5324/Running The 'Edge'. Get It

Running The 'Edge'. Get It
Date of Scene:	20 June 2017
Location:	Spring
Synopsis:	Reaper and Sombra do some talent scouting. On Nicky.
Cast of Characters:	Reaper, 968, Sombra

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Reaper has posed:
'Word' trickles down, somewhere on Earth 616 - a job. Small enough that the usual mercs are turning it down, big enough to attract the Z-listers, but the 'employer' is being awful picky about who they're letting in on the circle. And the usual rumors abound: AIM making another play? The Serpent Society? Zodiac Cartel? Hard to really say. But the contact was solid enough to convince a few finders looking for their fees to pass word along. In another universe, they might've been called Johnsons.

The meet-up itself is the first floor of a small high-roofed warehouse - where else? - with a single bare bulb swinging slowly in the dusty air. Miscellaneous crates are stacked high into the darkness, giving the area something of a 'pit' feel. The sillouette of a figure can be seen, back turned towards the table, features cowled for the moment. Unmoving. And we do mean unmoving, not even a shift of shoulders one might expect from breathing. And wouldn't you know it, the contact's name was given simply as 'Nevermore'.

Someone has a sense of the dramatic.

Nicky (968) has posed:
Nicky tried to stay away from 'home' most times, because Earth 616 not only held bad memories, they had files on her. Enough to make her really wary about police and any other state actor. But it was just about the right time to pay a bit of respect to those that were gone, and it was also an opportuity to possibly take a little job.

After having met a fence she knew, she heard of the contract for offer - and the guy being seemingly especially picky. Wouldn't be the first time she took something slightly fishy.

And of course, it was a Warehouse. Nicky had prepared before, taking some basic B&E tools with her in a small and flat bag hidden under her shirt, and like a backpack, a collapsed Henry AR-7 survival rifle rode on her back, but under the jacket.

"Mister Nevermore." Janie said, as she spotted the figure at the table, her hands on the hips, and taking some precaution not to step into the cone of light coming from the hanging lamp illuminating it. "The details on the job weren't very precise, but I understood enough, that you need an expert to extract some item."

Reaper has posed:
The sound of shifting; Like sand curling along the wooden surfaces, the dust that floats slowly in the air whirling as if in a passing breeze. A whisper of sound, the figure's cowl shifting slowly as what appears to be smoke passes along its fringe. And then a voice - FROM BEHIND. Because why not?

"One item." Begins a voice, a practical growl with low reverb. But the figure itself? It definitely -looks- shady, a dark cloak with almost ritualized drappery and dim purple trim. Black claws for hands. Large, black metal combat boots. And, of course, a mask - that looks like a giant raven's head. Complete with eyes that glow a slow, wisping purple. I mean, what did you expect with a name like Nevermore? The beaked mask tilts down, the glowing purple gaze shifting down and back up as the figure moves into the cone of light on his own. Shoving the mannequin in the cowl aside, letting it clatter to the ground as 'he' takes its place. The light casting a sharp line across the line of his beak - which doesn't move, of course. So at least he's not -really- a bird man raven thing.

"One item, from one location: The Yorke Antique repository. Do not be fooled by the quaint name.. I can assure you of their severity when it comes to protecting their acquisitions." The last word is nearly hissed, before the hand dips beneath the cape - and brings out a manilla envelope. Bulging. "Details. And half up front. I don't think I need to explain what happens if you don't.. follow through?"

NEVERMORE SKIN: http://tinyurl.com/y7hqalyd

Nicky (968) has posed:
"We don't know each other in that case. But allow me three questions: Yorke Antique as in Yorke Antique Textiles, Canada? How large's the item? And how much is it?" Nicky asks as she slips into the cone herself, brushing her hair into position in a short pose, then changing her weight to the back leg.

    "I take you have the plans, photos and details on security, maybe even special plans how you want the item to be taken, wrapped and delivered, but all those can come after those three questions, for two of them determine if I take the job."

Reaper has posed:
"Yorke Antiques, out of California."

Whispers the growling voice, the black clawed hand creaking slowly as it grips the manilla envelope. "Dealers in antiquity. Your task is in one of their repositories. The object itself is spherical - a small, ceremonial skull. Like you'd find in a monkey.." Here, the voice drops an octave. ".. or a child."

There is a pregnant pause, before the larger figure holds out the envelope. Materials within shifting at the change of angle. "Basic recon, only. The interior of the local is unknown save for 'public' records on file - as are the precise counter measures you're going to have to go against. There's a reason we're paying for this - and that reason is the supposed 'talent' for hire. As for how you deliver it.." A slow, hiss of breath between the beak's halves. "Unbroken and undamaged. Exfil happens once its out of the physical local and secure."
The manilla envelope, if taken, holds a rather nifty sum of money. All in folded paper, of course, because cards are trackable. Also require the user to have some sort of account available in the local universe, but shhh.

Nicky (968) has posed:
Nicky nods on the revelation of the dimension and place, then she moves to the table further, the shadow in her face shifting a bit, taking the last emotions from her face by hiding them in shadows.

    "Unbroken and undamaged is clear. A nice envelope..." she say as she picks it up, weighing it carefully before taking a peek in to check the currency. "And nicely filled. So, one... ceremonial skull it was? Bone or crystal? that decides a bit what kind of container will be needed."

Reaper has posed:
A low, dark chuckle from the needlessly shadowy figure. "Bone. Not as fragile as crystal - but close." Comes the single answer, the beaked mask tilting upwards now. Purple gaze hidden behind the birdy profile on one side, leaving a single glowing gaze to peer at the mutant thief. "Your trip to the location is offered - as is your exfil once off site. But the assumption is you'll be able to handle yourself on the ground. Acquisitions." He clarifies, voice still a grave growl, before black claws fall back against his own side. Twitching, as if they'd rather be filled with something else.
"Do we have an accord?"

Nicky (968) has posed:
"Oh, I know how to handle on site... just the plans would be really nice. But I can probably manage without. We have a deal. Just the date when to start the action remains... I have time starting pretty much now, just need to grab a bag of things." Nicky answeres, her eyes somewhat cast in the shadow, of her forehead, but keeping them more or less on the peak of the beak. Just a simple trick, as people seeemded to be unnerved when one stares into the eyes.

Reaper has posed:
"Now is better."
Begins 'Nevermore', clawed hands once more dipping into the cowled cape it - he - wears, to pull forth a small comm-link. The tech is definitely multiversal, or at least high-end 616. Something that doesn't depend on things like 'coverage' or 'signal strength', because who needs that junk? The glowing, misty purple gaze does not waver one iota when the smaller thief meets his gaze - rather, a dark, ominous chuckle rolls out of the figure before that comm-link is laid upon the table as well.
"You'll stay in contact with us.. with -me-.. through this. When you're ready to depart, -I'll- make the arrangements. Otherwise, your success is on you.. child."

Nicky (968) has posed:
"I need just about 20 minutes to grab the bag." Nicky says as she tucks the envelope into an inner pocket of her jacket, then picks up the tool, turning it between her fingers for a few seconds.

    "I don't think you'll have to reschedule the transport too much. I will be right back. Anything else?" Nicky asks, stepping back twice from the table, the hand with the communicator tucking into her outer pocket, together with the hand. "Because otherwise, I fetch the bag."

Reaper has posed:
The bird masked figure tilts its head again, and begins slowly stepping out of the cone of light as it speaks. "Only this: Do not disappoint." The voice snarls, the purple lights glowing dully in the shadows beyond that cone of light. There is a soft whisper of sound once more, sand trickling across wood.
"Your flight.. will be waiting in the lot." Comes the response to her being right back. One purple light goes out, and then the other - like candles in the wind. The single bulb light swinging a bit harder now - nothing there. Gone~

Out in the lot, of course, there is a flicker as a Talon hot-drop transport goes live. Dropping the thermal camo to push power towards engines. A black cloud swirling through the intake vents, reforming on the inside. A small craft, two seats in the back and the cabin seperated by a featureless door. To keep the 'pilot and copilot' uninterrupted, of course.

Nicky (968) has posed:
Nicky nods as she turns, moving away to the door she came in. She only takes a quick jog down the road to the old building she had deposited her 'travel light' bag in - just a few not so small items one wouldn't want to miss when doing a job - rope, rappeling harness and glove as well as a few slightly larger tools like a crowbar.

    About ten minutes later, she is back in the warehouse, taking the jog through to the gate to the lot, pushing herself against the dust cloud to get the the entry door. Squinting the eyes, she pulls herself into the hatch, tossing the bag under one of the chairs before strapping herself in. Finally, she pulls an old Walkman out of the bag, starting up the tape, getting greeted by rapid guitar runs... well known for it is ACDC's Thunderstruck, calling a somewhat wicked smile onto her face. "Let's get ready to rumble."

Reaper has posed:
The bird mask it put aside, for now, left on the armrest that seperates pilot from co-pilot. Reaper - Gabriel - drawing a slow breath through... well, lets call it a 'nose'. For old time's sake. Feeling the creeping burn of his quote unquote flesh exposed to the air for the brief moment it takes to put his proper, sterile bone white mask on. The head mask sealing itself over his "neck", squeezing as it seals.

"Alright, chicita. Let's see what you've got." His voice is - wrong. WRONG. But fortunately, there's no one about to hear it, or the current of dark humor beneath it while the mask seals itself shut. The faint whirr and crunch of screws into his forehead, pulling it tight.

And the humor's gone. Clawed gauntlets flick switches, letting auto-pilot handle the brunt of the work as he lays in a course. With a smooth leap the transport heads upwards, curling upward on a stomach dropping acceleration. Talon doesn't hang around.

Reaper has posed:
The flight to california takes a few hours - even the multiverse has a concept of travel time, despite the warp gates. But eventually the featurless 'flight deck' of the small transport shudders, ears popping as it begins to descend. And then descend faster, a hard drop that just as quickly levels out, vibrations rattling through the chamber-
Before the hatch hisses and opens. A fast drop, the engines still rumbling as it holds the vessel off the ground. The sky above is just starting to turn grey, extreme early morning - Fewer souls, and potential witnesses less alert than the early night. A nondescript industrial area where the noise would be less out of place as well.

There is no announcement made over the comms, but the intent should be very, very obvious. If Nicky took the time to look over the documents given, she's got the basics; Address of the repository, basic photographs of the exterior, the 'public' records of the interior. A private repository for the Yorkes, a wealthy couple of antique dealers with high end clientel and tastes. Maybe thirty or fourty 'transactions' a year, which gives you a high end value of what they procure. Or how busy they are.
Needless to say, it's not meant to be open to the public.

Nicky (968) has posed:
On the flight, Nicky had taken the time to skim through the thin portfolio, reading each page twice and triple to memorize the plans, using a pen to sketch what she could notice about the inside. Tucking the portfolio into the box for it, she unlatched herself from the chair.

    "Ready to go..." Nicky replied via the communicator given to her, picking up the tools she had gathered herself together for what she estimated, and a few she just liked to have around, and then strapped them to her as she got up to jump down the last bit to the ground. "Be ready to pick me up later..." she added, then started to sprint down towards the 'warehouse'. The best strategy was often a daring in and out. Hopefully here too...

Sombra has posed:
    Somebody looks rather relaxed about this as usual. With her feet flung up on the dashboard, Sombra is leaning back in the co-pilot's seat, idly looking over some private screens of her that she's put up in front of her, typing away as she eats chips with one hand. Dainty nails pick up a chip, and she bites down on it as her eyes dart to and fro on the screen.

    "Where did you find this girl, Gabe?" she asks with some curiousity in her voice.

    As Nicky arrives at the repository it might be easy enough to notice that this place isn't a place most people would stop by. For one the building itself is up a driveway in a garden surrounded by tall and thick hedges. What windows are there aren't exactly big, with no seemingly easy access. There's the front door, and a back door. As well as a skyroof in addition to the windows on the first floor. There doesn't seem to be any guards outside, though there is a small separate building nearby.

Reaper has posed:
"Beacon Academy. She was the one bitching about her world killing all of her people."
States Gabe, his voice still WRONG, waiting for the sterile bone white mask to reseal itself over his face. The 'bird beak' mask of the Nevermore persona still staring from the desk at the broken creature. "Young, angry at the world, a little talent and weird abilities. Thought herself fast enough to get around my calves. Stupid enough to mention she's a thief. Caballo grande, ande o no ande, yeah?" A smirk on .. well, features. Something that tries so hard to twist into -BEING- when it's breaking into -NOT BEING-. The mask finally seals shut. A whirr of the screws; Crunch of bone. And his voice changes - one can almost hear the dark humor dropping away, leaving only the ICEY EDGE OF DARNKESS behind.
"Let's see if her life is worth anything.." comes his harsh growl, now. Even as he's moving the shuttle off to park a bit away - somewhere they can still monitor, between Sombra and he.
Although he does unbuckle, opening the door that isolates the pilot's cabin from the small flight deck.

Reaper has posed:
".. And my name.. is Reaper." He adds, almost as an after thought.

Nicky (968) has posed:
Oblivious of the second observer, Nicky eyes over the building in the garden, mentally connecting the pictures she saw earlier with the structure. Fence. Gate. Door up there. Windows here and there. Topiaries. Her questing eyes looked for cameras, then she pressed herself against the big, iron grate fence... and plopp, turned into a cloud to condense into a small red panda plushie, that right fell through the fence. And the moment she turned, the contact broke off, as the communicator went to Elsewhere. One moment later the plushie dissolved into mist again, only to turn back into the girl. "That was the easy part..." Luckily, the communicator came back with her shape.

Sombra has posed:
    "Oh, right," Sombra muses. She had been a bit busy at the time looking for opportunities to hack into the place, trusting Reaper to deal with the people. They have gone through this routine quite a few times after all. Though she does look curiously over at him when he cracks that joke. And a smirk tugs at the side of her lips. "I didn't know you could /smile/!" Why, she sounds amused, even more so than normal. When he puts on the mask she's back to typing away at her virtual keyboard. "Oh, a niñita can learn to survive better than one might think..." She did it herself, after all.

    With the shuttle parking she stretches her legs some more, not that she needs it probably. "Just get to your spot, and I will do my part, GABE," she repeats, standing up as she brings the screen with her, all while reaching out to boop him on the mask where his nose would be... all while her thermoptic camouflage activates.

    Getting past the gate proves to be easy for Nicky, and the grounds remain quiet. Now how is she going to get into the building...?

Reaper has posed:
There is an angry hiss from the sterile white mask; Gabe - Reaper - is a whole other person once that thing seals shut. Then again, if you had something screwing itself into your forehead or a body that was WRONG, you'd probably be pissed off all the time too. The Reaper - now in his classic black cowl - moves off the shuttle, taking a moment to look up towards the early morning sky above; Just starting to lighten.. And then he dissolves, curling away like smoke on the wind. And then curling back again...

Sombra has posed:
    It's clear that the building isn't mean to be easy to break into. The windows are thick, and the locks on the front and back door are sturdy that can't be opened by a regular lock pick. There are cameras by the doors, not too hard to spot for somebody with experience breaking into places.

    The walls can be a bit harder to climb, but there are ridges and things a good climber could use to scale the wall.

Nicky (968) has posed:
Nicky sighs a bit as she remembers the dossier about the windows and door, then she dashes to hide behind the next Topiary, working her way to the side of the building, scanning for an angle to get up to the roof without getting into the field of the cameras. Maybe one of the upper windows wasn't properly closed. Or there was a not so properly attatched roof tile. But in worst case... She could still abort now and mail herself in. But now, she firt gripped for the deeper ridges between the bricks, working herself up the wall towards the second floor and then the roof.

Sombra has posed:
    It appears luck is on Nicky's side, as there is indeed a spot on one of the walls where there are no visible cameras. It should also not be too hard to climb from window to window for some people, but alas, no windows appear to be open. It is possible to get to the roof however... and the skyroof that rests above what appears to be a luxurious sitting room.

Nicky (968) has posed:
Using her Parcour skills to the fullest, Nicky works her way up, speeding to the roof edge and then swinging herself up over the ledge to peer down through the skyroof. Eying the transparent item carefully, she opens her jacket to search for a surprisingly simple tools: a long and flat screwdriver. Pushing that between the glass plane and the seal, checking if she can reach the lock... or hinges with it. "Trying a top insertion."

    It takes Nicky a few minutes to bend the lock enough to unlatch, the glass plane springing open. With thin fingers, she pulls it up as far as she can, then tries to bend the lock back enough to hide the entry at least to a glance. And then, Plopp! Gone is Nicky and back is the mist cloud, black this time. A split moment later , it condenses into a tiny panda, that promptly throws itself forward through the skylight. Falling, Nicky winces in the expection of the impact on the ground.

Reaper has posed:
The impact to the ground may just bounce Nicky a few times along the cool, pale hardwood floor. No cheap tiles here! Contemporary cushioned reclining couches adorn at angles most pleasing, designed to assist the flow of the room without clutter, while 'minor' antiques occasionally grace niches in the walls to keep the wandering eye occupied. And we mean 'minor' as in 'less than five hundred years old'. In startlingly good condition, at that. A wide hallway smoothly rolls towards the front entrance, never so gauche as to actually expose the viewer to exterior doors or hard angles, while two more hallways are hidden behind blind curves - subtly encoraging a patient wait.

It is upon impact with the floor, in fact, that something rather peculiar happens. There is a faint, annoyed buzz, and several small nodes flip out along the walls. A blue horizontal film flickers into existance at floor level, and moves its way up - scanning every minute particle of dust as it jumps up once, then repeats the process at a slower pace. And a final time, as if to be certain nothing was amiss before flickering back out. The small nodes flipping back around again.

Curiously high tech for an antiquities repositorie.

Nicky (968) has posed:
Panda-Nicky's face winces, as despite falling pretty slow, it still hurts as she goes into the bounce. Stunned for moments, it is to her benefit that she is just a 'dead object' that has to wait for the pain to ebb away - as the sensors pass along and over the small plushies body without finding any heat or motion. Just a small Object of the temperature outside.

    Only as the sensors hide away again, the small panda thing dares to move, trying to orient herself to where the skull might be, but quickly realizing her princess... eh... crystal skull is in another castle... eh, room.

    Getting back onto her stubby feet, she slowly tumbles towards the first door she can spot - hoping that some handfulls of plush stepping carefully dosn't activate the scanner again.

Reaper has posed:
There are no doors - at least, nothing obvious. The bend around which Panda-Nicky travels leads smoothly to a suspended staircase hugging the exterior wall - with a small elevator tucked away, for those who are 'differently abled'. And we mean suspended, as in the planks sink firmly into the wall, with nothing between them - not even a safety rail. Doesn't that just scream hazard? It leads up towards the second floor, giving a curious waste of floor space in such a structure. But, one supposes something has to support the skylight. The second hallway leads more viewing rooms, it would appear at first glance; Areas lit with natural light, only diffused and angled to prevent UV from touching any of the precious commodities. A variety of high backed chairs surrounding glass paned boxes - empty, strangely enough. In order to know more about either direction, Nicky's going to have to make a committment and either move upstairs, or into the next series of proper review rooms.

There's always the exit as well, a third path; But not telling how to get out of it, and the skylight she came through is far above her. There is a sense along the back of the spine; A curious feeling of watchfulness. And no -obvious- cameras to explain it.

Nicky (968) has posed:
Climbing the staicase would be a larger problem, relying on the small shape Nicky was in, but at least it didn't seem to trick off the sensors. Step by step, she would have to jump and cling to get up, taking at least a minute or two per step. So instead of working the way up for the better part of half an hour to hour, she choseto check out the room with the empty boxes first. Maybe she could figure out from her low position if they just fancily hid their contents under a false floor and lifted with some mechanic... or find a spot to change into something slightly larger.

Reaper has posed:
It's not a bad idea at all, as Panda-Plushie wanders into the review room. From her better vantage, she can note the tasteful displays, the swing-down magnification tools artfully hidden amongst the ceiling's decor. There are two other rooms splitting from this spot, again utilizing blind curves to bring the focus into the immediate rather than distracting with the next tantalizing prize. Which is an awful waste of space, to be frank, and leads to some wandering room layout, but one supposes its in the nature of the owner.

From her vantage point, she can also note the hidden panels of the podiums; Each a keypad neatly under the umbrella of sloping podium above it, giving the illusion of a complete piece from above. But Nicky isn't looking from above, is she? She's looking from below, and the 'hidden' keypad is quite obvious. It's not so nefarious as, again, hiding the necessary components from casual glance. One could casually stand beside the podium's platform, slide one's hand beneath it and - by feel - key in whatever code one was hunting for. So her instinct does appear to be on the level, in terms of something automated.

Speaking of automated, there is that faint, annoyed chime again as more nodules flip out of the wall. A blue field shimmering into existance behind her, at the open 'doorway', while another flits into existence just an inch above the floor. Both sweeping at the same time, but at different speeds - hunting more biological signs, perhaps? Or was it movement that triggered them? Or a third, unknown quantity?

Nicky (968) has posed:
Nicky doesn't have eye in the back of her head, but catching the faint sound of the tech springing to motion, she drops herself to the floor, trying to play dead as good as she can. But that can't guarantee it, can it? She is just a plushie... at least in look. For now. While being a thief... Just how to bypass the keypad? problem for later... maybe... turn back, screw it open and rewire... but how to evade the scanners?! problem for later... now... playing dead...

Reaper has posed:
The screen of blue shifts back and forth smoothly, then suddenly jerks and shifts back again. Then forward. Sweeping in a rather random pattern - where it not an emotionless bit of hardware hunting intruders, one might almost think it showed... annoyance? The blue screens disappear, fragmenting into nothingness. But the small nodes along the wall remain exposed as the podiums begin to hum. A faint whiff of cool air circulating out from their base as objects are shunting to the top. Mist filling the boxes above, which click open.
There is a faint chirruping sound. Almost bird-like, like a dove with a sore throat. A click and scrape of tiny claws. And then?

Dinosaurs. Small compsognathuses, to be precise, their heads bobbing as they sniff the air. Long tails slowly weaving back and forth as they clamber to the hard floor below with the occasional startled cry.

Nicky (968) has posed:
The vanishing of the blue got Nicky back to movement... but Birds?! no... RAPTORS?! Nobody did tell that Tinynicky would have to deal with Jurassic Park! Ok, What to do when dealing with raptors... what was the routine again... outrun the slower of the group? no, nobody to sacrifice. Get tackled and open the jacket one conveniently wears tied around the waist to buy time? No jacket on this pandaplushie Nicky! Have someone else make noise? Nobody with you Nicky and you don't have a printed raptor nostril to 'talk' to them! Wait, noise emitting from an other place might be a way. And then Doors, no, Raptors figure that out after some time. Besides, no door here. Or car to flee into. Or freezer to lock them into. Hide, don't make noises, that was the drill! Ok, the later part is easy being from cloth... but hide without movement?! wait, movement?! MIRROR! Raptors are not the brigtest, with a mirroring surface...

    Some frozen moment, Nicky skims through the room with her plastic eyes, then she lunges for a mosaic made entirely from silver coins, stretching up from the floor to hip height on about a foot width, doing her best to hide behind the leg of a chair before jumping up and down and bumping into the chair to make some noise. Clever girl, ain't she? Wait, she isn't a raptor sneaking up to somebody with a shotgun to protect another raptor!

Reaper has posed:
Not to mention they're compys. Scavengers, for the most part, until they see something they think they can take en-masse. And then? Then they're like tiny piranhas that walk on land. And make bird noises. Well, to Nicky's plushie size, they might as well be raptors. One box above clicks closed again, that faint humming noise as the internals retreat back below the floor level. The faint click of tiny talons as the Compys whistle and warble to one another, natural curiosity driving them to slowly spread out from each podium. There's a few hisses as natural orders are restored, the larger group having been broken up into smaller segments for transport up. And in that confusion, Nicky manages to get herself setup.

The tussle of Alpha is nearly complete when the chair scrape happens. All of the tiny, tooth filled heads snap up. Heads twist this way and that, eyes curiously remiscent of a pigeon's focusing on the movement. One compy clicks forward, neck arching high as it focuses on the movement in the reflective surface-
And then hisses, spreading tiny claw fingers wide. There's a general sound best described as 'insane chicken' as the compys charge forward in mass. Climbing and leaping over one another as they hone in on the reflective motion, screaming and clucking their hunger.

A second box clicks closed, the third and fourth likely next in line.

Nicky (968) has posed:
Compsognathus swarming in, Nicky freezes as the first one is maybe a foot away, targeting the shimmering coins at high speed. Of course, the plushie is hoping that at least some of them hit their head hard enough for neck trauma... and that those Raptor-minis were Raptorminiphages...Or whatever one calls canibalism among dinos.

        *crack* *snap* *grrrr* *hiss* *rip* *snap*

    The mass of green and blue bodies turns instantly from an unordered hunting pack into a cold all-you-can-eat buffet as the first ones get wounded on the wall, and promptly the ones behind decide that filling the belly with some meat is better than searching for the meat they thought to have seen earlier.

    Bits of Compsognathus fly past Nicky as she silently turns to sneak away from the feast, peering at one of the 'exits' to go through. The one further away... and use one of the 'cubes' to hide turning back into a girl. Because if they throw RAPTORS at PLUSHIES, the owners clearly have a crack in the egg.

Sombra has posed:
    Still seated inside the cockpit of the shuttle, Sombra is halfway through munching on her bag of chips, all while watching the screens with the security feed on the holoscreen in front of her. Not too shabby, not too shabby... After putting another chip in her mouth she reaches out into the air, typing on a virtual keyboard that lights up as she types.

    Inside the viewing room something comes to life... A humming sound can be heard from the exit, and in response the compys turn from devouring their companion, their heads darting back and forth like chickens. And then they run off, leaving Nicky alone once more.

    At least now Nicky appears to have time to inspect the room further.

Nicky (968) has posed:
Compies running away is the best chance for Nicky to move up, her now again human shape moving through the hidden walkway to the next room, only stopping long enough to assemble the collapsible survival rifle from under her jacket. If they have tiny raptors, they might have other dinos too, and then... those might need to eat lead. Peering around the bend into the next room, she carefully scanned for more of these boxes... or the panels that hid the scanners...

Sombra has posed:
    The next room is not as full of furniture as the viewing room is. Boxes are scarce, and this room appears to be more of a loading room... with a sizable elevator. There are no scanners visible in this room. What might be strange are all the lines on the floors, walls and ceiling. Is the room tiled? Still... it's evident that the room has some when suddenly another sound can be heard as a grid work of lasers appear behind Nicky, effectively cutting her off from the room she was just in. Then ever so slowly those lasers starting moving from the end of the room towards the other, forcing Nicky to move towards the elevator. Let's hope she has an idea on how to get it open and moving before the lasers get to the other end of the room!

Nicky (968) has posed:
A moment Nicky peers at the room, then the lasers flare on. Great, red glaring lasers dancing towards her... Dance through? nope, this is not Oceans Eleven. Wait? nope, that would get chunks of Nicky. Leaving... breaking into the Elevator. Moving towards it quickly, the girl carefully examined the panels, the buttons, checking if there was a key needed... And then frowning at the touchpad. Those often could be controled like anyhow. Letting the gun slip into its sling, she pulled a tool with a square peg out of the pocket, sticking it into the hole in the elevator frame to release the safety bar that held the doors locked when no elevator was present - usually that thing was for maintenance and rescue. Of course, usually getting into the elevator shaft was suicidal, but below or above a cab there was always space for a plushie in worst case... Using a thick Screwdriver, Nicky started to spread the thin gap between the sides wider, the laser behind her getting closer and closer. Just as the muzzle of the rifle got a slight contact with the red beam, Nicky could jump forward through the open gap, popping into a neon red mist cloud in the jump and condensing into a roughly elliptical 'cat' plushie, that somewhat reminded of a Digimon baby...

Sombra has posed:
    It appears that Nicky is lucky with her gambit, as the doors open just in time as the grid closes in behind her. The shaft itself is empty, though should Nicky look before she leaps, she will see that the elevator is down in the basement, with no elevator doors on the first floor below her. Seems it's only the basement and the second floor that is where this elevator stops...

    Luckily the shaft itself appears to have no security measures, as the little cat plushie lands safely on top of the elevator.

    In the shuttle, Sombra can't help but smirk as she eats the chips with one hand, still typing away with the other.

Nicky (968) has posed:
Landing on the elevator, Nicky changes back after a few moments, checking the elevator roof for an emergency hatch... or some other way to force her way into the elevator. Of course, by now she might have triggered... a lot of alerts just to get this far. But with a bit of luck, she still might manage to get to the skull...

Sombra has posed:
    There is indeed an emergency hatch! Whoever built this place didn't ignore common safety measures, fortunately... Into the elevator she goes, though it appears that the inside is controlled with a keycard. Since the elevator is already down here, it shouldn't be any harder to get this door here open with the trick Nicky used to open the doors up on the second floor. And once she does get the doors open?

    A large storage area is lit up by the light coming from the elevator, casting long shadows on the walls. The moment Nicky steps out onto the floor however, a light turns on. The bad news is that it's red.

    "Unathorized access. Please input passcode to deactivate emergency lockdown in 1 minute. 59. 58. 57."

    The countdown continues, so it appears that Nicky will has two choices... try to find the skull within one minute or try to override the security process. There's a panel on the wall by the elevator with a slot for a keycard, as well as some buttons.

Nicky (968) has posed:
A room full of boxes and crates wasnt making her job easy. Was the skull in one or none of them? Well, having changed back to open the safety hatch and then the door from the inside - which is a bit more tricky as one has to disengage the inner door and then grab to safety bar of the outer door - Nicky looked around manically for the source of the sound, monitors or other controls for the alert. Seconds passed. 56, 55, 54...

Hesitating not too much, she scanned the screws holding the keypad and card reader to the wall, then pulling out a screwdriver again to quickly work on open it. 50, 49, 48...

Sweat started to show on her forehead as she pulled the electronic block out of the wall. Skimming over all the cables with the eyes, her left hand searched for the wire clippers in her pocket. 45, 44, 43...

Sombra has posed:
    Before Nicky gets to actually cut any wires however, something happens. The countdown doesnt stop, but theres something else.

    Is that the music from Jeopardy playing over the speakers as well?

    After that, a distorted voice can be heard.

    Not bad but this way youre going to let the owners know that somebody were indeed here.

Nicky (968) has posed:
The changed sound, the sudden voice makes Nicky jump, the hand with the wire clippers hovering over a cable she knew should sever the memory from the keypad and thus allowing the factory code to become the clearance code once again. If it was indeed the type she thought it was.

    Nice to know I got backup.If you can hear me or read lips, came in right in time to save me from having to fix that wire later.

    The timer out of the way, clippers and screwdriver once more were put into the pockets they belonged to and quickly replaced by the small crowbar. Crates. Lots of crates, most of them possibly containing more stuffing than actual contents. So, what to do? Check them for numbers or content descriptions and if there was a catalogue or list somewhere. Otherwise, opening at least some had to be done - and that would make noise when closing the wrong ones again.

Sombra has posed:
    The countdown stops, but the music keeps on playing. Why though? No explanation is offered from the distorted voice.

    There is indeed a catalogue option on the panel, and all the crates have ID numbers, sorted neatly. So Nicky shouldnt have too much problem once she figures out how to run the catalogue program. It appears that the skull is further in on some of the shelves there, in one of the smaller crates.

Nicky (968) has posed:
Frowning a bit on the continued sound spill, Nicky worked her way through the controls, finally, after a minute or two, she found the number. Jackpot. "What is F16?" she quipped at the invisible quizmaster as she stuffed the keypad back into the wall, but not screwed it fast again - maybe she still might have to reset it to factory in emergency.

    Instead, she moved over to the shelf, carefully scanning the designated crate and checking for traps or extra alerts. Only then she pulled it off the metal rack and cracked the lid off to take the crystalline object out of the wood wool and slip it into a black satin bag she hung from her belt for now. Because nailing the box shut again was a little necessity to try to hide it to the naked eye.

    Finishing the box up, she slipped it back to the shelf before moving back to the panel, sending a last look over the room and the panel. Back was the screwdriver in her hand, and she worked on getting the panel closed again. Just the way out was to be done...

Sombra has posed:
    Bingo~ the distorted voice states as Nicky seems to catch on. Now hurry, the clock is still ticking I might be tempted to reset the timer again should you take much longer.

    Perhaps she should do something about this, she muses. Sombra stretches her legs a bit, nearly done with her bag of chips. Just what is Reaper doing all of this, she wonders Sure, most of this is her deal, thats why Reaper requested her assistance in testing Nicky and her abilities. Mental note, badger him about it later.

    Despite that threat though, the thief doesnt run into any more trouble on the way to row F in the back, and no sensors are down here on the crates themselves. Likewise it should be easy to open the crate to get the item inside. There, inside it, safely protected by cloth, lies the skull that Nicky was ordered to steal. Its light, with a slightly sweet scent to it.

    With the panel back in place and closed, it appears that the only thing now that remains is to leave

Nicky (968) has posed:
Having left the top hatch of the Elevator open, Nicky first pushes the gun back up, then pulls herself up to the hole. Carefully placing the bag with the skull through it first to keep it safe from hitting the wall accidently, she pulls herself through. Moments later, she carefully closes the door again behind her, looking up the elevator shaft. Two ways: Back to the laser grid, or climbing up to the elevator engine room. Neither was risk free, but the later would go higher. And possibly closer to a window she could get out somehow.

    Climbing up the maintenance ladder, she checked for sound again and again - any movement of the cab is pretty dangerous when you are on the roof or ladder. Because cabs dont stop for cabriders. Step, step, metal creaking under the feet, up up and up.

    Hopefully the owners didnt weld the cable access hatches from engine room to the shaft close.

Sombra has posed:
    Up the elevator shaft she goes, and Nicky might be relieved to learn that the access hatch isnt welded closed. It might be a bit hard to get it open, but not impossible. So up into the engine room she goes. Nothing special to see there, though the hatch slams shut after her when Nicky is out. And it doesnt appear to be easy to open from this side. Furthermore, the door out seems to be locked, with no panels near the door.

    In the cockpit, Sombra grins as she watches the security feed, keeping one hand ready over her virtual keyboard. Waiting

Nicky (968) has posed:
No Key panel wasnt entirely a problem - especially since elevator engine rooms were pretty much off limits even to the owners of buildings. After all, nobody wants to end up having people squished by getting pulled between steel cables and then left to dry as you are forgotten till the tech comes to check up again. No, mechanical locks are the usual here... but that wasnt the real reason why she chose the route. Engines like the ones that operate elevators are heavy and run on high voltage. And high voltage as well as large engines have one thing in common: they generate heat. Lots of heat. And that meant there was likely either a ventilation shaft up, or a grill to the sidewall, allowing ventilation.

    Skimming through the room, Nicky checked the contents of the bag a short time, just making sure it was still intact after climbing.

Sombra has posed:
    The room is indeed warm, quite warmer than the storage hall that had been rather chilly. There are ventilation shafts and grills, and well, with the proper equipment it shouldnt be too hard to get out of them.

    As Nicky checks the contents of her bag, Sombra cant help but smirk where she sits, tossing the empty chip back aside. Lo siento, amiga

    Something is definitively wrong. Because the skull looks different, and lighter. Its melting? Theres some white slop at the bottom of the bag as well, and the sweet scent is stronger now.

Nicky (968) has posed:
Frowning on the odd behavior of the skull, Nicky realizes she has to be kinda quick. "Tell Nevermore, that his skull is starting to melt here. Im well on my way out though."

    Proper equipment? There was an easier way! Because, large scale venting means also larger scale exits... just remove a few screws to remove the fine mesh... Bend it up just enough to squeeze behind mostly... and...

        PLOPP

    Gone is nicky once again, in a cloud of grey colored mist, quickly contracting and condensing in the shape of a ten inch by two inch snake of the same color, falling downwards inside the vent - the skull gone to Elsewhere with the rest of the gear. Now it was just a means of tediously snaking the way out. Through the vent, fans, grates, possibly falling a few stories on the outside, off the lawn and then over the street towards the pickup. Can at least try to deliver as much of the skull as she can. It wont melt in Elsewhere anyway. Just might take a lot of time with snake speed. Crawling through air ducts like in a movie classic. At least she wasnt pushing around a cardboard box, to in- or exfiltrate a building

Sombra has posed:
    That was too easy, really. With the chips devoured and gone, Sombra reaches out to the item she had put in the main pilots seat. It had been too easy, indeed. Which is why she had upped the difficulty slightly for Nicky. Not everybody is as skilled with tech as she herself is, after all. So getting to the skull first was a piece of cake. Finding images of it beforehand? Even simpler. And getting a calavera made in its image hadnt been hard for a skilled baker. Perhaps Reaper /will/ be annoyed when he learns what shes done, but eh thats part of the fun.

    Nevermore wants you to focus on the mission, the distorted voice can be heard from somewhere, echoing through the elevator shaft behind her. Now watch your fall.

    Twirling the skull on one finger, Sombra smiles to herself before she lets the item rest in her palm. Sure, the girl might not have her skills when it comes to security and tech, but those were some interesting skills she has. Skills that Reaper will get to study himself once she gets these recordings sent his way...

Nicky (968) has posed:
Itsy bitsy snake, working down the vent Silent, soft, small and then the fall. Just takes time. Slithering forward, and forward, low through the grass on the lawn. Down the road all the way, the communicator was nowhere. Or rather Elsewhere. Where time didnt flow. And thus entire radio silence from Nickys side.

    Being small and snakey, it took her about twenty, almost thirty, minutes to get off the lawn and to a cool corner in shadow so she could change back in a somewhat inconspicuous way... and not loose too much of the skull in the rest of the way. "I have it. On my way to pickup. I hope they dont find dino-bits everywhere conspicuous."

Reaper has posed:
Reaper'd been out of contact for a while - which didn't mean he was off-grid. Just didn't have a whole lot to add to the whole heist, beyond putting the pieces in place and letting Sombra do her thing. Even he couldn't predict her little 'prank', of course - but the skull itself was never the objective.
The girl was.

When Nicky switches back to human form, when she announces her success, the first thing she hears - is clapping. Slow, nearly sarcastic in its methodic speed. Clap, Clap, Clap. ... Clap.

Where there was nothing and no one but a moment ago steps Nevermore. Well, someone like Nevermore - he's definitely cowled, and he's definitely masked. But that sterile bone white mask should be very, very familiar to Nicky from the Beacon Academy, wisps of black smoke curling away from his shoulder where he'd seemed to literally step out of the shadow. Just a trick of the dissolved state, but still: The Reaper. The voice is the same as well, a reverberating bass growl. "Mission success." Seems even when he's complimenting (?), he can't help but sound like he's on the edge of murdering someone.

Nicky (968) has posed:
Nicky spins around as Reaper appears from the shadow behind her, a vein on her forehead pulsind and... PLOPP... is gone once more in a cloud of mist. Light blue this time. And as it condenses, it turns out to be a cyan colored skull stuffie of about the size of a football. Without arms or legs, falling to the floor and rolling over itself twice before coming to a halt on the jaw. Great, why did he have to appear without introduction?!

    The skull silently 'clappers' with the teeth as it jumps backwards a bit while Nicky tries to regain her composture. Which takes her almost half a minute, but then she plopps back in existence, together with the bag. "Mister Nevermore? You startled me..."

Reaper has posed:
The sterile skull mask tilts down slightly, a slow hiss of breath from the hidden features within as an acknowledgement of startling the mutant girl into becoming a small skull. Uncontrolled change - something that'll have to be worked on. A metal gauntlet lifts, turning palm up - and on it is a small, thick circular disk. Which flickers a few times before it lights up, then begins pulsing blue. Establishing a connection with the transport - and the other half of the Talon team. You know, the brains.

"My name.. is Reaper. You've earned that much."

He states. Well, snarls, the tail end of his reverberation hitting a bass line to make that impression. "Ex-filtration in three hundred and twenty seconds - if you have the skull. Enough time to talk about your..." The voice lowers again. A hiss of breath. ".. Future."
Time to confirm the payload, start working on an offer, and otherwise see what the girl's got.

Sombra has posed:
    Another familiar figure appears in the holographic projection that Reaper shows the thief; the woman who had seemed awfully familiar with Reaper at Beacon Academy. Looking rather relaxed, the hacker leans back in a seat, her legs flung up as she tosses a rather solid and non-soggy skull back and forth. "About time you showed up, Gabe," she smirks, then turns her attention to Nicky. The tone of her voice should be familiar to, at least similar enough that the younger girl should recognise the distorted voice from within the building earlier. "Our little chica here did a decent job, I'd say. Not very tech savy, but her other skills make up for it." Here Sombra studies the skull, pursing her lips slightly. "If I hadn't gotten the skull beforehand, then well... this is the part where she hands it over. She can keep the candy if you ask me."

Nicky (968) has posed:
Nicky nods as she pulls the satin bag up from her belt, offering the black pouch up to Reaper, even pulling it open and down enough to show the glossy surface of the skull inside - which had some slight distortions from having been in the heat of the engine room "Here's the only skull they had in there. Careful, it seems to be melting a bit when it gets warm. So, about 5 minutes."

    Then... Sombra drops the bomb about her having taken the skull earlier. Her teeth grind silently, but she doesn't comment on it. It was a job, she got the job done. Professional. "That... explains the melting."

Reaper has posed:
The sterile white mask turns towards the holographic image in his palm, in surprise; Clawed gauntlets briefly creak, the hologram flickering as stress is added to the projector, the cowled man growling like an animal. And then he relaxes his grip again, letting that burning anger return to its usual simmer before the skull-socket gaze returns to Nicky.

".. The skull was never the point." He begins, his growl nearly a grumble. His other hand dipping into the cowl to bring forth - a manilla envelope! With weighty stacked paper bills sliding within. Never say he doesn't abide by his bargains. What few bargains Death makes. "You were, Survivor. You have the raw talent - and ability, for a mortal. As Sombra stated. The only question left before we return to the shuttle is..."

"Is surviving all you want for the rest of your existence?"

Sombra has posed:
    The skull in the black bag does look like it's seen better days. It smells sweet, and it looks suspiciously like a sugar skull typical of Mexico. Which means...

    Exactly what Reaper and Nicky realise as the hacker smiles contently where she sits. "Relajate... think of your blood pressure. Besides, I had to make sure we actually got the skull, sí?" They do have a buyer for it, after all.

    She's quiet however as Reaper speaks to Nicky, handing over the envelope. "Why survive when you can live, amiga?" she suggests with a knowing smirk. "And use your talents for something worthwhile...?"

Nicky (968) has posed:
Nicky eyes the holographic head as she takes the manila envelope, weighing it in her hand and then tucking it into the inner pocket of her jacket to where she had placed the other one earlier, the suggar skull still on presentation in her other hand. "Surviving I would pin pretty much up top on my list, because otherwise I'd kind of have no further existence. And living would pretty much include surviving I guess. But I guess this is not philosophy class but some kind of offer..."

    Eying the disshelved suggar skull, she then adds. "uhm, what to do with the skull now?"

Reaper has posed:
"Leave it for the insects."

Hisses the Reaper, still a bit tweaked by Sombra's 'prank'. Arms crossing over his chest, boots spread shoulder width apart - Sombra's holographic projector still balanced in the palm of one hand as the skull masked figure - The Lord of the Edge - works his neck into a tilt to get rid of that annoying crick. Before he speaks again.

"We're offering a chance to be more than a scavenger. To hone your ... inclinations. Consider it a two-way bargain; Use us to increase your odds of survival. We'll use you as well, for our own objectives. The day you think you're done... " There is a brief pause, the growling voice dropping an octave.

"Leave."

It's a lot more complicated than that, of course. It always is. But Gabe - Reaper - continues. "I know genocide - and I know what it leaves behind." He states, recalling their prior conversation. "Consider the offer to stop being a victim to higher powers, and luck of birth. Power to make.. changes. And the skill, the contacts, to pull them off. Consider it - carefully."
A hissed breath, and the cowled head jerks off to the side. "Exfil. Stay on my six."
Time to move.

Sombra has posed:
    In the cockpit of the shuttle, Sombra extends her hand towards the controls, hacking them. Time to get the auto pilot going so she can pick Gabe up. Rising to the sky, the shuttle gets moving, making its way towards the rendez-vous point.

    "You don't need to decide right now," Sombra states to Nicky, moving to rest the ornate skull in her lap. "Think it over for a while, and then you can contact me. Gabe, give her the communicator, will you~?" A secure little object, with a hidden frequency on it to one of the many proxies that Sombra uses in her communication network. It's best to keep this sort of deal hidden, after all.

    Up above, the shuttle can be heard as it arrives, slowly descending behind Reaper as the cargo hold opens up. Why land when he can simply turn to smoke and get on that way?

Nicky (968) has posed:
"I have one in my ear. The one Mr. Nevermore gave me earlier." Nicky replies with a little smirk, then gives the fake skull a toss to the wall before moving in behind the Reaper as he asks her to follow her on his 6. "Those terms are... vague, but considerable. Like a series of interlocking jobs. Healthcare and insurance included?"

Reaper has posed:
"You'll survive."

Did Reaper just make a joke? It's hard to tell, because he's still growling. He doesn't seem capable of making a sound that doesn't seem like he's on the verge of screaming or murderously sarcastic. He'll let Nicky board first, before he'll simply - dissolve. Dust flaking away from him, twisting into smoke as it slips up and through the vents. The holo-disk left on the floor of the transport as it seals shut, Reaper's voice heard on the comms now.
"That one's .. -dead-... at mission close. The new one is special. More.. secure. You'll want it."
The engines flare to life, G-press - and the shuttle's awaaaaay.

Team Talon, Blasting Off Again.
PIng.