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>>1814888

Updates: http://twitter.com/ravenkingquests

Previous Threads: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Thug%20Quest

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>>1814903


Radio: Khemistry - Can You Feel My Love (1982)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-Xtk0Ig7L0

The sun hangs high in the sky over Heat City, a scorching hot afternoon. It doesn't help that your throat and eyes are still raw from letting the twins use tear gas on you. Still, it was a productive morning. Windows rolled down in your Lincoln, a few extra buttons on your shirt undone, the breeze makes the heat almost tolerable as you drive north into the Pines district.

Stopping at a red light, you see a young man in a hoodie running full-tilt down the sidewalk. A gang of balding, heavyset men in track suits and chains chase after him at a leisurely jog, laughing and calling out in Russian and broken English. The hoodie reaches the corner only for a car door to swing open in his path and knock him down. Another tracksuit steps out of the open door and cracks his knuckles.

The light turns green, and you shake your head and drive off. Just another Z dealer getting acquainted with the new king shits around here: the Russian mob.

This neighborhood, and others like it, used to be Triad territory. But ever since a certain mysterious gang of thieves in gas masks broke into Dragon's Nest and made off with their $20 million cash reserves, the Tong has been on the back foot. They've scrambled to maintain face and standing with their allies, and defend their holdings in the city, with less success every day.

Wherever they prove weak, the Bratva moves in. You can see the evidence everywhere: tracksuit thugs shaking down small-time dealers, petty thieves, and legit store owners; Chinese restaurants and clubs closing up shop or being burned down, being replaced by hastily thrown-up dive bars with signs in bright neon Cyrllic letters; even the alley walls are spray-painted with gopnik slang.

Until recently, the war was finely balanced. Neither the Russians or the Triads could gain the upper hand. They spent most of their energy maintaining their borders, watching each other, and crushing competition from the seething mass of small-timers below them, desperate to reach those exalted heights.

Now the Russians are winning. Gaining ground on every front. And it doesn't look to slow down any time soon.

Are you responsible for this?

(Continued)

>>1814919


This all started back in that diner, months ago, because Ivan set up you and Alex. Then he burned down his father's house, and assumed control of the Heat City Russian mafia. You wanted revenge, but ever since then, you've been tangled up in something entirely different.

Instead of chasing down Ivan, you ended up helping to open an entirely new front in the war: Catherine Yamada vs the "Pacific Rim alliance" of Triads, Yakuza, and Vietnamese dockers. And now the only thing standing between her and the combined might of three powerful criminal syndicates is one dumb thug who should never have gotten involved in all this, but was too stupid to know any better. You can't just casually get up and walk away from this now, though. It's too late. You're involved. And although it's hard to admit, Cat is too important to you for that now.

You can't afford to slow down, either. Word on the street is the Triad Dragon has put a bounty on the heads of each man involved in the heist, and double for the woman responsible for the plan. And from what you know of Masamune Kojiro, losing a few of his elite fighters isn't going to stop him from gunning for the Yamadas -- and probably you as well.

You're committed to this clash with the Triads and Yakuza, whether you like it or not.

But it pisses you off to realize that, by doing so, you're helping Ivan in his rise to power.

Your head goes around in circles as you drove east into Blue Ridge and pull into the parking lot of a huge shopping center. It's true that you've got a lot of crime-related bullshit to deal with right now, but there's one other important fact you can't lose sight of.

You're a home owner now! A respectable citizen. And the marshland manor still needs a lot of work, so you've come here.

You get out of your car, putting thoughts of gunfights and crime wars out of your head, and head into the mall to go shopping, just like a respectable citizen would. Studiously ignoring the strange looks you get from ordinary folks who shield their children from the huge, scarred man who just walked in, you head straight to MegaMetro, the department store that has everything.

Choose 2 Rooms in the Manor to upgrade:

>Crime Office
>Security
>Your Room
>Guest Rooms
>Living Room + Kitchen
>Bar + Lounge
>Garage
>Gun Workshop
>Armory
>Training Ground
>Gym

>>1814937
>Gun Workshop
>Living Room + Kitchen

>>1814937
>Security
>Crime Office

>>1814937
>Guest Rooms
>Security
had the wrong set of rooms there.

>>1814937
>>Security
>>Guest Rooms

>>1814952
>>1815017

>Guest Rooms
>Security

Writing.

>>1814937
>Security
>Gun Workshop

>>1814937

Your own room, honestly, you could care less about. It's a bed for you to flop down in and not much else. But you want to make sure your guest rooms provide the proper level of comfort, especially since one of them is still a frequent residence of the twins. You get a slightly terrified store employee to help you pick out some high-quality sheets and light blankets for the summer heat, and some blocky, colorful end tables and dressers -- they look a little strange to you, but the saleswoman insists it's the fashion, and you wouldn't want your guests to think you were unfashionable, so you buy them.

You then head to the electronics department to get some of the high-quality devices available to the modern consumer of the 1980s, like clock radios with cassette players. While you're there, you also grab some black-and-white televisions, video cameras, and a lot of cords. This should provide security video coverage over the important entry and exit spots in your house, important for turning the tables on would-be home invaders.

Whistling as you wheel a cart full of televsions, cameras, and cords out to your car, you load it into the backseat alongside the bedsheets, then find a pay phone and call your own house, figuring the twins will be there. When they pick up, saying, "Shitbrains residence!" you ask them nicely to come by in the truck and pick up the furniture. Their response is a series of howls and complaints, but in the end they agree to do it.

(Continued)

>>1815213


Crossing the Adams bridge into Sunset Beach, you head to Catherine's new place to discuss business.

"Glad to see you, Johnny," she says, leaving the door open for you to walk in. "Drink?"

"Absolutely," you say, feeling the heat and desperate for something with ice.

You follow her into the living room, where she walks to the drinks cabinet. "Bourbon?"

"Uh, yeah. Thanks." You try to keep your eyes off her, but she looks really something in that dress. Tearing your gaze away, you look around at the living room decor. "I guess you're all set up in here now. Place looks nice. Real classy."

"Thank you. When I could still afford a designer, he picked some of these pieces out for me. Others are family heirlooms I took with me from Japan, when I left." Cat smiles as she pours two tumblers of amber liquor. "Father always wondered where his favorite scrolls went. " She uses tongs to place ice from a bowl into the drinks, then crosses the room and hands you one. "Cheers."

You clink glasses with Cat, then take a drink, tasting the robust spiciness of the liquor and the chill of the ice water.

"So," she says, sitting down in one of the luxurious couches and crossing her legs. "I've been looking into the Elements, as you requested."

"What have you found?" you ask, sitting in a nearby chair.

"Almost nothing, I'm afraid," she says. "Their reputation is well known, but they're quite secretive about their histories, techniques, and methods of operation. Rumor has it they're from some kind of highly classified experimental program for PRC special forces. That information would be almost impossible to get ahold of. Anything realistic for us to find will involve their surveillance after their arrival in the United States, which I'm told was some years ago."

A bad thought occurs to you. "Wait, you don't mean ...?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Catherine says. "If we want information on the Elements, there's only one place to find it. The FBI."

"Jesus christ," you hear yourself say. The FBI? Is this even real? "As if our lives weren't complicated enough."

"The only alternative would be to ask some ... rather highly placed sources of mine," Catherine says. "Men like Mr. Ryan, whom you've met. They could call in certain debts to gain access to those files. But they would ask a favor, up front, in return. A not-insignificant favor, if you understand me. One that might make breaking into an FBI office look like child's play."

"So our alternatives are breaking into an office of the most powerful law enforcement agency in the country, or something worse."

"I'm afraid so."

>All right. Let's do it. Our target is the FBI office.
>Ask a connected source. (Stealth job)
>Ask an underground source. (Loud job)
>You know what? Screw this. I don't want to go after them that badly.

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>>1815231
(Also, have a Cat)

>>1815231
Ask the crew. See what they think, otherwise I'm all for Loud.

>>1815231
>What about the Triads themselves if these guys are on their payroll they must have some files on them. Is that a fair assumption

>>1815231
>You know what? Screw this. I don't want to go after them that badly.
I kind of want to start fucking with the Russians a bit, honestly...

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>>1815231
>Ask a connected source. (Stealth job)

>>1815286
supporting roxie as a waifu when

>>1815231
>All right. Let's do it. Our target is the FBI office.

We should try to frame the Russian's for it. Get some of their smokes and leave the butts nearby

>>1815231
> Everyone votes different

>>1815296
You really think the Feds are that stupid?

>>1815231
>All right. Let's do it. Our target is the FBI office.

>>1815296
>>1815304
>Our target is the FBI office.

Writing.

>>1815295
I mean I support her now.

>>1815302
Russians looking it the Elements while pushing out the Triad? Hard to believe I know.

>>1815231

You think about it for a minute, considering your options before you settle on anything. "I think we should go for it," you say. "It's dangerous, and it'll bring down the heat. But we've got the skills to pull it off. I want to ask the crew first, though."

"Of course," Catherine says. "Who do you have in mind?"

"Well, I'll need Alex, of course," you say. It seems crazy you ever did a job before you knew her, without her backing you up. You finish your drink, thinking. "Maybe Zero for alarm stuff. Probably get our new guy Kaz to be getaway driver. Other than that, I'm not sure. I'll have to think about what approach we want to take. Maybe it's possible to do this full cloak-and-dagger, or maybe it's better to hit fast and hard with a smash-and-grab."

"I leave it in your hands," Catherine says, and gets up to take your glass. She walks to the drinks cabinet to refill both yours and hers. "This will be one step closer to getting the Triads off our backs. At this rate, it might put them off everyone's backs."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, the Elements provide primary security for the Dragon, their leader," she says. "With them out of the way, if something were to, say, happen to him ..."

You take your glass back from Cat, thinking. Could you really end up pushing over the entire Heat City Tong? It seems crazy to think about. But so is breaking into an FBI office. Really, everything you've done since that day in the diner has been crazy.

You take another drink of bourbon, impressed at the quality, and take a look around Cat's living room. The decor is a blend of modern western opulence and traditional eastern refinement. She has a matched pair of calligraphy scrolls on either side of the open doorway to another sitting area, where you can see some kind of traditional Japanese instrument, a long wooden board with multiple strings, like a rectangular guitar.

>After this job, what comes next?
>Is there anyone in your organization who can help us out?
>How are you holding up? You've been through a lot lately.
>You've got fine taste in drinks, among other things.
>So you stole your dad's scrolls when you left Japan?
>What's that instrument back there? Do you play it?
>Write-in

>>1815413
>After this job, what comes next?

>>1815413
>How are you holding up? You've been through a lot lately.
>You wanna go for some indian food after this
>after this job, what comes next

>>1815413
>What's that instrument back there? Do you play it?

>>1815413
>>How are you holding up? You've been through a lot lately.
>>You've got fine taste in drinks, among other things.
>>So you stole your dad's scrolls when you left Japan?
>>What's that instrument back there? Do you play it?

>>1815413
>After this job, what comes next?
Kind of want to take on Ivan after this is over.
>Is there anyone in your organization who can help us out?
>What's that instrument back there? Do you play it?

>>1815431
Oh that fucker is going down, No doubt about that. He's been running on borrowed time since thread 1.

>>1815409
>Russians looking it the Elements while pushing out the Triad?
This part made sense


>Get some of their smokes and leave the butts nearby
Yes, I'm sure the Russian gang members all subscribe to the same brand of cigarette that only Russian gang member smoke.

>>1815413
>After this job, what comes next?
>How are you holding up? You've been through a lot lately.
>You've got fine taste in drinks, among other things.
General conversational direction

>>1815409
And say that yes all Russian smoke same brand of cigarette and only Russian gang smoke that particular brand. You really think the professional the Russian trust enough to rob the Feds would be stupid enough to leave evidence in the crime scene linking it back to them. All the Feds would have figured was that it's planted by someone who wants to pin it on the Russians

>>1815435
I see you don't smoke, or have much experience with Immigrants.

But yeah, it's actual pretty common for people from the same country to prefer a certain brand of smokes.

>>1815462
No, you leave the smokes nearby where someone would be casing the place from.

This actually happens pretty often with smokers.

>After this job, what comes next?
>How are you holding up?
>What's that instrument back there?

Writing.

>>1815463
>>1815468

Both true. It probably won't fool the FBI for long, but it might at least throw them off the trail.

>>1815463
>>1815468
It's less that it's unbelievable that all russian gangsters smoke the same brand, more that it's a shit idea in the first place. Let's hit the FBI and throw some spent cigs on the ground. Clearly they'll fall for it!

>>1815492
I don't see you coming up with any ideas at all.

And it actually happens in real life all the time, do don't get mad at me I'm not the one who made the world like that.

>>1815492
Oh, and it's less likely that "Russian gangsters all smoke the same brand" and more like "Russians smoke this type of brand" and it won't be popular with other people.

Like I said, you clearly know jack shit about smoking or social interaction. Shockingly, groups of people end to act similar.

>>1815487
Honestly I just figure that if we fuck it up and they look into it, they're thrown off until we're done with the elements.

>>1815528
I was the first to reply and suggest asking the crew pal. There's an idea for ya. Calm yourself and try again.

>>1815543
Sure groups tend to act similar. But our crew is different, see? We don't use the same weapons, the same tactics. The Russians have no reason to attack. It's flimsy. Even Raven said it won't stand up to scrutiny. If your idea was a boat, it would get holes in it easily. A boat with holes sinks. Now if we throw your idea in after the fact to fuck around and, maybe, slow em down? Cool beans.

>>1815413

"How are you holding up?" you ask Catherine. "You've been through a lot lately."

"Fine," she says, swirling the ice in her glass. You have a hard time believing that, which she reads in your face, and smiles. "Really, I am. Believe it or not, this isn't the rudest uprooting I've had from a life. My childhood in Japan could be, shall we say, turbulent? I assure you, Johnny, I am doing just fine. I wish I could say the same for my organziation, but ..." She drains her glass instead of finishing the sentence, then opens her silver cigarette case.

"So after this job, what comes next?"

Cat takes a moment to light her cigarette before answering. "Well, as for your pursuit of the Elements, I've heard a rumor which, if acted on, might let us limit the firepower available to the Triads. That should make any assault easier, ensuring the grunts protecting them are less well-equipped. With them out of the picture, some kind of daring and adventurous strike on the Dragon himself might be within the realm of possibility."

You light your own cigarette, still the cheap brand you buy at the corner store, despite the figure in your bank account. "What about you?"

Catherine says, "Well, I suppose that depends on you, doesn't it, Johnny? My once-expansive network of local toughs and runners is in shambles. Many of my elite contacts have cut ties with me, seeing me as a liability. While I still have connections, favors owed, my list of physical assets is quite slim these days. Essentially, there's only one I can rely on." She makes eye contact as she exhales a thin stream of smoke. "Our fortunes have been entwined for some time, Johnny. Which is why I intend to do everything I can to give you what you need."

(Continued)

>>1815555
> My idea was to ask for other people's ideas

Management material right here.

> Our crew isn't like that

A) Our Crew isn't part of a Gang from a foreign country that the members probably grew up in.

B) Our crew that isn't ex-Triad are American who are notable for doing things differently from each other because of the diversity of their background's

I mean have you literally never been to a small town or anything? Been part of a clique? Gangs like the Russians and Triad aren't like you job that you're only at for 5 years.

And it isn't supposed to be some cunning mastermind bullshit, just something to throw them off the trail.

>>1815631

"What I need, huh?" You cough, trying not to think about what "everything" could mean. "Well that's, uh, very generous of you." Anxious to change the subject, your view lands on the stringed instrument in the other room. "Hey, I noticed that instrument earlier. What is that?"

"It's called a koto," Catherine says. "It's a traditional Japanese instrument."

"Do you play it?"

"Well ... yes."

"That's pretty neat, if you ask me," you say. "Where did you learn something like that?"

"For some years of my upbringing, there was a emphasis on traditional virtues. We have a phrase "yamato nadeshiko" which means something like "the ideal woman." Trained in music, flower arrangment, all the domestic arts, and of course, submissiveness to males, as all ideal women should be." Catherine stubs out her cigarette in an ashtray, a small frown on her face.

"I'd love to hear it," you say. "Not because of, you know. That stuff with women. I mean, have you seen Alex and Roxie? How could I be stupid enough to think all women are servants or whatever? But uh. I never really got to play an instrument or anything like that. I got into fighting and stealing at a pretty early age. Never had much chance at anything else. So I'd just. I don't know. I'd like to hear it. Is that okay?"

Catherine gives you a measuring glance for several long moments. Then she rises, crosses to the other room, and returns with the instrument. She sits with it placed lengthwise across her lap, and quickly runs her fingers across the strings, producing an exotic resonance of sound. Adjusting its tuning, she nods, satisfied, and begins to play.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK51LblcEOw

(Continued)

>>1815637
Eh, don't care anymore for the shitposting, Raven posted stuff.

>>1815646

After picking up groceries and beer, you return home. With the twins' help, you unload your car crowded with food, electronics equipment, and bedding. A productive day's work.

"Can we do the tear gas again?" asks one of the twins eagerly.

"My eyes are still stinging," you say. "Give me a few days. If you two want to practice on each other, that's fine. Just make sure you keep it in the yard." They dash out to the backyard, giving you a moment's peace and quiet.

The other day you bought one of those new-fangled answering machines, since the twins aren't exactly reliable secretaries. The red light is blinking, so you press the arrow button, and the cassette tape inside starts spinning. You hear your own voice, strange to hear outside your own head. "Uh, hey, this is Johnny. Leave a message?" There's about a half-second of cacophony as the twins start to shout before your greeting cuts off with a shrill beep, and the message begins.

"Hi, it's Alex. Just wondering how you're doing, and what the plan is. I'm ready for whatever. O-oh, and um. I remembered you said something about watching a movie together. I'm free tonight, if you want. Just, um. Give me a call."

Choose 2:
>Call Alex.
>Work out.
>Set up your new equipment.
>Practice shooting.
>Hang out with the twins.
>Write-in.

>>1815702
>Set up your new equipment.
>Hang out with the twins.

>>1815702
>Set up your new equipment.
>Call Alex.
We need to catch up with Alex before the job anyways.

>>1815702
>Practice shooting.
>Hang out with the twins.

>>1815702
>Call Alex.
>Set up your new equipment.

>>1815702
>>Call Alex.

>>Set up your new equipment.

>>1815702
>>Call Alex.
>>Set up your new equipment.
Best girl.

>>1815702
>Work out.
>Set up your new equipment.

>Call Alex.
>Set up your new equipment.

Writing.

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>>1815702

Alex arrives midway through your setup of your new surveillance room. "What do you think?" you say, gesturing to the four black and white TVs arrayed on a desk, each screen divided in half. Most of the eight displays just show snow, but three are already hooked up to cameras displaying entry and exit points to the Manor.

"It's a little bare bones," Alex says. "But it's a good place to start." She's just wearing casual clothes. You're still more used to the severe, combat-ready Alex in tacticool vest and glare-proof sunglasses, but casual Alex in a loose-fitting sweater is definitely growing on you. "You going to set up a camera on the garage doors? And the window by the west garden?"

"Yeah, and the roof, just to be sure."

She nods, approving. "All right, so what's this movie?"

"It's called Star Beast," you say. "It's about a spaceship crew who investigate an abandoned planet and encounter -- well, you can probably guess from the title. I think I mentioned this before, but the main character reminds me of you. By which I mean she's super badass."

You make some popcorn, crack open a couple beers, and settle in with Alex on the couch to watch Star Beast. You've seen it before, so you're prepared for the surprises, but you're really curious to see how the normally stone-cold Alex reacts to them. You keep stealing sidelong glances to her to check her expression.

She seems fine as the spaceship crew descends on the alien world. When the explorer prods at an alien egg only to be attacked and latched onto by an alien leech, she doesn't flinch. But when that explorer later convulses, and his stomach explodes, and an alien larvae crawls out, that finally proves to be too much for her. She clutches at your sleeve with both hands, staring at the screen in disgust and horror. "What the hell, man?!"

You can't help laughing. "I told you this was a good movie. If you're too scared, we can turn it off."

She smiles and gives you a gentle punch on the shoulder. "Go fuck yourself, tough guy."

Choose 2:
>Talk about the FBI job you have planned.
>Ask what she wants to do after it.
>Ask her opinion of the rag-tag crew you've assembled.
>Ask about her upbringing in Europe.
>Ask about why she came to the States.
>Talk about something casual, unrelated to all this.

Choose 1:
>Try getting closer.
>Stay cool.

>>1815922
>Talk about the FBI job you have planned.
>Talk about something casual, unrelated to all this.
>Stay cool.

>>1815922
>Talk about the fbi job
>ask her opinion of the rag tag crew

>Stay cool

>>1815922
>Talk about something casual, unrelated to all this.

>Stay cool.

>>1815922
>Talk about the FBI job you have planned.
>Talk about something casual, unrelated to all this.
>Stay cool.

>>1815922
>Ask her opinion of the rag-tag crew you've assembled.
>Talk about something casual, unrelated to all this.
>Stay Cool
Inb4 she shit-talks all the other girls

>>1815922
>>Talk about the fbi job
>>ask her opinion of the rag tag crew
>>Stay cool

>>1815922

>Talk about the FBI job you have planned.
>Talk about something casual, unrelated to all this.
>Stay cool.

Writing.

>>1815922
>Talk about the FBI job you have planned.
>Ask her opinion of the rag-tag crew you've assembled.
>Stay cool.

>>1815922
>>Ask her opinion of the rag-tag crew you've assembled.
>>Talk about something casual, unrelated to all this.
>Choose 1:
>>Try getting closer.

>>1815922
>Talk about the FBI job you have planned.

>Ask her opinion of the rag-tag crew you've assembled.

>Stay cool.

>>1815922


It feels like it'd be natural to slip an arm around Alex's shoulders, the way she's snuggled into the couch next to you, but you still don't go for it. Play it cool, Johnny, you tell yourself, getting up to grab another pair of beers. You're relying on Alex to have your back when it comes to business. Maybe it's better not to make things weird. That and there's Catherine, who you haven't sorted out your feelings for -- and Roxie, who's crazy but sometimes adorable and definitely smoking hot -- fuck! Your business life you can understand, but when did your social life get so complicated?

"Here," you say, handing Alex her beer, trying to put that out of your head.

"Thanks."

"So about this FBI job," you say, sitting next to her. "Cat says it's the best way to get any kind of concrete information on the Elements. Where they hide out, what they're capable of. If we can take them down, the Dragon will be isolated, and maybe we can make a play for him."

"What about the Russians?" she asks.

"I haven't forgotten about them," you say. "But we're tangled up in this now. One thing at a time. We can deal with Ivan once we deal with the Dragon and Kojiro."

Alex says, "No big deal, just you, me, and your crew of idiots versus the strongest, most ruthless gangs in the world's toughest city."

"Right. No big deal, like you said. Anyway, Zero is getting ahold of the building plans for me. I'm going to look them over tomorrow, do some planning on how this going to go down. I'd appreciate your help."

"Sure thing."

You watch the movie for a few minutes. The main character, the one who reminds you of Alex, is the only person on the spaceship who seems to have a solid idea of what to do regarding the hideous alien monster roaming their ship. "Ever wish you have a job like hers instead?" you ask. "Be a famous actress or something?"

"Like that? Acting in movies? No. I wouldn't mind being famous for something, though." She thinks about it. "I'd like to be famous for, like, some kind of incredible assassination. A dictator or drug lord, a horrible tyrant, thought to be invincible behind his state-of-the-art security and zealously trained bodyguards." Alex's eyes gleam as she pictures it. "But one woman, acting alone, infiltrated the stronghold that everyone thought was impossible to breach, and from the tallest tower, put a 7.62 Nato round right between his eyes. Although -- wait, fuck. Unless I got caught, nobody would know it was me."

"Ah, shit, you're right," you say. "Still, that would be pretty cool to know you were the nameless assassin who pulled off such a stunt."

She shrugs. "Yeah, I guess that would be all right. What about you, Johnny? What would you want to be famous for?"

>The boss of Heat City.
>The guy who took down the Z trade.
>Championship boxer.
>Singer and dancer.
>Nothing, really.
>Write-in.

>>1816079
>Singer and dancer.
Just fuckin with her.
>Nothing, really.

>>1816079
>Nothing really but if things keep on going like this I might be famous round the wrong sort of folks.

>>1816079
>The guy who took down the Z trade.

>>1816079
>Write-in.

Own a small gym. More of a place to hang out, maybe have a bar beside it. Train some boxing and street fighting for the next generation of guys that are tougher than they are smart.

>>1816079
I don't, I just want to live a relatively peaceful life after this

>>1816079
>The guy who took down the Z trade.
>After that, I dunno. Maybe buy a gym and start training boxers?

>>1816096
>>1816119
We don't even know real boxing.

>>1816096
>>1816119
Johnny doesn't box. Sure he can fight with his hands but that ain't boxing

>>1816079
>>Championship boxer.
The guy who went toe to toe with the best and did his best in a fair fight.

>>1816079
>>Championship boxer.

>>1816126
>>1816131
Marciano went in super late to the game, wasn't someone who did it since he was young. You gonna say he wasn't a boxer? Sure he wasn't some fancy polished fighter but he went 49-0 with almost entirely knockouts.

>>1816176
I'm saying if you want to teacher people to box you need to know how to box.

>>1816079

"I'd like to be an entertainer," you tell Alex. "A singer and dancer, the total package. Like Michael Jackson or Baron." You tilt an imaginary fedora, like Jackson does. "What do you think? I could learn to dance, right?"

Alex eyes you incredulously. "You can't be serious."

"Nah, I'm just fucking with you." You shrug. "I'm not really sure. Maybe it would be cool to be known as the guy who took down the Z trade. Stopped the addiction problem, helped out the city. Then again, maybe not. Sometimes I think I'd like to open a little neighborhood boxing gym, help kids train. Give them an outlet for their anger. Keep them on the straight and narrow."

"You don't know how to box, though," Alex points you. "All you do is brawl like a viking warrior."

"That is an obstacle. But I could learn," you say. "Maybe that's what I should be. A championship boxer. No more fighting to survive in dirty back alleys. I could get paid to fight, in front of millions."

"You'd get pissed off and crack someone's bones," Alex says.

"Yeah, that's probably true. I'll be honest, Alex, I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself after all this dies down. If it ever dies down. Before this started, before I met you at that construction site, I was a nobody. No reputation, no bank account, barely had enough money in my pocket to take the bus. Now just the bounty on my head is bigger than all the money I made from legit jobs after getting out of prison put together. I can't tell whether my life is taking off to heights undreamed of, or crashing and burning into fire and oblivion."

"Seems like a little of both to me," Alex says. "Stay focused on the present for now, Johnny. One thing at a time," she adds, repeating your own words back to you. She tosses a popcorn kernel in her mouth, grinning. "Just tell me who to shoot."

"You got it." You watch the rest of the movie in peace, avoiding discussion of the imminent and incredibly dangerous heist you're planning.

(Continued)

>>1816184

>Hanging out with Alex has given you +1 to the next roll that involves her.

The next morning sees you driving through the decrepit slums of Havanatown and pulling up in front of Old Blind Edna's place. Maybe it's your imagination, but this yard seems to accumulate more dead machinery every time you come here. It definitely accumulates more cats. They crawl over the rusted hulks of engine blocks and washing machines, watching you eagerly. Edna, as usual, greets you at the door, somehow knowing it's you already.

"What're you looking for today, sweetie? An axe, maybe, to soothe your viking soul? Or perhaps something a little more modern? I just got in a shipment of some real heavy hitters. Take a look around. I know you'll find something you like."

Choose 3:
>Melee: Axe
>Pistol: Desert Eagle
>Assault Rifle: AR-15
>Sniper Rifle: Dragunov
>Shotgun: Spas-12
>Machine Gun: M249 SAW
>Explosive: Flamethrower
>Explosive: Incendiary Grenades
>Utility: Flash Grenades
>Utility: Smoke Grenades
>Utility: Tear Gas Grenades
>Attachment: Laser sight
>Attachment: Suppressor
>Write-in

>>1816204
>rope
>Spas 12
>M249 SAW

>>1816204
>Shotgun: Spas-12
>>Utility: Tear Gas Grenades
>C4 charges

>>1816205
Pretty sure Raven will us ropes for free. Plus you don't need Edna to get a rope so maybe change it

>>1816205
>>1816213

It's true, you don't need to buy ropes on the black market here. You can definitely bring some with you on the job, but we'll get to the full loadout vote later.

>>1816210

Just putting this out there, the Spas-12 can be used to fire tear gas canisters, so this is a good combo.

>>1816204
>Shotgun: Spas-12
>Utility: Tear Gas Grenades
>Melee: Axe

If she actually has an old style medieval axe, I'd say go for it.

>>1816204
>Machine Gun: M249 SAW
>Attachment: Suppressor
>Attachment 4-8x optic
>.45 Welrod (Hollywood level suppression right here, not just 20 decibels less! If that's a little too obscure basically anyway "veterinary pistol", some being an almost direct copy of said pistol))
>Utility: Flash Grenades
>Utility: Smoke Grenades
>Utility/Melee: Crowbar

>>1816204
Ignore that other vote

>Shotgun: Spas-12
>Utility: Tear Gas Grenades
>C4

>>1816224
>Choose 3

>>1816224
Choose 3 items total anon

>>1816224
>Machine Gun: M249 SAW
>Attachment: Suppressor
>.45 Welrod (Hollywood level suppression right here, not just 20 decibels less! If that's a little too obscure basically anyway "veterinary pistol", some being an almost direct copy of said pistol))

>>1816205
>Explosive rounds
>incendiary rounds
>m249 SAW

>>1816204
>Melee: Axe
>Explosive: Flamethrower
>Utility: Smoke Grenades

>>1816204

Here's our current armory, just for comparison:

Weapon Collection:
Melee: Cleaver-chan
Pistols: M1911, Ruger Redhawk
SMG: Beretta M12 x2
Shotguns: Ithica 37 Stakeout
Assault Rifle: AK-74, M16A2
Hunting Rifle: Ruger Mini-14
Machine Guns: "The Pig" M60
Sniper: Remington Model 700
Explosive: Frag Grenades, M79 Grenade Launcher

>>1816254
Swapping smokes to spas

>>1816204
>Write-in

We should include Body Armour

Sorry for the delay here, fellas, something's come up irl.

>>1816204

(Sorry about that, thanks for your patience fellas. There's a four-way tie for weapons, but since you can afford it, I'll let you have all four.)

From Edna's motley collection of heavy modern firepower and ancient relics, you first select an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon, or SAW. It's a lighter, more mobile machine gun, actually intended by use for one person, as compared to your M60, which packs a larger punch but is incredibly cumbersome to actually wield by yourself. This is more of a replacement for your Ultimax -- although, you acknowledge bitterly, no gun can truly replace the Ultimax. But it will provide a lighter alternative to the Pig, easier to wield and conceal, but still able to lay down serious fire.

You also take a Spas-12 shotgun with the classic folding stock. From what you remember, this bad boy can be loaded with tear gas canisters, as long as it's fired in pump-action mode, and Edna confirms this. Cackling with delight, she brings out several tear gas canisters which can either be primed and thrown by hand, or fired long-distance with the Spas-12.

You also take a hefty single-bladed hatchet that could have easily been used by an actual Viking warrior. More likely it was used by a Canadian lumberjack to split wood, but that's pretty badass in its own way. It'll definitely chop a man's skull in two, that's for sure.

"I need to talk to someone about armor," you tell Edna. "Anyone you can recommend?"

"Oh, I know just the fellow." Edna slips a business card for a suit tailor into your hand. "Just tell him I sent you. He'll know what you're looking for."

(Continued)

>>1816678

That afternoon finds you in the back room of your house that passes for your office: the one with a whiteboard, a bulletin board of photos, and a handful of maps spread out over a table. At your invitation, Alex and Ken have joined you, as they seem like the only people on the crew who might be relied on to give reliable strategic advice.

"Fox girl not giving you too much trouble?" you ask Ken.

He grimaces. "Let's just hurry up and kill Kojiro."

"Don't worry," you say. "This job will get us info on him and his Monsters as well as the Triads. Put us one step closer to taking them both down. Two birds with one stone sorta deal. "

You unroll the map of the local FBI office that Zero managed to obtain, and the three of you look it over. The building is on the outskirts of Silver Pines, surrounded by office zoning, with a public park across the street. It has three floors, with roof access; a heavily guarded main entrance, with two smaller service doors around back; multiple offices and facilities such as kitchens and showers ensure that staff are on-site 24 hours a day. And of course, the particular set of files you need to access are stored right smack bang in the middle of it all.

You say, "The way I see this, there's four ways this can go. The first is quiet: we send in a team of sneakers, through the roof access or one of the side doors. They make their way to the office we need, quietly taking down any FBI agents in their way. Grab the files, slip out the way they came, hopefully undetected. If it goes right, it's fantastic. If anything goes wrong, though, the team will be stuck in hostile territory without any serious firepower.

"The second way is loud. That one's pretty obvious. We show up with guns and armor and walk in the front door, hoping a bunch of FBI office drones won't remember their firearms training in time to mount a proper defense. We smash and grab, and get out before the heavy response teams arrive and siege the place"

"The third way is, I guess, both. We split into two teams, a stealth team and a loud team. Stealth team tries their best to get it done sneaky. If it goes wrong, the loud team shows up and grabs as much attention as possible, giving them time to finish the job."

"What's the fourth way?" asks Alex.

"Wildcard," you say. "We invite the rest of the team and see what crazy idea those idiots can come up with."

Alex and Ken look at each other. He says, "Last time I listened to Nick's plans, I drove through a shopping mall."


Choose an approach:

>Stealth
>Loud
>Two Teams
>Wildcard

>>1816690
>wildcard

>>1816690
>Two Teams

>>1816690
>>Two Teams
Also shame on you guys not wanting to put the arm around alex. She's the best

>>1816690
>>Two Teams

Unless there's an overnight surge in support for a different option, two teams it is. I'll be back tomorrow to hold some votes for planning the team compositions and our loadout.

>>1816690
>Two teams
But I reeeally wanna know what each member of the team's ideas are.
so
>Two teams, but wildcard advice/plan B/C/D

>>1816792
Cat tho.

>>1817012
not as great as Alex tbqh

>>1817163
Wrong

File: image (9).jpg (302 KB, 835x496)

302 KB JPG

>>1816690


THE PLAN


Target: FBI Office, Silver Pines

Objective: Detailed files on the Triads and Yakuza, and their elite fighters the Elements and Monsters.

Bonus objectives: Zero claims that certain FBI computer servers will fetch a high price from the right buyer.


Team 1 (Stealth):

Infiltrate the FBI building under cover of darkness. Get to the target office and retrieve the files. Quietly deal with any agents in the way. Exfiltrate via the same route if possible. If something goes wrong -- and let's face it, it probably will -- Team 2 will activate.

Team 2 (Loud):

Head straight in making plenty of noise, aiming to draw as much attention as possible. Team 1 will hole up somewhere defensible until the area is secure enough to continue their mission. When Team 1 has secured the files and left, Team 2 will retreat.

Team 3 (Support):

Aid the primary teams by spotting, sniping, hacking, or driving.

Mercenaries, freelance thieves, and guns for hire are available to supplement your forces.

>>1817847

The Crew:

Johnny
Leader
Thug: Guns, Melee
Juggernaut: Carry load, Toughness


Alex
Gunner
Mercenary: Driving, Guns
Professional: Discipline, Evasion

Roxie
Brawler
Pit Fighter: Melee, Toughness
Savage: Melee, Perception
Special: Z Addict. Stronger when juiced, weaker when craving.

Ryuji
Stealth Specialist
Shinobi: Melee, Stealth
Bushido Code: Discipline, Melee

Nick
Security Specialist
Thief: Disable Device, Stealth
Weasel: Evasion, Perception

Ken
Driver
Mercenary: Driving, Guns
Bushido Code: Discipline, Melee
Special: Retired. Highly skilled, but too old for this shit.

Zero
Hacker
Black Hat: Disable Device, Electronics
Nerd: Electronics, Knowledge

Kazuya
Jack of all Trades
Doesn't excel at anything, but can fill any role in a pinch.

>>1817864

Assign the crew:

>Team 1 (Stealth)
>Team 2 (Loud)
>Team 3 (Support)

>Johnny
>Alex
>Roxie
>Ryuji
>Nick
>Ken
>Zero
>Kaz
>Hired gun

>>1817871
Team 1

> Ryuji
> Nick
> Alex

Team 2

> Johnny
> Roxy
> Kazuya

Support
> Ken
> Zero

>>1817864
>Team 1 (Stealth)
>Alex
>Ryuji
>Nick

>Team 2 (Loud)
>Johnny
>Roxie
>Kazuya

>Team 3 (Support)
>Ken
>Zero

>>1817871
This>>1817895

seems like the ideal set up

>>1817864

The crew's loadout:

Team 1, Stealth, will be wearing light ballistic vests under street clothes.

Alex:
Primary: G36 assault rifle, suppressed
Secondary: Sig P226 pistol, silenced
Melee: Bowie Knife
Utility: Flash grenades
Bag: Extra ammo

Ryuji
Primary: Car-15 carbine, suppressed
Secondary: Sig P226 pistol, silenced
Melee: Katana
Utility: Throwing Knives
Bag: Explosives + Tripwire

Nick:
Primary: Uzi SMG
Secondary: "Hush Puppy" Mk22 pistol, silenced
Melee: Drill
Utility: Smoke Grenades
Bag: Lockpicking kit


Team 2, Loud, will be ready to crash the party in proper body armor.

Roxie (borrowing your guns):
Primary: Spas-12 shotgun
Secondary: Ruger Redhawk
Melee: Nail Bat
Utility: Tear Gas canisters
Bag: Extra Ammo

Kazuya
Primary: M16A2 assault rifle
Secondary: Glock 17
Melee: Katana
Utility: Flash grenades
Bag: First Aid

>Change something about these loadouts (Say what)
>Looks good to me.

>>1818063
>Looks good to me.

>>1818063

The team vote is still open, but I'll hit you with Johnny's loadout options as well.

1 primary weapon:
>Assault Rifle: M16A1
>Grenade Launcher: M79
>Machine Gun: M249 SAW
>SMGs Akimbo: Beretta M12 x2

1 secondary weapon:
>Shotgun: Ithica Stakeout
>SMG: Beretta M12
>Pistol: M1911

1 melee:
>Cleaver-chan
>Viking Axe

1 utility:
>Frag grenades
>Tear Gas canisters
>Smoke bombs
>Fire bombs
>Rope

2 bags:
>Extra weapons
>Extra ammo
>First aid
>Armor replacements
>Explosives + tripwire

>>1818091
>Assault Rifle: M16A1
>Machine Gun: M249 SAW
>Shotgun: Ithica Stakeout
>Cleaver-chan
>Tear Gas canisters
>Extra weapons
>Armor replacements

>>1818091
>>Assault Rifle: M16A1
>Shotgun: Ithica Stakeout
>Cleaver-chan
>Tear Gas canisters
>Extra weapons
>Armor replacements

>>1818091
Primary
>Grenade Launcher: M79

Secondary
>Pistol: M1911

Melee
>Viking Axe

Since people wanted it for some reason

Utility
>Tear Gas canisters

Bags
>Armor replacements
>Explosives + tripwire

Gotta have that exit plan

>>1818091
>Assault Rifle: M16A1
>Shotgun: Ithica Stakeout
>Cleaver-chan
>Tear Gas canisters
>Extra ammo
>Armor replacements

>>1818149
Actually, change up my vote from the M16A1 to the M79.

>>1818091
>SMGs Akimbo: Beretta M12 x2
>Pistol: M1911
>Viking Axe
>Fire bombs
>Extra weapons
>Armor replacements

>>1818091

You plan on bringing the M16 and SAW, with the sawn-off Ithica as a backup piece, and the trusty meat cleaver tucked away in case of emergency. You'll also take some tear gas grenades -- between you and Roxie, you'll have half the building locked down with gas -- and some replacement vests and armor plates for anyone who gets a piece shredded.

With the amount of gas that's going to be flying around, the team will definitely need masks and respirators, not to mention showing your faces is probably a bad idea. You bring out the same set of SAS-style tactical gas masks you used when you assaulted the Dragon's Nest.

The crew convenes that afternoon at your manor to discuss the plan. Everyone is on board with taking a risk to get an edge up on the competition. A few crazy wildcard ideas are thrown out like disguising as ambulance workers, or unleashing a herd of farm animals, but none of them seem practical. In the end, your proposal for a two-team approach wins out.

With no time to waste, all the equipment ready, and Zero's assurance that no major FBI or police movements are planned for that area, the job is set for that very night.

You order takeout pizza for the crew. They eat mostly in silence, too nervous to make small talk. You and Roxie chain-smoke cigarettes, discussing tactics you might use. Nick and Alex watch an episode of Ken's favorite soap opera with him on your big TV. Kaz paces up and down. Zero works from home, of course, and is in the least danger of anyone, but you'd wager he's just as wound up.

Before it seems like any time has passed at all, the sky starts to grow dark as evening approaches, and it's time to get ready.

>Talk to someone. (Say who)
>Pep talk to the team.
>Stay focused. Get your own head in the game.

>>1818515
>Pep talk to the team.
"We've done harder jobs before."

>>1818515
>Stay focused. Get your own head in the game.
Lead by example.

>>1818515
>>Stay focused. Get your own head in the game.
Everyone has their rituals. So do we, if we're all in this others will be too.

>>1818515

You keep your thoughts to yourself, trying to stay focused. You lean against the glass door to your yard, looking out at the darkening sky.

Your view shifts, and you see the crew's reflection in the glass. Somehow you've ended up in charge of this little crew of misfits. They're looking to you to make the calls out there. You're not sure you're up to it.

The other part, you feel okay about. The part where you're the anvil, and your friends are the hammer. You're used to it. You were born for it. You're the mountain on which weaker men break.

If what you want is on the other side, it doesn't matter how many lawmen stand in your way. You're going to take it.

(Continued)

File: roxie tacticool.jpg (78 KB, 990x744)

78 KB JPG

>>1818640


You're sitting in the back of the van, which has been silent for a few minutes now. Across from you is Roxie. Both of you are armored up in tactical ballistic vests, arm guards, kneepads, and boots, with helmets beside you. Roxie grins at you. "New look for me, huh? What do you think?" She pulls her sleeve back to show her tattooed bicep, and flexes. "I look hot, right?"

"Testing, testing," Alex's voice crackles over your radio headset. "One two three. Team two, can you hear me?"

"This is Johnny," you say. "Loud and clear, Alex. Ready when you are."

"All right, give us a minute. Moving into position. Nick, you stupid shit, get back here--" The transmission cuts off.

Kazuya twists in the driver's seat and looks into the back through the partition window. "Is it all right to be using your real names over the radio?"

"Only when you've got an encryption expert smarter than the FBI's best on your side," you say, and turn on your channel to team 3. "Thanks for helping us out again, Zero."

"No problem, Johnny! I'm ready to delay their phones and alarm transmissions. It won't last long, but it should give you a slightly longer window before reinforcements arrive. I highly recommend you evacuate before that occurs!"

"That's the idea," you say. You switch off the radio, and look at Roxie and Kaz. "If we get called in, that means things are getting fucked up, and fast. We have to be faster. Do whatever it takes to get in there, get those files, and pull the others out, before the man comes down hard on us."

"The others are the priority, right?" asks Kaz. "We'll survive another day without those files."

"Uh, right," you say. "Definitely." What you don't say, out loud, is that you don't know how long you'll survive without them. All that's keeping you and the others alive is that you haven't been tracked down to your homes yet. It would be easy for two or three of the Elements to show up late one night, along with a squad of Triad goons. Maybe you'd fight your way out, and you'd give Alex or Roxie good odds, but what about Nick or Zero? What about Cat?

No, the only way everyone's going to survive this war is to hit the other guys first, before they hit you. And that means getting these files. No matter what.

The van is thick with tension. Roxie stares intently at the ground in front of her, grinning fiercely, her fists tightening and loosening repeatedly. Kaz drums his fingers on the dashboard, trying not to startle at every shadow. Trying to lighten the mood a little, you say:

>Both: First time on a big job like this?
>Both: This is no big deal. Nothing to worry about.
>Roxie: Excited?
>Roxie: A little different from pit fights, huh?
>Kaz: Nervous?
>Kaz: Glad you're on our side this time?

File: rvKFwxD.gif (499 KB, 498x286)

499 KB GIF

>>1818640
>The part where you're the anvil, and your friends are the hammer.
You're goddamn right.

>>1818655
>>Both: First time on a big job like this?

>>1818655
>Roxie: A little different from pit fights, huh?
>Kaz: Glad you're on our side this time?

>>1818655
>Both: This is no big deal. Nothing to worry about.

>>1818655

"Ever done anything like this before?" you say, looking at Kaz.

"Couple alley brawls escalated to gunfights with the Cubans last year," Kaz says. "That's as serious as it ever got for me. Never did anything really crazy until the brothers said that some giant asshole and his crew had been tearing shit up, and I'd better be ready for some real shit. Sure enough -- well, you know the rest."

"That we do," you say. "Glad to be on our side this time?"

"Let me put it this way. We're about to go up against one of the most powerful law enforcement agencies in America, with their own personal heavy response team on standby nearby in this very city. And yeah. I'm still glad I'm on your side, and not theirs."

Roxie chuckles. "Smart man. Hey, not sure if I said this earlier, but sorry about your nose, pal. It still looks, uh, mostly straight."

Kaz grins. "The ladies still love me."

"How about you, Roxie?" you ask. "This is probably pretty different from pit fights."

She looks down at her hands. "There were times when I -- I did things. Sometimes I had to get paid no matter what, you know? But uh. Nothing organized like this." She taps the extra shotgun shells on her vest, as though confirming they're real. "It's like being in the army or something."

"I've served in the army," you say. "And trust me, this is way better. For starters, how about this: what size shoe do you wear? Doesn't matter. In the army, you're a size 9, like it or not. So just the fact that we're wearing shoes that fit is, right there, a huge plus for me." You put aside a few unpleasant memories of overrun foxholes on rainswept nights in Vietnam. "Honestly. Compared to the army, this is no big deal. Nothing to worry about."

(Continued)

>>1818716

The radio crackles. "Commencing in five seconds, Johnny," Alex says. "Masks on, boys."

"Good luck," you reply. "We'll be ready if you need us."

Soundrack:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7jjfIxPbko

You listen to Alex, Nick, and Ryuji quietly talking, coordinating as they advance. You imagine them approaching the building through the side courtyard.

"Starting on the lock," Nick says quietly. You imagine him going to work with his tools on the service door on the east side of the building, while Alex keeps watch, looking down the sights of her G36. "Okay, we're in."

In your mind's eye, you see them quietly slip inside and make their way through those those dark offices, slipping between shadows, holding their breath as FBI agents working late pass by. You hear Ryuji's reports as he sneaks into a storage closet holding one of the main electronic junctions, and attaches one of Zero's red boxes, which gives him limited control over the building's phone communications and, more importantly for the stealth team, the security cameras. Zero hacks in and loops the feeds at certain critical moments, allowing Alex and the others to progress to the second floor of the building, where the target office is.

"Shit," you hear Alex mutter.

"What is it?"

"More civilian workers up here than anticipated. Must be break time. Not sure we can get past. I don't think they're armed, but they'll raise the alarm if they spot us. What's your call, Johnny?"

>Just kill them quietly and drag them out of the way.
>Take them hostage, but don't kill them.
>Just wait it out. Maybe they'll disperse.
>Kaz, get into that park across the street and cause a distaction. Something to grab the civilians' attention.

>>1818735
>Just wait it out. Maybe they'll disperse.
Nothing can go wrong!

>>1818735
>Kaz with the distraction

>>1818735
>Just wait it out. Maybe they'll disperse.

>>1818735
>>Just wait it out. Maybe they'll disperse.
The plan stays.

>>1818735

"Wait it out," you say. "Maybe it's just a midnight coffee break."

You stare at your watch, counting the seconds. The van is silent except for your own heartbeart in your ears. Over two minutes creep by. Finally, Alex says, "Okay. They're moving. On me, boys." A short time later, she says, "This is the office. Nick, get to work. How does it look?"

"I won't need the drill for this," Nick says. "Damn thing never seems to work properly anyway, so that's fine with me. I can get these locks open with just my tools. It'll take me a few minutes, though."

"All right, let's do a quick sweep around for surprises. Ryuji, check our left. I'll take the right. Nick, watch your back while we're gone."

"Got it," Nick says.

"Hai," Ryuji agrees.

Another couple minutes pass. Roxie's leg is twitching up and down. She meets your eyes and grins. "I'm ready, cowboy."

"Oh, fuck," you hear Alex say. "It's -- it's us!"

"What do you mean "us"?" you ask, confused.

"US, Johnny. The heist crew. You, me, the others. There's a big fucking board here with photos of us from Dragon's Nest. Maps of the city. Holy shit."

Choose 3:
>Do they know our names? Our faces?
>What have they connected to us?
>Can you tell how they're getting their info?
>What could they use against us?
>Is there anything we can use against them?
>All right, now get out of there before someone finds you!

>>1818802
>Do they know our names? Our faces?
>What could they use against us?
>Can you tell how they're getting their info?

>>1818802
>How they got the info
>What can they use against us
>Get out

>>1818802
>What could they use against us?
>Can you tell how they're getting their info?
>All right, now get out of there before someone finds you!

>>1818802
>>What have they connected to us?
>>Can you tell how they're getting their info?
>>What could they use against us?

>>1818802
>Can you tell how they're getting their info?
>What could they use against us?
>All right, now get out of there before someone finds you!

>>1818802
Switching to
>Alex grab our files to as much as you can carry
>Where they get the info
>Get out

>>1818802
>What could they use against us?
>Can you tell how they're getting their info?
>All right, now get out of there before someone finds you!

>>1818802

>Can you tell how they're getting their info?
>What could they use against us?
>All right, now get out of there before someone finds you!

Writing.

>>1818802

"How are they getting their info on us?" you ask Alex. "Can you tell?"

"I'm not sure," she says. "The Dragon's Nest photos are with some kind of long-range camera. The rest of this just looks like guesswork. Some of it's contradictory. There's stuff here we didn't even do. Unless you robbed a bank without telling me?"

"That I did not," you say. "So -- is there anything they can use against us? Anything concrete?"

"Huh." Alex takes a moment. "I don't see anything at all. They've got no addresses, no names, no fingerprints, nothing. We've all been careful, but if they're seriously investigating us, it seems like they must have more than this. Unless--"

"Unless someone's feeding them the wrong information," you finish her sentence. "All right, get out of there before someone finds you. We can figure out the mystery another day. Nick? Status update?"

"Doing good. Almost though. I've just about --" He pauses. "Wait a second. Waaaaait a second. Hah. I see your tricks, you son of a bitch. You almost had me, but I see you."

"What is it?" you ask him.

"His goddamn cabinet has an alarm system on it," he says. "Paranoid motherfucker. Almost like he expects someone to break into his office and try to steal what's inside. Can you imagine?"

"Can you deal with it?"

"I think I can have it off, but uh, it'll take me another few minutes. And there's people up here, Johnny! Someone just walked right past me! I was just lucky they didn't look at me."

"Sorry," Alex says. "It's hard to keep track of all these fuckers."

>Zero, can you do anything?
>All right, Nick, make it happen. Alex and Ryuji, make sure he doesn't have any guests.
>Fuck it. When you break the lock, just grab the files and run!

>>1818902
>>Zero, can you do anything?
>>All right, Nick, make it happen. Alex and Ryuji, make sure he doesn't have any guests.
If he can't do it. Go to plan B,

>>1818902
>>Zero, can you do anything?

>>1818902
>>>All right, Nick, make it happen. Alex and Ryuji, make sure he doesn't have any guests.

>>1818902
>All right, Nick, make it happen. Alex and Ryuji, make sure he doesn't have any guests.

>>1818902
>All right, Nick, make it happen. Alex and Ryuji, make sure he doesn't have any guests.

>>1818902

"All right. Nick, make it happen."

"Will do."

"Alex and Ryuji, make sure he doesn't have any guests. Keep both his flanks secure."

"Roger," Alex says, sounding off.

You wait for a reply from Ryuji, but after a few moments, still haven't received one. "Ryuji, pal, you there? Can you hear me?"

"Oh, shit!" You hear Alex running. "Ryuji's engaged--" You hear her slam into something, then a scuffle. A stranger's voice, male, starts to shout out but gets cut off, ending in a wet gurgle.

A few seconds of ominous silence follow. Then you hear Alex do something you thought she'd never do.

Use a girly voice.

"Uhhh, hiii, control! The big security guy here just took a bit of a tumble, but everything's fine here, we're all fine. Aheehee!" You can't hear the response from the FBI controller, but you hear Alex again shortly. "Oh, it's ummm, Jennifer! You know! Jenn? From, uhhhh. Accounting?"

A sigh escapes you as you rub your forehead. Alex has many strong suits. Bluffing is clearly not one of them. She did her best, but--

"Oh geez," Zero says. "Oh man oh geez. Traffic just lit up, guys. I'm delaying the primary alarm systems, but this won't last long! You've got maybe thirty seconds!"

"Sorry, guys," Alex says on the radio, apologetic.

"How's Ryuji?" you ask urgently.

"Guard got the drop on him, was choking him out. He's getting his wind back now," Alex says. "Some kind of fucking security door shut on us. We can get to Nick, but not downstairs. We can look for a window, but it's a steep drop."

"I got it. Nick?"

"I've got the files, b-but we can't get out?! What the fuck, Johnny?!"

"Just sit tight," you say, your mind racing.

You look at Roxie. She picks up her helmet. You turn to Kaz and say,

>Let's fucking do this.
>There's still a chance to pull this off without a bloodbath.

>>1818975
>Let's fucking do this.
As if there's another choice.

>>1818975
>Let's fucking do this.
Drive the car to their closest window.

>>1818975
>>There's still a chance to pull this off without a bloodbath.
At least to be the devil's advocate here.

>>1818975
>Let's do this

>>1818975
>Let's do this fucking.

>>1818975
>>There's still a chance to pull this off without a bloodbath.

>>1818975
>>There's still a chance to pull this off without a bloodbath.

>>1818975
>>There's still a chance to pull this off without a bloodbath.

That said, maiming is still okay.

>>1818975
>Let's fucking do this.

>>1819003
God created kneecaps for this very reason. A loophole.

>>1819003
>>1819006
Maiming is part of a blood bath.

>>1818975
Showtime, eh?
>Let's fucking do this.

Things to do:
>enhance their intel a bit, delete the false accounts, leave a note (you guys are being fed false intel ya niggas)
>only shoot to disable, as few casualties as we can manage
>try not to aim at civilians

>>1819008
You say bloodbath I say controlled non-lethal retiring of the FBI crew.

>>1819016
>enhance their intel a bit
Absolutely no

>>1819016
this

>>1819016
>>try not to aim at civilians
It's the murderdeath killatron 3000, but no real reason to shoot civvies unless they get in the way or try and play hero.

>>1819016
>>1819022
I don't think this quest is for you two.

>>1819016
Could you fucking not

>>1819022
I think there's a mental hospital somewhere with an empty cell assigned to you.

>>1819024
These are FBI agents. We have no idea if they're corrupt or not. They're not bangers and we're not like em. Save your murderboner for the Elements.

>>1819031
I think you missed the premise of the quest, anon.

>>1819031
I mean yeah we don't want to kill civies, but aiming out of their way might make them ballsy. This is the FBI.

>>1819035
I think it's you who's missed it. We've never went out of our way to go against the law. We've killed gangsters and cops who're proven to be corrupt. Killing civvies if they get in the way or play hero? Where the fuck did that come from. We fuck up the ones who come after us and ours. These guy's barely have shit on us. In fact, someones been treating them like mushrooms, feeding em shit and keeping them in the dark.

>>1819041
Dude, we've been said to be a repeat criminal, and in constant violation of the law, and opposition of the cops.

Only reason we're going after the criminals is because they tried to fuck over us and ours, not because we're some kinda fucking vigilante. After this, it's a 50/50 chance of us getting out of the game or going back to being a career criminal.

>>1819049
>>1819041
And the reason we haven't broken the law too much is because of the heat it would bring, dumbass.

>>1819049
Well look at the bigger picture. We're raiding the FBI because they have intel on the enemy. Nothing more, nothing less. Doing them a favor while simultaneously dropping our heat a bit by cutting out the slanderous part of info they have on us? Just about evens out, if not reducing, our heat in breaking in there in the first place.

>>1819049
>>1819055
I see someone's got a public or dynamic IP.

>>1819062
It is the same person including their own post on purpose. Also no, helping the FBI is fucking retarded.

>>1819062

>helping the FBI

I'd rather not, regardless, it turns their attention to us even more


>IP

nah I just forgot to add something in my post.

>>1819049
There's a difference between being a criminal and killing feebs. These. Guys. Have. Nothing. On. Us. The spooky probably CIA guy is most likely feeding em shit. We're going after criminals because these ones went after us after some stupid shit on our part. We're reactionary. You're right in that we're not a vigilante. We're also a guy who hangs out at diners, fought in nam, likes good old American shit and doesn't kill civies and cops if he can help it. Why? because mostly that's how your crew dies and you go to jail.

>>1819055
So let's kill FBI agents and civilians. No heat there.

>>1819067
With the amount of cops we kill we are fucked. Also the vote assumes we are aiming for civvies, when anyone with a brain isn't going to waste ammo on them. Also nigga, read. They do have stuff on us, some of it is bunk, some isn't.

>>1819067

And yet he's also a thug who beats people up and runs as the muscle in heists for money. You only described half of Johnny's character.

And the "feebs" are dangerously close to finding us, we gotta trash their intel.

>>1819074
>"That I did not," you say. "So -- is there anything they can use against us? Anything concrete?"
>"Huh." Alex takes a moment. "I don't see anything at all. They've got no addresses, no names, no fingerprints, nothing. We've all been careful, but if they're seriously investigating us, it seems like they must have more than this. Unless--"

>>1819076
>not wanting to nip the investigation in the bud

baka

>>1819065
Okay, then just mess up their intel on us by adding false info. That'll have them double-guess their intel. But I'm still dead-set on not antagonizing the FBI tho. That'd just make our position harder, and another point the enemy can use against us.
Don't forget that we'll be fighting against an entrenched Bratva when we're done blasting the Triads back to China. Do you want the Feds on our ass during all that time?

>>1819081
The Feds are already after us, Black Spear has connections, and the detective dude knows what we've done, even if he can't prove anything.

>>1819078
There's no real investigation. Someone has been muddying the waters. We're better than all the other shitbirds. The only law we've killed is the shittiest kind, we've gone out of our way to avoid civilians. What happens when we fuck up this whole FBI situation? on the radar, black hawk helicopter time. Open season.

>>1818975

"Let's fucking do this," you say to Kaz.

He looks past you at the rear of the van, then back at you, clearly terrified. "Are you sure? Maybe your hacker could unlock the security door--"

"You wanted to be a part of this crew," you say. "This is what it means. You gotta stand with me in the teeth of the storm. I think you're capable of it. But you've got to prove it right now. Are you?"

".... yes."

"All right. Alex? We're coming in hot. Get ready."

"You heard him, boys," she says. "Hunker down and wait for the cavalry."

(Continued)

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>>1819072
>So let's kill FBI agents and civilians. No heat there.

>>1819089
Sarcasm. I was attempting to stem the tide of stupid.

>>1819088

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bamLz-zIAEg#t=0m37s

Kaz starts up the car. The engine coughs and rumbles to life. He slowly backs it out of the parking stall, using the rear view mirrors to align himself. He stops when he's in position and takes a deep breath. "Oh fuck," he says quietly. "Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck ..."

You put on your ballistic helmet, watching Roxie doing likewise. You pick up your M16A1 assault rifle, that old familiar friend from Vietnam, and check your ammo and safeties one last time. Roxie takes up your Spas-12 shotgun, her fingers white-knuckling on the grip. Both of you move to the seats near the back. And you both buckle up.

Kaz begins to accelerate in reverse. The van picks up speed. You glance over at Roxie just in time to meet her gaze through the darkened visors of the helmets, and you can see from her eyes she's smiling. The sensation of speed builds. Looking away, you watch out the back windows of the van as the big front entrance of the FBI office gets closer at a rapidly increasing pace.

"Here we go!" you shout, just before the van strikes the front steps at top speed in reverse, smashes through the glass doors, and crashes into the front hall of the Heat City FBI office.

The rear doors of the van slam open, and out comes the most terrifying sight any of these hardened law enforcement officials have surely seen: You and Roxie, clad in full ballistic armor, carrying guns. Some of the agents draw guns, and you raise your assault rifle in that familiar swing and pull the trigger. The rifle barks at your shoulder, the muzzle flashing, pumping 5.56 rounds anyone who dares pull a weapon on you. Anyone you miss on the flanks gets taken down from a blast from Roxie's shotgun.

Soon anyone trying to defend the honor of the US government is dead on the floor. The others you leave to cower in fear, as you step forward over the bloodied bodies. Somewhere in that chaos the alarm triggered, and now you're seeing the scene in red strobe light, just to add an extra layer of surreality to the carnage.

Another wave of agents appears from the right stairway, some in suits, some in security gear. You lob a tear gas grenade in their direction, green smoke spilling everywhere, and they stagger to a halt, coughing their lungs out. You and Roxie plunge into the smoke, slinging your main weapons and drawing your artists' instruments. You hack and slash with your favorite meat cleaver, while Roxie smashes skulls left and right with her nailed bat. Together you paint the walls and floor in streaks of brilliant red.

A burst of rifle fire comes from the opposite direction, the left hall. Some of the agents had the presence of mind to hit the armory first. You take cover behind the heavy main reception desk, Roxie crawling up beside you. Kaz is huddled behind the wrecked van, trading potshots with the agents shooting at you.

(Continued)

>>1819089
Hopefully all them feebs are wearing armor and ate their wheaties.

>>1819092
>Soon anyone trying to defend the honor of the US government is dead on the floor.
Never mind.

>>1819096
Ah yes, let them arrest and kill us! Perfect!

>>1819092

"Zero," you say. "Which way to Alex and Nick?"

"Left hallway, first staircase," he says.

"So past these assholes," you say. "Great. Let's ..."

>Blitz through them.
>Try the other stairs, and get around them.

Kaz asks, "Should we all go?"

>Yeah. Stick together.
>You stay here. Cover our butts, and let us know when you see the response team. Roxie, you're with me.
>(The same, but with Roxie staying and Kaz joining you)
>Roxie, Kaz, you help the others. I've got something else in mind.

>>1819100
>>Blitz through them.

>Yeah. Stick together.

>>1819085
Right, but do they really know us? Sure Black Spear is after us, but the Feds at whole doesn't. Don't want us to bite more than we can chew, even if we do have a damn big mouth.

>>1819100
>Blitz through them.
>Yeah. Stick together.

>>1819100
>>Try the other stairs, and get around them.
>Roxie, Kaz, you help the others. I've got something else in mind.

>>1819100
>blitz
>stick together
A rule that works even outside of horror movies. STICK TOGETHER. Unless you know your enemy has grenade launchers.

>>1819098
Let's go from a relatively unknown element, being aided by a government agent, to public enemy number one! Yea! Anyways, my argument is moot anyways. Damage done.

>>1819113
You do realize we have killed many cops in the past that weren't all corrupt?

>>1819100
>Try the other stairs, and get around them.
>Roxie, Kaz, you help the others. I've got something else in mind.
One
Man
Army

>>1819100
>Try the other stair
>We all go

>>1819100
>>blitz
>>stick together

>>1819123
Changing to blitz

>>1819100
>Blitz through them.

>>1819100
>Blitz through them.
>Yeah. Stick together.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9aF9_mZDyY

>>1819116
Pretty sure us killing cops was before the quest started. And was limited to one or two beat cops at a time.

FBI raid? Not so much. There's gonna be a lot more heat for this...

>Blitz through them.
>Stick together.

Writing.

>>1819136
Actually, roll for this. d10s as usual. Good luck, anons.

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>1819149

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>1819149

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>1819149

Rolled 5 (1d10)

>>1819149

Rolled 6 (1d10)

>>1819149
Just for the heck of it

Rolled 9 (1d10)

>>1819149
aeiou

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>>1819100

"We've got to get up those stairs," you say. "Roxie, load up the gas shells, will ya? Give our advance some cover."

"On it, cowboy," she says, firing the last loaded shell. She breaks out the tear gas canisters, slots them one by one into the shotgun, and starts to fire them from cover. They leave plumes of lime green smoke in arcing trails as they sail through the air. One lands at the base of the stairway, another richochets and lands near the smashed entrance, but the others land up on the second floor.

You can hear the FBI agents upstairs choking and coughing. "Fall back!" you hear one of them say. Silhouettes move through the smog, fading away as they retreat.

"All right, we drove them back for now," you say. "Still haven't dealt with them, but it'll get us up that staircase without taking fire. Let's go, fellas."

Kaz and Roxie follow you as you pound up the stairs, breathing heavily under the weight of three full-size firearms and two full sets of armor. Your gas masks protect you from the effects of the tear gas, but it still makes it hard to see. You move forward into the mist, stumbling across one FBI agent and downing him with a kick to the guts as you do.

"Alex, where are you now?" you ask.

"Break room," she replies. You hear a burst from her rifle over the comms. "Thought I'd get myself a cup of coffee."

"We're close, but there's still some of these assholes in suits between you and us." A stray bullet cracks into your armor from behind, and you stagger for a moment, wincing in pain. "Once the tear gas clears up, they'll realize they've got us surrounded and cut off from each other."

Choose 3:
>Clear the way through to Alex.
>Deal terrible damage to the FBI agents.
>Intimidate and dismay them, keep them pinned down.
>Protect Roxie and Kaz.

>>1819210
>>Clear the way through to Alex.
>>Deal terrible damage to the FBI agents.
>Protect Roxie and Kaz.

>>1819210
>Clear the way through to Alex.
>Deal terrible damage to the FBI agents.
>Intimidate and dismay them, keep them pinned down.
Kaz and Roxie are big kids.

>>1819214
Second

>>1819210
>Clear the way through to Alex
>Intimidate and dismay them, keep them pinned down.
>Protect Roxie and Kaz.

>>1819210
PROTECT ROXIE AND KAZ!!!!

>>1819215
Changing to this

>>1819219
Killing and scaring the feds will protect them.

>>1819219
There's be no need to protect anyone if there's no one to protect them from

>>1819222
Really wish I had that Hitman image right now.

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>>1819222
>>1819225

>>1819227
You should totally for it then to break the tie we have.

>>1819210
>Clear the way through to Alex.
>Intimidate and dismay them, keep them pinned down.
>Protect Roxie and Kaz
Wasn't there a shitstorm earlier about killing FBI people?

>>1819210
>>Clear the way through to Alex.
>>Deal terrible damage to the FBI agents.
>>Intimidate and dismay them, keep them pinned down.

>>1819219
In the interest of not being tied any longer, I'm counting this as two votes for its ... dedication.

>Clear the way through to Alex.
>Intimidate and dismay them, keep them pinned down.
>Protect Roxie and Kaz

Roll!

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>1819242

Rolled 3 (1d10)

>>1819242

Rolled 4 (1d10)

>>1819242

These dice were a punishment for not going in for the kill.

Rolled 7 (1d10)

>>1819243
>>1819244
>>1819246
That... could have gone better. A fourth roll just to check if the dice gods are feeling like taunting?

>>1819243
>>1819244
>>1819246

Yeah, that's not looking great, anons.

I'm getting tired at this point, so I'm going to wrap this up for the night here. Tomorrow I'll return to post the results of this roll, and continue the attack on the FBI office.

Can you finish this job before you're sieged in by a legion of cops and FBI heavy responders, crushed under the weight of the law? If you escape, will your identities remain secret, or be put straight to the top of the most wanted list?
Only you can determine Johnny's fate -- tomorrow, on Thug Quest.

>>1819258
Night bossman.

Rolled 17, 20, 1 = 38 (3d20)

>>1819113

You are super unpleasant to quest with. Tone it the fuck down and stop picking fights.

God I hope you aren't like this all the time IRL.

Sorry about the update today, guys, I came down with a severe case of the XCom 2 expansion. In good news, it's really fucking fun.

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>>1822565
That's a valid excuse in my book

>>1822565

What's so great about it?

>>1822565
Soo... no quest today?

>>1822872

New Advent enemies, new "hero" units, soldier bonds, reworks of certain mission types, the "Chosen" providing more evil boss stuff. I could play a whole game just of the zombie-killing sections. Probably stuff I'm forgotting, too.

>>1822939

I want to get the story to a better place before I wrap up the thread, so tonight (about 8 hours from now I'm guessing?) I'll drop some updates.