Futuristic Chicago 2099 (RP)

[Epiphany]

BarkWolfBacon
Kestrel repressed the reflexive curl of her lip at the company Solomon kept, if it included a psychopathic bioteched man. It didn't help that his own arguments weren't making his use of the informant anything but dubious. Still, the older man had been on the job longer and had certainly seen worse things than she had. In the end, the assets he cultivated weren't her business. It was the Captain's call and if backed that play, so would she. Orders were orders.

"I like how we take the murderer's word for it that he didn't kill this particular officer," Kestrel said, but while it was clearly in response to Solomon's earlier remark, she didn't bother to make eye contact or press the point. Again, not her call. When she'd joined the police force eight years ago, she'd had a zeal for righteousness and good conduct fresh out of the military. Most of a decade of exposure to the worst of Chicago gave her perspective now. She wouldn't sanction the use of a murderer to catch murderers. But she'd seen enough in her career to understand why someone might.

RyanDiaz
Kestrel was another of those that turned when Ezra knocked. It was a conference room before briefing. Who knocked instead of just coming in? The arrival of Doctor Ezra explained a bit, though.

When Solomon spoke up to say, "Ezra, its good to see you, man. Hope you're ready for another shit show, because it's not even 8:30 and I'm pretty sure I already need a drink," Kestrel added "The trick is drink enough the prior night to have some carry you through the morning." She flashed Ezra a smile when he greeted her and said "Nice to see you, Doctor. Pull up a chair."

Stickdom
The insane arrival of Rosie resulted in Kestrel looking away in disgust. Using a killer as an asset was bad enough. Putting someone with obviously impaired judgment on active duty? That was outright reckless. She had enough to clean in her house, she had no intention of taking charge of the division's cleaning by trying to do the Captain's job for him. But by God, if Internal Affairs asked her a question point blank, she sure as hell wasn't going to lie.

She might cover Solomon's ass, though. The man had an eye for results. As long as he kept getting them...well, she had enough to clean in her house.

---

BarkWolfBacon
Thankfully, the briefing got underway. Kestrel nodded along as the Captain reviewed case history for the division. She tensed slightly when the subject turned to tensions between the cloud versus the ground. Privately, and even publicly at work, she agreed with the average cop. Cloud district didn't deserve more of CPD's time than anywhere else. Justice was justice. But she understood that politics didn't play nicely with pragmatism. And she had a dangerous path to tread, given her own point of residence was firmly in cloud district.

The introduction of Barnabas Murphy broke through her feeling of indecisive uncomfortableness, wiping it away to replace it with shock. A sanctioned vigilante? The concept didn't faze her on the surface. After all, she'd gone Scout Sniper for the Army. She'd been the one operating with a certain extra-judicial powers, so to speak. But that was a matter of foreign intervention, on foreign soil, against people who weren't American citizens. Domestic operations were wholly different.

It didn't help that Mr. Murphy didn't make the best impression. Bloody, rowdy, combative, cavalier about his willingness to execute people if not for his preapproved list. He had to be good at accomplishing his purpose if he still had the job. But that didn't make him the right man for the job. At least the Captain planned to use him groundside, where gunslinger antics were less likely to create a massive political fallout for everyone in this room.

"Goddamnit, Captain, this isn't going to end well," she muttered to herself. Though those seated right next to her could probably hear the discreet comment.

Rosie's bizarre breathing and incoherent comments set Kestrel's teeth on edge. She didn't say a damn thing, though. The other woman's name was on the Task Force list. Chances were, they might be partners. No sense in starting the gig off on the wrong foot.

So Kestrel leans back in her chair, raises an eyebrow at the Captain and looks obviously expectant about hearing the reason for the mysterious email and workforce assignment.

 

[BarkWolfBacon]

Narrator
Sihng motioned for those left behind to follow him, leading him to his cramped office. It was asses and elbows in there once everyone was in, but they made it work. Sihng watched Barnabas through the glass of his window, the assassin was headed out...somewhere.

Sihng pulled out a bottle of whiskey and pulled the shades shut in his office. They were alone now. His facade of machismo dropped, and he looked visibly shaken.

"I'm not bringing you into this because I want to. I'm bringing you into this because I feel like I have no other option. This could be an attempt to sink this department...or my leadership...by the senators who've had enough of my lack of political catering to the cloud district. I'm telling you right now, I've never received pressure like this from up top. And Barnabas' arrival isn't coincidental. I wouldn't be surprised if I fuck this up that I'm on his list too."

"Before I go any further, let me know if you're in. If you walk out that door right now, I won't judge you. I'd be damn envious of you, but I won't judge you. I picked you all because despite some of your more dubious proclivities you're the most effective people I've got. You're not under someone's bribes. Even Skinner here is about twice as reliable as some of our patrolmen these days. This will be dangerous, top secret, off the books, and I have no idea how deep it goes."

Solomon grabbed the bottle and took a drink. It was good whiskey, better than he'd had in a long time.

"Sihng. We've trusted each other for awhile, even when we absolutely shouldn't have. I've seen you do what I didn't think possible, and actually make a difference on the streets here. I'm in." Solomon finished and leaned back against the wall.

GhastlySquash RyanDiaz Epiphany Stickdom

 

[GhastlySquash]

RyanDiaz

Before the Chief went into the finer details, Jill had motioned for Dr. Ezra, walking next to him as they made their way into his office. Of all the people in this office, she trusted Ezra's opinion not only when it came to cases, but sometimes even her own health.

"Hey Ezzy." She whispered the little nickname she'd often use. "I know you've probably got a lot on your plate but I need your advice again. My doctor is taking me off the medication they used for my injury but I still keep having these...lapses of sorts. Blackouts and stuff. I don't...I don't want to think I might be unfit for duty but maybe you know more about it. Is it lack of sleep? That kind of thing?"

She really hoped it was. At this rate, she was worried she might lose it all together and cost her partner more than a few bruises. They were a team after all.

BarkWolfBacon Epiphany

Jill decided to scoot herself between Kestrel and Solomon. She'd always wondered if Kestrel had ever killed anyone before. Jill had always managed to avoid it for as long as she could. There were close calls of course, but the times anyone got killed in their line of work usually led back to Solomon.

In a way, it made her feel weak in comparison. Solomon never took shit from anyone, but he'd cover for her like a brother covers for his little sister. Seeing him take that bottle of whiskey made her wonder if sometimes he just drank to forget half the shit he'd done.

Of course, he'd be the first to say yes. In a way, it was an affirmation for both of them but Jill was...scared for a second.

Not of the danger. If anything, she'd been in more precarious situations. No, it was the idea of what it entailed.

Looking around, it mean that she was working with some of her closest friends, people she trusted. And she was worried. The name Mary Dawson danced around in her head like an annoying fly that wouldn't go away. She'd go through the records and see if she could find any connection that might link her.

Maybe Dr. Ezra knew about the autopsy...or even Solomon of all people might know. It did say that the poor girl had been raped before she was incinerated. Perhaps Solomon had reviewed the case before.

-------------

Stickdom

Jill still didn't trust her. The way Rosie flaunted herself only made her more and more...angry. It was like watching a prostitute in the street that had gone so far down there was no way to go up.

And worse yet was the fact that people in this precinct, her partner included, trusted this wretched woman. Oh, Jill had imagined some of the things she could do to her. Things that were far more deadly than anything she'd even think herself capable of.

For Jill, Rosie never left her mind.

-----------------------

"Well if my partner is in, you can count me too." Jill placed her origami figure on the desk. "Whatever it is chief, we got your back."

How naive does he think he is?

Jill paused for a second, the thought that had just gone through her head felt...foreign almost. Like it wasn't a thought she should be thinking at all. And yet, it had crossed her mind. It had almost felt normal and she even smirked when it did.

No, it's just the meds. Just the meds. Doc's going to fix me up. Doc's going to fix me up.

 

[RyanDiaz]

Ezra was pretty upset that he didn't know much about the case and was closed down by Theo. The CIA intervention seemed off charts seeing that these cases were usually closed by the police anyways.

GhastlySquash

He observed Jill quickly. Defining the problem being inside her he said "I think your spinal pulsar is not letting you sleep. It might be sending data or god knows what during your REM sleep. I can book a time for you tomorrow. I don't know much about the implants but I can check it out." He took a bottle of pills from inner pocket. "Its Midazolam mixed with phenytoin, take only one pill a day or it will kill you. I heard horror stories of military using it back in Guantanamo." He pressed the bottle in her hand and walked out to see if Solomon or conference room were still in reach.
BarkWolfBacon
He saw him walking out of an office. He walked up close to him and said quietly "Look, I don't know what the captain is pulling but hasn't police got enough force to stop this. It seems that captain is doing that to relieve us from looking further. And wasn't it odd only Kraine was sent to the crime-scene. Has there been an autopsy in yet? I am nearly having a stroke from all this mystery"

 

[Stickdom]

Skinner
The last traces of the chip flushed from Rosie's neurodes about halfway through Captain Sihng's private meeting. She played a quick mental rewind of all that had happened since she had practically blacked out over breakfast at home. The boring bus ride in, shoving for elbow room with other denizens of the street-level mob. Checking into the precinct, flashing the secretary at the desk a doped-up, half-crazed smile because she knew it unnerved them. Walking past the zoo that the inner precinct became in her chipped out mind. Sitting through the first meeting with Sihng and the new Barnabas creep who she'd love to give a total makeover with her unpleasant toys. And now here, sitting in Sihng's office with a motley crew of miscreants that claimed for a task force, listening to Sihng's horrific paranoia. She knew she had made a spectacle of herself earlier, that the chips had made her seem like a complete idiot during what was surely important business, or she would have never been invited to them personally. She tried to avoid the precinct as much as possible, preferring to get her missions out on the street, her own turf. She felt safer there, knowing that she could take issues into her own bionic hands if she felt like it. The CPD was a white-washed tomb, a place full of dead people who hadn't stopped moving yet. They were outdated, under-prepared, governed by bureaucrats and politicians.

But that did not make the individuals any less effective on their own. And this room was full of the CPD's finest. Which wasn't saying too much, some of them were a bundle of frayed wires compared to the faces she ran into in dirty alleys on dark nights, but they all had their specialties and they were good enough at them to have survived this long. Kestrel for instance, uptight and too big for her big-girl-panties to Rosie, looking down on those of lower social status just because she hooked up with another brown-nosed bureaucrat who sucked her way to the top. At least that was how Rosie saw it, mixed with some degenerative form of respect. Kestral was a military veteran, which probably said something for her character, though Rosie wasn't sure what that even meant anymore. If it was a hundred years ago, she might have been proud to be on Kestrel's side, but nowadays, justice, freedom, and the American way were dreams dead and dying, taking their last breaths in a world that was doing everything it could to choke them out. Kestrel was just a pawn who didn't know she was being played. The fact that her work in the Biotech Crimes often clashed with Rosie's street operations one too many times may have had something to do with her sharpened prejudice.

Solomon, on the other hand, couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her. Not that Rosie didn't appreciate the attention, it made it all the more humorous to lead him on and watch him dance on the puppet strings, sometimes hers and sometimes the CPD's. He liked to think he was in charge, which according to his badge he was, but she could tell the power really lay elsewhere and he was simply trying to work around it to make sure stuff didn't fall apart. That's what she liked about Solomon, he was useful, he got stuff done. He hated wasting time and resources as much as she did, and she felt they had a bond in their hatred of the perversion of the justice system that the government had become. The only difference was that she preferred direct opposition and thrived on anarchy in the streets, whereas he tried to use the system against itself, which was like trying to get a giant to stab itself with its own toenail.

The giant in this case being the mysterious "them" that held the blade over Sihng's neck at the moment. As the Captain relinquished the details of the fears and suspicions that plagued him, Rosie felt strangely ill at ease. This didn't sound like corporate tactics, and Barnabas showing up today was the last nail in the conspiracy coffin. Something was going on behind the scenes that Sihng wasn't sharing with them, but she knew no amount of prying would wrench it from him so it was better just to let it play itself out in time. the atmosphere in the room was tense, like they were saying goodbye to Sihng before he jumped out of the window. If his fears were accurate, he was probably counting down his remaining days on one page of the calendar, if he even lasted that long.

"'Even Skinner'? C'mon Sihng, what have I ever done to get on your bad side?" She winked at the elder gentlemen, knowing that despite how her actions and appearance made her come across, she probably had the most respect for him out of anyone in this city, which was saying quite a bit. She leaned up against Solomon, right up next to him until their shoulders touched, her metal on his skin, almost flirtatiously. But it was only to reach past his and take the whiskey from his hand, then she looked around the room and raised the bottle over her head, "You know I'm in for whatever rolls downhill. Long live King Sihng!" She tilted her head back and poured almost a quarter of the bottle into her mouth before a deep inhale, letting the air rush past her alcohol-coated throat, and then setting the bottle loudly on the table and joining Solomon in leaning against the wall, a brooding smile crossing her lips as she thought, 'Finally some action around this dump.'

BarkWolfBacon Epiphany GhastlySquash Chen Gong RyanDiaz

 

[BarkWolfBacon]

Narrator
Sihng collapsed back into his chair after everyone's confirmation. "Senator Dickson's daughter has been kidnapped. She's a completely healthy 17 year old girl, no implants, no record, bright future. Shes fit as a fiddle, which means she's prime research material for experiments. As you all probably know, Dickson authored a bill in the senate to increase the budget for our department in lieu of the recent string of missing persons cases. And now, he's afraid this is some sort of retaliation. He came down on me like the wrath of God. If we can do this, we might be able to keep the lights on.

We fuck this up, and our whole department may be something else very quickly. I need you to press your informants, go to her house, do absolutey whatever is necessary. Someone out there took that girl. Its going to take all of us to get her back. She's been missing for less than 24 hours at this point, we may still have a chance, and we all know how quickly the probability of finding them drops after 48 hours."

"Kestrel, Jill, I want you to go to her home and take a look around, see if you can't find anything."

"Skinner, I need you perusing the black market and trying to ask pointed questions, if this girl is for sale as a subject, we need to know."

"Solomon, I need you and Ezra to head to see Kraine at that dead officer's scene ASAP. Do whatever you need to do there, then try and meet up with the rest of the team.

"Ezra, if you could do some research and build a profile for this girl and see if theres a dark side to her we don't know about, that'd be great."

"Then I want Solomon to rendezvous back with Kestrel and Jill and go to the place she was last seen, leaving tennis practice at her High School."

"Kestrel, you're operations point on this one, you'll be managing any SWAT operations or boots on the ground."

"No press, lets try to keep this as quiet as possible. And you have authorization under the Extra-Judicial Emergency Act to operate without warrants. If you have even the faintest whiff of probable cause...do what you need to do."

He looked opened his office blinds and door. "Lets catch this fucker."

GhastlySquash Epiphany Stickdom RyanDiaz

 

[BarkWolfBacon]

Solomon Glass
Solomon pulled Ezra aside when they left Sihng's office. "Ride with me to this crime scene, I'll explain on the way. But not in earshot of others."

They stopped to grab coffee and then made their way to the parking lot, where Solomon's glidecar was waiting for them. He disengaged Autopilot and pulled out, headed to the location Fallthorn had texted him earlier.

"I get why you're concerned, Doc. But Sihng isn't trying to cover anything up, if anything I think these bodies turning up with organs stolen and the kidnappings are somehow related. Fallthorn has been keeping an eye out for me in seedier parts of town. Drug dens, whorehouses, black markets, and he's noticed something from people he has...interrogated."

Solomon turned on the sirens and jerked back on the stick, launching the glidecar into the emergency services route reserved for government vehicles...but still out of sight for the precious Cloud District.

Ezra raised an eyebrow.

"They all are somehow connected to Tyr. I'm not sure how yet, but all of this - the spike in missing persons, the bodies dumped in the shitty parts of town, and we have to get to the bottom of it."

RyanDiaz

 

[RyanDiaz]

Ezra wondered about the case and what depth it contained. It would put many innocent Chicago citizens in danger. He took out his folded laptop. He had heard that senator Dickson had something to do with enforcing new anti-corruption laws. If it would be personal targeting, it would need long dealing with government.

He searched for Samantha Dickson. According to school files she was a good student with great grades. When he tuned his eyepiece, a report listed in the glass.
"In March, Samantha Dickson was caught violating the law with a gang of vigilant young criminals known as Dingos.
Violation: Illegal graffiting
Conclusion: No pressed charges or guiltiness found. The gang have to remain on community-beneficial act for 2 weeks"

He knew who the Dingos were. It was the gang messing under his window for weeks. But why would Samantha co-operate with them. He knew he should talk with them, but dealing with gang of punks was in small concern right now. He reached her medical papers and saw she was in full condition with all her organs in place (hopefully still) and no health problems besides some headaches that occurred when she was 12. She once has contacted the police of a claimed follower, only 6 months ago. They didn't investigate it further, as she didn't notice the same person again. There was a great deal of mystery here, and enough traces to start up on. The ride to the scene ended soon and Ezra got out of the car to get some air.

 

[Epiphany]

The blonde set her handset to record the conversation, dumping it to the local drive instead of her usual cloud-based folder. Somewhat better privacy that way, anyway. The Captain's initial observations, based on the scanty data, lined up with her own. Retaliation was almost certainly a factor here. But that was experience talking, not the case. The case had to make itself.

When the Captain hands out her assignment, Kestrel shrugged and nodded once. While neither she nor Jill were pure forensics, there wasn't any evidence yet that a crime had taken place at the home. They'd be much more likely to find leads, which either of them were perfectly qualified to do.

She did straighten up at being assigned ops as well as EJEA authorization. Kestrel had enough principle to dislike being 'let off the leash' so to speak. But then, the EJEA was just a narrower set of Rules of Engagement, much like the narrower ROE she operated under back in China with the Army.

BarkWolfBacon
"Yes sir," she answered as the Captain broke up the meeting. To Solomon, she said "Thanks for letting me borrow your partner." For while the Captain made the assignments, the older detective could have made a fuss about keeping his usual partner, and would probably have snagged Jill when push came to shove. Kestrel didn't really need a partner, of course, but it was good protocol to keep things classy with your colleagues so they don't get the wrong idea.

GhastlySquash
"Let's take my car," Kestrel said, catching the other woman's eye contact and motioning towards the door with her head. "Unless you have a hankering for yours." She had a hunch Jill and Solomon usually rode together and, knowing Solomon, he probably claimed the rig as his.

Assuming the other woman tagged along out the door, Kestrel led the way to the police parking garage and got their department glidecar underway before swiveling in her seat and giving the other woman a friendly smile.

"So Jill, I haven't worked with a partner much lately. I don't know how Solomon usually does these things so let me give you my thoughts and you give me yours and we'll see how we end up. Fair? My plan is to land us at the Senator's house and do a top-to-bottom inspection after we connect with any officers already on scene for their take. Honestly, my cases tend to be either high end corporate espionage or bloody street scenes from some booster grafting a rocket launcher to their arm while ODing on something. A missing juvenile's probably closer to your experience than mine so I'm happy to follow your lead and your instincts on the actual inspection."

"In the meantime, I'll handle the initial statement intake, support your search and if God forbid any press show up, point them to me. I want you free to focus on finding whatever there is to find." She looked the other woman in the eyes squarely. "You up for that? Or would you do it differently?"

 

[GhastlySquash]

Epiphany BarkWolfBacon

Jill nodded at the chief's command, although she would prefer riding with her partner. Kestrel was a great detective, but something about her also made Jill worry. Like she was being tested to see if she was a great fit for this department.

Before they got into Kestrel's glidecar, Jill made her way into the police locker rooms to put on her exo-suit. It covered her entire body from head to toe in the standard police gear, and while a little excessive for routine inspections, Jill always kept it for a few reasons.

She didn't like showing her face on police business. It allowed people to retaliate or even identify her. Her doctor always recommended it too. That and putting on the official police gear gave an air of officiality to it. The senator didn't need to see her own nervous disposition and feel like she was inadequate for the job.

Voice filters sometimes even helped her choose from an array of voices. As Kestrel explained her plan, Jill chuckled at the fact that Kestrel assumed she was more experienced. Of course, Sex Crimes dealt with runaways but more often than not there were bigger fish that Solomon wanted to fry.

In a way though, Kestrel was right. Jill could connect better with them. Initially, she figured it was her intuition but over time, she wondered if perhaps, deep down, she'd been one herself.

"Sounds good." Jill smiled. "I'm not much for making plans anyway. That was always Solomon. Most of the time I feel he's too worried I'm going to die so he prefers using his..."other partners" for stuff like this."

 

[Epiphany]

GhastlySquash BarkWolfBacon

Kestrel gave an approving nod when Jill slipped on that exo-suit. She didn't change her clothes, though. While the Biotech Crimes detective did favor a bulletproof vest for the sensitive bits, the reality was the TARSNS Implant had replaced enough bone and muscle fiber with carbon iron alloy that she'd become ridiculously durable. A bad hit to a major artery could probably kill her from blood loss but most of the stuff on the street wouldn't punch much deeper than her epidermis.

And if someone packed anything heavy enough to actually blow her up, the best police armor in the world wouldn't do much to stop it either.

Either way, Kestrel plainly didn't care if she was IDed on police business and her green blouse, black dress skirt and stylish black leather coat looked classy enough that she wouldn't make a bad impression at a Senator's house. Only the detective's badge tucked into a front pocket flap of her coat made her stand out from the thousands of corporate well-dressed drones that worked the cloud district.

As the glidecar neared their destination at the Senator's abode, Kestrel chuckled a little ruefully at Jill's last comment and shook her head. "Detective Glass likes his strays, that's for sure. He seems to keep them in the air at least, which is all any of us can ask. Me, I'll be glad to have someone at my back with training I know and judgement I can trust. I'm sure Solomon's assets bring unique skills but they don't bring character."

The blonde smiled warmly at Jill and added, "Now, let's get to the bottom of this. We only have twenty four more hours before the Senator's daughter becomes a statistical improbability. And that's not going to happen while I'm involved."

 

[GhastlySquash]

GhastlySquash BarkWolfBacon

Kestrel gave an approving nod when Jill slipped on that exo-suit. She didn't change her clothes, though. While the Biotech Crimes detective did favor a bulletproof vest for the sensitive bits, the reality was the TARSNS Implant had replaced enough bone and muscle fiber with carbon iron alloy that she'd become ridiculously durable. A bad hit to a major artery could probably kill her from blood loss but most of the stuff on the street wouldn't punch much deeper than her epidermis.

And if someone packed anything heavy enough to actually blow her up, the best police armor in the world wouldn't do much to stop it either.

Either way, Kestrel plainly didn't care if she was IDed on police business and her green blouse, black dress skirt and stylish black leather coat looked classy enough that she wouldn't make a bad impression at a Senator's house. Only the detective's badge tucked into a front pocket flap of her coat made her stand out from the thousands of corporate well-dressed drones that worked the cloud district.

As the glidecar neared their destination at the Senator's abode, Kestrel chuckled a little ruefully at Jill's last comment and shook her head. "Detective Glass likes his strays, that's for sure. He seems to keep them in the air at least, which is all any of us can ask. Me, I'll be glad to have someone at my back with training I know and judgement I can trust. I'm sure Solomon's assets bring unique skills but they don't bring character."

The blonde smiled warmly at Jill and added, "Now, let's get to the bottom of this. We only have twenty four more hours before the Senator's daughter becomes a statistical improbability. And that's not going to happen while I'm involved."

Jill nodded. "To be honest, I agree. The nerve of him to bring some of these people in the building though. Ugh, I tell him not to but I feel like he either has wax in his ears or he just forgets...maybe both."

Whenever the car reached its destination, Jill would activate the faceplate, where her badge number was displayed on her chest and information could easily be recorded thanks to sensors on the helmet.

"When we reach the Senator though...I think you should more of the talking. I get nervous around people like that." Jill never understood why, but she assumed it was because she never interacted with them that often.

Checking her forensics, kit, Jill would be looking for any potential DNA that didn't belong in the house. From there, she could cross-reference it with staff, perhaps to see if it was an inside job.

 

[Stickdom]

Skinner
Meeting adjourned, Rosie practically skipped out of the precinct. She had been assigned to her favorite task/hobby in the world: digging into other peoples' business. And Singh had handed her the keys to the candy factory, letting her loose on the streets with no surveillance, no restrictions, and no deadlines was almost like her birthday presents came early this year. But then again, with each new persona she took on, she got a new birthday all the time, she had lost track of which was her real one so this was good enough.

Stepping out on the street, she watched the crew split their separate ways. She was a little jealous of Ezra getting to ride with Solomon, but the two old men seemed to have actual business on their minds. It was a pity, Solomon was one of her favorite task force members to torment, and second was uptight Kestrel, though she and Jill had already taken a car in the other direction into town. Probably to do so legitimate investigation. But not Rosie, she was going to have some fun with her freedom while it lasted, and one of the PD's new toys just might help her do it. But first to set up the arrangements.

Rosie punched a few numbers into her beaten old flip phone, a Nokia that looked like it had survived several nuclear attacks on itself and somehow kept on ticking. The dial tone of a hacked network rang in her ear as she connected to the less-than-legal airwaves that were floating around under the government-monitored communication waves. "Hey Clive, is the chop shop open today? I'm looking for some new gear and I might be bringing a friend. I'll be there in a half-hour, don't disappoint me, sugar." She clicked it shut before snotty-nosed Clive could yell obscenities at her. She'd raised holy wrath last time she was there, showing off her kit and almost completely trashing the little back room filled with illegal tech that was tucked in behind an unassuming liquor store. Booze and bots just seemed to mix, one always made the other work so smooth. But now she had a mission and it was some work and all play. She flipped her phone out again and dialed the last person she ever expected to want to contact in all of Chicago. When the ringing stopped, she turned on the charm, "Hello, Eddie. Want to play a game with me?"

BarkWolfBacon Chen Gong

 

[Chen Gong]

Repairs Complete...
Incoming Communications
Phone Call
From
Roxanne Skinner
Edward had just finished his repairs only minutes ago and was trying to try this blasted ribbon back around his neck when Roxie seceded to call, he opened up his internal calling system and answered, "Hello Roxie. And sure, haven't got shit to do until Glassy pays me a visit regarding Tyr info and that dead cop." Edward finally got the stupid fucking ribbon into place, "So, where are we meeting? And on what terms? Business? leisure? investigation? I like to know beforehand." Edward said as he looked around, business meant a weapon was probably needed in the case that shit went down, leisure was techy stuff if he knew Roxie...and investigation wasn't exactly his strong spot but he could help. By murdering journalists.