The Found Arcana - Chapter 11 [IC] Options

[Tecumseh]

Cutty raises an eyebrow and gives Bobby a questioning look.

"Yeah, a month ago," he says. "End of February, beginning of March, around then. Crimson Crush took a big bite out of the Halloweeners. They're not extinguished, but the ember is now underground.

"You seriously don't remember this? Man, you're getting soft in Bellevue!" He tries to pinch Bobby's belly playfully, looking for fat.

"Or you're spending so much time initiating in the mountains that you forget what's happening to the rest of us. There's a balance between what happens here" - he points to his head - "and what happens here." He points to his feet.

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby shrugged: "I remember that well - but I didn't know they were hit that hard. But yeah, it was pretty busy for a while. After that case I might need some time off. Thanks anyway. I'll start my rounds through the bars. See you later."

With that Bobby dove into early morning Touristville.

[Tecumseh]

<<Tuesday Noon - 11:57 - April 11, 2079 - Printing Office - University of Washington>>

After another hour, there's still no sign of Corinne Potter or Corinne McDermott.

One more hour and you can be done with this. But, in the meantime, you're getting hungry and the kid at the front desk will be looking for his promised lunch.

~~~

<<Tuesday Noon - 11:58 - April 11, 2079 - Touristville - Redmond>>

Bobby decides to leave Aces and The Jackal's Lantern for last.

He starts with The Banshee, a strictly no-frills bar. There are some strings of LEDs, a pissed-looking ork pulling drinks, and cheap booze. Its prime appeal is being unremarkable and low-key enough to do business in, provided you keep an eye on the hungrier-looking patrons. That said, Bobby doesn't find Dennis there.

He decides to go to Downfall next. On the way, he passes by a noodle vendor (decent udon noodles), a takoyaki cart, and a guy doing crepes out the back of his car. Dennis isn't at any of those either.

Then he gets to Downfall. His first impression is that it's a fairly clean, safe place ... at least by Redmond standards. His second impression is that there is a low but detectable edge to the mana. The place is aspected (background count 1) but the flavor is an odd mish-mash that Bobby can't pinpoint.

He sees two patrons sitting at a table eating AlmostEgg and hash browns. One's a middle-aged dwarf with a bushy beard and all dressed in denim, and the other is a human who has the barrel-chest of a dwarf. He also has a big beard, and a decided blue collar look to him, like a mechanic or a lumberjack. But what stands out is that both of them are Awakened.

They both notice Bobby immediately and give him a look. They're assensing him as he's assensing them. The dwarf is dashing hot sauce on his hash browns and gets so distracted he adds some to his soykaf too. The dwarf gives a nod of acknowledgement to Bobby, a little jut of the chin. The human grunts and says, "Don't start no drek, won't be no drek" in a guttural growl. Then he turns back to his meal.

At the end of the bar there's a man nursing a beer by himself. He's hunched over the bar, looking like his thoughts are far away. His profile looks like Dennis.

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby just nodded politely to the two awakened and let them be otherwise.
Instead he headed for the bar, asking for soycaf.

Once he had that he turned to Dennis.
"Hi, I'm Bobby. If you are Dennis, I think I owe you a beer."

[Tecumseh]

The bartender slams his hands on the bar. "Do I look like a Soybucks to you??" Evidently they do not offer soykaf in this establishment.

The man raises an eyebrow at the mention of a beer. "Oh?" he says almost reflexively. Bobby can tell that he's curious, but then that instinct that Cutty described kicks in, that reluctance to accept anything of value. "I can afford my own," he says, turning to look back straight ahead at the wall.

From his appearance, Bobby can tell that he's not a squatter. His clothes are dirty but not too dirty. His hair is disheveled but not totally matted. His aura is unhealthy, but more like a Touristville resident than a fulltime street dweller. He looks like he does in did in his mugshots, which is to say sad and unshaven. He's surviving, but maybe he wishes that he weren't.

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby took a beer instead, but only sipped it.

To Dennis he said:

"I'm not handing out charity here. I'm buying your time and information - provided you are willing to sell."

Bobby pulled out a cheep pad and called up the results of the DNA test.

"Let me preface that you aren't in trouble - at least not with me or my associates. We are a detective agency - you might have seen our office here, SIS.

I was looking for you in the hopes you could tell us something about Corrine Potter."

[Gilga]

"I need a break..." I declare eventually, and feeling a bit naughty, I stand up and address Tamarind. "Come on, Tam, let's give these two lovebirds some breathing room for their date... We can find nice things to eat in the university."

[Tecumseh]

<<Tuesday Noon - 11:59 - April 11, 2079 - Touristville - Redmond>>

The bartender, a troll, grunts and gets Bobby a bottle of beer. It's an American pale ale of some sort, one step above carbonated water, one step below German Pilsner.

Bobby watches a remarkable transformation: Dennis is completely and utterly crushed by the inquiry. Bobby doubts that nothing he could have said could have broken this man more. It's as if Bobby snatched the man's soul out of his body, crushed it underfoot, and ground it into the bar's concrete floor.

A look of intense sorrow crosses Dennis' face, and his shoulders slump even more. It's almost like he's trying to melt into the bar countertop. The only sign of life is when he takes a long drag on his beer, then holds up a finger to signal the bartender for another.

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby looked on with interest. So the man knew about his daughter. He felt guilty and at the same time wanted to keep his daughter save. He had to tread carefully as to not burn this source.
He waited a moment for the man to continue, but when it didn't seem like he would continue by himself, Bobby fished a bit:

"Don't worry about it. There are worse fathers out there than you. I'm sure you did the best you could under the circumstances."

[Tecumseh]

"My little girl..." Dennis whispers to himself, resting his head on the rim of his bottle. His voice trails off. He raps his head against it a few times as if he might beat some sense into himself.

Bobby's careful, compassionate approach seems to be the right one, at least for now.

"I only ever wanted what was best for her..." Dennis says, more to himself than to Bobby. It sounds like a mantra he's repeated many times. It's unclear if he's lying to himself, or if it's a truth he echoes to preserve his own sanity.

[Jack_Spade]

Very gently Bobby asked:
"What happened? Was it her mother?"

[Tecumseh]

<<Tuesday Noon - 11:59 - April 11, 2079 - Printing Office - University of Washington>>

The kid at the front desk gets a panicked look when AM and Tamarind walk out. Perhaps he's afraid of getting ditched. He quickly walks back to the room where the women have been working to find Raven.

Seeing her, he settles down a bit. "So, uh, I know this place to get Thai food," he says in his deeper voice. Somehow it manages not to crack this time. He leans on the doorframe suavely.

~~~

<<Tuesday Noon - 12:00 - April 11, 2079 - Touristville - Redmond>>

Dennis doesn't answer for a long time. Bobby can see the war in his mind: is it dangerous to talk? Or can he finally open up to someone?

He starts out carefully. He shakes his head slowly.

"No, not his mother," he says. "We loved her. We loved each other.

"They took her away from us..." he says with a haunted tone.

Who?

"A man and a woman. They were wearing nice suits. You didn't see suits like that in Redmond, not in those days.

"They had a way of talking. Things seemed so obvious and clear when they spoke, but when they left our brains were all jumbled, our thinking all scrambled." He waves his fingers over his head to indicate it being muddled.

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby nodded sympathetic: "What did those people say and how did they find you?
And what happened to Corinne's mother?"

[Thanee]

Rachel rolls her eyes at AM's comment, not that anyone can see it.

When the kid appears, she looks at him. "The others wanted to go for a walk around the university proper. So... Thai food? Sure, sounds good. Is it far?"

[Tecumseh]

<<Tuesday Noon - 12:00 - April 11, 2079 - Printing Office - University of Washington>>

The kid nods. "Yes, it's close by," he says, forgetting to make his voice deep.

The walk there takes five minutes. On the way, Raven learns that his name is Stan.

"I lived in Thailand for two years," he tells her as they walk.

The restaurant is called Basil Kitchen. When Stan walks in, an older female Thai dwarf comes and gives him a hug. They chatter away in Thai for a minute. The woman gives Raven an appraising look and then an approving nod. The woman steers Stan and Raven to a nice table in the corner. Stan pulls Raven's chair out for her.

"Do you like spice?" he asks. "The first time I came here, I told them five stars. But when the food came out, it was not spicy. Then I had to tell them 'ฉันอยากให้กรุงเทพร้อน' which means, 'I want it Bangkok-hot.' Then they understood and I got what I wanted."

He points over to the kitchen door. "All the cooks lined up there to watch me eat. I was sweating but smiling. I put it all away."

He smiles at the memory. Then he realizes maybe he went to far. "But they can do non-spicy here if that's how you like it!" he clarifies, almost in a panic.


~~~

<<Tuesday Noon - 12:02 - April 11, 2079 - Touristville - Redmond>>

"This is 30 years ago. Or it will be next year. I don't remember what they said word-for-word. It was the standard stuff you would expect: they can give her a better life, get her an education, she could have a career. And, you know... medical care. She could go see a dentist. A real one, not a veterinarian pretending to be one."

Dennis looks pleadingly at Bobby, practically begging to be told that he did what any good father would do in the same situation.

"I don't know how they found us. We were nobodies living in Redmond. I never saw them before and never saw them since. I don't know how they picked us."

Again he looks torn, wondering if it was a blessing or a curse.

"Her mother couldn't handle her being gone. She wasted away, died of heartbreak, regretting it to the last."

He drinks his beer. He gulps more and more, trying to drain the bottle quickly.

"I kept telling myself that we had done what's right for her, not for us. But... but..." His voice trails off. It's clear he hasn't convinced himself.

[Beta]

Tamarind left one spy eye in the archives to keep an eye on things (and for Rachel's security -- that is to have a recording just in case she has to deal forcibly with the lad), but otherwise is willing to wander the campus for a bit. Colleges have always been foreign territory to her, a place for those fortunate to have wealth or brilliant or corporate connections. She doesn't hate the places, and she'd enjoyed some her grandmother's stories of her college years. Still, she can't help feeling a bit like she is spying behind enemy lines, that nobody would let her wander around here if they knew her lack of connections and money.

As they get something to eat, she asks her team mate "So, presuming we don't find anything in the records about her, and we have the genetics results and whatever Bobby turns up, do you think we go back to the M --- to our client? Or do we keep digging more for now?"

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby patted the man's shoulder:
"Hey. Don't beat yourself up. We are pretty sure your daughter had magic ability. She is healthy, has a great career and seems to have a kind heart.
As far as you are concerned, you did the best you could.

Would you mind coming to our office? I've got some more information for you, but I don't want to share it here."

Over the team channel he sent: <<Jackpot. Dennis is her father and corporation goons took his daughter away - likely because of her magic potential. I'm taking him to the office for a full debrief and recording.
Also, he might be in danger. There are two magic types in the bar. Could be we aren't the only ones keeping an eye on him.>>

[Gilga]

So Tam and I find a nice restaurant while Raven is on a date. She may resent me, but it is wise to cultivate contact and get to know the boy's name and story. Knowing someone in the university may come in a handful in the future, I rationalized with my Machiavellian reasoning. So it leaves Tam and me to select something to eat. Numerous options exist, but I am most excited about the clamp chowder place. I'm not sure if it's seafood, but it is costly and delicious, so I can pretend it is.

"It is embarrassing, and we also know she is awakened. Two things she is lying about so our employer would likely have to pay us. Though, I'd try to keep the woman extra happy by trying to figure out more about her. I still try to get her to speak at the hood, and I have contacted someone more experienced to advise on the computer system."

[Thanee]

Rachel smiles at the dwarven woman, as she nods her approval (whatever that is supposed to mean precisely). Her sweet, girl-next-door look, that she was going for, certainly works here.

"I like that this place has a feeling of family," she says to her. Stan is also feeling a lot more comfortable here, she can tell.

At the table, Rachel says: "This is a nice place, Stan. I like it. You can call me Kim. I do like spicy, but I'm pretty sure if I get that level of spice in my food the cooks will have the time of their life, so let's keep it modest."

"Thailand, huh? That's pretty far away. Was that some kind of student-exchange?"

[Tecumseh]

<<Tuesday Noon - 12:10 - April 11, 2079 - Voula's Offshore Cafe - University of Washington>>

The weather on campus is better than the sideways rain that Bobby is dealing with up in Redmond. In Seattle, the sun shines between breaks in the clouds. There are flashes of blue sky, and a pleasant breeze that carries the scent of spring flowers. It feels like a time or renewal and rebirth.

During their walk, Tamarind finds plenty of things that make her feel out-of-place. First off, most people are half her age. The prevalence of students lowers the average age to about 20 or so. Many of the kids also have the look of well-fed and cloistered children. Their personal grooming is on point, their clothes are new and stylish, and they seem to have the cocksure confidence of those who have never really struggled in their lives. They have a relaxed, at-ease air about them that is easy to find when everything is provided for you.

AM and Tamarind end up at Voula's Offshore Cafe, which is right next to the water on Portage Bay. It's just off campus so the area is more industrial. There are repair shops, a boat company, a bicycle store, construction offices, and even a lumber store for building materials and supplies. The clientele in the cafe is much more blue collar and Tamarind feels more at home.

The menu is a curious blend of American breakfast foods (pancakes, omelettes, eggs Benedict, hashbrowns) and Greek food (gyros, souvlaki, tzatziki, dolmades). On top of that they have soup, which includes clam chowder that's advertised as "Made with real clams!" How true that might be is a separate question.

There's even a traditional waitress instead of an AR ordering system. She's short, middle-aged, and brings a pot of soykaf and two mugs without being asked. "What can I get for you, hon?" she drawls.


<<Tuesday Noon - 12:10 - April 11, 2079 - Basil Kitchen - University of Washington>>

"It was a mission trip," Stan answers matter-of-factly. "We focused on sharing our faith through various activities like teaching lessons, holding discussions, and providing community service.

"I worked on community development projects, assisting those in need, and providing companionship to the elderly or those who were lonely. It was a rural area so I helped a lot with the farm work. I helped develop their irrigation system. They've been trying to move away from the typical top-down, hard-engineering approach and move more toward nature-based solutions that incorporate the natural processes of the country’s abundant rivers, floodplains and watershed forests.

"I also fed the chickens and collected eggs," he adds as an afterthought.

The older dwarf woman comes to the table. Stan orders in Thai.

"Most students get the noodles here, but the curries are where they really shine," Stan tells Kim in a conspiratorial whisper, as if he doesn't want the other tables to hear. "Do you like soykaf or tea? I recommend the Thai iced soykaf and the Thai iced tea. I actually ordered one of each. You can pick which one you want; I like them both."

He leans back, seemingly at ease. His voice no longer cracks. He seems at home.

"So what do you spend your days doing when you're not digging through ancient archives, Kim?" he asks.


<<Tuesday Noon - 12:10 - April 11, 2079 - Touristville - Redmond>>

Dennis seems to appreciate Bobby's kind words. When Bobby invites him back to the office, Dennis nods.

On the way out, the two blue-collar looking dudes hold out a hand to stop Dennis from passing.

"You okay with this, Dennis?" they ask, looking at Bobby skeptically.

"Yeah," Dennis nods. "This is Bobby. Bobby, this is Steel Rider and Cyclone."

Presumably those aren't their given names.

"Yeah, I seen him around," one of them nods, although he still eyeballs Bobby warily. Then to Bobby: "If he's not back in one piece, we'll be looking for you."

With that, Bobby and Dennis are free to go.

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby steered Dennis back to SIS Headquarters - the rain was bad enough that he didn't need to hurry him.

Once back, he sent a command to the Soycaf machine to prepare two hot mugs and turned up the heat in the conference room.
After sitting him down at the table - dodging Wayland in the kitchen - and putting down the hot brew before them, he continued:

"Alright. I'd like to get your story as an affidavit on record. There is a chance you can be reunited with your daughter - depending on who those people were and what they told her.

Your daughter volunteers at an animal shelter. Can I assume, that your family did in fact have a dog when she was living with you?"

Bobby had activated the recording function of the conference room and looked expectantly at Dennis, while he took a sip from his soycaf.

[Tecumseh]

<<Tuesday Noon - 12:30 - April 11, 2079 - SIS HQ - Redmond>>

The soykaf machine, evidently still possessed by a mischievous sprite, delivers two soykafs with naughty pictures drawn on top with foam.

Dennis, cold and wet, seems to appreciate the hot drink. But when Bobby mentions an affidavit he physically leaps back from the table like he had received an electric shock. The table rocks - it was never that sturdy - and his soykaf tips over, spilling over the table and floor.

"What, are you CRAZY?" Dennis says, his voice rising until he's bellowing.

"They'll kill me! They. Will. KILL. Me." He points at himself for additional emphasis.

He spins and makes a break for the door.

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby stands up, blocking the way out: "Listen! This is your chance to reunite with your daughter. The people we are working for have the means to protect you. They have a vested interest to bring the truth to light - they need you alive and well. If you go now, you have nothing - except that people see you leaving SIS. You are already compromised if those people keep an eye on you.

And honestly, what do you have to lose? You have the one in a lifetime chance to make this right - are you really loving yourself more than your daughter?"

Bobby hoped he had found the right mixture between hope and intimidation to keep the man under control.

[ Spoiler ]

Intimidation (psychological): 12d6t5 6
Negotiation: 6d6t5 2

[Beta]

Upon getting Bobby's message, Tamarind was initially torn on rushing to HQ to help debrief Dennis vs finishing their odd task. Then a though hit her, and she asked AM "Is there any chance that Bobby would hold off having that conversation with Dennis until more of us got there? He doesn't seem like the waiting around kind, once he's doing something. We could get you back there pretty quickly, but I'm not sure there is a lot of point to it? And what we are doing is still important -- even if she was taken as a child that wouldn't have meant that she didn't go to college. There seems to have been a second identity switch, more recently."

[Tecumseh]

<<Tuesday Noon - 12:31 - April 11, 2079 - SIS HQ - Redmond>>

Dennis shoves Bobby aside, or at least tries to.

[ Spoiler ]

Body 3 + Strength 3: 6d6t5 1 hit

"They'll kill me!" he yells in Bobby's face. "No, they'll disappear me! Dissolve me in a vat of acid, or bury me in concrete, or feed me to the ghouls! It's a miracle they haven't done it yet! What are you going to do that's worse than that?!"

Bobby finds himself in a shouting match.

"Don't you see?? If she hasn't tried to find me then that means she doesn't want to! Why do I want to be a liability in her life now that she's made it?!"

Bobby's attempt to manipulate Dennis is met with a look of loathing.

"You talk like them," Dennis says bitterly, no longer shouting. "The suits. You'll say anything to get what you want. You want to use me up for your own purposes and then throw me away. You're no different from them. You disgust me. Either kill me and get it over with or step aside."