As soon as X broadcasts that there's money involved as a bonus, Ace's face lights up like an only child on Christmas morning upon finding the tree besieged with gifts.
He gives a silent fist pump hip thrust gesture in classic "YES!" expression & mouths the word in emphasis.
A slight cough, an obvious recovery of his professional face, & Ace gets back down to earning his keep.
He returns to wannabe spy mode, gripping his gun in both hands & holding it up near his head, ducking down as if to present the smallest mobile target possible, & starts scanning the room in constant sweeps of the head.
If Ace had a personal soundtrack at this point, it would be playing either the Mission: Impossible theme or The Pink Panther.
(The audience might argue that the "personal theme" sung by that one guard in "The Emporer's New Groove" might be more appropriate, but since Ace isn't singing that one doesn't really fit.)
You can almost hear the special effects "twinkletoes sneaking" accompaniment as he creeps along.
Ace keeps low, gun ready, & constantly scanning for danger as he cautiously, carefully makes his way towards the Foyeurs main desk.
It's interesting how he can both duck walk & hustle at the same time, but you have to admit it WOULD keep him out of most lines of fire...
Were anyone shooting at all in the first place.
But hey, he's giving it his best & it's at least not suicidal.
((Perception, +3(Int) +3(Rating) +3(EarBuds). Rolls: 5, 5, 6, 3, 3, 6, 1, 1, 1.))
Ducking down even further as he slides up against the front edge of the desk, Ace waits a moment to both catch his breath & to avoid getting shot by any bad guys.
He risks a quick PrarieDog peek over the top, turtles back down just as fast, then does another peek & pull out the side ahead of him.
He remembers this time to scan both the ether as well as the physical, to try & find any electronic or more immediate threats.
((Electronic warfare, +3(Log) +2(Rating) +3(ComLink). Rolls: 4, 3, 5, 6, 6, 5, 4, 1.
Perception, +3(Int) +3(Rating) +3(EarBuds). Rolls: 4, 3, 2, 1, 5, 6, 6, 1, 2.))
At the lack of anyone actively shooting at him, Ace risks moving around the side of the desk.
Still ducking down below the desktop, he repeats the peek & pull routine once more to see if anyone is behind it.
((Perception, +3(Int) +3(Rating) +3(EarBuds). Rolls: 4, 3, 1, 5, 5, 5, 5, 6, 1.))
When STILL nobody tries to put a bullet through his head, Ace continues around to the back of the desk.
Another quick peek & pull to make sure nobody is hiding in the footwell "just in case".
((Perception, +3(Int) +3(Rating) +3(EarBuds). Rolls: 5, 3, 4, 2, 5, 6, 2, 5, 2.))
If there's nobody beneath to pop out at him, Ace will try to check the Receptionist's side for any interface panels.
He wants to find the controls to bring up any video surveilence, the better to spot WTF might be lying in wait for an unwary spy.
First he'll use his decoy ComLink, still in hidden/anonymous mode, to try & scan the desk for an interface.
Perhaps it's physical, AR, or if he's really unlucky, entirely VR & not accessible by the mundane.
((Electronics Skill Group, +3(Log) +2(Rating) +1(DecoyComLink). Rolls: 3, 3, 1, 2, 5, 4.))
If he can find an interface then he'll start searching for the visual sensor subsystem, otherwise he's gonna retry with his real ComLink this time for a better shot.
He really doesn't want to take the risk with his internal stuff, but he figures getting at those cameras may just save their hoops.
Then in a moment of epiphany, Ace FacePalms & wipes away a sheepish grin.
He mentally triggers his internal map making routine so as to be able to find his way back OUT of this place when it's all said & done.
Nothing proclaims you to be an unprofessional boob like getting lost in a place you're trying to infiltrate...
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