The Found Arcana - Chapter 11 [IC] Options

[Gilga]

I think to the team "I think this is the most I can get out of this situation. She is a professional politician, after all. I suggest we take it. " I think at the team.

To give them a moment to decide, I reiterate the deal as I understand it. Alright, so to iterate the agreement. We get 50k for a background check, including whatever knowledge it uncovers, to be paid regardless of the results of the check.

If the check reveals sensitive information, you can pay an additional 50k for exclusive access to that information. If you do not pay, we are at liberty to share that information with third parties.

In addition, if there is sensitive information, and Potter is elected for governor, we get 25k. Did I get it all right?

[Beta]

<<Sounds good to me>>

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby nodded, as much to AM's words as that of the mayor.

"Alright then, no time to waste. The contract you get will only talk about consultancy fees and background checks, leaving out the target's name. We let you know, when we have pertinent information."

Bobby put down his half finished tea cup and stood up to get the hand shaking and good bye waving over as quickly as possible.

<<Hey Lysander, I need your expertise - what can you give me on the candidate Potter. Any leads, rumors or dirt on her?>>

[Thanee]

Rachel nods and smiles, as they conclude their deal.

Do you think, we could figure out, whether she actually went to the University of Washington? Maybe they have something from before the Crash? Not everything got deleted back then. But it would probably require to actually get there in person.

[Tecumseh]

The mayor nods to AM.

"Correct. Let's make the ¥25K bonus contingent on Ms. Potter being sworn in as Governor, just so there's no debate over the definition of being 'elected'. Plus, given the fate of Ms. Potter's old boss, it's not out of the question for someone to be elected but not survive to their inauguration."

Of course there's the example of Dunkelzahn, but technically he survived long enough to be inaugurated (but only a few hours past that).

"The election is Tuesday, May 9th. Barring a recount or a legal challenge, it should be certified by the 11th. Faster than usual, given that it's a special election and there's nothing else on the ballot. I expect the inauguration to take place on Friday the 12th so we should know by then."

Hands are shaked and tea is finished (the Earl Grey is actually quite elegant), and the mayor walks you out. The man in the back of the room scowls at you the entire time.

From there it's your choice whether to walk back to HQ, get a police escort, or try to summon one of your vehicles to you.

~~~

Lysander replies to Bobby within a couple minutes.

<<Well to answer a question with a question, what's it worth to you? That intel isn't free, but I'm going to warn you that the file is thin. It's more of an outline.>>

Bobby knows that Lysander usually charges about ¥400 for intel, but he can usually negotiated a "regular's discount" of ¥50-¥60 off that. Maybe Lysander will go even lower if the file is an thin as he says.

[Gilga]

I pale with the sudden realization that I have not considered murder a possibility. It would be terrible because they'll investigate it very deeply. Is this how my story ends? Guilty by right of being SINless next to a dead governor? A diplomatic incident with the Sioux? Well, the Trickster has options - I guess I should just trust the web or go down gracefully if I am not resourceful enough. Ofcourse, nobody said she was going to be elected, murdered, and then that the KE would decide to make us the scapegoat to save face.


Sonja is relentless, but I agree with her clarification. It was the first time I cared about the outcome of an election -- and for the well-being of the candidate. "I don't want to be back in Redmond so quickly after the police take us - it would smell funny. Nobody wants to be friends with a snitch. Perhaps we can go to the University of Washington like Raven suggested?"

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby replied to Lysander: <<Half a package, half the the money. Meet you at the bar in 20 minutes.>>

Aloud, Bobby said: "Yeah, we shouldn't get back with the police. I'm going to meet Lysander directly. I'll take a cab. Tell me, if you need help with the university. Tamarind, maybe you team up with me. Between your drones and my forms, we should be able to get a look at Potter's place from a distance, after we are done talking to Lysander."

[Tecumseh]

Lysander comms Bobby, <<Alright, but you're buying my AlmostEggs and hashbrowns, and my Bloody Mary too if you want to stay on my good side.>>

As you emerge from City Hall / the Sanitarium, you get a ping from Captain Razak:

<<A little bird said you got picked up by the gold-and-blacks.>> (This is a reference to Knight-Errant's uniform colors.) <<Sounds like you weren't in handcuffs, so I'm guessing someone official pitched you something unofficial. Everything in order?>>

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby replied: <<Deal - I might have something for you in return soon.>>

To Razak he sent: <<No worries. We have another job from the mayor. We'll take a close look at the latest candidate that came about through the late incumbent.>>

[Beta]

"Certainly I can go with you to see Lysander. Is his bar open this early? We can grab a cab for now, but I'll have my van meet us part way and we can transfer. Not that anyone is watching us, yet, but going right from the Mayor's office to an information broker would make it a bit obvious that she hired us for a job. I've been meaning to introduce you to Saumya, owner of 'Dumplings? Dumplings!', a restaurant in Touristville that I've run deliveries for in the past. Putting you in a delivery drone might be useful one day. Not today, but it won't hurt for her to recognize you. My van will be there by the time we've said hello, and going from the mayor to a restaurant isn't so odd."

She didn't wait for Bobby's response. He likely didn't see the need, but she was beginning to feel that Bobby didn't share her level of paranoia so she wasn't going to ask his approval on this. Instead she ordered Stitch to help load her surveillance crew into the van, and the van to meet them once it was loaded.

[Gilga]

I hail call a taxi with my app for the University of Washington, figure out I'll check the place and see if anyone would remember Corrine Potter. Some of the faculty would remain in their place for many years. So perhaps? I have a beginning plan to say I am a reporter or something, and I'll fill up all the details on the way. I'll invite Raven to join - or go do something else if she has another lead.

[Tecumseh]

<<Saturday Morning - 11:30 - April 8, 2079 - University of Washington>>

There are cabs available in Touristville. Not many, but it helps that you're 1) calling one during daylight hours, and 2) in front of K-E headquarters.

AM and Raven take off toward the University of Washington while Bobby and Tamarind head to the bar to meet with Lysander.

AM and Raven cross Lake Washington on the 520 bridge. The University of Washington is right where the bridge meets the land on the west shore of the lake. The ladies have an excellent view of campus as they approach from the water side.

The cab drops them off near the center of campus. Red Square (officially Central Plaza) is a large open square that serves as a hub for two of the university's major axes, connecting the campus's northern Liberal Arts Quadrangle ("The Quad") with the science and engineering buildings found on the lower campus. The plaza is paved with red brick, and becomes notoriously slippery during rain. It's not raining now but it was recently; AM slips and feels Iktomi's delight.

All around are cherry trees in full bloom. It's about two weeks into spring quarter, so there are plenty of students around, but it's Saturday morning so most of them are hanging out or enjoying the sight of the cherry blossoms. In fact, AM and Raven notice several wedding parties taking photos, the bride and the groom kissing while the photographer's assistant sprinkles cherry petals over them to capture a magical image that would have been much easier with actual magic. All in all, the entire place reeks of SINner privilege and rich kids going to college so they can be rich too.

There's a loud scratching noise as a passing skateboarder brakes suddenly. "Oh heyyyyy!" he says, stomping on his board and flipping it up to his hand. He makes a beeline toward Raven, looking her up and down. "That look es en fuego!" he says, admiring her Zoé Executive Suite and heeled boots. "Can I get your P2.1 profile??" He's a human, not bad looking, in skater gear, about five years younger than Raven. He certainly doesn't lack the confidence of youth. AM, in her blue jeans, t-shirt, and running shoes, gets ignored.

(UW cherry blossoms in bloom: photo) (Bobby & Tamarind post in progress)

[Tecumseh]

<<Saturday Morning - 11:30 - April 8, 2079 - The Bar>>

Bobby and Tamarind catch a cab, then switch when Tamarind's van catches up with them. Tamarind's paranoia is satisfied for the moment.

While they are driving, you get another comm from Razak. <<Politics, eh? The brass would be interested in what you find. The colonel is licking his lips, thinks that Seattle is vulnerable. General isn't so sure, but is always looking for anything to singe the beard of the UCAS.>>

Then they're off to the bar where Bobby and Lysander meet. Usually it has sports projected on screens around the bar and today is no exception. The baseball season is recently underway and, because it's the weekend, there are some day games that started at 13:00 on the east coast of the UCAS. (In the eastern division, the Atlanta Braves are currently beating the Manhattan Yankees. In the central division, the Miami Sharks are hosting and currently ahead of the Texas Lone Stars. The coastal division games will start later in the day.) The bar is sparsely populated. There's a barman pouring weak-looking beer for blue collar laborers who might have just finished a graveyard shift. Assensing suggests they have skill wires and are riding a decent buzz.

Lysander is at a corner booth. His eyes are heavy and he's practically slumped over, and Bobby gets the sense that his call woke him up. (Bobby also gets the sense that he might be a bit hung over.) Lysander is an androgynous elf, currently sporting light pink hair (perhaps inspired by cherry blossoms, who can say). He's wearing a vintage sports jacket with big padded shoulders that looks like something a women's business suit from the late 2040s or early 2050s. AM and Raven would likely have distinct opinions about this, but neither Bobby or Tamarind know a lick about fashion so there's not much to discuss.

Lysander startles awake when Bobby and Tamarind sit down. "Oh, good, you're here," he mumbles. "Hurry up n' order my breakfast off the AR menu, wouldja."

Lysander is decidedly limp until his AlmostEggs arrive with his hash browns. By the time he's done with his first Bloody Mary, he's practically himself again.

(OOC: pausing here to let things breath a bit, the rest of the post is written but is pretty long so I wanted to break it up)

[Thanee]

Rachel really enjoys the view at the Red Square. The cherry trees are a beautiful sight. She also slips into Astral Perception to take a look around.

She smiles, as she watches the wedding scenes. Definitely a great spot for a moment to remember. Hopefully, the University is old-school enough to also remember something about the former graduates.

"It's sooo beautiful here. Really nice. Must be amazing to study here. Do they teach Thaumaturgy as well?" she says to AM.

When the young skater approaches them, Rachel appreciates his sense of style. But that's about it.

"Well, thank you, young man. Do you need help with your homework? I'm sorry, but I am terrible at math."

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby replied promptly to Razak: <<We are not sure yet if there is dirt to be found - or at least dirt worthwile of attention. We'll have to weigh if we should use what we find to further the NAN cause, or keep a lid on it, so we keep our contact with the mayor going. If history is any indication, no-one is able to hurt the Anglos more deeply than the Anglos themselves.
I'll send a report when we are done.>>


The change over to Tamarind's car was welcome from his side - Bobby was all to aware how many eyes a visit to Redmond's mayor could draw. That was something he'd work on as his next project.

Bobby looked with a hint of worry on his contact. Lysander had always been a party person as long as Bobby remembered, but it had never shown itself like this.

He himself kept himself occupied with a cup of peppermint infusion. Already he was craving a fresh apple and maybe a carrot. He'd have to talk with Rachel and AM about how to get plants to grow faster with magic.

"So, Lysander, what do you have for us. That's my colleague Tamarind by the way."

[Tecumseh]

Lysander pushes up an invisible cap at Tamarind to acknowledge the introduction.

"Okay, Corinne Potter," he says when he has the energy to talk biz. He slides a datachip across the table, a pleasant throwback like his sports jacket.

"Age 44, born and raised in Seattle, UCAS SIN, only child. Dad was a firefighter, mom was a nurse, now both deceased. Growing up, she moved around the metroplex a lot because her dad's posting got reassigned every four years. She's lived in Tacoma, Auburn, Renton, Everett, and now Snohomish.

"Graduated high school and got a bachelor's degree from the University of Washington in 2056. Got married, got a dog, had a kid. Both husband and child were tragically killed when their train derailed during Crash 2.0. Her parents were killed the same day when a plane crashed in their neighborhood. Dog survived and became Corinne's lifeline, her tether to reality, the thing that got her out of bed in the morning instead of just wasting away.

"At this point she's in her late 20s, suddenly without family, and grieving deeply. She falls off the grid for a while as she mourns. She throws herself into volunteer work to help run from the pain. Food banks, soup kitchens, clothing drives, animal shelters, grief counseling centers, old folks homes, and so on. As best I can tell, she's living off life insurance and/or her inheritance the whole time.

"Eventually she takes on more responsibility. Gets into an organization role, event management and the like. Fundraising. As she emerges from her grief, she becomes passionate about local causes and issues, leading her to get involved in politics. Leveraging her administrative and operational skills, she slowly migrates into political campaigns. She was heading Howard Cannon's campaign - he was a surprise nominee, but that's a whole other issue - until Howard catches a knife in the ribs as he's passing by a bag lady who was squatting on a Snohomish street. Whole thing is caught on drone footage; you can watch it if you like snuff films." He taps the data chip.

"Exit stage left, Howard. Enter stage right, Corinne. And that leads us to today, where Ms. Potter is neck-and-neck in the governor's race with Nikola Taul, who could not be more different in practically every way."

He pauses, then leans across the table to lower his voice.

"So what's the problem with all this? It comes directly from Corinne Potter. It's her story, and a big chunk of it can't be independently verified. Why? Massive records loss from Crash 2.0, or off-the-books volunteer work for organizations that don't keep good records in the first place. Oh, sure, her campaign can trot out childhood friends who say that they always knew she was destined for something bigger, or folks from her volunteer days who talk about her huge heart. But actual, concrete, tangible evidence like diplomas, marriage certificates, death certificates? Almost non-existent."

He leans back to let it sink in. He seems to be gauging your reaction.

"Oh, and her dog just died last year too."

[Tecumseh]

"Well, thank you, young man. Do you need help with your homework? I'm sorry, but I am terrible at math."

The young man isn't the least bit deterred.

"I do!" he says. "I'm pre-med and could use some help with my anatomy lessons."

Whether this is charming or creepy is up to AM and Raven. He's reasonably smooth as far as an operator is concerned, and he's more playful than aggressive. His aura suggests genuine attraction rather than malice.

"C'mon, let me take you out for a soykaf and a bunch of caramels. It'll be fun, I promise."

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby leaned back and frowned: "Yeah, that smells like grade A bulldrek. Someone with her backstory supporting the Technocrats whose politics would make a Crash 3.0 more likely... Doesn't fit.
Do you know if her family has been cremated or burried? Would be interesting to dig up a bone fragement and do a DNA test..."

[Tecumseh]

Lysander nods to Bobby.

"What it sounds like to me is someone said, 'How can we make the perfect candidate from scratch?'

"Personal tragedy? Check. Empathy? Check. Communication skills? Check. Leadership skills? Check. Energy? Check. Establishment outsider? Check.

"And the tragedies are so horrible that nobody asks about them. Nobody wants to be person who grilled the grieving widow about her dearly departed family."

He waves his hand in the air like blowing away a bad smell. "Pah!" he says distastefully.

"As for digging them up, mummy and daddy were immolated in a big ol' fireball. The victims of the train crash were smooshed into paste. Oh, and the train exploded too. Whoever's left is probably indistinguishable from each other in a big pile of black goo."

Lysander sniffs. It seems that Ms. Potter offends his professional sensibilities.

[Jack_Spade]

"Very convenient. Looks like we'll have to dig for more distant relations. Damn Crash 2.0. Well, looks like we'll have to do this the hard way.
Here's your money."

Bobby pushed a cheap credstick over the table.

"I'll be happy to pay more for more pertinent information.
Tamarind, any questions from your side?"

[Gilga]

I grin "I think they do, but their forte is computer science. I took some of their online courses unofficially before I applied at SYS."

I grin at the Skater boy "Hi, I am Em... I consider studying computer science here. So I don't know much about Anatomy. I do drink soykaff, is there any place I can stick around for some VR without looking out of place?"

I am probably older then him, but being elf has some perks he can assume I am younger if it fits the profile of a candidate better.

[Tecumseh]

"Oh, hey," the sk8tr boi says to AM as if she just magically appeared.

"The libraries all have VR spaces. There's, like, a dozen libraries."

He starts pointing out libraries, of which there are four within a stone's throw.

"Gotta be a student to get in though." He points to himself with a click of the tongue and a wink.

"So, whaddya say?" he asks Raven. "You want me to show you the archives? They're quiet... nobody around..."

[Beta]

Once they sit down with Lysander, Tamarind starts pumping out matrix noise with her RCC. She seems to have some trouble thiat lately, but it should still be enough to block the cheapest spying devices.

Tamarind eyes where Bobby has pocketed the data chip. If he'd let her have it, she could have it in her RCC by now, and have an excuse not to talk to this hung-over elf. She forces herself to smile mildly, and think about questions to ask. While she finishes grinding through information she stalls for time by asking "Did you get enough breakfast?"

While Lysander fields that question she figures out what else she wants to ask.

"I do have questions about Potter. Does that chip have home addresses, and if so how far back? I'm sure they are mostly anonymous sorts of places with high tenant turn-over, and at least a couple of people who would swear she was a wonderful neighbour. But there may be a few others around who have kept their mouths shut that don't remember her, or remember her drugs, or whatever. People who know better than to talk to the press, after all maybe they sold her the drugs or have a precarious position they don't want to risk. But that doesn't mean that the information can't be found."

"Are there any pictures of the dog, or at least descriptions? Breed? Not so many people who keep dogs these days, so for one it makes her more memorable and for two people with a shared interest often talk to each other, so other dog owners should remember her." She adds for Bobby <<What do you say, are you in need of walkies?>>

"For that matter, dogs usually have veterinarians. For someone who cared deeply about their dog it seems very likely. Probably not a public record, and I'm sure one has records of her and a dog, but what do people actually remember of her at the clinic? It might help verify if any of this history is real or not."

"Everything else, I guess we look into ourselves."

[Tecumseh]

Tamarind's RCC pumping out Noise is enough to overwhelm the bar's fragile systems. The sports get fuzzy and eventually go black. The AR menu goes down shortly after. The blue-collar types are unhappy and yell and look like they might start to throw things.

Lysander looks taken aback by Tamarind's inquiry about his breakfast. He hadn't expected a personal question.

"I, uh, did. It was, uh, good, thanks. This place does it how I like it: heavy oil, heavy salt. And their Bloody Marys are heavy on the Worcestershire, garlic, and horseradish. Goodness, that makes me sound like an ork, doesn't it? Speaking of orks..."

He juts his chin to some tipsy orks in dirty factory overalls who aren't handling the Matrix disruption well. It looks like there could be a bar brawl soon.

Lysander looks like he wants to go. He answers Tamarind's questions quickly.

"Current address is on the chip. It's an anonymous apartment building in Snohomish. Don't have any addresses before that.

"Dog was a beagle. There are some photos of her with it on the chip. Nothing about any veterinarians. I'll put it on the wish list.

"Are we done here? My spidey-sense says its time to go..."

[Gilga]

I hint to Raven to keep him distracted and use the distraction to see if I can steal his wallet. Hold habits die hard, and I may want a student card. The man is distracted, and there is no resisting the Raven.

[ Spoiler ]

Palming: 13d6t5 5