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?

<<Sounds good to me>>

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?>>

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.

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.

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?"

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."

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?>>

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.>>

"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.

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.

<<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)

<<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)

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."

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."

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."

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."

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..."

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.

"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?"

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.

"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..."

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."

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..."

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.

Rachel rolls her eyes. Is she really going to steal the boy's wallet?

"You are tenacious. I guess, it is good not to give up easily. Not exactly a quality that is going to help you here, though. Let me tell it to you straight, this isn't going anywhere further than this little chat. Surely, there are plenty cute college girls around here to flirt with."

Bobby nodded and got up, talking in a low voice to Tamarind:
"Do you have a jammer active? If yes, better turn it down. We might attract unwanted attention.
Going for the veterinary is a good idea. But it's totally possible that that is also just a lie and there never was a dog.

I'd say we take a look at the home address next. By now, I'm pretty certain it's a front, but maybe there is a clue as to who set it up."

AM deftly picks the kid's wallet... only to find that - in the sk8tr boi aesthetic - it's attached to his pants via a chain. So she's got a wallet that's still attached to the mark.

The boy is sufficiently distracted so she pokes into it only to find that it's mostly empty. No ID, no student card... all that must be on his commlink. Why does he even have it? Must be like a piece of jewelry to him. AM does find a condom in the wallet, if she wishes to keep that. Of course the latex has probably degraded by continual exposure to his body heat, but maybe she could make a balloon animal out of it.

Stealing his commlink is possible, although he'd probably quickly notice it missing when losing connectivity.

"I like older women," the kid says with a shrug. "I like their style, their... experience. C'mon, let's do the yin-yang thing. You can be the responsible adult and I'll be the freewheeling youth that keeps you young and grounded so your corp job doesn't take over."

"I'm sure there is a market for guys like you, probably could even make some real money off of it, but I am not even close to the target audience."

The kid shrugs, defeated. Presumably AM puts his wallet back - or takes it off the chain if she's feeling like a rascal - at which point he jumps back on his board and rolls off. He does a kick flip down some stairs, which seems like a remarkably bad idea on wet bricks, but somehow he stays upright.

~~~

At the bar, the situation resolves itself when Tamarind either 1) dials down the Noise, or 2) leaves.

Outside, there's a chance to slot the chip and see what it says. It includes what Lysander described, plus has several videos of interviews and campaign events. It also includes her current address.

Pulling it up, it's a nondescript apartment building in Snohomish whose neighbors include a grocery store and a Aztec restaurant on one side, a church on the other side, and an animal hospital across the street. The apartment building has five stories; Ms. Potter's address is on the middle floor.

It would take about 45 minutes to drive there. You could save some time by going north through Redmond, but that exposes Tamarind's van to some dodgy parts of the Barrens. Probably best to take the long way around, which is much safer.

So I find myself holding the wallet, and then I feel inspired. I haven't stolen anything in a while I don't need to do it anymore I make good money. We're not poor; I am not a child. Still, it feels so good. With an amused look and a hint of theatrics I ask Rachel , "Rachel, can I take one of your condoms? This one looks a bit worn off."

I mean, she'll have one, right?

If she does, I place the fresh condom in the wallet and take the old one as a trophy. If not, I just hand him the wallet. I then say "Here you go, now you have a fun memory from us. "

I wonder if I jut made some woman safer. I am not sure because he does not seem to get lucky often.

Rachel looks at AM. "And why exactly would I have that at a visit to the University around noon? Gimme some of that stuff you are taking, girl! Gee."

"Anyways, let's go! You heard him, we are getting old..." She winks.

"Well, the skater boy had one... I thought it was a thing. He didn't even have a student card, but he had a condom. If someone actually says yes, the boy is ready..."

I say with a grin. You pack for each story at a time. Don't you? I sort of pack for every possible scenario. My purse is equipped to handle any curveball the Trickster throws at me. I keep spare clothes, cosmetics, a smart wig, a small towel, tissues, energy bars, wet towels... Bubblegum, breath mints, a few tea bags... well, you get the picture. I'd have condoms if I actually needed them. Sorry for projecting my messed up personality on you."

I bite my lower lip. "He wanted to take you to the archives. Do you want to start there? I am not sure they'll let us in, and I am don't have the Erika - so we might need to be back. If they don't let us in. I think we can ask nicely and it would work, it is a university afterall."

Tamarind feels a bit sheepish about crashing the bar, something she'll thing about the next time.

Once out to the van she says "We could go direct, but honestly it might be more useful to get one or two of AM or Rachel. I can sit in a coffee shop or bar and listen to what people say OK, but I'm not going to sweet talk anyone into spilling things they don't want to reveal. And I don't really suggest breaking into the apartment, because I'm sure there are people already doing surveillance, and likely extra security."

"With the animal hospital across the way I think we should get you to do your best imitation of her dear departed beagle, then get Rachel to take you in there. We can look up likely ailments that she can be setting up an appointment for, the real point is that if they did take care of Potter's beagle Rachel can probably leverage your similarity to get that out of them, and maybe verify how long she was a customer there. If there is no glimmer of recognition, then likely there was no beagle."

"There are plenty options for contraception, no need for those. And I do not have a lot of stuff with me, usually. Anyways, I thought we just take a look around, see what is officially available. Maybe get some information. We could even figure out what is necessary to become a student here. Either way, I see this more as preparation. Surely, we will have to be back at another time."

Bobby frowned: "Let's split the difference and take a look around first. We two are better at not drawing attention after all." A statement, that might be true, but only in relation to the two mages.

"And no, I don't want to pose as a dog at the vet. I am - as you might imagine - not neutered, and I'd prefer it to stay that way. Also, I think I'd be better qualified to talk to a vet than to pose as a patient. I can transform some stray into a beagle if necessary. But honestly, I think we should first try to bribe an underpaid vet tech to look up if Ms. Potter ever actually had a dog. If that doesn't work, we can always go for their network and have AM break in. A direct connection would likely be best for that.

But one thing after the other. Let's take a walk around the blog while your drones take in the situation there."

"I am going for some coffee and research. you can come with me or go to the archives and see if they let you in. I am looking for homework on what kind of stuff to look for in the archives.

I then find a quiet cafeteria - or at least peaceful while the students are in class. I order some coffee and a chocolate croissant, and I dig into computer research, searching for a list of faculty in Potter's field that have been around when she studied and are still around today and that she might have taken a course with them.

I also searched for alumni lists to see if I could verify Potter's connection to the university. I give it an hour unless Raven gets bored beforehand, and then when I know enough information about dates and times, I can go to the archive to ask for some old grade sheets or other documents (if they let us in).

Something tickles the back of Bobby's brain. Bobby knows that Crash 2.0 was 14.5 years ago. He also knows that most domestic dogs live 10-13 years. He also knows that beagles, being a smaller breed, have a lifespan closer to 12-15 years.

So if Corinne's dog died a few months ago, then it must have been at the very upper end of that range. Not impossible, but that means that the dog would have been a puppy back in 2064. But would someone who has a young baby get a puppy at the same time? It's not impossible, but add it to the list of things that stretch plausibility.

~~~

It's Saturday so no students are in class. AM finds a café to get a soykaf and croissant but it's busy with the Saturday brunch crowd. There aren't any peaceful options.

AM doesn't actually know what Corinne's field is but luckily that's on the chip that Lysander provided and some quick communication with Bobby+Tamarind provides the contents of the datachip. In an interview, Corinne said she studied "Politics, with a minor in Communications". There's no "Politics" department but there is one for "Political Science".

There are 36 professors in the department. AM does the math and realizes that Corinne would have graduated 22 or 23 years ago. Only about 8 professors look old enough to have been professors back then. Of those, only 2 are still active professors while the other 6 are professors emeriti, or professors who retired in good standing and retain an honorary title of "professor" from the University.

All 8 seem to have inboxes with the University, so it might be possible to reach them via written message. Alternatively you could try to track them down in real life. That could be done, but would take some time.

Alumni lists are behind firewalls and will require hacking. Broad Matrix searching doesn't reveal anything other than the fact that the University has 8,000 undergraduates each year, so there are hundreds of thousands of them out there. Finding Corinne among them might be a needle-in-a-haystack task.

"Alright. I am taking a look at the archives, to see if there is any way to get inside without causing trouble. If I can find them, that is. See you in a bit."

Rachel then heads off to find the archives, using any AR guidance available, if there is any.

She will also occasionally use her Astral Perception to see if there is anything noteworthy going on in the magical realm.

As Raven's suitor had suggested, there were multiple libraries. She elects to go to Odegaard Undergraduate Library, since Corinne was an undergraduate during her time at the University of Washington.

Libraries of the future tend to have a lot of meeting rooms or other spaces where students can study together. There are old books that have yet to be digitized, but most content from the last 30-50 years or so would be electronic in nature.

Raven finds the door locked. It seems to be looking for a MARK that her commlink doesn't have. There are some students around but, because it is Saturday, not as many. If she's patient she may be able to slip in when someone exits, or tailgate behind someone entering, but there's not much traffic at the moment.

Tamarind adds "doesn't think it would be funny to be a dog and fool a vetinary clinic" to her mental list of things that she doesn't understand about Bobby. He doesn't even suggest that he turn her into a beagle, in fact he doesn't even make the obvious 'bitch' joke. Some day maybe she'll get a handle on the man, but for now ... well AM and Rachel are busy, so understand him or not she'll have to do her best to be the partner he needs. For starters, she doesn't make the joke either.

"I can look at how good their matrix security is. With the new dongle, if they aren't plugged into too decent of a host I might be able to extract something. Odds are good that the clinic is owned by someone larger so may have decent security, but really we'll just have to take a look and see." after a moment she adds "I don't suppose anyone in the agency has contacts in the organized crime that controls that area? Potter likely wouldn't have had much involvement, and I don't like doing business with organized crime more than necessary, but it might be another source of information."

Once they get near the clinic she launches drones to start checking the area, most importantly for likely security hanging around. The two Pellipers she sets to follow delivery fly-ways and get a general scan, while she sends the Aunties and Uncle, her flyiing eye mini-fleet, more at roof level to to get a more detailed look. And then she sets them all up to work together as an observation swarm, running off her RCC -- they haven't transferred ownership of the new one yet.

Once she has those going, she gets close enough to identify whatever host (presumably) that the clinic is using, and takes a good look to estimate how strong it is.

<<Saturday Noon - 12:30 - April 8, 2079 - Snohomish>>

Tamarind and Bobby take the safe route to Snohomish, avoiding the worst of the Barrens. It's Saturday so traffic isn't too bad.

When they get there, Tamarind releases her drones. The first thing she discovers is... she's not alone. Or, more accurately, the Aunties and Uncle are not alone. In fact, there's a battery of floating drones hovering near the apartment building. It's the paparazzi treatment you would expect for a celebrity. Instead, you're in a mixed-use neighborhood in front of an apartment building that - from Bobby's experience in architecture - was built back in the 2030s. It's not run-down, but it's starting to look long in the tooth.

The other drones don't seem to be doing much, just hovering and observing. There's nothing much going on at the moment. It's an A-rated middle class neighborhood in the very northeast corner of the Metroplex. In fact, the Salish border is only about a kilometer to the east.

Tamarind discovers that the animal hospital has a rating 2 host. This is typical of low-end commercial and/or private businesses. A bit of research reveals that the animal hospital is actually a not-for-profit clinic, a rarity in the Sprawl these days. That doesn't mean it's free, but it does mean that there won't be a 25-50% profit margin built into their prices.

"Snohomish isn't our turf exactly." Bobby shrugged. "But I don't think Potter needs the help of any gangs or mafias. Corporations have much cleaner ways to fake stuff. The dog angle might be a dudd anyway. Beagles don't usually live that long - the whole story sounds more like an afterthought to elicit even more sympathy from the voters.

I'll take a look around while you snoop the matrix."

Bobby got out of the car and walked around the clinic, looking for the delivery entrance where people on break would usually hang around to smoke or play.

Once he's in front of it, Bobby sees that the apartment building is a motel-style arrangement, with open-air corridors and stairwells. That means that the apartment doors open to the outdoors, onto covered breezeways that connect the neighboring units. You can walk right up to Corinne's front door... but everyone can see you walking right up to the front door.

There seems to be a modest courtyard in the middle of the building that features a small pool and some outdoor seating. The building has five floors: the ground floor plus four upper floors. There are two elevators, one on the west side and one on the east side. There's a lobby that looks like the building manager's office.

The animal hospital's building is in the parking lot of a strip mall that features a drug store, a grocery store, and an accounting office. Surrounded by a parking lot, it's trivial to circle the clinic and see everything there is to see, including both the front entrance as well as the service entrance near the garbage and recycling containers.

Rachel will look for a nice place to sit down outside, so she can cast a clairvoyance spell to take a look inside those library buildings.

Maybe there are some signs that show her where the archives are located. And maybe she can figure out, whether getting inside is the only barrier, or if there are more obstacles to overcome.

The undergraduate library is very large and takes a while to navigate, even magically. It has four floors, of which one is a basement and the other three are above ground. It is 37,000 square meters and houses a collection of over 2 million books, journals, and other resources. It also has a variety of spaces for students to study, work, and collaborate. These include individual study spaces, group study rooms, Matrix labs, and a learning commons.

The library is also home to a number of other services, including the Writing Center, the Math Learning Center, and the Tutoring Center. It also has a café in the basement.

Because it is lunchtime on Saturday, there are not many students there. There are a couple students who look like they are manning the front desk, probably a weekend job. There doesn't seem to be any barriers to entry other than the locked doors. In fact, the biggest obstacle may be navigating the library itself.

I take the time to email all the professors asking for a meet or call from my public network profile so they see I am legit rather than some anonymous caller. I have quite the record of existing for many years in digital environments and am an average/semi-good gamer. There is also a picture. I maintain my public network presence meticulously to include only legitimate interactions and dealings and nothing criminal-related.

I also emailed Potter's campaign manager at her HQ, saying that she has plenty of potential supporters and that some of the more hardcore fans want to organize a short public interview to give her some chance to reach the hearts and minds of more potential voters and to get to know her policies in general.

Bobby leaned against the wall next to the service entrance, where several stick stick remains indicated a favored break spot.

Then it was just a matter of waiting. Bobby took the opportunity to review the information from Lysander, drawing a timeline.

Either a security guy would try to chase him away, or a vet tech would come out - he hoped for the second outcome.

Tamarind parks the van in the strip mall across from the apartment building. It looks to her like the number of vehicles here seems a bit high for a weekend, and she suspects that they are not the only ones shopping for information rather than for anything in the businesses here.

Then she looks for some device that is out on the matrix, but that is attached to the host. Most likely either a door lock that staff can interact with before logging into the host, or a customer interaction point such as a device to let people announce that they are here for an appointment. She is happy to get out of the van and take a walk around while looking for such a thing, as she is doing all of this is AR.

Presuming she finds one she tries to tag it with Watchdog, and once she manages that she goes silent and takes her time to search clinic records for any trace of Potter.

Once I am done, I text Raven >> I think I am done for now, can't do much without Erika.