast an invisibility illusion over the team. Now invisible, Hondo followed the guard around the corner. Ranse and Dances stayed at the corner for a moment.
Standing at the elevator were three guards. Two wore full armor, and one wielded a short sword and wore an armor vest. The one with the sword wore a green band on his arm and forehead, obviously a mage squire. One of the armored guards was a mage. The mage pointed at Hondo as he cast an illusion spell, "There he is!" The illusion made Hondo visible to the other guards.
Ranse poked his head around the corner and cast a blade storm spell on the three guards. Hondo began to unload his Grim AR-7 into the mage squire. The mage squire, barely alive, fell to the gorund. The third guard, wielding a Smith Hummingbird, blasted back at Hondo. Dances-In-Air poked his head around the corner and blasted the remaining two guards. The mage dropped as he air around him exploded. The guard with the submachine gun staggered, but was still on his feet.
Ranse Lemuel sagged against the cold hallway wall and cast a healing spell on himself, Dances-In-Air, and Hondo. An loud alarm began to sound in the hallway and a red light began flashing. Hondo fired another fully-automatic burst into the Venus Corp security guard's chest. The guard stumbled backward and fell over the unconscious mage squire, both still breathed. Another very badly hurt guard in full armor lay on the ground outside the third-floor elevator.
Damanta took a deep breath and logged back into the matrix. Dances-In-Air headed for the stairwell at the end of the hall. The team was in a Venus Corp laboratory and had one remaining objective: escape alive. After considering a few options, Dances cast an illusion over the three doctors (DR, disposable resources) inside to make them appear like the unconscious guards. Ranse cast a view spell and checked the stairwell and the floors above and below. Venus patrol teams were ready and waiting on the second and fourth floors. Hondo, Ranse, and Dances were too badly injured to risk a direct confrontation with either or both patrols.
Dances-In-Air asked Damanta to locate a low-security lab with a window, preferably one near the parking lot. Damanta quickly provided the data and then moved onto protecting the team. With incredible force, Damanta locked the elevator in place. Any guard movements would have to be using the stairs. The three team members inside moved quickly into the laboratory designated by Damanta. Large, plate-glass windows covered the far wall. Hondo offered to open the window using his Grim AR-7. The mages agreed that using telekinesis would be the preferred method. Ranse Lemuel rolled up his sleeves and concentrated on moving the large plate glass window with magic. He tried three times, unsuccessfully. Dances moved closer; in case, Ranse dropped the glass. Relying on luck, Ranse succeeded on his fourth attempt at telekinesis.
Dances-In-Air cast a view spell to check their surroundings. The parking lot looked clear, but both Venus Corp patrols were in the stairwell, quickly approaching the third floor. Damanta started Jerry's black sedan and drove quickly toward the building. Dances looked at the 21-meter drop to the ground, "Let's send Hondo out first." Dances used telekinesis to float Hondo down a few meters, then Ranse's telekinesis spell took Hondo another 16 meters. Hondo fell the last meter, onto the top of the moving sedan. Ranse's spell also carried Dances and himself most of the way down. While they are falling, slowed by Ranse's spell, Dances cast another telekinesis spell to land them safely on top of the car.
Damanta slammed on the breaks. Hondo rolled to the side and slid into the passenger seat. Dances-In-Air looked like he should have been named Flails-In-Air and rolled onto the pavement. Ranse didn't seem to notice the car stopping and managed to fall badly enough to knock himself unconscious. Dances quickly loaded Ranse into the car, and Damanta accelerated as fast as the battered black sedan was capable.
Venus Corp magical security followed the car for awhile, but gave up the chase as Damanta sped North and then West on Loop 101. The team eventually circled back to George and Dragon where Jerry the Fence was waiting. He congratulated them on a job well done and paid them the promised $18,900.
Jerry the Fence called Ranse Lemuel. Jerry needed to meet with the team right away at Sun Devil Stadium. Jerry sounded very anxious; so, Ranse asked if they should expect company. Jerry assured them he was waiting there with a friend. Ranse called up the team, but he could only reach Damanta Laidir. The pair arrived together at Sun Devil Stadium. Jerry was already there, with a friend. Jerry's friend went by the nick name Cue Ball. Cue Ball was Irish, completely bald, and wore a bandolier full of knives.
Jerry sounded nervous and looked like he was expecting to be attacked at any moment. Venus Corp had contacted Jerry. The same company that the team had attacked only a few days earlier now wanted to meet with them. The meeting was scheduled for Wednesday (the next day) at 3 PM. The location was Venus Corp's corporate headquarters in Scottsdale. The team agreed it was unlikely Venus Corp wanted them dead; otherwise, Venus Corp would probably have already killed them all.
Jerry loaned the team his car again. Damanta pulled up some information on Venus Corp from the matrix and obtained a copy of the building's floor plan, just in case. The next day, Ranse, Damanta, and Cue Ball drove to Venus Corp headquarters. Damanta left her Smith Panther in the car, but Cue Ball decided to carry his Grim Grouch. A pair of security guards, armed with Smith Hummingbirds, stopped the team and asked their business. Ranse replied that they had been requested to meet with someone. The team submitted to a search. Cue Ball decided to leave his Grim Grouch back in the car.
Once inside, the team approached the reception desk. They were expected, and a moment later an attractive brunette woman in a stylish executive suit came out to meet them. Without introduction, she led them to her office on the seventh floor. An armed security guard followed closely behind the whole time. Once they reached the executive's office, she motioned for the guard to close the door and wait outside.
Margaret DeMille, the Venus Corp executive, introduced herself and asked for their names. Ms. DeMille said she thought their work was a bit sloppy, but they showed potential. Venus Corp had trailed them with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) after the team's last mission. Venus Corp was offering them $5000 for the documents they had stolen from the laboratory, and $30000 to recover a pair of stolen prototypes. Ranse managed to persuade her to increase the reward to $33000.
Ms. DeMille said that George England and the Order of the Green Dragon had stolen the cyber gun and cyber blade prototypes. The team was instructed that a set of the prototypes probably existed in the England Trucking warehouse on 51st Avenue between Buckeye and Lower Buckeye. They were also told that a dojo for mystic squires in the Order of the Green Dragon was located inside the warehouse. The final instruction was that "it would be best" if all of the items had to be brought to her office by Noon the following day. Ranse asked what that meant. Ms. Demille answered, "It means that if everything is not here by Noon tomorrow my superiors will be upset, and if my superiors are upset, then we will have to consider other actions." The team left without incident and began to plan how best to proceed.