goddamngrenades | RP Open Post

Leaving a way back in after you crack a lock is prudent- and tradition. Keeping physical keys worked well in the past- bump key encpryptions are similar but things like this? Make a job so much easier if you know you'll be working the same building more than once. You set it up when you do recon, then when the actual job comes? You save that much more time and pain.

[ He does the same check for the alarm and security system, and it's still handled. Good. ]

The basic encryption I learned when I was a lad. The rest- came from an old partner.

[ She goes still as she listens to his explanation, attention fixed on her HUD, on the data from Epsilon, on what he's saying and the cadence of how he's saying it - in spite of that accent, there's something to the lit, the choice of words (occasionally thrown by his substitution of other ones) that leave her baffled. It's the worst kind of déjà vu.

An old partner.

Could he have stolen this from York?]

...we're in. [no comment? No comment - for now.] Take the left, I'll handle the right. Work in from there.

As you say, mate.

[ He flicks off a salute and flips to the left, keeping to the established route he planned out while showing her the best entry and exit points He taps himself into her comm, though, so they can keep in touch. ]

Location one's a bust, but I did find a port. What do I need to do for your invisible friend?

No go on this side. [thus far anyway]

[ If there's a reluctance to connect, it doesn't show; it's necessary for their work here and allows Carolina to send a packet of data from Epsilon covering the port configuration details.]

If you see anything to add for security, do it, but make it quick. I'm starting on the next bank now.

Noted!

[ It's a pretty quick config, an added buffer and level of encryption that he tacks on just to be safe. Secure the line, keep things tidy for their eyes in the sky. ]

Moving on to the next point.

[ This room's a bust- but the next one might be more useful. A life feed of where the power's pooled and accessed regularly will help but that'll take anyone some time. He needs to get moving now. ]

[ He's thorough. That gets a compliment from Epsilon, even as he throws himself into the thick of things, keeping his own intrusion wrapped up and hidden from view. Carolina doesn't pass that along, not yet. They still have work to do, though as they move through data bank after data bank, she cant help but feel some frustration mounting.

Fortunately, Epsilon's learned, or rather, remembers from the best about wrangling networks to do what he wants. 'Some time' really isn't, faster than a human can manage, anyway, and the power grid map is shared within minutes to both human operatives. ]

..Looks like the largest power sink in this location is over in your room. I'm making my way to your location now. [A pause; Epsilon is chatty today!] My partner thinks he can provide a distraction, cause a power outage in another sector of the base. That work for you?

That quick?

[ Bullshit. No human hacker could get into a system THAT quick even with a landline unless they already knew the system, already gamed the system, or had...enhancements. Most of those were illegal and swept up by the UNSC after the war but blackmarket is blackmarket and-

Yeah. Gonna check Blue's helmet for a port when this is done. ]

Well done, old chap. [ York is a paranoid shit. Humphrey is simply impressed. ] That'll be splendid! Keep the nest confused while we make away with the prize.

Helps to have friends in far places.

[And high, though in Epsilon's case, that's a matter of distance. Not rank. As it is, that too-cheerful response leaves her wary. Someone in his position should be much more questioning, given the history he's alluded to... Later, later, Carolina.

She's already on the move towards his location, giving the AI the okay to mess with the power grid. No one's going to notice their shenanigans while the focus is elsewhere.]

Let me know when you're in.

Give me two shakes, Blue, this Lock's a fresh one. Seems they aren't complete imbeciles.

[ Encrypted instead of holographic and it's harder, he misses D like a limb but he's got his bump keys, he's got his decryption algorithms, and he's got someone waiting on him to get this done and get it done right. He runs through the options in his head twice, three times to be sure he won't set anything off before sliding things into place.

Ten, fifteen seconds later and he's in, door open and free for Blue. ]

I'm in.

[ He knows his work, that much is clear in spite of his attitude. She approaches on his left, quiet, not interrupting; she knows full well how difficult this work is. ]

Good. [A device is pulled from her armor, a capture drive, one that Epsilon prepped to scan for what they want and download it accordingly. One of the panels is flipped open, drive attached, and the small HUD screen that pops up is tapped several times as she activates the device. It's going to take time - something even an AI can't speed up. Then steps back, drawing her weapon from where the mag-lock held it in place against her thigh.] Keep an eye on it. I'm going to check our exit.

Don't forget to set your trackers.

[ Offhand, easy, barely in the twang of Reggie's voice, and completely unintentional. He's busy feeling like this is a job, thinking of a different blue lady with red hair and green eyes, another door that needed cracking. When he had both eyes and no scars and a too big mouth.

He blinks at the readout for a moment before clearing his throat. ]

Should you have them.

[ Does he see her flinch? Probably not, given she goes still. But that could easily be classed as her reviewing her HUD, checking the map, locking and loading her gun. There's something carefully neutral in her reply, distracted-like. ]

Doesn't everyone with armor?

[Then she slips out into the corridor, sets off to do her sweep. And more determined than before to confront him when they're done here.]

Right-o.

[ Okay. Okay, okay, okay. Get the job done, worry about that later. Worry about EVERYTHING ELSE later. He keeps an eye on the progress made with the scanner, fingers drumming against his thigh as he waits for some kind of result. ]

[ *Bleep Bloop*. The device is at 79% and counting, but those last percentages seem to move almost agonizingly slow.

The path is clear, somewhat, and Carolina diverts. Moves across into the larger storage bay and starts planting devices, small things, intended to short out systems, disable rather than kill. Wipe data rather than destroy all the technology. False sabotage trail, to distract from their actions. ]

Once the download's complete, seal it, hide tracks. I'm on my way back. How much longer is left?

We're at eighty percent. [ But it's starting to drag and he hates that it's taking so long. He's got a vest and a helmet and gloves and that's it- if someone comes in? He's fucked. ] Estimated time of completion stands at two minutes.

[ More time than they have, really, but he can't make this thing go any faster. ]

Plenty of time. [Or there will be. She's planted those distractions for a reason. Just as she and Epsilon planned. Her tone remains even, confident. Panicking now will only jeopardize matters.] I'm going to seal the doors we entered from.

[84%.]

If you say so. [ He'd rather KEEP the wiggle room he earned, thank you very much. ] Mind the first hall to the left- I heard some chatter. Might be nothing, but- Better safe than sorry, eh?

[ Come on you little fucking thing DOWNLOAD FASTER. Jesus. ]

[It's still there. You're good, for another minute and thirty. She's already moved into the other hallway, a careful stalk. The phased colour of her armor's disguise blending her in with the dark. But whatever sounds he thought he heard turn up empty corridors.

And then she's moving back. Swiftly. Quietly. Was he diverting her? Does he want to steal the data?! She can't rule this out now, and the part of her that is unnecessarily ruthless is prepared to make him tell her *everything*... ]

We're clear. [A little snappy] Time?

Really? Must've been mistaken- but I could have sworn... [ He flicks through his own trackers in the halls just outside his position and- sure he'd HEARD chatter but there's nothing there.

That is odd. That is not right. Someone's using the PA system to fuck with him? But no one knows they're here.

They need to wrap this up. Now. ]

Sixty seconds. Cameras are still on loop, no alarms triggered, no one knows we're here. [ Worried, now, he shifts over to an adjacent port, fiddling through encryptions and frequencies till he can tap into the standard communications broadcast used on the base. ] ...Bitching about coffee grounds. They were complaining about LUNCH.

[ Now her eyes DO roll, and glad she is that the helmet obscures that, even as her head starts that old familiar roll, giving the action away. She tries to twist it into something else, turning about face as though checking behind her instead.]

Just be ready to go once it hits it's mark. We have extra cover to keep our unwitting hosts distracted.

[ That. That's- stupidly familiar. He knows that posture, even if it melds into something different.

Just.

Someone that does that a lot. In armor. Maybe her partner's a sassy bastard too.

He swallows past the sudden lump in his throat and focuses on the readout. Fifteen. Ten. ]

Three, two...ah, here we are. All done.

[ He uncaps from the port he used to peek into their frequency and removes the device, offering it to Blue. ]

[And not a moment too soon. When offered, the data drive is taken without any delay. 'Blue' moves to conceal it within her armor, nodding at the exposed display and the open ports. He might even catch a glimpse of the data contents while closing up shop, but that depends on how long he feels like lingering, that, and dealing with an impatient employer, ]

Lock it up, then we'll get moving. Stay behind me until I say otherwise, [guarding his rear is important - especially since she has no intention of letting him slip away without answers.]

[ He does peek for a moment, curious, but doesn't linger. They don't have time for it and whatever they're getting into? He'll know about it for the next job. Right now they need to lock up and get out without getting got.

Easy.

This is, usually, where everything went to shit. He'll just have to hope their luck holds out. ]

Noted. After you.

[ Even now, she doesn't rely on luck, doesn't believe in it in spite of circumstances in her life that could only have happened due to the bored dice rolls of the gods. Once they're on the move, she doesn't look back; she uses the eye-HUD connection to send a quick text message to Epsilon, to get the ball rolling on their distraction.

There's a delay. There's always a delay. Her hand lifts, a closed fist, signalling for Humphrey to stop. Waiting...waiting...]

[ Move now, but wait up? Maybe something's gone wrong with the distraction? Maybe the timing is off for the next round of guards?

WHAT WOMAN?

He says nothing, of course Humphrey is too civil, but York seethes in his helmet. ]

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