The Found Arcana - Chapter 11 [IC] Options

[Tecumseh]

None of the food seems poisoned. Once everyone has been served then finally Andrew serves himself. He favors the ramen, which is in a shoyu broth and a soft-boiled, marinated egg.

There is a difference in quality among the dishes, likely due to the proficiencies of the kitchen. The ramen is better than the yakisoba, and the chilled udon is better than the cool yakisoba.

It's good manners to let the host take the lead and initiate the conversation. After a few minutes of conversation about poetry and the changing of the seasons, Andrew finally brings up business.

"I am gratified to find you all in good health," he says. "I would wish to continue to see you in good health." The astral suggests this is true.

"As such, I am concerned about your request. It is a request that may not be compatible with a long and prosperous future."

[Gilga]

I sigh. "Thank you for your concern, Musai-San, and we wish you good health and prosperity as well." I commented truthfully and then added "We do not intend to incorporate Kiku's services in our operations. Though, while doing detective stuff, we deduced her involvement in a high-profile crime. This means that the digital paper trail is not handled thoroughly enough. While we pose no threat, we do seek information and are willing to return the favor by making sure that nobody with dangerous intentions follows the same breadcrumb trail as us. Is there a way to facilitate an exchange without risking our health and prosperity?

[Tecumseh]

Andrew considers AM's inquiry. He answers slowly, with carefully measured words.

"When discussing the subject's profession, there are different types of practitioners.

"There are the desperate, who perform to survive. To stay warm, dry, and fed, and to provide for those who depend upon them.

"There are the idealists, those who truly believe in a cause and will do anything to see its plans come to pass. Those willing to do a little evil to do a greater good.

"There are the honorable, who follow a strict code. To never target an innocent, for example. Or to never take pleasure in their work."

He gives a meaningful pause.

"The woman you ask about is none of these." He looks as if he might expound, but then leaves the rest unsaid. Your imagination can fill in the blanks.

"Is there a way to facilitate an exchange without risking your health and prosperity? An exchange, yes. Without risk, no." He gives you a hard look to drive his point across.

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby shrugged: "I'll take that risk. Just one question: Should it come to violence and I defend myself... is she considered sacrosanct, so that hurting her, would cause trouble for us with your esteemed organization?"

[Tecumseh]

Andrew nods. "Trouble, yes. And, if I were to make the introduction, it would put me in a very bad light. There would be... ramifications."

It's unclear if he means the ramifications are for you or for him or both.

[Gilga]

The woman sounds like a true Übermensch or perhaps a psychopath. I take a few silent moments, trying to process what Andrew tells me - are we at risk for just meeting her? Am I okay with such risks... The legacy of Red Cloud is that the battle is decided before the first shot is fired. We cannot afford to antagonize a professional assassin. She'll find some opportune time and we can't always be alert.


I look at Andrew with concern and sayThe last thing I desire is to put you in a bad light, Musai-San. Do you have any suggestions on how we can minimize the risk of things going sideways?

[Tecumseh]

Andrew gives a long pause as he considers AM's question. He puts down his chopsticks, placing them on a ceramic rest parallel to each other on the right side of his bowl. The thicker ends face the table while the tips are angled upwards by the ceramic rest.

"To meet in the Matrix would negate the risks of an in-person confrontation, but she will never agree to it. She is loathe to sacrifice any advantage she may have."

He thinks of something but hesitates for a moment, as if unsure about the wisdom of it. He picks up his napkin, refolds it, then replaces it in his lap.

"The safest way would be to meet under the banner of our chivalrous organization."

He holds up a finger quickly, lest you run away with the possibilities.

"She is not an associate of the Kanaga-gumi," he explains. Bobby knows this to be the 'chivalrous organization' that controls the north districts, primarily Everett, Snohomish, and Auburn, as well as the Redmond Barrens. "She is a non-traditional asset of another family."

His look is hard to convey the gravity of the request.

"Each family would send emissaries to oversee the proceedings," he says. "Your conversation would not be private. Your manners must be impeccable. And making the arrangements would require certain considerations to the families involved to make it worth their time. It is usually not a price of nuyen, but rather... favors.

"I would encourage you not to enter such a contract lightly."

[Beta]

<<As my grandmother would say, Ay Caramba!>>

<<There is a certain, substantial, cost to making such a meet. With very uncertain gain, I'd think assassins who give up their employers don't see a lot of work, and that those who hire them would be wise to use cut-outs just in case. We might get good intel, we might not, balanced against a cost of future entanglements. Alternative is that on this thread we go back to the mayor and say that we have solid evidence that he was assassinated by someone known to work for this other Yak family. Would she want to know more, of course, but she couldn't say we turned up nothing.>>

<<I'm not saying that I'm dead set against following this trail farther, just that I want us to take a moment and be sure before we plunge down it any farther.>>

[Gilga]

The more I think of it, the more I realize this conversation may be more valuable than a meeting. My head is spinning. Impeccable manners is usually something I'd pride myself on, but I doubt these would be the kind of manners Andrew is speaking of. Can I handle myself in the middle of a traditionalist Yakuza proceeding? Can Bobby or Tamarind? What are the chances of coming out of it with a new rivalry, and to what end?


"Can you explain more about these proceedings, and the role of our person of interest in this event?" I ask quietly trying to piece out the puzzle.
When it is appropriate I'll also ask. "Also what do you mean by non-traditional asset?

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby replied on com:
<<I agree, meeting under those conditions is out of the question. What we really need is a good image of her. We now are able to field three high level spirits at the same time and we know the area where the assassin is most likely living. A bit of clever spirit search and some time should be enough to locate her - on our terms.

Let's try to avoid incurring favors.>>

[Tecumseh]

"What is the role of your person of interest? To hear what you have to say. Is that not your goal?" he asks, seemingly confused by AM's question.

"The rest would be neutral observers there to maintain the peace. Umpires, if you like. Referees. But, in truth, they will not be that neutral. They would have vested interests of their own."

When AM's next question comes, he quickly waves it away with a swipe of his hand.

"I will not speak of her. I have already been far too liberal over the course of this conversation."

[Gilga]

I explained the question of her role."Please forgive me if my questions intrude too much on your organization. I am at peace with not getting all the answers, but I seek to understand the broader social context of such a meeting. You suggest I attend some events and meet with a delicate asset during the said event. Is she coming there to meet me? or will she naturally be there? To risk being too direct - will she expect me to offer her an assassination job at such a meeting? Or will she be informed of the nature of the meeting beforehand? Also, if the conversation is not private, what can I openly say - I'd imagine that tales of her previous jobs are very discreet by nature.

"Perhaps if our woman is going to the event regardless, I can try to accompany Andrew just to have a look." I think to myself almost typing it to the team, but I question my motivation is it an excuse to spend some time with the dangerous man, or a good opportunity for the job?

[Tecumseh]

Andrew stiffens at the series of questions from AM, and his eye visibly twitches when she says "assassination".

He holds his hands up to stop her.

"If I may be efficient, I do not believe this is a prudent undertaking," he says. "Let us leave it here and save ourselves the time and effort involved.

"I cannot stop you from introducing yourselves; I can only recommend against it."

You understand that Andrew is reaching his limit and that your audience with him will soon conclude.

[Gilga]

At Andrew's gesture, I stopped talking and did not pursue this any further. "I am sorry for overspeaking Musai-San. I respect your decision to distance yourself from this can of worms. Detective work often requires a careful balance, and I am grateful for a wonderful dinner and the valuable advice you provided us." What can I say? For some reason, talking to a Yakuza assassin excites me a bit too much for comfort; perhaps it is for the best. Unless my colleagues have somewhere to take this conversation, I don't intend to speak about work until the end of dinner.

[Jack_Spade]

"Just one question: Can you tell us at least who this other family is that keeps their hands over the woman? Would make it easier not to step on their toes."

Bobby tried to fish for a bit more information that he hoped wasn't too sensitive.

[Tecumseh]

"That would not be prudent," Andrew answers with a clipped tone. Bobby notices Andrew unconsciously massaging the tip of his pinkie which, for the moment, is still intact.

Bobby thinks about what he knows about the yakuza in Seattle, which is a fair amount. If the woman is not associated with the Kanaga-gumi (Andrew's organization) then that leaves the Shotozumi-gumi or the Kenran-kai.

The Kenran-kai are bottom-feeders out of Puyallup. They are populated with the rejects and the cast-offs of other organizations. They are more concerned with scratching a living out of Puyallup through smuggling operations and the like.

The Shotozumi-gumi controls the premier territories in Downtown, Bellevue, and Tacoma. Oyabun Hanzo Shotozumi is a traditionalist and a firm believer in doing things the way the Yakuza have done them for centuries. However, his stance has softened slightly due to the influence of his daughter, Keiko. She worked the shadows for years before she sold out her teammates and returned to the family fold, suggesting either a sudden reconciliation, or the possibility that she was working deep-cover the entire time. She has managed to show her father the wisdom of some unconventional assets, including women and metahumans.

Bobby is willing to bet that the assassin is connected to the Shotozumi-gumi. However, the precise nature of the relationship is unclear. Is Saiki Kiki under their umbrella, or just a freelancer they sometimes employ? And, depending on the answer to that, did she kill Howard Cannon on behalf of the Yakuza or for some other employer?

[Gilga]

So I am sitting on a tape of a Yakuza assassin fleeing the crime scene of the most high-profile murder in the city! I met a Yakuza contact, another branch but still... They are all connected. I am respectful and polite, and I eat the fucking noodles and talk about the weather and the cherry blossom and whatnot and it feels like an excruciating foreplay when I am ready to get down to business. Then the time for business comes, and I can't even say the A word? The woman is an assassin and no amount of indirectness is going to make Cannon anymore alive. He did not even ask what we have, he is always so professional about everything...

Professional... that word hits my thick skull... If he is so professional, and I implied that I have evidence of a Yakuza assassination - would he have someone silencing us?

I feel like the awkward teenager I was sixteen years ago all over again. I guess I should praise Iktomi for showing me the great web. This is what I do now whenever things go sideways - but getting myself murdered for over speaking is a new record. Perhaps it is good that we didn't go to the Yak party, they would have silenced us then instead of sharing info.

My dear Iktomi, it was your plan all along... wasn't it?


>>> I think it is time to leave... I blew up this conversation to the high heavens.

[Jack_Spade]

<<Yeah, but we got some information at least. And now that you have an image of her, you can in fact use Spirit Search. With a bit of triangulation, we can find her on our own.>>

Bobby replied, following AM's lead once again and finished his meal.

[Tecumseh]

The meal concludes. Andrew maintains a polite façade and doesn't have any outward expressions of anger or frustration. But on the astral there's a tinge of something... a hint of unease, or dismay. Something is eating away at him under the surface.

Andrew stands when you leave, then sits to resume his duties. A line of petitioners formed during the meal. As you exit, the people in line consider you with a mix of frustration for taking so long and respect for dining with Andrew.

Being nearby, you check in on SIS Redmond. It's quiet, and feels strangely hollow now that you've moved most of your personal possessions to Bellevue. It still has a rickety table and mismatched furniture, and a mischievous sprite that messes with the home network, but there's more empty space now than before. It could potentially be repurposed into something, should SIS so choose.

[Jack_Spade]

Stopping by the office was a good idea in any case, now that the team was in one place again, so Bobby could explain his idea:
"My working theory is that the Shotozumi-gumi are keeping their hand over the assassin. It would therefore make sense if she spends her downtime in their territory.

We have access to two summoned spirits from AM and Rachel + Trouble, though I don't know if Trouble has the Search power.

If we employ them in a grid of 1km radii, we should be able to find her."

[Beta]

"For what it is worth we can also run matrix searches on the image. Her disguise might be sufficient to foil that, but we can try. Hopefully she doesn't turn out to be related to someone important in the Yakuzza. Then again, how intermarried are they here?"

"I've not really played with them yet, but isn't one of the software subscriptions that Mato has for facial recognition?"

[Jack_Spade]

"How do you think I got her name? I've done nothing but matrix searches the whole day, based on the sketch. Though my expertise is limited - feel free to try and find her over the matrix, but make sure you aren't traced yourself. Or rather make sure that you are traced only to a place where we can prepare an ambush - like the stuffer shack I worked from."

Bobby replied

[Gilga]

My heart is heavy when I arrive home. Yes, I don't live in Redmond anymore, but no - it is still home where I can be myself, even if it means someone will bomb me or toss a Molotov cocktail at my home.

To Bobby's plans, I confess Trouble does not have the search power. I can summon a watcher spirit, but the last time I tried, was an epic fail. I wink at Raven.

Then I ask Bobby "You want to potentially aggravate the crap out of an assassin of poor behavior and connections with a powerful criminal syndicate? Aren't you worried about making yourself a loose end that needs to be handled? Let us assume you have her attention. What would you ask of her? " I am not strictly complaining about that plan; I am just admiring the show of sass and boldness.

[Jack_Spade]

"Honestly? I intend for her to vanish. I'm not easy to kill and all I need is one look at her in person. She doesn't seem to be a mage, so I can take her. As for the syndicate - that is a concern, but only if her body is found. Hers is a dangerous line of work. You don't send killers to kill the killer of your killer. That's a great way to lose more killers."

Bobby replied.

[Beta]

Tamarind hasn't known Bobby long enough to know if his self-confidence is warranted, but she finds it breath-taking either way. In fact, she chooses to do some slow, steady, breaths to keep herself from getting too wound up about it all. Her experiences have taught her to be wary about such attitudes, and she knows that is her issue not Bobby's, but it is still challenging to keep an emotional level keel when he is all but laughing in the face of the fates, karma, Ifni, or whatever might bea a out there.

She decides to let Bobby pursue the assassin angle if he wants. There is not much that she can offer there, and she's inclined to agree with Amy Maka's question about what they might learn from the assassin. And she isn't so much needed at the vet clinic tonight. In fact, their current leads feel like they might be running down, and she wonders about how to create more?

Then she remembers a legal drama that her Mother liked watching. The lead investigator often asked "Who benefits?", usually just before some brilliant insight that moved the plot forward. She doubts she'll get any such brilliant insights, but she does decide to take some time comparing Potter's stated positions with those of the deceased. Maybe it was just Potter's ambition, maybe someone else thought she'd be more controllable or make a more attractive sock pocket .... but maybe there could be a policy angle to it. If there is, that might give them somewhere else to start poking at.

So she makes up some tea, sets up some AR whiteboards, and starts going through first campaign literature, and then keynote speeches, looking to see if there is any change of platform to go with the change of candidate. And once she's decided her opinion then she seeks out what some of the better respected commentators have been saying, and whether any of them have noted a change.