Belladonna, Victoria, and three other Moxes kept their eyes firmly on the waterfront warehouse currently occupied by the Animals gang. While they had briefed her on this new criminal element, Belladonna still had a hard time wrapping her head around these bizarre gangsters. Most were defined by bulging muscle, scars, and visible pieces of cyberware, though not to the extent that the Maelstromers she encountered the day before were. All this was done by the Animals to increase their raw strength above all else and made them live up to their name.
Susie Q had tasked Belladonna with joining an assembled squad of Moxes to break into the warehouse to save a valuable Mox asset, a netrunner named Tycoon. Tycoon had been abducted by the Animals a few weeks ago and was being forced to undergo dangerous dives into cyberspace on behalf of the gang. Another squad of Moxes was sent to save him, but they were sadly found ripped to pieces floating down the water towards Coronado Bay. Now it was up to Belladonna and her team to try.
"Eyes this way, Witch," Victoria said pulling Belladonna's attention towards the rest of the Moxes huddled together. "Witch" was her given nickname, a name which she didn't necessarily have an issue with. Her clothing, however, was another story. Her sorcerer attire had been swapped out with Mox-branded BITCH line clothing. Her trousers were now a pair of tight-fitting "booty shorts". Her tunic was swapped for a white tank-top that accentuated her chest. Her robe was swapped for a bright neon blue jacket that felt a size too small. Overall, while Belladonna had never been one for emphasizing modesty, she couldn't help but feel slightly underdressed for combat even if Victoria reassured her that such attire was in line with Mox combat styles.
"Okay, so the warehouse is just a stone's throw away from Lizzie's Bar, built over the old shantytown on the waterfront that used to be northeast of the bar," Victoria said pointing out the spot on a paper map. She continued, "Animals roam all over Night City, but they've been using this warehouse as a staging area for a bigger presence here in Watson."
"How's Tycoon fit into all this?" one of the other Moxes codenamed Champaign asked.
"Muscles are all the Animals care about," Victoria replied, "So nabbing a runner is pretty much the only way they can compensate for the brains they've been neglecting. Tycoon's skills have been used to knock out security systems all around Kabuki, Japantown, and Little China."
"Why doesn't he just fry their systems and jet?" another Mox, Vicki, asked right before popping a large bubble of chewing gum.
"Animals are keeping him in a tub with regular shipments of ice coming in to keep his temp cool. Assuming he could blackout the building he'd probably be buck-naked and an easy target."
Now it was time for Belladonna to ask a question, ideally one that didn't annoy Victoria. "What's the plan of attack? The building seems well-defended."
Victoria sighed. "Well, if we go in guns-blazing we'll flatline in no-time. Stealth is our only option, but then getting Tycoon and ourselves out becomes tricky."
The final additional Mox, Ivy, added, "And I'd like to remind ya'll that the Animals had the foresight to rip out all the security cameras that used to be outside. Someone smart is running this crew and I don't like it."
Ivy was the designated netrunner for this job whose job was to hack and counter-hack enemy systems, especially the ones within the Animal gangsters themselves. The plan was for her to hack the camera systems on the outside and eventually worm her way into the system to access the cameras inside. Now that plan was shot before it could even begin.
"I might have a solution," Belladonna said. Before the others could reply, she cast [Conjure - Sparrow Familar] and in seconds a purplish semi-transparent bird materialized in the palm of her hand. She lifted the bird into the air and it took off towards the warehouse. The bird flew through an open skylight and perched itself on a catwalk suspended above the warehouse main floor. Belladonna took Ivy's hand and upon contact Ivy's eyes began to shimmer a similar purpish tint like the familiars.
"What in the hell-" Ivy said, "Wait, I can see inside and...YES...I can still hack the cameras inside. Entering the system now."
"The hell you just do?" Victoria asked.
"You can see whatever your familiar sees when you summon them," explained Belladonna, "I can also link another person. I remembered the training shard you gave me yesterday mentioned you needed to make eyesight contact with a machine to hack it, so I hoped this counted. Guess it did."
> Attribute Increased - Magic- 10/20/30/40/50/60/70/[80]/90/100 - 20xp Needed to Unlock Tier 2 Proficency
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> Skill Increase - Netrunner - 10/20/[30]/40/50/60/70/80/90/100 - 70xp Needed to Level Up
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> Skill Increase - Spell - Conjure - 10/20/30/40/50/60/70/80/90/[100] - Tier 2 Conjuration Spells Unlocked
>
> The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
>
> Mana - 25/30
There's that notification again, Belladonna thought. While happy to see her magic skills could indeed grow, she still had little clue what it all meant. For now, she would focus on the mission and worry about "leveling up" later.
"Good shit, Witch" Champaign said while delivering a friendly punch to Belladonna's shoulder, "Guess that hoo-doo is real after all."
"Thankfully, it only cost a small portion of my [Mana], so I should have at least one good attack spell in me before I'm exhausted for the day."
"Good, keep it in reserve," Victoria nodded, "Might need some kind of ace up our sleeve if things go tits-up."
While Ivy would remain on the rooftop overlooking the area where the warehouse was, Belladonna and the Mox squad crept close to the building itself. Two main shutter doors facing the street served as the front entrance, but they were avoiding that way. A loading dock facing the water was another way in, but it always had a handful of guards patrolling it. At last, they found exactly what they needed; a large hole in the fence surrounding the building with a straight shot towards a small side-door.
The only hangup was a pair of Animals chit-chatting nearby. Several containers and crates could be used as cover, but neither Animal seemed like they were going to depart anytime soon. Belladonna examined her weapon, a Constitutional Arms Unity 12-round pistol, and aimed the sights at one of the Animals. Victoria motioned for her to lower the weapon and whispered, "Nah, too loud. Doing this quiet-like. Champaign, Vicki, you're on."
As silent as ghosts, the two Moxes glided from cover to cover before pulling out their machetes and thrusting them through the back of the Animal's necks. The blades poked out from their throats as the two gargled on their blood, unable to call for help. The pair of gangsters were dragged with the assistance of Victoria and Belladonna to a nearby dumpster and stuffed inside, hopefully delaying the discovery of the bodies for the time being.
The team entered the side door and quickly scrambled for cover behind a shipping container. Knowing Ivy didn't need her familiar sight any longer, Belladonna linked up with the sparrow and assumed a bird-eye view of the warehouse itself. In her estimation, there was little logic to the Animal's set-up. Racks of firearms, exercise equipment, food, and other miscellaneous goods were scattered haphazardly around the building. What caught her attention was a set of stairs going down into the sub-levels of the building. The only problem was that at least ten Animals were milling about carting around equipment or working out on the main floor.
Victoria's name popped up in the corner of her vision indicating she was trying to connect with Belladonna via phone. She answered and found herself on a secure line with Victoria and the other Moxes.
> Victoria: "K-k, Ivy got any options for us?"
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> Ivy: Hm, see some lamps and vending machines I can overclock and distract a few of them.
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> Victoria: Cham, Vik, Witch, any ideas?
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> Cham: We can engage while one of us nabs Tycoon.
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> Vik: Yeah, but how many outside?
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> Ivy: I can eyeball at least another five out front and three at the docks.
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> Victoria: So we start shooting and get rammed on both ends. No thanks.
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> Vik: Better ideas?
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> Cham: Wishing Susie Q wasn't a cheap bitch and gave us silencers?
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> Witch: Wait, I have an idea. Everyone show me your guns.
It was a longshot, but Belladonna cast [Enchant - Hush] on the Moxes guns and held her breath.
> Witch: If that worked, your guns shouldn't make any sounds when you fire them.
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> Vik: Whoa, for real?
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> Cham: Shouldn't?
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> Victoria: You sure, Witch?
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> Witch: I used this spell on bows and arrows all the time to make them silent.
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> Ivy: Ain't in your DnD world anymore, hun.
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> Victoria: We've got little choice, Ivy. I trust her. Ready your irons, folks!
Belladonna and her team all readied their guns at the unsuspecting Animals unaware of the intruders in their midst. Each pulled their triggers, hoping against hope that they weren't about to blow their cover. Luckily, the spell worked and bullets flew as silent to each target. The last Animal inside was down before they even knew what happened. The Moxes advanced towards the main shutters and made quick work of the five outside.
> Attribute Increased - Cool - 10/20/30/40/50/60/70/80/90/[100] - Level 2 Unlocked
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> Skill Increased - Spell - Enchant - Hush - 10/20/30/40/50/60/70/80/[90]/100 - 10xp Needed to Unlock Tier 2 Enchantments
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> Mana - 15/30
"Witch, go below and find Tycoon," Victoria ordered, "We'll take care of the Animals dockside and keep watch. Go!"
Belladonna nodded and quickly descended the staircase. She crept through the sub-level finding little but storage spaces and beds for the gangsters at first. Soon enough though she found a room with a tub filled to the brim with ice with a lone body connected to a large cable at the back of their head resting inside. Tycoon's head was turned away at first, but as she got closer Belladonna experienced a twinge of shock and anger.
Tycoon may have been part of the Mox, but the three large circular lends where his eyes should be and exposed pieces of metal and chrome showed he had the makings of a Maelstromer. Before she could process this fact further, a surge of electricity arced through her body that caused her to crumble to the floor with a yelp. Her connection to the rest of the team cut-out as they inquired what happened.
As she turned, an imposing man clutching a large warhammer towered over her with a smile revealing jagged shark-like teeth. Even his skin, silvery-grey with a touch of white running done his chest, completed the mental image.
"You Moxes sure don't know when to quit, do ya?" he bellowed, "Gotta thank you for wasting the worthless trash upstairs though, can't have weaklings in the Animals after all."
Belladonna tried getting a word in, but could not stop twitching. The man laughed and continued, "Kinda surprised a simple Short Circuit nailed you that bad given the preem cyberware you be runnin'."
Finally, she was able to eek out a "Who are you?"
"Name's Great White, punk. Not that it'll matter in a moment."
Great White raised his warhammar high in the air, Belladonna could only close her eyes in anticipation for the blow that was to come.