Chapter 8: Holding the Tiger by the Tail

[Charybdis Richelle]

{Revs}

Revs looks over his shoulder towards the open door.

"Killing's one thing, but I heard what you did to Freddy, not that the fragger didn't deserve it."

{GM}

Ace nods. “I’d rather a killed the fragger; son-of-a-slot deserved it ten times over. I let him off far too easy. Hades, he even learned ta walk ’gain.” He says with a shrug. “But one a my Irregulars begged me ta let him live; gave her my word I’d do my best not ta kill him ’less he forced me ta it. Took a bullet fer my troubles.” He gives a snort that is almost a laugh. “But I guess she was right ’cuz the lesson took. He’s been a much kinder, gentler leg-breaker ever since. Taste a his own taught him petty good.”

“Which reminds me, Skye…” The team’s erstwhile runner glances around looking for the caster, shrugs, and eventually settles for looking roughly in the direction he last heard the shaman’s voice. “Ya know what my biz fer tonight shoulda been. Ya came fer me ’fore I could handle it. The others ain’t had no knowledge a it, but ya did. Anythin’ happens ta them two little girls ’r any a the other kids in G.H.’s stable ’cuz I had ta postpone our little chat ’n I’m holdin’ ya ’countable, Skye.”

{Baby Blue}

"Middle of the van is fine," says Baby Blue.

While the others get Ace into the van, Baby Blue will take a moment to study the stuff that Tears collected, assuming Tears doesn't object.

{GM}

Ace cooperates with any of the team directing him into the van. Bone Biter reaches out an arm to help the cuffed runner stand, but Ace shakes his head. “Thanks, omae, but I got it.” He stands with a fluid grace that does not appear to be hampered in the least by not having the use of his hands or arms.

Bone Biter remains close ready to physically restrain Ace if the handcuffs aren't enough.

{Baby Blue}

Once the others have Ace in the van, Baby Blue will peer at Ace for a moment. Finally, she sighs and shakes her head. She pulls off her goggles and offers them to Pacman. "You're ex-Star, so I'm sure you got experience patting someone down. These got 30x magnification, see if you can get them on. Tears found the obvious stuff to trick the sloppy. She found the hidden stuff to trick the smart. Now we're looking for the stuff he's hidden even from the paranoid, and I'm gonna need your help."

{GM}

Ace gives a wry smile. He inclines his head as if accepting a great compliment. His eyes dance.

{Baby Blue}

Baby Blue studies Ace, thinking. "Figure, he has at least one of three types of tricks left up his sleeve. One, magic. Either he can use magic, or some wizard friend cast a spell on him. I can't do anything about that, so I'm ignoring it. Second, with some restraints you can get free if you dislocate a shoulder or your wrists. If he's got some sort of enhancement lets him heal fast, he might even be able to do it without hindering himself for long. Pacman, I imagine you might know more about cuffs than I do, and if these are the type where he could do that. Finally, we're looking for picks or tricks he might have had surgically grafted onto, or hidden in his body."

Baby Blue points to Ace's hands. "Let's start with his hands. Study his fingernails closely. Don't know if you can replace your fingernails with lockpicks, but if you could, I would. Look to see if they're firmer than you'd expect. Maybe thicker, like they might be able to telescope, or pointed. Study his last knuckle, see if the tip of his finger looks like they might have been surgically elongated. Study his palms, and the back of his hands. See if maybe there's any sign of a pouch, or I don't know, zipper or something where he could hide a pick inside his skin. Do the same thing with his forearms. I don't know he'd have much hidden on his wrists, might interfere with his movements. But I suppose he could have a wire or something wrapped around the inside of his wrists. So don't ignore those."

"His back too, looking for the same kinds of things. Go at least halfway up. Even if he can't dislocate a shoulder to get out of the cuffs, he might be able to dislocate one to get a wider range of movement than we'd expect. And his legs, all the way down to his toes. Really anyplace he could conceivably reach with his hands behind his back, plus little bit more." Baby Blue's eyes narrow as she studies Ace. "Normally, I'd insist on his hoop and crotch too, but he did surrender himself to our mercy without a fight. I'm willing to let him keep his dignity as a professional courtesy."

{GM}

Ace waits for Baby Blue to finish cataloging her instructions for Pacman.

“A professional courtesy which I deeply appreciate, Baby Blue.” the spider says when she’s done. Whether it’s because he’s less worried or due to the topic, he returns to more standardized speech. “I’ve been through a full-body cavity search often enough that they no longer embarrass me, but they are rather uncomfortable.” He shrugs. “I’ll return that courtesy by keeping these totally useless restraints on unless you get too rough and I fear for my life, or worse, for permanent injury.”

{Revs}

"Don't forget, he's got some kind of enhanced articulation, so he's way more flexible than a normal guy."

{GM}

“Actually,” Ace says, “He suffers from a medical disorder with a Latin name about twenty syllables long that he can’t remember but which is vaguely related to EDS and the magical mutation genes in a way which his juvie-only science education doesn’t let him understand.” He chuckles. “Enhanced articulation was a Ghost-sent procedure which lets him keep his joints from dislocating unintentionally.”

Meeting Revs’s eyes levelly, he adds, “Even so, I don’t have a joint in my body that doesn’t like to go for a stroll of its own volition now and then. At least the EA lets me rein them in on a light leash. Most of the time now, they only dislocate when I want them to”

[archolewa]

Ace nods. “I’d rather a killed the fragger; son-of-a-slot deserved it ten times over. I let him off far too easy. Hades, he even learned ta walk ’gain.” He says with a shrug. “But one a my Irregulars begged me ta let him live; gave her my word I’d do my best not ta kill him ’less he forced me ta it. Took a bullet fer my troubles.” He gives a snort that is almost a laugh. “But I guess she was right ’cuz the lesson took. He’s been a much kinder, gentler leg-breaker ever since. Taste a his own taught him petty good.”

“Which reminds me, Skye…” The team’s erstwhile runner glances around looking for the caster, shrugs, and eventually settles for looking roughly in the direction he last heard the shaman’s voice. “Ya know what my biz fer tonight shoulda been. Ya came fer me ’fore I could handle it. The others ain’t had no knowledge a it, but ya did. Anythin’ happens ta them two little girls ’r any a the other kids in G.H.’s stable ’cuz I had ta postpone our little chat ’n I’m holdin’ ya ’countable, Skye.”

Baby Blue takes a deep breath after she's finished giving her instructions. She inclines her head in acknowledgement of his courtesy. She stands still for a second, then her eyes narrow, and she fixates on him. Her own speech slips into her Seattle street accent. " 'old yer hoop. What biz? What're ya talkin' 'bout?"

[shaidar]

{Revs}

{GM}

“Actually,” Ace says, “He suffers from a medical disorder with a Latin name about twenty syllables long that he can’t remember but which is vaguely related to EDS and the magical mutation genes in a way which his juvie-only science education doesn’t let him understand.” He chuckles. “Enhanced articulation was a Ghost-sent procedure which lets him keep his joints from dislocating unintentionally.”

Meeting Revs’s eyes levelly, he adds, “Even so, I don’t have a joint in my body that doesn’t like to go for a stroll of its own volition now and then. At least the EA lets me rein them in on a light leash. Most of the time now, they only dislocate when I want them to”

Revs holds his gaze "That's bad luck, what with that serious allergy of yours as well. From what I've been told most money is on it being soy. It would be useful to know, none of us want you hurt, or dead."

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

Ace shrugs. “I guess it’s the price for my luck with gambling.” He chuckles. After a moment, he shakes his head. “It’s not luck; it’s genetics, or so the doctors tell me. But you get used to it when you’ve never lived any other way. My mom didn’t have it. My sister didn’t either. Just me and my clones. So it must’ve come from whatever john we were whelped from.”

When Revs brings up the allergy, Ace shrugs again. “You got a pen or recorder? The list runs a few dozen pages long.” He chuckles. “I’ve gotta get most of my medication tailored. Nearly everything you can get over the counter’s a no-go. Luckily, I finally found both a very good street doc and a genius of a street chemist.”

“Ghost knows I was lucky to survive to the age of reason. Even luckier to have made it until I could afford to buy meds I can actually use. Fragging good thing I rarely get sick. This is by no means comprehensive but…” He draws a deep breath and rattles off the list like an auctioneer. “The biggest problems are soy, penicillin (and all its relatives and derivatives), both sulpha and sulfate drugs, aspirin, most common anti-inflammatories, all opioids (and most synthetics) and two of the three branches of antihistamines – which is a slitch when when antihistamines are what they use first to treat anaphylactic shock. Filtration helps, a little, even if it does render the few other helpful OTC meds useless. DocWagon’s very detailed copy of my medical chart helps much more.” .

[Tay-Dor]

[El Cid]

El Cid watches from inside and waits for the signal.

[CoyotesLuck]

{Pacman}

"Ace, if you would please answer BB's question while I recheck' for any trouble hidden on your person." Re-searches Ace.


Ooc: 1) K"eybo]ard has go]ne fuck'ed, my appo]lo]gies. 2)My k'iddo] spent 20h in the er and still needing answers so] im a bit distracted IRL.

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

“I did answer her question, Twinkler, or at least as much a it as I’m gonna.” Ace says. “Guess ya wasn’t payin’ attention. That’s on ya. I ain’t repeatin’ it. Ask someone who was listenin’. ’R ask Syke ’n she can tell it from her perspective. Maybe ya might think her version’s intrestin’ ’nuff ta hold yer 'ttention.”

Ace remains calm and cooperative as Pacman searches Ace again just to be sure that Tears didn’t miss anything. He finds none of those cyber-finger compartments or hidden pouches that so concerned Baby Blue. Pacman’s years with Lone Star give him that nagging feeling that he must be missing something. Maybe it was Ace joking earlier than Tears had only missed 4 or 5 things. Maybe it’s Ace’s smug retort to Pacman asking him to repeat himself or the spider’s absolutely dispassionate poker face as Pacman searches him. Ace’s face gives nothing away while Pacman frisks him and goes through his pockets. Maybe it’s just Pacman’s gut. But try as he might, the former officer doesn’t find anything new.

"Satisfied?" Ace asks when Pacman's finished, "'R we gonna waste the rest a the night lettin' everyone take a turn feelin' me up?""

[Juramenta]

{Headstone}

Headstone sends a message to El Cid that they are ready to go.
Hearing BB ask about Ace his personal bizz, he shakes his head. Hoping they won't get distracted by Ace spinning a tale on some sob story, which shouldn't be of the crew's concern.

[archolewa]

{Baby Blue}

{GM}

“I did answer her question, Twinkler, or at least as much a it as I’m gonna.” Ace says. “Guess ya wasn’t payin’ attention. That’s on ya. I ain’t repeatin’ it. Ask someone who was listenin’. ’R ask Syke ’n she can tell it from her perspective. Maybe ya might think her version’s intrestin’ ’nuff ta hold yer 'ttention.”

Ace remains calm and cooperative as Pacman searches Ace again just to be sure that Tears didn’t miss anything. He finds none of those cyber-finger compartments or hidden pouches that so concerned Baby Blue. Pacman’s years with Lone Star give him that nagging feeling that he must be missing something. Maybe it was Ace joking earlier than Tears had only missed 4 or 5 things. Maybe it’s Ace’s smug retort to Pacman asking him to repeat himself or the spider’s absolutely dispassionate poker face as Pacman searches him. Ace’s face gives nothing away while Pacman frisks him and goes through his pockets. Maybe it’s just Pacman’s gut. But try as he might, the former officer doesn’t find anything new.

"Satisfied?" Ace asks when Pacman's finished, "'R we gonna waste the rest a the night lettin' everyone take a turn feelin' me up?""

"No," says Baby Blue. "Folks don' go shovin' little girls into stables to teach 'em readin', 'ritin', and 'rithmetic. An' yer so concerned about it yer goin' to put the fear o' God, 'r lead at least, in the owner. An' at the same time, yer goin' along nice 'n quiet with us, all while goin' on about how ye could break free with yer eyes closed an' both hands tied behind yer back but ye won' 'cause yer just so nice, even' tho by doin' that yer leavin' those girls to the types o' things powerful men put girls in 'stables' to do. Been a mouse all my life, Ace. I know when a tomcat's toyin' wit' me."

[Charybdis Richelle]

{GM}

“I ’gree with ya on principle, Baby Blue,” Ace says. “If I could wipe out all the fagins ’n the pimps, I’d do it. But I ain’t a Army. I ain’t a megacorp. I ain’t a government ’r a fraggin’ dragon, fer Ghost’s sake. I’m just one chummer. I gotta a lot a people on call, but they ain’t free, neh? And believe it ’r not, livin’ all ’lone without even a fragger a a fagin ta keep ya from bein’ far game ta all steada just one fragger’s near on worse. I tried it both ways. Most on the street ’lone can’t get ’way clean ’til they can at least shave ’n some never. I made it at 13. Gutted my fagin ’n the man he wanted ta sell me ta. First man I ever killed. But I hadda run like Hades ’n other than tellin’ the others ta do the same, I couldn’t do nothin’ fer the rest, so most just slid back under the fist of the fragger who come ta take his place. ’N I slottin’ near starved ta death ’fore I could find my feet under me 3 years later. Not all a us get the luxury of bein’ scooped up ’n rescued by some rich daddy that actually cares ’n ain’t just sellin’ ’nother kinda slavery.” He locks his eyes on Baby Blues for a moment to let that last sink in.

“So, I does what I can. I pull in as many a the Irregulars as I can when I can. Large part a the feral metahuman population come ta me fer food ’n what change I can give ‘em. As fer the fraggin’ fagins ’n pimps.” He shrugs. “I set some rules ’n parameters fer those in close ’nuff ta me that I can enforce ’em. But that ain’t as far as I’d like. I take out the worst, give lessons ta them that stray too far… and crush with brutal efficiency them that mess with those I can claim as mine. Like I said, I ain’t a army, Baby Blue… I ain’t even a fagin ’r a pimp. I connect those I can ta what jobs I can that they’s suited fer, but I can’t run ’em all. Wouldn’t even if I could. I ain’t becomin’ what I hate with the false idea that I’d be any better.”

The spider shakes his head. “Think what ya want, but I don’t throw ’way chummers. I got ’quaintences ’n contacts ‘n them that owe me favors all ’cross this city, but that ain’t make ’em friends, neh? Those ’r few ’n far between. Cid’s one a my few… Hades, I got drunk with him tonight. I can count on one hand the number a chummers I’d trust ta do that with ’n have fingers left over. Ain’t been that wasted in ’bout a decade ’n it’ll likely be that long fer I let myself be that vulnerable ’gain.”

Ace takes a long, slow breath and forces his thoughts back into standard English “So, no, Baby Blue. I wasn’t going to take the risk that you’d blow Cid’s brains all over the sidewalk just to save my dignity… Or even to save my life. I’ve led a long one for someone in our profession. Cid’s just starting out. He’s new hope. If it comes down to his life or mine, let him have his chance. I wasn’t going to risk his life even for those kids. They’re in danger, but they have a temporary haven. The others have been at risk a while. It was worse than my intel suggested. I don’t have many eyes in that particular rat’s nest. Chances are they’ll make it another few days. Some will get roughed up. That sucks, but that’s life. Still, push comes to shove, they have a better shot at surviving a few days, maybe as long as a week, with no more misery than they are already used to. Cid’s life was on the line here and now. I play the odds. I always have.”

“So, just do what you’re going to do, already,” the exhausted runner says with a sigh. “I don’t have the energy to argue ethics with a child who got out clean and chose to come back anyway.”

[Tay-Dor]

[El Cid]

El Cid exits the building and walks over to the van. If there's room, he'll sit on the bench behind Ace. If someone is in the bench, Cid suggests they move over.

Entering the van around the time Ace is talking about Cid, He puts an extremely large meaty hand on Ace's shoulder, "Its good to know you care, chummer. Now be nice the BB, she can get a bit emotional." He looks at BB, "Be nice to the old man. He's humoring you and hasn't slept in 3 days."

[archolewa]

{Baby Blue}

Baby Blue's face is impassive throughout his rant. Finally, she lets out a single harsh laugh. "Seems ya got the money to leave clean as any. But ya should know well as any, Ace. The streets get ya, they keep ya."

She looks at Headstone. "I'm satisfied. And no more kidnappings. Victims talk too much."

She moves into the seat next to Revs. She gives Ace one last impassive look. "But if ya ever needs ta put a street kid where ye don' want a kid ta go, gimme a call."

[Charybdis Richelle]

{El Cid}

El Cid exits the building and walks over to the van. If there's room, he'll sit on the bench behind Ace. If someone is in the bench, Cid suggests they move over.

Entering the van around the time Ace is talking about Cid, He puts an extremely large meaty hand on Ace's shoulder, "Its good to know you care, chummer. Now be nice the BB, she can get a bit emotional."

{GM}

Ace turns to look at Cid. Hejust stares for a second. His eyes blink three times, slowly. “What the frag?!?” His gaze whirls to Headstone, His brow furrows. Behind him, Ace’s hands ball into fists. His head whips back around to Cid. All the lines in the spider’s face go hard. “You backstabbing, Ghost-damned, mother-fragging, son-of-a-slot!”

All of the muscles in the older runner’s back go taut. For half a second, the pure animal rage almost makes Cid glad the team has stripped Ace of all weapons, and the troll watches carefully in case the older runner decides to toss off the cuffs.

{El Cid}

He looks at BB, "Be nice to the old man. He's humoring you and hasn't slept in 3 days."

{GM}

Abruptly, all the anger drains from Ace’s face, and he begins to laugh. Shaking his head ruefully, he mutters to himself, “I’m getting too fraggin' old for this drek.”

{Baby Blue}

Baby Blue's face is impassive throughout his rant. Finally, she lets out a single harsh laugh. "Seems ya got the money to leave clean as any. But ya should know well as any, Ace. The streets get ya, they keep ya."

{GM}

“You self-righteous little slitch,” Ace snaps. “Yeah, right about now – maybe as far back as 5 years ago – I could get out… maintain a stable middle class lifestyle just with my legal biz… For myself… But I’d have to abandon the Irregulars and all of the others that depend on selling me intel to make the difference between survival and starvation. I’m not talking about runners who can just find another fixer, who can get work directly from a J…” He shakes his head.

“I’m talking about more than just the Irregulars; I mean most of the street kids Downtown and a fair number throughout the rest of Seattle. SINless children living meal to meal who are desperate for even that much... I can’t fix the system, Baby Blue,” Ace says. The sunken pits of his eyes heighten the shadows of pain within. “I can’t shut down Hades. But I can make my own small corner of it somewhat less torturous for a lot of kids, so they don’t have to do the sort of drek I’ve hadda do to survive this far. Those who need what little I can offer, divided between so many. Maybe it ain’t much, little girl, chip truth. But it’s the best I can do.”

{Baby Blue}

She looks at Headstone. "I'm satisfied. And no more kidnappings. Victims talk too much."

{GM}

“You don’t want to hear my answers, Baby Blue,” Ace says. “Don’t ask questions about my fraggin’ biz that ain’t none a yours. And don’t make judgments about how I live my life. Or at least, keep your fraggin’ opinions to yourself.”

{Baby Blue}

She moves into the seat next to Revs. She gives Ace one last impassive look. "But if ya ever needs ta put a street kid where ye don' want a kid ta go, gimme a call."

{GM}

Ace shakes his head. “Oh, I don’t need the help of a sanctimonious wannabee to do that, little girl,” he says. “I know how to do it all on my own. Been doin' nearly as long as you've been alive. I have even managed to get a handful completely free – SINs, jobs, relocation. The whole package. Problem is, it costs more than I make in 2 years, even working both sides of the biz, even in peak times like this when I'm bustin’ my hoop hard enough that I’m thankful for a nap once in three days, to get just one wholly free. Yeah, so far, my count's only 6. But, tell you what, Baby Blue, instead of lecturing me, come back and talk to me after you’ve gotten one… just one… any one… safe and settled… with the SIN to keep ’em that way. ’Til you’ve done at least that much, quit lyin’ to yourself ’bout being better than me.”

[archolewa]

{Baby Blue}

If Baby Blue's reacting any to Ace's rant, there's no sign of it. She shrugs, like she'd offered him a glass of water and he said No thanks and settles back into her seat.

[shaidar]

{Revs}

Try as he might to hide it, Revs cringes at Ace's reaction to realising Cid's betrayal..."I knew that was going to go badly". He gets his expression under control as he listens to Ace berate Baby Blue and her ice-cold reaction. "Well, at least I'm not the only one she does that to".

He looks around the minibus and then over at Headstone. "Are we ready to go? Where's Skye?"

[Charybdis Richelle]

{Baby Blue}

If Baby Blue's reacting any to Ace's rant, there's no sign of it. She shrugs, like she'd offered him a glass of water and he said No thanks and settles back into her seat.

{GM}

Ace nods once as if Baby Blue’s reaction has confirmed something for him. But he makes no effort to resume the conversation.

{Revs}

Try as he might to hide it, Revs cringes at Ace's reaction to realising Cid's betrayal..."I knew that was going to go badly". He gets his expression under control as he listens to Ace berate Baby Blue and her ice-cold reaction. "Well, at least I'm not the only one she does that to".

He looks around the minibus and then over at Headstone. "Are we ready to go? Where's Skye?"

{GM}

“Hiding from me, like as not,” Ace says, chuckling. "Think I scared her off when I pointed out that actions have consequences." Then he leans his head back and closes his eyes.

Glancing around the minibus, Revs sees that Bone Biter, Headstone, Pacman, and Tears have yet to take a seat, as well as the still invisible Skye.

[Tay-Dor]

[El Cid]

El Cid gently squeezes Ace's shoulder and quietly says, "Its okay Old Man. They hired me earlier today." El Cid, "But at least you can get that nap you needed. Unless you want to regale us with a song."

[shaidar]

{Revs}

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Revs airlines. Please take a seat so your captain can prepare for take off...seriously guys, we have a closing window for the next phase of the journey, so can we get moving please. That means you too Skye, or you'll be left behind."

[Charybdis Richelle]

{El Cid}

El Cid gently squeezes Ace's shoulder and quietly says, "Its okay Old Man. They hired me earlier today." El Cid, "But at least you can get that nap you needed. Unless you want to regale us with a song."

{GM}

“Frag off, Cid!” Ace snaps, shrugging off El Cid’s hand. The older runner falls into a tense silence.

{Revs}

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Revs airlines. Please take a seat so your captain can prepare for take off...seriously guys, we have a closing window for the next phase of the journey, so can we get moving please. That means you too Skye, or you'll be left behind."

{GM}

Ace remains silent for nearly a minute before opening his eyes and turning around to meet Cid’s. His soft tone matches Cid’s earlier, “Chummers is chummers but biz is biz, neh, Cid? I slot ya.” He sighs deeply, shaking his head. “Hades, I completely missed it. I must be tireder than I thought… Drek… We both live through this, Cid, come talk to me ’bout work – biz and otherwise. You’ve come a long way in the last year.”

[Tay-Dor]

{GM}

Ace remains silent for nearly a minute before opening his eyes and turning around to meet Cid’s. His soft tone matches Cid’s earlier, “Chummers is chummers but biz is biz, neh, Cid? I slot ya.” He sighs deeply, shaking his head. “Hades, I completely missed it. I must be tireder than I thought… Drek… We both live through this, Cid, come talk to me ’bout work – biz and otherwise. You’ve come a long way in the last year.”

[El Cid]

"You know I learned that from you, Omae." El Cid replies.