The Sprawl, Team Chrome #1 Play Report

A one-shot play report for The Sprawl designed by Hamish Cameron.  This was devised by Sue for a bunch of neo-reprobates.  Only my second game of The Sprawl after a break of 4 years, but this time Sue expertly guided us, newbies, through the mechanics.  Thanks also to inspiration from Mr Jolly Lives next Door.

...Here Be Spoilers (and a slight amount of artistic licence)...

It's #### years in the future and the former United Kingdom has collapsed, ...

...congealing into a number of independent city-states as global warming and the urban sprawl gradually obliterates the once green and pleasant land.

You live in Central City, a megacity covering most of what used to be called the Midlands.  While there's officially a democratically elected government, everyone knows the real power is in the hands of the multinational corporations.

But there are things that the corporations can't do - or can't be seen to be doing.  And that's where you come in.

++++ Corporation Status ++++

Algorithmic neural enhancements / "We decided to make you better."

Matrix and Telecommunications, IT, Data Storage and Security, Software Remote Operations / "Doing it All"

Adaptable AI implants, amusements and gratification / "Your Pleasure is Our Pleasure"

Central City's most reliable news stations, new media, sim sense, pay-per-view / "Feed the Frenzy"

++++ Dreamy Time Escorts ++++

We gather in Frothy Monkey, one of the last independent synth-Kaff establishments in downtown Central City, we are:

Ivan Jolli [Killer], Funorinaations problem solver, ex-military, life-saving neural replacement and enhancement surgery has enabled him to get the jump on most enemy operatives.  Never without Harold and Maude his Xerolex 3000 needle guns, backup meat cleaver always comes in handy in a tight corner.

Bang!Path [Hacker], computer genius extraordinaire, under much demand in Central City, has to balance his work with copious amounts of sleep and artificial stimulants.

Badger [Soldier] is the military tactician of the group, her plans are usually foolproof as long as Bang stays awake and Ivan is kept on a short leash.

++++ Get the Job ++++

Frothy Monkey is the location to meet the mission contact from Funorinaations, Ms Johnson enters, heading towards Ivan already perched at the back, scoping the joint.  Ivan shoots upright, resisting the temptation to salute, "Ma'am".  Johnson sighs, sits and looks around, "Where is the rest of the team?"  "There.", replies Ivan, pointing to the door as Badger and Bang both enter and he sharply beckons them over.

Once they are all seated, Johnson begins, "This is a Search and Rescue mission, as simple as, if the package is damaged or destroyed, no payment.  Understood?"  Ivan clenches his fists, grits his teeth, but nods - stupid complications, he thinks.  "The subject is Karim Malik, working in our chips departments."  Johnson continues, "He was taken close to his home, street CCTV saw him bundled into a van.  The job will pay for his safe & whole return and additionally any information explaining why he was taken and what the kidnappers have learnt.  Questions?", Johnson looks at her watch and then at the door, she turns to Ivan, raising an eyebrow.

A flurry of questions and answers ping back and forth including a disk of the original CCTV footage.  Ivan turns to the group, nods and then back to Johnson, "We'll take it at the higher rate."  Johnson nods, "Contact me when the objectives are complete, we'll meet back here to exchange.  No messiness Ivan."  Ivan smiles for the first time, showing sharp, chrome teeth, his eyes light up, a change from his usual dead expression.

++++ The Leg Work ++++

We relocate to a new cafe, The Bean-ooh!, a nasty, cheap chain but relatively empty outside of rush hour, time for a little research...

Bang reviews the CCTV tape through his adaptive interface and runs some AI routines across it, Badger eyeballs the footage too, pointing out areas to investigate... success, the van has a visible number plate, we run it, it takes us through a few shell companies but it is clear it is owned by Maximum Mortality.

Badger suggests tracing the van's route through traffic CCTV, Bang is on it and traces the van to a warehouse on the Canal Side, he sets up some sub-routines to alert him if the van moves again from this location.  Bang then starts to investigate the canal area for a suitable access method.

Badger and Ivan go to Malik's apartment, entering they find an OCD dream, minimal, zero nik-naks, everything alphabetised and not a speck of dust.  Bang contacts Badger, he's found some info on Malik, he's very well paid but has some severe outgoings, especially on Bendix-Mondrian adult entertainment vids.  We see the vids, your average smut, nothing too kinky, all of it legal.  Ivan pulls out his machete and is about to gut the sofa when Badger puts a hand on his arm, "There's nothing here, let's meet up with Bang and formulate a plan?".  Ivan's guttural snarl is somewhat offputting but he slips the cleaver back into the holster in his suit and with cold eyes on Badger he marches out of the building.

Back at The Bean-ooh!  Bang flips a series of schematics and files on to their devices, "See here" drawls Bang, "Vans comes and go, looks like the security firm is Securitech, they do low-level building security.  I suspect there are higher sec-LVL defences inside.  I've also picked out a uniform and badge for Securitech, could get us past a few casual observers."  "Entry points?  Access?"  replies Ivan.  "Oh, would need a closer view."  Badger and Ivan look at each other, "I'll go, scout around and send back some more info.", says Badger.

Ivan takes this interlude to call up Jen Bonito, his HR manager at Funorinaations, he has had to talk to her a lot in recent times.  "Jen, it's Ivan, I need personnel and project records for Karim Malik, I need this now and I need you to keep this between the two of us, Code RED.  Acknowledge?"  There is a pause on the line, "Ivan, I've told you before, I'm not allowed to do this, it's not company policy and I've searched but I can't find any reference to Code RED on the HR FAQ intranet.  Now, I know you've gone through a lot, but you really have to stop asking me to do these things for you, otherwise, it will be an official, verbal warning, with your Line Manager present."  Ivan presses his phone to his ear and pinches his nose, with eyes closed he starts to spit out "Now, fuc..."  The phone goes dead.  Bang pretends not to hear, he brings his phone closer to his face, tapping randomly at the screen.  Bits of Ivan's phone explode into the air as he slams it down repeatedly into the table.

A while later and Bang is pouring over the new vids from Badger's drive by and comparing them to warehouse blueprints and building notices, "Looks like the roof is the best way in and out, no cameras, little security and you drop straight down into the Mezzanine."  "Mezzanine?" Ivan looks quizzical, "Like an armoury?"  Bang gently explains, "No, it's Italian, a raised floor above the main warehouse, excellent views and hidden from those below."

What is a Mezzanine?

Badger raises a finger, they look, she has scrawled some plans on her phone, she projects it on to theirs and talks them through it.  "Firstly, Bang takes up residence in the deserted warehouse next door.  Second Bang infiltrates the security system and gets eyes on the ground, disabling any rooftop obstacles.  Thirdly, Ivan and I will enter via the roof, by then Bang should have located Malik and we formulate a stealthy locate and extract manoeuvre with minimal collateral damage."   Bang nods, Ivan looks upset, his bottom lip hanging down but he finally nods too, he'll follow the plan, but plans have a habit of disintegrating in the face of chaos, he feels a little happier.

++++ The Action ++++

Bang is in a deserted warehouse next to the assumed location of Malik, he's Logging In to the exposed WI-FI next door, ICE is immediately activated but his subroutines cancel the immediate threat, hopefully, nothing else, that was a once-and-done shot.  He uploads a routine to manipulate the security system and after a few tense moments, he has control.  He whispers, his throat mike directing the message to Badger, "Okey, Dokey - pig in a pokey."

Badger nods at Ivan, they begin ascending the outside of the building via the fire escape, cameras are redirected or shorted by Bang as they pass.  Shortly they are on the roof, Bang links through to Badger, "South East A/C Vent".  Badger points and jogs up to a vent, she starts to bend and push aside the vent slats, until she has room to wiggle through.  She swings and drops onto a gangway, the main body of the vent goes straight down to the warehouse floor, it's a long way down.  

Ivan is irritability pushing his way through the much smaller space made by Badger, he hears a ping and a loose vent slides down his back, that is going to make a lot of noise he thinks.  As the blade tumbles past his leg, he tries to kick it towards Badger, "Catch" he whispers, she looks up and behind, Ivan's trailing leg misses the vent and Badger reaches out over a railing to neatly catch the metal, she totters but retains her balance.  She hears round the corner voices, "Bang!", "On it" replies the Hacker, there is a cry and sound of sprinklers and alarms going off on the other side of the warehouse, the voices fade alongside the clatter of boots.

In a crackle, Bang speaks to Badger "Look, there are four Securitech guards downstairs, you are safe on the mezzanine, there is also a hi-sec LVL agent standing against a door on the ground floor, looks like there are rooms beneath this, a basement maybe, but I don't have any eyes on this area."  Badger does that circle thing with her finger pointing upwards.  Silently, Badger and Ivan, make their way out of the air vent and drop down into the mezzanine, it's a large open plan office area in one corner of the warehouse.  Badgers decides, "Ok, we  bluff it and back it up with muscle, let's see if these uniforms work."

This is never going to work!

Badger and Ivan approach the hi-sec agent guarding the door, he is momentarily surprised as they ask for a security update for their logs, he blurts out "Four agents downstairs, the subject and two scientists.  Subject ate at 5pm, no other signs to report."  Badger continues the questioning but the moment of surprise is lost, the Agent pulls out a gun, firing at Ivan.  Ivan is swinging the meat cleaver over his head into the forehead of the agent... things happen quickly, the agent slips backwards in horror, shots slam into Ivan but are absorbed by his body armour, Ivan off balance, sees his cleaver smash into the wall behind the agent, shattering into shards.  Bang hears the bullets, deafening him, he submits a routine - CRYHAVOC - all the warehouse windows and doors immediately unlock and open, the lights in the building go out.  

Bang has dropped the handle of the cleaver and pulled out Harold and Maude, he loosens off a volley at where the guard was, he's not sure where Badger is so yells at her, "Badger, get to ground!"  Badger, meanwhile, is framed in the doorway to the basement, she has time to toss a flashbang down the stairs before bullets spin her around and away from the door.  Ivan's bullets tear into the Agent and he jerks like a rag doll before crumpling to the ground.  

Badger crawls to the side and starts patching herself up, Ivan stands in the doorway and sees Agents with guns rushing up the stairs, he also remembers the gas pipes, from the plan blueprint, that are running down from the wall and into this area, he aims and fires, an explosion and gout of flames incinerates the onrushing agents as Ivan sprawls on to the ground.  "Who needs plans!  Woo hoo!!" he shouts in triumph, teething gleaming in the dark.

Badger goes down the stairs holding up her palm to Ivan, "Guard ... door", she wheezes.  Ivan follows her a little way, closing the door until there is just a gap, he spots four nervous Securitech operatives, approaching him.

Badgers steps over pieces of corpses and debris, rounding the corner she comes to a room, three people are inside, one is Malik, strapped to a bed, two people in white coats stand either side of him, scattered around the room are various types of technical equipment.  As she assesses the situation she spots one of the scientists has a gun down by her side, Badger pulls out her pistol and fires.

A bullet ricochets off of the wall, the scientist with the gun is now pointing it at Malik, the scientist is sweating and shaky, "I'll kill him, just let us go."  Badgers thinks for a moment, "Go", she backs up and points down the corridor, the two scientists shuffle out of the room, down the corridor to a kitchen area.  Badger hears them close the door and a soft click, then the scraping of furniture, as it is dragged across the room and piled up against the door.

Back to Malik, Badger checks him over, he's in a bad way, but she patches him up and brings him round with an adrenaline shot, he woozily swings his legs over the edge of the bed as Badger tosses him some clothes.  Badger then proceeds to pick out of the tech equipment what she needs, a data disk is a primary backup, it includes recordings, files - perfect.  As she does this she hears an explosion of gunfire from upstairs, rushing to the bottom of the stairs, with Malik leaning against her, she bumps into Ivan, "We have a free exit, let's get going, anyone else down there?" says Ivan.  Badger explains the room and the scientists, Ivan takes a step, "No time, police will be here soon" says Badger, pulling at him.  

Bang has Jacked Out and  is in the van, he's cruising down past the smoking warehouse, he spots three people making their way outside and flashes his lights.  The group head over to him.  With everyone on board Bang gently drives off, cutting the lights, he sees blue, neon flashing behind him as he turns off into a side road.  Ivan is gesturing at him from the passenger seat, thumping his foot into the floor well, "Speed up" he hisses.  Bang ignores him and replies, "All good?  I heard gunfire, I heard explosions - messy?"  Ivan sinks back into the passenger seat, a smile across his face, "Went to plan", he turns and looks behind him to Badger, his grin getting bigger.  Badger stares out of the window, refuses to meet his gaze, shaking her head "So close, so fucking close."

++++ Gettng Paid ++++

Malik has been dropped off and is getting some urgent medical attention, Johnson sits again in front of  the group, she's been analysing the data disk, "Seems our friends from Maximum Mortality wanted to pry into our behavioural R&D chips, luckily for us, our chips worked a treat on Malik, he'd been programmed to say nothing on this, shame about his missing teeth and nails, but we'll get him fixed."  

Johnson speaks again after the blood-soaked, blast damaged crew look blankly back at her, "On balance, a job well done, but messy Ivan, so very messy as usual but I can't fault the end result.  Stay tuned, this doesn't end here, Maximum Mortality needs to know that Funorinaations won't take this lying down, and I know just the team to enact a little revenge!"