Fink

I believe he is tied up in his Christmas campaign for work and is having to work rather long hours. I think things will get back rolling in the new year

Root sits up after the checkup. 'Got a beer? Thats all I need...'

'Sisken I think we have inadvertently got ourselves into something big. That data chip has some interesting stuff.'

She explains the images she saw and how she is trying to get more information to explain what they mean.

'There was some blueprints of some technology. You got a printer? Maybe the suits are after something.'

Gratwin, Thanks for the details I asked for. I've padded out the information a little for storytelling sake

After checking the computer over for damage Root is satisfied that despite being a little cooked its still working fine. She looks at the data chip and considers running it again with more precautions in place. Was there more information she didn't see?

She reboots her thoughts. Closing her eyes for a moment she recalls the image of the Passport, there was only a name and a face

Who is Nikolai Zhutovsky? All other useful information was redacted so its not going to be easy to trace him.

The Medical report is almost useless but the Cyberware was sponsored by EBM. Russian Military Contractor? Could be interesting breaching their systems...

Park that for now...move on...

The Military photograph plugs a few holes. The men lacking any signs of rank or squad markings and their general look give the impression of Special forces. The circled man stands out as his face matches the passport. There was a small building in the hills behind them. It takes a minute or two to recall its detail. Mongolia or maybe China? She tries to recall her military history lessons to gauge an age on the photo but struggles. if it was taught at school she wouldn't have been listening..

A pattern is forming. Do we now have a face and a background for Nikolai?

42°9′18″N 41°39′16″E - Easy! - co-ordinates for something. She flicks the switch to the computer and quickly loads up Google maps. Its a shipping port on the Black Sea coastline. Poti Sea Port in Georgia

The port seems normal enough so why is it mentioned?

She logs on to one of the hacker message boards she's found before. She sends a message to one of the users: 'bulgurpilavı'. Who nicknames themselves after a food! 'He' is however based in Istanbul, Turkey, The gateway to the Mediterranean . Maybe he's heard of it.

Must remember to check her messages in a few hours.

There was another number with Night City customs markings - A shipping manifest.

She glances up and notices Sera watching her nervously. 'I need to hack into Night City's local custom offices. Have I got time?'

She logs onto the Night City port authority site and looks up the staff listed as contacts. She picks the liason officer - A Jenny Jones - and sets a piece of Brute force software going to probe their password security with popular password combinations, not too fast to gain unwanted attention. Hopefully shes sloppy and is not sensible to use a half decent combination. A quick check on her social media profile is dull. She loves her pet cat too much. Its called Mookie so its a possible combination. It gets her DOB as well, even the cats birthday is listed. As an extra Root adds a list of popular cat phases to the program.

She pulls the leads from her neck, leaving the computer running. Sometimes hacking can be pretty autonomous.

Roots been thinking

"I don't want to sound paranoid Siskin but I was hit by some pretty high tech programming. We may want to enter your premises by the back entrance in case its being watched. When they lack a good course of action they may go over where they have all ready been in case they missed something"

She checks over her equipment and pulls out a pistol from her bag. Waving it at Sera casually she says "Hopefully we don't need bigger" before tucking it in the back of her jeans.

I'm going to try to trace the soldier I saw first. Trying to remember if there was a regiment name and date on the photo, Can I recall the hospital data record number? If so lets do a bit of hacking into official hospital records to get a name and see if we can then data mine to find this person. If we starting in Russia. Everyone has bank accounts, telephones, store cards, rent to pay and the rest.

An insight into Boris's frame of mind would be useful too.

 

Boris's mind set right now is battlefield extrication. 15 seconds to evaluate his surroundings and he's making a break based on that. Fast checks of the exits and if somehow these people are so unprofessional as to have left keys in the ignition before he makes his move. Regardless of how he got here, and who he owes what, this is now combat and the first rule of combat is to survive - so that means leaving, and fast...

ha ha run through the wall, keep running and dont look back..

Root sits bolt upright with a start. "Whoaa! We're in trouble...that is I think we are.."

she looks around familarising herself with the new surroundings. "Can we stop at a chemist? I need to get rid of a headache fast".

She rubs her temples vigorously. "Did my computer survive?"

Did I get any detail of the ICE that attacked me? Can I tell whether it gleaned any information about me?

"Um yeah...heres your phone..." She grabs it from her bag and leans across Sara holding it out. "Probably two or three weeks use easy. Don't make long calls"

She almost laughs at the sight of the comic, biting her lip to stay calm. Maybe she overdid it on the secrecy. Maybe if we were at Comic-Con we would be assaulted by someone dressed as Superman.

"...where did you get this from? Comics are worth a few thousand for a mint copy like this i suppose. I haven't read this one. Its supposed to be good"

On finding the data chip Root holds the wafer in her fingers; controlling a slight tremble of excitement. New data, new information..this is what she lives for. Knowing peoples secrets.. The control you can have simply playing on peoples irrational fears.

She pulls out a small mini tablet from the outer pocket of her bag, its glass surface lighting up to her touch. Root pulls a small delicate cable out flicks her hair aside, connecting it to an interface port on her neck.

Root plugs in the data wafer into a port on the tablet , mentally moving through menus on the computer faster than the screen can refresh...

"Its old technology really" she says pointing at her neck as the screen continues to flash data up. "I hear they are working on ways to directly interface with the brain, even replace parts of it with quantum computers" She grins "Imagine hacking in to peoples heads."

Root waves her hand dismissively

"I've written some software which should be able to scan this. I'm running it already..you said you got it how?"

ah.. here is where you post. Hi! I'm going to run the new character Root

A late night call from the Sera again. She needs a burner phone for a client. Grabbing a phone from a pile Root plugs it in to her computer and hacks into the Verizon network, reprogramming the phone in just a few minutes. Easy money.

A text reveals a problem. Sera wants a meet instead of the usual drop. Worse still its at NCU campus. Far to exposed, far too many people. Root ponders whether to bail on the job but Sera throws a fair bit of work her way and theres some more work after. Root is bored anyway.

Oh well.

She throws some clothes on and grabs her bag and coat with a quick check to make sure everything is there. Its a brief walk to the tube and the campus only few stops away. Exiting the train she rounds the corner towards the exit. She grabs an item from the bag and puts it on. Shes now a blonde. The reflection off an advertising board allows a quick adjustment to get the wig right. Pair of large fashion sunglasses to hide the eyes. Someones left a beret style hat hanging out their bag so a grab secures the item of headwear. She's memorised all the cameras and stays in their black spots, only crossing in front of them when absolutely necessary.

Its never good to leave a trail....

The campus has lots of pedestrians her age so she tags at the fringes of a small group allowing her to scan for the client. Root recognises Sera from the first time they worked together. Sending a worm in a picture attachment Root was able to take control of her cell-camera. She makes a mental note that it could be fun to see what her background is. Something for a quiet day perhaps.

Root pops a gum as she takes in the scenario. Weighing the pros and cons she decides its a rubbish meeting place. So open! Do people not know how good the street cameras are these days. With high resolution lenses and incredible zoom capability an operator can watch half the city.

She peels off the group and heads straight over to the park bench, flops down, letting a large bubble pop. Introductions probably waste time. 'I've got the phone, wassup?