Review each person a bit before you decide.

I'm definitely tempted to say YAMA, seeing as he's apparently the one bankrolling the bad guys.

BAN 2021/12/09(Thu)13:40 No. 1016970 ID: 88966b
File 163908604040.jpg - (419.69KB , 1920x600 , cop249.jpg )

Come on BAN, focus... You just flipped through each of these folders, but some of the details are already slipping your mind. You shake your head and skim through each one again:

YAMA DeValle, current head of DeValle Works. He took one of the country's top arms manufacturers and expanded it into a modern-day monopoly. It's estimated that as much as 70% of the country's currently-used heavy machinery was produced by his company. A similar fraction of the UCS military's current arms contracts belong to DW and its proxies. YAMA served in the Advance Team under Jonathan Durst during the war ten years ago.

LILLITH Talman. She doesn't own Cinester Productions, but her name's synonymous with it--she's a world-famous actress who's been featured in a number of movies produced by the company. She's from this city originally, and owns one of the largest mansions up in Northtown. Most famous for her leading role in the war movie "ATHENA" that came out a few years ago. 'Based on true events,' your ass... LILLITH served under Durst during the war, as well.

ADAM Supay, president of Supay Solutions. Over the past decade, he's carved out a spot for his company in both the military and civilian sectors, researching and selling complex electronics for a number of different purposes. It looks like shortly after the company's inception, it was taken under DeValle Works's wing--the larger company's products almost exclusively run on electronic systems designed by SS. ADAM is another veteran from Durst's company.

You sit back in your chair and let out a sigh. The files stare back at you menacingly. They're all terribly powerful people... You fight back the wave of despair that's been trying to get at you since the end of last night's events. You can do this, you tell yourself. Just pick one of these bastards, hound them, and maybe some small piece of this huge mess will fall into place...

>>1016970
step back a moment, Ban. is trying to pursue this in a bad state of mind likely to get you convictions or a court marshall?

We need to delegate. I think electronics is our best bet right now given the construction of the bomb, but I don't think we should be at the forefront of interactions with how we are now. who's the most Charming in your division?

>>1016970
Yeah, I think YAMA is the big dog in this pack.

Go for Lillith, as a practice run. At least until you get your head straight. You need to be seen as a toady investigator so you'll be underestimated by the conspiracy.

All three of these guys went through hell on a nearly biblical scale together; you can't make any assumptions about who the weakest link is, at least as far as the individuals are concerned.

The actress's connection to all this is nebulous (beyond possibly being on that list of auction-goers) and maybe hot to handle if she can leverage the media, and the software provided by the lesser company can't be recovered; that leaves the hardware and the biggest of the money trails. YAMA DeValle seems like our most obvious lead if we're chasing this terrorist conspiracy.

>>1016970
The nerd’s typically the easiest to lean on in any setting and it gets you at YAMA from a different angle.

Pick ADAM.

YAMA looks like a tough case, that we'd need hard evidence to crack. LILLITH looks like the safest one to get our bearings with.

She talks for a living, maybe she slips up and tells you something actionable.

Look intently at the report and say "I know you are up to something, YAMA DeValle, and when I find out what it is you are going to be YAMA De-leted." And dab to punctuate the idea.

>>1016975
to clarify, this is a vote for ADAM

>>ADAM SUPAY

All three are difficult as all of them are veterans and are tight. Yama will be hardest so let the Feds take care of him. Lillith will be tough. She's a local and will probably have many, many catspaws under her. So, Adam it is.

Also, do we have any service records for all three?

Well, I think we should go with Adam, however; unless this is due imminently, we literally need to sleep so we don't turn into a liability. Go to sleep. If you can't, pop some over the counter non-habit forming insomnia meds and/or a stiff drink and take a fucking nap.

1/2 BAN 2021/12/12(Sun)23:49 No. 1017241 ID: e30795
File 163938176308.jpg - (148.00KB , 939x800 , cop250.jpg )

You think hard on the decision. None of them will be easy to investigate, but YAMA will definitely be the hardest of the three. If you got her talking, LILLITH might be an easier nut to crack, but she could be volatile if she got defensive and started weaponizing her media influence... Ultimately, your eyes trail back to ADAM's file. Your gut's telling you that if anyone would be connected to the construction of that bomb, it would be him. Getting to ADAM might also lead you to YAMA from a different angle too, if you played your cards right...

You mull it over a little more before nodding decisively. You stack the files again, with ADAM's on top. You'll let the feds take the other two, and make him your team's project.

You slowly rise from your desk. Jesus, you're tired. You'll report to HALE with your decision in the morning--you need to sleep, before you turn into a liability. Taking the ADAM folder along with you, you carefully step over a loudly-snoring Dane and collapse onto your bedroll. Your mind's still going a mile a minute as sleep starts to creep up on you. You should check these three's service records when you get up, you muse. You try to take stock of yourself, mentally. Are you still good to lead interactions in the field? Who would do it besides yourself, KYLE? He seems to get along with people pretty well...

You drift off to sleep....

2/2 BAN 2021/12/12(Sun)23:51 No. 1017242 ID: e30795
File 163938188201.jpg - (188.81KB , 1341x750 , cop251.jpg )

>"BAN?!!"

You're roughly shaken awake by Sergeant Dane. Dammit, you'd only just started dreaming... Your watch reads 7:00.

>"When the fuck did you make it back?" Your partner starts frantically checking you for injuries. "Where did they take you? Are you alright?!"

>>1017242
"weird fed shit. made me and probably STEVE relive my time in the war, some kinda interrogation thing they tried and failed to pass off as a dream. Apparently we passed whatever test that was meant to be though, wound up getting here after that."

"Yeah."

>>1017242
"It was a background check. Honestly, the less you know, the safer you are. It was somewhat traumatic, but it ended up being more or less unrelated to the case.

>>1017247
Lets not say most of this. It is potentially risky knowledge to have, and Dane doesn't gain anything from knowing. We could vaguely just say the background check was about our time in the war, but we probably shouldn't elaborate further.

"I had horrible flashbacks about your brother and the rest of the platoon dying horribly in a coordinated Canardi bombing and please, please, please let me sleep this off."

>>1017411
contrary to this: Dane is our closest confidant and someone I think we should trust implicitly with just about everything. To do otherwise would be kinda disrespectful to how integral she's been at keeping us functional.

"I think something truly colossal is approaching -- the Gloaming. The Culling. The Bloodletting of Unimaginable Proportions. And I don't think me and it is joking around"

>>1017467
Normally I would agree, however we really shouldn't try to make the feds our enemy.

If the situation ever arises where Dane needs to know, then we tell her right away.

Currently it just seems like there is nothing to gain by knowing, while talking about it would strain our relationship with the feds. We could even end up in prison ourselves if we signed an NDA while under the influence.

>>1017486
I think we gain someone who can bail us out if that happens, personally. For one thing, any contract signed in an altered state of mind is null and void, and having a witness would help if it DOES go the legal route, which I doubt since this seems like a hushed up method they're utilizing.

Second, if Dane finds out we hid something THIS BIG it could potentially lose us a lot of trust. Bad idea, since she's currently our most dependable ally.

Further, she'll also know what to look for if they wind up trying it on her or someone around her, which given how close to everything she is, could be a possibility.

>>1017488
It wouldn't be a witness though, it would just be hearsay. I suppose we could tell Dane that we were given a background check and run through a rather invasive and intense interrogation about our time in the military. We should not be specific about the drugging part. We should also not mention the weapon for several reasons:
we don't know much about it to begin with
we know the feds also don't know much about it
we know the feds are trying to keep it secret as much as possible
lastly, and potentially most importantly, we have no idea what the nature of the weapon was, or even if it was a weapon at all. It could have been a third party, an act of a literal god, or aliens, or who the hell knows what. Plus, even if an NDA wouldn't hold up, we may have signed an unrelated NDA closer to our discharge regarding everything we saw during the event.

BAN 2021/12/26(Sun)10:04 No. 1018427 ID: b7456f
File 164054189767.jpg - (286.51KB , 800x775 , cop252.jpg )

"Yeah, I'm fine," you grunt, sitting up and rubbing your eyes. You're about to fill her in on the night's events, but you hesitate. You wouldn't be endangering her by saying something, would you? The interrogation and its specifics are still a black hole in your brain. Could they have made you sign some kind of NDA while you were under, or--!!

>Dane traps your face in a vicegrip and pulls it closer to hers. The concussion hasn't weakened the intensity of her glare at all... "Focus. You don't look fine at all," she says bluntly. "Tell me what happened."

You swallow hard. No, there's no way you could keep something like this hidden from the sergeant, you ultimately decide--even if you wanted to, she wouldn't let you. "It was a 'background check,'" you explain, carefully prying gloved fingers out of your cheeks. "More like an interrogation... They took me and STEVE somewhere in the industrial district. I think they wanted to know about my time in the military."

>"In the military...?" Dane's eyes widen slightly. "What did they ask?"

"Uh...." Christ, what did they ask about? Everything prior to waking up in that room is still escaping you. You can't even recall what your nightmares were about...

>Dane reads something on your face. "Son of a bitch, you don't remember," she says incredulously. Her frown deepens as she puts the pieces together. "They drugged you, didn't they?!"

You nod awkwardly. "Whatever kind of test that was supposed to be, though, we apparently passed. When we came to they drove us back here, debriefed us and turned us loose..."

>"Those fucking slugs!" Dane stands up abruptly and balls her hands into fists. "They're not getting away with this. Which office did that blonde bitch take over, I'll go and--"

"It's alright," you say placatingly. It really isn't, you think bitterly, but the last thing you need right now is your relationship with the feds getting strained any further. And you can't imagine a bigger strain than Dane starting a fistfight with HALE... "We knew that they'd pull something like this when they came in, didn't we? And as rough as it was, at least it was more or less unrelated to the case."

>Your partner doesn't look convinced at all. She keeps clenching her fists, but she sits back down. "This situation is fucked up, BAN," she says. "I'm more worried about you than usual, and that's seriously saying something."

"Don't be. I've been in worse positions, before." You double check the bedroll beneath you, then lay back down with a sigh. "Here, give me some time to sleep this off and get my mind back together. I get the feeling that something big is on the way, and I won't be able to handle it like this..."

>Dane looks like she wants to say more, but she just nods curtly and stands again. "Right... Get some rest, boss." She points at the folder lying next to you. "What's that, some work? I could cover it while you're out, if you want."

She can do some stuff sure, though you'll doubt she'll get through it all in a few hours.

Just run the basics, background check, news reports, anything in-hindsight-suspicious-or-weird given recent events in his activities and itineraries, involvement with military vets or on his connection with big fish YAMA DeValle. Don't get wrapped up with the fellow himself and don't go anywhere without backup, though.

Pick up his service record and war stories too, if he's got any shared with the public.

Ah, and what's the latest development project(s) his company is working on, if anything is known to the public?

>>1018427
Is this implying a temporary pov switch while Ban recovers? Because I say 100% yes!

1/2 BAN 2021/12/29(Wed)16:13 No. 1018713 ID: b7456f
File 164082320604.jpg - (351.99KB , 900x734 , cop253.jpg )

You close your eyes. "That's our new target," you say. "You could start digging into him, although you probably won't get to everything in just a few hours..."

>Dane picks up the file and examines the cover. "I'll do what I can," she says resolutely. "Leave it to me, boss."

2/2 Dane 2021/12/29(Wed)16:17 No. 1018714 ID: b7456f
File 164082345875.jpg - (294.93KB , 1100x634 , cop254.jpg )

Your name is Anna Dane. You're a cop.

You close the office door quietly. Captain BAN's gonna be out of commission for the next several hours. Those fucking SIG spooks really did a number on him... In his stead, you've got to start finding out as much as you can about one ADAM Supay.

Before he crashed, the captain laid out most of what he wanted done. A background check, getting your hands on service records, digging up relevant news reports, figuring out this guy's relationship with the other veterans, finding out what his company's been up to recently, if anything's been out of the ordinary with him... Damn. You scowl as you realize that the boss was right--you probably won't be able to cover all of this before he wakes up.

You grit your teeth as your headache starts worsening again. Fine then, you think, you'll just have to pick one or two tasks and roll with them. You might be able to cover more ground if you can hunt down some more cops, too--everyone involved in last night's raid should still be around the precinct, even that chickenshit paparazzi. You lower the brim of your lucky cap and decide where to begin...

>>1018714
background check will take time, delegate that one. Service records seem like something we can handle, so lets take on that ourselves. The rest kinda sprouts from there.

Seems like the journalist guy would be able to dig up some gossip on him and his company. Let's track him down and bully him into it.

>>1018714
Take a second to marvel at the various levels of irony in the BAN poster.

Well, seems like all of those items on the itinerary are things we need to do at a desk in front of a computer.

>>1018716
Put the paparazzi both on company goss and tracking down (and assessing) relevant news reports about the company. Both of those things should be in his bailiwick.

How's he doing, by the way?

Putting Devin to dig up dirt on the company will be a good idea, bt you will need to get someone to provide some escort so no one tries anything funny on him.

Kyle could do the background checks.

1/2 Dane 2022/01/05(Wed)10:46 No. 1019651 ID: 88966b
File 164140837744.jpg - (598.32KB , 1104x750 , cop255.jpg )

You nod to yourself. You can stick KYLE with running the background check, and try to get ahold of this guy's service records at the ready room's computer. The rest should fall into place from there.

Before you start tracking people down, you take a second to look at the poster hanging next to BAN's office door. These eyesores have been all over the precinct for the past eight years--there's even one with your mug on it, over in the evidence room. You scoff at the caption floating next to a younger, even dumber-looking BAN's head. The guy who wrote these ads clearly had a sense of humor.

You give BAN's photo another subtle glance before you walk away. The boss should've kept wearing that sport coat though, you muse. It couldn't do anything for that dopey face, but it made the rest of him look alright...

2/2 Dane 2022/01/05(Wed)11:02 No. 1019652 ID: 88966b
File 164140932320.jpg - (751.32KB , 967x800 , cop256.jpg )

Before you go into KYLE's office, you roam the precinct looking for that nosy shit from Crosshair. You don't trust the creep--it slipped by BAN yesterday, but you noticed the difference between the last name that he gave you and the one that came up during the precinct's background checks. As long as he's slinking around though, you can't think of a more effective option for digging up dirt on ADAM's company. You'll just have to make sure someone's around to keep an eye on him.

You pass through the ready room and cut through another hallway. On some level, you're also genuinely curious about how that bastard's been handling all of this. He seemed to be keeping it together during the debriefing last night, but you're sure that the rat's sense of self-preservation must be firing on all cylinders by now. You give it another day at most before he finally cuts and runs, or the SIG snatches him up for more 'background checks...'

You stop in your tracks as you reach the evidence room for the second time. Damn, where did that little bastard get off to? You decide to turn around and backtrack--!!

>"EXCUSE ME!!!!"

"Fuck!!!" Pain explodes through your skull as something rams into you from the front at high speed. You clutch your head as you stumble backwards and fall on your ass.

>"O-oh!!! OH!!!! OH, NO!!!!!!" Devin Fletcher looks like he's about to shit bricks. He squats next to you and puts on a shaky smile. "S-s-sergeant!!! Ahaha, funny meeting you here!! H-how are you doing this morning??!!!"

You start seeing red.

>>1019652
Deep breaths, cool off, stay in control. Then get up in his face and tell him he is on thin fucking ice with his gig here. Be intimidating. Then tell him we have a job for him while you pick up the papers he has (glance at them, make sure he isn't exploiting the evidence room to write articles or some shit), and shove them into his arms.

Okay. Mind focused. You can't stay mad at Jon Arbuckle for being a Jon Arbuckle level clutz.

Ask him what he's been up to since you last met and tell him about the new task you got for him.

>>1019652
why was he in the evidence room?

Dane 2022/01/19(Wed)22:58 No. 1020794 ID: b6a6be
File 164266189172.jpg - (223.58KB , 1000x736 , cop257.jpg )

You clench your fists and take in several deep breaths. Remember what those pricks at anger management taught you, Dane... You get to your feet and plant yourself directly in front of the paparazzi.

>Devin's sweating bullets, now. "Uh, i-it looks like you dropped your papers--"

"You are on thin fucking ice, here," you say dangerously. Inwardly, you pat yourself on the back for not immediately resorting to violence--you really did pick something up from those garbage classes. "Why were you in the evidence room?"

>"O-oh!!" Devin laughs nervously. He glances behind him and shrugs. "Well, seeing as I'm on the team now and everything, I thought I'd use my free time to review our evidence! You know, before we're too busy with getting shot at again..."

"Uh-huh." 'On the team...' 'Our evidence,' he says... You tsk angrily as you move to pick up all of the papers from the ADAM folder that got scattered in the collision. You half-expect to find some smuggled evidence pieces hidden in the mess, but it looks like everything here belongs to you. Standing again, you narrow your eyes at the 1P insignia on the journalist's sleeve. "You sure have been busy since last night, haven't you," you remark.

>"Oh, yes!!! I haven't slept at all!!!!" The guy's eyes light up in a way that makes your skin crawl. He almost forgets how scared he is as he carries on. "Oh, how could I?!!! It took hours to write down everything that happened yesterday in my notes! And now you guys have handed me this gig as a civilian investigator, too!! No, I won't sleep until I've finished my work!"

What a basket case... You decide to rip off the bandaid before you have second thoughts about asking him for help. "You'll be up a while longer then," you say reluctantly. "I actually have a job for you..."

>"OH, YES MA'AM!!!!" Devin smacks himself in the head while attempting to salute. "Anything!!! ANYTHING for you, sergeant!!!!"

You fight back the urge to retch as you roughly shove the ADAM file into his face. "They want our guys digging into Supay Solutions, now. I just want you to find any dirt on the company that you can. Relevant news reports, shit like that."

>The bastard looks at you like you're the second coming of Christ. "Of course, sergeant!!! This kind of work is my specialty, I'll get started right now!!!!"

Before you can say another word, Devin takes off full-speed down the hall. You massage your temples and let out a sigh. Christ, that voice was not what you needed to hear this early in the morning....

For better or for worse, Devin's on the case, now. Now to get KYLE on those background checks. Before you start down the hall, though, you glance back at the still-open evidence room door... Would it be worth the time sink to go over some of that yourself, you wonder, or should you save it for later?

Leave it for later. Have a relaxing tea while talking to KYLE.

Going over evidence while short on sleep is clearly not a healthy activity. Close the door and go talk to KYLE---

That reporter... was way too nervous though. Fuck, you'd better actually go in there and check what he was checking out, at least.

Surely we could at least take a peek... Just to see that he didn't steal anything.

>>1020799
he's kinda been like that the entire time we've been around him, plus he was just in a shootout. I think it's actually pretty normal for him to be kinda wired after that.

Honestly might be worth sending one of the less blood-pee-inclined officers to talk with him, make sure his head's on right.

1/2 Dane 2022/01/28(Fri)16:02 No. 1021566 ID: e30795
File 164341454528.jpg - (776.28KB , 1451x800 , cop258.jpg )

You decide against going through everything right now. That creep's attitude has made you a little paranoid, though... Maybe you should just check to make sure nothing was stolen.

You enter the evidence room and head straight for the right locker. You open it and start sifting through its contents, comparing it to the mental list that you've been keeping. Everything's still here, from the Shiptown bridge's bricks to the map and books that BAN threw out of the traphouse last night.

You close the locker and breathe a sigh of relief. So that had just been Devin's usual brand of crazy, you think. You can never tell when he's actually acting suspicious or just being himself...

You notice that a second locker has also been marked for the Durst case. You're certain that you just went through everything that BAN's collected so far, though. What else is there...? You grip the handle and pull.

"Fuck," you hiss, startled. A glass orb is sitting at the bottom of the second locker, glowing with a dim red light. Propped up against the locker's wall is a large leather case. You don't have to open it to know what's inside. You remember both of these things very clearly from last night--you also remember the size of the bomb that went off a foot away from them. You have no clue how the fuck these things survived, or when they ended up here. You'd bet anything on this being more of the SIG's work...

Your gut's telling you not to fuck with these, at least not without BAN nearby. You warily close the locker again and exit the evidence room.

2/2 Dane 2022/01/28(Fri)16:13 No. 1021569 ID: e30795
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You make your way back to KYLE's office. He's still snoring... You kick the side of his desk.

>"Jesus--!!" KYLE jerks upright and nearly falls out of his chair. "Dane, you scared the shit out of me! I'm a light sleeper, you know?"

You ignore the detective's complaints and start poking around his office. This headache is really starting to eat at you. You're sure KYLE used to have an electric kettle lying around... "You got any tea?" you ask.

>"My tea?" He blinks at you, but a mean look squashes any argument. "Yeah, give me a sec..."

After a bit of digging around in his desk drawers, KYLE finds his kettle and runs out to fill it with water. In a few minutes, you're both scalding yourselves with cheap lavender tea.

>KYLE blows on his mug again as he checks his watch. "Man, I overslept a little, huh. Last night was rough...." His gaze grows distant for a moment. He shakes his head and focuses on you again. "How're you holding up, sarge? Any sign of our fearless leader yet?"

You're as angry and irritable as always, and BAN is back and asleep. Don't disturb him.

Ban's in his office, sleeping. The Feds did a number on him. Got anything new we need or want to know

We have to tell KYLE to do the background checks on those prospective perps.

We may also check up on our prisioners afterwards.

1/2 Dane 2022/02/09(Wed)11:09 No. 1022869 ID: e30795
File 164443379511.jpg - (406.17KB , 850x898 , cop260.jpg )

"I'm the same as always. BAN's back in his office, sleeping. Don't disturb him," you warn, waving your mug threateningly.

>"I won't, promise." KYLE checks to make sure nobody's near his door, then leans over his desk a little more. "So where'd he go last night? Was it...?"

You nod. "The feds took him for some kind of background check. They really fucked him up..."

>KYLE grimaces. "Jesus, I was worried something like that would happen. You don't think they'll start pulling more of us for checks, do you?"

"I'd like to see them try," you growl. The more you think about what they did to BAN, the more heated you get. You've got half a mind to go crack that bitch HALE right where her mouth should be... You take another swig of your tea. "Anything new with you?"

>"Besides dealing with the fact that I blew a cop's brains out last night? Not a lot." The detective stares into his mug. "Honestly, my plan since the debriefing has just been to catch up on sleep until someone tells me to do something else..."

You examine KYLE's face for a second. You wonder if your face looks that tired, too. Before yesterday, the only cop in the precinct with real experience in killing was BAN. Everyone did their jobs well last night, but you wonder how things will go if they have to do it all again...

>KYLE notices how hard you're staring. "Don't get it twisted, I'm doing fine. Us or them and all that," he says, squirming in his chair. He nods at the folder tucked under you're arm. "You brought me some work?"

"Yeah, actually," you say. You set it down on the desk. "I need a background check done on this guy. BAN says this is who our team's focusing on, next."

>The detective skims the papers and raises an eyebrow. "ADAM, huh... I'm sure I'll find something interesting. I'll get started as soon as I'm done with this tea."

You hastily finish the rest of yours and start toward the door. "Thanks. If anybody needs me, I'm visiting the brig..."

2/2 Dane 2022/02/09(Wed)11:19 No. 1022870 ID: e30795
File 164443437929.jpg - (603.75KB , 1000x820 , cop261.jpg )

The small collection of holding cells and interrogation rooms that make up 'the brig' were already out of date back when Walker started working here in the 80s. It almost got renovated a couple years after you and BAN started, but budget cuts blew that idea out of the water before any real plans could be made. It feels like you're catching something just by breathing the air in this space... Deep down, you feel a little bad for all of the drunks and petty thieves that you've had to throw in here over the years.

For pieces of shit like these, though, you can't think of a better place to keep them.

>Hugo salutes as you enter the cell block. It looks like he hasn't slept much, either. "No trouble so far, sergeant," he reports loudly. He glances around nervously and lowers his voice a little. "Special Agent HALE has been in and out of here, ma'am. She's been sedating them with something...."

Of course she has, you think. You glare at each of the prisoners in turn. The fucker who gave you this headache is in the cell closest to you. The next few are populated by the other grunts that the raid team managed to capture alive. And in the largest cell toward the back, the bastard in charge of them all is sitting cross-legged...

>"If you want any of these guys put in the interrogation room, me and Pete can handle them," Hugo says, thumbing the bandage on his cheek. "Your call, sarge."

>>1022870
These guys were special forces and are fighting for a cause they believe in wholeheartedly. It will be impossible to interrogate them without doing illegal things (which we shouldn't do). Not really sure where to go from here to be honest. Ban should probably make a list of all of the special forces things these guys may use to try and escape (since iirc he was special forces too, albeit a different unit.)

>>1022870
The big fish is tempting, but the wrong target.
Which of these punks is the youngest? The most desperate looking? The most likely to crack?
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

I'm really tempted to interrogate the Volto-looking mofo, but perhaps assessing which one is the no filter talky kind of sedated would be the best idea.

Dane 2022/03/12(Sat)12:40 No. 1026041 ID: 88966b
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Interrogating one of these fuckers, huh... You think about the option for a second. They're all extremely loyal, and well-trained--you don't know how much you'd be able to get out of them, using legal methods. If the drug's loosened any of their metaphorical tongues, though, maybe it'd be a little easier to make one them crack.

You decide to check for any weaker links before you give up on the thought entirely. You pace up and down the cells, sizing up each of the captured grunts. Whatever HALE stuck them with, it looks they're all smashed. SABA stares straight past you when you try mean-mugging him--it seems like he's completely focused on breathing. The next few grunts are in similar states, unreadable and barely responsive.

Damn... You click your tongue angrily. You wouldn't be lucky enough to get a talker, would you. You look down the hall toward the largest cell. ERIK seems to be much more put-together than his underlings, and he's watching you silently.... Something in his eyes puts you on edge.

You don't even bother approaching his cell--there's no way you'd want to deal with him without BAN. Instead, you turn back to check out the rest of the small fry. You stop in front of a cell that houses a vaguely familiar face.

>You remember catching sight of this guy after the shooting stopped, last night. He doesn't seem to be handling the drug nearly as well as his accomplices. He looks on the verge of hyperventilating when he notices you standing by the bars. "The fuck?!!" he blurts out. His eyes grow wide as he shuffles backward. "Th-the fuck're you looking at, meatbag?! G-get away from me!!"

"I am trying to guess if you can burst balloons with that pickaxe head of yours.
Seriously, though, answer a few questions and I'll leave you alone."

>>1026041
"hugo, this one." Take him to an interrogation room

you know, he looks kinda familiar. Not sure why.

>>1026201
Something involving a multiple accounts of manslaughter of a town guard, attempted murder, and arson of an entire city I think it was. Could be wrong though.

1/2 Dane 2022/03/19(Sat)19:24 No. 1026715 ID: e30795
File 164774308347.jpg - (616.88KB , 1600x761 , cop263.jpg )

"Hugo," you call, jerking your thumb at the cell door. "This one."

Hugo motions to Peter, and the two of them approach the cell. The captive struggles, but in this weakened state he's no match for your boys. Soon, they're dragging him out of his cage and down the hall toward the interrogation rooms.

>"Get off!! Get the fuck off of me!!!" The veteran unsuccessfully tries to slow your cops down by becoming dead weight. "Don't touch me, motherfuckers!! LT, help--!!"

>"MUCHI." ERIK's voice carries from the other end of the hall.

Your cops stop in their tracks and look back toward his cell. Their charge immediately quits fighting and looks as well.

>ERIK is staring straight at his subordinate. "Cool it," he says. "Now."

It feels like someone's taken all of the air out of the cell block. Nobody moves for another moment. You take a deep breath and turn back to your men. "What're you waiting for?" you bark, lightly shoving Peter's shoulder. "Keep him moving."

2/2 Dane 2022/03/19(Sat)19:35 No. 1026716 ID: e30795
File 164774370650.jpg - (445.48KB , 1000x738 , cop264.jpg )

Peter and Hugo have an easier time of moving the prisoner the rest of the way. They usher him into the first open room and roughly sit him down at the table.

>"I'll keep watching the others, ma'am," Hugo says, saluting and heading for the door. "Pete can handle this guy if he tries anything."

>"Damn right I can," Peter says. He crosses his arms and leans against the far wall. "I kicked his ass yesterday, I'll do it again."

The prisoner glares wildly at Peter. He says nothing, but you can tell that he wants to. You decide to keep pushing his buttons. "Have you been around here before? Your face looks kinda familiar..." You tap your nose, then point at his. "Can you pop balloons with that thing?"

>Looks like that struck a nerve, too--this time, you get a response. "Get fucked, meatbag."

You lean against the table. "ERIK called you MUCHI, right? You know how this works. Answer a few of my questions, and I'll leave you alone."

>"I'm... I-I'm not telling you shit," MUCHI says. The words seem to give him more confidence--he nods vigorously to himself and shifts a little in his chair. "You hear me?! I'm not telling you shit!!"

>"Think about what you're saying, buddy," Peter warns from his perch. "This won't go nearly as well if you don't cooperate."

>"The fuck're you gonna do about it, pig? Torture me...?!" MUCHI's eyes dart between the two of you worriedly as he asks that. Whatever he sees in your faces, it causes him to let out a shaky laugh. "No no, you wouldn't do that, you couldn't. Bunch of chickenshit city cops...! You shitheads can't even touch me, so why would I answer your questions?!"

>>1026716
Kick his shit in.
He waived whatever rights he had when he became a fucking terrorist.

"Because I know your plus-one is an unregistered immigrant.
Because it would be so easy to fake her deportation.
Because I know all the major crime lords 'allegedly' in the sex slavery trade.
Because you've crossed a line that the public can't stomach, while I on the other hand, never gave a damn about it.
So tell me, Mr. Malto. Can you show just a hint of finesse?"

You're totes bluffing but he's been indoctrinated into believing all cops are irredeemable, so play the part.

We're not bluffing, this is federal now. He winds up underwater in an oil drum, no one will even think to ask why until its unredacted in a few decades.

So no torture, we don't have time. But he wants to cooperate, and assist this investigation, before we decide we don't need him afterall.

Let's hurt his ego.
Tell him how he is a Erik is a coward who just wants to shoot random civilians out of trauma.

>>1026716
Switch to a good cop approach. Try to strike an understanding tone and tell him that it is in his best interest to answer the questions. This is federal now, and who knows what the government spooks will do to him. It would be much better for everyone if he just tells you what you need to know.

>>1026800
actually, I agree with this, combined with other discussion. Something sorta like...
"I'm mad. You wanna know why I'm so pissed? I'm pissed because the government doesn't have those boundaries. This is FEDERAL now, you waived your rights the moment you took part in a dirty bomb plot because now the FEDS are on your case.

You think you won't end up vanished for this? Nobody would even think to ask questions until years later!

I suggest you cooperate."

>>1026840
Yeah, that's right. We've read reports about other sedition cases, and some of it gets pretty ugly.

We're just overworked cops trying to piece things together before that happens.

>>1026840
For a good cop approach, try to word things so you switch out "you" for "we." It will make it seem more endearing and more likely to have them lower their defenses.

>>1026840
This would be a decent bad cop thing, not so much good cop. We do need to flip-flop back and forth a bit though to make it effective though.

Dane 2022/04/17(Sun)19:41 No. 1029593 ID: e30795
File 165024968081.jpg - (558.79KB , 1030x700 , cop265.jpg )

You think about the angle you want to take, here. Your knee-jerk reaction's to kick his shit in, but you decide to play nice to start... "You do know that this is now a federal case," you say civilly. "You're right, we won't torture you. We don't have time to. If you can't assist us right now, they'll throw your ass in an oil drum and call it a day."

>MUCHI shakes his head desperately. "Y-you're bluffing...! The lieutenant said that you pricks don't work with the feds!"

"The lieutenant said that." You scoff. "When? I'm guessing that was before you tried setting off a dirty bomb downtown. Either your boss's intel has been lacking, or he's been lying to you--"

>"Fuck you!!" MUCHI jerks against his restraints. You're startled for one second, but it looks like the cuffs are holding fine. "He wouldn't fucking do that! He wouldn't lie about that!!"

"He's a domestic terrorist. I'm sure that he's blown all kinds of smoke up your ass to keep you from flaking. Would you be here right now if he'd told you they were onto him from the start?"

>The veteran squirms in his chair. Doubt and panic is written all over his face. "You think you can fucking scare me," he pants. "You bitch.... You shoot us up with this shit, try fucking with our heads...! I-it's bullshit, you're trying to trick me!!"

"You don't believe that." You perch on the corner of the table and cross your arms. "I've read the reports on how they handle prisoners in sedition cases. It's ugly. You're gonna suffer for a long, long time. Eventually, when they get bored enough, you're gonna die. And then you'll vanish, and nobody will even think about questioning it for another decade."

As you've been speaking, MUCHI's face has fallen further and further. He doesn't seem to have an immediate response--he hunches over and stares blankly at the floor.

"Believe whoever you want. But when you leave this room again, you're doing it under either police or federal custody," you state.

>"I know which one I'd pick," Peter remarks.

You lean in closer to the prisoner. "I strongly suggest cooperating. This will go a lot better for everyone if you just talk to me, right now."

MUCHI stays silent for another minute. You curse inwardly and motion for Peter to start moving him back to his cell....

>Peter's barely started walking toward him when MUCHI speaks again. "Wait, wait, wait. Wait," he begs quietly. He looks up and locks eyes with you again. "The SIG.... Th-they're really here...?"

You nod gravely.

>MUCHI closes his eyes and takes in a deep, shuddering breath. "W-what.... What do you want me to tell you.....?"

The bomb. Who planned it? Who made it? Who knew about it?

We need to know why you signed on. What was the carrot Erik dangled to make you risk everything on this?

What was the bomb supposed to do, and what was supposed to come next?

What exactly is this group's goal? What are they attempting to achieve? Is it sedition? Revenge?

Yes, we need to know what they are trying to achieve, why they are trying to achieve it and what tactics they are going to employ.

1/2 Dane 2022/05/10(Tue)18:37 No. 1031850 ID: e30795
File 165223304483.jpg - (392.79KB , 900x712 , cop266.jpg )

"The bomb," you demand. "Who planned it? Who made it? Who knew about it?"

>MUCHI looks like a cornered animal. His eyes dart back and forth between the two of you. "Th-the feds don't get me if I talk to you, right?! And.... And the others wouldn't know about it...?"

>"The more you give us now, the more of a case we can make for you later," Peter says tactfully. "Answer the questions."

>The vet hesitates for a second. He glances at you one more time, takes a deep breath and hangs his head. "We... We've got a guy who used to do bomb disposal. We call him 'Skitz.' He gave us the parts and instructions on how to set it all up..."

You silently curse BAN for borrowing your notepad and never giving it back... You commit the details to memory and press further. "What was the bomb supposed to do? What was going to come next?"

>MUCHI shakes his head. "Nothing. We just wanted to die and kill whoever was onto us, and wipe the evidence. We learned that trick from the Canardi..."

>"Your boss was still in the building," Peter says. "You were just going to take him out in this little suicide pact, too?"

>"Yeah. It wouldn't matter." The veteran continues studying the floor. "The rest of us already have their assignments. LT could die right now, and the hunt would still go on without a hitch."

>"The rest of you...?" Peter looks at you.

You get closer to the veteran's side of the table. "Why did you sign on for something like this, MUCHI? What could make it worth risking everything?"

>"I had to do it." MUCHI looks like he wants to say more, but ultimately he just shakes his head. "No, a civilian wouldn't get it. I had to do it, that's all I can say..."

"What are you people trying to achieve, here?" you ask bluntly. "Sedition? Revenge?"

>"Revenge. Definitely, revenge." MUCHI's eyes come off of the floor again. There's something in his face that wasn't there before. It makes your stomach turn... "If the others do their jobs, blood's gonna be running in the streets like water. Everybody will get a taste of what we went through..."

You don't let yourself look away from that intense gaze. "And how exactly are they going to do that...?"

2/2 Dane 2022/05/10(Tue)18:49 No. 1031852 ID: e30795
File 165223378666.jpg - (645.54KB , 1000x864 , cop267.jpg )

All three of you jump as the door to the interrogation room door bursts open.

>"Sergeant Dane." Special Agent HALE enters quickly, flanked by one of her cronies. Her face is concerningly neutral. "I'm told that you've taken one of my prisoners from his cell."

>Any composure that MUCHI had been piecing together disappears in an instant. He starts hyperventilating and struggling against his restraints. "W-wait, you said--!! S-so she's--?!!" He starts thrashing harder as HALE comes closer. "H-hey!! Get the fuck away from me!!! I-I'm in police custody!!!"

>HALE ignores MUCHI's yelling and plants her feet directly in front of you. "Sergeant, shouldn't you be resting?" she asks. Her tone makes you want to throw her through a brick wall. "Your captain's asleep in his office. You should join him."

Your hands ball into fists.

"We're doing what we're supposed to. Interrogation of prisoners is a normal part of investigative proceedings, and certainly we haven't been notified that any of them are off-limits or to ask you for permission to follow through on every rote bit of procedural minutiae. Do you really want to micromanage every tiny part of this operation? I didn't take you for someone that enjoys sifting through mounds of formal requests and other paperwork when things need to get done."

"Not sure. MUCHI, should I be resting? I get tired when I don't get a sexy, riveting story to keep me awake~"

Wait for him to squeak a few times.

"Tell us how to dismantle our entire organization. Talk as if you were on our side. Otherwise 'Hale or High Water' here is going to authorize a vivisection for 'grafted detonators' while I'm gone."

Agent, you don't get into policing to get a lot of rest.

I'm trying to get things done in a time-effective manner, in case I might not be able to later. Interrogation is standard procedure, after all.

(all while resisting the urge to belt her one, of course.)

Take deep breaths, they aren't your enemy.

>>1031864
>>1031875

Do these.
Also, as you walk past, tell them you can go over the information you found later, away from the prisoner, just to make sure they didn't miss anything. Say that in a lower tone so Muchi doesn't hear you.

Take HALE aside and give her a firm lesson about the value of mutual trust.
You trusted them to get along with the team and perform their intelligence gathering, now is time for them to trust you in conducting a interrogation, which is by the way making A LOT of progress.

1/2 Dane 2022/05/26(Thu)19:16 No. 1033721 ID: e30795
File 165361776240.jpg - (535.15KB , 1251x700 , cop268.jpg )

You glare at HALE and stand your ground. "You don't go into policing to get a lot of rest, agent." You turn back toward your charge. "What do you think, MUCHI? Should I go take a nap?"

>"No, wait!!! Wait!!!!" MUCHI shakes his head violently. "Y-y-you shouldn't go, please!!!!"

>HALE's eyes narrow slightly. She glances at the still-flailing MUCHI, scoffs and turns back toward the open door. "Step outside with me for a moment, will you?" she asks.

You follow her into the hall, shouldering her sidekick out of the way as you pass him. HALE moves a small distance further from the interrogation room, then spins around to face you again.

>"Sergeant." HALE gets closer and lowers her voice. "What exactly do you think you're doing, right now?"

"My job," you reply harshly. "Sorry for not asking your permission before doing some basic tasks. Interrogating prisoners is standard procedure, and nobody told us that these shitheads were off-limits."

>HALE crosses her arms. "I was going to discuss that in a meeting, later today. Frankly, I didn't expect any of you to be crawling around this early, or I would have brought it up last night. We're well past anything 'standard' here, sergeant--going forward, if a thought like that enters your head, consider checking with myself, another agent or your captain first before proceeding with it."

Your temper's starting to boil over. You stick out your jaw stubbornly. "So you're going to micromanage every little thing about this case now, is that it? Really?" you ask. You aggressively point back toward the interrogation room. "I was making real progress in there. If you can't even trust us enough to let us talk to these guys on our own, we're all gonna end up bogged down in redundant requests and extra paperwork. I don't think you're the type of person who'd enjoy that, not when there's this much shit to get done."

>"You not thinking seems to be a recurring issue here," HALE grates. She slaps your hand down and jabs a finger into your chest. "As the head of this operation, I am that type of person, sergeant. Our window for error is narrowing by the hour, and I'd much rather deal with a hundred stupid questions instead of a hundred stupid actions."

2/2 Dane 2022/05/26(Thu)19:29 No. 1033722 ID: e30795
File 165361859777.jpg - (496.30KB , 1147x800 , cop269.jpg )

>HALE takes a step back and looks you over with disdain. "Also, for future reference. Captain BAN seems to be very keen on you, and perhaps the two of you share a more...lenient dynamic than most detectives and officers. Between the two of you, perhaps that's acceptable. But curse at me or one of my agents again, Anna, and I'll break your arm."

>The agent turns on her heels and starts back toward the room. "I'll take it from here. You're dismissed, sergeant. Do try to get some rest--I'll be holding a meeting to discuss strategy at 12:00. I'll be much more explicit about your people's operational boundaries, then..."

HALE and the other agent disappear inside. MUCHI's panicked screams get a lot louder...

>Peter is shoved out into the hall shortly after. He flinches as the door closes behind him. "Jesus christ," he mutters. He walks over to you with his tail between his legs. "I'm sorry, sarge. I tried to argue, but...!"

You barely hear him. You're one cunt hair away from opening the door again and going postal on that bitch. You close your eyes and put all of your attention on breathing, for a moment...

>Pete stands by awkwardly as you collect yourself. He looks agitatedly between the closed interrogation room door and the way back to the holding cells. "Shit," he finally says, fixing his cap. "Do... Do we just let them do that to us, sarge...?"

We were between a rock and a hard place, and we chose rock.
No surprise that we got a rock.

Tear down that poster, you didn't consent to representing the brazen lie on the tagline.

>>1033732
Don't do that, even if you really want to.

Focus on deep breaths. Ultimately, they are the ones calling the shots now whether we like it or not. We picked this course of action and now we have to play by their rules. Go round up the go-getters and tell them not to be too proactive until we receive our marching orders.

Play some solitaire or something until then. Maybe check out and go to the gym for a while.

Alright, deep breaths. Deep breaths. It is frustrating, yes, but we have made a good measure of progress in less than an hour. That's important.

We have one last chance.

Tell Peter to knock on the door. If we apologize to HALE for the "insult" and calmly, but firmly, explain that we managed to get MUCHI to start talking by saying we'd spare him the federal interrogation methods, we MIGHT be allowed to continue the 20 questions game.

But if that fails:

>>1033745
This is a very good suggestion.

1/3 Dane 2022/06/11(Sat)13:36 No. 1034768 ID: e30795
File 165497979590.jpg - (562.09KB , 900x1215 , cop270.jpg )

The red haze clears up just enough for an idea to come to you. You'll fucking hate it, but it might be your last chance here... "Pete, knock on that door. I'll talk to them..."

He looks worried, but Peter follows your order immediately. HALE appears at the door shortly after.

>HALE doesn't even acknowledge your subordinate. She stares straight at you with a dangerous look in her eyes. "Don't press your luck," she says coldly.

The door slams shut in your faces.

>"Shit," Peter hisses.

You smolder at the door for a moment, then wordlessly turn and head back toward the holding cells. Peter hesitates, then falls in behind you. You shoot a glare at the picture of yourself on the wall as you pass by it. If someone doesn't take this inane shit off of the walls soon, you're going to start doing it yourself, you think darkly....

2/3 Dane 2022/06/11(Sat)13:45 No. 1034769 ID: e30795
File 165498033420.jpg - (369.05KB , 1200x736 , cop271.jpg )

Peter returns to his post in the brig with Hugo. You warn both of them to keep their heads down until that bitch gives everyone further orders... You move back toward the front of the precinct, passing the word along to any other members of the team that you run into. Eventually, you end up back at KYLE's office.

>The detective looks up from his laptop and grimaces. "Dane, you look....incensed."

You sit against the wall and cross your arms. "You got any cards?" you ask.

KYLE digs through his desk drawer and slides you a box of playing cards. You open them up and start violently throwing down the start to a game of solitaire. Looks like this is the only other thing you can do, until HALE says otherwise or BAN gets up. You wince as your vision blurs for a moment. The adrenaline from squaring off with that piece of shit is wearing off fast, and your headache is coming back with a vengeance...

You throw another card. You just hope that you've done enough to get the ball rolling for BAN. At least your guys have started digging into ADAM and his company, you think. But that fucking interrogation...! That bitch just barred you from a mountain of extra intel. It hasn't even been 24 hours since BAN let these slugs in on the case, and the power dynamic's already completely fucked.

"What the fuck...?!" You flip through the stock again, paying more attention this time. Bullshit... You just dealt this hand, but somehow there isn't a single fucking move to make.

You scatter the cards with a foot and go back to sulking on the floor. You hope that BAN wakes up soon....

3/3 BAN 2022/06/11(Sat)13:53 No. 1034770 ID: e30795
File 165498078397.jpg - (315.99KB , 1100x720 , cop272.jpg )

Your name is BAN. You're a cop.

Dammit! By the time you manage to calm yourself down, the nightmare is gone from memory, just like always. You bury your face in your hands. Jesus, that's getting frustrating... At least Dane wasn't here to see you freaking out. She must still be running around with the ADAM folder.

You heave a sigh and check your watch. 11:35, huh... You actually got a few hours of sleep in. Night terrors aside, you do feel much better than you did at the end of last night. You're still a ways from 100%, but it's time to get back to work... You fix your tie and think on what to do first.

>>1034770
Get a sitrep from Dane.

Yes, letting the fellas know you are back up and talking to the sergeant sounds like the best course. Got a feeling the feds have been up to no good lately.

Find Dane and get back to work.

BAN 2022/07/03(Sun)15:27 No. 1036951 ID: e30795
File 165688722609.jpg - (175.83KB , 2160x1342 , cop273.jpg )

You should get a sitrep from Dane, you decide. You shuffle out of your office and try to track the sergeant down.

>"BAN?!" Sergeant Dane pokes her head out of KYLE's office as you pass by.

"Dane--!!" The sergeant grabs your sleeve and yanks you into the office before you even have time to say hello.

>When you stumble in, KYLE looks up from his laptop and waves. "Hey man," he says. "You, uh... You doing alright?"

You nod. "Yeah... What's the situation?"

>"Bad." Dane looks like she's been contemplating murder. "The paparazzi's looking into ADAM's company, and KYLE's handling background checks. The slugs are out of control though, BAN. I barely got our guys working before that little bitch and her cronies started getting in the way. They don't even want us interrogating our own fucking prisoners!"

Dane tells you about her run-in with HALE, and about her strange findings in the evidence room. Shit, you'd had a feeling that the SIG were already up to no good. That creeping sense of despair is trying to get at you again...

>Dane grabs your wrist and scowls at your watch for a second. "Fuck... And now HALE wants us in a meeting at 12. She wants to set 'operational boundaries,' whatever the fuck that's supposed to mean...!"

>"Dane thinks that the SIG's trying to cut our balls off and sideline us already," KYLE says. "Personally, I don't think they'd bother giving us ADAM to investigate if that was their angle, but..." He ducks back into his laptop screen when Dane turns her glare toward him.

>"No, all of this fucking stinks. All of it. They're gonna get us in this meeting, I can feel it." Dane paces the floor for a second, lost in thought. Eventually, she makes an exasperated sound and turns back to you. "Fuck. We need something to hold over these guys' heads, BAN, and we need it fast. Collateral, intel, fucking anything that we've got that we could use to bargain for some breathing room. Have you got any ideas? Fuck me, but I'm drawing a blank..."

>>1036951
She's right, you guys do need something:
a fucking olive branch.
As much as it sucks, as much as it may hurt, you guys need to work together right now, and blackmailing government officials is not going to fly whatsoever.

>>1036955
This here. We go into that, and we discuss boundaries. One of the boundaries we're going to set is not giving up interrogating our own witnesses. How we achieve that is likely going to involve teamwork and collaboration, but the way they treated Dane was so far beyond unprofessional it PERHAPS deserves special mention and shaming at that meeting.

>>1036955
>>1036967
Support

1/2 BAN 2022/07/15(Fri)22:07 No. 1038270 ID: df6307
File 165794802578.jpg - (787.47KB , 1574x800 , cop274.jpg )

"We need something alright," you say, rubbing your chin. "Something like an olive branch."

>Dane's eyes are the size of saucers. "But--!"

"I'm not saying that we roll over for them," you explain before she has a chance to explode. "HALE wants to talk boundaries, so we'll talk boundaries. One of the ones that I'm going to set is that we don't give up the right to interrogate our own witnesses and arrests. But we definitely won't be able to pull that off through butting heads or blackmail."

>"BAN's right," KYLE offers, peeking out from behind his computer screen again. "It's kind of dark, but playing nice and praying's the only way I can see this working out for us..."

>"You...!" Dane stares at you like you're some kind of alien. Her face is a terrifying shade of red, but she stops herself from arguing further. After another second, she just lets out a deep breath and massages her temples. The sergeant makes a visible effort to regain her usual poker face. "Alright, then. It's your call, boss."

Your heart sinks. The sergeant is a very rare flavor of pissed off at you right now, but you're sure that this is the best way forward. You check your watch. It's 11:45 already--you'd better hurry, if you want to get to that meeting early. You duck back through the doorway and gesture for your subordinates to come with.

They didn't specify the location, but there's only one place where a meeting this important would be held in the First Precinct. You make your way toward The Major's office. As you go, you run into a few of your guys wandering aimlessly in the hallways. As soon as they catch sight of you, they salute and fall in behind you. Not counting the two still on guard duty, all of your team's patrol cops have flocked to you by the time you reach your boss's doors. You silently thank them for coming along--having a few more 1P badges flashing behind you is doing wonders for your self-confidence.

2/2 BAN 2022/07/15(Fri)22:21 No. 1038271 ID: df6307
File 165794890997.jpg - (1.33MB , 900x816 , cop275.jpg )

Two special agents are standing outside The Major's door. You recognize them as OLLIE and PAZ, the ones from your ordeal last night. Dane shadows you even closer than usual when she sees them.

>OLLIE nods to you as you get closer. "Morning, captain. How did you sleep?"

"Just fine... I'm guessing HALE's in there?"

>"Right, we were just waiting for you to arrive. You should come in too, captain," he adds, looking at KYLE.

>PAZ reaches for the doorknob. The rest of your team gets ready to file in as well, but they're stopped by the agent's outstretched hand. "Officers only, friends," he says.

>Most of your guys back away reluctantly, but Dane hasn't detached from your hip yet. "That's not happening," she says dangerously.

Your stomach's tying itself in knots. You try to give the sergeant a 'don't do this right now' look, but she either doesn't catch it or chooses to ignore it. She moves directly between you and the special agent--she's been following you so closely, it only takes a step.

>PAZ seems amused. He looks over at OLLIE. "What did I tell you about the cops around here?" he laughs. When he looks back at Dane, though, there isn't any humor left in his eye. "Sergeant, do you have a death wish? You're the one that was busting the boss's balls earlier today, right?"

>"I've been on this case with the captain since it opened. I'm his second-in-command. I'm walking into that room." Dane just constructed three sentences without cursing once, you realize, horrified. She's ready to do something drastic.

>PAZ trades glares with her for a moment. When it's clear that she won't back down on her own, he tsks and looks over her head at you. "Look, the boss decided that this meeting was for people with special agent clearance only. That's us, you two"--he nods pointedly at you and KYLE--"and that guy from the Second Precinct. I open that door and anyone else walks in..." He leaves the result open to interpretation.

Dane still doesn't budge right away. She glances back at you, waiting for your word...

>>1038271
Ok, so how do we get Dane special agent clearance?
...that'll probably take days, I doubt there's like, temporary clearance or anything. Can't hurt to ask though.

If that's a no go, then ask to talk to the boss out here. Dane doesn't need to discuss anything that needs special agent clearance, so we can ask him to split the meeting into two parts. That way Dane gets to be present for the basic negotiations on the power structure, and the boss gets to talk about secret stuff once she leaves.

>>1038271
This is going to really suck, but put on your serious face, use your serious tone, look her in the eye, and tell Dane to stand down. If she doesn't comply, clarify that "that is an order Sergeant."
You have to treat this a bit more like your time in the military until everything is felt out. Dane can't be trying to strong-arm the brass, and if she gets out of line, it is on you as her CO.

It really sucks since you, Kyle, and the rest of your crew can probably empathize with Dane, but if she still won't comply and starts to really causes problems, it will probably be necessary to cuff her and take her to one of the cells to cool off (separate from the other tenants).

>>1038276
We can definitely try to get Dane a clearance eventually, but there is a way to go about things and this isn't it. We also shouldn't try to push our luck before the meeting even starts.
I will say that Dane will probably be much more likely to get that clearance later if she learns to play ball with these guys.

1/2 BAN 2022/07/18(Mon)23:05 No. 1038550 ID: df6307
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Dammit...! You don't want to leave her behind, but you can't push your luck before the meeting even starts. You look at her and shake your head gravely. "Stand down, sergeant," you order in your big cop voice.

That's not what she wanted to hear, but she listens. The sergeant narrows her eyes at PAZ, then silently backs away to stand near the other patrol cops.

>PAZ looks grateful. He leans in closer to you and drops his voice to a spy's whisper. "Thanks, captain. We'll try to keep this out of the boss's ear--if she knew your buddy was causing any more trouble, you'd need a spatula to clean up the mess."

OLLIE opens the door, and the four of you enter.

2/2 BAN 2022/07/18(Mon)23:25 No. 1038551 ID: df6307
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The Major gives you and KYLE a strained smile when you enter. Your actual boss is standing over by one of the windows, tending to a pot of coffee. HALE is currently occupying her desk.

>"Took you long enough." Captain STEVE is sitting in a chair against the wall. He looks about as well-rested as you, and about as unhappy as Dane.

>HALE puts down a stack of papers and stands. "Captain, detective," she says, waving a hand toward several more empty chairs lined up along the far end of the office. "Have a seat, and we'll get started."

You steel your nerves and head for the chair closest to STEVE.

>"KEN didn't make it." Your ex-rival whispers it right as you sit down. You look at him, but he doesn't say anything else. He crosses his arms and watches HALE.

KYLE gets wedged in between PAZ and OLLIE. HALE keeps standing. The captain and her lieutenants, huh... You're sickened by how familiar this all feels.

>"Alright. Before we begin in earnest, I want to thank each of you for your work in last night's operation." HALE looks at you, STEVE and KYLE in turn. "Your field work has put us ahead of the game, really. I hope I can continue to rely on your men, moving forward."

Of course you do, you think.

>"Of course you can," STEVE says dryly.

>HALE ignores the captain's tone. "Thank you, captain. OLLIE?"

>OLLIE nods and pulls a tiny computer out from a suit pocket. "Ready, boss."

>"Friday, May 8, 12:02. SIG-H-34 will now officially begin countermeasures against T-005107, 'rogue elements of the UCSA Advance Team.' I will refer to this entity as 'Target' in all future reports," HALE drones. OLLIE is typing her words down quickly. "Preliminary investigations have confirmed SIG-W-1's suspicions. Target is actively conducting terrorist actions within Loginos. They are in possession of Category 7 items and appear to be knowledgeable on their use. The current threat level is approximately fifteen percent. SIG-H-34 will gather further intel and conduct disruptive action against Target before ultimately neutralizing them with the aid of CT-P3.

>"This will be a joint operation," the agent continues. Her eyes land on you again. "Elements from the Loginos Police Department's First and Second Precincts will be operating under SIG-H-34's chain of command. The officer in charge of these elements is Captain BAN, LPD 1P. Previously known as Lieutenant BAN, AT-013C."

You feel nauseous... STEVE stares openly at you, shocked.

>OLLIE looks up from the little device. "Got it all," he says, pocketing it again.

>"Great. I hate reciting those things more than once..." HALE walks over to The Major and retrieves a mug of coffee. "I usually record my reports in private, but I figured that I could kill two birds with one stone if you were all present for this one. I believe that entry served well to clear up any residual confusion about our current objectives, or the current chain of command."

You and the other cops nod. The confusion's gone, certainly. The frustration, however...

>"We touched on this briefly during our debriefing, but I want to review it now that we're all more rested," HALE says. "The next part of my strategy. As I mentioned last night, I'm entrusting you all with the task of investigating the persons of interest that I've been observing--some folders with basic information on each of them should have gotten around to each of you. Meanwhile, I'll get to work extracting information from ERIK and our other prisoners."

>"OLLIE and I can cover looking into LILLITH and her people," PAZ says. "I've always wanted to get her autograph."

The agent looks at KYLE, who in turn nervously looks at you. You clear your throat. "We've already started investigating ADAM and his company. He's our best lead on figuring out just who constructed that bomb from last night."

>"And Captain STEVE will begin investigating YAMA, himself," HALE says. That unsettling stare locks onto him.

>STEVE stares back at her, unshaken. "That's right. It looks like I'm the odd one out--can I get a buddy too, or do I have to do it alone?"

>"Good question. That relates to the main point of this meeting--operational boundaries." HALE pauses to blow on her mug. "For the duration of this operation, everyone in this room is working with the clearance of a subordinate agent. You have free reign to act as you see fit in completing your assigned tasks, and if the circumstances call for it you can collaborate and pool your resources as you see fit. But there's one important rule: no actions taken by any subordinate agent may interfere with the head agent's own intents or actions, or with general operational security."

>If he had a mouth, STEVE would be sneering. "And with the state that the 2P is in, bringing on another one of our detectives would break that rule."

>HALE nods. "I'm sorry. Performing the requisite background checks to clear you and BAN was an extensive process that I don't want to waste time repeating, if at all possible. If you need more hands, perhaps you can talk to Captain BAN and borrow some of his assets."

>"Perhaps."

>"Excellent. That's everything that I wanted to cover, for now. I should also stress that this rule does extend down the entirety of our hierarchy," HALE says, locking eyes with you once again. "As subordinate agents, it falls on each of you to ensure that operatives under your command adhere to it as well. If they don't, it falls on you to discipline or remove them. If you don't, I will."

You seethe as the other two agents share a quick look. They're too professional to openly laugh in the middle of a meeting, so that subtle glance was the next best thing.

>HALE glances over at The Major's wall clock. "I don't want to keep you all too long, but I do want to make sure that we've covered everything before we get underway. Captains, detective, if you have any other concerns or questions, I'd be happy to answer them now."

KYLE awkwardly shakes his head. STEVE looks like he has more than a few concerns, but he keeps quiet and looks at you...

>>1038551
"This operation will fail if we cannot manage the emotional state of our subordinates. Part of that is making damn sure they feel respected.
You were out of line with how you interacted with my second in command. At minimum I want you to apologize to them for your approach. We're authority, not authoritarians."

>>1038554
If we say this, make it clear that the issue is the tone they used specifically. Given that Dane was not aware of the situation, she did not know what the boundaries are yet. While she was in the wrong, she did what she did out of ignorance, not disrespect or disregard for the chain of command.

Make it clear you will be having your own briefing with your own people later to firmly establish boundaries, and make sure everyone keeps a cool head.

Also make it clear that Hale needs to be more proactive with making sure everyone knows certain people are off-limits when it would not be clearly obvious they would be off-limits.

Basically, we need to communicate better so we don't step on each others toes unknowingly. Making sure we all know when and where we all will be operating would also be good info to have so we don't end up with unintentional crossfire. This would have to stay between the investigation heads to preserve OpSec though.

--

Honestly, this seems like they are giving you free-reign with how you operate and what you do, so long as it doesn't interfere directly with the other two investigations. That is actually pretty generous and probably the best outcome we could get.

Ask about material acquisition for things such as new plates for platecarriers, ammunition, optics, flashbangs, smoke grenades, helmets, zip-ties, etc. If I recall, we are kinda understocked at the moment. Some quadrotor drones and ballistic shields (as opposed to the non-bullet-proof plastic riot shields) would be extremely beneficial as well. This acquisition list doesn't seem unreasonable and it is nothing a well-equipped police department wouldn't have.

Advice that Sergeant Dane should be allowed on future meetings of this kind as she is your second-in-command and you also don't like repeating things.

Also, tell them being able to witness the interrogations and offer suggestions on how to expedite the extraction of information from the prisioners would result in a better cooperation.
STEVE in particular would probably provide valuable help in interrogating his former partner.

>>1038634
We need to repeat things anyway to the rest of our subordinates. Lets try to get Dane on board with the whole thing a bit more before we try to get her more access.

1/3 BAN 2022/08/13(Sat)23:41 No. 1040794 ID: df6307
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You nut up and raise a hand. "Just a few concerns," you say as officiously as you can.

>"Go ahead, captain."

"Going forward, we need you to be more proactive in making sure that everyone knows who is and isn't off-limits, regarding arrests or other persons of interest. Making sure that the heads of each investigation knows where the others are operating is going to be crucial too, if we want to avoid stepping on toes."

>HALE nods. "I assure you, communications between the six of us will be much better from here on out."

"Being able to witness some of your interrogations may be beneficial to our cooperation, also," you say. You nod toward STEVE. "STEVE may be particularly valuable help in interrogating ERIK, for example."

>"My interrogation method is very unique, and the addition of individuals not trained in it would likely just slow the process down. I do appreciate the offer, though, and I may have some use for you or STEVE later."

"I see... Also, about my second in command," you start. HALE makes a face like a bug landed in her coffee. "None of us were made aware of these boundaries in detail prior to this meeting. Her actions earlier were out of ignorance, not disrespect for the chain of command, and you were out of line with how you handled the situation. I want you to apologize to her for your approach."

>"Hmm." HALE takes a dissmissive sip. "The situation and any perceived rudeness on my part aside, your sergeant's conduct during that exchange was still utterly abysmal. I'm willing to move past the whole thing, and all of us will ensure that similar mishaps don't occur moving forward. But I will not apologize to her."

Your expression darkens. "This operation will fail if we can't manage the emotional states of our subordinates, agent. Part of that is making damn sure they feel respected. Officers are supposed to be authority, not authoritarians."

>HALE's stare has reached sub-zero. "There's some irony in you, of all people, preaching about what officers should and shouldn't do."

"What did you just say...?" You can feel yourself breathing heavier, and your heart's pounding. The other agents look a little on edge. The tension is thick enough to strangle someone.

>HALE shakes her head, closes her eyes and takes another sip. "Ahhh, maybe I am being a little rude today... I will apologize for that one at least, captain. To actually respond to your statement, refer to the rule that we've just discussed. At the end of the day, the sergeant and your fellow cops are your subordinates, like you are mine. Tend to their needs as as you see fit, but don't expect me to do the same."

Your mind's racing with how many different ways you could break this woman. Slowly but surely, reason filters its way back into your head. You remind yourself of your goals here, and stand down... "Understood," you say hollowly.

>It's incredibly subtle, but you think HALE looks a little relieved. "Is there anything else on your mind?"

"Material acquisitions," you say, still collecting yourself. "You've seen what little we have--we'll need a full restock of gear for this precinct."

>"When the Capture Team arrives tomorrow, they'll bring everything that your people could need. Send me a list with any out-of-the-ordinary requests, and I'll be sure that they bring that too."

You nod. "That's everything for now, then... I'll be having my own briefing to fill my guys in on the new boundaries, and to make sure that everyone keeps a cool head."

>"I appreciate that, captain." HALE finishes her mug and hands it back to a frustrated-looking Major. She looks at each of you blankly. "If we have no further questions, I believe we've said all that we need to for now. Agents, officers, let's begin."

2/3 BAN 2022/08/13(Sat)23:48 No. 1040795 ID: df6307
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HALE and her agents clear out of the office. STEVE looks at you for a second, jams his hands into his pockets and leaves next. Most of your team files in shortly after, led by Dane. With The Major's help, you fill them all in on the situation at hand. Their faces get more and more serious as you lay out the new hierarchy, and the specifics of HALE's operational boundaries...

"Make sure that Peter and Hugo get all of this, too," you conclude. "KYLE, Devin, Dane and I are going to start investigating into ADAM. For now, just stay out of the SIG's way, and standby for further instructions."

>"Sir!!!" Your cops salute you. You return the gesture smartly.

>The Major steps in front of you. "Everyone, this all may be far out of my hands now, but this is still my precinct, and you all are still my men. Their hierarchy be damned, what I tell you now is an order." Your boss looks around the room grimly. "Out of any SIG agent they could have sent... That one is the best and worst thing that could possibly happen to us on this case. Stay alert, every single one of you. And trust BAN's decisions with your very lives."

The Major steps back again and nods. You return the gesture. "Dismissed," you bark.

3/3 BAN 2022/08/13(Sat)23:55 No. 1040796 ID: df6307
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You exit The Major's office shortly after the patrol cops disperse. You lean against the wall and try to decompress before doing any further planning...

>Dane's kept quiet throughout the briefing. When she's sure that the two of you are alone, she studies the hallway's ceiling and sighs heavily. "Sorry," she mumbles.

"Huh?"

>"Don't make me fucking say it again," she snaps. She takes off her cap and tangles a hand up in her hair. "Fuck. I know what you said about working with the slugs, but... Shit, I didn't want you stuck in that meeting alone."

As volatile as it can be sometimes, you really do appreciate Dane's concern for you. "You're fine, it all worked out. But going forward you've got to cool it, or they're going to try putting you in a cell..."

>"I know, fuck!" Dane presses a fist against the wall. "God, I've fucked us. That bitch probably wouldn't have gone so far with her 'boundaries' if I hadn't pissed her off."

"I'm sure she had all that planned beforehand. And all things considered, this setup's generous--we can still do what we want, more or less."

>"'More or less.'" Dane screws her eyes shut and rubs her forehead. "Christ. We're in a bad way, aren't we..."

You shake your head. "This is the best that we could've asked for right now, and we can do a lot with it. But that's only if you're on board, Dane," you plead. "I can't do this if it means I have to leave you behind. If we play by their rules, I can try to get you the same clearance that they're giving me, and we'll have better footing to work from."

>Dane studies your face. Her eyes keep jittering from side to side--you wonder how her head's been feeling today. "...Alright," she finally says, looking away. "I trust you, BAN. Seriously. I won't fuck this up for us..."

"Thanks." Thank god, you think. If the sergeant can stay in line, you're sure that the rest of your cops will follow suit easily.

>The sergeant puts her cap back on and yanks the brim down low. "Let's fucking do this, then... What's our next move?"

To th zoo to feed our fellow capyba- no!

We go to investigate into ADAM Supay's facilities and latest under-the-table transactions and get someone to interrogate him.
It's going to be a long day.

>>1040932
this. We should also see if we have it in the budget to order everyone food or something.

>>1040796
Before we head out, we should take inventory of what gear we have so we can set up a requisition list.

1/3 BAN 2022/08/29(Mon)21:52 No. 1042232 ID: df6307
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"Check with our guys and see if we can't get some food ordered for everyone," you say. You hesitate, contemplating both the precinct's potential budget and your own. "...Preferably something cheap."

>Dane rolls her eyes, but nods. "Got it."

"I'll take inventory of our gear and try to get a requisition list going. Meet me in the lobby in 30, and we'll see if we can get a replacement for our car..."

>"And then?"

"We're going to pay a visit to ADAM's facilities," you declare.

The two of you go about your tasks quickly. Taking an inventory of the 1P's gear is a painfully short endeavor... All that you have in abundance are patrol pistols, patrol rifles and shotguns. You have a number of patrol vests left. You know from personal experience now that their plates can stop lighter firearms, but not much else.

You hastily put together a list of items. You don't pull any punches with your requests--you're certain the SIG budget can take it. Higher-rated armor plates, additional ammunition, optics, flashbangs and smoke grenades, helmets, ballistic shields, zip ties.... The list still looks a little short, so you add in a request for quadrotor drones as well. If HALE says yes to even half of this stuff, your guys will be extremely well-equipped going forward.

While you're down in the armory, you retrieve your shotgun and put on one of the extra patrol vests. There's no way you're driving back into Wartown without one... After that, you drop the list off at The Major's office and head for the lobby. You glance at your watch--1:15 already, damn. It's a later start to the day than you'd anticipated, but you'll make the most of it.

>Dane is waiting in the lobby, also sporting a new patrol vest. She's bringing a pistol along, this time. She tosses a greasy paper sack at you as you approach. "I got Jimmy's for everyone. It's shit, but at least they deliver fast," she says. "You're gonna pay me back."

"Right..." You mask your fiscal pains behind a mouth(?)ful of cheap hamburger.

>Your partner throws something else at you. It's another patrol pistol and a holster. "Someone's gonna freak out if you walk into ADAM's facilities with that thing," she says, turning her nose up at the gun hanging on your shoulder. "They might be more civil if you've only got this."

"Thanks. And the car?"

>"We've got a new one out front." Dane starts for the door. "We're all set, boss. Let's do it."

2/3 BAN 2022/08/29(Mon)21:57 No. 1042233 ID: df6307
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You pile into a fresh patrol car and start driving toward Wartown.

You start seeing the fallout from last night just minutes after leaving the precinct. Traffic is at a standstill, backed all the way up to your side of the bridge. Even from here, you can see the source of the congestion--a mass of police and fire department vehicles have closed off multiple roads across the river, and another mass of newspeople have set up shop outside of those barriers. You wonder how many Second Precinct cops are stuck in that circus. You wonder how many of them are even aware that one of their own was behind it...

>"The light's green," Dane chides.

"Oh, right...!" You ease forward a few yards and immediately get stuck behind another car.

>"Fuck," Dane says under her breath. You can tell that she's thinking about yesterday too... She notices you looking at her and glares back. "You know where we're headed once we're clear of this mess, right?"

"Supay Solutions's primary R&D facility. 118 West Commerce, Wartown." You congratulate yourself for actually remembering the details from that dossier.

>Your partner facepalms. "181," she corrects.

"Er, right, 181. I was--"

>"You weren't close." Dane goes back to watching the nearby cars.

3/3 BAN 2022/08/29(Mon)22:01 No. 1042234 ID: df6307
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Making it all the way to Commerce Street is brutal. It's already 3:00 by the time you get to Supay Solutions.

You get past the toll booth with a flash of your badge, and soon you're pulling into the facility's parking garage.

>"I wonder what kind of reception we're gonna get," Dane muses as you pull into an open spot.

You were thinking about that, too. "If word didn't get out, they might just think we're here to talk about the murder case. ADAM's guard could be lowered."

>Dane frowns. "If word didn't get out," she repeats.

You buckle the pistol holster and exit the car.

You enter the main building through two huge glass doors. They open into a long, empty corridor and a second set of doors. And through them...!!

The place looked big from the outside, but this is ridiculous...! Your attention is immediately drawn to the giant statue standing in the middle of the lobby. The top of it reaches all the way to the second floor. Glass displays spread out around the statue house photographs, plaques, pieces of machinery, circuit boards and other small electronics... You guess that they're chronicling the company's major accomplishments.

>Your gawking is cut short by a polite cough. A tough-looking security guard is sitting at a desk directly in front of you. "Afternoon, officers," he says with a southern drawl. He eyes the markings on your vests. "More Shiptown boys...? Is something goin' on that I should know about?"

>>1042234
that... is an elephant we are going to pretend is not in the room, glaring down at us.

We're gonna want to get the facility tour, ask for a map of the place.

Man, we really should have come up with an official story for what to tell the public, now that I think of it.

Um, maybe tell him that unsavory elements have gotten their hands on SUPAY military tech within the city and that the police suspects thievery or an illegal company leak, and that you would like a tour of the facilities, as well as a chat with the man himself.

>>1042497
why volunteer information at all? that's not our role here, we're enforcement and have every right to come knocking with the level of crime here.

Keep it vague but firm, we are going to see who and what we came to see and anyone that tries to delay or deny us this is getting an obstruction charge.

There's been recent terrorist activity, and violence on Mr. Durst's immediate family, and we'd hate to see it spillover onto other sites.

Surely a foundation with a massive statue of him would provide a tempting target for any elements that remain. We should review their operations and security policies before it becomes crucial. We'd like to speak to someone in senior management.

1/2 BAN 2022/10/02(Sun)20:19 No. 1045303 ID: df6307
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Shit, you think to yourself--you haven't thought up a story to tell the public, yet. You decide to keep things vague until you can put together something solid. "Nothing yet," you say in your big cop voice. "Could you get me someone in senior management? We're just here to get a tour of the facility, and talk to Mr. Supay if possible. Do you have any maps of this place?"

>The guard shrugs and hands you a brochure. There's a basic map of the building inside. He presses a button on the security desk's phone. "I dunno what kind of case has brought you boys this far north, and I won't ask. I know it must be something heavy," he says. He points a finger at you. "Just promise me that you won't cause any trouble in here, or give anybody a hard time. The eggheads scare easy."

>"We'll do our best," Dane says.

>The desk's phone rings. The guard gives you one more cautionary look and picks it up. "Two more for you, PIT," he says. "I know, sorry... Right... They're down here in the lobby, if you--!"

The guard flinches as the person on the other end hangs up abruptly.

>A few minutes later, a woman in a wrinkled labcoat approaches the security desk as quickly as her crutch will allow. She almost falls over as she gets closer. "Shit...! Just a moment!" she yelps. "I'll be right there!!"

>The researcher lets out an ungodly wheeze as she makes it over to you. As she catches her breath, she ducks her head at both of you in a sort of rushed bow. "Hello, hello...! My name is PIT, I'm the senior radio frequency engineer around here." She shoots a look at the security guard. "Apparently, I'm the PR girl, too."

>"They asked for upper management, I called for upper management," the guard says, raising his hands disarmingly. "I'd ask someone else, but the other department heads have testing down in 5B today."

>"Don't remind me. I wanted 5B for my own projects today," PIT sighs. She turns to you. "JAM says that you'd like a tour, as well?"

You nod. "I'm Captain BAN, First Precinct. We're just trying to get a better understanding of this place's operations, and your security policies--"

>PIT scoffs loudly and starts hobbling toward the center of the lobby. "You and everyone else, it seems... Come on then, captain, I'll show you everything."

"Let me guess, the Carnadi's Superweapon? I lost my best friend to that."

2/2 BAN 2022/10/02(Sun)20:39 No. 1045307 ID: df6307
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The engineer keeps up a surprisingly fast pace as she leads you into the middle of the lobby. Other researchers and tour groups eye your patrol vests cautiously at first, but soon go about their business as usual.

>Your tour guide stops and leans heavily on her crutch for a moment. She gasps for air again. "Christ," she mutters to herself. "Shit, I'm gassed... Too much walking...."

"You, uh.... You can slow down if you need to," you offer.

>The engineer immediately straightens up again and glares at you. "I'm fine!" PIT balances on one leg for a moment and gestures around with the crutch. "We'll begin right here. This space is where most of our public tours begin, within our 'Solutions' exhibit."

You're led around from display to display. Like you'd assumed, most of them house notable technological breakthroughs that Supay Solutions has pioneered. PIT explains what many of the different components are, but she's a little too enthusiastic and a little too detailed.... Most of the particulars go right over your head. She leads you further into the lobby, where several more displays surround the statue.

You freeze in front of one display in particular. ERIK is staring out at you from a photograph behind the glass...

>"Sad, isn't it?" PIT limps closer and taps the glass. She's pointing at the same photo, but her attention's drawn to a different soldier in the frame. "He was so young! ADAM was only 16 when he was drafted into the UCSMC. He'd already been accepted into Doren, at the time--he could've fled to Francia, dodged the draft and gone to university. Instead, one of science's greatest minds decided to waste years of his life running around in the woods with a gun."

You study the small collection of photographs. They're all snapshots of ADAM and his squadmates in action. You feel nauseous as you look at them. The perspective may be different, but there's no mistaking some of these battlefields... Edessa, the siege at The Spire, Serenes, the attack on the capital.... "Why?" you ask hoarsely.

>"No reason. Can you believe that?" PIT shakes her head. "No reason at all! He just had a feeling that he had to do it. Absurd... ADAM says that the war was the inspiration he needed to put all of this together, though, so I suppose the choice was a net positive."

"I see...."

>"Our exhibit's centerpiece is also a product of ADAM's past," PIT says, pointing up at the two-story-tall elephant in the room. "'The Hunter,' the UCSMC-AT war memorial. That big plaque on the front lists the names of every KIA and MIA from the brigade that ADAM was drafted into. This whole thing used to stand in the Capitol District, next to the other major war memorials. ADAM's unit engendered a lot of controversy during and after the war though, so much so that the general public was rather...displeased with the memorial's placement. Some people even took it upon themselves to try and take it down. My favorite attempt from those years was the man who tried to demolish it with a remote-controlled bomb--the radio equipment that they seized when they caught him was impressive, to say the least."

>"ADAM had this thing moved into the middle of his company after someone tried to bomb it...?" Dane asks.

>"That's right. ADAM has been a pivotal part of the UCSMC's VA since he was discharged, and he was very adamant about the preservation of those soldiers' names. Between brokering a deal with the government and making enough space here to house the thing, our budget was crippled for the better part of two years. But we succeeded, and I think everyone's a little happier as a result. Unfortunately, we haven't had any exciting attacks since the move was completed six years ago--our security is very thorough, as you'll see later."

>PIT's eye wanders down from the statue to you. "I don't mean to pry, but do you have any relatives who served, captain? Put a bucket on your head, and the two of you would look nearly identical."

Give him a light shrug.

"Who didn't have relatives in the war? What about you? Got war wounds of your own, seems. Didn't expect the line of duty to extend to the science workshop."

Indicate his leg. Maybe there's a story there.

Also, where are those other Shiptown folks now? Part of your security policy thing checkup is... checking up on stuff like that. Have they track of all current visitors on the grounds? Names and purposes? You half feel you almost slid in too easily here yourself, even if you have a minder.

>Giant memorial to the KIAs and MIAs, hauled in here to protect it from public hate
It's somewhat suspect that ADAM was super into preserving this, to the extent of taking on a risky extra financial burden. We know there's a general revenge motivation involved here - MUCHI said as much to Dane - and anyone into the idea of the screwed-over soldier might be extra suspect.

Or at the very least, he might be sympathetic to them, without knowing how far they'll go.

>>1045307
"Lets get back to the tour."

I was in the war. Assuming he still comes around here then I might like to meet him and share a drink over a story or two if he’d be interested, though I’d argue the war was more of an educational experience than in inspiring one.

>>1045428
Are we really emotionally prepared to go through with something like this?

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Your heart skips a beat. You shrug awkwardly. "Who doesn't have relatives who fought in the war?" You try to change the subject as quickly as possible.... You glance at your guide's leg. "Even you've got some war wounds, it seems."

>PIT seems amused. "What, this? There was just a little accident during a testing block a couple weeks ago. I've never been within 300 miles of a battlefield, and hopefully never will."

"I see... let's get back to the tour."

>"Of course. Come along, I'll take you to the core offices upstairs."

PIT weaves back through the exhibit, eventually leading you to a door that takes you further into the facility. Soon, you're loading into a small elevator.

>"Each major department has their own network of office spaces on the second floor," PIT explains as she starts typing a passcode into a keypad on the wall. "On the third floor are the department heads' offices, and ADAM's office, of course. We'll get to those in due time."

You watch as the engineer continues pressing keys. The passcode for this elevator is very, very long... "I know we haven't seen everything yet, but something's bothering me about your security," you remark.

>"Really?" PIT sounds genuinely curious. A green light flashes, and she presses the button for the second floor.

"I'm aware that this is a tour, and that we have a minder. But I still can't help but feel like we slipped in here too easily for such a facility with such 'thorough' security," you say. "Don't you keep a record of all of your visitors, and keep track of where they are on the grounds?"

>The door opens. PIT steps out and turns back to look at you, head cocked to the side. "Of course we do. Why do you ask?"

"We didn't have to sign anything, on our way in. We didn't even give your man downstairs our names."

>"Ahhhh." The engineer's eye is smiling at you. "The moment you entered the building, we got all the information we needed. That corridor you passed through is riddled with concealed cameras and biometric scanners. You were identified as currently-employed, working policemen, so you were granted clearance with minimal security measures. If you were someone unknown or suspicious, we would've locked you out until you were properly vetted. If you were someone especially dangerous, then we'd have skipped the pleasantries entirely and activated the automatic turret system..."

Dane looks at you with wide eyes from behind PIT. You stroke your chin and nod as if the researcher's answer has satisfied your curiosity instead of just creeping you out. "And how do you keep track of visitors on the grounds? That guard said someone else from Shiptown came by--can you tell where they are now, or if they've left?"

>"The only way in or out of this facility for visitors is the front corridor. We can tell when you leave the same way we can tell that you've arrived," PIT explains. "As for tracking on the grounds... Outside of special circumstances, visitors are either closely chaperoned, or followed by security cameras. Usually both. The other detective left shortly before you arrived--I'd just finished giving him this same tour."

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PIT leads the two of you through a door into a large office space. Researchers and interns are weaving through a vast sprawl of cubicles, desks and strange-looking computers. A door on the far wall seems to lead into another space with a similar layout.

>"These are the offices for the RF department," PIT says proudly. "I have several research teams that are using this space currently. I'd explain what they're working on, but then you wouldn't be allowed to leave."

She sounds like she's joking, but the image of an automated turret network is still fresh in your mind.... You decide not to press her on that.

>A young man in a lab coat looks up as you walk by his cubicle. "Ma'am, the ordnance department will be starting their scheduled testing block on 5B in twenty minutes," he says, ducking his head in a half-bow toward PIT. "They asked if you'd be attending, again... Should I still just send the interns?"

>PIT crosses her arms. "Of course! I'm not gracing those shitheels with my presence until NISHI shows up at my doorstep, gets on his hands and knees, and begs for forgiveness. Send those kids from the engineering college again."

>"Got it, ma'am."

>PIT turns back to you as her subordinate re-absorbs himself in his work. "Company politics," she sighs exasperatedly.

I know the feeling, you think to yourself...

>"Well captain, we're at something of a crossroads for your tour," PIT says. "The bulk of the busywork for our major departments happens on this floor. RF, CS, microtechnology, ordnance, special projects... If you need further information on any of our research groups, I can lead you to their offices. Or we could move up to the third floor, and visit the heads' offices. That's more or less the extent of what I can show you, without special permissions or a warrant. Unless....."

>She thinks for a moment. "This is uncommon, and I might need to pull some strings, but perhaps I could put the main tour on hold and take you down to 5B to observe a live ordnance test. Obviously we'd only do that if it was relevant to your inquiry, and not because I'd like to see a certain engineer sweat a little before his shitty experiment starts..."

>>1064713
one overworked department head to another, yes, it's relevant.

this gets us some goodwill, but also gives us an easy in on seeing what the company is up to AND gives us access to a new leadership person to talk with. I don't think our new friend here has much to do with this on a gut level, so meeting another high-up would be useful.

Checking in on potentially dangerous materials is what se came for, after all.

It would be a pleasure to learn more about these test, we will make sure not to interfere and be discreet on the matter.