Scarlet considered how to declaw GeneTech’s Black ICE without alerting the rest of the system to their intrusion, as well as a backup plan in the event they needed to bid a quick escape. Normally, one could cut the connection any time they wanted, but there were Subnets where a disconnection was only be possible at an access point’s representation within the subnet.
This was most often done for security purposes, so that an intruder could not just simply cut and run at the first sign of trouble. This, however, did not mean the Runner couldn’t force a disconnection outside of the normal means, just that if you wanted to you’d need a little finesse and a some know-how.
There existed a specialized cable that, with the help of a small explosive charge, could be activated manually by the Runner, or automatically should they be hit with a Brainwipe or Hellbolt before they could do permanent damage.
The only real difference between a Brainwipe and a Hellbolt was that a Brainwipe didn’t technically kill its target unlike it’s more lethal cousin, instead it would turn its target into a mindless drooling husk, barely able to think for itself.
A Hellbolt was a bit simpler but no less dangerous. Instead of reducing the Runner to a drooling wreck and destroying any stolen information their brain might’ve contained, it delivered a short, but powerful, surge of electricity directly into the victim’s neural port and into their brain.
Equal parts deadly and frightening.
“I’ve rigged up some quick-disconnect cables with a little bit of plastic explosives, enough to blow open the coupler in the middle of the cable.” Scarlet remarked proudly, tossing the bundle of heavy braided cable into the floor. “If we get into trouble, we can trigger the detonator and cut the connection… but there’s an issue.”
“There’s a chance we could lose our lunch, yeah we’re aware.” Bulwark grumbled. “We’d be out of action for the duration of the job sure, but we’d be alive.”
“Got enough cable for all of us?” Access inquired. “If not, Snowy can watch over us while we’re under.”
“I am not your maid, nor your caretaker.” the Synthetic said from Star’s office. “Besides, the result would be the same if I pulled the plug.”
“It’s not about lessening the impact, Snowy, it’s about options.” Sheet Rock replied. “I’m going to check on something, jack in and wait for me.”
Tempers were strained at the moment. None of them had ever conducted a job of this magnitude before. Scarlet and Bulwark cracked software while Access and Sheet Rock broke into gray systems for petty secrets to sell to nobodies, so none of them were treading familiar ground.
“Alright, but don’t take too long.”
Access felt restless waiting for Sheet Rock to arrive, as it’d been some time since he dove into the sprawl’s subnet. Scarlet and Bulwark were there though and probably just as eager as he was to get going, nondescript avatars at the ready.
It was some minutes more before her avatar finally appeared a short distance away.
“I just to had to double check the access point’s ICE was good to go, I mean last thing we need is a roaming program flagging it while we’re distracted.” Sheet Rock said apologetically as she peered about. “Have you heard from the others since they left?”
“I got told to hurry up, does that count?” Access chuckled. “Phantom wants us to jump to Rift City’s Subnet to do some recon and secure a couple of routes.”
“I thought the point was to not get caught?”
“Arcology Residential Systems are rated as gray systems, so they’ll basically be wide open, detection programs only.” Access remarked. “Hold onto your brains, this might get bumpy.”
Their surroundings glitched for a few seconds as Access started the transfer to Rift City’s subnet. It was almost all high-rise towers and neon-drenched billboards with impossibly long streets criss-crossing their way across the endless landscape, piercing through and flowing over buildings, only to double back on themselves.
It was a sight to behold, and a far cry from Lower Canterlot.
“Since when could you forcibly transfer another runner?” Scarlet said, nearly taking a tumble over the edge of a junction they materialized upon. “Warn us if you’re gonna do that!”
“The previous owners of our hideout had some interesting toys tucked away.” Access chuckled. “Seems they wanted to move around large groups of Netrunners at once, forcibly if need be. Reminds me of a tool Netwatch used once.”
“Wonder what other stuff they left behind.”
“Remind me to give you a copy when this is all over.”
Below, they could see the avatars of hundreds of Netrunners conversing, and for a few of them, battling it out over some perceived slight or another.
It was almost like a real city.
While there were those in Rift City who actively disliked Cyberware and cybernetic implantation in general, most of the population had no issue with the use of Cyberware at all, or were very good at hiding it. Such feelings of disgust and anger were mostly confined to a particularly zealous group who’d been labeled Purists due to their fanatical nature.
It split the city down the middle, with a line clearly drawn between the majority who did what they had to in order to improve their lives and prospects, and those who vehemently opposed the so-called relentless march of progress for the sake of progress.
Despite this, the city was bustling with Net activity and there was rarely a dull moment.
“Does it matter what long-distance link we use to transfer to the Arcology?” Bulwark inquired. “I count at least ten on the nearby buildings alone.”
Sheet Rock brought up a display and scrolled for a moment. She evoked a simple scan program that pulsed outward from their position, lighting up a number of the long-distance links, represented by large glowing microwave dishes sat atop three of the closest buildings as it went.
The Icon, or Avatar, of a particular piece of net infrastructure could be wildly different from subnet to subnet, but the important ones, like long-distance links and access points were usually pretty similar no matter where you were.
However, trying your luck at random and hoping it took you where you needed to go was an exercise in lunacy, that is if the Icon didn’t turn out to be bait, so instead they should probe each and get a general gist of where it might take them first.
Of course, it could lie in an attempt to trap rogue runners or roaming AI but there were ways around that, some messy, some noisy.
“Some software company, environmental supply vendor, and… oh just fantastic.”
“What?”
“Netwatch have a rapid deployment post here.” Sheet Rock sighed. “We don’t have time to check them all one by one so we’ll need to split up, but it’s safe to assume that one is a no-go.”
“Like hell am I snooping around a Netwatch subnet, Sheet.” Scarlet said defiantly. “We’ll have to hope one or the other is the one we’re looking for.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to, that’s a bear nobody would dare poke.”
“At least not the sane ones.”
Scarlet and Bulwark stepped off the junction and plummeted toward ground level and quickly dashed toward one of the long-distance links the moment they landed. It seemed that they picked the one furthest from Netwatch, smart, but it left Sheet Rock and Access with the one closest.
“I know height doesn’t matter here, but it always freaks me out when they jump like that without a care in the world.”
“That’s total-immersion virtual reality for you.” Sheet Rock grumbled. “Just try not to think about it too much.”
Access grumbled and gingerly stepped off the edge, narrowly dodging one of the intertwined pseudo-highways on the way down. It was remarkable just how much the subnet looked like a real city, though there were no vehicles on the road or a way inside many of the buildings, at least not visually.
“I don’t like the looks we’re getting.” Access whispered. “We’re attracting attention.”
A few of the Runners gathered around a passageway between a cluster of buildings had glanced in their direction as they walked past, only to look away when Access returned their gaze. Mercifully, a group of low-level security programs happened by and the group moved on, apparently more concerned about that rather than a couple of strangers.
Before long they were in front of the building that housed the first leg of their journey to the Arcology, and Access instinctively ran a probe of his own, hoping to find out a little about what they were walking into.
Their target was connected to an environmental supply vendor, and a quick search through the local index revealed that they sold items like air filters and what they called Sun Lamps, presumably the kind used in places where real sunlight couldn’t reach.
“Level 1 security, detection and anti-system programs, one external access point and microwave transmitter, yep this seems to be the place.”
“You ready, got everything you need?” Sheet Rock answered. “ICE loaded?”
“Spare parts at the ready, Snowy has our back on that front.”
“Alright, into the breach I suppose.”