Guns for Hire - Script Twenty Nine

Harbour Boulevard, Night City 6.22am - 29/01/2016

With Jörg & Bjarne back on board the yacht Alex none to politely reminded Mariusz that whilst she had no particular reason to distrust him she'd feel far happier if they split the balance of payment as well as the bonus pretty fucking soon, obligingly Mariusz fired up his card reader & transferred the pay off including as agreed an equal share for the absent Skinpin.

Mumbling to himself Vrasten threw the Chrysler's key card to Mariusz as Alex vehemently refused to set foot in any vehicle driven by the ex cop, even to the point of walking if no other alternative existed, finally, seats wiped clean of congealing blood, they departed the mooring & headed for the Hope.

Forlorn Hope, Night City 7.01am - 29/01/2016

Thirty or so minutes later T Bird hobbled up the steps of the RV behind Vrasten just as Mariusz suggested bacon & bagels would go down pretty well, raising her bandaged hand Alex smiled at T Bird, sighing T Bird picked up the griddle.

Forlorn Hope, Night City 7.44am - 29/01/2016

Hunger sated Mariusz set to stripping & cleaning weaponry, pretty soon it soon became a general service session as first Vrasten then T Bird & finally Alex joined the party. Looking up at the small access hatch to the RV's roof Alex set to wondering whether it could be readily enlarged & mountings formed to take the Militech SF1200 recovered from the pick up at the warehouse, soon all four were sketching out what needed to be done & compiling a shopping list of required components, in the corner, volume muted, an old 80's rerun of the A Team passed them by.

Forlorn Hope, Night City 10.49am - 29/01/2016

As the morning ran on Skinpin, stubble starting to mask the stitches across his scalp, appeared at the RV's door, whistling at the state of Alex & T Bird he shrugged off questions about his own health & near herded Alex & T Bird into the Hope in search of one of the house ripperdoc's.

T Bird winced as the doc pealed back a flap of sticky skin & poked around ripped flesh,

"The guys who tidied this up for you did a tidy job to be honest, hardly any crap left for me to pull out, hold still, yep, looks pretty good, we'll just get it stitched up while you're here, no point in hurting you twice is there"

T Bird was less inclined to agree.

Alex wasn't so lucky, the ripperdoc confirmed that what was left of the right hand second & little finger had to come off & the twisted wolver framework needed partial replacement. Spraying a fresh layer of plaskin over the foreshortened fingers it was agreed that they'd set Alex up for surgery in a day or so, at least just as soon as they could pick up the necessary hardware to replace the severed fingers as well as the knuckle blades, Alex, vainly, emphasised that the new digits wouldn't be acceptable chromed as whilst she might have to feel like a tin can she sure as fuck didn't want to look like one.

Forlorn Hope, Night City 2.27pm - 29/01/2016

Back in the RV T Bird was catching a few medication induced Zzzz's when Alex returned with Skinpin, Mariusz & Vrasten were both watching a local news update picked up by the RV's dish, according to the KCRA reporter police were investigating the scene of a overnight violent & bloody battle between suspected rival gangs, whilst no statement has yet been issued by the police the reporter commented that it was understood from unofficial sources that at least 8 bodies had been recovered so far.

Forlorn Hope, Night City 10.18am - 30/01/2016

After the previous days rest T Bird eased himself out of his cot to the sound of laughter, whilst still stiff legged he was in a far more buoyant mood & pulled aside the bead curtain, Alex, Mariusz & Vrasten were surrounded by bits of metal, power tools, countless sketches & a set of mini bottle cutting torches, whilst above, sun light shone through the gaping hole cut out of the RV's roofing panel, grinning Mariusz gave T Bird the thumbs up,

"Two sugars please ?"

Forlorn Hope, Night City 4.41pm - 30/01/2016

Taking time out for a beer Mariusz watched as several of the Hope's regulars, bored with manning the barricade, rigged up a series of impromptu targets , seeing Skinpin coming out of the Hopes main door Mariusz waved him across & showed him the text he'd received earlier in the afternoon, it was from Kissy, it read,

Your mom driving me fucking nuts, went for scan today, all OK, boy or girl, want to guess ?

"Reckon I can wait Skinpin yeah, as long as its all there, two arms, two legs"

Forlorn Hope, Night City 6.26pm - 30/01/2016

Kicking back in the RV Alex idly watched an update of the constant news reports being put out by KCRA, nothing new had emerged regarding the warehouse shoot out but a separate thread had caught her attention, the news reader suggested that, allegedly, as a consequence of the ineffectiveness of the city's police force to maintain control of the streets rumours were emerging that the Governor was in talks with a third party to establish the viability of the police force being privatised, of course the Governors spokesperson had denied all knowledge of this however a worried looking police commissioner had been unable or at least unwilling to dismiss the suggestion, what it did confirm though thought Alex was that some fucker couldn't keep their mouth shut.

Listening to Vrasten taken a dump in the RV's oh to near chapel Alex was surprised by a knock on window, Skinpin, sat nearest, leant out the open window,

"What you want Greebo ?" asked Skinpin

"Doc says to tell the bint with the big tits not to eat or drink anything tonight as he's gonna' cut her up tomorrow & doesn't want her puking & making a mess"

With little else pressing for attention & no further contact from Jörg the groups combined talents were occupied with the ongoing formation of sliding mounts, an enlarged roof hatch & a suspended gunners cradle for the recovered HMG.

Forlorn Hope, Night City 11.03am - 31/01/2016

As Alex reluctantly stepped out of the RV & headed for her appointment with the house ripperdoc, Skinpin, to her horror, announced that he'd be assisting, quickly he added that he'd just be mopping up blood & passing the sock wrench as he was till suffering slight double vision, Mariusz's comments about cutting back on the spliff's went largely ignored.

With Alex under the knife & Skinpin out of the way Vrasten, T Bird & Mariusz continued enthusiastically with the RV modifications, by late afternoon it was near complete needing not much more than a couple of coats of paint.

Up on the roof T Bird heard Vrasten & Mariusz muttering about further news reports, sticking his head through the hatch he caught the tail end of the report,

". . . and again a spokesman for the NCPD has vehemently dismissed allegations that the assumed gang related slaughter two days ago was actually a bungled undercover operation & that several of the bodies were in fact city officers, however a unofficial source has as good as confirmed that this in fact is exactly what occurred, as soon as we can bring you an update of yet more proof of the commissioners incompetence be sure we will, and finally a pregnant woman has jumped from the 32nd floor . . . "

Forlorn Hope, Night City 2.43pm - 01/02/2016

As T Bird did his best to concentrate at looking at Alex's new cyberware & not her tits Vrasten's phone shrilled, answering it he mouthed to the others that it was Jörg, looking at the others for confirmation he agreed they'd be about the Hope for a beer that evening. Flicking off the phone Vrasten added that Jörg had hinted that there might be a bit more work to come out of it.

Later that afternoon T Bird & Mariusz took a spell on the perimeter however there had little trouble if any around the Forlorn Hope since the start of the current troubles as rioters & protesters had quickly learnt that all they'd get from the Hope was a whole heap of trouble.

Forlorn Hope, Night City 8.26pm - 01/02/2016

Relaxing over a beer or three Jörg filled them all in on what he new; the governors rat, Jörg reported, as well as the MilKor suit & the governors office bodyguard, were still in hospital, he was listed as critical but stable, his storey, so far as MilKor saw it, checked out in that nobody was returning any calls. Jörg added that although the chauffeurs corpse had been recovered by the police there was nothing to link it back to himself & consequently those gathered, & for what it's worth MilKor were still talking with the cities officials.

Whilst reiterating that the MilKor contingent had been sufficiently impressed with their reaction to the situation there wasn't a great deal at the moment that was required of them however they would like Mica Poyer's storey about his wife & child being abducted checked out, querying the fee Alex was disappointed that it was only worth a $1,000 however Jörg emphasised that MilKor weren't asking for recovery, just confirmation that Marion Poyer & her daughter, Sarah Beth, weren't hiding under the bed clothes. It was agreed that Alex & Mariusz would take a look the next day.

On a separate matter Jörg added that he was a little surprised at what had gone down as normally he & his associates normally tried to keep from stepping on each others toes when operating on home turf, that nobody he'd spoken with so far new anything about the escapade at the warehouse was unusual, although it was possible they were from out of town but given it was run of the mill thugery that seemed unlikely.

Mariusz threw in Marcy Kravitz comments from the KCRA news report of the previous day concerning the allegations of it being an undercover operation, laughing, Jörg, threw it back in his face,

"Fuck me Mariusz, you don't watch that crap do you, it's bollocks yeah"

Pacifica District, Night City 2.11pm - 02/02/2016

The following afternoon, & despite her recent surgery, Alex & Mariusz drove out of the city heading for Pacifica Five, one of the many out of town sanitized zones shared & protected by the larger corporations beyond the urbanised sprawl of Night City itself. Some three quarters of an hour later they pulled off the highway & picked out the feeder road to the identified estate, cursing Mariusz steered the Chrysler past the estate entrance realising they had no cover storey for the manned security check point. Following the perimeter road around they picked up several spots where cultivated copses & undergrowth would obscure any view from the intermittent CCTV station & security patrols. Ditching the car they casually strode along the verge until they reached the selected point & quickly disappeared into the bushes.

Frustrated Mariusz stood looking at the razor wired eight foot high fence, realising they'd never climb this in a month of Sundays they back tracked to the car & cruised the neighbourhood until a hardware outlet was located that could sell them a set of bolt croppers, returning to their previously selected point of entry Mariusz neatly cut the fence & concealed the cutters in the undergrowth, feigning a happily married couple out for an afternoon stroll they strode confidently onto the estate.

Pacifica Five, Night City 3.49pm - 02/02/2016

Walking the estate they quickly helped themselves to several letters from a random mailbox before approaching the Poyer residence adopting the names on the envelope as a cover, laughing & smiling jovially they made several passes of the detached unit before stopping at the end of the drive whilst Mariusz stooped to tie his shoe lace.

Opposite a child slowly licked a dribbling ice cream, a few well chosen words from Mariusz soon had the child fleeing in horror.

Watching from the top of the drive they could both see water running freely down the drive into the gutter, Alex nodded towards a sprinkler flicking backwards & forwards across the front lawn, under his breath Mariusz added that the door to the detached garage was partially open & beneath its lower edge he could see a vehicle.

With Mariusz playing stooge Alex nipped along the drive & noting the camera above the door rang the bell several times,

"Where ever could they be honey" she called to the waiting Mariusz, "I don't think we're earlier than I arranged we'd come over"

Still smiling, Alex ducked under the part open garage door whilst Mariusz continued to play the bored husband outside. Inside the double garage was a gleaming urban cycle SUV complete with baby seat, feeling the hood its engine was stone cold. At the back of the garage a personnel door stood ajar, peering through Alex could see it lead to a sizable rear yard, various toys littered the grass. To the rear of the house a second door was wide open, by now confident that nobody was home Alex slipped through the door & into the kitchen, on the table was a half eaten sandwich on a child's plate & a empty juice container.

Quickly Alex scoured the house, everything she saw suggested that normal life had been interrupted several days back, unmade beds & unread papers on the mat as well as several wrapped birthday presents on a side table. Pocketing several framed photographs for future reference as well as one of the birthday presents Alex noted that the camera above the front entrance only fed to a viewing screen & did not record images. Before leaving she checked the phone for messages, several were present, the unanswered call times backing up their alleged disappearance, leaving the way she came in Alex rejoined Mariusz who was by now pacing the street impatiently.

Glancing at her subdermal watch Alex agreed that it was probably worth trying the estate kindergarten which from the poles they'd seen whilst walking the estate wasn't far.

As anticipated the school was shut by the time they arrived, the last of the parents & nannies driving away however a couple of cute female teaching assistants were just leaving, again playing the concerned visiting friends, they were accosted. Making sure Sarah Beth's presents were clearly displayed as the reason for the visit Alex & Mariusz coaxed out of the prettiest one that Sarah Beth had not been in school for several days & that maybe the school should contact the police, Alex did her best to pursued the girl that this wouldn't be required as they were sure everything was all right really & no doubt Sarah Beth would be back in kindergarten in the next few days.

Adopting the same cover storey of visiting relatives they knocked on several of the Poyer's neighbour's doors prattling about delivering presents, eventually the child bedecked woman opposite confirmed that she'd seen Marion Poyer & Sarah Beth getting into a police vehicle several days earlier but hadn't said anything as she didn't won't to get involved, thanking the neighbour or this information & pleading concern Alex & Mariusz made their way of the estate, collected the Chrysler & headed back to the Hope.

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