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After dropping them off and booking them in the pair
went out around corp central for a nice quiet end to the day. This area of
the city was clean and quiet compared to the rest, the street lamps were
starting to flicker on as the sun began to disappear below the horizon. Various
corporates were hurrying home, while others were just arriving. The local
bars were filling up while neon signs became more prominent in the half-light;
Night City almost seemed beautiful at this hour, even the rain had stopped.
Millburger was humming away to himself while driving but O'Hanlan was glancing
out the side window when he noticed something odd. Three figures were rappelling
down the side of the Biotechnica HQ, he alerted Millburger who spun the car
round, causing another vehicle to clip them and speed off. Matt memorised
the numberplate for later as he pulled over near the plaza. Both cops exited
the vehicle and watched the three figures reach ground level and begin to
run in their direction, they pulled their pistols and waited. Then Biotechnica
HQ disgorged about 10 guards from each side exit with a further 6 from the
main doors behind the fleeing people.
Millburger and O'Hanlan yelled "Freeze Police" pointing their weapons at
the trio. At this point they began to recognise the faces behind the visored
helmets. O'Hanlan said "Frag isn't that Lucifer, late lamented leader of
the Devils Horde?"
"I thought he was dead" stated Millburger, sounding a little unsure.
Then all hell broke loose, the Solo team stopped and took up defensive postures
around their third member who clutched an assault deck. The huge Solo who
could have only have been Kestrel began opening up with his massive Morita
assault weapon. A group of guards went down as if scythed, the others scattered.
Then more movement alerted Millburger to a 2nd group descending rapidly from
the roof, one of them firing silenced handguns which didn't flash either
but the guards who had exited from the main entrance were down. they landed
and ran for the main team.
A roar of engines drew the cops eyes skyward as a Biotechnica AV-4 descended
from the roof executing a perfect midair bootlegger reverse over the cops
patrolcar, the backwash of the engines causing them to duck involuntarily.
O'Hanlan moved to the far side of the car for cover while Millburger stood
and watched as the AV-4 opened up with it's chin mounted chaingun. It ploughed
a field through the team who dived out the way and into the two late comers
one of whom was too slow and got chewed up. His body slumped to the ground,
briefcase still grasped in one hand.
Millburger took a step forward with the intention of intervening somehow
before remembering that NCPD had no jurisdiction on corporate property. He
called for backup from Max-Tac as he considered that the combat could spill
out into the public sector. Fortunately there was a Max-Tac unit in the area
and they were diverting to his location. Miles watched from across the street
as the combat raged on, then the loudspeaker on the Biotechnica AV-4 burst
into life. "Lower your weapons and surrender or face the consequences."
Amazingly the two solos lowered their weapons but O'Hanlan noticed that their
netrunner was crouched behind them frantically tapping away at his assault
deck. The high pitched whine of a drone engine cut through the air as a large
air combat drone flew in behind the AV and launched 4 air to air missiles.
Three of which impacted with the target, the fourth going wide and exploding
on the 5th floor of the HQ building, showering the area below with glass.
The AV pilot struggled valiantly with the controls but after such massive
damage at a low level their was no room to recover; the AV ploughed into
the dirt about 20 feet from the Devils Horde. The drone passed over the crippled
AV and dropped a charge of some sort onto the roof before flying off to
machinegun some Biotechnica guards. In a matter of 10 seconds the dropped
probe had burnt through the roof of the AV and the personnel were spilling
out as the thing exploded sending shrapnel into the street causing chaos.
Biotechnica chose this moment to send out their experimental ED-2000's on
a field test; four of the monstrosities came lumbering out from an underground
garage, spraying autocannon shells into the enemy positions. The horde had
vacated their previous position and were now using the remains of the AV
for cover.
It was not long before Max-Tac arrived and requested instructions but Millburger
couldn't get anyone senior on the radio and the units team leader had been
hospitalised on the last run. It was now that the Trauma team AV decided
to show up in response to the downed member of the Devil's Horde's TT-card
going off after being all but flatlined by the Biotech AV. It zoomed in for
a quick pick up taking heavy ground fire from Biotech forces. The TT AV was
the only thing flying at the moment as the drone had lost its duel with the
ED-2000's, although it did claim a kill before it went. TT's chin mounted
minigun shredded a second ED-2000 as it came in to hover mode, dropping off
a couple of solos to protect the medic team. In response Biotechnica launched
its reserve AV from the roof which came screaming in blasting the TT AV with
is own weaponry.
Both Miles and Matt saw the medics take the patient onboard and as the doors
closed a briefcase was flung into the AV from the female team member. Trauma
team was hit bad and their chaingun was out of action but due to an impressive
bit of flying their pilot managed to out maneuver the Biotech AV and overfly
it. A TT solo dropped some canisters out the back as they passed which stuck
to the enemy AV's roof. The napalm charges had exploded before TT was clear
though and they took some structural damage, forcing a circling maneuver
as the pilot attempted to regain control. The Biotech AV veered downwards
as it tried to regain control. Seeing an opportunity, the female solo leapt
out of cover and charged the enemy using acrobatics to throw off their aim.
She fired a grapnel gun into the AV's belly and reeled herself in, slicing
a guards head off with her katana as she went. On reaching the Biotech AV's
belly she stuck a demo charge to it and dropped to the ground executing a
perfect roll into a group of guards. The Biotech AV's thrusters were severely
damaged and it plunged into the road causing a major RTA immediately killing
6 people.
Finally Millburger got clearance from higher authority that he was not to
interfere unless the fight spilled into the public sector, his orders were
to contain the fighting and arrest any perps that became viable targets.
The Tac team spread out and made a show of surrounding the area although
this activity was curbed when they had to start helping injured out of the
RTA area. As Matt was helping with the injured Miles decided to move closer
with the Max-Tac sniper so he could get a better view of the action. The
Horde were displaying various severity of injury but were holding their position
and had terminated about 40 guards so far. His eyes swung back to the acrobat
who was dismembering guards as she ran back towards cover but an ED-2000
had spotted her and opened fire; an awesome acrobatic maneuver saved her
from being cut in half but not the 3 guards standing on the opposite side.
Unfortunately her luck did not hold and she was hit in the back and legs
as she reached the shell of the downed AV-4. Kestrel responded by destroying
the ED-2000 responsible with a LAW's rocket.
Within minutes the Hordes situation looked grim and they decided to make
a break for it. Dropping scatter grenades from cover they ran for the North
road. Miles watched them with a mixture of admiration and fear, there was
no reason he would try and stop them, and despite the law he had no love
for the corporations. In the confusion the netrunner must have escaped earlier
using a stealth suit which shimmered in the headlights of passing cars as
he stood by the north curb hailing a combat cab using his deck. O'Hanlans
eyes switched back to the three figures running for freedom, Lucifer in the
lead followed by Kestrel who was half carrying the female solo. Then tragedy;
a mini-missile struck Kestrel in the arm forcing him to the ground. Somehow
he staggered to his feet minus the arm and continued towards the car. Lucifer
had stopped in his tracks beginning to walk back towards the oncoming Biotechnica
troops and their bastard droid, he waved Kestrel towards the cab and charged,
leaping into the droid as it emerged from the smoke. Seconds before he hit
it, the ED-2000 opened up with both autocannons! O'Hanlan thought that was
it but Lucifer was then on it ripping the droid to pieces with his hands,
and although his armour was shredded he was not bleeding. 7.62 assault rounds
ripped into the solo as he backed away from the troops who's massed fire
even he couldn't stand against for long, turning he ran for the cab which
sped off as he jumped in.
It was all over, but then Miles spotted the downed female crawling towards
the curb; she wasn't dead! Unfortunately several Biotech guards had noticed
to and were heading in her direction. grabbing the nearest Max-Tac guy Miles
ran for the woman. All three of the groups arrived simultaneously, the woman
had one hand over the curb but was exhausted, Miles grabbed her and began
to pick her up when the 6 guards raised weapons and announced that she was
on Biotech property and thus under their jurisdiction. "Frack off, she's
on our side of the wall now boys you got squat." growled Miles as he hauled
her over one shoulder.
"Hand her over cop or your dead meat, we've got our orders" said one accompanied
by the sound of several bolts being pulled back.
The Max-Tac trooper lifted the SAW he was carrying and said "I think you
boys want to reconsider"
O'Hanlan began to walk away, then broke into a run as the shooting started.
Multiple impacts drove him to his knees about 20 feet from the curb, then
he blacked out.
Miles woke in an ambulance, glancing around he saw the woman he had rescued
being worked on by some medics. "Hang on man, you been shot up pretty bad
but we've got you stabilised" one of the medics said to Miles.
"Is she OK?" he queried.
"Yeah I think she'll make it" the medic replied.
"We got more wounded incoming someone shouted and both medics jumped out
to help.
The female solo slipped in and out of consciousness but managed to speak
to Miles before she went out completely "Briefcase,,......Important,, ...
you've got..... get too late......"
Miles heard his partner inquiring about his health outside and sat up, tried
to stand and promptly fell over.
"I think I'm going to need a new partner for a while" said Matt as he radioed
in the request.
"No time for that, we've got to go now" groaned Miles.
"I don't think so" replied Millburger
"You need him" said the medic "No problem, his cyberwear and a few shots
should keep him up for a while" the injector moved to fast for either cop
to object and then O'Hanlan felt much better. He was still a bit wobbly on
his feet but made it to the car. The pair raced through the night heading
for the reported crash site of the TT AV, it had apparently gone down in
the zone. When they arrived a Biotechnica sedan was already there, three
guards and 2 suits were burning through the back door.
"I think that you are a little out of your jurisdiction, don't you suit"
said Millburger.
The Biotech corps turned and walked towards their car, one replying "This
is the zone and indeed you are well within your authority to deal with situation
as you will officer"
"Well, step away from the cutting gear and we will take over now" said Millburger
cautiously.
The other corp now behind his car said "As my associate said you have authority
here, now lets see you enforce it little man"
The three guards had taken up combat stances in the rubble, Miles had got
into position behind the car.
"Throw down your weapons, you are all under arrest" called Millburger without
enthusiasm.
The guards glanced towards the corp who just nodded "Terminate them"
The firefight started with both sides firing at each other with little effect,
both being behind cover. Matt broke the impasse by charging their position
relying on his speed and body armour to protect him. The corp had waited
for one such opportunity and raised his very heavy briefcase SMG but as he
tried to, the mechanism jammed and Miles blew his head off with a well-aimed
shot. Millburger reached the guards and engaged in hand to hand,; the fight
was short lived and with O'Hanlans support Millburger had downed the last
man taking only a few flesh wounds in response.
Unfortunately the last corp had escaped in the sedan while the cops were
still engaged with his guards but they still had a couple of spotlights to
work with. Within 20 minutes the cops had cut the rear doors off the AV and
checked inside. The crew were all dead, the passenger was in cryo stasis
and seemed to be alive. There was also an armoured briefcase inside which
was unlocked or had been previously picked, it contained a computer data
crystal and a small vial of amber liquid.
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