[So, Mai is handling yet another briefing. This is about five days after the snow mission that both of you were on.] [The time is 1 pm. The weather, still unseasonably warm.] [Start] * Mai waits in the meeting room. She's presently reading James Joyce's Ulysses as she waits. * Saki arrives at the meeting room. She opens the door, walks in and lets it shut by itself as she takes a seat. She crosses her legs, folds her arms, and waits. * Mai puts down the book on the table in front of her and looks up. "Hello Ms. Morikawa. Had any trouble recovering from your last mission?" * Saki shakes her head. "Not really." * Mai smiles. "Good. We're still analyzing the contents of the briefcase your team retrieved. The team working on it has been pretty hush-hush, but I get the impression we're on the verge of finding who organized the attack. * Yuri opens up the door slowly and enters. As she looks over the room she blinks at Saki (and is obviously much less taken aback by Mai.) Good. * Saki glances briefly at Yuri out of the corner of her eye. * Mai looks over to Yuri and smiles. "And welcome Ms. Nanirabo." * Yuri nods a little. "Um... sure. I do seem to be showing up here a lot." Well, I promise to mind my own business this time. * Yuri says, "Thanks... so, uh, what's happening?" Well, I'll get started. I think Tim maybe be joining us later, but you can catch him up in that case. * Mai hits a button and shows a series of pictures of Bookie. "This is Vanguard's third entry into the tournament. He apparently was a cohort of Breaker, which is likely why they picked him. As is, we have no information about what abilities he'll be bringing to the tournament. He has not manifested extrordinary conventional or mystical skill to this point." * Saki nods. * Yuri mms a little and says, "Yeah." He presently is staying in a luxury suite at the Bonnington hotel. Apparently he has been stopping by to visit the old neighborhood, although the Mi-5 undercover agents we sent to ask questions ::she frowns:: Were not well received. * Yuri chews her lip. "I don't get it. He can't... really think he's going to stand up to the Kitsune Miles..." * Saki shrugs. "Wasn't signing up with the intent to fight him." * Mai looks to Yuri. "Could be this is just a mindgame to trick us into a pointless investigation, but Vanguard is backing him for a reason. We want to know that reason." * Yuri smiles slightly. "Maybe they just wanted her friend." * Mai nods. "That is true." Doubtful. So we know where he's staying, but Vanguard probably has the room fairly locked down. We know his old neighborhood and some of his travel patterns. And we have the usual resources if you want to do any checking. Up to you how you want to go about this. * Saki nods. Where should we start? * Mai lets Saki and Yuri discuss that for a bit. She sits down and waits to see if she can be helpful. * Yuri looks over at Saki and says, "Uh... well... I don't know where to start? I'm not really familiar with the computers you probably have here... and maybe we can do a little better walking around..." * Saki shrugs. We could go ask him. Or find someone who can use a computer well. We know his habits, so it wouldn't be too hard to meet up with him. And if there's any simple computer checking you need done, I'm not half bad. Sadly I think Ari is currently occupied. * Saki shrugs. * Yuri nods a little. "Well, maybe he'll tell us. It's not like they wouldn't know you're looking." I can give you a map to the hotel and a list of some of the locations he's been seen, if you want to go do that now. You might catch his second lunch. * Yuri frowns. "... second lunch?" He's apparently making full use of Vanguard's funding. * Saki nods. * Yuri shakes her head and murmurs, "And I thought Will was bad..." * Mai keeps her word and says nothing. * Saki takes the map and looks it over. [The hotel is in a nice section of town. He's apparently been hitting a few of the local restaurants and bars, electronics stores, movie theaters, even the odd bookstore on occassion.] [It seems like you could fairly easily catch him at a location of your choice.] * Saki picks out an electronics store. "This one." * ChanServ sets mode: +nrt * ChanServ changes topic to 'http://www.livejournal.com/community/sab2020/ | #sabooc for dice and ooc | #sabwatch for IC non-combatants ' * Yuri looks over and says, "Worth a shot." [And to the electronics store! This is actually a fairly nice and extensive department store. Lots of sections, movies, games, computers, Sharper image type junk. It's on the third story of a larger department store.] [Mi-5 reports he'll probably be there in five or so. So you can pick your positions. And give me spot/urban tracking rolls. Whatever's better.] (Ha.) [There's also a pretty nifty home theater setup room that's rotating through trailors. And I forgot to mention TVs and speaker systems and the like, they're there too.] * Yuri seems like a fish out of water in here. Least of all the tattoos and bald head. [And as the time he's going to arrive approaches, Saki notices a guy doing a mediocre job of pretendig to be interested in electronics. Looks like he's had some combat training. She also notices a fairly ordinary shopper that the guy occassionally glances over at. These two shoppers never are in the same section. * Saki probably does too if it's a classy place. [And at this point Bookie comes up the escalator.] * Saki slips on her shades and watches him while pretending to browse merchandise. * Yuri is grinning a little at a big TV. * Bookie checks out the televisions as he walks by and stops to watch a new trailer for an upcoming "Dr. Who" movie. [And give me stealth/performance (acting)/urban tracking rolls both of you. +2 as you stand out.] [You're both definately getting looks from that guy Saki noticed. Well, actually you're getting looks from a good number of people, but it's particularly noteworthy from him.] * Yuri frowns at the TV and turns around. "All those movie trailers..." * Bookie moves on to the games section after muttering in disappointment at noting the assistant in the movie is a fairly prissy type. "Barbarian was the best..." He glances up to Yuri. "'ello. Do I know you?" He has a slightly confused look. * Yuri smiles at him, her gold eyes flash, and she says, "No, but I think you may have seen a friend of mine. Tall, monk, orange robes, white eyes?" * Yuri points at her forehead. "Same tattoo? I'm Yuri." She bows slightly. * Bookie nods and looks enlightened. "Think I saw you once before too." He then does an awkward vaguely bow like thing. "They call me Bookie." [One guy is definately intently watching Yuri at this point.] * Saki keeps her distance right now, glancing at that guy. [Spot check Saki.] * Yuri nods. "Yeah, Saldin said that. He's being really chatty lately." * Yuri suddenly gets a frown, possibly as she remembers _WHERE_ he saw her. "But thanks... So you know Breaker? You're lucky." Heh, that's a word for it. Mind walking hitting the games section? I'm doing some shopping. * Saki casually makes her way to the games section * Yuri nods a little. "Walking I can do." Pause, then a slight smile as she gets the joke. "So lucky's just a word for it? Got any others?" * Bookie walks over and snickers. "Well, thrilling, dangerous, bruised, rarely bored. A whole bunch apply." Oh... oh. Right. * Bookie runs his finger along the games as he walks, smiling at some of the titles. A female clerk in this department smiles when she sees him enter, but doesn't interrupt the conversation. Now I was a lot safer by being in her gang. Just not safe exactly. * Yuri nods a little. "Well, this isn't so bad, then, for you... although I don't know it's very safe." * Saki browses games. And eavesdrops. It's a dangerous playing field... * Bookie chuckles and glances over to the guy keeping an eye on you two. "Well, it's not so bad. Oh, you mean the tourney. Well, I somehow doubt anyone's going to try to finish me off." * Bookie looks over to the clerk. "What'cha got for me?" * Yuri nods a little and opens her mouth, but when he asks the clerk a question she chooses to be silent. Nothing you've been waiting for, but we do have the lastest X-men game. Over a hundred playable characters." * Bookie snickers. "Yeah, tights, spandex, and superheroes aren't for me. Thanks." * Bookie goes back to scanning the titles. * Yuri says, once he stops looking at the clerk, "Well, that's true. Although I'm still not completely convinced it's safe... Have you seen some of the people involved?" * Yuri adds quickly, "Wait, of course you have." * Bookie grins at another title and then glances over. "Well, I've first got Miles and then you guys. From what I've heard you play to win, but not like you're out for my blood or something." * Yuri laughs a little. "We are not out for anyone's blood. It tends to stain a bit more than one's skin." * Bookie smiles and then turns to look at a different aisle and sees Saki. He then glances her over once just to make sure he's actually seeing her, yeah, that's it. He keeps looking at games but seems slightly more distracted. "Anyways, I beat both of you, I can probably take care of myself. I lose, I'm probably okay." (Lemme know what kind of games Saki's looking at.) * Yuri nods a little. "Yeah... I guess. I mean, in my personal opinion... you're probably a pretty good fighter. I do have an eye for these things, but... Miles is..." * Bookie looks over. "Substantially tougher than he looks I'd bet. Any tips?" * Saki is browsing pretty much everything, but at the moment seems to be checking out the latest fighting games, such as Guilty Gear XYZ * Yuri blinks. "For Miles? Um, well... not really... Saldin has actually been real quiet about him. It's weird." * Yuri smiles weakly. "I think you'll need, everything you've got and your team'll give you." * Bookie nods and then checks out, not all that casually, what Saki's looking at. He sort of heads over in that direction. He also smiles. "Good, shame to let new toys go to waste." * Watching guy seems to be getting kinda nervous. * Yuri smiles a little. "I've recently come to appreciate that feeling myself." Oh yeah? Get someting cool? ::He looks over to Guilty Gear XYZ:: I for one am glad they dropped the weapons from that one. I mean I normally like that kind of thing, but didn't fit the game. ::He doesn't specifically address this comment to Saki, but it isn't not addressed to her either:: Not that cool, with all the vows, but... well, it's at least appreciable... * Saki nods. "But Johnny sucks without his." * Bookie nods at Yuri's comment and then glances over to Saki. "So, fighting games your thing? I'm not bad, although I can only win at like a third of them." Something about the way he says that isn't all that credible. * Saki smiles inwardly to herself. "Anything would do." * Bookie nods and tries to think of something clever to say. It's taking him a minute. * Saki comes up with something for him. "Racing games aren't bad." * Bookie nods. "Yeah, actually got a nice setup for that. More controls than I really need for most racing, but still makes them a lot easier." [Guy seems to be getting more nervous and actually starts walking over.] * Saki nods. "Yeah." * Bookie realizes he's neglecting Yuri and glances over to her. "You got a favorite kind?" * Yuri blinks and shakes her head, "Uh, I don't really get to play video games much. I'm lucky if I get time for movies." She gestures. "The world tends to want things of me." * Saki glances over a shooter as she comments. "That's too bad." * Bookie gives the guy a look and he backs off for a moment. "I never really did much either, but I've got the chance now." He glances at the shooter. "Now those are fun. Although I got to admit I prefer the video game versions to the computer ones." * Saki nods. "As do I." * Bookie nods and looks over other things. "The computer ones are so for mouse junkies. Give me target locking anyday." He tries to say this like he's smooth. It really fails abysmally. * Saki nods. * Saki ignores the abysmal failure. She holds a hand out. "I'm Saki." * Bookie holds out a hand. "Bert." * Guy looks over Saki and then goes to make a quick cell phone call. * Saki shakes. [And hearing checks guys. And keep RPing.] [And Saki, give mee a roll you can justify to keep him off guard. Interrogation, whatever.] * Bookie seems to somewhat forgotten he was talking to Yuri. "So, come here often?" Thought I'd check it out. * Yuri frowns and glances over at the guy. Her general look of niceness seems to have slipped into a look of annoyance. * Bookie nods. "I might not buy anything today, they didn't have the new one I came for. And at this point my pad is set up with all the gaming equipment I could want." He's trying for smooth again, not working. [Guy keeps talking into the phone, I'll let you renew hearing checks.] * Yuri murmurs to herself, "Just because I don't know english slang..." Cool. You play a lot of games, then? [Yuri hears: "Yeah, quite the hot number, can't blame him. She is? No shit? Really..?"] * Yuri starts to blush slightly yet continues to look annoyed. Oh yeah. Still pretty new to this, so I'm still learning in a lot of genres, but have one or two I'm king in. I have a nice multiplayer setup, get the old gang together and come by my penthouse suite up at the Bonnington." (And renew hearing checks.) [Both of you hear (Because Yuri made by one last time): "Man. Both SAB and Interpol, right, I'll get him out of here sir."] So you're staying at a hotel? Yeah, really luxury one to. Care to see it? [And guy hangs up the phone, I'll say about two more interchanges before he gets over to you.] Sure. That'd be cool. * Bookie nods. "Well, let's get going." He starts walking towards the escalator and glances at the clerk as he passes. "Oh, and could you give me a call or something when UM3 comes out?" Clerk nods. "Sure, we've delivered enough stuff to your place I'm sure we've got your number on record." [And gaming (computer) or computers rolls for any that want it.] * Guy plots an intercept course, should get to you in about one more interchange. * Saki shakes her head. "Wait, I've got a few things I need to do. Can I meet you there in, say, an hour?" * Yuri smiles slightly, although not completely convincingly, and chimes in, "And is that a one woman offer?" * Bookie looks the both of you over and seems unsure of how to respond to that. "Uh, sure, whatever you two want." He then rattles off the hotel and room location. He actually blushes slightly and stammers as he says it. * Saki nods. "Got it. See you." (And Yuri, computers / gaming roll mind roll. Unskilled is okay. ) [Okay, and neither of you have any idea what UM3 refers to.] * Yuri 's smile gets a little better and she nods. "Good luck shopping." * Bookie then walks off and bumps into the shopper guy who hustles him out of the store. They start having a bit of a discussion on the way out. * Clerk looks to you two with a slight disbelieving look that she surpresses using her mighty research training. "So, anything I can help either of you with?" * Saki shakes her head. "Browsing." * Clerk looks to Yuri. * Yuri shakes her head slightly. "I... not really. I think I just got very lost." * Clerk nods. Hmm.. and both of you give me a spot roll for on the way out. [Saki on her way out notices a game with a prominent UM2 title. Entitled Uber- Mechs2 for what it's worth.] * Yuri sighs slightly and says, as she walks along, "Did we just agree to go to a guy's hotel room to find out what sorta toys he has?" * Saki nods. "Yep." [And end!]