Out of game, the players discuss options for upgrading their character stats through the use of Improvement Points (IP). Ze (Rama) invests points in Drive Land Vehicle (to help with operating his “new” motorbike) and Luke (Fennec) invests in Lip Reading. Michelle (Rez) and Jackson (Gunhead) decide to save their IP to improve their role abilities at a later point in time.
In-game, the crew agree to seek out the items requested by Dan Simmons, who is trying to set up a medical facility in town to cater to the local populace. Specifically, Dan needs three items of value which he believes may be available in an old med building somewhere in town:
- Andermaectomatic (Skin Remover)
- Subcytogram (Cellular regeneration Device)
- Cryodesis Gun (Cryo-induction Gun)
Simmons had previously pointed them to an old medical clinic close to downtown, which they agree to investigate. They travel through downtown Bakersfield and find an assortment of junkies intermixed with ganger members, who don’t appear overly hostile towards the crew. Rez approaches, speaking with a guard watching out front, and heads inside. They find a somewhat functional set-up, lined with juiced-up junkies craving a fix from a woman behind a secured desk. The crew converse with the woman, finding out the people who run the building are members of the Endolphin gang, who set themselves up in the building. The ganger indicates that due to a drug shipment having gone missing, they are in need of a resupply, and the crew agree to investigate a country club in town to source a collection of drugs, in exchange for the equipment they are looking for.
They travel to Eastern Bakersfield and park outside a large estate with a security fence wrapping the outside perimeter and debate on how to proceed. Making a successful local expert check, Gunhead recalls hearing about these sorts of “setups”, typically involving rich corporate types wanting to experience the ‘thrill’ of the badlands while still enjoying comfort. He considers connecting into their local NET, but thinks he would have to get closer to the main building first. Gunhead jumps the security fence, landing into an interior of a courtyard. Failing several stealth checks, he is noticed by some security guards monitoring the perimeter, who begin to move forward to inspect. In a panic, Gunhead jumps into a well-kept hedge to hide.
Meanwhile, Rama decides to call in some backup from the private security stationed at the University, who begin to drive across town to meet the crew. Gunhead picks up a faint trace of a NET signal, and attempts to hack into a nearby water pump system in the country club grounds. Bypassing some simple security, Gunhead accesses a lower-level of the system’s NET architecture, and disables a nearby pump to get a guard’s attention. He tries to time his hack to spurt high-pressure water at the guard, but fails. With somewhat access to the NET, Gunhead is able to Eye-Dee a file in the NET detailing the club’s upcoming clientele listing, and searches out reservations in the next day or so. He finds an appointment with a police officer due to arrive tomorrow, named Aiden Reyes. In consultation with the rest of the team, he uses write-access on the file to update the name to Zacharus Rama.
With an “appointment”, Rama contacts the Country Club via an outside speaker box. Rama indicates he arrived a day earlier than expected, and the staff open the gate, welcoming them in. Meanwhile, Rez waits for the called-on backup, who arrive a short time later. The crew, including the backup, walk through the front Country Club garden, and enter inside. During their approach, Gunhead sneaks out of the bush and walks in with everyone else. They arrive into a lavish, well-kept building and are greeted by a receptionist who explains the available amenities. Rama is up-front about wanting drugs, but fails his check, and the receptionist encourages him to get acquainted with his accommodation first. In their room, Gunhead slips back into the NET, defeats a Black ICE program, and checks the internal camera systems. They find in what appears to be a library, a man opening a safe, hidden behind a false-wall.
The crew leaves the accommodation, heading towards the library. They enter and find a well-dressed man working away at a desk towards the back of the room, amongst other guests of the Country Club. Rama approaches and sparks up a conversation. The man identifies himself as Aaron Mitchell, the director of the corporation that manages the estate. Rama prods for information regarding the setup, but is unable to get much information out of him. While Rama speaks with the man, the rest of the crew eye out where they think the wall-safe is, behind a Jellyfish painting on a side wall. They exit the library and debate on what to do next.