Guess IC

[ribblle]

The Chargers won, the karaoke was excellent and the drinks are flowing all night long. The bartenders in such a good mood that he made a song and dance about his "regulars", possibly on your 2nd visit, promised you free beer and thereby free friends. Everyone in earshot is happily gathered on your table, and the conversations turned to weird stories. The throng has been on fire; it's been a long time since you laughed this hard, or ooed and ahhed. There's a lull, and smiling faces turn towards you...

[Kaptin Keen]

Zach was doing his usual rounds - too tired, too drunk, too moody to join in or appreciate the general merriment. He was looking for someone - someone in particular - and if she wasn't here, he planned to move on to the next place. And the next.

Every morning he'd tell himself to stop. Every evening he'd go looking. So he picked up one of those free beers, started drinking - and kept looking.

[smasher0404]

Sam slyly checked his phone at the table, making sure that the profits from the sale of his most recent malware arrived into his business bank account, under a false name of course. When he looked up, and realized that it was his turn to share a story.

So Sam took a quick sip of his beer, and chuckled a bit:

"Hehe, I've got a story I might be willing to share. You know my friend Jenny, the defense attorney? Well just this week, the cops nab her and bring her downtown. Apparently they think that she killed her client, that mob boss that was plastered all over the news for what feels like the last year. The kicker? Her gun and purse went missing as well, with no sign of break-in. I wonder what happened. Did Jenny just snap? Because the Jenny I knew was no killer."

Sam keeps an eye out checking to see how the crowd reacts.

[ribblle]

Your amused look and snark carry the crowd over what might have been nagging doubts, and the group giggles. Still, you notice Jenny's friends laugh the loudest. "Idiots. That's like planting a gun on the pope."

[Celticbear]

Jonas is currently sitting nea the far left corner of the bar, his hood brought low. Doesn't say a word, just watches as events unfold.

[Aardvark 001]

Charlotte flashes Sam a smile, inviting him to carry on. It's not quite front page stuff, but if she gets a lead on something to do with the case then she might be able to make something of it.

She hadn't planned on being 'on duty' tonight. Just a quick drink and then off to bed. But the news never sleeps, eh?

[wkwkwkwk1]

Intently focused on the broken watch she's taking apart atop a tissue, Anne fails to notice the figure sneaking up to her, and very nearly jumps out of her skin when said figure clears his throat.

"Y-yes, sir, sorry, sir, I- I was--" she stammers, bunching up the tissue with the loose parts, when she notices who the figure is. "Oh, you bitch!" she pushes Mark back, who falls to the carpeted floor of the auditorium, laughing. Anne follows him to the ground, tickling him and trading insults.

"Oh, man, yer priceless," Mark says, having finally escaped her assault. "Y'ain't in school anymore, y'know that?" he stiffles a giggle, padding backwards on the floor.. "'Sides, class is over. Anyways, wanted to know if y'wanna hang out tonight. Found a new bar."

"Sure," Anne shrugs.


***

"Mark, for the umpteenth time, you know I don't like these kinda places!" Anne snaps back at Mark, upon being asked yet again to trade her lonely corner for the raucous middle of the bar.

"Oh, c'mon, it'll be fun!"

"Look," she sighs, "I like to be with you and all that, but I think I'll be going home. Sorry."

She grabs her coat from the back of the chair, and, just as she's about to say goodbye to Mark, she hears Sam's account.

"What?!" she mutters to herself.

"What?"

"I... I think that's one of Dad's old friends from law school. He's talked about that case a while back."

"Hey, lookit that girl over there." Mark nods at Charlotte.

"What's it?"

"Lookit her listening. You can almost see her taking mental notes. Wanna bet that's gonna show up on a scandal paper tomorrow?"

"Dude, chill. She's probably got the blandest life ever, so she came here for some excitement."

"Betcha five bucks."

"No way. If that guy knows, he heard it from someone. So probably about half the country knows about it by now."

"Oh, yer no fun at all."

[ribblle]

A Asian girl turns from her friends and looks askance at the smiling blonde as the skinny man cracks wise about Jenny. A flash of realization brightens her face. "Hey, i know you! You're that journalist, right, did the massive expose on the Hinks? I believe you. Look girl, if you haven't got some hair-raisers i'll eat my bra, and it doesn't really matter if you make one up!" Her friends start beating the table. "Blondy! Blondy! Blondy!" You guessed it, the whole groups doing it now.

The black bearded, strong armed bartender swoops round with a platter of drinks, doling them out with a nod to "Aragon", a wink for the table and a sympathetic look for the beaten-down handsome man clumsily swigging a drink on his way out the door. Too clumsy. He plows into the lanky girl, knocking her coat free into her buddies face. The coat sailed through the air for a long moment; to the drunk, you could glimpse a Matodore. Red drink; red straw. Kicking up fractured memories like broken glass, or a broken bottle from where the drunk was lying.

Drunk means you, Zach.

[Kaptin Keen]

Zach, on some very deep level, is not ok. Things haven't been going his way for a long time, but he's always been ok with that. He's always figured something would turn it around. Hoping, waiting. And then, when he thought it had come - that 'equalizer' - it vanished the next day like so much mist at dawn.

Vertical now, surrounded by dancing feet and full of the drunkards lack of sense or concern, he decides to try to sleep. However, getting stepped on, then kicked by people annoyed at stepping on and stumbling over him, he quickly regains enough sense to struggle to his feet.

Vaguely, he apologizes the girl and the buddy - though whether it's the right two is anyone's guess.

[smasher0404]

Samuel, seeing an easy break in the conversation, slips away from the table for a bit and whips out his smartphone (the non-business one). The blonde in the center seemed to be drawing a lot of attention, so she might be someone he should recognize. A quick search of social media, news databases, and police reports might turn up something, if only he had a name to go on. Didn't that Asian girl say something about Hinks? That might turn up something about her.

[Celticbear]

Jonas sips his glass silently. Watching...

[Aardvark 001]

Damn. Should have gone with a disguise, Charlie. Charlotte gives the Asian girl a practised grin and a wink. Well, that would certainly be entertaining but I think I have something that should interest you.
Just as long as you keep the drinks coming. She smiles as the bartender puts a glass down in front of her. All right then. Speaking of defence attorneys, who here remembers the MacArthur case with the boiled egg and the balloon animals?

She spine a yarn around a case she'd covered two years ago. It's a mess of half-remembered details and fictionalised interviews, but it's the sort of thing that the crowd should eat up readily. She notices the man who was speaking before leave the table looking at his phone. So much for a good lead.

[ribblle]

http://i.imgur.com/KvtVHxn.gif
Someone did some spring cleaning. On the 3rd page of results you finally find some articles; big league newspapers before they retracted their statements, and smack dab in the middle Miss Charlie Fleming. Doozy of a case, this. Under the table deals, intimidation, blackmail; a governor was almost implicated but the only thing that stuck was health and safety violations. All that footage and no dice, huh. Wouldn't like to have that much heat after you...




Jonas sips his glass silently. Watching...

Your hunch paid off. You see him now, a stocky loudmouth from the building site, a spliff in each corner of his mouth, a honey on his right shoulder feeling his curly hair and 3 chatty pals to his left. Tattooed teenager in a wifebeater, cap wearing hood rat, pony tailed led zeppelin ripoff... in other words a threat, 3 shots ago. Judging by his gesticulations his lips are looser then his girlfriend right now. A pack of dancers pass and you lose sight of him... oh, 2 girls have tailed off and are looking at you, correction your mask, with obvious interest. "You waiting for someone?" "Seems like you've had a mad night or are about too!"




It's a mess of half-remembered details and fictionalised interviews, but it's the sort of thing that the crowd should eat up readily.

They eat it right up and lick it off the floor. "Oh my god, you're hilarious. Like, give me your number before you go." "Okay, this one time we were singing in Lagos..."

[Celticbear]

((Not wearing the mask, just the big hood. I did say I was drinking a glass))

Do I look like a storyteller? Beat it, please. says Jonas, keeping his hood low.

After this, Jonas does indeed put on his gas mask after this exchange, once the "workers" are gone of course. Then he continues to sit and wait, for the right moment. Perhaps the workers will convince a few of the showgirls to go out with them. If so, Jonas prepares himself to go on the prowl, clutching a homemade gas grenade in his hand (not taking it out of his pocket of course).

[smasher0404]

A shamed journalist huh? Might be just the type of person who might be able to help me with my own investigation. thought Samuel to himself. Carefully stowing his phone, Samuel returns to the table, joining in on the oohs and aahs at Charlotte's story. It's time to just wait for the rest of the crowd to leave, or a chance to talk to Charlotte on her own.

[Aardvark 001]

Charlotte smiles and waves away the compliments. Looks like it's time to leave, Charlie. Get to bed and get up early tomorrow. Sigh. The news never sleeps, eh? She noticed the man who was speaking earlier come up to the group again. He looks like he wants something. She gets up and heads for the bar, looking to see if he follows.

[ribblle]

The crowd is starting to disperse into the warm night. As your human cover fades you slowly realize drinking alone might not have been the best idea. The builder glances at you, and then holds his gaze. He nods at you and his friends get a look-in. They finish their drinks, seemingly unworried before swaggering out the door girls in tow. 2 pairs split for the taxi rank while your target taps away on his phone as they head for a less busy corner. Your cars not far from it.

By the way wkwk, Zach knocked into you earlier.

[smasher0404]

Samuel got up from his seat, and took an empty seat of the bar. Chugging the rest of his beer, he finally turns to talk towards the journalist. "So, Charlotte, I'm guessing you're after your next big scoop even after what happened with that corporation. What if I told you that chasing after it could be much more dangerous? Would you still be in?"

[Celticbear]

((This post is under the assumption that the builders are the people who I spotted earlier))

Jonas doesn't get up immediately, but after about ten seconds after the builders left Jonas rises from his seat, hand still clutching the homemade gas grenade in his pocket, and then walks out the door, shadowing the builders until they go somewhere private. Jonas was ready for a break-in, had a crowbar stashed in his inner jacket pocket, but if they took a short cut into an alleyway, Jonas would drop them there.

[Aardvark 001]

Bingo! Charlotte smiles. Go on. I'm listening

[smasher0404]

"Well you probably heard my entire spiel about Jenny, right? Well what I left out was what she told me leading up to the trial. Several of the witnesses were killed before the trial even began. Well, Jenny's always been a good girl, wanting to defend the innocent and all that. That's why I'm even friends with her, she got me off of the criminal charges when I "left" the pro-gaming circuit. She'd never even consider killing someone, especially one of her own clients. I think you can see that a lot of the people here would agree with me on that. Someone must have framed her, and I'm aiming to get to the bottom of it. The problem is, I don't have much of a lead to go off of myself. I was hoping we could work together to find who framed Jenny. If it's money you're after, I can probably pay you quite a bit in bitcoin."

[Aardvark 001]

Charlotte sips her drink thoughtfully. Bitcoins would be nice, she says eventually. Exclusive rights to the story would be better. Before we get caught up in it though, how about you tell me everything that you know? Starting with your name, since you already seem to know mine.

Charlotte tries to remember everything she can about the case. It's a bit harder after all those drinks, but it was a pretty big case of she recalls correctly.

[smasher0404]

Samuel looks contemplatively at his empty bottle

"The name's Sam, I used to be a big shot in a bunch of gaming tournaments, but now I'm just working as what should best be just described as a freelancer. As for the case itself?
Well, you know that Jenny was the defense attorney defending the mob boss, Felix Reyes-Torrena. Well Felix was found innocent in court, probably due to all the dead witnesses being unable to testify, but last week, he was killed by a gunshot wound. Now, Jenny would probably be the last person to be suspected, but Felix's men all blamed her, and the cops took her in for questioning. The thing is Jenny can't provide an alibi for some reason, and her gun and handbag went missing. While the cops currently let her out of their custody, it looks like she's still suspect numero uno, especially since somehow someone stole her handgun and purse just in time for her to be questioned by the police. She asked me to come by later this week to check if anything else is missing, but well, I'm just worried about her, you know? "

[Aardvark 001]

Charlotte drains her glass and motions to the bartender for another couple of drinks. Might as well take advantage of the free drinks while they're there. The case trickles her though. Not because of the danger - she's always loved that - but because of the situation.

Infiltrating an organisation was easy for her, but trying to investigate a mob boss killing? That wasn't quite the same. Besides which, it was a bit odd that all of Felix's men should have blamed this Jenny. That either meant that she was actually guilty, or that the whole thing was a set up and the murder was an inside job.

Still, she was never one to shy away from an interesting news piece. Well, you've got me interested. I'll see what I can dig up and we can go see Jenny together later. By the way, you got a last name Sam?

[wkwkwkwk1]

One flying coat and a solid bump later, Anne is quite fed up.

"Look, I'm going," she says, gathering her coat from Mark's face. "You staying?"

"Hold on," Mark says, holding up a hand. "Listen," he motions towards the group surrounding Charlotte. "Thar's more."

"...that sounds half made up, you know? 'Sides, the other guy is leaving."

"I know. Have some patience, will ya?."

"What're those guys up to?" she nods at the workers and Jonas.

"Nothin' good, but don't look their way. They might notice ya."

"Look, Mark, this is getting fishier by the second. I wanna go."

"Me too. But now I wanna hear the rest of th'story. Look. You see her going after the guy? C'mere" He pulls Anne out of the way of the drunk workers and the masked Jonas, and against a wall, closer to the chatting journalist and informer. "I'll keep talking. You got better ears'n me, try an' listen in."

Can Anne hear anything from the Charlotte-Samuel chat?

[Kaptin Keen]

Zach - oblivious to mob bosses, journalists, builders and so on - realises that, all things being equal, he's propably had enough alcohol tonight. He grabs some water instead, and looks for anyone he remembers from that night. Someone who might know Shulae. As the night wears on, he will sooner or later weave the name into any conversation he has.

Oh by the way ... I was here a couple of weeks ago, with Shulae - do you happen to know her? It's just that one thing lead to another, and now I have her ipad, which she forgot at my place - and I don't know her address.

It's lame, but it's also at least moderately believable.

[smasher0404]

"Reynolds, Samuel Reynolds. Here take my cell number" replies Samuel, writing down the number of his non-business cell phone. Motioning to the bartender for another drink, he raises his glass in a toast. "Here's to a successful partnership?"

[Aardvark 001]

A successful partnership, Charlotte agrees, raising her own glass.

Does she notice Anne and Mark eavesdropping?

[ribblle]

Jonas was ready

You cross the street and prowl behind car cover. They stop 2 corners down, your mark swaying slightly as he jokes to his girl. You catch a man in a Uber tshirt maneuvering for a parking space and slip into the alley, your car waiting. Ten minutes later, they've disappeared into a rundown flat in a tangled mess of arms and legs and you've only the cool night air for company. Celebrations carry faintly on the wind; all the delayed police response you'll ever need. The last camera was 2 blocks ago. Perfect.


"You got better ears'n me, try an' listen in."

The crowd pours out like smoke. Serious voices punch through it. "Reynolds, Samuel Reynolds..." Mark winks at you. All clear.


He grabs some water instead, and looks for anyone he remembers from that night.

He seems... familiar. He looked so smooth a second ago. "Shulae? I - i think i heard that name. You ever been to the Rayleigh's? South street? Swear i heard that in one of the rooms up there. 3b or something." His eyes scan your face, brow furrowed. "I can give you a lift, maybe?" He sets down his cocktail. Coifed brown hair, spectacles, stubble. Uggh... it's too late to http://i.imgur.com/nvkduhc.jpg things.

[Celticbear]

Jonas smiles, though masked no one sees him smile. Though, if one could see him smile, they would cringe in disgust at the shriveled burned flesh stretch into what could only be described as a grimace. Jonas sneaks up towards the door, and grabs his crowbar from his jacket in one hand and his homemade gas grenade in the other. He pries the door open, quickly as he can. Once the door opens he drops the crowbar, and looks inside. If he sees people, he throws the grenade and grabs his gun. If he doesn't see any people, he just grabs his gun.

https://image.shutterstock.com/z/stock-photo-grunge-portrait-man-in-gas-mask-pointing-a-gun-91835882.jpg

[Kaptin Keen]

He seems... familiar. He looked so smooth a second ago. "Shulae? I - i think i heard that name. You ever been to the Rayleigh's? South street? Swear i heard that in one of the rooms up there. 3b or something." His eyes scan your face, brow furrowed. "I can give you a lift, maybe?" He sets down his cocktail. Coifed brown hair, spectacles, stubble. Uggh... it's too late to remember things.

In Zach's state of mind it never occurs to him that this guy might be less than trustworthy. He simply lights up in a smile, full of hope now: Rayleigh's, you say? Can't say that I have, but if you think she might be there, I can't possibly hurt, right? And this place is dead anyways, so yea ... lead on, good sir.

[wkwkwkwk1]

"We go. Details later," Anne wraps her coat around her arm and storms towards the exit, dragging Mark behind her.

"I absolutely, positively loathed this place," she says, once outside.

"So, what'd ya-- ne'ermind," he says, looking around the deserted street. "This place looked way better during th'day. Let's go home. Car's just down the street."

[ribblle]

"Hey! Who's there?" Crunching wood groans and finally cracks open. A man stumbles out into the dark hallway, still pulling his pants up; he lets them fall as he crashes back into the room, the crowbar still slipping from your fingers. "Run!" Something rattles; the window. She shrieks.


so yea ... lead on, good sir.

Leaning on his shoulder, you drift into his front seat in a happy haze. All those things you were going to say to her; they escape you, but you know it will all flood back. Anthony natters as you drive through the busy streets; about how he thinks she was staying with some girls, and that the rates are pretty good, and other things you don't give a damn about anymore. The Porsche pulls up at a bed and breakfast, on the homely side of cheap. A good place to meet. You've sobered up a little; your heart thumps with anticipation.

"Wait a second, i've got to take this." He says something about a visitor and hangs up. "Alright! Moment of truth huh? It's on the second floor, just follow me." He unlocks the door and you stroll past the empty check-in desk; the mauve wallpaper sprinkled with tasteful graffiti cheers you up the stairs. Anthony inspects the hallway: "There. You do the honors." He grins. Finally. You knock... the door slowly swings open, and a shadow rises on it. Tall, thin and about to brain you with a baton!


Not too sure where to go from here. Charlotte drinks a bit, then looks up Sam on her phone to see if his story checks out

Just how it sounds. Some kind of e-sports cheat; he got off on a technicality and his team trashed him like one.

[Celticbear]

Jonas is quick, but not quick enough to draw his gun before the man darts back into his room. Knowing that the gas wouldn't be quick enough or expansive enough to get all of the people, Jonas is always working on making his homemade grenades better, he drops it. While he's dropping it, Jonas runs into the room, and draws his gun. Then murder starts to happen. I won't describe the murder, but it does indeed happen.

[ribblle]

You wish. Both of them have bailed out the window and by the time you've stuck your head out they're diving into a backstreet. At least they've left their phones with their clothes.

[Celticbear]

Jonas curses. At least they didn't see his rather unique face. Just another case filed with the rest of the "Masked Marauder", hopefully for Jonas unsolved. He makes his way, stealthily, back to the bar. He takes his mask off, and pull his hood high over his head, walks in and orders a drink. He needs one.

[Kaptin Keen]

Zach isn't gullible, generally. If he has any reason to suspect foul play, or thinks he's among enemies, he's as paranoid as anyone in a mental asylum. But this is just a night out on the town - one among many dozens - looking to randomly bumb into Shulae once more.

She has to be out there somewhere, right?

And Anthony seems like a nice guy. So it's just too late. Too late, Zach realises he's in the company of a lier as accomplished as himself. Someone who will pepper the lie with glittering little gems of truth. Someone who can lie through his teeth while maintaining a beaming smile.

The shadow signals someone rushing him from behind - likely from the room opposite - and he spins, fast, trying to bring up a block. He knows what he wants to do - the baton is coming right to left, so dodge right, go under, let it slide off your parry, spin punch towards the solar plexus with the right.

But he's drunk, and tired, and the other guy has the jump.

[ribblle]

You dodge the sap somehow and your fist goes wide, pushing air past your assailants gritted teeth. "Anthony" tries to kick your legs out from under you, but you jump on the bed, flailing for balance, before he can touch you. You swear they aren't much better at this then you are.


Jonas curses. At least they didn't see his rather unique face. Just another case filed with the rest of the "Masked Marauder", hopefully for Jonas unsolved. He makes his way, stealthily, back to the bar. He takes his mask off, and pull his hood high over his head, walks in and orders a drink. He needs one.

The barman isn't quite used to your face, but the bar's emptied out enough that you don't catch too many sickly looks. Morosely sipping your beer, you reflect on the job to come. Big money, big names... big hangups. If the drop goes wrong, you're sure to sink too. You can always find a new spot but what if the builders follow you? Is it even worth the trouble? You don't know what you're delivering, you don't know where, you just know who. "D3@th-N0t3"?

[smasher0404]

Samuel is going to continue to sit at the bar, sipping on a beer, and searching for things on his phone. He'll try to dig up anything related to Felix, and his criminal activities online, not paying any mind to the stranger entering the bar.

[ribblle]

He was in with the cartels yet not bound to them, according to the dark net. Had a lot of respect... there's already speculation on who will take the territory. Maybe the Brazilians. Had a reputation for contract killers, probably because of how often his own goons dropped the ball. Owned a few nightcluds, cocaine, hemp, gun running. A cool and calculated kind of guy. Definitely rich enough to hire someone better then Jenny... an "ordinary" lawyer like her must have played into the con. They think he's on the ropes, cut off, boom! And he walks.

Ping! "We've got the package. You'll have it by Sunday, Mr Note." It will be a challenge. Encryption with a running clock courtesy of Citigroup, a privately designed firewall and 50k in cash waiting to see greener pastures. You've got to love rounding errors.

[Aardvark 001]

Charlotte sighs. Just another gaming whizz turned major criminal. Not the best person to have with you when investigating something like this, but not the worst either. Let's just hope he knows which end of a gun the bullets come out of.

She goes back to looking up the strange aurora. She always hated chemistry at school and she still hasn't understood exactly how the argon works. Maybe if she called one of her contacts at the local university to find out what he knows.

[smasher0404]

Sam smirks at the newfound challenge, it'll be something to take the edge off of the current situation. But sitting around the bar wasn't going to get the job done. Slipping his phone back in his pocket, Sam takes out his wallet, taking out a reasonably thick wad of cash while trying to get the attention.

"Hey Bartender, why don't you upgrade everyone to a nice glass of whiskey for the next round, on a Leet Note."
Sam then hands the cash to the bartender before sneaking out the backdoor, to head home to perform trial runs for his next job.

[Celticbear]

Jonas leaves, he's had enough beer already. He goes "home". Puts his homemade grenade on the table with his others. Finds a good spot to fall over, and strips off most of his clothes and changes into checkered, red PJ's. Then he sleeps.

[Aardvark 001]

Charlotte decided not to do anything for tonight. It's getting too late and she needs her rest. She considers draining her glass then decided against it. Free drinks are all well and good but she has to get to work tomorrow.

She smiles at the bartender, winks at the Asian girl she'd spoken to earlier and leaves for home.

[ribblle]

"Let's go home."

At lunch the next day, one of your fellow engineering students bounces to your table and slides between Mark and Richard with a quickness. Irene's eyes are lit with excitement. "Anne; we've got a mission for you, should you choose to accept it. Prof Drak has heard about that gas lamp, you know from the scam? Well, he was asked to debunk it for the herald, and the thing is, he thinks one of the reactions might actually be legitimate! And useful. He thinks someones trying to prank their way into a research position. Yeah Sarah, you just heard that. Guess she wants to see how scientific we really are.

That's where you come in Anne. We're going to build it. Trouble is... so is every youtuber with a camera in the city. Like, i bet we're not even the only ones on Campus. If they summon the genie before we do, chances are the creator goes public through them, the university prooobably looks stupid and there goes tenure, am i right?

Everyone knows you're good at acquiring stuff. How you found those drone parts last year i do not understand. We're hoping you can work your magic and get us *this*" - she hands you a neat shopping list, "nobles gases" circled - "before the stores are cleaned out by the camera crews. It's ridiculous! We'd use university stocks, but good luck getting them to sign off on this. So umm... you in?"



Sam

Dawn streaks through the blinds and into your irises. Your eyes wander to the clock; not long before Jenny expects you.



Then he sleeps.

Beep. "Uh, can you do a shift on Wednesday? We've sent you the list of delivery's, just tell us which you can do first." Beep. Steve's not a patient man.




She smiles, winks and leaves for home.

Your phone shakes across the desk as yet another email arrives. Work's having an interesting day...

[Aardvark 001]

Charlotte sighs and checks her phone. What could it be this time?

[ribblle]

The Masked Maurader strikes again; Was he at YOUR bar? Call in NOW!

You've been scooped by the Prescott Runn - that was your bar. Nick's screaming bloody murder about a crime spree spin, and of course the scam is still supposed to fill page 3. "Gaslighting" he's calling it. Guess who's writing it.

[Kaptin Keen]

It's all a surreal blur - the hospital, the police, his body a strange and unknowable mesh of bruises and cuts and stitches, the time between then and now a mystery. As he staggers out in the street, not actually discharged but definitely unwilling to stay, he has but a single certainty. A hitherto unknown feeling, a depth unsounded, a fierceness ... even bloodlust.

It's a brick that catches his eye. It could have been many other things - a length of discarded pipe, a knife or pistol in one of the 24-hours pawn shops. Many things might have done the job, but as it happens, passing a construction site, it's a halfbrick that he picks up, making his way back, retracing his steps.

That F****** bartender! He poured the drinks. He knew god damned everyone. He has to know. And he will tell. Oh yes.

He will tell. Through bloodied lips and broken teeth, stuttering in fear for his life, crawling, trying to get safe ... the truth will out.

Sick to the core of his being, Zach faces the bar. Halfbrick clutched like the hand of a long-absent lover. Seething. A rage blind and bloody.

He pushes open the door. Hello, friends.

[Aardvark 001]

Charlotte swears under her breath. Crime spree story right under her nose and she spent all night spinning yarns with some whizz kid and drinking more booze than she had in a month. Damn Nick. Damn the bloody Prescott Runn too.

She's going to have to visit that bar again tonight. See if she could pick up some leads. The bartender seemed friendly enough. Maybe she could get something out of him that was better than a few free drinks.

Still, first things first. She scrolls back up her messages and finds the one she wants.

Hi Charlie.

Good to hear from you again. It's been what, years since we've met up? Unfortunately I don't know much more than you do at this point, but you might want to look up Professor Drak at the uni. He might have something for you.

PS. Dinner on Saturday? ;)

Love,
Rachel
Charlotte smiles. She knew Rachel would pull through somehow. She looks up this Professor Drak on her laptop and gets a phone number from the University website. Time to turn on the old charm again. She dials the number and waits.

[ribblle]

Dawn breaks through the door as you shove it open. The bar lies illuminated; just short of a club, pints short of clean. An exhausted looking but dementedly familiar face mops one of the spills while a waitress washes the dishes. Without looking up, he says "Hello Larry. Washcloth is in the bucket."


She dials and waits.

Ring. "Yes?" utters a deep and aggrieved sounding voice.

[Aardvark 001]

Charlotte puts on her sunniest, most winsome voice. Hello? Professor Drak? This is Alice. Alice Roberts. I was in your class at the University? How are you?

[Celticbear]

Ughh. Steve is the worst, thinks Jonas as he rises from his corner.

Can you send me the list again? I seem to have misplaced it...


((Did we ever mention deliveries?))

[Kaptin Keen]

In the movies, when someone is downed, attackers will always go for a good, solid kick in the gut - get a really solid swing and just plant that foot deep in the abdomen, winding the guy.

This is wrong.

Zach steps up to the guy, raises his leg his, and stamps the heel of his shoe hard - right in the bartenders kidney. Completely unexpected, undefended, the bartender knows only a 3 second blackout, and then a guy with a halfbrick raised to pulp his face is on top of him.

Hello friend.

You get this one chance: Tell me where I'm going next, and I leave. Now, while you still have a face you will recognize in the mirror. Or we do it the way where I beat your face in - and then you tell me.

The blood red gleam in Zachs eyes don't leave a lot of room for interpretation.


Zach isn't a fool - there is another person in the room, with a third on the way. So he's facing the room with his back to the wall.

[smasher0404]

****, the final version of the code is still cycling through 3 seconds to slowly, at this rate, I'll only be able to get 3/4 of the promised amount when it runs. I'd really prefer not to go with plan B. Wait? What time was it again?

Sam quickly jumps out of his chair into the bathroom, quickly brushing, and getting changed as quickly as possible. Once he's actually gotten ready for the day, Sam hops on his bike,and starts biking towards Jenny's place, being sure to stop by Starbucks to pick up coffee for the both of them, realizing that he forgot to take the reporter's cell phone number as well. Today was going to be a long day.

[ribblle]

Ughh. Steve is the worst, thinks Jonas as he rises from his corner.

Can you send me the list again? I seem to have misplaced it...


((Did we ever mention deliveries?))

"Sure. It's got all those locations, you know? Just take a guess and tell me where you think you can hit first?"

As you awaken it comes to you. That pizza front they set up two weeks ago. More importantly, the "deliveries" 4 days early, and two days away. Someone is really keen to shift this.


Charlotte puts on her sunniest, most winsome voice. Hello? Professor Drak? This is Alice. Alice Roberts. I was in your class at the University? How are you?

"Oh yes, Alice. I'm very well, but a little tied up. Do you want a reference? Consider it done." He doesn't sound brusque so much as - excited.

[wkwkwkwk1]

"Ooooooooh," Anne's eyes seem to shine brighter. "I am so in. I think I can dig up some of my old contacts. Mark, you in?"

Sorry for my absence... >_< But hey, I'm back! :smallbiggrin:

[Aardvark 001]

"Oh yes, Alice. I'm very well, but a little tied up. Do you want a reference? Consider it done." He doesn't sound brusque so much as - excited.

Charlotte grins and fiddles with her notes. That was almost too easy. Maybe she could afford to be a little more direct here. Actually Professor I called to talk about your research.
I was looking into this recent aural phenomenon we've been experiencing and I heard that you had made a brilliant breakthrough regarding it.

I was hoping to come and speak to you about your findings if at all possible. Are you at the University today?


Me too. Glad this is still going ahead. I'm definitely hooked on this story. I don't actually know what's going on at all, but I can't wait to find out :smallsmile:

[ribblle]

In the movies, when someone is downed, attackers will always go for a good, solid kick in the gut - get a really solid swing and just plant that foot deep in the abdomen, winding the guy.

This is wrong.

Zach steps up to the guy, raises his leg his, and stamps the heel of his shoe hard - right in the bartenders kidney. Completely unexpected, undefended, the bartender knows only a 3 second blackout, and then a guy with a halfbrick raised to pulp his face is on top of him.

Hello friend.

You get this one chance: Tell me where I'm going next, and I leave. Now, while you still have a face you will recognize in the mirror. Or we do it the way where I beat your face in - and then you tell me.

The blood red gleam in Zachs eyes don't leave a lot of room for interpretation.


Zach isn't a fool - there is another person in the room, with a third on the way. So he's facing the room with his back to the wall.


"He roofied you right? Right? I know who sells those! Go to Juniper Street, anything like that comes from there! Believe me i had nothing to do with it! The police just told me ok?"

Spluttering and unprepared - he's telling the truth. The girl stands stock-still, mouth wide.


****, the final version of the code is still cycling through 3 seconds to slowly, at this rate, I'll only be able to get 3/4 of the promised amount when it runs. I'd really prefer not to go with plan B. Wait? What time was it again?

Sam quickly jumps out of his chair into the bathroom, quickly brushing, and getting changed as quickly as possible. Once he's actually gotten ready for the day, Sam hops on his bike,and starts biking towards Jenny's place, being sure to stop by Starbucks to pick up coffee for the both of them, realizing that he forgot to take the reporter's cell phone number as well. Today was going to be a long day.

Knock knock. You hear the grating sound of something heavy shifting, and the door eventually opens. Jenny's look of fierce annoyance crumples into exhaustion. "Sam, i - i give up. All this! To scare me away from some men i hated?" She collapses on the sofa in-front of the door and puts a hand to her temples. The room is neat as ever; from the shoeboxes under the couch to the origamai on the shelf. "Can you check in my room? I'm going to make some ****ing coffee."


"Ooooooooh," Anne's eyes seem to shine brighter. "I am so in. I think I can dig up some of my old contacts. Mark, you in?"

"Whaddo'ya think?"

Irene smiles. 500 dollars materializes in one smooth motion. "Bring back change."

The list asks for specific amounts of 7 gases - oxygen, neon, xenon, argon, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and helium - a phone sized lithium battery, a large electromagnet and custom parts for a gas discharge lamp.


Charlotte grins and fiddles with her notes. That was almost too easy. Maybe she could afford to be a little more direct here. Actually Professor I called to talk about your research.
I was looking into this recent aural phenomenon we've been experiencing and I heard that you had made a brilliant breakthrough regarding it.

I was hoping to come and speak to you about your findings if at all possible. Are you at the University today?

"Oh, the blue aurora? Solar static, nothing more. This gaseous effect is much more promising! Please come round, I'd love to see what your research has produced."

[Kaptin Keen]

"He roofied you right? Right? I know who sells those! Go to Juniper Street, anything like that comes from there! Believe me i had nothing to do with it! The police just told me ok?"

Spluttering and unprepared - he's telling the truth. The girl stands stock-still, mouth wide.

Somewhat deflated, Zach lowers the half-brick.

Juniper street, huh? Got any more info? I can't really kill my way through everyone there until I get the right one. I'd like to be a little more specific.

Also, what do you have behind the bar?

Every bar has something. Very occasionally, it's just the knife for the limes and oranges - but mostly, you go from baseball bats and up towards glocks or shotguns. And while a half-brick will do in a pinch ... well, what goes for knives in gunfights goes double for bricks.

[ribblle]

"The - the pushers can help you. Just take it." The girl scurries away as you wheeze closer, your stitching still fresh. There's a taser on a shelf next to the register.

[Kaptin Keen]

Of all the bars in the world, I have to assault the one with a non-lethal weapon policy.

Taser plus brick is still a remarkable improvement over just brick. Larry might be here soon, whoever he might be. Zach picks up the taser, and his eyes glance towards the register. Sometimes a bribe is easier than a brick to the temple. He reaches out, hits 'no sale'.

[ribblle]

Ding.

http://www.wcscanhelp.com/COURSES/cashdrawer/Cash_Drawer_Photo_with_money.jpg

About 500 dollars.

[Kaptin Keen]

Zach grabs the cash, and leaves. On his way out, he asks the girl if she smokes - if she indicates a yes, he also confiscates her lighter. In the street, he hails a cap, asking for Juniper Street. He also ask the driver:

Any chance you have a spare canister in the car? I'd pay you. If not, we need to stop at a gas station.

[ribblle]

She shakes her head and sighs in relief as you leave.

"Sure thing."

You pull up at the gas station just outside the inner city, typically crowded. You can hear sirens.

[Kaptin Keen]

Sirens. Well in this city, doesn't necessarily mean anything. But then again, if those people at the bar called the cops, they'll be sending them on to Juniper Street. Right? Right.

Yo, starts Zach, leaning forward to converse briefly with the driver, you get police bands on that thing? Pointing to the radio. There's a chance they might like a chat with me - but don't worry, I'm no big time gangster. There's no big reward on my head, I'm worth a lot more to you as a paying customer, this with a big smile, just if they know I'm going to Juniper, we might want to postpone that part of the journey.

What say you? Big risk. Too big, but not really any choice. Whatever the outcome, Zach goes to the station, buys a 5 liter canister with a spout, and comes back outside. Hopefully, the cap is still waiting.

[wkwkwkwk1]

"Whaddo'ya think?"

Irene smiles. 500 dollars materializes in one smooth motion. "Bring back change."

The list asks for specific amounts of 7 gases - oxygen, neon, xenon, argon, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and helium - a phone sized lithium battery, a large electromagnet and custom parts for a gas discharge lamp.

"Well well well..."

As soon as the class ends, Anne retreats to a nice, isolated corner of the university's garden, climbs a tree and leaves Mark to stand watch below, as she dials a single number: that of a hardware store, owned by a friend of her uncle, who's supplied her ever since she was a child.

"Heyyyyyyy!" she chimes into the phone. "How are you doing? I'm fine, thanks. Just wanted to know if you could save me some stuff for this afternoon. There miiiiiight be money on the line. Oh, of course I'll pay for everything. Hard cash. With a nice tip at the end if you fancy. And you'll get a share you deem fair. I'll send you the list by e-mail. Yes, yes, all encrypted, ya big paranoid. Gimme a big kiss to uncle Carl! Byyyyyye!"

She hops off the branch, flying all the way to the ground, startling Mark off his feet.

"Let's go," a huge smile flies on her face.

[ribblle]

What say you?

He takes a long look at your blurry red eyes, your cheap clothes and convincing smile. "Another druggie, huh? Yeah sure, the cops are after you, the green berets will be here any minute. Hurry up."

As you head towards the exit, canister in hand, you see a cop leaning in the car window and chatting to your surprised cabbie. His hand rises towards the gas station...



"Let's go," a huge smile flies on her face.

If you didn't know better, you'd think it was black friday. The queue bubbles around the store like a nerdy termites nest. With Mark to help you shoulder past the crowd you escape the squawks of protestation and enter the ravaged store. Tools, batteries, parts - all gone. Try as you might, the checkout desk is impenetrable. You wave and yell to no avail, and you finally get Neil's attention when Mark hoists you up on his shoulders. He looks extremely pleased.

"ANNE!" He bellows. "I'VE GOT YOUR STUFF. WELL, MOST OF YOUR STUFF. THE ARC TUBES WERE SOLD OUT BEFORE YOU CALLED AND YOU KNOW I DON'T TRUCK IN THE GASES, THOUGH MAYBE I SHOULD!" He throws a large package to you. It's very heavy; probably the electromagnet. "PAY ME NEXT WEEK!"

When you escape, 214 dollar's worth of goods rest in your hands.

[Kaptin Keen]

... ok - I cannot outrun a cop. I couldn't outrun an elderly pedestrian.

I also cannot convincingly explain what I'm doing with gasoline, a taser and half a brick, so I most likely don't want this fine law enforcement officer to find me.

Damned. When you need them, they're never around.


Gas stations: In general, there is more than one exit - one on either side. Also, in general, they aren't super secure. But that's here in Denmark, where crime barely exists. Our gas tanks worry about people driving off without paying.

Zach will either walk out the opposite exit, or simply duck under the counter and go through into the backroom and out that way, if it has only one exit.

If those fail, he's effectively out of options. He will stash brick, taser and canister behind a shelf, and talk to the cop.

[ribblle]

You haven't walked 5 feet before you hear "Stop right there son!" You palm your questionable items onto the shelf as you slow down and return to the car. One cop trains a taser on you, the other pats you down. He takes your wallet, and looks at you evenly. "Where's the taser?" he asks softly. You can see sympathy written on his young face.

[Kaptin Keen]

What is your job, officer?

Consider for a moment. Earlier tonight, I was drugged, cut open, robbed of my internal organs, dumped in a bathtub and left there to bleed out.

I am alive by accident. And I may well not live the night. Because I'm going to get my kidney back, or die trying. I am not going to be tied to a machine for the rest of my life.

So what is your job, officer? Protect, and serve, is that what it says on the side of your squad car?

What, precisely, do you feel that prompts you to do?

The taser is inside. If you take it, my job tonight will be harder. Is that truly what you want?

[ribblle]

The cops exchange glances. There's a trace of shared bitterness. Taser cop loudly says "You're goddamn lucky they didn't press charges!" and leans into your face with a finger under your chin. Quietly, he says "You're really not going to give up, are you. Should have been better handled, this whole thing. You hurt anyone you shouldn't..." He walks back to his car and slams the door. The young cop looks at you arms crossed. You faintly hear "perp gave himself in. Think it's best if we take him into his friends custody - i don't want to do the paperwork if his stress -".

"You are lucky they didn't press charges." With that, they leave. Needless to say, the cab's gone.

[Kaptin Keen]

Well ... I didn't pay him, so that's something.

Zach walks back into the station, picks up his gear, and asks the guy behind the counter to call a cap. While he waits, he looks for something to carry it all in. Toys with the idea of adding a car battery and jumper cables.

Really, you can do a lot with a little.

[ribblle]

You're given a strange look and a thick bag.

"Where too?"

[Kaptin Keen]

Juniper Street, my good man. Though if the street level entrepeneurs there have gone off duty at this hour, we might need to go elsewhere. A man suffering from acute organ vacation suffers the unique conundrum of having little time but acutely needing rest.

Zach says this with a wide, dazzling smile. Whether this is comforting or not is unclear. To Zach, at least.

[Celticbear]

((I completely forgot about this, and I am so sorry for not posting since... well since forever. Ribble, can you tell me what Jonas was doing again.))

[ribblle]

My fault mate. Your boss just delivered a coded message asking you to set up the meet already. Trouble is, you currently know only one good spot, and it's next to the construction team.

Here's the last post (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=22185808&postcount=55) for you.

[Celticbear]

Jonas does some digging, and finds a few more bullets and stashes those and his gun into his pocket. He then walks out the door with his hood brought down low enough that he can still see but low enough as well tohide the worst of the fire's scars.

He make his way into the construction site, hoping only that the men he staked out wouldn't recognize his face. It was the gas mask they saw. He waits until someone tells him that he needs to get lost. Jonas has a plan in his head for how to get rid of the construction team.

[Aardvark 001]

"Oh, the blue aurora? Solar static, nothing more. This gaseous effect is much more promising! Please come round, I'd love to see what your research has produced."

That would be great! When shall I come by? And where shall I meet you?

[wkwkwkwk1]

If you didn't know better, you'd think it was black friday. The queue bubbles around the store like a nerdy termites nest. With Mark to help you shoulder past the crowd you escape the squawks of protestation and enter the ravaged store. Tools, batteries, parts - all gone. Try as you might, the checkout desk is impenetrable. You wave and yell to no avail, and you finally get Neil's attention when Mark hoists you up on his shoulders. He looks extremely pleased.

"ANNE!" He bellows. "I'VE GOT YOUR STUFF. WELL, MOST OF YOUR STUFF. THE ARC TUBES WERE SOLD OUT BEFORE YOU CALLED AND YOU KNOW I DON'T TRUCK IN THE GASES, THOUGH MAYBE I SHOULD!" He throws a large package to you. It's very heavy; probably the electromagnet. "PAY ME NEXT WEEK!"

When you escape, 214 dollar's worth of goods rest in your hands.

"THANKS, NEIL! SEE YA!"

"Now, where to get the arc tubes and the gases..."

A second later, her phone is out of her pocket and against her ear, "Heyyyyyy, unclesie Carl... tell me, you don't happen to have an arc tube, no? And do you know where I can get me some gases?"

[ribblle]

Juniper Street, my good man.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q47Lo6YQ4E4&feature=youtu.be


He make his way into the construction site, hoping only that the men he staked out wouldn't recognize his face.

There are only 3 men here, and they don't look like construction workers. In fact, they look nervous. From behind the steel framework you can see a casually dressed man in his 30's leading two well-dressed men into the centre of the yard. They stare at the ground, circling something. You can make out chalk, but the sun glares back at you when you try to see it's shape. They look up at each other with worry; the oldest man looks ready to run. "Detwiler... you haven't been trying anything have you?" Detwiler, lean in a crisp suit replies "I wouldn't be so damn obvious."
"Did you have a choice?" interjects the younger man.
"You think I've changed my mind on any of your claptrap? How do we know it wasn't you George?"
The 30-something shifts uneasily. "I'm not that desperate."
"I'm not sure any of us were needed." The oldest again.
"Then this is our chance! We can observe it from the start -"
"We can observe each other." George scowls.
"Look, classes are about to start and the builders too. George, get everyone in the teachers lounge at 4."
"3:30." Neither oldest or youngest protest.

As they hurry away a line of high-vis starts to trickle down the street.


That would be great! When shall I come by? And where shall I meet you?

"How about this afternoon? The lab."


"Heyyyyyy, unclesie Carl... tell me, you don't happen to have an arc tube, no? And do you know where I can get me some gases?"

"You should have called me earlier, we're fresh out. And i can hear the mob bitching about the gas supplier from here, so it must be the same. You're on your own kid."

[Kaptin Keen]

Lively place ... thinks Zach, this should be interesting.

Zach pays the cabbie, then says: This is most likely going to end in trouble. If you wait around, I'll definitely need to go someplace after I have a brief conversation here. I just hope it's not the hospital. Your choice, obviously.

With that, he exits the car.

How does one approach a group of pushers, hookers and thieves and convince them to share information that might actually be dangerous to them? Only one way to find out.

Zach takes in the scenery, looking for one of the bottom rung dealers: One of those who's deep in his own addiction, trying to sell enough to others that he can keep himself in product, maintain a steady influx of poison in his own bloodstream. Desperation is what we're looking for here.

Finding the most likely candidate for this, Zach approches with cash in hand, and says:

There are people who trade in ... shall we say the organs of others. I need to know where to find them.

And he holds up a shiny new bill, like a magic charm or amulet. Trade with me. This is just like selling dope, only you get to keep the dope.

[smasher0404]

Knock knock. You hear the grating sound of something heavy shifting, and the door eventually opens. Jenny's look of fierce annoyance crumples into exhaustion. "Sam, i - i give up. All this! To scare me away from some men i hated?" She collapses on the sofa in-front of the door and puts a hand to her temples. The room is neat as ever; from the shoeboxes under the couch to the origamai on the shelf. "Can you check in my room? I'm going to make some ****ing coffee."



Sam places a hand on Jenny's shoulder, reassuringly.

"Jenny, go get some rest, I grabbed some coffee for you from Starbucks. Three shots of espresso and way too much milk just the way you like it.
I'll go make sure everything in your room is still there, and then I'm treating you to a drink at the bar.

Once, he hands off Jenny's coffee, and making sure she actually takes a break, he rolls up his sleeves and enters Jenny's room, being sure to take a careful inventory of everything in there, and double checking it twice to make sure he didn't miss anything. Particularly if anything was there that wasn't supposed to be. If he comes across anything strange, he'll be sure to double check with Jenny about it.

Sorry for being away for so long, was busy working on a project. Should hopefully be more free from now on.

[ribblle]

Finding the most likely candidate for this, Zach approches with cash in hand, and says:

There are people who trade in ... shall we say the organs of others. I need to know where to find them.

And he holds up a shiny new bill, like a magic charm or amulet. Trade with me. This is just like selling dope, only you get to keep the dope.

"Get away from me you sick ****!" The skinny wretch you eyed up backs away nervously and keeps a hand on his back pocket.


Sam places a hand on Jenny's shoulder, reassuringly.

"Jenny, go get some rest, I grabbed some coffee for you from Starbucks. Three shots of espresso and way too much milk just the way you like it.
I'll go make sure everything in your room is still there, and then I'm treating you to a drink at the bar.

"Thank you Sam. Thank you." As she sips and massages her temples you look around. It really does look untouched... aside from that. The wardrobe is wide open. Even today that's unlike her. You open it on oiled hinges; all neat, casual, business. Shouldn't something be standing out? Yes! That racy black dress from clubbing, gone.

"What? ****. Thanks Sam, again. Look, i'll take you up on that offer but can you drive me to the police station first? Maybe this whole thing will be over."

[smasher0404]

Sam gives a reluctant shrug and playfully sticks out his tongue "Sure thing, one problem though, I rode in on my bike. So if you could loan me your keys, I'd be happy to drive you over to the station. Or you can just hop on the back of my bike if you want me to just pedal over."

[Kaptin Keen]

Not the intended reaction.

Zach holds out his hands, obviously not armed.

... I'm no threat, but I need help. My little girl, she's in the hospital. She needs a kidney, ok? But she also has leukemia, do you see?
It's in remission, but she has it. So she's dead last on the transplant list.

Zach reaches down, finds a rock - places a nice hundred dollar bill on the sidewalk, places the rock on top.

I know there are people, around here, who can help me. Help save my little girl. Can you point me in the right direction? Please.

[wkwkwkwk1]

"You should have called me earlier, we're fresh out. And i can hear the mob bitching about the gas supplier from here, so it must be the same. You're on your own kid."

"Awwwwww shucks," she drops her phone into her pocket and sits down next to a tree. "What now, Mark?"