One of the most unorthodox arms races in the assassination game is the application of precognitive techniques. Both the hunter and the hunted can benefit from the spread of tarot cards and crystal gazing, to the more technological aspects of tacsofts, probability calculating agents, and psycho-analytical software, but only if the other side has not invested in this security, as well.
As a result, both assassins and marks are often locked in a cold war when divination is involved, though a safe rule of thumb is to assume that any magical or particularly wealthy target may have the benefit of forewarning of an assassin. This warning is almost always murky and non-specific, as all divination tends to be. Even technological means of prognostication can only give percentiles of probability, narrowing the margins of error, but never eliminating them.
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He doesn’t mention it, but social engineering can kill as sure as anything else. I know of a social adept who might as well be an assassin: his MO is to ruin someone’s life to the point of their death. I’ve heard of him talking overworked scientists into throwing themselves off skyraker balconies or convincing mobsters to turn states, knowing they’ll catch the bullet. One time he turned an entire Chicago Zonegang on their leader.>
KiaWITHDRAWAL
The killing moment is planned to perfection, laid out with loving detail and attention to every variable. So what happens when that one little element you hadn’t planned on inevitably twists your plan beyond repair? The seconds following the drop are crucial to the as- sassin’s survival and freedom. Do you break for it or play it cool? Stealth, guile, or brute force can see you to safety, if you plan it out, pay attention, and play your cards right.
The ability to adapt quickly is the greatest asset any kick artist can cultivate. Even the most rote of lives can develop a deviation from routine at any moment. How quickly can you keep up with unexpected twists?
More often and most importantly, how well can you improvise in the face of chaos? The moments following the drop are almost always a scramble. If their security is any good, that means you’ve got, on average, between two and five minutes to get out of there.
In the end, the moment of execution is what it all comes down to. Assassination may seem like it’s mostly the prep work, but ultimately, it’s timing that determines everything.
There are only a few situations where you should immediately and loudly attempt an escape, namely in situations where you have already been spotted or the assassination, for whatever reason, needs to be public. I suppose a drive-by counts, but I consider that an ama- teur game unless it’s a frame-up, and even then it can be carried off with some stealth in the getaway.
Ninety-nine percent of the time, though, you’re go- ing to play it cool whether you leave immediately or hang out for a while. In general, it’s better to get going after the deed is done, but only if that won’t draw at- tention. The entire point of hanging around once the kill is confirmed is to wait until the right moment to leave without attracting suspicion. Party guest, bystander, or just continuing on your tranquil Sunday walk after in- nocently bumping into the biochemist with a touch of DMSO Green Ring 8 carcerands. This is stealth, and it’s the most obvious answer. The less exposure, the less danger. And in cases where the mark needs to have ap- peared to have died naturally, it’s a necessity.
You also need to consider the terrain again. Your escape is going to be very different depending on the
ground you need to cover, the inherent lay of the land. A snipe job on a military caravan in the middle of the desert isn’t going to go down very well if you’re trying to shoot and run, whether by foot or truck. You’re better off having a fool-proof blind you can hide in, an incredibly reliable camouflage (think a thermoptic camo suit with a ruthenium polymer cloak and a few concealment spells and spirits—this is the military we’re talking about), or a very fast means of aerial egress. In this case, I’ve had fun using a drone modified with a carry-bar. If you have the life support and can cloak it well enough, a Kull can be your best friend.
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The Kull doesn’t get nearly enough credit. I’ve used them for everything from scouting to supply drops to bombing runs.>
Picador>
Yeah, but they don’t have any style to ‘em.>
Rigger XA big corporate park or arcology is akin to operating inside the belly of the beast. Every bit of terrain is your enemy, so you have to get to know it intimately. In this case, the stealth approach is your best bet, with bribes, cover, distractions, even a patsy in place to cover your withdrawal. This covers neutral hotels and other public, contained locations, to a lesser extent.
Dense urban environments present their own com- plications for escape. On the streets of Manhattan, the police are hyper-responsive, the buildings clean and tall, and there are cameras everywhere. Kowloon has crowds literally everywhere, decay and prefabs rotting, stacked one on top of another, garbage everywhere and utilities neglected and usually broken. Prague has catacombs, ancient sewers, bird nests for snipers ev- erywhere, a city of shadows and angles (always accept a job in Prague). These kinds of environments depend of quick thinking and adaptation, because they are the most prone to change. A clean city like Manhattan will require a good hacker to subvert and even convert all that security and utility to your service. An automated door, image-recognition system, locks, elevators, and more can be set up ahead of time to give you a clean getaway, and a city that runs like clockwork is going to be predictable and follow your timetable. The sewers and ducts are clean and likely monitored, meaning you have additional paths, if you can secure them during prep. The people make enough money that they don’t respond to risky opportunity, bribes or change in gen- eral with anything but fear and taking cover. Some will probably just hit their PanicButtons and pray. Kowloon is the opposite: a rusting hulk of festering urban cancer. Using ducts and sewers is almost out of the question: neglected and unsecured, yes, but have you ever seen an overflowing sewer? It’s so thick you can’t even swim it, assuming even the finest biohazard treatment could
protect you. You can’t rely on anything but its inherent chaos, and your ability to think quickly will determine everything. Moving fast, adapting to a shifting land- scape, and mapping as much as you can by talking to locals as opposed to relying on expired mapsofts en- sure you have as many advantages as possible. Some training in parkour is especially useful here, as you may find yourself making due with incomplete architecture and collapsed or jammed passages. Nothing quite like hopping down an elevator shaft while they’re left scratching their heads.
The people, as well, are a resource in a poverty-strick- en area. If there is a hard local currency, throwing a hand- ful in the air turns a crowd into a barrier against pursuit. They’ll take that chance, and they’ll likely do any number of other small favors if you pay them. On the other hand, intimidation is less likely to work. These people sleep next to devil rats, and getting into a gang is seen as a step up. Hell, in Kowloon they say becoming an insect spirit is an improvement. They won’t scare easy, so don’t bother.