RP: The Fringe [Chapter 4.3b] - Doctored Delivery

[Riko]

Dawn station- Sector Nine City Streets - Tier 4 - Front passenger seat.

Six Four was a bit annoyed at the two in the back, not because of who they were but because it had to alter its plans. Six Four however did not make any fuss about it, its helmeted face buried in its ever present data pad, an article on physical to digital brain transplants plastered on its screen.

As Amelia came to a sudden stop, apparently due to her lack of concentration on the road, Six Four's arm shot up to the dashboard to brace itself. With the forward lurch that came with said stop, the doctor looked up from its reading at the Navigator, starring at her without a word for a few moments before shaking its head and returning to its apparently enthralling article.

 

[Foxtrot 813]

Dawn station- Sector Nine City Streets - Tier 4 - Driver's seat.

"That's really funny," Amelia said to the golden-skinned Nepleslian, keeping an eye forward on the road that time. With the traffick, the rythm of her driving was reducing to a constant accelerating and braking the car. The raven haired Nepleslian changed the gear again as she started moving the truck, and then continued. "But we really gotta drop you two off somewhere."

"What?" The astrogator asked the ship's doctor, raising one of her hands in a shrug and looking somewhat embarassed. Before she could add anything else, though, she shifted her attention back into driving before causing any more motorized catastrophes.

 

[Floodwaters]

Dawn Station - Sector Nine City Streets - Tier 4

The constant stop-and-go continued for several minutes, the heavy traffic pushing insistently around the truck and making it near-impossible to pull over to the curb. Behind them, Danny and Rathe could still see their "friends" following them, maintaining their distance whether by deliberate effort or because getting any closer simply wasn't an option with the sea of cars between them.

As Amelia slammed on the brakes another time, more out of a lack of feel for the truck's handling than inattention to the road, the two men in the back were tossed forward once more, and Rathe bounced back toward the tailgate, barely catching himself with a hand on the edge of the truck bed in the back corner. As he did, his thumb brushed against something concealed beneath the lip, and it popped off, falling to the floor with a soft clatter. On investigation, it appeared to be a miniature chip of some kind, surrounded by a clear plastic adhesive square measuring no more than an inch on each side. A small red light was quietly blinking just off to the side of dead center.

 

[nite train]

Dawn Station - Sector Nine City Streets - Tier 4 - Back of the truck

As Rathe's back hit the tailgate of the truck, the lock on the tailgate slipped and the door fell open with nearly 70% of Rathe on the tailgate. If the Nepleslian hadn't kept his grip on the side of the bed, he could have very easily been roadkill for the moving traffic behind them, which had given the truck plenty of room due to the skills of the driver. As Rathe pulled himself back into the truck, he relocked the tailgate and scuttled to the front corners, far from the loose tailgate. Only after he had solidified his place at the front of the bed did the blinking chip make itself known to Rathe, who picked it up and studied it.

 

[Floodwaters]

Dawn Station - Sector Nine City Streets - Tier 4 - Back of the truck

It was difficult to tell exactly what the little chip was intended to do, and given its miniscule size no manufacturer's stamp was easily visible. One side of the plastic square was still somewhat sticky from where the weak adhesive had moored it to the metal of the truck, and because of how easily it had come off when his thumb had brushed it, it was fair to assume that it hadn't been there for very long.

The red light continued to pulse gently as Rathe turned it over in his fingers. He couldn't be completely positive, but his instincts told him that it was most likely some kind of tracking device.

 

[Luca]

Dawn Station - Sector Nine City Streets - Tier 4 - Back of the truck
♫ Simon Viklund - Payday 2 OST - Breach 2015 (Stealth) ♫

Once again, tossed about in the back of a truck full of medical supplies. To think that Danny thought it was going to be a smooth ride as some sort of cosmic reward for what he had to put up with. He had to keep reminding himself the mission wasn't over until the one named Shelton was apprehended. Though, Danny's jury was still out on her guilt.

He watched Rathe tumble backwards and make the back fall open and gasped, putting one of his hands against his mouth to hide his shock. Danny then darted to grab Rathe's legs and pull him back up and close the back of the truckbed. As Rathe closed the truckbed, Danny made sure the cargo was intact. Thankfully, nothing was missing. "Rathe, you alright there-" Danny started talking to his companion, then trailed off when he spotted what was in their gold palm.

"Oh stone me - give me that," Danny growled, briefly in Lorath and back to Trade as he snatched the thing from Rathe. He had a deep seated suspicion as to what it was, but he needed verification. He turned around and tapped gently on the glass to the back of the truck's cabin at the passenger's side.

"Hey, Six Four, does this belong to you or something?" He kept the thing between the sleeve of his jumper and the palm of his hand, keeping it close. He didn't want to get Amelia's attention lest the road take a swerve or traffic stop suddenly. He didn't say where he found it, and his hair stood on edge when he realised what he'd just done - the gig could've been up. Maybe not his gig.

But something was definitely up.

 

[nite train]

Dawn Station - Sector Nine City Streets - Tier 4 - Back of the truck

Rathe was shocked at how childish his partner was acting at the moment, but had to think fast as Danny inquired about the chip to those who obviously didn't own it. "Hey, that's mine." he told his fellow hunter as well as Six Four, holding out his hand to reclaim the chip. Rathe could tell that both he and Danny knew what the chip could be, and he assumed Danny would have known how to handle it properly. Rathe only hoped Danny trusted him enough to blindly roll with his alibi as to the purpose of the chip.

 

[Floodwaters]

Dawn Station - Sector Nine City Streets - Tier 4

Inside the truck, both Amelia and Six Four's communications platforms chirped almost simultaneously, revealing a message.

If you have the supplies already, take them to the Veil, unload them, and then load up two weapons crates. Take them to the address attached to this message, and wait for me to contact you.

DO NOT tell anyone what's inside them, or open them for any reason.

-S

 

[Riko]

Dawn Station - Sector Nine City Streets - Tier 4 - Front Passenger Seat

As Danny tapped on the glass Six Four looked up and around towards the back of the vehicle. Before it could properly answer Danny's question Rathe interrupted stating the the item that it only could catch a glimpse of was his.

"Annoyed: If it was yours why didn't you say so initially? What is this item in question as well? Perhaps it belongs on the vechile or it is part of the shipment that was just loaded." Though the freespacers speech was monotone one could tell the hint of dissatisfaction in it. Clicking off the display on its data pad, it promptly set it in It's lap before outstretching its gloved cybernetic mechanical hand.

"Please allow this one to inspect the item in question." Six Four said with the authority of a caretaker disciplining a group of small children (which thankfully it is not in charge of).

 

[nite train]

Dawn Station - Sector Nine City Streets - Tier 4 - Back of the truck

"Well first off, I did say so initially. Second, it isn't really your business but by all means go ahead." said Rathe, casually putting his hands up in surrender as Danny still held the chip. As he turned away from the two and sat back in his corner of the bed, he warily eyed the van still behind them from under his sunglasses.

 

[Foxtrot 813]

Dawn Station - Sector Nine City Streets - Tier 4 - Driver's seat

Still on the wheel, Amelia was more interested in letting the three of them talk so that she could drive the truck. She felt and heard the PHC on her wrist ping when a new message was received, and the small screen on her wrist told her it was from Sienna, but didn't stop to go and read it. As she continued to drive, the astrogator made a mental note to ask the freespacer what the message was about.

It was really unlikely the captain would message just her.

 

[Luca]

Dawn Station - Sector Nine City Streets - Tier 4 - Back of the truck
Danny passed the Freespacer the offending object which was getting Rathe so worked up. He passed it through the passenger's side window and let the Freespacer palm it to have a look themselves. The truth was, it belonged to neither of them, and Danny had a sneaking suspicion that it was never supposed to be here to begin with.

The man with no neck was beginning to look like more of a puzzle and he didn't like how the pieces were falling into place.

 

[Riko]

Dawn Station - Sector Nine City Streets - Tier 4 - Front passenger seat

Six Four grasped the item in question firmly in its had before resetting itself in the front passenger seat. Grasping the small chip between its thumb and forefinger it curiously inspected it, the soft blinking red light barely reflecting off of its helmeted visor as it slowly blinked a few inches away.

"Interesting." It said to itself as it turned the chip around in its hand, "Why would this be here...." Suddenly it dawned on the Freespacer what the chip possibly could be. Before it could turn around however the message from Sienna was making an annoying pining in its helmet and had to be dealt with.

"Miss Stroud, we have another task to accomplish once we return to the hanger," It said so that the other passengers couldn't hear it but hopefully Amelia could, "Once we return to the hanger we are to play delivery driver again. However our guest must not know what we are to be delivering... or where for that matter."


With that task accomplished Six Four leaned back around to give the small chip back to the two in the truck bed. "This one believes it is a tracking device of sorts, if it was attached to the vehicle please replace it for it is most likely something the dealer uses to track their cars." It stated nonchalantly "However if it was attached to the supplies please git rid of it, this one does not need any more tracking updates on the shipment."

 

[nite train]

Dawn Station - Sector Nine City Streets - Tier 4 - Back of the truck

While Six Four knowing what the chip was confirmed Rathe to be a liar, the latter was relieved that the automation paid little to no mind to it. Rathe nodded as he took the chip back from Six Four and went to reattach it in its place in the railing of the bed. With the skill and stealth of a pickpocket, Rathe slipped the chip up the inside of his sleeve and stuck it there with only Danny as a witness.

"I think I see a place where you could drop us off just up the road, to the right." the golden skinned nepleslian said to the two in the cab of the truck. As the two looked onward, Rathe nudged Danny. "If they want a chase, let em chase us." he told his partner.