The Shadow In The Warp - Dark Heresy [IC]

[LCP]

As he rose out of the cover of the patrol car, Tenorius saw the barrel of a shotgun pointing straight at him from over the roof of the neighbouring vehicle. Ducking back down as fast as he could, he heard the spray of lethal pellets hit the top of the car and richochet harmlessly upwards.

He wasn't going to get another chance. Rising back up, he turned and sprinted for the line of riot vehicles as fast as he could. Realising she had no backup to take on the rapidly closing team of enforcers, Constance followed suit, easily matching the psyker's pace.

Reaching the rear wall, Tenorius threw himself behind the armoured bulk of one of the riot cars before any more shotgun shells could come his way. From the centre of the hall, he heard Warren's voice ring out:

"They're cornered! Flush them out!"

Peeking around the edge of the armoured vehicle's hull, he could see a brace of blue-uniformed figures breaking into a run across the open space between them.

Over by the van, things were heating up. Opening the door to the van, Fayer leaned over and grabbed the reeling Tauron before he could fall onto a bullet, dragging him inside. Shotgun blasts were peppering the vehicle, stripping its paintwork as Brutus and Jericus came under attack from all sides.

Up ahead, Warren herself emerged from between two cars, a high-calibre pistol held in both hands. She snapped off a shot at Brutus that missed, but went clean through the boot of the van and out the other side. The enforcers on her right were more accurate, ripping the big guardsman's uniform and drawing blood through the old flak armour beneath. Turning to look, Jericus staggered as another shot caught him in the leg.

His own shotgun empty, Brutus opened the rear door of the van and backed inside, crouching down low.

"Get inside!" he shouted to Jericus, his voice hoarse. He turned to Fayer. "When I say go, you go!"

Back at the rear of the hall, meanwhile, Tychon had successfully defeated the bulkiest, most imposing padlock Cantus had to offer. Unhooking it from the hatch, he stepped inside the riot car.

There were two seats behind the forward vision slit, one for the driver and one spare. Standing space was left beneath the turret cupola to operate the heavy stubber that was mounted there, and four seats with bulky restraints lined the sides of the rear cabin, facing inwards. No space was wasted - seven people could cram inside, and seven people was what the vehicle was designed for.

Sure enough, behind the steering wheel was a big red button...

OOC:

Spoiler

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The picks count as a multikey, giving a +30 bonus - so Tychon's FP is not spent.

Map:

[Destro_Yersul]

"Alright, everybody in." Tychon slipped the padlock into his pocket, stepping up into the riot van. "Time to frakking leave." The gunslinger jabbed the starter button with his thumb, and pointed at the stubber turret. "Somebody man that, get us some suppressing fire. I ain't picky who does it, but do it now. Looks like they keep the gear elsewhere, so one free gun'll have to do it."

Settling into the driver's seat, Tychon flipped the safety on his stolen pistol and placed it close to hand. Once everyone was in, the plan was to push the vehicle's engine to the limits gunning for the shortest open path to the door.

[Angrypuffin]

Striding over serenely, still singing, Tenorius assumed the gunner's position in the riot vehicle.

Spoiler: OOC

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Half action move to get in the car. Delay other half action until next turn.(See OOC.)

[Etcetera]

Jericus stumbled into the van, leg sparking somewhat, and wedged himself in a corner, lasrifle pointing out the doors, and one hand ready to close them.

[Rizhail]

Nova unceremoniously dropped into one of the four backseats, finding it rather comfortable considering her last seats were the floor and an interrogation table. She winced as she worked the restraints into place, preferring to not go tumbling around the vehicle should things get rough.

[Thragka]

Tauron came to with a sharp gasp for air. There was an unpleasant fluttering sound in his throat. He propped the flamer up against the dashboard and broadly nodded his assent to Fayer. "Do as the man says," he gasped out.

Spoiler

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If by a stroke of luck any of those precarious shots in our direction have left a convenient hole in the windscreen, Tauron fancies their van as a makeshift Salamander (firing in the direction of 4, 5 and Warren). If not though, nothing to do before we try and high-tail it out of here.

[LCP]

Poking the barrel of his flamer out of the shattered windscreen, Tauron let loose a roiling cone of fire towards the enforcers blocking their path. Warren ducked back into cover, while the angry flames caught her two subordinates full-on. One fled with smoke trailing from his uniform - the other screamed and collapsed as the flaming liquid clung to his skin, cooking him alive.

"GO!" shouted Brutus, practically in Fayer's ear. The young constable didn't need telling twice - immediately, he slammed his foot down on the accelerator.

The shot-scarred van surged forwards, its engine roaring. Enforcers scattered from out of its path, and it plunged into the veil of smoke left by Warren's grenade. The dense smoke came rushing in through the broken windscreen, blinding Fayer - as he wrenched the wheel in the direction of what he thought was the exit, the dark shape of one of the archway's supporting pillars loomed up through the mist. The van crashed into it with a spine-jarring thud and a crunch of buckling metal.

At the back of the hall, all Tychon saw through the narrow vision-slit of the riot car was the van vanishing at speed into the smoke. Revving up the engine of his own liberated vehicle, he started it rumbling forwards at a much more sedate pace. Thankfully, the Constabulary seemed to keep these things fuelled and ready to go.

At the sight of the stolen riot car starting to move, the enforcers who had been closing in them broke cover and ran towards it with cries of alarm. Sprinting across the open space, they quickly overtook it from a standing start - but as it began to gather momentum, they started to fall behind. Keeping pace as best as they could, they looked frantically for an open hatch, while up ahead their comrades shrank down into cover...

Spoiler

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Map:

[Angrypuffin]

The sacred moment had arrived.

As the armored carrier rumbled on, Tenorius guided the handles of the heavy stubber in the cupola. Still singing euphorically, he turned it to the left of the vehicle's heading, looking for a particular person. And there she was.

It is time to face your Emperor, Warren. I fear He is displeased with you.

Spoiler: OOC

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Assuming Tychon continues driving forward, Tenorius opens fire on Warren as she loses cover from the changing fire angle.

Heavy Stubber, Full Auto: 34 BS + 20 Full Auto + 30 Divine ShotUnnatural Aim - 20 Non proficient (Edit:+ 10 Short Range) = 54 64
Ballistic Skill: (1d100)[21] vs 54 64
Seems like four five hits.

[Destro_Yersul]

Tychon grinned and revved the engine, sending the riot car towards the exit that was free of smoke. He liked to be able to see where he was driving, though this would leave them a little more open. As the heavy stubber started rattling above him, bullet casings bouncing off the armoured hull of the vehicle, the gunslinger's grin widened. "Yippee kay-yay, motherfrakkers."

[LCP]

Swivelling the turret as the riot car surged forwards, Tenorius unleashed a punishing storm of bullets in Warren's direction. The captain ducked low behind the car that gave her shelter, but the high-calibre bullets punched straight through the thin metal, throwing her sprawling against the rockcrete floor. Tenorius saw blood running down over her face, but wasn't sure he had landed a killing shot.

Behind him, the pursuing enforcers fell behind as they raised their guns, looking to return fire. Tychon gunned the engine, and with a throaty roar the riot car barrelled out of the unobscured archway and into the street outside.

Constabulary adepts and other civilian workers scattered with cries of terror as the armoured vehicle crashed into their midst, narrowly avoiding squishing anyone into paste. Behind it, an engine gave a wheezing splutter, then coughed into life as Fayer successfully backed the van away from the solid masonry he had crashed it into, guiding it out in the wake of the armoured car.

Blue-uniformed figures were rushing out of the smoke behind them, and Jericus could hear the sounds of engines being frantically started in the motor hall. Inside the riot car, Constance leaned over and shouted to Tychon:

"Make for the river! We can lose them there!"

OOC:

Spoiler

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Combat time is over, unless you guys want to double back to finish Warren. Nice escape! Now you just have to lose the pursuit.

This chase will be broken into multiple Drive tests for Tychon. After each one I'll describe a segment of the chase, the path may fork, and Tenorius will get the opportunity to discourage people with the turret gun if he likes. Plus any psychic shenanigans or other trickery you might want to pull.

Fayer will be assumed to pass his Drive tests as long as Tychon does, and as long as you don't try anything insane - then he might have to test as well!

So, the first test please! This will determine how much of a head start you can get before the Constabulary can get any vehicles on your tail.

[Destro_Yersul]

"You want me to drive into the river?" Tychon asked, pushing his stolen vehicle as fast as it would go. If they managed to keep this thing, he'd have to make Jericus check for tracking devices on it. Just in case. "Can't we just find a nice warehouse to hide in? Every hive's got dark an' empty places."

Spoiler

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(1d100)[87] Drive test

[LCP]

"Not into the river!" shouted Constance, over the sudden panicked blare of horns from the road as Tauron swerved round a corner. The van skidded round behind him, Jericus and Brutus sliding against once side of the vehicle as they fumbled for the restraints. They immediately slid back in the other direction as Fayer spun the wheel round again - the two vehicles were having to slalom from left to right to weave their way through the dense stream of traffic they had emerged into. "Down to the riverside! There's a tunnel!"

Up ahead, a T-junction was looming, with civilian vehicles swerving frantically to get out of their path. Left led up towards Ministry Spire, towards Rhodes Manor and the elegant buildings of the upper hive. Right led down towards the ice-laden waters of the Isis. And behind them, the piercing screams of sirens were already cutting through the traffic...

OOC:

Spoiler

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Another Drive test to keep the pursuers from closing in whichever route you take. Last Drive test failed so no bonus for exploiting your head start.

[Destro_Yersul]

Tychon spun the wheel right, and wondered if the riot vehicle had its own sirens. He expected it wasn't normally used for chases, and also that it had anough armour for any civilian cars he might hit to bounce off, if they were foolish enough not to get out of his way in the first place. "Riverside," he said, "You got it. Tell the Cantor to hit the engines on whoever follows us. Maybe we can block them off."

Flooring the accelerator, he sent the armoured van forwards, ploughing through traffic as best he could.

Spoiler

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(1d100)[19] That's two full degrees of success, that is.

[Angrypuffin]

His hymn concluded, Tenorius blinked and looked around himself. His expression was that of mild surprise, as though his toothbrush was wet and he didn't remember brushing his teeth yet. Looking around, he saw the hard sculpted passenger seats, with their complicated buckles bouncing wildly in the dark. Another swerve from the vehicle, and he swayed to the left. The prospects for sitting down did not seem good. In his hands were the contoured grips of the heavy stubber- cold, solid, weighty. This seemed as good as any place to weather the ride.

I just hope Tychon doesn't crash.

Spoiler: OOC

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No shooting at the moment, since the pursuers aren't visible.

[LCP]

Plunging into the traffic with gathering momentum, Tychon saw a likely-looking control rune behind the steering column. Depressing it, he was rewarded by a satisfying electronic howl as the riot car's siren wailed into life.

Civilian vehicles swerved out of the way, Tychon winding left and right to weave around those that were too slow. Fayer followed close behind, almost rear-ending the riot car as Tychon had to brake hard to avoid collision with a lumbering omnibus. Missing the collision by inches, he glanced back to his passengers in the rear seats with a nervous grin.

"Good thing I took those fast driving courses the captain recommended!" he called back.

Still picking himself up from where the last breakneck turn had thrown him against the side of the van, Brutus squinted at the back of the young man's head.

"Did you pass?" he called back.

"Third time!" replied Fayer, spinning the wheel right to the Dopplering blare of a passing horn.

They were speeding down the arterial route towards the Isis. With the wind rushing past his face, Tenorius could see the pilgrim vessels crowding the grey breadth of the river. Behind them, Constabulary patrol cars were doing their best to keep pace, the blue flashes of their lights moving through the panicked civilian traffic like sharks through a shoal of fish. Tychon's daring driving was keeping them from closing the gap. It could only be a temporary reprieve - Tenorius wondered how long it would take them to launch one of the rotor-craft they had used at the air-scrubbing plant.

A broad turn, and they were running alongside the river. A high rockcrete embankment stood between the road and the muddy shore, with a drop of about thirty feet between the two. Pedestrians were pointing and staring as the chase went past. Up ahead, Tychon noticed a broad staircase for their use, leading down to the mud flats. The riot car might just fit down it - but it would be hard luck for any hapless civilian on the steps.

Further ahead, the mighty bridge across to the island of Mudspire was approaching fast. That might offer a more vehicle-friendly way down to the riverside around its foundations - but that would it depend on them reaching it.

OOC:

Spoiler

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Staircase or bridge? Either way, another Drive test please.

[Destro_Yersul]

Tychon tried to remember, from the map in the briefing materials, if there were any conveniently placed ramps near the bridge ahead. The constables behind them would catch up eventually if he stayed on the road. Either he'd run into another of those slow busses, or his aggressive driving would catch up to him. Still, he couldn't see down the stairs from here, and with all these people around, there had to be somebody on it. He wouldn't like to negotiate it in the battered van following him, either. "Frak this," he said, spinning the wheel to avoid a groundcar and heading for the bridge. "Cantor, shoot the frakkers behind us!"

Spoiler

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He might curse himself for it later, but Tychon's worried enough about hitting pedestrians to try the bridge option. (1d100)[72] - failure. Hope Tenorius has better luck.

[Angrypuffin]

Tenorius barely made out the sound of Tychon's command over the roar of the engine. Still, it seemed reasonable enough. Now, to find a good target...

Spoiler: OOC

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Tenorius will attempt to choose a target and fire. Target priority:
1) Any precariously-poised obstacles that might be disrupted and fall into the path of their pursuers. Statues held up by cranes, crossing signals in the upright position, etc.
2) The wheels of any lumbering cargo trucks or other vehicles heavy enough to stop a collision with a riot vehicle. Not buses, though. An innocent might get hurt.
3) The general engine or driver area of a pursuing Enforcer vehicle.

Awareness: [roll0] vs 32
Full aim before shooting.
Shooting: [roll1] vs 64

[LCP]

Sighting on a heavy cargo truck that had been slowing down to get out of the path of the chase, Tenorius sent a hail of bullets towards its wheels. With the way Tychon was throwing the riot car from side to side, it was hard to keep his aim steady - the stream of automatic fire instead chewed up across the nose of the truck, punching through its radiator grille in gouts of smoke and steam.

Through the truck's thick windscreen, Tenorius saw the blurred face of the driver contort in panic. Turning hard to escape from the relentless gunfire, it mounted the central barrier, crashing through into the path of the oncoming traffic flowing in the other direction. Screams and blaring horns mingled with the crashes of crumpling metal.

Undeterred by the chaos, the Constabulary vehicles sped through the gap the truck had left. Tychon was having trouble keeping ahead of them now - they were closing in on all sides, like wolves chasing a fleeing herbivore. Through the window of the van, Tauron saw one of the speeding patrol cars draw level, an enforcer with a shotgun pushing himself up through a hatch in the roof...

Up ahead, the bridge was looming - and across it, a line of Constabulary vehicles, warning lights flashing. They had the bridge completely blocked - so too was the arterial route heading up-spire. From the logjam of traffic that had built up, it looked like they were in the process of sealing up the route ahead as well.

In the shadow of the bridge, a narrow access ramp led down to the riverside. It hardly looked suitable for the riot car - a narrow sliver of damp rockcrete, with maybe a foot's width of pavement running beside it - but the enforcers had left it unblocked.

OOC:

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To make things as clear as possible: the bridge sits at a crossroads.

West/Left: goes up-spire, roadblock stretching right across the road.
North/Ahead: keeps going round the base of the spire, roadblock only partially complete.
East/Right: over the bridge, roadblock complete.
North-east: narrow ramp leads down to the mud flats.

The roadblocks are made up of patrol cars parked side-on: with enough speed the riot car could smash through, but it would have to clear enough space for Fayer to follow in the van.

Jericus and Tauron now have clear shots out the windows of the van if they want to join in with Tenorius.

[Destro_Yersul]

"Should've taken the stairs," Tychon cursed. He eyed the narrow ramp, wondering if it was wide enough to fit the car down. If it wasn't they'd be in trouble. He really didn't want to flip this thing. There had to be a better ramp further along, where he could shake the enforcers tailing them. Aiming the car at the least-complete part of the barricade up ahead, Tychon pushed the accelerator as far down as it would go. "Cantor! Help me make a hole here!"

Spoiler

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that ramp sounds just a little too precarious for my liking. Let's try crashing the gate instead.

(1d100)[72]

[Angrypuffin]

Through the truck's thick windscreen, Tenorius saw the blurred face of the driver contort in panic. Turning hard to escape from the relentless gunfire, it mounted the central barrier, crashing through into the path of the oncoming traffic flowing in the other direction. Screams and blaring horns mingled with the crashes of crumpling metal.

Tenorius looked on in horror. What was he doing, using people as a blockade? He should have known the Emperor would never smile on such an action. He made a note to do penance later.

"Should've taken the stairs," Tychon cursed. He eyed the narrow ramp, wondering if it was wide enough to fit the car down. If it wasn't they'd be in trouble. He really didn't want to flip this thing. There had to be a better ramp further along, where he could shake the enforcers tailing them. Aiming the car at the least-complete part of the barricade up ahead, Tychon pushed the accelerator as far down as it would go. "Cantor! Help me make a hole here!"

Tenorius was reluctant to do any more shooting. But perhaps the naked man was right- after all, he was the gun expert. Tenorius swiveled the gun forward and began shooting into the blockading cars, and the enforcers near them.

Spoiler: OOC

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Full action aim.
(1d100)[78] vs 34 + 20 - 20 + 20 + 10 = 64

[LCP]

As Tenorius turned the heavy stubber on the enforcers up ahead, they scattered right and left, abandoning their attempts to corral the last cars into the blockade. Aiming for a gap where one vehicle had been left at an angle, Tychon gunned the accelerator as hard as he could. The riot car's engine roared in reply, sending the armoured vehicle thundering forwards at ramming speed.

Vaguely aware of shotgun shells richocheting off the turret ring behind him, Tenorius was pressed back against its lip by the sudden acceleration. The gap in the roadblock ahead was approaching at blistering speed. There was no way they were going to fit through...

With a rib-cracking impact, they struck. Some dutiful constable had locked the parked vehicle's manual brake before fleeing, and it resisted the onrushing momentum of the riot car as best it could - but it was an uneven contest. Thrown back with its near side smashed in, it nearly toppled onto a couple of gawping enforcers, the mournful wail of its silence coming to a muffled stop as it landed upside-down on the hard surface of the road.

Sporting little damage that Tychon could make out from his position in the driver's seat, the riot car went into an uncontrolled skid, slewing round through almost a full turn from the sudden transfer of momentum. Hammering the brakes and gripping the wheel as tightly he could, Tychon finally brought the vehicle to a halt, facing a cordon of gobsmacked lawmen.

A man in a sergeant's helmet raised a loud-hailer to his mouth. Before he could speak, the black van screamed through the gap Tychon had made, sending enforcers staggering in its wake. Brakes screeched on the other side of the roadblock as the pursuing cars pulled up hard, trying to avoid a head-on collision with their own side.

Throwing the riot car back into gear, Tychon accelerated after the fleeing van, heedless of the sound of bullets pinging off the rear armour. In the back, Constance was looking a little green...

OOC:

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One last Drive test to catch back up with Fayer!

[Destro_Yersul]

'pologies, ma'am." Tychon said to Constance as he swung the car around. "Reckon I ought to do a couple combat driving simulations, next I have a chance."

Spinning the wheel to bring his vehicle back around, Tychon wished that Red was here. The guardsman was a much better driver than he was. Hammering the accelerator, the gunslinger sped off after Fayer's van. "If you can, tell your man up ahead not to lose us." Once they had stopped he'd need to check the car for damage, but with the enforcers on the other side of the barricade they might have a little breathing room. It would take time to dismantle the roadblock and get around it, and by then Tychon would have a hell of a head start.

Spoiler

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(1d100)[21] Drive to catch up!

that's a pass.

[LCP]

Communicating with Brutus with some difficulty - the roaring of the engine meant Constance had to shout and repeat herself - the fleeing Acolytes manouevred their stolen riot car back into the lead. Fayer seemed a little reluctant to fall back into the armoured vehicle's slipstream. For the first time since Tauron had press-ganged the young constable into the service of the Emperor, he seemed to be enjoying himself. Perhaps a little too much.

Behind them, the wail of sirens had started up again - but the delay of their own roadblock had cost the Constabulary dear. More than that, it had obligingly cleared away the civilian traffic that had been obstructing them before. Tychon bombed down the arterial route that circled the base of the spire, looking for a way down to the riverside.

"There!" said Constance, leaning over to point to a rockcrete pier that stretched out into the icy water. "The access ramp."

His speed forcing him to take the turning hard, Tychon bumped down onto the damp pier with Fayer close behind. Ferry workers came running, waving their arms to ward him off - and then promptly turned tail as they saw exactly what kind of vehicle had come crashing down into the middle of their business.

Spotting the damp little access ramp that Constance had indicated, Tychon guided the lumbering riot car down it and onto the riverbank. The sound of the wheels changed, churning through poisonous mud and wet pebbles, but the riot car seemed to cope. In the van, the journey was much less comfortable, Fayer's ride bumping along in Tychon's tyre-treads.

"Head north," said Constance. "We're looking for a sewer outlet."

Tychon could already see it - a great effluent pipe, jutting out towards the river. A tributary of unpleasant-looking liquids ran from its lip down to the swollen waters of the Isis.

Up on the embankment, blue lights were flashing. The delay in descending from the pier had given their pursuers time to catch up - but from up there, it would be a long shot for the enforcers' shotguns. More concerning was the chop-chop of airborne rotors that Tenorius could hear approaching from somewhere to the west...

[Destro_Yersul]

Tychon nodded, hoping their vehicle would fit. He'd seen some large sewers before, and the Imperium's favourite tactic of building new on top of old meant there were probably some cramped but negotiable underhive spaces in there. "Just stop them from getting to us," he told Tenorius. "Ain't much further to go."

[LCP]

The riot car leaned over as Tychon swung its nose round towards the sewer mouth, wheels skidding in the soft mud. Thankfully the gaping outlet was easily wide enough to admit even their behemoth of a vehicle.

Taking the entrance at speed, Tychon felt the bump jolt up through his spine as the riot car made it over the raised lip of the pipe. The van followed close behind, shaking its passengers up considerably more.

The interior of the sewer pipe was pitch black. Turning on the headlamps, Tychon found one of them had been broken by the impact with the Constabulary's roadblock. Still, one would have to do. Wheels finding little purchase on the curved, wet floor, he drove as fast as he dared up the slight incline. Unbuckling herself from the passenger seat behind, Constance staggered forwards to peer over his shoulder.

"There!" she said. "Up ahead. Head down."

Sure enough, a branch tunnel headed down at a much sharper incline than they had been descending. Taking the narrow turning, Tychon briefly struck sparks from the tunnel wall before managing to coax the armoured car back into the clear. There were only inches of clearance on either side.

"Best slow it down," said Constance, hanging on as best she could. "Sluice gate up ahead."

Tenorius had just ducked back in to hear what she was saying when the truth in her words became apparent. There was a hull-shaking clang from the roof of the riot car as it struck something hard. When they looked back up, the turret ring was gone. From behind them, Fayer gave a very loud, very long blast of the van's horn.

"That's it," said Constance, not seeming too shaken. "Stop the car."

[Destro_Yersul]

That was that, then. Hell of an escape, but they seemed to be in the clear, for now. Tychon stopped the riot car, taking his hands off the wheel and letting out a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding. "Woulda been nice to keep the gun," He said with a glance at the roof. "Ain't much complainin, though. My prospects look a lot better than they did a couple hours ago."

Reaching over to pick up his stolen pistol, the gunslinger peered out of the front viewport. He'd left the one headlamp on for the moment, so he could at least see what was ahead of them. "Where are we?"

[Angrypuffin]

Tenorius sniffed. He was pretty sure that wasn't the smell of Cantus home cooking. Or maybe it was, in a roundabout sort of way.

He had his own doubts about their situation, but decided to keep quiet and hear Constance out. He tugged a bit at the corners of his borrowed civilian clothes, adjusting them around the elbows. They had been digging into his arms while he clenched the stubber's controls.

[LCP]

"Part of the sewer network," said Constance, opening the rear hatch. "We can get to the safe-house from here."

Stepping out, she looked up at the gate. "Brutus, get this sealed. Quickly, please." Turning back, she looked over to Tychon and Nova. "The vehicles are too conspicuous. Are you able to proceed on foot?"

[Destro_Yersul]

"I can walk, yeah. But I'd like some clothes, first. Someone said they were in a bag in there?" Tychon pointed to the van. Last thing he wanted to do was go slogging around a sewer with no clothes, and especially no boots.

[Rizhail]

Nova tried not to let any pain show on her face, but the harsh ride and stiff restraints had not been kind to her bruised self. "I can handle walking, but I have to agree with Tychon; clothes, or at least shoes, would be preferable down here. Open wounds and sewers do not mix."