Chercheur
Lisbon Portela Airport

---

Lou hadn’t been waiting at the airport long, exactly, nor had he arrived right on the dot. Working as a runner makes one develop certain habits, certain aspects of the self, and one of these was not exactly a degree of punctuality, but also not exactly a degree of extreme laxness. The latter would waste too much time, would create too long a vulnerable frame which was especially dangerous with some of the types he had been forced to deal with. They would hunt him if given a chance, and waiting too long at one place or another would be deadly enough. The former would be too predictable, dangerous for the same reason. No, he’d been at the airport for roughly twenty minutes beforehand, had attracted some few looks by passers-by who kept their eyes open instead of on the next flight, but generally speaking the priest hadn’t been accosted too much.

The bus - and the team - arrived. One man Lou knew and had worked with before, Whetstone, while the others he did not and had not. The most notable among them a Troll, then an Ork, an Elf, and a pair of humans rounded out the list. It was, put easily, the standard Shadowrunner group, replete with a drone hovering about the Elf. He knew their names, though, or at least that.

"Chercheur? What’s the good word in Lisbon? You're been our man on the ground...for I don't know...some time...Any sweet data you have to share with the rest of us?"

The question had played about Lou’s head for some time. Ms Tower had disappeared quite completely, and the street level sources he had grown to rely upon for local issues had struggled in providing any answers at all. In fact, they had provided none, and the priest had been hesitant about working with the more legitimate organizations; they had been hired for a reason, after all, and discretion was just as valuable as success to such people. Six years was colder than any case Lou had worked before, though, and leads had proved insubstantial at best. Before he had a chance to speak, however, the Elf began; her smile was one that he’d seen before in the red light districts, same with the tone.

"Ooo, man of the cloth. This girl likes the hard-to-get types. Or is this priest the confessional type, because, hoo, have I got some sins to get off my chest."

He let the silence fill it for just a moment, turning his head to look the woman up and down. Sighing, deflating almost as his mouth went wry, Lou let out his thoughts from the pause. “A tease, how…boring.”

Turning back to Wildfire, the human who’d first spoken, he shook his head. “No word from my usual sources. Forgotten Greens and Vultures don’t talk to outsiders, not unless they receive substantial favors, and the favors either want aren’t the sort that are done quickly or easily…not without drawing fire from the other.”

So this is Lisbon, Intan thought as they got off the bus. It sure was a busy place, given it was the capital of Portugal, after all. The only problem he sees is that he will stick out like a sore blue thumb. The downside of being an oni outside of East Asia is that his kind is rare outside of it, so he will have to endure people staring at him yet again. If they care that much about seeing a clear newcomer to their city.

Still, he is with his team and it seems that some of them know each other. So that will help with working together and a less chance of someone screwing over the team. Being a shadowrunner is a rough job, you do not last long with a team or knowing who to trust.

Intan was looking around for their new team member when he showed up and spoke to the group. A priest? Intan thought to himself. That is a new one for them that he will be working with. Granted, he used to be a healer at a street clinic before becoming a shadowrunner so Intan was sure that Chercheur had a good reason for turning to the shadows.

But, now that that team was finally together, it was time to plan their next move. Though based on Chercheur's intel about the two gangs, they have to deal with. It would make getting friendly with either of them a challenge.

"So Chercheur, since you have been in the city before us, do you have any ideas of how to proceed? Since it sounds like we have our work cut out for us with these gangs." Then, speaking to the group, "otherwise, I suggest we head to the district to see how bad it is and try to figure out which gang to get friendly with so we can find out where Abigail is and if anyone has seen her."

Reinhard ‘Tenno’ Martin

During the trip, something in Tenno broke. He was tired of this, tired of marking time in a stagnating, rotten world where there was no ideal solution - Even his nation, the Flux State, had its bad spots and flaws and factionalism, even as doom drew near. The Corpos had too much power, but to be honest, anarchism... It was not able to erase the flaws of Humanity and its nature. No, only true balance can contain it and bring forth good results; not that enough realize it to make a difference. But maybe, for now, it was enough that he knew; maybe being a Hooder, guarding moments of happiness for people, was enough.

He still hated it, still hated the long shadow of trauma and the continued destruction of his mental state that his life, alone, without trusting anyone or anything, brought him. The slow death of himself. These people... They were too content with how things are; they've settled down and accepted the unacceptable. They weren't family, much less friends.

As they got off the bus, there were long moments of indecision as the group began to discuss what they should do; Lisbon was an unfamiliar place, but that did not mean they considered all the possibilities. Not that the one he, barely in his early twenties, wanted to propose was in any way typical or even normal, even for Shadowrunners. So his next words were, “We’ve been given a lot of latitude and nuyen to pursue that latitude. We also have a priest, sinful though he may be to his sect to hang around with us. This opens up local religious groups as a means of inquiry; some people are fearless enough to preach to gangsters in this day and age.”

Then he continued, “I’m going to the brothels, though - I’m old enough and I need to drown my issues.”

Blatantly turning his back on the others, Tenno then brought up his PDA/Smartphone/Comms Device and began looking for semi-reputable red-light establishments close to the area without a care in the world. Well, that was a lie; he did care about what the others thought of him, he was crying out for someone to care about him despite his issues. Despite him being mean to them inside, he still held out hope that maybe just maybe the impossible could happen and he could find something to care about than what was already lost.

He looked at the Oni (Bomoh), and strangely enough, the suit guy, saying, "Oi, you two; if you don't have plans, want to come with me? Or do you intend to chase other leads you've come up with? Also, just to make sure, is the district those two gangs are fighting over a red-light district, or just your regular economically depressed hellhole with no jobs, no money, no investment, or even decent infrastructure? Yes, a Flux State brat knows what those terms are; we're not all uneducated rubes."

One second, two seconds, and a third, for the two to get that Tenno's invitation was to take their measure, to offer a chance at connection and conciliation before he just dismissed them as a defeatist and a willing collaborator with the corpos. Whether they refused or not, however, Tenno would head for an establishment that advertised the company of adult men and women of both genders, an establishment rumored to have links with the Vultures, although those were unsubstantiated...

@Theyra

---

“I need a drink, any drink, so let’s do that? Two gangs…right? So we find one, in a bar, and we go from there,” Wildfire said.

“I’ll get them talking, one way or another. You can count on it…” she added, swiping an imaginary set of claws through the air.

“Besides, Frost’s credits are burning a hole in my pocket. And I could be doing so, so much more with this sweet, sweet pile of Nuyen than standing here.”

“Keep pressing me and there might be a hole in more than just your pocket.” Frost growled threateningly, and though the sentiment might have seemed serious to anyone out of the sisters’ loop, to those in the know, this was just more of the usual. Frost hadn't touched a hair on her sister's head since the day they met- though certainly not for a lack of trying, in their earlier years at least. Nowadays Frost was cybered enough that she could at least track Nadya's movements, though their cat and mouse games usually never went too far while working.

“We've been drinking all day.” Frost grumbled, “Small glasses in a small airplane.”

“And now we can drink bigger drinks in bigger glasses in bigger bars! Just say yes, Frost. Please? Don’t make me pout. Oh! I know! We can sit outside!”

Frost glared at Nadya for a moment, bright beaming puppy dog eyes staring back at her. A vein on Frost's forehead pulsed, a rumble in her throat suggested something close to aggression. With a tired sigh, Frost relented.

“We're supposed to be working, mui.” Frost grumbled, an oversized hand rubbing tiredly at her temples. She was almost certain she felt wrinkles beginning to form on her face. “A self guided tour of Gangland might not be a bad idea though.”

“Fine.” Frost eventually relented, “But first we need to get transportation. Drones and guns aren't exactly subtle in the middle of the city. Work first, then we can get drinks.”

“Moya lyubimaya starshaya sestra,” Wildfire replied, a cheshire cat grin plastered on her face as she reached up with her right hand to softly pat Frost on the cheek, her sister's face notably contorting and slowly burning red- seemingly uncharacteristic to her given handle. “You finally see sense! The Old Timer always said drinking was a full time job!”

“You are most right though! We need a ride. Something discreet. Preferably fast. Something big enough for your many, many guns and the drones of the Josei,” Wildfire added, nodding in Captcha’s direction.

“The old man is full of shit.” Frost grumbled, but nodded anyway, shooting a glance at the rest of the group. “We'll find a ride. Send us your location in the district and we'll meet you there.”

“Yeah, or wherever,” Wildfire said, “Just remember, we charge by the kilometer. And don’t keep us waiting...”

---

EZ Glossary
Mui = Cantonese “younger sister”
Moya lyubimaya starshaya sestra = Russian:“My Beloved Older Sister”
Josei = Japanese “Lady”

"That sounds like a plan," Intan said to the troll. Having something to travel in will help in this city, and so they do not have to walk everywhere. Lisbon is a big city, after all.

Now Intan was looking around when Tenno asked him a question. "A brothel? I suppose we could go there to find some information about the gangs. Not my choice of getting information, but it is a source." He sounding a bit uncomfortable which is strange for a shadowrunner. "So why not since I got no ideas right now. Though the Johnson did not say if the district was a red-light district or not. So I guess will find out."

Though as Intan said this, he noticed that Tenno had already started leaving and would catch up with him.

---

It would take some time to travel to the brothel with supposed ties to the Vultures. The two had to take a taxi, with Intan paying the fare. A brothel of mainly humans but with some metahumanity. As Tenno and Intan would find, the brothel would be in a district somewhat near the contested district, and it looked like a shady brothel one would find in a big city. Though a bit more on the style side, it looks a bit cleaner than one would expect. At least on the outside. It was called the Sliver Rose, with a large sliver rose symbol neon sign on the outside above it that was faded since it was still daytime. The Silver Rose was open with one satisfied human female customer coming out of it with a smile on her face.

@Letter Bee

Reinhard ‘Tenno’ Martin

"I'll pay," Tenno said to Intan, "So, what are your tastes? I like men of my age group - 18 to 22 - and older women with an Amazonian disposition; muscle girls. I presume you only like women, though? If so, what's your type?"

This wasn't just small talk; Tenno needed to know what he can about his teammate - After all, it's best to know their buttons should they turn against him one day, or he felt the need to turn against them for some greater good; it's not like they're going to reject bringing a girl who did not want to be brought back to her father, especially since her father probably wanted her to marry an abusive asshole for money and alliances.

He entered the Silver Rose, his silvery hair shimmering as he moved; if Intan viewed him through the Astral Plane right now, he would be a bright beacon, emanating metallic hues of golden, silver, and platinum light. Speaking of the Astral Plane, Tenno thought of switching to Astral Perception but decided not to be rude to the... employees and the madame. With a smile, he approached the receptionist, saying, "Greetings; I presume this place is open?"

Once he had gotten his answers, he would ask another series of questions, namely about the availability of their workers, their experience, and what races they employed, which segued into another query about how frequently they had business. Then, he'd look for someone who was both handsome/beautiful and not dumber than a sack of hammers, and if multiple people who fit those criteria existed, he'd spend money on them all plus what Intan had, then head off into the rooms, where in-between 'exertions', he would ask them about their lives and the local situation, pumping them for info.