I ward you once before

## Background

Neglect has been observed within certain government infrastructures, specifically in the outsourcing of essential magical services. Among these services is the production of wards, a task that requires skilled Awakened individuals as well as a supply of reagents for rituals. While the government provides funding for these services, the storage of reagents has been suboptimal, leading to the neglect of some storehouses. More worryingly, there are individuals who might prefer these resources to disappear. Direct destruction would likely trigger an investigation, but if shadowrunners were involved, it would provide a layer of deniability. This is where the first Johnson hired the runners to assist in “protecting” the warehouse, with the explicit intent for them to fail or, at the very least, sustain significant structural damage.

## The Meet

The meeting took place in a roadside restaurant in the less-restricted areas of Tacoma. Dusk arrived early at the scene even before the Johnson's arrival. Following him were Preta, Vitki, along with Kraken. Curve ball barely made it on time due to her use of public transport.

Dusk, Vitki and Preta all arrived early to meet with the Johnson. Curve Ball and Kraken arrived later. Three of the runners arrived on Dodge Scoots.

The Johnson stood out as the only one who didn't resemble a bodyguard. He remained silent until the appointed time, at which point a noise generator was deployed to prevent eavesdropping. Then, the Johnson explained the details of the job, which involved protecting the warehouse. His demeanour was terse and non-specific, which didn't go unnoticed by the runners. After some exchanges of information, the runners accepted the job to be performed later that evening.

## Legwork

Vitki conducted initial research on the warehouse based on the information provided by the Johnson. This was followed by in-person inspections of the warehouse complex by Vitki and Preta. Dusk initially, due to his need for rest owing to his nocturnal nature, took a back seat. Kraken and Curve ball had to make a round trip to acquire their gear required for the mission. The runners discovered that the warehouses contained a wide range of reagents and two well-sealed mystery boxes. This held true for the first two buildings, but the third was entirely open with no content.

After the initial security assessment was completed, the team convened at 6:00 PM to establish rules and positions to thwart any potential intrusion. Kraken climbed onto the roof of the central building despite the presence of ladders (unbeknownst to her at the time). The others created fake magical markings around the complex to deter anyone, magical or mundane, from approaching the buildings

## Run

The run began when a convoy of cars approached the front of the complex. The convoy conducted an initial sweep of the front, which Dusk detected. After moving on, there was a three-pronged attack on the front and both sides of the complex. The attackers were armed with explosives and incendiary devices with the intent to destroy the complex. Kraken intervened, stopping the front assault by dispatching one of the incendiary attackers with a precise shot that ignited his device. Vitki hijacked one of the vehicles from the side, further disrupting the front assault. There was a successful breach from both sides of the complex, which was soon halted by Preta and Dusk. Preta used combat spells to quickly neutralize melee attackers, while Desk dispatched opponents on the other side using smoke grenades and echolocation.

Meanwhile, Kraken supported Dusk and Preta in dealing with the side assault. Curveball, patrolling the back, was in a prime position to intercept an attack detected through internal security cameras. An infiltrator attempted to circumvent the wall and enter through the central warehouse using a grappling hook and ascender. Vitki made the grappling gun malfunction, causing the infiltrator to fall to his demise inside the complex, where Curveball finished him with a well-placed \*\*bonk\*\* to the head.

Once most of the assailants were dealt with, those who survived attempted to escape. However, a secondary team of Johnson's forces intercepted them during their escape. This culminated in the secondary Johnson arriving with his team to assist in cleaning up the complex and revealing the true intentions of the first Johnson. He rewarded the runners with the promised payment and a bonus for protecting the warehouse's contents, marking the end of the run.

## Aftermath

After the run, there were no significant aftermath effects on any of the runners. However, there might be potential future implications for organizations planning to continue such activities, and the reagents for ward coverage were preserved.

## Rewards

* Karma: +3 Karma
* Nuyen: +12,000¥
* CDP: +2 CDP
* ~~Contacts~~
* ~~Etc.~~

## Player After-Action Reports

*In Character* accounts of events, general impressions, or memorable moments

"This guy can't act because he got shot in the nuts, and this guy can't act because he's a fish." -Tactico

"Okay, so I've got the choice between firing three semi-auto rounds into the guy's face (or chest, if I'm feeling unconfident with my aim), or bonking his skull in." -Bernie