IC - Oracle Investigations, Hard boiled Gum-shoes in the Sprawl Options

[Nikoli]

"Well, I was sitting in my lodge, the pipe and natural fire were ready when as I reached for the pipe, Bamn! I see a empty plain, it's raining lightly, a mother Buffalo is giving birth, it's the White Calf. The White Calf is being born in my vision. I was so happy. Then, things went wrong. The Mother died as the calf began to stumble into the shadows. I reached out for it, to comfort it. Before I could reach it, a robed figure crept form the shadows, all I could see were his hands. They were a beuatiful white marble, but the fingers had grey, hematite colored claws, they were lined in red. The claws sank into the Calf and pulled it's still beating heart out. Then I awoke. My hand just inches away from the small fire. Not even two heartbeats had passed."

[Darkest Angel]

The smile drops of Nat's face, and is replaced by a look of concern.

"I had a similar such vision not half an hour ago... The thing was taking a child, but someone intervened and the child was freed." Nat pauses a second and shakes her head. "I need all the potential references you've got on this thing, everything from dragons, through demons and throw in some ideas on dream interpretation too - this could always be some kind of metaphor... And if you meet anyone whos had a similar experience, point them my way ok?"

[Nikoli]

"Will do. Be safe Nat."

With that he reaches out and places his hand on your shoulder.

[Darkest Angel]

"The Goddess will be there when I need her. While you sort that stuff out, I need to go make a call." She puts her arm round him and gives him a hug. "I'll be back soon."

Nat heads off to the nearest callbox, and phones John on his mobile.

"Hey John? It's Nat, can I pick your brains for a minute?"

[Nikoli]

"Hey Natalya, glad to hear from you. Of course you can pick, just give me a moment to finish this other call."
There is a brief pause.
"Okay, I'm free now. What can I do you for?"

In the background you can hear the occaisional ring, several low voices, and from time to time shouts of profanity as another perp is booked.

[Darkest Angel]

"I don't suppose you could let me in on anything regarding a possible increase in child disapearences?

[Nikoli]

You hear a slight drag from a coffee cup, then a choke as you ask your question,
"Children, no, nothing on children. Why?"

[Darkest Angel]

"Right, I see. Just a little something I heard on the grapevine - probably nothing. How are you set for a drink later?"

[Nikoli]

"Sounds great, I found a new place over on 5th and Washington."

You know that's not a cop bar and it's out of his precinct.

[Darkest Angel]

"Sounds a decent joint - what time you want to make it?"

[Nikoli]

"Well I have a lead I have to run down in that neighborhood. I can meet you there at two this afternoon."

[Nikoli]

Gil
At 14:42 a blue sedan pulls up and parks by a meter. Nobody gets out.

[Darkest Angel]

"Ok, I'll see you at two then. Take care."

Nat returns to Steve's shop.

"Hey again, you sorted those things out for me?"

[Nikoli]

Steve looks up at you from his little computer, the one he keeps hidden from the customers under a fake stuffed buffalo head with plaque reading 'This ain't your daddy's Tuh'tonka'. When he sees you he quickly lowers the head back into place.

"Sorry about that, most the wanna-bes won't shop unless they think you're anti-tech. Stupid fraggers. Anyway, yeah, I found a few things. That image, of the cloaked or robed figure, with alabaster skin and the metallic grey nails. Yeah, that's an idealisation of an archaic form of the 'Adversary' idol. The White Buffalo is a reference to my people's return to nature for everyone and everything, anyone else would call it the 'pocyclypse'. You sure someone intervened in your vision? Some other folks on the shaman boards have had similair visions, none of them had a happy ending like that."

[Darkest Angel]

"Yes... I know what I saw, but more importantly what I felt at the end. I will let you know once I have a better idea of what's going on. For now though, you should be ok to test your new stock. Take care."

With that, Nat leaves, and heads to the stuffer shack to get a BLT sandwich, before returning to the office.

"This Jonas guy, did he have any kids?"

[Darkest Angel]

Assuming I'm told no...

"Interesting." Nat says out loud "must be something big" she mutters to herself looking down on her sandwich.

I may be on to what this is about already, but I'm going to have to see a contact in a few minutes to confirm. I'll let you in once I've gotten the info I need."

Nat finishes her sandwich slowly pondering the situation. At about ten to 2, she leaves to meet John.

[Panzergeist]

"No mention found of a wife or kids. Though I wouldn't be surprised to find he had sired a bastard or two, given his connection to politics."

[Nikoli]

Natalya
13:55 You arrive at the bar, you see John sitting a back booth. He's already got a bottle of scoth 1/4 gone. There's an empty shotglass across from him.

Gil
At 14:45 the blue sedan pulls out and drives down the road.

[Nikoli]

Gil
As the car slides away, you can see that the plate is not normal. It changes as it heads into traffic. About 2 blocks down it stops next to a black sedan, the windows are rolled down, you see the driver of the blue car speaking with the passenger in the black one. After words, the black sedan drives on and turns around in the stuffer shack lot. It is coming back up towards your position. It pulls in. The front passenger gets out, seeming to look in your general area but sees nothing, he opens the rear door and out steps a man in a well tailored suit.

[Darkest Angel]

Nat strolls into the bar orders a Soycaf, and takes it over to John's table.

"I would have got you one, but noticed you already had something a little stronger. One of those days?"

[Nikoli]

"Nat, it's been one of those months. Word in the department is that someone up on high is suppressing certain investigations, I can't get access to the files involved until a body shows up. Fragging office politics." The whiskey sloshes out of the glass as his hand shakes in rage.
"Look all I know is this, two detectives that were working together on a case I can't access have taken a recommended leave of absence until further notice. Capice?"
With that said, he stands, makes his good-byes and walks out the door.

[Lilt]

Tom is looking-over the company's finances. Hopefully this meeting will turn-up a good wad of cash for the group.

"Only enough cash in the bank for another month in this place..." Tom thought to himself, looking around the office. It had grown to be a kind-of 2nd home, and the chaie had moulded itself nicely to his posterior over the years.

"He seemed nervous, I'd hate to milk him but business is business." Tom brings-up a list of office expences and tries to think of how he could put the charge for an office night out on the bill.

Engrossed in his 'work', the 2:45 alarm brings him back to reality and he looks around the office. Noticing the absence of some team-members, he gets up and peers through the window overlooking the street, watching the people go about their little lives...

[Nikoli]

Accross the street you see a man opening the rear passenger side door of a black sedan. Another man wearing a nicer suit steps out and stands up. He looks around, buttoning his coat and begins to walk across the street. Just when you think they are going to open the door they turn to the left and out of your view.

[Darkest Angel]

"I get you."

Nat looks down at the Soycaf and ponders, thinking to herself.

"I really could do with those two cops names, but I don't want to push him, and even less probe his mind... I'm not even sure they'll be any use... but they must have gotten a little too close for whoever is doing this to press them for a leave of absense.

There's always another way - if this is what I think it is, I'll get Greg to look up which cops are on recommended leaves of absense."

She spends time over finishing the soycaf, and heads back to the office to be in time for the meeting.

[toturi]

Gil has eyes on the pair. He maintains cover and tries to discern if either man has weapons. Also he squints as he focuses on the license plate of the black car. His senses are at maximum for other discrete surveillance, obviously the blue car was scoping out the office.