Rejected Delivery

[Gabrielle "Chance" Coleman]

I kept my eyes trained on the large factory, which was two blocks down the street. It was entirely white, its chimneys spewing black smoke and even from here I could hear the whirring of the machines’ engines. I took a seat, pulling my laptop out of my messenger bag and opening it. This is the spot, I thought, glancing down at the street below and checking my wristwatch. I was on the rooftop of an office building, and it was luckily tall enough to make it hard for people to spot me. After my laptop was turned on, I began typing various codes, entering cyber networks without being traced, not once removing my gaze from the factory.

The factory I was so avidly watching is known as R.A.W.M.C, which stands for Rillender’s Automatic Weapons Manufacturing Company. Most people just call it R.A.W.M, and it’s one of the best weapon manufacturers in The City. According to my sources, the company was going to have a truckload of new weapons shipped to the Blues today. I looked up from my laptop, turning my gaze back to the factory. Unfortunately for the Blues, today’s shipment was going to be cancelled.

I wasn’t trying to get noticed. Sure I was a Seeker, but I wasn’t really that desperate to get recruited. I just wanted to help the Runners. That’s one of the reasons why I became one. To help. They’re fighting for what’s right, and I’ll fight with them from the sidelines. Computers and technology is my specialty after all. If I stop that shipment of weapons, I mulled, typing in a few viral codes, there’s a chance that less Runners will die afterwards.

“Chance,” a male voice entered my comm link, and I held a hand up to my right ear, gently touching the earpiece. “I’m in position.”

“Loud and clear, Prescott,” I replied, looking back down at my laptop and bringing up a map of the area. There was a blinking white dot on the map, indicating that it was across the street from me. I glanced at the scrolling codes that were displayed on the screen. “You remember the plan?”

“Sure do. And it’s insane,” the voice replied, and I moved to roll my eyes, but was interrupted as the voice added, “But it’s a risk I’ll take, so no complaints from me.” I smiled.

Prescott. A Runner and, like me, a Seeker. He’s also a acquaintance of mine, somewhat. How we met is quite simple. I saved his stupid ass by screwing up the comm link of the Blues who were chasing him. He still hasn’t told me why they were chasing him. He only laughs whenever I bring it up.

Prescott’s real name is John Ackerson, but like all Runners, he prefers being called by his Runner name. Why he had chosen the name “Prescott,” is no big mystery. John is a history buff. He told me about Samuel Prescott, the man who had successfully delivered the famous message, “The British are coming,” in the Civil War. Apparently he joined Paul Revere in his night ride, and when they were cut off by the British, Prescott took a daring risk and made a run for it. When John was finished telling me this, he said that he always viewed himself as a daring messenger. As a joke, I promptly told him that he’s too stupid to be daring. I received a laugh as a reply.

I looked down from my position on the building, my eyes moving to an alley across the street, which was where the white dot was blinking on my map. There was a man standing in the alleyway, clad in a black leather jacket and dark sweatpants, blending with the shadows.

“Alright, I see you,” I reported, looking at my laptop again. “The truck should be leaving in about 4 minutes, so get ready.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Prescott replied.

I brought up a video feed from one of the cameras at the factory’s east gate. My eyes widened slightly when I saw the gate open, and a large truck soon drove out onto the road. Zooming in on the vehicle, I confirmed its number, and began to bring up more windows of codes, typing rapidly.

“Prescott,” I called, looking at his form in the alley. He held a hand up to his ear when I called his name, listening intently. “The truck just left the factory. You ready?” From up here, I could make out Prescott nodding and putting his other hand into one of his jacket pockets.

“Yeah, I’ve got your explosive right here,” he answered with an amused tone in his voice. I ignored his amusement, pulling up another video feed, this time from one of the cameras in the street below. The camera was trained on a road, watching the cars that drove by. I scrolled through my handmade programs, and opened one that was titled “Interference.” With the program opened, I waited, watching for the delivery truck. The truck’s destination was the Blues HQ, and the road I was positioned at is the only road around here that leads to it. I held a hand over my keyboard, waiting in tense silence, and I felt drops of sweat cascade down my forehead as I watched the road. I nearly jumped when I spotted the truck, driving slowly, clueless of what it was approaching. Wait for it, Chance.

When the truck finally reached where I wanted it, I clicked Enter, and watched as the vehicle’s tires went flat with multiple loud pops, causing it to halt. The driver was shocked, glancing around in confusion and getting out of the truck. I sighed in relief. Part A of the plan was complete.

Earlier, I had placed my own handmade device on the road. When activated via my laptop, it releases a wave of small spikes that are strong enough to pierce the thick rubber of a tire. It’s a small mechanism, which is why it wasn’t noticed by anyone. I waited until the truck was in a place where the device would be completely under it, therefore popping all of its tires. I was surprised we had gotten that far, because I had my doubts about my device’s wiring. I was afraid it wasn’t complex enough to work.

“Nice,” Prescott commented, bringing me out of my thoughts.

“Thanks,” I replied, closing my laptop. Watching the curious crowd that was beginning to form on the sidewalks, I added, “Better get out there before any Blues show up.” I placed my laptop back into my messenger bag, before hoisting the strap over my head onto my shoulders.

“On it.” In an instant, Prescott was out of the alley and on the road, running towards the truck.

The driver shouted in alarm, and, realizing that Prescott’s a Runner, pulled out a pistol from his belt. Clearly R.A.W.M wasn’t expecting an attack if the only defense they have for the truck is one man with a pistol. The driver began firing the weapon, but all bullets missed their target as Prescott sped up, the projectiles grazing him by a mere inch. I stood up as Prescott reached the truck, and he immediately slapped the explosive on it, its strong magnets already locking on to the vehicle’s side. He quickly activated the bomb, pushing the button on its side, before sprinting away, all the while dodging the bullets that followed him. He soon disappeared around the corner.

Thinking I should get out of there as well, I turned and ran. Jumping onto the next rooftop, I started counting down, the numbers coming out in harsh pants. “Three…” I ran up a triangular window, using it as a ramp and sliding down the other side, my body skidding against the glass. “Two…” I continued forward once I was back on level ground, picking up more momentum from the slide. Reaching the end of the rooftop, I ran to a couple of boxes, and tried to focus my strength into my right leg. Stepping up the crates, I pushed forward, springing up and flying through the air, if only for a moment. “One,” I finished, landing on the next roof with a roll before getting up to my feet. There was the sound of a large explosion from behind me, and I nearly collapsed to the ground in utter relief. Part B, the last part of the plan, was complete. The bomb worked, I thought with disbelief, but that disbelief slowly turned into joy. It actually worked!

I turned around, spotting a plume of black smoke with hints of flames rising from behind the buildings. An impressed whistle sounded on my comm. link.

“You sure know your stuff, Chance,” Prescott said, before laughing. “Man, that was one hell of an explosion.”

I smiled. “Thanks. Hard to believe it actually worked.” I shifted my feet, a common habit of mine. “Anyways, what’s the status of the truck?”

“What truck?” the male asked, and I rolled my eyes.

“Prescott, the bomb wasn’t that explosive,” I replied, shaking my head at his joke as I started walking in the direction of my hideout.

Prescott laughed again, and I heard the sound of shuffling. “Let’s see…Well, the truck is really shredded up from the bomb, and I can see the weapons crates. They’re on fire, so now all we need is another-“ A second boom sounded, cutting Prescott off, and I looked back to find more smoke in the distance. “…explosion,” he finished. “That was the truck’s gas tank.”

“I figured,” I replied, facing forward again and continuing my walk.

“Yep, the weapons are totally trashed now. Mission accomplished.” I sighed in relief.

“Thank God,” I muttered, before leaping onto the next building. I looked around when I heard sirens wailing from the streets below. “Prescott, the Blues already have their men patrolling the streets. Better get to the roofs.”

“Already there,” he replied, and I heard a door slam open in the background. “Won’t be long until they send out the choppers either...” I crossed my arms, watching the skies warily.

“Alright,” I said after a few moments, lowering my arms. “I’m already heading to my place, so I’ll talk to you later. Be careful.”

“You too. Later, Chance.” I started running again as Prescott signed off the link, taking a turn and running along a wall, before jumping to the left to land on the next building. It had been a long day, and I couldn't wait to get home, kick back, and revel in the success of today's mission.

---

I landed on the building that held my hideout, glancing around warily to make sure I wasn’t being watched. It was an abandoned apartment building, around 10 years old. I found this place by accident when I was on one of my morning runs, and I chose to look around. My hideout used to be a filthy condo, until I moved in and cleaned up the place. It wasn’t an easy task, but it was worth it.

I walked over to where the fire escape was, and descended the staircase to my hideout’s window. I moved to open it, until I heard someone walk onto the fire escape. The metal vibrated with a hum as the person stepped onto the staircase, and I froze, refusing to face the person. How could I have been followed? I didn’t see anybody, and I checked countless times on the way here.

I weighed the possibilities. It could be a Blue. Blues today are more agile and quick, and they can run like us. Or it could be another Runner who followed me, God knows why!

Okay, Chance, I thought to myself. Say this person is a Blue. You have two choices. Make a run for it, or stay and fight. Running is the easiest choice I have, but what if this Blue chases me? I might be able to lose him. I narrowed my eyes as I tried to figure out what to do. But, he might not follow me and instead search my hideout. I didn’t want that. He could pillage the place and take my equipment and data, perhaps even call back-up. Looks like I’ll have to fight. I moved to face the person, prepared for a fight, but I hesitated. Damn it, Chance, what are you thinking? I mentally scold myself. You’ve never engaged a Blue in hand-to-hand combat before. I didn’t consider how crazy I must have looked to this stranger. I probably seemed like I was having an inner battle with myself. There’s a gun inside my hideout. If I can just-No, not enough time. He’ll probably just shoot me once I make a move. I mentally sighed. I’ll just take my chances. If it’s a Blue, run inside and grab the gun. If it’s not a Blue, well, wait and see what happens…

With all that thought out, and my mind made up, I turned to face the stranger, tense, and waiting for the worst.

(Sorry if this seems like...too much character development. I feel bad now because I made Chance seem like the most awesome Hacker there was, when she's really not. Hope this isn't too long for everyone. Just wanted to join in on the fun.)

[Dominic "Shadow" Blackwood]

(Cool idea, I think I'll join this one as soon as I've got the time)

[Aron "Fox" O'Shae]

Fox landed on the rooftop with a small thud, the impact resonating up his body. He smiled and tossed his hair back, letting the wind blow against his face. He loved the feeling of ecstasy running gave him; the rush of adrenaline, the sense of danger, and the spirit of freedom all made it worthwhile. He hadn’t had much to do over the past few days, so he took the time to get in some practice. As good as a runner was, practice was still necessary to prevent any major disasters from happening on a job.

As he was standing there basking in the breeze, a sudden commotion a few blocks away made him jump.

“Well now,” he said to himself, “I wonder what that could be.” He took off in that direction, leaping from rooftop to rooftop and easily clearing the spaces created by the roads down below. After one final landing, he slowed his pace and walked over to the building’s edge, crouching so as not to be noticed. The scene he came upon was quite impressive: one of the delivery trucks for the R.A.W.M. factory was lying overturned in the middle of the road. The driver had managed to escape unharmed and was now standing there scratching his head and trying to figure out what had gone wrong.

Suddenly a figure came bursting out of a nearby alleyway, sprinting for the truck. ‘A thief?’ Fox thought as the driver pulled a handgun from his belt and sent a hail of gunfire bearing down on the man. ‘No, not a thief; a runner. Which means…’ Fox shifted his gaze to comb the surrounding rooftops. Sure enough, he spotted a girl with a laptop on her knees sitting just a few rooftops away.

‘Ah, there we are! She must be this guy’s hacker. Now just what are they doing?’ As Fox turned back to the scene on the street below, an explosion rocked the surrounding area. The truck now sat smoldering as the driver stood up, recovering from the shockwave created by the exploding truck. With that, the runner dashed off into the alley and out of sight. Fox spotted the hacker beginning to move and decided to follow.

‘If she’s the one that organized this whole thing, then she could be just the person I need for this little scheme of mine.’ Fox’s heart beat a little faster at the prospect of finding a hacker with skills good enough to assist him.

Fox tailed the girl back to a dilapidated old apartment building, making sure to not only keep her in sight, but also to follow at a distance where she couldn’t spot him. He watched her descend the fire escape and quickly made his way over to the building.

“Well, time to gamble my losses.” Forgoing all stealth, Fox walked out onto the fire escape and walked down the stairs, finally coming into view of the girl. He stopped at the top of the flight of the stairs she was currently at the base of and laughed as he watched her freeze up, trying to figure out how to handle the situation.

“If you’re trying to figure out what to do about me,” he told her, “don’t worry, I’m not here to hurt you, I just wanna talk.” He held his arms up as a sign of good faith as he began to slowly descend the stairs.
“I’m not armed unless you count my hands. You could frisk me if you like.” With his last statement, Fox gave the girl a wide grin as he finally reached her.

“The name’s Fox,” he said and extended his hand, “and I’ve got a proposition for you.”

((Shadow: Sorry I kinda jumped ahead of you, but I read this and couldn’t help myself. Feel free to join up, though, the more the merrier!))

[Dominic "Shadow" Blackwood]

((No problem Fox, every thread is fair game! I'll get on this but I kinda need to wrap up the other thread I'm on before I join anymore, I have an idea but no one else on the thread is on.))

[Gabrielle "Chance" Coleman]

A young man stood at the top of the stairs, laughing. What he was laughing about, I didn’t know. His hair was colored a shade of brown with red streaks, and one of his eyes was hidden behind his bangs. His attire was a pair of fit jeans, a black shirt, and a pair of orange gloves on his hands.

“If you’re trying to figure out what to do about me, don’t worry.” He held up his arms as a sign of peace as he added, “I’m not here to hurt you. I just wanna talk.” The entire time he was saying this, he was walking down the stairs and I tensed as he did so. Even though he promised no harm, I couldn’t entirely trust him. I just blew up a truck full of new weapons for the Blues. There could be cops all over the place looking for me. One thing’s for sure, they know it was a runner, so they won’t hesitate to arrest a runner near the explosion.

“I’m not armed unless you count my hands,” the stranger stated, still approaching without no hesitation. “You could frisk me if you like.” At this, I looked him up and down, noting that he was speaking the truth. Judging from his statement and posture, he’s into the martial arts, or some sort of hand-to-hand combat, perhaps another sport. Maybe I’ll find out later.

I watched in surprise as he grinned widely, stopping to stand before me. He’s pretty fearless, I mused, arching an eyebrow at the young man before me. I wonder if he saw what happened to that truck. I ran the possibilities through my mind, calculating. Maybe he spotted me at the scene and decided to follow, but why? And he approached me so casually...I narrowed my eyes, eyeing the brown-haired youth. What does he want?

“The name’s Fox,” the man introduced, holding his hand out as he added, “and I’ve got a proposition for you.”

I blinked at the hand held out before me. ...A proposition? After a short relieved sigh, I cursed under my breath. I literally wanted to throw myself off the fire escape. I got all worked up, going so far as to even consider diving into my apartment and grabbing my gun, over a stranger who followed me weaponless and promised no harm. There’s also the name. Fox...a runner name from the sound of it. All in all, I had nothing to be afraid of since the very start. Damn paranoia.

But I wonder, what kind of proposition? As soon as the thought was processed, I curiously glanced at Fox’s face with a raised eyebrow, opening my mouth to reply, but I cut myself off at the sound of a chopper nearby. I frowned slightly, glancing around warily before looking back at the gray-eyed man.

“Sorry, but I think it’d be best if we continue this inside,” I told him, gesturing to my apartment window, my voice urgent. Without even waiting for a reply, I turned to my window, opened it, and stepped inside, gesturing behind my back for Fox to follow. If he chose not to, then he’d have to stand out there and wait for a chopper to spot him, or run away. Most likely he’ll follow, since he had a ‘proposition’ for me, and he probably didn’t want to be spotted as much as I did.

I walked across the room, its floor littered with pizza boxes, papers, and small devices. As I stopped to stand at my computer desk, which was covered with cords and monitors, I placed my messenger bag on the nearby desk chair.

“Sorry about the mess," I called out, raising a hand to massage my temples. "Go ahead and take a seat," I added, implying the black leather couch near the window. I pulled out my laptop from my bag, and placed it on the desk. “I just need a minute or two to hook up my laptop to the main computer.”

((Fox: sorry for not replying in a while. School's been a bit hectic. Oh, and Shadow: a shame that no one's on your current thread. Hope you'll join soon.))

[Aron "Fox" O'Shae]

Fox waited for the girl to shake his hand or offer up a reply of some kind, but she was cut short by the sound of whirling chopper blades speeding closer to their location.

“Sorry, but I think it’d be best if we continued this inside.” The girl gestured to the window after the cautionary statement and clambered inside. Fox, not wanting to be riddled with machine-gun holes, quickly followed. Once inside, he stood near the window and watched the bird fly by, the pilot unaware that two “criminals” sat just below him. He turned back to the girl as she apologized for the messy apartment and offered him a seat on a nearby couch. Fox took the offer and sat down on the couch.

“I saw that little display you put on back at the R.A.W.M. factory; what a way to make a statement.” As the girl began to fiddle with her laptop and main computer, Fox subconsciously removed the grey contact lens he’d put into his left eye to cover up his heterochromia. By this point, he felt he could trust the girl enough to show his “true colors.”

“Anyway, down to business. I’m sure you realize the situation this city’s in, with the Reds, Greens, and Blues, and I’m sure you realize the position you and I are in. We have no team, no ‘family,’ no bakup or anything. For us to survive in this city, we’re gonna have to get on one of these teams…and to do that, we’re gonna have to do something drastic, even more drastic than blowing up a weapons truck.” Fox began to explain, trying to word his sentences so they’d be as appealing as possible.

“That’s when I came up with an idea, but I’d need a top-quality hacker to get it done. Now, before you answer, lemme explain what I mean. The blues in this city have information on all of us runners. Few actually believe it, but I know they do. That’s the only way the cops could be catching so many more of us. They’ve gotten smarter, so we’ve gotta outpace them again. My plan…is to infiltrate the Blues’ HQ and ‘wipe their hard drive,’ so-to-speak. I wanna get in there and delete any and all information they have on runners, but as I said, I need a top-quality hacker to get it done; I don’t know too much about all the techie stuff. So, you interested?” He realized it was a lot to take in, of course, but after seeing her last display of skill, he figured she wasn’t afraid to take chances.

“Oh, by the way, I didn’t catch your name.”

((Heh, don't worry Chance, I think everyone else (including me) is having the same problem...things will pick up soon. And Shadow, I believe Shorts and Spirit had a conversation about letting people join more than one thread, so jump in at any time, I'd love to have you in the story!))

[Gabrielle "Chance" Coleman]

“I saw that little display you put back on at the R.A.W.M factory; what a way to make a statement,” I heard Fox say as I plugged the connection cord into my laptop. My only reply was a curt nod as I sat down in the desk chair and turned to my main computer. I connected the other end of the cord to the computer and opened my laptop, watching as the loading bar popped up. With one last glance at my work, I turned to face Fox. I blinked, before I quickly hid my surprise. Wasn’t his left eye grey? Most likely he was using a contact lens. I made a note to ask about it later.

“Anyway,” he started, “down to business.” I decided to make myself a bit comfortable. Sounds like this was going to be a long conversation. “I’m sure you realize the situation this city’s in, with the Reds, Greens, and Blues.” I nodded at this, letting him go on as I checked on the loading bar. “And I’m sure you realize the position you and I are in. We have no team, no ‘family,’ no backup or anything.” I bit my lip; he had a point there. It’s not easy going solo in this city, and Prescott was the only person I could count on out here. A team of runners sounds a hell lot safer than a team of two runners. Fox continued, “For us to survive in this city, we’re gonna have to get on one of these teams…and to do that,” he added slowly, “we’re gonna have to do something drastic, even more drastic than blowing up a weapons truck.” So that’s what he was getting at, I mused, leaning forward in my seat. I wonder what he has in mind...

“That’s when I came up with an idea, but I’d need a top-quality hacker to get it done.” I blinked at that, and was about to laugh and reply to the “top-quality” comment, but I wasn’t given the chance to do so. “Now, before you answer, lemme explain what I mean.” I nodded and waited for Fox to continue. “The blues in this city have information on all of us runners. Few actually believe it, but I know they do. That’s the only way the cops could be catching so many more of us.” As he said this, I thought back to the rumours about the Blues database. Many of them concerned this info Fox was talking about, and now that I thought about it, he was right. It was the only way the Blues could be able to find us so easily. “They’ve gotten smarter,” Fox added, “so we’ve gotta outpace them again. My plan…is to infiltrate the Blues’ HQ and ‘wipe their hard drive,’ so-to-speak.” Crossing my arms, I raised an eyebrow, and watched as he explained, “I wanna get in there and delete any and all information they have on runners, but as I said, I need a top-quality hacker to get it done; I don’t know too much about all the techie stuff. So, you interested?”

I looked back to my monitor, thinking over the pros and cons of the two choices I had. One thing was I could get on a team, and as Fox said, I would be safe with them. Plus this plan of his would help all of the runners. With their info on us gone, there would be less runners disappearing throughout the city. But infiltrating the Blues’ HQ would be no easy task, obviously. I narrowed my eyes as I thoughts of the risks and was brought out of my contemplations by Fox’s voice.

“Oh, by the way, I didn’t catch your name.” I returned my attention to the brown haired man, and gave him a small smile.

“It’s Chance,” I replied, turning to type a few codes into my computer, before I stood up. Walking over to Fox, I held out my hand, and added sheepishly, “We weren’t given a chance to properly introduce ourselves.”

[Aron "Fox" O'Shae]

Fox stood and shook the girl’s hand.

“Yeah…just something else the blues ruined.” He walked over to the window and stared out, his eyes intense. The window didn’t offer a spectacular view, but it was partly concealed behind the fire escape, making for a perfect hideout

“Don’t think I didn’t have a plan of attack for this scheme. I figured I’d ambush a cop, take his uniform, and then find their computer hub and pop in a flash drive with a virus program. After you copy the files over, we can both offer them to the runner leaders and rake in the rewards.” He paused and gave the girl a chance to take in what he had just said.

“We pull this off, and we set the cops back ages… plus whichever team gets the copies will probably look at us for recruitment. It’ll be good to have a family again.” As he stared out the window, the memories of his family came back to haunt him. He could see the blues dragging his mother away…his father doing nothing but sitting at the table, waiting for his mother to come home…and then the blues hauling his master away from him, too. He shook his head quickly and snapped himself back to reality.

“You don’t have to reply right away, but just remember: the longer we take, the more runners will be at risk.”

((Sorry for taking so long to update…and for the rather bad post. I’ve had tests upon tests over the last couple weeks. Chance, you probably know where I want to take this, but I’m not sure how well it’s gonna work since none of the blues have been on in a while…we’ll see.))

[Gabrielle "Chance" Coleman]

“Yeah,” the man replied, “just something else the blues ruined.” After we shook hands, Fox walked over to the window, positioning himself against the wall and staring through the glass. I watched him, and decided to lean back against a nearby table, crossing one foot over another. I then folded my arms across my chest, staring at the floor.

“Don’t think I didn’t have a plan of attack for this scheme,” Fox said, and I looked up to him. “I figured I’d ambush a cop, take his uniform, and then find their computer hub and pop in a flash drive with a virus program. After you copy the files over, we can both offer them to the runner leaders and rake in the rewards.” Not a bad idea, I mused, and I ran a hand through my hair, adding, with a good disguise, he could easily get in without any detection. But getting out...I sighed to myself. There’s most likely some sort of alarm connected to the blues’ computer core. The minute I hack into their system with a virus, copy their files, and destroy them, the alarm will go off. Then the entire place will be on alert... I noticed that Fox had given me a minute to go over these thoughts, and I stopped my contemplations, waiting for him to continue.

“We pull this off,” he began, “and we set the cops back ages...plus whichever team gets the copies will probably look at us for recruitment. It’ll be good to have a family again.” He had gone silent after that last word left his mouth, and he seemed to be deep in thought. I watched as he continued to stare out the window, and I wondered if something had happened to his family. I can’t say that I miss mine, but he misses his, so I can empathize.

Fox suddenly shook his head, snapping out of his reverie, and uttered, “You don’t have to reply right away, but just remember: the longer we take, the more runners will be at risk.”

I nodded. “You don’t need to tell me twice,” I replied cooly, trying to get rid of this tense atmosphere. I pushed myself off of the table, walking over to stand at Fox’s side. “I’m in.” I turned to him, gesturing to my computer desk. “I can make that virus program,” I paused, my earlier thoughts floating in my mind, and I restlessly continued, “But...it will take some time.” I paused once again, and I glanced to my computers. This will be hard to explain...I sighed, walking to my computer desk and waving Fox over. “Follow me. It’ll be easier if I just show you.”

((Hey, don’t worry about it, Fox. You can never ignore testing. But I feel bad for you. Those tests must have been hard, especially back to back. But what’s the status now? Still some tests left? Just want to know how often you will reply. Anyways, I think I know what you’re getting at here. And I agree, it won’t be easy to figure out since there’s not many blues on at the moment. So I threw out this idea that the virus will take some time to get set up. Hope that’s okay with you.))

[Aron "Fox" O'Shae]

Fox followed Chance over to her computer at her beckoning. She sat in a chair positioned in front of the computer while he leaned over the back of it, glancing at the virtually blank screen.

"I've got no problems...take as long as you need to perfect it. I could always use the time to try and find us some help. The next time I go out, I'll "post" some ads around places that are frequented by runners and see if anyone else wants in on this little escapade. And if that falls through, I've got a cop to ambush." He watched as Chance began to explain how the virus program worked.

"You'll have to forgive me," he told her, "if I fall behind. As I said, all the techno-stuff loses me after a while." He gave a small nervous giggle and rubbed the back of his head. Fox knew it was important for him to learn how this virus worked so no holes would appear in the plan, but after a while, most technology-based discussions turned to techno-babble in his ears.

"Anyway," he continued, "at some point we need to iron out the details. Going into this unprepared would be akin to jumping into a shark tank with a necklace made of meat. You can decide where you wanna set up shop. Sorry for talking so much...so, show me how this virus works!"

((Eh...I've got most of the tests done with, but there's still more coming up...plus the fallout from the past tests...and the general college class/homework (ugh!), but most of the workload is gone until the end of the semester. I'll update ASAP, but like I tell my fanfiction readers: no promises. I DO however, make sure to check the site daily, even if I don't sign in, so if I haven't replied for a while, never fear...I'm either rather busy at the moment or I'm cooking up a reply. Anyway...HOPEFULLY the blues'll be back on soon, cause I don't wanna go through this plan with "generic cop #__" every time!))

[Gabrielle "Chance" Coleman]

As Fox positioned himself behind me, I opened my computer’s desktop, glancing back over at the brown-haired individual.

“I’ve got no problems,” he began, watching the screen of my computer. “Take as long as you need to perfect it. I could always use the time to try and find us some help.” I faced Fox, listening to him as he added, “The next time I go out, I'll "post" some ads around places that are frequented by runners and see if anyone else wants in on this little escapade. And if that falls through, I've got a cop to ambush." I nodded, turning back to my computer and opening my network, watching as data codes scrolled on the screen.

I swiftly typed in a few codes, watching as a diagram of a data chip popped up on all of my computer monitors. Indicators pointed to several parts of the chip, glowing a luminescent blue. “This is just a regular virus program I made from scratch.” I shrugged. “It took about a week and a half to finish,” I added, clicking on one indicator and watching as the screen zoomed in on the chip’s engravings. “All of the necessary codes for an ideal hacking process are all there. Now,” I paused, turning back to Fox. “From your side, you’ll have to plug it into the core and wait for the process to finish. From my side, I’ll be in the network to make sure everything goes as planned.” At Fox’s sheepish expression, I raised an eyebrow, watching as he raised a hand to rub at the back of his head.

“You’ll have to forgive me if I fall behind,” he voiced, and I leaned back in my chair. “As I said, all the techno-stuff loses me after a while.” Fox giggled nervously, wearing an expression similar to guilt. I simply nodded with an understanding smile, taking in this information and making note of it for the future. Well, at least I won’t have to use the nerdy dialect...and I like being simple.

Fox lowered his arm, returning to the matter at hand. "Anyway, at some point we need to iron out the details. Going into this unprepared would be akin to jumping into a shark tank with a necklace made of meat.” I somewhat winced at the image that sentence had formed, but I quickly erased the expression on my face. I never really liked gruesome thoughts, and I’m glad I get to stay on the sidelines. That’s another pro to being a hacker. “You can decide where you wanna set up shop,” Fox continued, fortunately shaking me out of that...ghastly image. “Sorry for talking so much...so, show me how this virus works!" I nodded, turning back to my computer.

“Like I said, this is just a regular virus program. You can use it on any computer.” I narrowed my eyes, typing away at my keyboard. “But, this isn’t an ordinary computer we’re targeting.” The diagram disappeared, and the screen returned to scrolling codes. My fingers glided across the keyboard, the clicks of the keys molding together. I was greeted by a firewall box, blinking with a message.

YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED ACCESS TO THIS NETWORK. PLEASE ENTER THE CORRECT PASSWORD FOR ENTRY.

I reacted instantly, quickly typing in a hack code, and the firewall box vanished, making it seem as if it was only there for a few mere seconds. If I hadn’t been quick, the Blues would’ve been notified. And that’s why, to be a hacker, you’ll need fast reflexes.

“I’m in the Blues network,” I told Fox, not bothering to glance back at him as I pulled up a map on the screen. “I keep tabs on their schedules and radio chatter. That’s how I was able to figure out the route that R.A.W.M truck was taking.” I held up a calming hand. “They don’t know I’m in the system, so there’s no need to worry. Anyway...” I scanned the map, muttering, “Where is it...? Aha!” I clicked on one of the rooms, where a large rectangle remained. I leaned to the side, gesturing to the screen as a couple mini-screens popped up, revealing footage of the room.

It was colored white, just like the rest of the City. An enormous server sat in the room, its lights blinking and its drives whirring. A few Blues technicians could be seen sitting at computer desks, the thousands of buttons and screens splayed out before them.

As I pointed to a mini-version of the previous map, I looked back to Fox, explaining, “This is a map of the Blues HQ. Right now, we’re looking at their computer core.” Turning back to the screen, I gestured to one of the videos, pointing at the large server. “I think their server has some sort of security system connected to it, but just to make sure...” I typed in some codes, watching as a message appeared, reading “ERROR.” I sighed, closing the box and leaning back in my chair, before raising a hand to rub at my forehead.

“Alright,” I mumbled, closing my eyes. “The thing is...the moment you plug in that drive, and the moment I enter the server, an alarm will go off. The entire base will be alerted, and you’ll be trapped.” I slowly opened my eyes, frowning to myself as I muttered, “We could try switching off the alarm, but it will have to be done manually, and I doubt you’d want to search the entire base for the switch without getting caught.” Sitting upright, I raised my arms, stretching out the muscles as I grunted, “Fortunately, we have an easier option...” I nodded and turned to Fox, crossing my arms as I grinned slightly. “Well, lucky for you, it’s easy on your part.” I looked at my small workshop near one of the windows, its surface slightly littered with tools. “I can make you a virus that can delay that alarm.” I returned my gaze to Fox. “At this point, I can’t tell you how long it will take, or how much of a delay it will give, but everything counts, right?” After a moment of silence, I asked concernedly, “I haven’t lost you, have I?”

((I hope this all makes sense. I'm not good at writing about technology. But anyways, I understand. And yes, hopefully, the Blues will be back soon.))

[Aron "Fox" O'Shae]

Fox watched as Chance began typing furiously at the computer before an image of a data chip appeared on the monitors. She explained how the virus worked before turning back to the computer and beginning to type rapidly at the keyboard as data lines scrolled across the screen. Suddenly, a test box popped up, but Chance's quick reaction didn't allow Fox time enough to see what it said. Damn, she's quick. If there was anyone I'd want watching my back in this, it'd be her.

"I'm in the Blues' network." Chance stated in a matter-of-fact way. Fox began to voice his concern, but was stopped by the girl's calming gesture and assurance that she was undetected. After quickly glancing over a blueprint overview of the Blues' HQ, Chance pulled up video feeds from the building's security cameras. Fox watched the images as Chance began to explain the inner workings of the police's main server. She explained how the cops would be notified by an alarm when the server was hacked and about the virus she made to delay the alarm.

"Well, lucky for you, it's easy on your part." Chance sat back, crossed her arms and grinned at him. "I haven't lost you, have I?"

"Oh, no," Fox replied, "I'm still following you. All I have to do at this point is stick a flash drive into the server and wait around until you take care of things right?" The girl nodded in reply.

"Well, it sounds easy enough so far," he said, "but it's the part that comes next that's gonna be tough for me. That's when I have to get outta the hornet's nest without getting stung. You'll have my back with the blueprints, right?"

((Don't worry, you did fine!))

[Gabrielle "Chance" Coleman]

I nodded again, replying, “Of course.” Turning to a drawer on my right, I opened it, revealing a black lockbox with a few tools beside it. I picked up the box, placing it in front of me and entering a code in the lock, before opening the lid. Inside were a few of my custom made communication ear pieces. I pulled one out and set it on the desk, while grabbing one of my tools from the drawer. Ignoring Fox, I flipped open the earpiece’s tiny programming circuit. Lifting the tool, I picked at the earpiece’s programming, resetting it and making a few adjustments. After I was done, I set done my tool and closed the circuit, turning to Fox and handing him the earpiece. “Here, take this.”

((I'm glad, thank you.))

[Aron "Fox" O'Shae]

Fox took the earpiece from Chance and placed it in his ear.

“Custom earpieces,” he said glancing at the box full of the devices, “pretty handy. I’d have to guess these operate on a frequency the blues can’t pick-up?”

Fox moved toward the window of the small apartment and pulled himself out onto the fire escape.

“I’m gonna go find a cop to ambush. Now that I’ve got this,” he indicated the earpiece, “it’ll be easy for me to contact you when I’m ready on my end.”

((Sorry to kind of cut things short, but I noticed one of the blues was back on, so I want to get the next thread started before we lose them again ^__^))

[Gabrielle "Chance" Coleman]

As Fox got ready to leave, I stood up, leaning against my chair.

"Alright, and I'll be working on the virus program." As an afterthought, I added, "Fox, if you ever find yourself in trouble, just contact me. There's a GPS system in that earpiece. If you need a safe route, I can give you one." With finality, I sat back down in my chair, gesturing to the window. "Be careful on your way out. The Blues are probably still scouting the area." I didn't reply to Fox as he said his farewells. I merely turned back to my computer, staring at the video feed of the Blues' computer core. I glanced to my workshop, staring at the tools resting on the desk.
I'll have to get to work soon. There's no telling of what the Blues are planning. I stood from my seat, before approaching my workroom, and sitting at the desk. As I leaned forward, my elbows resting on the desk's surface and my head resting on my hands, I mumbled, "A virus program with a alarm delay system..." It won't be easy to make, but I can't waste time thinking about that. Lives are at risk here. With that thought out, I opened one of the desk's drawers, pulling out one of my ordinary virus chips. I placed it in front of me, before grabbing a few tools, and putting on my magnification goggles. As I leaned forward to pry at the chip's programming, I made a silent wish, hoping this scheme will go as planned.

((Okay, so that's the end of it. Yeah, I understand. Can't wait for this plan to start.))