Week 13, Friday Evening: Ace’s (triumphant?) return from France.

On Friday evening the garage door clanged open as Ace returned to the compound. He was dressed in a green flight suit and was carrying a mule-tech full off dirty clothes and other goodies. He looked quite exhausted as he dismounted from the bike and stored it in the back of his Mungo, to save space. He looked around at which cars were in the garage and called up to the air.

“Good evening Bell. I’m back, I guess. Who else is in?”

He let out a big yawn, an even bigger stretch and bent his neck sideways until it clicked on each side before opening the door through to the training room, mule-tech still slung over one shoulder.

A couple of moments after Ace entered the building, Darya emerged from the medical bay carrying a large box of stuff, heading towards the garage. They meet in the training room. Like Ace, Darya looked tired and grimy, like she'd been poking around sewers in Shanghai looking for cult bases for a few days, but she perked up a bit when she saw him. "Ace! Good to see you." she said, smiling slightly as she adjusted her grip on the box so she could wave to him.

"Oh, hi Dayra. Are you back already?

Ace was uncomfortably aware of how dishevelled he was at this moment. He wanted nothing more than to get a shower and clean himself up before talking to anyone, but he’d had the misfortune of bumping into Dayra, of all people, before he could be ready. Then he took in her appearance and couldn’t help but smile at the fact they were both in a similar position.

“I mean, of course you are back. You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t back would you? Haha. Ha. ...”

He looked around awkward for a moment, trying to think of something to say.

“Erm... well. How are you?”

"I'm...alright, I guess." Said Darya. "Tired, that's all." She rubbed her eyes with one hand. "How about you? You look like you've been dragged through a rubbish tip." she said, looking at Ace concernedly.

Now that Ace was closer, he could see that inside the box where a number of tactical assault sheilds, some medpacks, a large array of other drugs, and a Gauntlet close combat sheild system.

"Yeah, tired is right. I've been in France all week looking for.. something. Didn't find it though."

Ace rubbed his eyes for a moment and gave his head a slight shake.

"'Copter lag. I've never got used to it. I'm going to get a nice refreshing cold shower, see it that'll wake me up. I'll see you later."

And with that Ace climbed the stairs to the upper floor, heading first to his room.

Before Ace could reach his room, he was intercepted by Ida, carrying a large box. "Ace. Take these, get changed, then we'll talk." She sounded very serious as she handed him the box. "Meet me down in the firing range... Now if you'll excuse me, I have other people to give clothes to." She turned her back on Ace and went into her room to grab some more boxes.

Contained in the box was a very finely-tailored business suit. The jacket, trousers and tie were all made of a soft, deep natural green, fabric. It was fitted perfectly for Ace.

"Hi Ms. Ida, I'm just..."

Ace was interrupted with a box and before he could reply Ida had hurried off. "Thanks..." He said half heartedly to the empty room. Ace dumped the box on his bed, stripped off and padded off towards the shower with a towel round his waist and a holstered gun over his arm. Ten minutes later the shower was finished, Ace didn’t believe in long showers and just took enough time to get the sweat and grime off before towelling dry, ignoring the auto-dry feature of the over elaborate shower. A few minutes after that he was dry with slightly damp hair and opened the mystery box, to find his new suit. Ace was sceptical at first: it was green rather than the traditional matt black and he had never been comfortable wearing his suit, even though he knew it was sometimes important to do so. When he felt it though the material felt incredibly hardy, even though it was soft. Ace tried on the new suit and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was comfortable and a perfect fit. In fact it gave him a perfect excuse to wear his new tie, which he got out of his mule-tech as he emptied it and put his things away. He put on the tie and set it to a colour that he thought went well with the suit (Pres + Looking good: Fail by 7...). Finally he took his dirty washing over to the washing machine and set it going before heading downstairs.

Darya shook her head slightly as Ace walked off. Going to France? That was almost as stupid as...well, poking around Old Cities looking for cult.

Having reminded herself as to her own stupid activities, Darya set off to her van again, dumping the box inside before turning around and heading back upstairs.

"Oh, Darya! Take this. Better clothes. Tough too. Trust me, you need to dress better." Ida pushed anothe of the boxes into Darya's hands, freeing her up to pick up two more and carry them downstairs.

In Darya's box was a white tiger-striped blouse and shortish black skirt - like all the other clothes Ida's been giving people, they're very comfortable and perfectly-fitted. ((Condition 12, reinforced, grounded, flame-retardant.))

When she got downstairs, she called out to Bell. "Hey, Bell! I've got some clothes for you!" She set down the box labelled "BELL", which contained a black t-shirt, purple hoodie with a black outline image of an eye on it, and a knee-length dark purple skirt. ((Again, perfect fit, reinforced, etc.)) "By the way, have you seen Pinkie? Well, not seen, but you know?"

((OOC: Is Sosie back at this point?))

(Sosie is on her way home as we speak, though she won't get in until around midnight on Friday.)

Bell was sitting on her bed, eyes closed. She appeared to be plugged into the rig. She spoke to Ida through the speakers, only remembering at the end to open her eyes and act like a tangible being. "Pinkie is home." She turned her head to look at the box. After a delayed moment, she unplugged from the rig, leaving the thick cord that attached her to it on her pillow. She slowly descended the steps, and looked at the box impassively. Bell had never worn poorly fitting clothes, and today wouldn't be the first day for that.

Darya set the box down in her room and picked up the clothes inside, planning to hang them in her wardrobe. She liked the blouse, but the skirt was a bit too short for her liking. Oh well. She could just put some thin trousers on underneath it she guessed.

She paused, and smiled, realising that this was the first time she'd actually worried about what clothes she'd wear with what on anything but a practical level for years, before hanging the clothes neatly for special occasions.

As she lifted her arms up, she caught a whiff of the grime she'd be covered in. Probably a good idea to have a shower, for hygine reasons.

She flung her mission clothes into her mule tech and headed downstairs again, planning to have a shower when Ace was out. She flung them into her van, next to a new set of light combat armour she'd brought, before heading back upstairs and waiting for the bathroom to be free.

After Ace got out, and she'd had her own shower (quite a bit longer than Ace's, she enjoyed nice hot showers), she sat down in the lounge wearing a t-shirt and shorts, checking a PDA for anything else she needed. Maybe if she could get hold of some higher quality invisiblity fields or scout powder...

"I've got more urgent things than finding Pinkie right now," Ida said with a shrug. "If you see her, point out this box." Ida set down a box labelled "PINKIE", and headed off to the firing range.

(Inside Pinkie's box is a bright pink dress and slightly less pink jacket to go with it. Great fit, comfortable, condition 12 reinforced/grounded/flame-retardant like the others.)

Ida waited in the firing range for Ace to arrive, and met him with a stern look on her face when he arrived. "Get your gun out. Shoot me," she said, pointing to her stomach.

Seeing as Darya was now in the shower and not seeing any of the other girls around Ace went to the range as instructed, curious to find out what it was Ida wanted. It was not what he expected.

"What?"

"You're a trained agent, I'm sure you're familiar with the concept of shooting people. Fire at me. You won't kill me, I'm tougher than I look," Ida said with a smile, tilting her head to point out Sylviane standing in the corner with a medpack, just in case. "Now c'mon Nizky, shoot me. I want to really know how you shoot, and there's no better way than this."

Ace looked nervously at Sylviane, the combat replicant, and then back at Ida. He pulled his gun out of the holster and pointed it at Ida for a moment, the gun hanging slightly limply in his hand.

“I’m not sure I’m comfortable with the idea of shooting a teammate, no matter what they are trying to prove. Wouldn’t you prefer if I shot at one of those targets over there?”

Ace gestured with his free hand towards the other end of the range where the targets were, but kept the gun pointed at Ida for the moment. His eyes glanced nervously at Sylviane again, trying to see how she was reacting to where the gun was pointed.

Sylviane looked on with the same blank expression she always bore - her sunglasses concealed the only way she could express "feeling". Ida sighed and shook her head. "This isn't a good start, is it? Come on, just shoot me. Unload some goddamn bullets. I thought the WF gave you guys a lot of training where shooting things was concerned, so put it to some use and shoot me." She stared Ace straight in the eyes, her glowing pink gaze as intense as it had been when Sosie and Darya nearly died in the building explosion. "I won't tell any of the others if you don't want me to. Just do it, please."

"Look, Ma'am. I don't really want to do this, but I can see you are adamant. I'm sure you'll probably be ok, but it's the principle of the thing, really. I dislike firing on my own team, it sets a bad precedent. But I can see you really want me to do this and we are always told back home...”

With this Ace pulled the trigger three times in quick succession each shot targeting a slightly different location, one in the stomach, one in the sternum and one in the centre of the chest. Each shot that fired was perfectly silent and Ace has spent long enough aiming the gun at Ida at this point to be sure of hitting some sensitive areas. She’d live, she was an Agent.

((All shots are at AT19 and ignore 3 points of AV due to armour piecing rounds.))
Shot 1, Rolled 16| Damage: 14
Shot 2, Rolled 15 | Damage: 21
Shot 3, Rolled 8 – Critical Hit | Damage: 34))

“...never point a gun at something unless you plan on shooting it.”

*Pinkie had just managed to get into the warehouse proper when Ida's biostatus monitor flatlined. She kept walking for a moment expecting it to instantly pick up. She froze in place when it did not. It took her a moment but she managed to fade.*

Bell.... If Ida is in the house.... tell me where.

*Pinkie's voice was lower than usual, the hiss more evident but lacked anything like threat. Placing her newly acquired equipment briefcase on the ground, Pinkie drew her The Twins and twisted cloaking herself from thermal vision ((AT: 13, roll: 9, spent 4 TE)). As high pitched as she could Pinkie proceeded to whistle to her pack and headed slowly toward the stairs.*

Unheard by the rest of the house, a conversation occurred in Korean.

{Click.}
"Bell, is Ida there? What the hell is going on?"
"Ida asked Ace to shoot her."
"..And?"
"He did."
{Laughter, a snort, and then..} "Make sure no one else dies."

And that was when Bell responded to Pinkie, only after a short delay. She was resting on her bed, one hand on the sleeping lynx at her side. Her eyes found Pinkie, even when invisible. "Ida is in the shooting range with Ace. Mom told me to make sure no one else dies."

"Bell?"
"Yes, Mom?"
"Go into the medical bay and get a nano rescusitation pack and a med pack, and make sure to help."
"Yes, Mom."
"See you soon. Let me know what happens."
{Click.}

Pinkie disappeared and was most likely running, but Bell moved at her own pace, measured but with some speed. She unhooked herself from the rig, dropped down into the racks and then into the surgery.

And Ida collapsed. Ace looked at her for a moment, dumbfounded, and then his eyes went wide. The gun in his hand clattered to the floor as he flung it aside. Ace fumbled for the vial of Haemavine he kept on his holster belt but his once firm hands were trembling uncontrollably.

“No. Nonono. shit, Shit, SHIT!”

He looked over the bullet wounds, which were slowly oozing, trying to remember what he was taught to do in a situation like this. Unfortunately the only advice he could remember was “Stand back petunia and let the big boys handle this.”

In desperation Ace looked around the room for anything that might help. His eyes locked with Sylviane’s sunglasses and he screamed “Help her! Do something!” His fumbling hands finally managed to open his belt pouch but the vial of healing liquid fell from his grasp and skittered away across the floor towards the door. Panicking Ace did the only other thing he could think of. He started CPR. For a bullet wound to the chest. ((Int + Medicine AT11, Roll 13...))

*Crashing down the stairs to the shooting gallery Pinkie's pack joined her and followed her lead, both in the literal and fading to invisibility sense. Bursting into the room Pinkie did a forward roll to avoid any gunshots at the door (which I'm hoping don't actually happen) and then straightened up to take in the situation, pack coming to a stop at her heels. Ida on the floor, three clean shots which have hurt her more than rockets. Sylvanine kneeling over her. Ace kneeling next to her, gun on the floor. No threat?. Ida has too many shields to get through with a cougar and he is in range. Sylvaine is not shooting him. Ida.....*

Ace, back off. Sylvaine knows what she is doing…. I said move away!

*Pinkie's voice hissed from somewhere several inches below where her mouth should have been had she been standing up straight and her voice was low, quiet and every syllable was laced with threat. Something else about it was… off as well.*

**Evee skidded to a stop behind her alpha remembering to let Gren have pride of place beside the alpha in the delicate acrobatics act that was co-ordinating invisibly. Taking in the sights and smells of the room, Evee recognised the weapons fire discharge. The tall one, the male. The blood that could only be Ida’s was far more subdued and it took a moment for the Cyberwolf to realise that although she was not bleeding she still might die of her injures. Her unseen stance shifted ready to attack the man, of which she was glad to have checked visually before. Profile, height all correct. She waited on her alpha’s command or assault…. Which did not come. Evee’s head snapped up to where her nose told her her alpha should be. It sounded like she was claiming the kill? Unsure of her situation but instinct forcing her back toward hostility Evee resolved to consider all this afterwards.**

Sylviane knelt down next to her mistress and examined the wounds calmly. "She's done it at last. Had she not pressured Agent Nizky into shooting her, this all could have been avoided, but she had set her mind on it." She turned to Ace and Pinkie. "Ask if there are any resuscitation packs in the medbay; I'm not connected into the Oracle smeaker channel. She's had a psyche matrix backup taken, so she's definitely not gone, but she's almost certain to die here otherwise."

((OOC: -32 HP... That was an interesting sight to wake up to.))

On cue, the door opened. A heavily laden Bell walked through the door, arms full of med packs and two nano resuscitation packs. She unceremoniously dumped the armful by Sylvaine, glancing from other replicant to the wounds on Ida's chest. She had never seen a dead body before, and seemed almost.. curious.

And then her head slowly looked up, an idea occurring to her (after a fantastic roll). She looked into the space where Pinkie was, and took a few steps forward.. to put her hand on Ace. In a voice almost so soft as to be whispering, she repeated, "Mom said to make sure no one else dies."

((OOC: How do nano resuscitation packs work?))

Ace didn’t look up as the door opened, but Pinkies voice snapped him out of whatever fugue he was in. He looked up towards the voice, but pinkie was no-where to be seen, which didn’t surprise Ace in the slightest. He did what he was told though and backed away from Ida’s corpse as Sylviane came over to examine it. He was about to call for Bell when she came through the door. With the small child’s hand laid upon him he turned to the space where he thought Pinkies voice had come from.

“No... I... Ms. Pinkie. She told me to shoot her. She said she’d be ok. She lied to me.”