Regional uses the Chapter's move as an excuse to recall the supplemental staff (the anon zakos), who were "on loan" until the La Croix chapter was properly established. To make up for this, they've sent three new permanent members: Jessica, Dan, and Touko. The latter is convinced that this is some kind of punishment. A demotion from Regional, where she had been angling for a management position. Whatever, she thinks. This chapter's leadership is informal, and it's not clear whether this Rachel girl even really wants it. Maybe she can take it over...
Emi volunteers to interrogate the captured hero, figuring it will get her out of doing too much menial work. Sure enough, the others leave her to it while they get the Chapter's vehicles, equipment, and prisoners to the location of the new hideout.
Emi uses the abandoned factory's machinery to make him talk. She doesn't know enough to say what this factory was ever used for, but she rigs up a fairly convincing "tell me what I want or I'll put you through this machine" scenario. It's a cliche, yes, but it's a cliche because it's so effective. The wannabe hero sings like a bird. His name is Ruben Maxwell, and he's a former student of Professor Maldonado. Apparently, Maldonado sent a bunch of her former students to go looking for the Chapter's hideout, and the fact that he hasn't returned has probably told her where they are. Good thing they're moving!
The Chapter leaves him hanging, turning the lights off when they leave. It's too late to add his ransom to the others, and it will give Prof. Maldonado something to find when she gets there. Emi was just going to grind him up, but fortunately for Ruben, she couldn't get the machine to work.
+1 XP for Emi
10/01/18, Turf War
Target: Clara "Cutty" Clams and her Gang
Objective: Elimination
Difficulty: Lv. 1
Background: The Chapter's relocation went smoothly. There's just one problem. Their new hideout in the old Canal District falls within the territory of the Cutty Clammers, one of La Croix's countless local street gangs. Regional hoped this wouldn't be a problem, since the Clammers mostly just run a protection racket within their territory. However, the inevitable negotiations don't go well, and quickly devolve into a fight to the death!
Force: :3 La Croix Chapter (Total Strength: 13)
1: Rachel (21, F): 2/2 HP, Lv. 2 (16/20 XP)
2: Sophia (18, F): 2/2 HP, Lv. 2 (17/20 XP)
3: Tom (19, M): 2/2 HP, Lv. 2 (19/20 XP)
4: Natalie (22, F): 2/2 HP, Lv. 2 (18/20 XP)
5: Emi (20, F): 2/2 HP, Lv. 2 (1/20 XP)
6: Jessica (19, F): 1/1 HP, Lv. 1 (0/10 XP)
7: Dan (18, M): 1/1 HP, Lv. 1 (0/10 XP)
8: Touko (20, F): 1/1 HP, Lv. 1 (0/10 XP)
Opposing Force: The Cutty Clammers (Total Strength: 7)
1: Clara (19, F): 1/1 HP, Lv. 1
2: Antoinette (18, F): 1/1 HP, Lv. 1
3: Dwight (21, M): 1/1 HP, Lv. 1
4: Teresa (24, F): 1/1 HP, Lv. 1
5: Barnes (24, M): 1/1 HP, Lv. 1
6: Megan (18, F): 1/1 HP, Lv. 1
7: Darren (18, M): 1/1 HP, Lv. 1
Both sides leave their guns at home, but neither would agree to coming unarmed. Everyone is armed with knives, shortswords, machetes, clubs, nail bats, etc. So when shit hits the fan, things get really bloody, really fast. One of the Clammers (Megan) goes for Sophia while her boss is still pretending to negotiate with Touko. Sophia, however, catches Megan's knife arm and pulls a really impressive reversal. She disarms Megan and, in one smooth motion, opens her throat with the girl's own knife!
Touko was so focused on the (bad-faith) negotiations with the enemy boss that she gets caught flat-footed! Another Clammer (Antoinette), comes out of nowhere and sticks a knife between Touko's ribs! Touko staggers away, clutching her wound. Fortunately, none of her vital organs were hit, but she has to keep pressure on the wound or she'll bleed out!
Natalie, Rachel, Dan, and Emi are locked in melee combat after that. Rachel and Emi each take minor blows to the face, but they're okay. Emi stabs one of the Clammers (Teresa) in the chest. The Clammer isn't as lucky as Touko. Emi gets the other girl right in the heart, killing her almost instantly.
Jessica, armed with a crowbar, bludgeons the Clammer boy Barnes in the head. He falls, clutching his face for a moment before passing out. He doesn't look like he's going to make it.
Tom goes for the Clammer Antoinette, fully intending to avenge Touko (who he assumes has just been killed). Antoinette trips him up and slams him to the ground, knocking the wind out of him and taking him out of the fight for a moment.
While all of this is going on, Natalie keeps her eyes on the prize. She goes straight for Clara, the enemy leader. Straight behind her, anyway. Natalie puts her in a headlock with one arm and, with the other, drives a knife into her kidney from behind. She quickly disengages after that, trusting that her target is doomed. Sure enough, Clara collapses to her knees. She's dying. Natalie, for her part, is locked in combat with another Clammer (Darren) after that.
Antoinette goes for Dan, but trips. She falls onto the outstretched machete that Dan was attempting to guard himself with, driving the blade into her guts. It only takes her a moment to die, during which she flips Dan the bird as she falls.
Dwight goes for Emi, but Emi counters and slashes his throat. At that point, the only Clammer still standing is Darren, who tries to escape, but Dan gets him with his machete before he can. Darren goes down with a (non-life-threatening) slash to the leg.
Force: :3 La Croix Chapter (Total Strength: 8)
1: Rachel (21, F): 1/2 HP, Lv. 2 (16/20 XP)
2: Sophia (18, F): 2/2 HP, Lv. 2 (17/20 XP) *
3: Tom (19, M): 1/2 HP, Lv. 2 (19/20 XP)
4: Natalie (22, F): 1/2 HP, Lv. 2 (18/20 XP) *
5: Emi (20, F): 1/2 HP, Lv. 2 (1/20 XP) **
6: Jessica (19, F): 1/1 HP, Lv. 1 (0/10 XP) *
7: Dan (18, M): 1/1 HP, Lv. 1 (0/10 XP) **
8: Touko (20, F): 0/1 HP, Lv. 1 (0/10 XP) (Wounded)
Opposing Force: The Cutty Clammers (Total Strength: 0)
1: Clara (19, F): 0/1 HP, Lv. 1 (Dying)
2: Antoinette (18, F): 0/1 HP, Lv. 1 (Dead)
3: Dwight (21, M): 0/1 HP, Lv. 1 (Dead)
4: Teresa (24, F): 0/1 HP, Lv. 1 (Dead)
5: Barnes (24, M): 0/1 HP, Lv. 1 (Dying)
6: Megan (18, F): 0/1 HP, Lv. 1 (Dead)
7: Darren (18, M): 0/1 HP, Lv. 1 (Wounded)
Combat Result: Victory
Casualties: 1 Injury (Touko)
Enemy Casualties: 1 Injury, 6 Fatalities
Experience Points Earned: 7
Final Result: Success. The Cutty Clammers are no more. The gang's members are sprawled out all over a back alley's pavement. Only one of the boys is going to make it. The rest are either dead or dying. The Chapter leaves them all for dead. Tom and Rachel help move Touko. She can walk, but having lost a lot of blood, she's not very steady on her feet.
Takedown Credits: Sophia (1), Natalie (2), Emi (2), Jessica (1), Dan (2)
Final XP Tally: Rachel (8), Sophia (8), Tom (7), Natalie (8), Emi (10), Jessica (8), Dan (9), Touko (7)
Dispatch from Regional: "Nice work. The local punks will think twice before messing with professionals. We're also... 'relieved' to hear that Agent Futaba is going to make it. We would so much... 'hate' to lose a talent like her."
