An Alphabet of Mr. Johnson’s Meeting Places, Part 1

So once again you have the Crew meeting Mr. Johnson at their stomping grounds, the Sweaty Rhino. The Crew has been here so many times they can’t even summon the strength to makes jokes about the name, and the back booth has depressions in the cushions that are perfect matches for the Face’s hoop cheeks. So what is a GM to do? Change it up of course! Mr. Black has decided to help you out and present an Alphabet of places to meet Mr. Johnson, inspired by Edward Gorey and Kenneth Hite. Mr. Johnson is usually looking for locations that provide discretion, safety, security, and anonymity. And Mr. Black is here to cheerfully explain why these locations provide the aforementioned qualities. He has also divided it into 2 parts, to avoid the dreaded Wall of Text. Use these locations at your Crew’s peril… 

A – Aquarium. Most cities have an Aquarium. Seattle has a wizzer one right on the docks. They are usually quiet, but with enough people to make both parties feel safe. Picture Mr. Johnson standing there, staring into one of the giant tanks, and the Face steps up beside him. 2 dark figures against a beautiful blue backdrop, fish swimming by. One sets down a brief case. A gaggle of kids on a school field trip run by, helping to obscure the discussion from listening devices, and masking the other figure picking up the case. The dark figures part. A perfect place to do business…

B –Bus Station. Several corporations provide wheeled transportation systems, and they all make for great places for Meets and Swaps. An aware Mr. Johnson (or a smart Crew) can play these corporations off one another. Mr. Ares may want to Meet in an Aztechnology subsidiary to add smoke to his cover. Seńor Azzie may want to make the Swap in an Aztechnology concern for extra security, and back-up if things go Apocoloco. While many bus station have excellent security (all that not wanting bombs/terrorists on buses), some do not. Many have lockers, perfect for stashing the MacGuffin. They are large, with bathrooms, back rooms and storage facilities. All those passengers help create anonymity. The fact that some will be grifters allows a savvy individual to throw said grifters under the bus (see what I did there?) if a distraction is needed. Nothing like the Red Samurai showing up and shaking down the drug dealers and thieves to make a Crew scatter quick. Or allow a GM to ramp up the adrenaline and paranoia.

C –City Hall. This one may seem counter intuitive. But most civil building can make for excellent meeting places. Security is very high. Disgruntled taxpayers sometimes bring guns to council meetings. However any city hall has lots of people showing up. Lobbyists, Joe-citizens paying fines, fees and/or taxes, businesses filing permits, contractors checking building plans, and more. There are many meeting rooms, back corridors, and quiet corners where the business of governance is done, and the business of Shadowrunning can be done.

D – Dump. The Dump is a great place for a Meet, and an even better place for the Swap. Dark, smelly and brooding, the Dump should arouse your Crew’s sense of paranoia. After all, you don’t even really have to dispose of any bodies at the Dump. You are already at the disposal site! And piles of trash help to hide HTR teams, snipers, getaway vehicles and more. Dumps are far from the city, so noise, umm, like a firefight, won’t draw attention. Wait! What is that sound? Is it an ambush, Devil Rats or a Toxic Spirit? Oh drek…

E – Elfish District, The. The Elfish District, also known as Tarislar, allows Mr. Johnson a different sort of security. Assuming he has greased the right wheels, the locals are happy to let Mr. Johnson do his business. The Seattle Metroplex does not support the Elfish District; thus there is less (read no) official scrutiny. To the locals non-elves “all look alike”, providing Mr. Johnson anonymity. If all of the Crew shows up to a meeting, they will stand out, giving Mr. Johnson’s locally hired security time to act. If a majority of the Crew are Elves, Mr. Johnson may use the Elfish District to lure the Crew into a false sense of security.

F – Ferry. There are many ferries traveling between Seattle proper and the western Outremer and Salish islands. The ferry station itself provides security. The isolation of being at sea aids that security, and provides some discretion. More can be gained by meeting with the Crew in a car aboard the ferry. Or better yet, meeting inside a motor home on the ferry, ala Winn Duffy in Justified. This would provide everything Mr. Johnson could want in a Meet/Swap location, and constantly moving around would go a long way towards preventing any Crew’s retribution inclinations. (And yes, just after writing this, I created a Mr. Johnson/Fixer based on Jere Burn’s character. Feel free to do the same, I won’t mind.) The packed nature of a ferry makes it hard to take action. Heck, the Crew may not be able to get out of their vehicle! And when you consider that the Crew will possibly be going to a foreign country (q.v., Island) as the ferry’s destination, and that they will have to make a return trip to get home, the ferry grows as a place to amp up the paranoia and dissimulation a good GM favors.

G – Glow City. At first, glance, Glow City seems like a terrible location for a Meet or Swap. But Glow City itself keeps out the riff-raff, and prying eyes. Mr. Johnson would have to come to some accommodation with the mutant gangs who call Glow City home. But a case or 2 of firearms would go a long way. And the location itself would become a test of the Crew, both to check their cojones and their skill at getting in. Can they bluff their way in, fight their way in or sneak their way in? The method chosen may answer the question of what kind of Crew Mr. Johnson is looking for. And of course, the radiation checks would just add to any GM’s fun…

H – Hangar. The Hangar combines many of qualities Mr. Johnson looks for in a meeting place. They provide discretion, as they enclosed and aren’t open to the public. Private Hangars are free of public surveillance devices, aiding in secrecy. Situated in airports, they have lots of security personnel around, providing a sense of safety. And obviously a plane taxiing outside waiting to take off, provides a quick getaway if things go wrong. And all those drums of aviation fuel and lubricants should make a nice fireball if things go really wrong, especially as Mr. Johnson is flying away…

I – Island. There are many islands around Seattle, and they can provide for very interesting Meet or Swap locations. Almost all of these are in Puget Sound and thus either owned by Corporations or are part of the Salish tribal lands. These Corporations may not want uninvited visitors. The heightened security concerned may be part of Mr. Johnson’s plans, or a test of the Crew. And crossing into Salish lands have qualities/disadvantages all their own. Even just meeting on Outremer will make for an interesting change of pace.The Crew will of course need transportation, most likely a boat. This can lead to adventures by itself, unless the Crew has a very inventive Rigger. Your Crew may well be off their game after 2 hours of puking their way across Puget Sound, making interaction with Mr. Johnson more interesting. Throw in some merrows, megalodons, krakens, leviathans, lesser rocs, Meistersingers, sea wolves or plain old pirates (on Jet Skis? Can we please put them on Jet Skis?!? Time to break out that copy of Deadly Waves you have been waiting to use…) and the Crew may have a night of adventure just getting to the Meet. Or Goddess help them, getting home from a Swap gone wrong…

J – Jacuzzi. A Jacuzzi is a favorite meeting place of the legendary Michael Westen. It is very hard to hide weapons in a Speedo, and all that hot frothy water is hell on electronic listening devices. Jacuzzis are usually small enough that strangers won’t join the 2 or 3 people already in one, providing privacy even in the crowd in the pool area. Jacuzzis at premium hotels are especially preferred, as the hotel’s security will keep out the riff-raff (and those with bad fake SINs), and the better hotels make the best drinks.

K – King Dome, The. During football season, a luxury suite makes a fantastic place to Meet in Seattle. Reminding players of the progression of time by Date Stamping football season is good for Immersion. Security is very, very tight at the Dome (and thus not so good for Swaps.) It is easy enough to slip in and out anonymously however, by wearing team wear or jerseys. The suite itself provides privacy, and any intrinsic surveillance devices are easily overcome. And the food and drinks are fantastic. Are those real Buffalo Wings? And Mr. Johnson has 2 options after discussing business. He can just dismiss the Crew and enjoy the game. If he is feeling grandiose, or if the Crew’s rep has earned it, Mr. Johnson can leave and let the Crew enjoy the football game. He can later evaluate the team based on they ring up the food/bar bill, and in what condition the leave the suite. If the Crew damages the suite, Mr. Johnson may take it out of their pay at the Swap! Not Seahawks season? The Sounders FC Soccer club uses the Dome, and many concert events attempt to blow the roof off the Dome.

L – Library. There are few physical libraries left in the Sixth World. Those left make great Meet and Swap locations. Quiet, out of the way, and full of tall bookcases, libraries can give Mr. Johnson everything he needs in a location. Then imagine that little old lady librarian, cardigan and glasses on a neck string, the one who has been shushing the Crew all during the Meet. When things go Apocoloco, she pulls a concealed Ingram Smartgunâ and hoses down the Crew with expert skill. The room is suddenly filled with paper fragments as Mr. Johnson runs for cover. There is not a player on earth who is not going to want to hunt her down! And the Mage in the Crew is going to have a hard time getting back into Nigel Findley Memorial Library of Magical Research on the University of Washington campus after dealing with that firefight. Bonus role-playing hook for the GM!

M – Museum. Museums are great places for Meets/Swaps. They are usually quiet, have good security, and crowds of people. No one gives a second thought to a small group standing in front of an exhibit for hours at a time, or walking through them, having a discrete discussion. Many also have a cloakroom, where bags and jackets can be left. Think of the Body Worlds scene in Casino Royal. A bag gets switched, a key gets left. This could be a perfect way to Swap the MacGuffin/certified credstick. And the Museum Lodge on Council Island is my favorite Meet/Swap place in all of Seattle. Controlled by the Salish tribe, but open to the public, it combines all of the above with extraterritoriality and wickedly good security at the border crossing. And when was the last time your Crew had to run from a HTR team and a Sasquatch tribe?