Highbrow: VIP (Staged)

The night was cold and humid, rain was about to cover the city.  Jo cruised down state street to meet her target the train station.  her mission was simple; locate her informant and deliver them to a location and take them to the airport as soon as their business is complete.  this was a simple, lowbrow job but Jo needed something mellow.  so much had happed in the last few months that she couldnt help but think over all the problems that were in her lap.

Anna had been struck with a virus that had consumed her to the point that Jo couldnt even get through to her, she had been shut out.  she didnt know how to deal with it, Moe had been so busy with The Empire that she couldnt really help Jo with advice. let her conquer this challenge... but that doesnt sit well with me

She had arrived at the train station.  She parked Metalgear and stood next to the walk way.  her cellphone started to ring.

"Hello?" it was the guild.

"Jo, its Ed, we just got some new info for you.  the informant goes by the name Famine, make sure to remember that.

"yeah I got it, ill make sure to address him accordingly, thanks Ed" she put her phone back in her trench coat.  her hand touched the Cheshire cat as it lay wound around her, she was sure she wouldnt need it but that didnt stop her from bringing it along.  she did leave her guns at the motorhome though, she felt confident that those werent needed.  Her GGX badge was necessary so she wore that on the outside, so Famine would know she was here for him.

She looked around at the other people waiting for the train.  A mother was struggling with her kids, some business men were chatting and laughing amongst eachother.  the platform started to rumble, the train clattered and came to a stop.  the shuffle of people was over in a matter of seconds.  Jo stood and surveyed the new people as they shuffled about, some highschoolers were off in a shot.  there was one man who stood out.  he looked around like he was lost, or waiting for someone.  he looked almost as young as she was.  he was dressed like he was a college student with a guitar case.  he didnt look very nice, he had an expression like he could be a real prick, wicked grin and all.  he saw her and approached.

"your from the Guild arent you?" his voice was like rocks and razors tucked in a velvet bag.  his dirty blonde hair was fit into a fawxhawk.

"I take it your Famine? I'm here as your driver" Jo said in a nice casual tone.

"I was expecting something different, lets go" he slung a soft guitar case over his shoulder and started walking someone different? like who? what an ass

Jo unlocked the doors to Metalgear, and they drove according to Famine's directions.

"when we reach eighty-fifth turn left"

"so what is this whole thing about? I wasnt given any information" Jo wanted to make small talk and to see if she could gauge what lie ahead of her, whether or not she should feel cautious.

"your just a driver so it isnt important for you to know" Famine said, his tone was drenched in boredom and a bit of rudeness.

"well gee your a nice guy, I'm just trying to pass the time, and I would like to know whether or not I need to be prepared for a fight" as she said it, she looked him over.  she didnt know what was in the guitar case but he didnt look like the type who would help in a fight.  he had muscle but he would probably run for cover.

"A- this is all business, B- you need to keep quiet, and C- I am fully capable of taking care of myself so you need to shut up, drive, and turn right here" Jo was right, he was an ass.

They pulled up to the entrance to a parking garage.  Jo took a card and the gate opened.  Famine guided her through the garage and up to a group of people standing next to black sedans.  One individual was sitting in a chair while the others stood around her.

"welcome, Starving man" the woman in white said, her guards standing around her, emotionless.  they were women too, in black suits with various weapons.  Famine looked at Jo and spoke in a low voice.

"dont say a word, everything here is extremely delicate.  one wrong word from you and this could be shot back in our faces.  Hello Mistress, its a pleasure to meet you in person"

"of course this probably wasnt the best choice of a location to meet on such short notice, but we have to be careful, for my sake and yours"

"of course, we wouldnt want to rustle any feathers between us, things are already very sensitive.  as a representative of the GGX Guild we would like to extend our hand out and accept you into a postition within our business.  from the success you've had running on your own we believe you would be an asset"

"we appreciate the praise but I beleive that it would be for the best if we -" there was a sudden change in aura, the guards and Jo reached for their weapons.  Jo reached for her badge instead of the Cheshire cat, she didnt want to pull that out till she felt it was necessary, after she saw what was going on.

"it would seem that this position has been compromised, I believe we should take our leave before prying eyes see something they shouldnt"

"I agree Mistress, with that I believe we will take our leave and-" a shot rang out, a glowing round sped past Jo and Famine, one of the Mistress' guards jumped in front of the round and accepted a gut shot.  the other guards spread out just as other enemies sprung from hiding.

"Marcie!" the Mistress yelled, one of the guards grabbed Marcie and lugged her over to a sedan.

the number of enemies was overwhelming, Jo went to grab Famine but he was too swift for her.  he opened the guitar case and revealed a weapon.  a double ended staff with a long thin blade on one end and a thick curved blade on the other.

"dont think I'm some pathetic loser now" Famine said.  An enemy rushed towards him and Famine took a step past him, an after image of a blade was all Jo saw.  The enemy fell to the ground carved at an angle.

"we dont have time for this, I'm ordering you to dispose of theses people and to make sure the Mistress gets away safely" he split the weapon in half and ran off.

"hey wait! where are you going!?" Jo reached out but he was already gone, he was quick on his toes.

"its my order to keep you safe how can i do that if you take off?" Jo yelled.  She didnt know what to do about him, she started running between the cars and the walls as protection.  one of the attackers jumped out and took Jo on.  he fired a salvo of SMG rounds as Jo dodged into the cars, she leapt over and smashed the attacker into the trunk of a nearby car.

"go after her" one of the enemies said and more turned towards her.

"dammit not good" Jo ducked back down as more gunfire erupted overhead.  It was too cramped for her to pull out the Cheshire cat, its length would just be a hindrance, but if she got close enough she could reach out with it and destroy their guns with a single slash.

she leapt out from cover and charged across the open ground.  Some of the Mistress' bodyguards ran over and assisted Jo.  They provided cover fire as Jo removed her sword.  An attacker took her on before she could get her coat open.  Jo took her badge in hand and fought back.  The enemy was strong, his strikes were impressive but Jo was stronger than most, she grabbed his arm and broke it with ease.  As he fell, more of the attackers came out and took her on with incredible speed.  She wasnt capable of taking all of them on at once, lucky for her a bodyguard came and joined her in the fight.

"get down" the girl yelled, Jo did as she was told and bent backwards as the bodyguard ran a melee rod towards an attacker.  Jo held her hand out and the girl grabbed and swung her around.

"it seems you can use some help, call me Marieanna" she held her sleeve out and ejected another melee rod"

"I've heard rumors of a girl in a trench coat with silver hair, that wields a longsword like a shortsword, that person wouldnt happen to be you would it?" Marieanna said.

"I had no idea rumors were spread about me, I dont know what to say about that"

"say it later, lets do what we're paid to do and get the Mistress out of here, where's the Starving man?"

"he decided to do his own thing and took off after some of these guys" gunfire erupted from behind them, the Mistress had been caught by the enemies and was getting loaded into one of their own vans, bodies of enemies and some bodyguards lie about.  The van door closed and started to decend the garage.

"their getting away" Marieanna gave chase.

"we need to head them off and stop that van, if we lose them we're in deep" Jo ran towards the outside and leapt down to the next level below, Marieanna following close behind.  The screeching van passed right by them as they stop.

"damn, drop to the next level quick" Jo let go and landed on the next level.  There were very few cars on this level.  but plenty of enemies.  Jo and Marieanna stood back to back, the van took the other way and missed them completely.

"we're stuck"

"the hell we are" Jo grabbed the handle of the Cheshire cat and revealed her greatest weapon.

"stay behind me" Jo said as the enemies brought guns to bear.

"are you crazy? theres no way you can deflect all those bullets with a sword" just as Marieanna finished the bullets flew.  a wave of sparks shielded them as they stood in place.

The gunfire stopped, all the enemies were out of bullets.

"heh... my turn, just try and reload" Jo said.  Marieanna turned around.  The area in front and next to them were chipped away.

"how... did you do that?" Jo just smiled, as soon as the enemies magazines hit the ground.  In a flash Jo charged the enemies.  Their weapons were almost ready.  Jo held her weapon behind her and swung it as hard as she could.  All the guns were diced into pieces, with one single swing.

Jo turned the sword over and struck all the enemies in the head, knocking them unconsious.

"there.  We need to get to the bottom, there we can stop the van"  Jo ran towards the center of the garage and leapt down the ramps.  Marieanna continued to drop down from the outside.

The van was almost out of the garage.  One more level and they would be able to escape.  Jo moved a car through brute strength to block one of the entrances.  The van turned around and went after Marieanna's exit.  Jo ran with all her might.  Marieanna fired a gun at the van, and directed it away from the exit.

"good job Marieanna, we cant let them escape" the van ran to the end of the garage and came back around on Jo's side.

"just as i wanted" Jo held the Cheshire cat in front of her.  She relaxed her body and focused her attention on the van.  Marieanna didnt know what to do.

"are you crazy? get out the way!" the van raced towards Jo with impressive speed.  Jo spun around and side stepped the van.  she held the sword out and took the top of the van off just above the hood.  just high enough to avoid the Mistress in her prone position

The two halves of the van collided into cars.  Jo and Marieanna approached with caution.

"you bastard, dont you lay a finger on the Mistress you could have killed her!" one of the bodyguards charged Jo with her knife raised.  The lunge was too fast, Jo held out her hand and took the knife in the left arm.  some enemies jumped out and attacked Jo.

"you stupid bodyguard, what the hell are you doing?! the Mistress was on the floor of the van and out of harms way!"

The knife was pulled out, but her reflex wasnt fast enough, a short sword entered the same wound and the two enemies grabbed either end and twisted the blade taking Jo's artificial forearm off.  Jo screamed for a moment, the pain receptors died out quickly.  Jo grabbed the closest enemy and she shoved her splintered arm into the enemy, sending a shock though his system.

"Jo!" Marieanna called out.  They were swamped with enemies, the Mistress was vulnerable, and Jo was no longer able to fight at full ability.