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File 159072300025.jpg - (181.15KB , 800x592 , cop1.jpg )
968318 No. 968318 ID: 7ae189

Your name is BAN. You're a cop.

It's another shitty day in your shitty office. Three new cases have reached your desk. You've only got two detectives to throw jobs at, so it looks like you'll have to pick one to tackle yourself...

>>MURDER
>>BURGLARY
>>JUVENILE CRIME
Expand all images
>>
No. 968319 ID: 9876c4

Murder
>>
No. 968320 ID: f56a2b

burglary
>>
No. 968321 ID: 094652

Murglary
>>
No. 968322 ID: 05b21f

Burglary or Juvenile
>>
No. 968323 ID: e7c7d3

Murder most fowl
>>
No. 968326 ID: d63ea8

Murder.
>>
No. 968327 ID: 015bf2

Berglery.
>>
No. 968331 ID: 7ae189
File 159072574516.jpg - (268.66KB , 800x685 , cop2.jpg )
968331

You're torn about it, but murder does sound exciting. Anything to get out of this building.

You get someone to dish out the other two cases, take the murder file and head for the car.

>"Took you long enough, boss."

There's Sergeant Dane. She's a cop.
>>
No. 968332 ID: 7ae189
File 159072611083.jpg - (141.26KB , 1227x667 , cop3.jpg )
968332

The two of you pile in the car. As you head toward the bridge, you check the file again.

One Joe Durst drowned in the river yesterday. Apparently, things look sketchier than a stock suicide.

That's weird, there seems to be a crowd at the end of the bridge.

>"Oh, fuck this," Dane grunts.
>>
No. 968333 ID: 7ae189
File 159072652659.jpg - (286.81KB , 800x602 , cop4.jpg )
968333

An army of reporters are crowding around base of the bridge. You can barely see your boys' setup behind their blockade. Was this guy famous?

You barely make it out of the car before they come down on you. Shit, you're not good in crowds...

>"YOU! SIR, YOU THERE SIR!"
>"EXCUSE ME!! EXCUSE ME!!!"
"Sorry, I--"
>"SIR, ARE YOU A DETECTIVE? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT HAPPENED TO JONATHAN DURST?"
"I--"
>"IS IT TRUE THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT HERE?? WHO CALLED FOR HIM TO BE KILLED??"
>>
No. 968335 ID: 015bf2

Time for the good ol' standby.

"No comment."
>>
No. 968336 ID: 3e8555

Beckon him to come closer, like you're going to whisper him a secret... then yell I HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN THE CRIME SCENE YET!
This should surprise him enough to prevent him from interrupting you.
>>
No. 968337 ID: b1b4f3

>>968333
Tell them you cannot comment on an ongoing investigation, and to get out of the way or face charges of interfering with the investigation.
>>
No. 968338 ID: ed763f

Have you heard of this Durst guy?

"no comment, get yer soundbites elsewhere ya vultures!"
>>
No. 968339 ID: 0fae41

"How do I know you didn't kill John Durst?"
>>
No. 968341 ID: 094652

Begin hop-dancing while chanting "No Comment".
>>
No. 968344 ID: 2aa5f0

push forward while ignoring all reporter's questions and get to the actual crime scene so you can see what is going on
>>
No. 968347 ID: 9876c4

Dane, they're all yours. don't shoot anybody I wouldn't.
>>
No. 968348 ID: 7ae189
File 159075716506.jpg - (314.39KB , 800x634 , cop5.jpg )
968348

You think about getting snippy, but your nerves are getting the better of you. You end up mumbling a lot. "Er, well, I haven't seen the scene yet, so..."

>"HOW WILL THIS AFFECT THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS??"
>"SIR, ARE YOU FROM THE FIRST PRECINCT?"
>"YOU HAVE TO KNOW SOMETHING! TELL US!!"

"Uh, I--"
>"TELL US!!!!"

>Dane shoves through the mob and plants herself right in front of you. "Alright assholes, let us through!! You're obstructing an investigation!"

Shit, you can't let a subordinate do all the heavy lifting. She's always bailing you out of these kinds of things.

>"WE DESERVE TO KNOW SOMETHING!!"
>"IS THE CASE BEING HANDLED BY THE FIRST PRECINCT? IS IT TRUE THAT YOU'RE UNDERMANNED??"

>"Listen here, you motherfucker--"

"Dane, cool it," you interrupt. "I've got this."
>>
No. 968349 ID: 7ae189
File 159075769310.jpg - (249.24KB , 800x433 , cop6.jpg )
968349

You start shuffling around wordlessly. The reporters seem caught off guard. Soon you're full-on dancing.

"Uh.... No comment~! No comment~!" you start singing.

Dane looks like she's ready to kill herself. She tries helping you save face by dancing too. You owe her big time.

>"SIR, WHAT ARE YOU--"

"No comment~! No comment~!"

>"WHAT--"

"Get in my way and I'll arrest you~! No comment~!"

The two of you have scared the reporters into letting you pass. You'd better get a promotion for this.

As you krump past the cameras, it comes to your attention that you don't even know who this Joe guy was. You're not the most generally aware person, though. Maybe other people know more about him.

You dance up to the middle of the bridge.
>>
No. 968350 ID: 7ae189
File 159075807875.jpg - (408.80KB , 800x949 , cop7.jpg )
968350

You don't know how the reporters got wind of it, but your guys really are undermanned... The "crime scene" currently consists of some cheap barricades and two of your boys standing around.

There seems to be a big chunk taken out of the brick wall. There isn't much else that you can see, right away.

>One of your cops approaches and salutes. "Welcome, sir!"
>>
No. 968351 ID: 2aa5f0

ask what the situation is and what they've found so far.
>>
No. 968352 ID: 094652

Ask about the giant hole in the wall: was it there when the first responders arrived?
>>
No. 968354 ID: 9876c4

I would like to hear the Hole story
>>
No. 968355 ID: 7ae189
File 159076561113.jpg - (190.33KB , 800x694 , cop8.jpg )
968355

"What's the situation?" you ask, walking over to the hole.

>"At some point last night, Joe Durst fell off this bridge and drowned in the river. A fishing boat found his body and called 911 around 9 AM. The body hasn't been examined yet. Things are really fucky, sir."

>"It's the fucking Second Precinct again," the other cop chimes in. "They keep stepping over their jurisdiction! Mr. Mayor should've died closer to the station..."

"What's up with this hole? Was it here when the first responders showed up?"

>"Yeah, we're guessing this is where Joe went over. No sign of a weapon or a car collision that could've made it. Maybe this part of the wall just wasn't secure. I wish we had more to start you off with sir, but that's what we've got."

"So, that's the...HOLE story."

You ignore the glare that Dane shoots you and begin musing on what to do.
>>
No. 968356 ID: 9876c4

wait, he was the Mayor? as in our Mayor?

Doesn't seem like the type to be walking home.
I guess we inspect the bricks, then move on to the cadaver.
>>
No. 968357 ID: 2aa5f0

wait, if this is where he fell into the river wouldn't that mean all the bricks that are piled up next to the hole be in the river? If anything it looks like something came from outside the bridge wall and smash it's way in.

what's on the other side of the bride/road? Just wondering that if something did punch through the wall from outside it might of knocked our victim into across the road and knocked him in from the other side. If so he might have had something knocked loose of his person that might still be here on the bridge.
>>
No. 968358 ID: 3ed3c3

Where's the body?
>>
No. 968364 ID: ce39da

"If the bricks gave out on their own, they'd be in the river, not up here in front of the hole. Speaking of, what led you to find this bridge after the body was called in?"

If their answer amounts to 'it was right above/upriver from the body and had a suspicious hole,' reply with: "So until we get that autopsy, we only have circumstantial evidence our guy even took his dip from this spot?"

What are those markings under the hole on the outside?

Also, wait...

"What do you mean when you say 'the Second Precinct is overstepping' and that our guy 'should have' died closer to the station?"

You're not the most aware, but you can at least tell us what Precinct you're commissioner of - You are the commissioner/head detective, right? - and as much of the situation with the Precincts as you're able to tell.
>>
No. 968377 ID: b1b4f3

>>968355
What's that under the bridge? Footprints?
Also ask who Joe is. Somebody famous?
>>
No. 968395 ID: 7ae189
File 159079242722.jpg - (169.53KB , 800x709 , cop9.jpg )
968395

You crouch down by the hole for a better look. Geeze, this is kind of high up.

"How do we know he dropped from here?" you ask.

>"He was in the water nearby," the first cop replies. "From the sound of it, the fishers almost hit the bastard just a little bit downriver from here.

"So until everything's checked out, it's just circumstantial evidence."

>"Sir? I'd say it's pretty straightforward..."

"Look at how this wall broke," you say. "If his body caused it, these bricks would be in the river, not on the sidewalk. Which means...!"

>"Something came from the other side?" Dane asks.

You look over the edge. There seem to be four relatively deep gashes in the side of the bridge. A man with a climbing tool could've made them, or maybe someone like yourself.

"Is there anything on the other side of the bridge?"

>"Nothing, sir, it was clean when we got here."

"Hmmm..."

So something or someone came from the other side of the bridge, broke through the wall. If you assume that Joe did in fact go under from this bridge, this mystery climber is a prime suspect.

"And where's the body, now?"

>"Being held at the morgue until we get the 2P off our asses. They really want dibs on this."

The Second Precinct... They're the reason your life as the First Precinct's captain has been so shitty. They steal all the new hires, they stomp all over the edges of other precincts' turf, the mayor loves them...

Wait a minute!
>>
No. 968396 ID: 7ae189
File 159079257293.jpg - (144.98KB , 800x547 , cop10.jpg )
968396

You jump up from the bricks and turn to Dane. "Wait!" you yell. "Did he say Joe was the mayor? As in, our mayor?!"

>"You.... You didn't know that he was the...?"

Uh oh, her vein is popping again. You quickly try to defuse her temper. "Uhm, of course I did--"

>"No you didn't."

"Ye--"

>You literally didn't know that the mayor got tossed off a bridge." Dane's anger management courses seem to be paying off, good for her.

"Er, I was just confused! You wouldn't expect Mayor Joe Durst to just walk home at night."

>She doesn't seem to buy it, but the idea distracts her from her rage. "Yeah, what was he doing out late? Didn't his people know?"

>"The Durst campaign hasn't made any statements yet, ma'am," the cop says. "I think they're waiting to talk to lawmen before answering the newsies."

After you secure the body, you'll make sure to pay them a visit and--

>"Gentlemen!" a new voice calls out.

Fuck everything. If you had a mouth, you'd be snarling.
>>
No. 968398 ID: 7ae189
File 159079260396.jpg - (377.04KB , 800x975 , cop11.jpg )
968398

STEVE is approaching your crime scene. He's a cop. He's also a dick.

"Hello, STEVE," you sigh.

>"BAN," STEVE says in his stringy asshole voice. "Thanks for securing the scene for my guys. The cavalry will be here soon, so the 1P won't have to play detective for too much longer, haha."

Dane is literally trembling with fury. You think you're starting to see red.
>>
No. 968399 ID: 9876c4

This is an active crimescene, STEVE.
We're still collecting evidence, and be happy to share our findings later, STEVE.
Please tell your friends to go home, STEVE.
If that's not enough, feel free to file a complaint


...STEVE.
>>
No. 968406 ID: b1b4f3

>>968398
Tell Steve this is not his jurisdiction. We have to play this one by the book, it's an extremely important case.
>>
No. 968423 ID: ce39da

"The case reached my desk. I'd wager that means it was assigned to our jurisdiction. If you plan to take the case over, I'd like to see the notarized paperwork for the transfer of authority first. If you really want this, you should do me dirty by the book, at least... Oh, and while I seriously hate to speak glibly of the dead, I doubt dear old Mr. Mayor's in any state to be taking your side this time... STEVEY."
>>
No. 968427 ID: 36784c

>>968396
>If you had a mouth, you'd be snarling.
If you don’t have a mouth, then how are you talking?

>>968398
Why don’t you live up to your name and BAN him from being here?
>>
No. 968428 ID: 015bf2

>someone like me
You’re tough enough to dig into concrete with your bare hands?

>STEVE
Get Dane to go look under the bridge and see whether those marks outside also go under it, and where they originate, if so. She looks about ready to blow a gasket and needs the distraction. Does anyone here have a camera? Get them to start taking crime scene photos.

Then tell your ‘friend’ that if he’d like to transfer you some of his excess manpower to help 1st Precinct with the investigation into the Mayor’s untimely death, he’s absolutely welcome to. You really appreciate the offer, especially considering what a high-profile case this is going to be. Gonna need the best on hand.

(And if they’re under your chain of command you can assign them to deal with traffic tickets.)
>>
No. 968429 ID: 3ed3c3

>>968398
"STEVE, I'm going to ask very nicely, and I hope you appreciate what a struggle that is for me, that you vacate our precinct and let us handle this. This is a delicate situation, and I'd like to keep it on the down-low. Having two entire precincts looking into one crime scene is going to attract a lot of attention we do not need right now, and the press is already getting antsy. So, having said that, kindly go away."
>>
No. 968451 ID: 7ae189
File 159081724695.jpg - (305.52KB , 800x573 , cop12.jpg )
968451

"Dane, take our guys and try to get under the bridge," you say, keeping your eyes on STEVE. "See if there's more marks underneath it. Try to get pictures of everything. Oh, and tighten up our barricades, too."

>"And leave you alone with him?! Boss, I--"

"Just do it, sergeant," you bark.

>Dane's face twists into a scowl as she takes a step back. "You tell me if he does anything stupid," she spits. "Say the fucking word, I'll chop his balls off!"

>"Temper, temper," STEVE chides. "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, sergeant."

After murdering both of you with her eyes, Dane takes the other two subordinates and heads back toward the end of the bridge.
>>
No. 968452 ID: 7ae189
File 159081748921.jpg - (168.98KB , 800x411 , cop13.jpg )
968452

>"What a joke," STEVE laughs as soon as your cops have left. "Keep your girl on a tighter leash, man, jesus."

You square up on STEVE. "Don't start with me."

>The mirth is gone from his eyes in a flash. "What, you've grown some balls now?"

"This is an active crime scene, STEVE. I don't have time for your shit."

>"Crime scene? This?" STEVE gestures around. "This is a playground. Did you even find anything before I showed up, pal?"

You try to keep your cool. It's very hard. "We'll be happy to share what we find later, STEVE."

>"How professional, that's cute. When my boys get here, maybe I'll let you stick around."

"If you're offering to transfer some of your boys to the First Precinct I'd be happy to take them, we could use some extra hands on this."

>"Cheeky! You've gotten a lot funnier, BAN."

You clench your fists. "I'm not joking, STEVE. The only way anyone from your side of the river is getting in on this case is if they've got a 1P badge on their arm. This is huge, there's a lot of press watching, and everything's gonna be by the book this time. If you want dibs so badly, do the right paperwork and try me again."

>The captain's face darkens. "And you think that'll be a fucking problem for me? Nobody wants your fucking circus handling a case this big, and you know it. My request would be approved before I'd even dipped my fucking pen."

Now it's your turn to be smug. "Yeah? Not to be an asshole, but it's not like you'll have Mr. Mayor on your side, this time."

>"Oh, fuck you."

You relish in the brief flash of anger that STEVE displays. This is the first time you've had anything barely resembling an upper hand in years. You decide to milk it.

"I'm asking nicely, and you know that's hard for me. Turn your guys around and get out of my precinct."

>STEVE takes a second to regain his composure. Before long, his shiteating demeanor's returned. "This isn't how I expected this to go, BAN," he chuckles. "I don't know if you're just posturing for the girl or what, but you are really acting like a big dick policeman today. Unexpected, seriously."

>He closes the distance between you even further. "But what if I call your bluff?" he hisses. "Humor me, 'captain,' what exactly would you do if me and my boys just walked on up this bridge and took over your shitty crime scene?"
>>
No. 968453 ID: 3ed3c3

>>968452
You'll report him to the chief of police, saying that he and his "boys" stormed onto an active, high profile crime scene outside of their jurisdiction without following proper procedure or filing the necessary paperwork. That alone would be bad enough, but following it up with reports of what is essentially his precinct harassing yours? Major trouble.
>>
No. 968457 ID: 094652

Threaten that with enough spin, you could implicate Steve's insistent breach of primary protocol in a major case as intent to tamper with a crime scene for political reasons. It wouldn't stick, but without the Mayor to keep the PR up? He'd get 'reassigned' by the department to save face, possibly doing a few years of playing nanny for the dancing hobos and their negative-hotness hooks. All because he couldn't get some @#$%ing 2-page paperwork done first.

You'd be GLAD to step away from this case if you had legal precedent. That's what this - this whole mess - is all about. Doing a legal investigation of a major crime that threatens to destabilize the region, and reinstating faith in the political process that puts fillet mignon on Steve's tables by getting revenge on the asshole who committed murder despite knowing how deep-^&*( the consequences for others could be.

In short: it's his @#$%ing job to be a paragon of order, at least in public. If he can't do that right, especially now? They may as well fire him.
>>
No. 968460 ID: 9876c4

Well gee, STEVE, I think the media might be pretty interested in that obvious breach of zoning. Enough local coverage and the Feds get involved.
>>
No. 968468 ID: 7ae189
File 159084835734.jpg - (296.49KB , 800x568 , cop14.jpg )
968468

"What would I do?" you snap back. "I'd go to the chief about how you blatantly breached your zoning, without papers, to tamper with my crime scene and harass me and my guys. Maybe I wouldn't even have to, there are plenty of reporters out here to get it all on film."

>"Oh that's fucking rich, the brass? The media? You'd be willing to dance that dance with me?"

"If I have to. If you can't follow protocol you might as well be fired, STEVE."

>STEVE stares coldly at you for a moment before closing his eyes, shrugging and turning away. "You know, that's a great point, BAN," he says. "If a cop can't do his job right, he shouldn't be one. Sorry for losing my head like that, I'll do this the right way. My boys will stay out of it, the case is yours."

You've never heard this man apologize before, you're a little taken aback. "Er, it's alright--"

>"Three days." The asshole waves and starts walking back the way he came.

Something in his voice puts you on alert. You haven't sensed a vibe like this from him before. "What?"

>"My request will be fully processed in three days," he calls back to you. "And if there's one miniscule thing out of place with your investigation I'm not just taking your case. I'm taking your head, you little shit, you got that?! Your whole precinct, your badge, your fat butch sidekick, mine!!!"

Your heart's dropped into your shoes. "Yeah, right," you retort.

STEVE has left the crime scene.
>>
No. 968469 ID: 7ae189
File 159084851878.jpg - (108.65KB , 800x367 , cop15.jpg )
968469

You slump against the wall and gasp for air. You feel like puking but you don't want to contaminate the scene. 'Yeah right?' Really? You were too scared to get anything else out.

You've never talked back to that dickwad before, much less argued with him. You wonder if any of the other precincts that border the 2P have done something that ballsy. Holy shit.

Your heart's pounding. Can people like you have heart attacks? You think you're going to pass out.

Three days.... Your watch says it's Wednesday, 12:00 PM on the dot. You're so fucked. You're going to lose your job by the weekend. You try to calm down and think about your next move.
>>
No. 968472 ID: ce39da

That's assuming he even has that kind of power. It's possible that bullying is always how STEVE gets his way, with maybe a little help from a pocket-mayor, and all it takes to put him in line is for the other precincts to grow a pair.

> Can people like you have heart attacks?
So you're not just an anthropomorphic capybara, I take it? Something tells me there's stuff about "people like you" that we should know if we're going to solve crimes in this world.

> What Do
Check up on Dane's progress and ask about talking to those fishermen about finding the body. Also, make plans to meet with the mayor's guys to put together his movements during his final day and figure out why he was out here alone. Don't go anywhere else before visiting the morgue, though. Also, since you're probably going to have to face those media types again, you should probably think about what to tell them to back off a second time, and hopefully clear out for good. You can't give them confirmation or denial of their crack conspiracy theories, but for a case this big, they do deserve to know when a press-release is happening. Maybe two days from now at, say, 4:00 pm?
>>
No. 968473 ID: 9876c4

>>968472
no major refinements to this.
>>
No. 968504 ID: 3ed3c3

>>968472
I'm down with this plan, but I feel I should stress the need for discretion. Until the situation is under control, mum's the word.
>>
No. 968543 ID: a9af05

>>968469
You know, this looks bad for you, right? Since the victim always favored Steve and his precinct, your precinct stands to would benefit with their death. So you'd better work fast and find the real killer before you guys are all framed for murder!
>>
No. 968559 ID: 53560f

Think for a second, he’s playing by the same rules as you now. Even if he has more power with the system now you can finally get shit done without worrying that he’s gonna overstep. And his threats are bullshit because what’s he gonna find out of place when you finally have a chance to do your job properly.
There’s not much chance of solving a murder in only three days but we can use this to prove we can competently handle our work and then use that to leverage ourselves for more leeway down the line. All we gotta do is our job.
>>
No. 968560 ID: b1b4f3

Let everyone else know that everything has to be done by the book. This is an important case and also the 2nd precinct is breathing down your neck about it.
>>
No. 968561 ID: 15a025

Take a deep breath and focus at our task at hand. Holler down and see what they've found on the underside?
>>
No. 968567 ID: 7ae189
File 159089043045.jpg - (184.00KB , 800x347 , cop16.jpg )
968567

You start walking and try to pull yourself together. You're still spooked but your heart doesn't feel like it's going to explode, anymore.

You try to convince yourself that STEVE was just talking out of his ass. There's no way he could actually get you fired or frame you for murder or something...you hope. All you've got to do is run a tight ship and he'll have nothing on you. Life sure is hard as a...a, uh......

....What are you, exactly?

You catch yourself before you go down that rabbit hole again, now isn't the time for another existential crisis. You remind yourself that people like you and STEVE might be different, but you're still more or less human. Kind of. You're definitely not a demon or something like the religious types would want you to believe, at least. You feel like you're too civil for that to be true.

You reach the end of the bridge. The reporters still haven't left.

>"SIR!! SIR, WHAT ARE YOUR MEN DOING ON THE RIVER??"
>"WHERE DID YOU LEARN TO DANCE LIKE THAT?"
>"HAVE YOU FOUND ANYTHING AT THE CRIME SCENE???"

You try to channel some more of that big dick aura and push your way past them. "Uh, we're still in the early stages of our investigation," you say. "I won't take questions now, but we're planning a press release on our findings two days from now at 4:00 PM."

>"CAN'T YOU TELL US SOMETHING NOW??"
>"IS IT TRUE THAT THE CASE MIGHT BE TAKEN OVER BY THE SECOND PRECINCT?"

"No comment~! No comment~!"
>>
No. 968569 ID: 7ae189
File 159089057626.jpg - (198.86KB , 800x495 , cop17.jpg )
968569

A little off the road, you find Dane and your boys on the river bank. It looks like they found a raft somewhere.

>Dane jogs up to you. "You okay?" she asks, checking you over. "He didn't pull shit, did he?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine. How're we doing?"

>"Look at these." She shoves a handful of photographs at you. "That track runs all the way across the bottom of the bridge. And it looks like it starts on the other end of the bridge."

"Fun..." Just your luck. Whoever it was got onto the bridge from STEVE's end of the river. Following that trail will lead to more headbutting, you're sure.

>"What's our next step?"

"Everything we do for the next couple days has to be as lowkey as possible." You start pacing. "We should get statements from those fishermen about finding the body. And can we get in touch with the Durst people, too? We need to know what he was doing, how he ended up here..."

>"We've got the phone numbers of both of the fishermen," one of your cops pipes up. "Me and Johnny could follow up on them."

>"We'll have a list of big names in the Durst campaign by the time we're back at the station," Dane adds.

"Great. Before we do anything though, I want to see that body."

>Dane nods. "The morgue's in Crosstown, maybe thirty minutes away. We done here?"
>>
No. 968570 ID: 015bf2

Any muddy footprints, tracks, whatnot, close to the water's edge that ain't of recent cop shoes? 'specially if they're close to where the marks start.

Also, get someone to see how deep the marks are and how they're shaped - might give some clue as to what exactly did the damage, whether it was a weapon or something else.

How the marks are spaced out might tell you something about the perp as well, like a 'their arms had to be at least this long / this far apart'. Could be useful for narrowing down suspects.

Also, get one of your boys to glove up and bag up every last brick from the bridge. Could be material from whatever impacted them still stuck to them - or blood or skin from the Mayor, if he got struck by them when whatever happened, happened.

And finally, close down the bridge more proper. It's been damaged and some civil engineer's probably gonna need to look at that before you can drive heavy traffic and shit over.
>>
No. 968571 ID: b1b4f3

>>968569
Might want to get some analysis done on the holes in the bridge. Up-close photos would be nice, see if you can figure out what made the holes.

What's the usual procedure for following evidence across precinct lines? Do it by the book, but definitely do it.
>>
No. 968574 ID: ed763f

Is that something sticking out of the ground right at the foot of the bridge?
>>
No. 968575 ID: b1b4f3

>>968574
You mean the oar on the raft?
>>
No. 968576 ID: b1b4f3

Wait, ask where they got the raft.
>>
No. 968647 ID: 094652

Is that a katana or an oar? Inspect the stick.
>>
No. 968651 ID: 7ae189
File 159098190646.jpg - (257.30KB , 800x733 , cop18.jpg )
968651

"One sec," you reply. "Let's look around some more." While you're here, you might as well check for any tracks near the water.

A brief search of the surrounding area turns up nothing of note. You glance at your watch nervously.

>"We can keep looking around if you want to go see that body, sir," one of the cops offers.

"Call in some more guys to help while you're at it," you order. "Get public works on the line to get this bridge closed off. Everything gets analyzed, I want every loose brick bagged as evidence, and some closer shots of those marks, too."

>"Yes sir!" the second cop barks. "We'll get some great shots with this camera!"

The gears are turning, now. Once a few more men get on the scene, your bases should be covered nicely. There's just one more thing...

"Also, I was wondering... Where did you get this raft, anyway? And that camera?"

>You watch in terror as that vein on Dane's face slowly begins to swell. "I brought them," she grits. "You were there. I put them into the car in front of you."

"O-oh! Of course, of course," you laugh nervously. "I just forgot."

>Ohhh, no. Another vein starts popping out. "We're gonna talk, later."

Your subordinates shoot you apologetic looks from behind Dane's back. You're somehow more on edge than you were when you butted heads with STEVE.

>"Anything else, boss?" She makes it sound more like a threat than a question...
>>
No. 968652 ID: b1b4f3

>>968651
No.

...do you have memory problems, Ban?
>>
No. 968663 ID: 7ae189
File 159099306046.jpg - (258.88KB , 800x908 , cop19.jpg )
968663

"We should be good," you say, sweating bullets. "Let's head out..."

>"Sure."

The two of you leave your boys to handle the scene and pile back into your patrol car. As soon as the doors lock, the storm hits. The drive to Crosstown is miserable.

>"You never fucking listen to me. You never listen to me! You don't even fucking look at me!! Every fucking case it's the same thing, you wander around doing fuckall and I'm just there to make you look like you know what you're doing! Well, you can't keep up this aloof routine and solve a fucking murder at the same time, BAN. Get your fucking head out of the clouds before that fucking asshole makes us all look like idiots!!"

You wince as she continues her tirade. You really do try to stay on top of things. You wouldn't say your memory's bad, it's just...not good, all the time. In your defense, the raft thing was probably the last time that you've truly spaced out today. While you were at the crime scene, you felt like you could actually focus on things, almost uncharacteristically so.

>"I SAID PROMISE ME, DICKHEAD!!" Dane roars, punching the dashboard.

"Huh?!" You glance over and catch a glimpse of your partner's burning eyes, and the new dent in your dash. "Er, I mean, I promise! I hear you and I promise!"

>She seems surprised. "And you're actually going to pay attention from now on?"

"Yes! Yes, I promise!"

>She sits back in her seat and takes a few deep breaths. "Okay, then," she says, turning a lighter shade of red. "Okay. I'm holding you to it, boss."

Flawless save, BAN. Bomb defused, for now... You let out a sigh of relief and try to focus on the road.
>>
No. 968664 ID: 7ae189
File 159099313445.jpg - (162.94KB , 800x356 , cop20.jpg )
968664

You arrive at the morgue in Crosstown. No windows...creepy.

You get out of the car at the doorstep. Dane takes the wheel to find parking while you head inside.
>>
No. 968665 ID: 7ae189
File 159099321576.jpg - (172.74KB , 800x509 , cop21.jpg )
968665

In the lobby, a man in scrubs is waiting. When he sees you approach, his face lights up.

>"Ahhh, you must be Captain STEVE. I'm the medical examiner, call me Ishmael. When I finally found out where they took old Joe, I came over myself. It's a good day for science, isn't it?"
>>
No. 968666 ID: 9876c4

You bet.

You get it all taken care of? Any last minute surprises?
>>
No. 968667 ID: b1b4f3

>>968665
Huh, was there a delay in informing the medical examiner?
Ask him if he's got time of death, cause of death, all that good stuff. Also take a look at the body. You're no mortician but maybe you can find some evidence that's been overlooked.
>>
No. 968684 ID: 015bf2

>>968665
Offer a hand to shake.

"Captain BAN. I'm looking into this case until STEVE takes over. How goes the science?"
>>
No. 968708 ID: ce39da

"Captain BAN, actually, from Precinct 1. Although STEVE promised to take over in three days, that's no reason to delay the autopsy, of course. You came over from a different morgue, you say? I suppose that means you have a special interest in this case, then?"

Correct him, reassure him why that doesn't change anything, then turn to a new subject before he has a chance to complain anyway.
>>
No. 968710 ID: 9876c4

I'm slightly interested in what this guy would tell captain STEVE, though. no reason to spoil the joke
>>
No. 968715 ID: ed763f

Yeah, I don't see a need to correct him. Looks like you're spacing out again, huh? Whoopsie.
>>
No. 968717 ID: 015bf2

>>968710
>no reason to
Actually there is. Pretending to be STEVE to this guy might be one of those things STEVE can pin on us once our handling of this case gets examined for procedural errors.

Giving the impression we're just a friendly coworker of STEVE and that BAN being here is normal should be fair game. We don't even have to mention our Precinct unless asked, the guy was clearly expecting someone to show up and be given the deets.
>>
No. 968719 ID: b1b4f3

If he says he expected 2P to be working on the case, tell him the murder seems to have happened on your side and the paperwork hasn't gone through yet to transfer the investigation. It's a high profile case, gotta play it by the book.
>>
No. 968745 ID: 7ae189
File 159106439243.jpg - (163.87KB , 800x538 , cop22.jpg )
968745

You almost just roll with it and pretend to be STEVE, but you're too scared of what would happen if he found out. "I'm actually Captain BAN," you say, holding out a hand. "I'm, uh...I'm handling the case for STEVE, for a few days."

Ishmael catches your hand in a vicegrip and gives you the weirdest handshake you've ever experienced. He smirks at your visible discomfort.

>"You like that? A new prosthetic, my design," he gloats. "So you're not STEVE? I was sure they'd put The Hammer in right away for a high-profile murder like this one. I was going to get an autograph, heh heh."

Of course he's big enough to have a nickname, too. You conceal your jealousy. "Everyone's got their hands full," you reply, "even The Hammer. How's the body looking?"

>"Ahhh! I'm so glad you asked. Come on, let's admire this together."
>>
No. 968746 ID: 7ae189
File 159106455547.jpg - (378.06KB , 800x1043 , cop23.jpg )
968746

You follow the examiner through a series of hallways. Along the way, an attendant tries to get you into some scrubs. It isn't a complete success, but it works.

Soon, you're face to face with the corpse of Joe Durst.

>"Just look at it," Ishmael sighs. "They could use a picture of him in a textbook, he's a perfect specimen."

"Has everything been figured out?"

>"Of course! This body wrote its own report more or less, I'm very proud of it."

>Ishmael begins circling the operating table, and beckons for you to do the same. "I started with his affects. He was in his Sunday best when he got here. If I was a detective, I'd say he was definitely out on business when this happened. No notable signs of a struggle on his clothes. When he was forced in--and he was forced in, captain, I'll show you in a moment--it happened with just one decisive strike.

>"Now look here," he says, passing you some X-rays. "Look at these fractures on the shoulder blade, and all this damage to the upper spine. These aren't from repeated blows. No, Mr. Durst was shoved just one time from behind, and this was the result. Injured and in shock he fell into our tranquil Cross River, and promptly drowned. A nasty death, but so crisply executed."

"Any thoughts on the time of death?" you ask.

>"It's not my strong suit, but from the level of water damage and decay present, I want to say that he was in there no earlier than 12 or 1 AM. I'd wager a dollar on it."

"I'll take that bet." Every penny counts in this business.

>"To conclude, my mental image of the perpetrator," Ishmael continues, leading you around one more circle. "Without a doubt, whoever did this was a creature like you, Mr. BAN. Forgive me for not being PC, but only a demon would be able to generate the force needed to do this to his back in one go. If you find your murderer, this'll be a big one for the papers, for sure."

>The examiner stops his pacing, rests his false hand on the edge of the table and bows. "Thus concludes my presentation," he announces. "What do you think?"
>>
No. 968749 ID: 86eb65

Ask him if he found anything in the wound or if he possibly could get a cast of the wound?

So we can make sure it matchs the marks on the walls or not.
>>
No. 968751 ID: b1b4f3

>>968746
Could the back wound be caused by an impact with a hard surface? Like, for instance, Joe having fallen off the bridge onto something floating on the water, like a boat? The bridge wasn't too high, maybe there wasn't enough distance for the fall to make that impact...
Could it be the victim was shoved from the front, then impacted on something behind him, like the side of the bridge? It doesn't change much but we might be able to find some evidence of that on the bricks.
How sure are we that the Mayor fell off the bridge and died there? Bodies can float along a body of water; could he have died somewhere else? Or does the river not have much of a current?

From the evidence we have it seems the demon climbed along the bridge and hid at the side by the wall, waiting for the victim, then bust through the wall and knocked him off. So, how did the murderer know the mayor was going to be there? Did he have a meeting on the bridge with someone late at night? ...we might want to find out what the Mayor was doing out that late.

BAN, you have an alibi right? How many demons are there in the city?
>>
No. 968752 ID: ce39da

"Mr. Mayor always had a scar over his eye, yeah?"

"And you're sure he was pushed in, not pulled? Though I guess the fracture explains how he couldn't just swim out."

Try to remember how high the bridge was. If it was 'decently high': "You're sure the blunt trauma wasn't from our guy hitting the water? I'm almost surprised he lived long enough to drown."

"Finally, you got us the start of his time-of-death window, but I suppose if you guessed at its end, you would have told me by now?"

If these questions don't yield any new info, I think we can safely conclude a few things about the case:
1: The killer beheld immense strength, on par with a demon, or perhaps merely through some heavy gear.
2: The mayor wasn't expecting to meet his killer on the bridge. They wouldn't have needed to climb around otherwise.
3: The mayor was on the bridge for a reason, and the killer wasn't supposed to be there. Therefore, the mayor likely met with a third party shortly before his death, and this third party could be a witness.
>>
No. 968755 ID: 094652

>Only a demon
Admonish the coroner for using profiling as a means of ruling out suspects; that fuels hate-speech and any physical qualities in the average statistic can easily be replicated with modern-day technology. Just say "there was a LOT of force involved at this height and angle" next time.
>>
No. 968757 ID: 3ed3c3

>>968746
There's a problem with his assessment.
When BAN was investigating the scene, the part of the bridge where Joe fell was collapsed inward, not outward. According to Ishmael, Joe was pushed from behind, meaning that the collapsed area would have fallen toward the river, not the bridge.
There are also those strange holes to take into account. Let's say that whatever made those holes climbed the wall, broke through the bridge, then killed Joe.
>>
No. 968769 ID: 9876c4

>>968757
Conceivable someone could have climbed the bridge, Grabbed him and slammed him against the outside? Then dropped him in the drink?

Following the demon angle, do y'all display muscle like humans do, or are you abnormally strong? Someone who could lift a grown man off his feet while hanging off a bridge would be world class.
>>
No. 968770 ID: b1b4f3

>>968757
Demon breaks through wall (spilling the bricks into onto the bridge) and smacks the mayor over the other side of the bridge. Easy.
>>
No. 968776 ID: 015bf2

>What do YOU think?
You think this doesn't match up with the crime scene.

Perhaps the bridge is a smokescreen to hide the real location of dear Mr. Durst's fatal plunge into the river? Whoever did it couldn't have been terribly clever, though, what with the bricks being all in the wrong way.

Not to mention, who dresses up in finery to wander all alone through the streets? He's a mayor. He's got valets and cars and stuff. Something skeevy must certainly have been going on.

>"What do you think?"
Any indents or marks on his back to indicate what, precisely, shoved him? Also, what's the toxicology report say? Was the mayor in otherwise good health? Was he drunk that night?
>>
No. 968777 ID: 015bf2

>>968770
Hitting a grown man with enough force to send him flying would've sent bricks scattering further afield, no?
>>
No. 968784 ID: b1b4f3

>>968777
He was hit around the upper back and shoulder region. That will topple someone OVER a waist-high wall, not through it.
>>
No. 968866 ID: 7ae189
File 159120908183.jpg - (307.24KB , 800x913 , cop24.jpg )
968866

"Firstly, it seems a bit like profiling to just call it like that," you grumble. "Anyone could've done it, with the right tools."

>"Anyone could have," Ishmael admits sheepishly. "I suppose we'll see where the investigation leads."

You look over the dead mayor one more time. "He's always had that scar over his eye, yeah?" you ask.

>"Yes, he was an officer in the last war. It was a big selling point on his last campaign, if I remember right. A real veteran success story."

Join the army and you too can be mayor one day, you think bitterly. Or stuck in a dead-end job.

You try to visualize the scene again in your head. "You're sure he was pushed, not pulled? And this isn't just blunt trauma from hitting the bridge, or the water?"

>"The bridge they say he fell from is high, but it's not that high," the examiner replies. "If the water or some obstacle had done it, the injuries would speak differently. It could have been anyone as you say, but I'm confident in my theory that this came from some person's powerful push."

"Can I see his back? Are there any telling marks?"

>Ishmael turns the body over carefully. "No punctures, as you can see. There's significant bruising where he was struck, but we're not so lucky as to have gotten a hand print or something."

"What about the toxicology report?"

>"He was as sober as death, pardon the pun. No drugs or alcohol in his system, nothing."

"You mentioned when he went in, but when would he have actually died?"

>"The difference between those two times is negligible, honestly. A grown man can drown in a minute or less on a good day, and with the hit and the fall, I'd hazard it took even less than that."

"Hmmm..."

You try to process everything you have. The river doesn't move very fast--you haven't done the math on it, but you're pretty sure that Joe falling from that bridge checks out in relation to where he ended up. Assuming that the scene on the bridge isn't all a red herring, you think you're beginning to put together a possible series of events. As far as you know, someone climbed the underside of the bridge, broke through the wall, and killed Joe Durst by showing him over the edge from behind. And despite your remark about profiling, you have to admit that this does sound like the work of someone like yourself.

There can't be less than four thousand people like you in a city this large, and any male among them with basic physical training could have accomplished that. That narrows things down considerably from the millions of citizens that live here, but this search will still be tricky... You briefly wonder if STEVE would have the balls to try and blame you for it. You hope that eating a TV dinner, watching Combat Cop and going to bed last night is an acceptable alibi.

Argh, your head hurts. Even making the safe assumption that the crime scene is real, the situation is just so strange. What was Mr. Mayor doing on a bridge in the First Precinct at night, miles from his mansion, alone and on foot? Was he meeting someone? You think about what you should do next...
>>
No. 968869 ID: b1b4f3

>>968866
We definitely need to investigate the Mayor's activities. Go visit his office, maybe his home too. No probable cause for a search warrant of course but maybe you can get permission to look at some of his things.
>>
No. 968872 ID: 015bf2

It's a city of millions. Cities like that never sleep. Canvas the neighborhood around the bridge, see if anyone was up and heard or saw something - and put out a call for potential ear/eye-witnesses (if it won't stretch your resources too thin).

The entire assault seems like it'd make a bunch of noise (holes in the bridge, railing broken), especially if they were rushing to get at the Mayor. Of course, the sneaky assassination angle suggests they actually managed to be silent until the last moment, which... would that even be possible, given the physical evidence?

Anyway Mayor likely both saw AND heard them coming. Unless he stood with his back to the breach and it happened too fast for him to react - Mr Durst, instead of running down or up bridge, tried to go for the railing. What with having been struck in the back and ending up in the river and all. Odd reaction, if so! Maybe they knew or realized something about the killer? Like... they couldn't swim well, or that he'd be able to swim better than them?

We know whoever did this was physically powerful (and thus possibly large), so the fact that there were no tracks near the water may indicate they actually DID swim to the bridge from elsewhere. Or walked on the bottom? You have no mouth. Do demons -need- to breathe?

...get someone to do a paranoia check at the bridge below the water's edge for recent weird scratches or wear.

Anyway, that means another thing you could look for is reports or eyewitness accounts of someone taking a late-night river dip - or coming up from one. Another thing you could investigate - manpower pending - are recording devices that could've caught the Mayor on his way to the bridge.

And, of course, getting in touch with his campaign/family and asking who he was last with, then calling them in for a Q&A session is also a good plan.

>Question for Ishmael
How large would he say the actual point of impact was? Like, if it was a palm or cudgel, how big would it have had to be to inflict that kind of damage? And just to be sure, there aren't multiple points of impact, no? It was all one blow, correct?

Lastly, where's he based from? What's his contact details? In case you need to ask follow-up questions later on.
>>
No. 968916 ID: 86eb65

We need to canvas the neighborhood by the bridge for clues!

We need to have a good idea of why the mayor was there that night and if this is a regular thing.

If he took a jog out this way on a regular basis someone could have been waiting for him. If this was a new event maybe its a crime of oppertunity.

So get a search of the area going to check with any regulars in the area. Homeless and shop owners and brige folk. Check if there are any cameras that could have caught any signs.
>>
No. 968936 ID: 7ae189
File 159128740207.jpg - (283.60KB , 800x1077 , cop25.jpg )
968936

"To be sure, it's just one point of impact for all this damage?" you ask again.

>"I'll stake my reputation and another dollar on it," Ishmael states.

"How large do you think whatever hit him was?"

>"The size and range of the affected area makes me think of a very large open hand," the examiner muses. "It would have to be an absolute specimen of a human, or one of your larger peers."

You nod. "I think I have all I need, for now," you conclude. "How can I contact you? I might have more later."

>Ishmael procures a card out of thin air. "I'm based in Northtown so this is a bit of a drive for me, but for science I'd do it anytime. My phone and email's on here, too."

You take the card and slip it into your wallet. "Excellent. I'll see you later, Ishmael."

>"Good luck out there. If you find some more bodies, I get first dibs!"
>>
No. 968937 ID: 7ae189
File 159128750475.jpg - (312.43KB , 800x592 , cop26.jpg )
968937

You give Dane a call and she's back with the car quickly. She must have used the time for some meditation, she seems much less irritable.

>"How'd it go, boss?"

You fill her in on your findings. "This is all going to take some doing... How many of our boys are free?"

>"I called the precinct while you were in there. Seems like The Major's reorganized some guys into a special team for this case."

"Who do we have?"

>"KYLE got switched from that juvie case to this one. We've also got a few patrol cars pulled from the rotation, they can handle groundwork for us."

The only person more invested in one-upping the 2P than you or Dane is The Major. You'll be sure to thank her later. "Get those patrol cars canvassing the neighborhood near the bridge. Have them ask around, we need any kind of witness we can get, or security camera footage. And let's get those guys from the bridge to triple-check the river. Get them to look below the water's edge, too."

>"Will do," Dane replies, pulling out her radio.

"I think we won't get much further without more info on Joe," you muse. "Up for a road trip?"
>>
No. 968938 ID: 7ae189
File 159128767320.jpg - (194.49KB , 800x874 , cop27.jpg )
968938

The mayor's mansion is in the middle of Northtown. It'll take an hour or more to make it there, if the traffic gods are willing to be kind. You glance at your watch... 3:00 already.

Driving across the city always feels a little strange. You've been at this long enough that it gets difficult to unsee the invisible borders that you spend your days staying within. In Crosstown, the 1P badge on your car is comfortably neutral, and of course it looks good in Shiptown, where you and your sister precincts work and get along. But cross the bridge into Wartown, and you're subjected to a painfully long stretch of time spent taking dirty looks from 2P patrol cars and their ilk. As you enter Northtown, the scenery gets more pleasant, but that uneasy vibe doesn't seem to change much...
>>
No. 968939 ID: 7ae189
File 159128782187.jpg - (400.91KB , 800x1173 , cop28.jpg )
968939

The gate to the mansion's driveway is shut, and an all-too-familiar mob is clamoring around outside of it. You start loosening up your vocal cords.

>Most of the reporters are busy talking amongst themselves or broadcasting for their stations, but one turns around and catches your eye. "H-HEY!! HEY, IT'S YOU!!!" he exclaims.

Goddammit...!

>He runs up to you and Dane, tape recorder in hand. "SIR!! SIR, CAN I.... UH...." he notices heads beginning to turn, and suddenly lowers his voice. "Look, can I talk to you? Please?"

"No comment~! No--"

>"No no, listen!" He jabs a thumb back toward the mansion. "You're here to talk to those schmucks, right? Well, you'll want to know that something's going on in there. Bunch of Durst campaign guys, no cops. The gate was locked before we even showed up. And get this, Joe Durst's wife was out here a couple minutes ago, and she was hysterical. Like, 'might do something very crazy and very scoop-able' hysterical."

>"What do you want?" Dane grunts.

>"This is a golden moment and nobody's doing anything. Those chumps jerking off by the gate, they're reporters. Me? I'm a journalist. I'm not happy out here and neither are you, so please! Let's scratch each other's backs and try and bust in there somehow, what do you say?"
>>
No. 968940 ID: 015bf2

Gah, he's asking you to out on a limb and cover for him! What nerve! What risk!

Better check this guy out. Like, whether he works for a reputable paper, a scandal rag or something in-between. Does he have a press badge? String him along while you do. (Or just ask him if there's no badge.)

"S-sir... the widow of a recently deceased man may have reason to be somewhat hysterical. What about her attitude made you think things will be scoop-able?"

Also, try to remember... did anyone call the Durst campaign ahead of time and tell them you were coming? Is your visit a surprise, or anticipated?
>>
No. 968944 ID: b1b4f3

>>968939
Ask this guy's name, and get some credentials, then check them. For all we know this could be an accomplice trying to get in to erase evidence, or plant evidence.
Also we must continue to play it by the book. You're not breaking in, and if they let the journalist in with you it's going to be with their full awareness.
Maybe we can convince someone to do that though. Find a guard or something, let him know the police are here to ask some questions.
>>
No. 968947 ID: ed763f

Fundamentally I'd like to help, but if I stick my neck out I know for a fact someone's looking to cut it off.
>>
No. 968948 ID: 9876c4

We're police, and we can't get you in.

However, if you have any lines of inquiry that might lead us to a break, let us know and we might be able to ask.
>>
No. 968950 ID: 86eb65

(Oh god damn it I had a big thing written up and tgchan ate it.)

Check his info and see if its legit before doing anything. Could be a random bad guy for all we know.



If he is a actual journalist then hustle him over to the side and check him for recording devices. Only talk off record.

Tell him that we can only work together if his story is published after the fact. This is big politics and any info getting leaked mid case is going to ruin things.

If he can take that deal give him a test. Like distracting the other reporters or finding info or whatever.

Then see if he does well or not. Maybe give him some info that could not hurt us and see if he is trustworthy with it.

If he is then get all the help you can and give him a nice story after its all done.



If he is a dick then dance away singing no comment. That is your thing now.
>>
No. 968976 ID: ff6df5

Unrelated to the current situation, but I missed adding it earlier: Make a note to contact whatever city department is in charge of maintaining the bridge the mayor was found near and ask them if there was a damage report put in before the mayor's death for the busted in brick wall on the bridge or the gouges in the underside or sides. You're looking to find out if that damage was unrelated to the mayor's death. Also interview commuters that crossed that bridge yesterday if they saw that broken wall. Find ones that crossed as close to before the time of the mayor's death as possible.
>>
No. 969155 ID: 7ae189
File 159158350098.jpg - (326.97KB , 800x1408 , cop29.jpg )
969155

The reporter is about to go on, but you interrupt him with an outstretched hand. "Slow down," you order. "Who are you, are you recording this? Let me see your press badge."

>"Oh yeah, of course!" He pulls a tattered lanyard out from under his shirt and removes a card from it. "Devin Fowler, Crosshair Media. My recorder's off, for now."

"Ohhh." You nod and hand the card back to Devin. You've never heard of the news company, but the badge seems very official...
>>
No. 969156 ID: 7ae189
File 159158387491.jpg - (192.52KB , 800x474 , cop30.jpg )
969156

>Dane doesn't seem convinced. "Crosshair? Conspiracy theories and celebrity butt shots are hardly news."

>"We're a legitimate newsgroup that fills a specific niche with high quality content. There's real care placed into every issue, especially my--er, those photos!" Devin replies indignantly.

>"Shouldn't you be prowling a beach or something? There's no way Crosshair sent you here to cover real news."

>"Maybe they didn't! Maybe, as a journalist, I saw a chance to get a real scoop for once in my life and I took it, overtime!"

"The mayor's wife became a widow today, it makes sense for her to be upset," you say. "What made you think there was something scoop-able here?"

>Devin squints at the mansion. "Oh, don't be so naive. She's holed up in her mansion with every big dick affiliate of her husband's campaign. Something's going down, and the waterworks from earlier were either a ploy to buy time, or a cry for help. Whatever's behind that gate is pay dirt, for all of us!"

You rub your chin and think it over. You can relate to the guy's hunger for job advancement, at least. But...

Finally, you shake your head. "We're police, and we can't get you in, sorry. If I stick my neck out, someone I know is going to cut it off. We're going to get in there by the book, and you coming in with us or not will be entirely up to them."

>Devin sighs. "Another loss for hardcore journalism. Let me stick around until someone comes back outside at least, will you? Please??"

That's acceptable, you guess. You're sure this guy will get filtered out when they let you in, anyway.
>>
No. 969157 ID: 7ae189
File 159158417257.jpg - (397.64KB , 800x893 , cop31.jpg )
969157

Devin proves surprisingly useful in pushing through the mob of reporters. It seems like journalists from other companies try to avoid being close to him, opening up extra space for you and Dane to slip through. Soon, you're in front of the gate. You look around for any guards or staff that you could introduce yourself to. There really is nobody but the reporters, out here.

"We did call ahead that we were coming, right?" you ask your partner.

>"Yes, 'we' did," she replies darkly.

You're saved from another diatribe when the reporters start yelling again. A figure's emerged from the mansion, and it makes its way down the hill to the gate.

>A man in a tactical vest unlocks the gate, cracks it open and steps through. "Hello, everyone," he yells, looking around the crowd. "My name is BILL, and I'm the head of security here. There are a number of VIPs who need to use this road to exit the mansion, so please disperse for now! Clear a path, or I'll shoot you~! Clear a path, or I'll shoot you~!"

You recoil at this asshole's blatant use of your new schtick. You don't have long to sulk, though, because the moment he locks eyes with you he reaches for his pistol!
>>
No. 969193 ID: b1b4f3

>>969157
Announce yourself as police. Depending on what the mayor's wife knows, this guy might suspect a demon was involved, and your badge isn't visible, so you look very suspicious.
If he draws, definitely fucking get out of the way.
>>
No. 969228 ID: 9876c4

CAPTAIN BAN, first precinct.
You're going to want to keep that holstered.
>>
No. 969239 ID: ed763f

Look him in the eye right back.

"Don't try it sunshine."
>>
No. 969242 ID: b1b4f3

Also remind him he is not legally allowed to shoot reporters.
>>
No. 969247 ID: 36784c

>>969157
>"Yes, 'we' did," she replies darkly.
When you get a moment alone with Dane, you should explain that your bad memory is due to the stress of what Steve threatened he’d do to the precinct. That might get her to cut you some slack if you forget something again.

>You don't have long to sulk, though, because the moment he locks eyes with you he reaches for his pistol!
Tell him that if he does it, you’ll arrest him for endangering the public, assaulting an officer with a deadly weapon, and attempted murder.
>>
No. 969333 ID: 7ae189
File 159174707351.jpg - (162.32KB , 800x341 , cop32.jpg )
969333

Your badge flashes out milliseconds before BILL's pistol. "Don't try it sunshine," you warn. "Captain BAN, First Precinct. You're gonna want to put that away."

This is just like a scene out of Combat Cop. You congratulate yourself on the badass line delivery.

>BILL doesn't lower his weapon. "BAN? I haven't heard of you. I was told the Second Precinct would be handling this."

"It actually fell under our jurisdiction, so..." You glance at the pistol that's still aimed at your chest. "...Can you put that down? Shooting me or anyone else here is illegal, you know."

>"Sorry, but we're not allowing guys like you into the mansion at this time. My bosses were very adamant about the order."

>"What, so you're barring the police from entering?!" Dane asks incredulously.

>"That's not what I meant," BILL says.

You get the drift. "So you're barring me from entering."

>"Bullshit!" Your partner looks ready to jump this guy. "He's the lead investigator on this case!"

>"Sorry miss, but the Dursts tell me to do something and I do it," BILL replies. "Unless his name's Captain STEVE, he's not stepping foot on the premises. If you've got permission to come in, you're doing it on your own. Those are the rules~!"

Shit, it doesn't look like he or his gun are going to budge on this... You think about the best way to proceed.
>>
No. 969336 ID: ed763f

Oh boy, a conspiracy.

You've got one chance to step aside before you get booked for obstruction.
>>
No. 969339 ID: 9876c4

This is an active investigation for a public figure's murder.
How's it going to look when I come back with a warrant?

While you're thinking on that, the zoning is clear cut, so who informed you that there would be a breach of city protocol?

(I'm sure your journalist pal will love every minute of this)
>>
No. 969340 ID: 015bf2

A Durst has to tell you to clear the way. Gotcha.

Dane, call the Durst campaign, again, and tell them to have their enforcer stand down unless they want to add further bad publicity to an already bad day. You can already see the headlines. ‘Durst demon shoots lead investigator on Mayor’s murder mystery’.

Really. One couldn’t make one’s motives more suspect if one tried.
>>
No. 969344 ID: b1b4f3

>>969333
Call him out on his bullshit. You just heard him moments ago copying your literal song and dance that you gave the reporters on the bridge, so he knows exactly who you are. So he's breaking the law by pointing his gun at someone with the clear intent to use it, without a legitimate excuse. Tell him to put the gun down, or you'll have to press charges. It'd be assault with a deadly weapon (because threatening someone with a gun is assault, legally), or at the very least brandishing a weapon. There are rather a lot of witnesses here that would testify you made no threatening action and identified yourself as police.

Dane called ahead, they know you're coming. You have permission to be here, and not knowing the captain is a demon is no excuse for barring you at the entrance.
>>
No. 969373 ID: a9af05

>>969344
This
>>
No. 969562 ID: 7ae189
File 159193630807.jpg - (125.53KB , 800x322 , cop33.jpg )
969562

You decide to pull a hail mary and press him. You steel your nerves, ignore the gun and step closer. "BILL, you've got one chance to step aside before I book you for obstruction," you declare. "And assault too, if you keep pointing this thing at me."

>"My pay grade's too high to be spooked by a no-name cop," the security guard replies.

"A no-name cop? Then how did you know me well enough to pirate my singing schtick?"

>"Er..." BILL falters for a moment, it looks like that caught him off-guard.

"This all feels suspicious," you say. "And now that I think about it, the city's zoning is clear-cut. Who exactly told you that the Second Precinct would be breaching protocol and taking over on a crime that happened in Shiptown?"

You suddenly realize that the two of you have become the center of attention for the legion of reporters. Devin's eyes are twinkling, and the REC light of his recorder is on. BILL's starting to fold under the added pressure.

You go for the kill, turning to Dane. "Get the Durst campaign on the line, will you?" you ask. "Tell them to have their enforcer stand down before their PR nosedives even further."

>"Gladly," Dane replies, pulling out her phone and dialing a number.

>BILL's really breaking a sweat, now. He takes a step back and raises his arms placatingly. "I'm just doing what I was told to do, alright? Go over my head if you want. I'm over this~! I'm over this~!"

Another victory for the book, looks like you've gotten the upper hand again. Also your singing voice is much better, you think smugly.
>>
No. 969563 ID: 7ae189
File 159193669541.jpg - (191.00KB , 800x709 , cop34.jpg )
969563

It sounds like someone answers Dane quickly. She explains the situation and requests for the two of you to be let in. Her expression sours when she gets a response.

>"What? No, the First. I don't get why--! We've already gotten permission, we--! He's just as qualified as Captain STEVE, sir, that shouldn't even be--!"

She continues arguing with whoever's on the other end. Her face is getting redder by the second... You glance at BILL, but he just shrugs and continues to sulk.

>"Okay, well just think about how this all looks, will you? Just for a minute." She's about ready to snap, now. "Has today not been enough of a mess already? You want every single member of your campaign to be a potential suspect? No?"

>After another minute of debate, Dane hangs up and sighs. "We can go in and get statements from the Durst family--both of us," she says. "But I'd keep an eye out for any bullshit, boss."

>"Bullshit like that?" Devin asks, pointing past the gate.

Several limos have appeared in the driveway and are coming your way. The gate opens wider to accomodate them. The lead car honks its horn, prompting the mass of reporters to clear a path. Soon, the only people left in their way are you and your companions.

>"What the fuck is this, now they're leaving?!" Dane demands.

>"These are just donors and supporters of the campaign, not the mayor's family," BILL says exasperatedly. "Can you please just let me do my job and help them pass? They can't be that important to your case."
>>
No. 969564 ID: 9876c4

We need names and phone numbers, SOP.
We won't contact anyone without cause, but we need to know who was here today.

We trust you to get it all in writing BILL, because if anyone's missing, we'll be giving you a call.
>>
No. 969565 ID: b1b4f3

>>969564
Seems reasonable.
>>
No. 969623 ID: ce39da

"I'll concede that, but I want a comprehensive list of who those guests were, and how we can contact them should they come up as people of interest."

We don't have to worry about BILL lying at this point; his defenses are down, and even if he was lying, and the Dursts are in one of those limos, that's just political suicide at that point. Why? Because someone in the Durst foundation would be getting arrested if they pulled that, even if I'm unsure who at this point.
>>
No. 969624 ID: 86eb65

Oh they are? You wont mind if I check that personally?
>>
No. 969645 ID: 7ae189
File 159203622164.jpg - (202.69KB , 800x1109 , cop35.jpg )
969645

"Oh really? Do you mind if I check that personally?" you ask.

>BILL's completely deflated now. "You'll waste my time and yours, but go ahead..."

You do seriously consider going down the line of cars, but you trust that this guy's too thoroughly beaten to lie to you further. "I'll let them off, but I want names and numbers of everyone who was here today," you tell BILL. "And if anyone's missing from that list, we'll be giving you a call."

>"I'll do it, I'll do it!" With a sigh, he gets out of your way.

You and Dane step past the guard and start toward the mansion. Devin moves to follow you, but he's caught by a grumpy BILL.

>"W-WAIT! WAIT FOR ME, YOU GUYS!!" he screams, waving his recorder around. "I HAVE QUESTIONS TO ASK TOO!! WAAAAIIT!!!"
>>
No. 969646 ID: 7ae189
File 159203636889.jpg - (191.69KB , 800x683 , cop36.jpg )
969646

The two of you head up the long driveway and reach the mansion. You reach for the door handle, but hesitate. You should get something out of the way before shit hits the fan again.

>"What're you waiting for?" Dane asks.

"Uhm..." You stare at your shoes. "While we have a second, I just wanted to say sorry...again."

>Your partner scoffs. "The mopey capybara eyes don't work on me, asshole."

"I'm serious! Stressing over this case and STEVE's bullshit has turned me into a real space cadet."

>"As if you're not a space cadet all the time..." Unless your eyes deceive you, Dane's face softens a bit. "I might be pissed, but I'm not pissed, alright? And I'm not gonna let you screw up an opportunity to upstage that little shitstain. Don't worry so much."

You're pretty sure that's the closest you've ever gotten to scoring brownie points. Keep this up and you might even have a quiet ride home for once, you think.
>>
No. 969647 ID: 7ae189
File 159203646623.jpg - (116.28KB , 800x428 , cop37.jpg )
969647

The two of you enter the mansion. It's uncomfortably quiet inside. In the foyer, a butler greets you.

>"You must be the detective. I apologize for the confusion, there seems to have been a bit of miscommunication between the police and our people."

>"Just a bit?" Dane beats you to the snide remark.

>The butler ignores the jab. "I understand that you want to speak to the surviving Dursts. Mrs. Durst is upstairs in her office. I believe the young Mr. Durst is out in the yard, and his uncle is downstairs at the bar. I can lead you to whoever you wish to see first."
>>
No. 969655 ID: c4908b

Split up, talk to Mrs. Durst and Durst Jr. first. Then meet up with uncle Durst and grill him.
>>
No. 969662 ID: 015bf2

Is there anyone else in the household at the present? Other servants, visitors, guests?

When was the last time he saw the Mayor?

Head for Mrs. Durst while Jane takes down basic-sense statements from the butler, tell her to join you once she's done.
>>
No. 969667 ID: 9876c4

If Mrs. Durst is gonna cause a scene, or start accusing us of a demonic plot, we should do her last. We effectively only get one shot at this.
>>
No. 969763 ID: 7ae189
File 159225253171.jpg - (219.48KB , 800x564 , cop38.jpg )
969763

You think about who to speak with first. You consider going straight for Mrs. Durst, but if she gets out of hand you might not have a chance to speak with the others...

"You said the kid was in the lawn? I'll start with him," you finally decide.

>"Follow me, then." The butler starts down a hallway.

"Is there anyone else in the household that I should know about?" you ask. "Servants, guests, anyone?"

>"There's the chef, the bartender, a few cleaning staff... I'm not sure how much help they would be, though. Mrs. Durst was being consoled by a number of men from her husband's campaign, but I believe they've all left now."

"And when was the last time you saw the mayor?"

>"Just last night, at 8 PM. I was finishing my shift when he walked out the front door. I believe he said he was headed out for an important meeting. It's such a shame, he did a lot of good for this house."

The butler leads you to a sliding door that leads to the gardens behind the mansion. "Dane, get some basic statements from this guy and the rest of the staff," you say as you step outside. "We'll meet back up when you're done."

>"Yes, sir!" Dane barks.
>>
No. 969764 ID: 7ae189
File 159225275647.jpg - (188.73KB , 800x922 , cop39.jpg )
969764

It takes a couple minutes of wandering before you run into Joe Durst's son. You see him up ahead, sitting hunched over by some bushes. Is he crying...?

>When he hears your footsteps, he bolts to his feet and scrubs at his eyes. "What the fuck do you want?" he asks, voice cracking. "If you're a cop, just fuck off, alright? I'm not talking to another fucking pig today!"
>>
No. 969765 ID: 86eb65

If I am not the first cop that you talked to today then something has gone wrong.

I am sorry for your loss and extra sorry if one of our sister precincts has offended you. Your dad was not a fan of how they do things and that department is up to some shifty crap today.
>>
No. 969766 ID: b1b4f3

"another"? Ask him who talked to him before.
>>
No. 969769 ID: 8fab7a

Hum. Procedural errors, huh? Wonder who dunked on the kid. Also, do we have recording equipment or did we lose out on that when we didn't pick up Devin? Cuz nudge/whisper to Dane to catch this on record if you can.

I also wonder if this interview was recent and our cop in question was hitchhiking with that gang of campaign goons.

"Captain BAN, 1st Precinct... if you've been interviewed already, give me the time, name and/or badge number of the pig that talked to you. Might come back later if they weren't thorough. That okay? Not here to dump on anyone, so if you need space I'll give you some."

Reason and appeal.

"It's just important we get all facts straight so the killer gets caught. Sometimes even officers get overzealous or overlook things in their lines of inquiry, and the fresher an interview the clearer the details, usually. Hate to come back later when memory's gone to seed."

When you clear out, ask the butler about the cop visitation and a description of the cop, especially if you didn't get much useful intel from the kid.
>>
No. 969770 ID: 0fae41

"I'm not a pig. I'm a capybara."
>>
No. 969838 ID: 094652

Chide him on his conduct.

His father died. Crying is practically mandatory. What isn't mandatory is trying to hurt others with bad language to make himself feel better. That just makes everyone afraid of making him feel sad. Or makes them want to keep him away from their lives forever. In politics, that's suicide.

If he wants something done, he has to do everything he can. As a child that is not much, but he's the son of the mayor, so not much can lead to so very much. Doing as little as telling you the details - what went on this week, who his father's enemies are, who else insisted on asking these questions, stuff that should be public - might make the difference.

So does he want to make the difference or keep bullying people with his tears?
>>
No. 969857 ID: ce39da

“No offense, but there shouldn’t have been any ‘pigs’ here before me and Dane. I can file a report on them for breaking procedure on an investigation, if you want, and if you need some space, I can give you a moment while I talk to the others.”
>>
No. 969977 ID: 7ae189
File 159245054847.jpg - (199.87KB , 800x493 , cop40.jpg )
969977

Wait, another? You bristle as you think about who else could have come by. You almost wish you'd dragged Devin in with you, if only to use that recorder of his.

"Captain BAN, First Precinct," you introduce yourself. "I'm not a pig. I'm a capybara."

>"You're a fucking pig!" the young man yells. "I don't know anything else, so just leave!"

"I can't just do that, Mr. Durst." You're not that great at dealing with emotional people, but you try your best. "I'm sorry for your loss, and I'm extra sorry if someone from a different precinct has offended you. If I'm not the first cop you've talked to, something's gone wrong."

>"What...?" The young Durst wipes his nose on his jacket sleeve. "What do you mean?"

"I'm in charge of the investigation for this case. There shouldn't have been any 'pigs' here before myself and my partner. When did this other cop come by? Do you know his name, his badge number? I could file a report on them for breaking procedure, if you want."

>"You mean he wasn't even supposed to be here?!" You watch as his confusion turns to anger. "Fucking asshole! I don't know his name, he was some prick with these horn spike things on his head. He came in a couple hours ago and fucking grilled me about my dad. Unbelievable..."

"If you need space, I can give it to you while I talk to the others," you offer. "But for anything good to come of this investigation, I could use everything that you know, too. Any small detail that you know could make a big difference in figuring all of this out."

>The young man seems to seriously think it over. "That other pig really wasn't part of your outfit?"

You shake your head.

>"If you promise to kick his shit in, I'll tell you what I told him," he decides, sniffling.

"I promise," you reply. You make a mental note to find out more details about this other cop. "What did you tell him?"

>"He came out here and pushed me around when I called him a pig. I had to tell him my name, John Durst, and he asked me what I knew about the...the murder..." John starts tearing up again. "But I don't know anything! I hated that my dad was the mayor, I was never around this fucking place! The last time I even saw him was two fucking days ago, he was telling me off for skipping school. He...he told me that he wouldn't always be able to bail me out of things... Fuck, I wish I knew more...."

"You don't know if your father had any enemies, do you?"

>"What? No, I'm the only asshole who ever really talked shit about him. Maybe the politicians running against him didn't like him, but his army guys always had his back. He was untouchable with those guys behind him. I never could've guessed that he could get..." John pauses to wipe his eyes again.

>He heaves a sigh and looks at the ground. "Is that enough, do you need more? I don't know much else, I swear..."
>>
No. 969981 ID: b1b4f3

>>969977
Ask if his parents got along okay. Did the mayor's wife get involved with any of the politics? What were all those people doing here today anyway?
What did the other cop look like? Did he show a badge number or other identification? Also, when did he show up?
>>
No. 969982 ID: 36784c

>>969977
Your father normally has bodyguards with him, correct? Any idea why he would've gone somewhere without them?

>>969981
>What did the other cop look like? Did he show a badge number or other identification? Also, when did he show up?
He already told us that. He said the other cop had horn spike things on his head and that the cop came in a couple of hours ago.
>>
No. 969984 ID: 3ed3c3

>>969977
This adds a few suspects to the list.
A political opponent could have had him assassinated, or perhaps one of his army associates went rogue on him. There's also this unknown cop to consider. From the description, he may have been a demon. We know that whoever offed the mayor was likely a demon, so there's a possibility that this unknown "cop" and the murderer may be the same individual.
>>
No. 969986 ID: 9876c4

I don't think we'll get much, but-
Why would your father go for a walk in the city, alone, late at night?
did his vehicle stay at the house, or did someone recover it after the incident?

Please don't hesitate to contact us if you remember anything about the first officer, as that's seriously suspicious behavior.
>>
No. 969987 ID: b1b4f3

>>969982
I... don't know how I missed that.
>>
No. 970013 ID: 7ae189
File 159249194756.jpg - (158.80KB , 800x690 , cop41.jpg )
970013

"So your father usually had bodyguards? Why would he go out into the city alone, at night?" you wonder aloud.

>"Fuck, I don't know," John says. "They were always with him during the day, but he'd send them home when he was done with work."

"And was his vehicle left at the house, or did someone recover it after the incident?"

>"I wasn't here so I don't know, I was out with my friends. People are saying he just walked away..."

"Did your parents get along okay?"

>John shifts from one foot to another. "I mean, they argued sometimes, but it was just about their jobs... They got along alright, I guess."

"Their jobs? Was your mother involved in any of the politics?"

>"Yeah, they did almost everything together. She's been working with all the suits that run my dad's campaign for a while, now."

"Those were the people who just left, right? What were they doing here, anyway?"

>"Probably getting another fucking strategy together," the young man says grimly. "They're treating this whole fucking thing like a game..."

"Hmmm..." Your list of potential suspects is expanding. The hit could have come from political opponents, disillusioned peers from the army... You're also growing more suspicious of this unknown other cop by the second. You think on if you have anything else to ask before moving on.
>>
No. 970019 ID: 094652

>>970013
"Kid, politics is all about getting your enemies to fight each other instead of you. There's no room for ideology. Not even hatred.

Alright kid, I have something for you to do. See this? It's a cryptography book. I want you to study this and take this key. If you figure out anything, send me a letter in code."
>>
No. 970024 ID: 3ed3c3

>>970013
Alright, that should be enough from him.
Thank him for his cooperation and tell him that if he needs help or if anything else comes to light, then he should contact you straight away.
>>
No. 970025 ID: 45acae

Ask him about his jacket.

Did your father serve in the army as well? Is that where he got the scar over his eye? Do you know anything about in what divisions the men served? (if he doesn't, tell him don't feel bad if they didn't tell you anything, that's how you know they wasn't lying about being in the service.) Do you remember any names or descriptions? Were any of them obviously in charge?

What was your impression of the campaign people? Are they scrambling? Infighting? In denial?

After you're done, let him know you're going to go talk to his uncle before he truly drowns his sorrows, and then talk to his mother. Maybe add that once you leave, he should consider doing the same; You understand he wants to be left alone, but his family probably shouldn't be.
>>
No. 970026 ID: 9876c4

I think we've learned what we can here.
>>
No. 970246 ID: 7ae189
File 159279612391.jpg - (245.05KB , 800x459 , cop42.jpg )
970246

"What's the deal with your jacket?" you ask, glancing at the shoulder patch.

>"My jacket? It's just an old army one my dad gave me, I put some extra shit on the back of it for fun. Why?"

"Just curious," you reply. You're certain that you recognize the patch on the sleeve as the Advance Team insignia... Mayor Durst must have had a miserable time during the war, if he was in that unit. "The army's where your father got that scar over his eye, right?"

>"Yeah, it happened during the war," John says, wiping his nose again. "He never told me how, though."

"Do you know what divisions the men that he kept around him were from?"

>"A lot of them have jackets like this one but I don't know, I never really talked to them or anything..."

"It's alright if they didn't tell you much. Are there any that you'd recognize, anyone who was obviously in charge?"

>The young man racks his brain for a moment. "Fuck, I should've payed more attention...! One of them was also in charge of security or something, he had this weird floating head. The others were really lowkey though, I can't even remember their faces."

"What about the campaign people?" you ask, shifting the subject. "What sort of feeling did you get from them? Are they scrambling, arguing, in denial...?"

>"Scrambling's a good word," he says bitterly. "Nobody's denying it, they're all just trying to move past my dad as fast as possible. They'll make my mom or someone else the mayor by tomorrow, I fucking know it. It's not right..."

You nod. "I think I've got enough for now. If you need anything or have more to say, let me know," you say. "I'll go talk to your uncle and your mother, next. Maybe when I leave, you should do the same--they're probably hurting, too."

>The young Durst hangs his head. "Just go, already," he sighs. "I really fucking hope this helped."
>>
No. 970247 ID: 7ae189
File 159279624165.jpg - (175.47KB , 900x361 , cop43.jpg )
970247

You return to the mansion and run into Dane and the butler again. Together, you head for the stairs to the basement lounge.

>"I got the basics from the staff," Dane reports. "Nobody who was on duty knows why Durst left, or where he was going. Seems like he walked out and got picked up by a vehicle outside the mansion's premises."

"I got some good stuff out of the son," you tell her. "We'll deal with the uncle, next."

>"That might be a little difficult at the moment," she says. "I was down here with the bartender a second ago, and..."

You reach the bottom of the stairs and quickly see the issue. Uncle Durst is currently slumped over a table, sleeping in a puddle of tears and spilled beer.

>Dane lightly kicks the man's chair and gets no response. "Out like a light. What do you want to do with him, boss?"
>>
No. 970250 ID: 9876c4

No law against being drunk in a residence, thank god.
Ask the servants for help. Smelling salts, cook him some steak, toss him in the shower, whatever they've tried before. And keep him OFF the booze.

While he composes himself, we talk to Mrs. Durst.
>>
No. 970255 ID: b1b4f3

>>970250
Yeah.
>>
No. 970478 ID: ce39da

>>970250
Agreed, though we might want to hold off on confronting Mrs. Durst just yet; those tears could be normal grief, or indicative of guilt regarding something he could have prevented, but we won't know either way if we get thrown out before he wakes.
>>
No. 970616 ID: 7ae189
File 159306153684.jpg - (134.84KB , 800x477 , cop44.jpg )
970616

You walk over to the bartender. "Is there any chance that someone could help clean him up?" you ask, pointing at the drunk. "Some food, maybe a shower, definitely no more booze."

>"It's a work in progress," he replies. "I've already cut him off, and I think the chef's working on something. I've never seen Sam like this before, it's so sad..."

"I guess we'll go for Mrs. Durst while we wait," you tell Dane.

>"Mrs. Durst?" The bartender looks uncomfortable. "Maybe you shouldn't, she doesn't want to talk to anyone right now. I'm sure if you came back a different time, she'd be a little more receptive."

"The timing isn't ideal, but we really need statements from everyone here. We'll just ask her a few questions, and--"

>"Oh you will, will you?"

>The bartender's gone white as a sheet. He's looking up over your shoulder. "M-Mrs. ALICIA...!"

You turn around...
>>
No. 970617 ID: 7ae189
File 159306176190.jpg - (238.23KB , 800x759 , cop45.jpg )
970617

Ducking her way through the doorway is a very long woman dressed in black. She looks genuinely mad.

>"You're a First Precinct detective," she says.

"Yes ma'am, I'm Captain--"

>"It's been very, very long day, so let's skip the bullshit," she interrupts flatly. "I want to know who gave the OK for anyone outside of the Second Precinct to walk into my house, question my staff, and shake down my fucking son. And if I don't like the answer, your entire precinct is getting castrated before the end of the workday."
>>
No. 970618 ID: 9876c4

Jusisdiction.

The case ended up on our desk, due to the zoning of the crime.
I can assure you we're going to do our best to solve it, just like we would for anyone who died under such circumstances.

But we need to know some things before we get there.
>>
No. 970619 ID: b1b4f3

>>970617
Lead with clearing things up about her son. The officer that came here earlier did not do so under your orders. You are going to find out who that was and ensure it won't happen again. Did the officer give her a name or a badge number?
As for why you're here, juristiction first off, and Steve agreed to file the proper paperwork. First Precinct will handle the case for three days, then hand it over to 2P once the paperwork is in order. It's an important case and we should do things by the book to make sure the court case doesn't get thrown out on a technicality.
Tell her you're aware that the mayor had a good relationship with the second precinct, and you are hoping to do a good enough job in their place.
>>
No. 970627 ID: 8fab7a

Okay, time to professional up.

Retrieve a pen and a notepad, which you'd better have on hand (if not borrow from Dane). It'll give you an air of seriousness.

"Ma'am, I'm Captain BAN. To answer your questions, Captain STEVE is not in charge of this case, thus a different precinct is responding. Your people let me in so that there would not be a scene for the media circus outside to feast on.

I emphatically did not 'shake down' your son and I wish to track down the officer who appears to have done so and, to put it mildly, kick their ass for what appears to have been both a breach of jurisdiction and basic protocol, which is to treat the bereaved with respect and sympathy in their time of grief. My condolences on your loss, Mrs. Durst."

Click the pen and put the point to paper.

"Now, I, too, am troubled. Can you please answer me why you are under the impression that 2nd Precinct would be handling a case taking place within 1st Precinct jurisdiction? And why another police officer - whom I presume to be 2nd Precinct if they have the run of your house - to enter prior to me, the officer in charge of this case - whom your staff almost did not let in - and, in fact, 'shake down' your son?"

Start taking notes, verbatim, of what she's saying in response.
>>
No. 970665 ID: 45acae

It's my jurisdiction. And for the record, I'm not the one who shook down your son, he said I was the second cop he talked to today. (hmm, we'll have to remember to ask what the cop wanted to know.)

Now, why is it so important that second precinct and noone else be investigating your husband's murder?
>>
No. 970783 ID: 7ae189
File 159322888295.jpg - (97.51KB , 800x374 , cop46.jpg )
970783

You'll have to turn up the professional charm for this one. You reach for a pad and pen for extra credibility...and soon realize that you've left yours at home.

"Sergeant Dane, do you have something I can write with?" you ask in your big cop voice.

Dane rolls her eyes, but takes out her notepad and a pen. You take them and face the widow again.

"Firstly, I have to clear up that I didn't shake down your son. Whoever was here earlier wasn't from my team--the cop who spoke to your son first broke both protocol and human decency, and I'll deal with them the first chance I get. If you have a name or badge number I can work with, it'd help a lot."

>ALICIA's glare doesn't let up. "So there's more than one unknown detective that's been stomping around my home. What a relief. I don't have any more information on that one than I have on yourself."

You try to continue unfazed. "To answer your question, this case ended up on our desk since it happened within our jurisdiction. For the next three days we'll be handling it, before turning it over to Captain STEVE when the right paperwork's been processed. I'm sorry for your loss and I know that the mayor had a good relationship with the 2P, but we'll be doing our best for him too, in the interim."

>"The next three days? Captain STEVE is going to be off of the case of the death of my husband, the mayor, for the next three days?"

You flip to an empty page and click the pen. "Ma'am, if I can ask this, why is it so important that only STEVE and his men handle your husband's murder? It seems like a number of people are under the impression that they're already on the case, despite the jurisdiction lines." You water down what you wanted to say, in order to avoid getting too accusatory toward her. Something about this is rubbing you the wrong way.

>"As if it's any mystery," ALICIA replies, tossing her hair. "Captain STEVE is an excellent man, and his work on the Wartown Murders was legendary. His partner served in the army with my husband. Their precinct has the experience and the resources to catch whoever took my love from me, swiftly."

"And the city's other precincts do not." Steady, BAN, don't get pissy now.

>She stares you dead in the eye. "No, they do not."

"I see..." You're swallowing so much pride, you half expect a shirt button to pop off. Dane shifts behind you, but says nothing.

>ALICIA lets out an exasperated sigh. "If this is how it has to be, though, fine. I want your word that by the weekend, everything--everything, you hear me?--that you come up with gets immediately into STEVE's hands."

"...Of course, ma'am."

>"I'll give you ten minutes. You're already writing what I'm saying down, yes? Ask your questions, get your answers, then get out of my house."
>>
No. 970789 ID: 3ed3c3

>>970783
Rotten bitch. I'm willing to bet she's involved with the murder somehow.

Does she remember anything unusual about the date in question? Was her husband acting strangely, or were there any changes to his routine, minor or major? Had he been speaking to anyone new? Had there been any disturbances in his social life? Problems at work?
>>
No. 970791 ID: b1b4f3

...well I guess we'll have to find out from the head of security who that maybe-cop was. Surely there's no way the guy got past security without giving out a name?

Questions:
Does she have any idea why the Mayor went out that night?
Did the Mayor use his own car when he left? Where is the car?
Does she know of anyone who would have wanted him dead?
What were those businessmen doing here? Anything she can fill you in on?
Was she home that night? Did she notice any odd behavior from the Mayor that day, or in the weeks prior?
Did the Mayor have any business dealings with Demons, or Demon-related groups?
Does she know much about the Mayor's time in the army?
Can you check out his office? Like, you'd specifically be looking for a book he keeps times and dates in for his meetings. Could be some clues as to why he left that night or who he's been dealing with lately.
>>
No. 970792 ID: b1b4f3

>>970789
I mean, she's basically right. 2P has way more resources, and apparently their captain really knows what he's doing.
>>
No. 970810 ID: 9876c4

The homocide happened after he left the house on foot, with no security detail. Who was he meeting? Why not do it at the mansion? And what did he tell you?
>>
No. 970815 ID: 8fab7a

Lots of good questions so far.

I can add in a request + question.

"I will need access to Durst Manor later, preferably some time tomorrow. For one, ten minutes is not a lot of time for a thorough statement. I also need statements from anyone who've yet to give them. It's SOP, Mrs. Durst. Anyone who has interacted with the Mayor in the time prior is of interest to us.

That said, do you know of anyone outside this household and his campaign that might fit the bill? Any old war buddies he still kept in touch with outside of STEVE's partner?"

Also, her response to the knowledge there was another cop was insufficient, so we need to dump more info on her.

"And... can't you just ask your staff to tell you who this other cop was? Or even make an educated guess? Presumably your people let them in. Seeing the difficulty I had earlier, there should be a limited number of spiky-horned officers who could sail through like it was nothing and, apparently, talk only to your son. Or... maybe he talked to Sam as well, hard to say. But not you. You were in a meeting. You didn't know he was here."

Hmm...

Glance around at the help to spot their reactions.

"... has the guy even left yet? I would like to speak to him if he is sitting in the wing waiting to talk to Mrs. Durst."

>>970792
Though the reasons for this appears to be blatant favoritism by the Mayor for a war buddy. That said, BAN should still treat this case with all the seriousness the murder of a person - and Mayor - deserves. The city's poor treatment of non-2nd Precincts and her poor attitude towards BAN does not invalidate that.

Also, the way STEVE showed up at the crime scene and this presumed 2nd Precinct cop rattled young Durst makes me think they know more than they've let on. In which case they're assuredly doing something bad by not informing you of it. You should definitely pass on a request this evening for any and all information they have on the case and maybe even go take the statement of STEVE's partner - y'know, as a person of interest. You can definitely use young Durst's statement as supporting evidence they've begun doing some manner of rushed investigatin' on their own.
>>
No. 970831 ID: b1b4f3

Oh, ask why the head of security wanted to keep you specifically from entering the premises.
>>
No. 970864 ID: ce39da

These are all good. Let me tack on:
"Some of the reporters outside seem to be under the impression that you were making some kind of scene. Care to elaborate on that?"

"We've yet to talk to Uncle Durst, but he doesn't seem to be cohesive enough to give a legally valid statement at this time. Can we arrange to have him give his statement down at the station tomorrow morning if you aren't comfortable with us returning to the residence?"

"Oh, one more thing; is there anyone else besides you that has authority over BILL, your chief of security?"

I don't think we can press her about BILL's fib directly, as it's just our word against his for now - we can only start pushing that angle if we mark another strike against him or the media dresses our encounter in our favor overall. However, we can make a list of "Suspicious People Who May Have Tried to Hinder Us Through BILL."

"I think that'll be all. I'll want to ask BILL a few more questions about this undeclared 'cop.' I'd appreciate it if someone called ahead to tell him I'd be doing this so that I can get out of your hair all the faster. I'll leave you to your mourning, then."

(If BILL knew we were coming, but the wife didn't, and if we consider how the unknown cop had to have gotten in... I think we have enough information at this point that we can press BILL about his part in this "Undeclared Cop" mystery.)
>>
No. 970867 ID: 9876c4

We are going to need some luck to do this all in 10 minutes.
>>
No. 970869 ID: 7ae189
File 159332205463.jpg - (162.40KB , 800x969 , cop47.jpg )
970869

Mrs. Durst pulls out her phone and starts a timer. Shit, she really means ten minutes. You try to pick out your most burning questions.

"Before we get into the rest, I just wanted to know. Why did the head of security want to specifically bar me from entry?"

>"Look at yourself, do you really have to ask that? If I had my way, the only demon in this house besides myself would be Captain STEVE."

You assumed as much. "I just wanted to be sure. The rule could be confused as an attempt to keep cops out, not just people like me."

>"'Not just demons.'"

You ignore the attempted correction. "Rewind to before the incident for me. Was anything different with your husband, recently? Was he acting oddly, talking or doing business with anyone new?"

>"I didn't notice anything different, no. He was a little stressed with the elections coming up, but nothing out of the ordinary. He kept his usual company, and was going to his usual meetings."

"Were any of those meetings with, er, people like ourselves? Or their interest groups?"

>Her eye narrows at you. "Demons. Say the word, detective. We're demons."

"...The question stands."

>"Yes, he met with the Anomaly Collective about once a month as part of his public outreach work."

"And who all is in that group?"

>"Representatives of demon communities throughout the city. Politicians, workers, veterans... You didn't know that?"

You tactfully avoid the question. "I'm hearing a lot about vets today. Do you know much about the mayor's time in the army? Are there any other war buddies that he's stayed in contact with?"

>She heaves a sigh. "I've heard my share of stories. He was an officer, and he loved his men more than his family sometimes. It seems like whenever he was done working, he had another soldier over for drinks. I never bothered to learn all of their names. BILL is our head of security now, I know. Of course there's also ERIK, STEVE's partner. Sam served with him, as well. Whenever Joe went out, some of his people followed like bodyguards."

"Except for last night. Do you have any idea why he would leave here alone and on foot, at that hour?"

>"Oh, don't make me relive it again," she says heavily. "We were arguing about stupid campaign slogans. I let myself say some terrible things, and then he suddenly remembered some meeting he had to get to. He just walked out of the bedroom, and out the front door."

"Did he take his own car when he left? Who was he going to meet?"

>"No, he just walked, as far as I know. If he was picked up, it wasn't close to our driveway. He didn't say who he was meeting... God, for all I know it was just an excuse to go let off some steam."

"Can I see his office? If it was real, his meeting might be documented in an agenda, somewhere in there."

>"You're more than welcome to try to get to it in the"--she pauses and checks her timer--"one and a half minutes you have left, but that might not be the best use of your time."

"I'll definitely need to return then, preferably sometime tomorrow. If I'm going to follow standard operating procedures, I'll need more than ten minutes, you understand. There's also more statements to take, and yours isn't quite finished--"

>ALICIA cuts you off with a noncommittal wave. "Someone will be in touch with your precinct about it, I'm sure."

You subtly let out your frustrations on the pen clicker. "You don't know of anyone who would've wanted Mr. Durst dead, do you?

>"Besides every other bureaucrat in the city? There isn't a single mayoral campaign that will mourn my husband's passing--they finally have a chance at winning, now."

"Speaking of campaigners, I saw a number of businessmen leaving when I arrived. What were they doing here? Anything you can fill me in on?"

>The widow's face somehow manages to sour further. "It was an emergency meeting to discuss the future of the Durst campaign. We utterly failed to reach any sort of conclusion. Twenty seconds."

"Before we're done, I just want to know more about this other cop."

>"I'm sorry, but I honestly don't have anything else to give you on that topic."

"Maybe you don't," you say, glancing at the bartender. He's too busy cowering at Mrs. Durst to notice. "But can't you just ask your staff about him? I'm assuming your people let him in. Given all the trouble I had getting in, there's no way someone with his description could've come in without issue. I know he talked to your son, but who else? Was he waiting to talk to you? Has he even left yet--"

>"And now you're overtime, detective," ALICIA grates. "It's time for you to go."
>>
No. 970870 ID: 7ae189
File 159332222673.jpg - (147.00KB , 800x813 , cop48.jpg )
970870

Before you can argue, the butler appears and half-guides, half-shoves you up the stairs and out the door.

You and Dane share a look as the door closes behind you. She's shaking, and she's turned an unhealthy shade of red.

You think up a solid one liner to defuse the bad air. "That--"

>"DON'T," she growls. "Talk...in the car..."

So much for a quiet ride home.
>>
No. 970871 ID: 7ae189
File 159332239305.jpg - (153.16KB , 880x440 , cop49.jpg )
970871

You're met with the same crowd as before as you approach the gate. You pray that neither of you lose the rest of your patience before getting past all of these cameras.

>"Clear a path, will you?!" BILL yells, trying to move reporters out from in front of the driveway.

>"CAPTAIN! CAPTAIN BAN!! WHAT IS THE STATE OF THE DURST FAMILY?"
>"IS IT TRUE THAT ALICIA DURST IS MENTALLY UNSTABLE?!!"
>"WHAT IS THE FIRST PRECINCT'S NEXT MOVE??"
>"HOW LONG UNTIL CAPTAIN STEVE TAKES OVER THE CASE?!"

>One voice manages to be even more deafening than the rest. "HEY!! HEY, PARTNER!!! YOU REMEMBER ME, RIGHT?! HOW DID THE MISSION GO?!!"
>>
No. 970872 ID: 094652

Keep saying "No comment" and do a rap-dance this time.
>>
No. 970877 ID: 9876c4

>>970872
At least after we get sacked, we'll be youtube famous.
>>
No. 970878 ID: b1b4f3

>>970871
You're not gonna do the damn dance this time, just tell them no comment, move out the way, and also you need to ask Bill some questions about his time in the army with the Mayor.
And also, ask him about the "cop" that came by earlier.

Once the media calms down a little you can tell the "real reporter" that she didn't do anything "scoopable" at all. She's a grieving widow, show some respect. (it is worth noting that she was more composed at this point than the rest of the family, ignoring her public display, and has no alibi... but that's just speculation, as her possible motive for doing it is unclear)

Speaking of the widow, did her hands look scuffed at all? I have to imagine climbing the underside of the bridge would leave some abrasions even on a demon.
>>
No. 970889 ID: 8fab7a

Hold up a hand for silence.

"Press conference to be announced at a later date. Until then,"

Hit your most dulcet hymnal tones.

"NoooooOOOooOoOOOooooOOooOoOOOoooooo~

Comment!"

Then look to the gate guard.

"But before I go. BILL, what was the name of the spiky-horned cop you let through a couple hours earlier? I was not informed anyone had been in prior to me."

And poor BILL, and poor whoever this cop is, cuz' even if BILL denies his presence - or knew nothing about it! - the press will definitely do the work of digging up that cop's dirty procedural deed for you. Heck, this definitely counts as giving the spiky-horned cop grief, too, fulfilling your promise to John. Trial by media.

And the best thing? It's got nothing to do with revealing any ongoing details of the investigation and leaves your conduct above board. It's a simple fact. It just says so much to anyone with the brains to spot it. Which I certainly HOPE is at least ONE reporter here.
>>
No. 970896 ID: 7ae189
File 159336486483.jpg - (160.57KB , 1000x438 , cop50.jpg )
970896

You raise your hands as officiously as possible, and the crowd hushes itself. Every ear and every recorder is trained on you... You hate this part of the job.

"I want to tell you all that there's nothing 'scoop-able' going on in this home, so please get that out of your heads now," you say to everyone. "Mrs. Durst is a grieving widow, show some respect."

You turn to BILL. "Before I go, I have a question or two for you."

>BILL writhes as the attention shifts to him. "What else do you want? You got in, already."

"I just want to know more about your time in the army with the mayor."

>"Oh, that?" his expression grows a lot more distant. "I was in the Advance Team with him. We fought all the way to the Canardi border together, before I went and got injured..."

>He remembers where he is and shakes his head. "Now's not the time for that talk, though. Are you done here?"

"Just one more thing," you say. "What was the name of that 'spiky-horned cop' that you let in a couple hours ago? I wasn't informed that anyone had entered prior to me."

The crowd starts murmuring. In the front row, Devin looks ecstatic.

>The security guard glares at you. "The hell is this, you want to frame me for something now? What are you talking about?"

"So you know nothing about a horned cop who entered the Durst mansion before me, and apparently attempted to investigate without my go-ahead?"

>"Hell no, I don't!"

There's a brief explosion among the reporters. You raise your hand once again. "That's all I wanted to know. The press conference will be taking place at a later date," you announce. "But until then, I do have something to tell you..."

You close your eyes and take a deep breath. Everyone leans in in anticipation. Devin's mouth is practically watering, now.

You sing out in the purest of tones. "NoooooOOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOOOooooOOOOOOO comment~~~~!!!"

Everyone goes insane. You and Dane shove your way through the screaming reporters and head back toward the parking lot. You're tempted to dance again, but you don't think Dane is mentally ready for that.

As you make your retreat, you see many of the reporters descending on BILL with more questions, including a fired-up Devin.
>>
No. 970897 ID: 7ae189
File 159336535106.jpg - (122.10KB , 800x618 , cop51.jpg )
970897

The two of you take a breather by the car. You check your watch... 6:15 already, damn.

>Dane looks like she's guaging whether or not her hand will break if she punches the car door. "That frigid fucking bitch," she mutters. "Fucking bitch!"

"She's grieving. I'm sure she was just lashing out," you say, but the words are empty. Honestly, Mrs. Durst's vibe had been getting to you, too. A weird hunch makes you try to remember what her hands looked like. You think hard on it, but you're sure that they were too small and clean to have caused those marks on the bridge.

>"Fucking bitch," your partner repeats. "You know none of the staff fucking mentioned another cop, right? And I talked to every person in that goddamned building besides the family. This all stinks!"

She's about to continue her rant when a call comes in on her radio. The conversation is brief.

>"The Major wants us to check in with the other guys that she put on the case before midnight," she reports. "You buying our dinner before or after we head back to the station?"

You blink. "'Our dinner?'"

>Dane looks at you with an unreadable expression. "You already forgot. The promise, BAN. In the car."

Shit, shit, shit. "No no, I remember, I'm just thinking. About where we're going, when I buy our dinner. Like I promised."

>"Uh-huh." Dane gets into the car and slams the door.

Fuck. When and why did you agree to this? Your wallet's going to be crying in the morning, you never eat out.

You think through your options. You could try and find somewhere up here, but it might take longer since you don't know the area very well. Alternatively you could just make the drive back to Shiptown first, there are a few cheap food joints there that you know of. You've also got to report to the 1P at some point before midnight. You make a quick decision as Dane glares daggers at you from the car...
>>
No. 970899 ID: 9876c4

You need to think this through, and that means steak.
Now, not like great steak. Cops don't get dry aged wagyu.

That Greek place by the wharf ain't too bad, and you can fill up on salad and fries. Couple small ribeyes, grilled onions. Some coffee for later.

Or you could just find a fabled cheesesteak dynasty and hope for the best.
>>
No. 970906 ID: 094652

Try the ramen stores nearby, or get a custom-made pizza. Make sure you get something that you can take-out. All the ritzy restaurants just overcharge you for the privilege of staring at ugly-detailed decor they use to insult your lower class.

Make sure you ask what she likes; that whole 'you need to know what I like' mentality is screwed up. Seriously where does it come from?
>>
No. 970907 ID: b1b4f3

Hmm, strange. The staff never saw the spiky-horned fellow, and... the only person he spoke to was the son? There's no way that was a cop. That was someone who somehow snuck in past security and questioned the first person he could get his hands on, then ran off. Might've been a reporter... or someone involved in the murder who was trying to find out how much the family knew. Maybe you can check around the perimeter of the mansion to see if someone dug under the wall or climbed over.
The horn-spikes on his head may have even been a disguise, but I hope not. We'd have no way of identifying him then.
You should call the other precincts and find out if they have any officers matching the description you were given.

...surprised Dane managed to question the staff during the time you were (making an attempt at) questioning the family. Ask if she found anything out.
>>
No. 970908 ID: 45acae

Eat at a shiptown diner. Not a chain restaurant, she'll never let you hear the end of it if you do. Besides, you'll have to be somewhere by 12:00.

...Is that news van with no channel number, news organization or anything else identifying it suspicious in any way? Be certain before you have another potentially embarrassing brain fart moment. If you still think something's wrong, get their plates and knock.
>>
No. 970936 ID: eb1fcc

>>970899
seconding greek. It's middle-price, tasty as hell, and good for you. Who doesn't love a good lamb gyro?
>>
No. 970958 ID: b1b4f3

Did you get the list of visitors from BILL?
Whose news van is that?
Further leads we can investigate: the Anomaly Collective, talk to BILL about his time in the army, see if you can speak to ERIK too.
>>
No. 971142 ID: 7ae189
File 159357740276.jpg - (159.52KB , 800x846 , cop52.jpg )
971142

Think, think, think...! You remember somewhere that you used to eat at, years ago. You tap on Dane's window and get her to roll it down. "I know a Greek diner back in Shiptown, what do you think?" you ask.

>Her eyes light up for a moment. "What, are there gyros there?" She catches herself quickly and her poker face returns. "...I'll take it."

Oh, thank god. "Great. One sec, I want to check one last thing."

You walk over to the news van sitting nearby. As you get closer, you see that it's definitely seen better days. Besides the big, generic 'NEWS' label plastered on its side, it's almost entirely unmarked. You almost find it suspicious, until you notice the Crosshair Media decal on the windshield. This must be Devin's vehicle... Kind of fitting for the man, you think.

Before you head back to your car, you take another second to sort everything out in your head. You make a mental note to dig into this Anomaly Collective more. It'll be a drag, but you'll try to speak to ERIK eventually too, and BILL--

Shit, BILL's list! You kick yourself for forgetting to grab it on your way out. You don't want to tango with the reporters again and your welcome here is definitely overstayed, so you'll have to collect it when you return.

You return to the car and start the drive back to familiar territory.
>>
No. 971144 ID: 7ae189
File 159357758408.jpg - (160.94KB , 800x737 , cop53.jpg )
971144

The return drive is pretty alright. You get chewed out for not getting the list, but you expertly redirect Dane's anger back to the Durst mansion's inhabitants...

>"They're all suspect," she continues. "I don't trust any of their statements except maybe the son."

"You really got through all of them while I was outside?" you ask. "Did you find anything out?"

>"It wasn't that hard, most of them didn't know anything. That asshole butler seems to have been the only person who saw Mr. Mayor exit the mansion, not counting the wife. The bartender, the cooks and the cleaning staff had already cleared out for the day."

"I see..."

>"I can't believe they'd all omit the fact that a fucking policeman came in before us. It has to have been someone that they know, probably some fucking 2P detective."

"Or maybe they really were unaware," you muse. "I'm starting to doubt if it was even another cop... The guy could've snuck in from somewhere, and stayed just long enough to find out what other people knew about the crime."

>"You think it was the killer?"

"Who knows," you sigh, glancing over at the sunset. "Can you call the other major precincts? We should see how many cops actually fit the description, as vague as it is."

>"I'll hit the 2P through the 5P," she says, pulling out her phone. "They can handle checking their sister precincts."

You cross your fingers and hope that the horns weren't just a disguise. You're getting desperate for some kind of foothold, here.

>Dane looks at you sideways as she dials one of the precincts' numbers. "So... This place we're headed does sell gyros, right?"
>>
No. 971146 ID: 7ae189
File 159357829421.jpg - (165.82KB , 1414x467 , cop54.jpg )
971146

Down by the docks of Shiptown, there's a Greek diner that used to be constantly packed with soldiers and sailors waiting for assignments. This isn't quite the way you imagined yourself returning. It's a lot emptier now, but it's also nowhere near as beat-up.

You head in first while Dane changes in the car. The owner seems to recognize your face--he gives you a grave nod and leads you to the same table you used to sit at. You check the time... 8:00, great. You're only about ten minutes from the station, so you have plenty of time to eat and leave.

Dane walks in, straightening her clothes. You're technically off the clock now, so she's swapped out the kevlar for something more comfortable, like another uniform. The owner's face lights up when she sits across from you.

>"Now isn't this a pleasant surprise," he says. "You've really turned out alright, young man. What can I get for you two?"

>"A lamb gyro with everything, and a coffee," your partner says immediately. She glances at you and subtly narrows her eyes. "Actually, make that two gyros. And fries."

You wince as she twists the knife into your chest. If your wallet is dying tonight, you might as well eat well too. "Just give me the ribeye steak and fries," you tell the old man. "I'll take coffee too, why not."

>The owner walks toward the kitchen and yells something in another language. "I'll get your coffee," he calls back to you.

>Dane pulls out her journal and opens it. "From those calls, it sounds like there are only 35 patrol officers and detectives that have anything that could be called horns," Dane tells you. "ERIK is on that list, too."

"Interesting... We should try talking to him, tomorrow."

>"Someone should. Do you have a plan for the rest of the team, yet?"

"Uh--"

>She rolls her eyes."I know you don't. Just think about it before this meeting, okay? You can't just wing it when you're giving orders to cops that aren't me."

>The diner's owner returns with your coffee. "The food will be along shortly, lieutenant," he says as he walks away.

"Thanks." A sip confirms that the diner's choice of coffee grounds hasn't changed in years.

>Dane picks up her mug, but doesn't drink. "BAN, answer this for me and don't try to give me any bullshit."

Your heart skips a beat. Shit, did you forget something else...? "Shoot."

>"This is our case."

"...Is that the question?"

>"Yes." She leans in a little. "This is really big for us, and I want to know. Are we actually gonna give case this away to that asshole in a couple days?"
>>
No. 971160 ID: b1b4f3

>>971146
Depends.
Assuming the paperwork is approved? Only if we don't solve it before then. Can't go against upper management after using them as a way to get STEVE off our case. Of course, if ERIK interfered with the case... we might be able to argue that 2P wasn't acting in good faith from the start.
If the paperwork isn't approved? Hell no we're not handing it over. So long as this case is officially ours, it's ours. If 2P wants to honestly help with the investigation we can make use of their resources. God knows they have more than us.

>a plan for the rest of the team
Refresh your memory: who do we have? Any specialists?
Some basic things we can do is send people to interview the people on BILL's list, ask what they were there for, where they were the night of the murder, those kind of basic questions. We can also interview people who live along the most likely route the Mayor took to the bridge, see if anyone spotted him.
We can have some of them go over the collected evidence from the crime scene, see if we can pull any more clues out of there. One important thing is we can get a good idea of how big the climber's hands are, and use that to narrow down possible suspects. We can also compare that size of hand to the impact damage on the body, to confirm they match.
We can have people follow the marks on the bridge over the other side (I'd hope we already did this, honestly, it's not good to let tracks go cold)
>>
No. 971168 ID: 9876c4

We're not doing it at STEVE's pleasure, Dane. But with the kind of favors he can call in? I'd be facing steep charges if I don't.

If we can find something soon that shows bad faith on the 2nd's part, that balance changes. That's what I'm hoping for.
>>
No. 971191 ID: 86eb65

If I get direct proper orders down the chain of command I will hand the case over to them within the proper timeframe.

Aka stall as long as possible.

So we need to solve it before then or get so close that it would look horrible for anyone to take it away from us.

Stuff to discuss with Dane.

1. Motives. Who would want him dead and why. We need to look into the Mayors history. Is highly likely its not a random killing. Someone wanting him dead for something he did years back? Did the Mayor know the killer and have dealings with them?

2. Means. Was someone waiting for him under that bridge? If so how did they know his route. Did he often take walks there? Or could he have been meeting someone there and they offed him?

3. Why talk to the Son? The kid was the only one who the so called cop talked to. There has to be a reason for that. If it was a cop then they thought he had important info. If it was not a cop they could be looking for other info. If it was the killer? Well maybe the killer did not get what he wanted by killing the mayor. Could be after something the Mayor had and did not get it.

4. Paranoia check. This is big politics. If the mayor was in bed with the other precinct maybe they had more than just a professional relationship. Could Steve have more reasons to take the case than just pride? Quietly look into the relationship between the mayors household and your sister precinct.
>>
No. 971192 ID: 86eb65

Oh yeah look up any laws or legislation the Mayor recently passed or was working on passing. Might help with motive.
>>
No. 971201 ID: ce39da

Not unless the man upstairs says so. STEVE gets it all done by the book? A promise is a promise. But if Durst's son does finger ERIK as the guy that harassed him, that'll get a lot harder for them real fast. He does seem to be the most likely suspect in that little tangent - 2P had a good relationship with the campaign, and he was an old army buddy of Mr. Durst, so assuming that BILL wasn't lying, ERIK would have had more than enough means to slip in with the campaign members. Plus, he has horns. Run his photo by the son before confronting them about that, though; this is not something we want to get wrong.

"If we confirm to the son that the harasser was from 2P, could we prompt him to press charges? Technically, we couldn't do that on our own, as that separate incident is definitely with 2P's jurisdiction, not ours, but what would happen if they were called upon to process a charge on one of their own?"

"Although, come to think of it... if it were just 2P sticking their noses where they aren't allowed, that'd just be a slap on the wrist, and a PR hit. But considering ERIK's relationship with the victim, he could officially become a POI in the case if young Mr. Durst does finger him."

As for orders, we need a reminder of what exactly we have to work with here.
>>
No. 971209 ID: 45acae

I have a sneaking suspicion we'll have revealed a conflict of interest before then. How much do you want to bet our mystery cop was there getting everyone's stories straight and the kid didn't want to play ball? If not, all we have to do is keep our noses clean, don't give STEVE anything he can rake us over the coals with.
>>
No. 971554 ID: 7ae189
File 159400360847.jpg - (125.94KB , 800x901 , cop55.jpg )
971554

"Depends," you reply, taking another sip. "If I get the proper orders, directly from command, then we have to hand the case over within the proper timeframe."

>"I said no bullshitting," Dane chides.

"I'm just saying that I'm not planning on it unless I have to. If we solve the case, or get close enough to solving it, there won't be a good reason for anyone to take it from us. And if the 2P gets caught up in something controversial before our deadline hits, the balance could shift considerably..."

>She gets your drift. "You mean if Durst's kid recognizes ERIK."

"He seems like the most likely person to be our mystery cop. If we show John Durst a picture of him and he's recognized, could the kid press charges? What would happen if the 2P had to process a charge on one of their own?"

>"You're talking like a politician." Your partner hides the suggestion of a smile behind her coffee. "If ERIK gets fingered for that incident, the 2P would definitely have their hands full."

"ERIK could even be considered a person of interest, if you think about his relationship with the victim. Whether he interfered on his own or for his precinct, it wouldn't look good. It'd be grounds for us to dig into the whole precinct's relationship with the mayor, too."

>"There's no way they could clear up a shitshow like that and be ready to investigate this murder in two days."

"It'd be a great opportunity for us." You stroke your chin. "I don't get why he didn't just go for ALICIA though, if it was him. Why press the son first?"

>"You said it yourself, whoever came in probably just wanted to get a feel for what people knew. If it was ERIK or some other cop, they could get that much from him and get out before we showed up."

Your food arrives. You realize that you've never eaten in front of Dane before... You hope that you don't look weird. You take slow bites(?) and try to calculate how much money is in each mouthful(?).

>Dane stops devouring gyro long enough to watch you eat another piece of steak. "That's...interesting."

"Let's go over the murder again," you say, self-consciously putting down the fork. "This most likely isn't a random killing. Do you think he knew the murderer?"

>"He spent years in army service and years in politics. It's probably an enemy from one of those circles, right?"

"Probably. The unit he served in was full of crazy types, I wouldn't put it past one of them to do it if they held a grudge for something."

>"Don't rule out that bitch ALICIA and her people, either. Political advancement's always a motive, and they probably had the best idea of where he was last night."

"Where he was last night..." You cautiously eat some more steak. "Whoever killed him was completely aware of his route, or at least his destination. If the mayor really did have a late night meeting, anyone who knew the specifics of it are prime suspects."

>"Joe Durst's office definitely needs to be checked out tomorrow. Hopefully none of those assholes tamper with anything before we get there..."

"Remind me again, who else do we have on the case now?"

>"You know KYLE already, he's gonna be an extra investigator. We've also got three cars from my patrol team. Car 1 is Walker and Vincent, Car 2's Josh and Megan, and Car 3's Hugo and Peter."

You mull over the roster. KYLE's one of the detectives under you at the precinct. He's a lot like yourself, just a little more generally focused and not as good at singing. The members of Dane's patrol unit should come in handy, too. You figure that with the help of these new cops, you'll be able to cover up to two detective-worthy tasks at a time, and three more menial, grunt-worthy tasks. Five processors completing jobs in real time... You're going to get a headache from this. You regret sleeping through your high school's contemporary maths class.

>Dane finishes her first gyro, and starts on the second in earnest. "You actually look like you're thinking," she remarks. "Coming up with the game plan for our guys?"
>>
No. 971556 ID: 3ed3c3

>>971554
"Absolutely. If you have any input, it'd be welcome."
>>
No. 971603 ID: 9876c4

Got to be done, right?

I just hope we can cover it all, without missing something important.
>>
No. 971618 ID: b1b4f3

I mean, I already posted a plan earlier...
Itemize what tasks need to be done. Write it down in a list. Then it's easier to assign groups to them.
>>
No. 971682 ID: 7ae189
File 159417186846.jpg - (107.51KB , 800x636 , cop56.jpg )
971682

You nod, rubbing your temples. "Yeah... If you have any input, it'd be welcome."

>"I just want another shot at that fucking mansion, honestly. Maybe try to send the others on other jobs and leave that for us, that's all I have."

"Alright, this is what I'm thinking," you start. You use the rest of your food to form a diagram. "We send KYLE after the people on BILL's list when we get it, and have him interview them. Get the cars moving along Joe Durst's most likely route, ask around, see if anyone saw him. They can follow those marks across the bridge too, if it hasn't been done yet. Who's got the evidence we collected at the scene? Someone should check it out again, I want a better idea of the size of the hands that made the marks on the bridge, and if they line up with the damage on the mayor."

>Dane scarfs the rest of her gyro and looks over the mess that you've made of the table. "Not bad, that sounds like a solid day of work."

"Hopefully we can actually cover everything. This case is already turning into a monster...."

>The diner's owner approaches with the bills. "Pay whenever you want, you two."

>"Thanks so much," Dane says, staring at you pointedly.

You grimace and spill your wallet's guts onto the table. Your pocket feels a lot lighter when you stand up to leave.
>>
No. 971683 ID: 7ae189
File 159417197610.jpg - (132.96KB , 950x649 , cop57.jpg )
971683

A short drive brings you back to the First Precinct. The lobby looks as slow as usual when the two of you walk in.

>The receptionist waves as you approach. "Captain, the emergency homicide team's on call and ready to be briefed whenever you want. If you head to The Major's office, she can assemble them."

You walk over to the floor map. Your watch reads 9:15... You consider if there's anything else you want to do before getting your guys together. You're only a minute away from the evidence room, the shooting range, your office, and of course The Major's office.
>>
No. 971687 ID: 3ed3c3

>>971683
Time to take a closer look at that evidence.
>>
No. 971691 ID: 44b1b5

Yeah, if we can squeeze in our own lookie-loo at the evidence before assembling everyone and ending the day, that’s just being efficient. Do make sure to warn everyone ahead of time that there’s going to be a meeting soon.
>>
No. 971934 ID: 7ae189
File 159449391498.jpg - (154.10KB , 900x550 , cop58.jpg )
971934

"Let everyone know that we'll have that meeting soon," you tell the receptionist. "We're going to hit the evidence room first."

>"Of course, Captain."

The evidence room is one of the smaller areas in the precinct. A row of lockers houses evidence for every currently active investigation, and there's room on the side for examination and documentation. You check the directory for the right number, then walk over to where the bricks your guys collected are being stored.

>"Evening, you two."

>"What the fuck?!" Dane shrieks.

There's no way. You're overtaken by an uncharacteristic amount of rage.

Fucking STEVE is in front of your open evidence locker. He's holding an evidence bag. As your blood pressure rises, you wonder whether or not you'd get caught for socking him in the jaw.
>>
No. 971940 ID: b1b4f3

He'd better have a very good explanation for this.
>>
No. 971941 ID: 094652

Calmly get out your camera and record Steve. You can have him indicted for tampering of evidence.
>>
No. 971943 ID: 864e49

>>971934
You're under arrest for tampering with evidence in police investigation!
>>
No. 971944 ID: 3ed3c3

>>971934
STEVE
You have crossed the line.
My partner here is going to hold you - and she has my permission to be as rough as she likes - while I go contact the chief and tell him that you have not only attempted to act in this precinct without following proper protocol but have also been interfering with an ongoing investigation AND tampering with evidence.
Don't speak. I want to hear nothing out of you. I will be speaking with the chief and only the chief, and whatever is said between us will decide what happens.
>>
No. 971960 ID: 45acae

You absolutely would.

You're out of fucking line Steve, get it through your damn head, you are off this investigation. Put my evidence down.
>>
No. 971962 ID: 44b1b5

"You know what? ... I'm confused. You've pulled shit in the past, but this has to shatter all previous records. I'd wager the hole you've begun digging yourself into here is deep enough that even the Dursts can't bail you out without getting buried themselves. So come on; tell me. This is about more than just who gets the thunder, isn't it? I might even be willing to go lenient on the charges if you can tell me why you're going so far as to break the goddamn law so blatantly over this."

If appealing to reason doesn't work, and he doesn't move to attack us (because we absolutely should not be the assailant if a fight does break out), then appeal to his ego.

"You're serious, then? I heard you were 'the best of the best.' That there was a reason that you deserved all the resources and clout. I might've even believed that a little myself, deep down. Guess that's not wrong; after all, getting all that you got should be a sinch if you don't play by the rules. Or the laws you pledged to uphold. Your name is an insult to the badge far as all the other precincts are concerned, STEVE, and I'm not even happy about seeing that proven."
>>
No. 971965 ID: 9876c4

You've got about 30 seconds before I let Dane put you in a Mantis-hold and toss you in a holding cell.
Talk fast, or put the evidence down- I can't risk something important being damaged while you're eating floor.
>>
No. 971970 ID: b6c5d5

He's too calm and way too casual to have been caught red-handed. Sure, it might be a bluff, but he doesn't strike me as someone who wouldn't at least TRY to cover his ass before doing outrageous shit like rooting through another precinct's evidence locker for evidence on a case he's not supposed to be on.

But perhaps that cover won't hold water if you keep your cool and get to the bottom of it. Or if it does, he's deliberately setting you up for an 'out of proportion' catfight over jurisdiction and this is the lead-in meant to make you pop your lid and lose face.

So first off, ask who gave him permission to retrieve the bricks from the evidence locker. Evidence typically needs to be signed out, and those sign out orders can be countermanded. Check if you or the Major has the right to countermand that order or - god forbid - if there's something wrong with the permission slip that lets you nay it.

Also, STEVE has become a person of interest in the case. Since he's here, would he mind going over to the interrogation room and answer some questions about his relationship with Mayor Durst while Dane goes to speak with the Major to get your team ready?

It shouldn't take too long, since he probably has nothing to hide.

Right?

(Worst-case, get Dane to take photos of every single damn brick from every angle while you're in the room.)
>>
No. 972012 ID: ae9bd9

>>971970
This.
We don't want to cause a problem just in case he is actually here for a valid reason.

Since he is here, we will need to search him as well.
>>
No. 972049 ID: b1b4f3

...hold on, do we know for sure that the Mayor had a good relationship with STEVE and 2P? He showed up to the crime scene without any signs of grief whatsoever, and if it was ERIK that gave the mayor's son the shakedown that's another strike against them. Hell, STEVE didn't even try to play the emotional angle to take over the case.
If 2P was somehow responsible for his death, that would explain their behavior, and also this attempt to tamper with evidence.

Even if they *did* have a good relationship with the Mayor at one point, it's possible that relationship turned sour, and efforts were made to hide it, or it was a sudden turn. Like, maybe 2P enjoyed the benefits of their relationship with the Mayor, then he decided he couldn't keep funneling so much money into the precinct and that pissed them off. Then all they'd have to do is ensure that the new Mayor is on their side. Maybe they have a candidate already lined up, and were going to pin the murder on the opposition, or make the case so sensational that the populous would follow their endorsement. But most of that is conjecture, with no evidence. A possible scenario.

It's also possible STEVE thinks he's helping, and that bag he's got is full of NEW evidence that he was handing over to our precinct. I'm not sure if that would hold up in court, though. Unless he wants us to just lie and say we found it, which could get us in trouble if the evidence is faked.
>>
No. 972051 ID: eb1fcc

>>971934
he's a cop too meaning he probably has a reason to be here, stop dane-ing out.

Ask him what he's got there before you start flipping out on him, because as far as I've seen I still don't know if he's a trustworthy dickhead or JUST a dickhead.
>>
No. 972092 ID: 7ae189
File 159464997183.jpg - (149.43KB , 800x716 , cop59.jpg )
972092

"You're out of fucking line, STEVE," you snarl, "get it through your damn head. Put my evidence down."

>"This is how we're starting? That's a pretty rude welcome, BAN."

You glance back at your partner. "Dane, make sure you're recording this," you say softly.

>"Sir." She pulls out her phone and tucks it into a breast pocket like a makeshift body cam.

You step toward the asshole, but try to stay calm. "STEVE, you're about to get arrested for tampering with evidence," you say. "You've really crossed a fucking line this time."

>STEVE gives you a sarcastic look. "Really, I--"

"Don't. Just don't say anything." You haven't been this genuinely pissed in years. "You've pulled some real shit in the past, but this is different. You're in too deep for even the Dursts to bail you out, and for what? You just had to steal our thunder again, didn't you? Seriously, what would make you go far enough to break the fucking law?"

>He rolls his eyes. "You're a real armchair psychologist, aren't you?"

You gesture, and Dane moves to STEVE's other side. "In thirty seconds, my partner is going to hold you, and she can be as rough as she wants. Then I'm headed straight to the chief to let him know every way you've fucked protocol and interfered with my investigation and my evidence--"

>"Touch me and you'll lose an arm along with your badge," the captain warns darkly. His shiteating grin has disappeared. "The chief sent me here, you stupid, dense motherfucker."

"What?" Oh, shit. Your anger dissipates and is quickly replaced by embarrassment.
>>
No. 972094 ID: 7ae189
File 159465014083.jpg - (159.85KB , 800x865 , cop60.jpg )
972094

>"Yeah, dumbass. Now call off your dog and make her give me some fucking space, she's still eyeing me."

Dane tsks and puts her phone back in her pocket.

>STEVE roughly shoves the bag into your chest. "We didn't trust you chucklefucks to do it, so--with permission--me and my partner checked around our side of the bridge. We found this near the spot where we think the murderer started climbing from. I didn't touch a damned thing in your locker, and even if I'd wanted to, it looks like all I'd get to look at is a pile of fucking bricks."

"...I see. Thanks," you say sheepishly, taking the bag. A peek inside reveals some kind of pin or pendant.

>"Christ. We went through some shit to get you that, too, so you'd better fucking use it."

You clear your throat and try to save some face. "While you're here, though, do you mind heading over to the interrogation room to answer some questions?"

>That asshole face of his returns. "So moments after trying to arrest me, you want me in your interrogation room. Be a little more subtle, BAN, come on. You're really stretching for chances to get me."

"I'm not stretching for anything. There are a few things I want to put together about your precinct's relationship with the mayor."

>STEVE crosses his arms. "I'm not getting put in one of your cells, pal. If you've got something to ask me then do it right here, right now, and let me get the fuck out of this circus."
>>
No. 972099 ID: 9876c4

You would not believe the day I've just had.
OK, fine. We'll do it here.

We don't see ERIK with you, have you kept in touch with him?
Let him answer, then spring the details.
>>
No. 972103 ID: 45acae

Fine. I need information on where ERIK's been for about a week.
>>
No. 972117 ID: 86eb65

Don't be so quick to trust him. There is a proper chain for evidence handling and if this was not submitted properly with the evidence clerk then what the fuck was he doing in here?
>>
No. 972122 ID: b1b4f3

Well that could have gone worse.
If he has permission he probably went through the clerk. You're going to want to check, of course. No need to tell him that though, just make a mental note of it.

First, ask about the evidence. Did they already check for fingerprints or other trace evidence on what's in the bag? No need to do it again, if so. We're gonna have to do something like that on all the bricks...
Secondly, ask about the Mayor. They were friends, right? How much did he know about the Mayor's private or business life? Any idea who might have wanted him dead? Any idea what he'd been up to recently?
Would anyone else in his precinct know more? ERIK perhaps, since they were in the army together? What's ERIK been up to recently?

If we're serious about using ERIK's mishandling of the Mayor's son to keep them off the case, don't tip your hand too early.
>>
No. 972150 ID: b1b4f3

Huh, what shit did they go through? Red tape?
>>
No. 972181 ID: eb1fcc

>>972094
make sure you apologize before he leaves.

this is making me think more and more steve is actually on the level.
>>
No. 972237 ID: 8fab7a

Bite thy tongue, BAN. Also, if ERIK has a bridge-searching alibi (ask our guys stationed there) our mystery horned cop at Durst Manor must be a different perp. Don't mention ERIK much at all - I think it's bound to get STEVE's hackles raised further and right now we want answers.

"For the sake of restored sanity we'll start off with an informal interview. Just know I had a good reason for overreacting and I'll get back to you on it."

Namely the mystery copper of probably 2nd precinct belonging. Anyway, notepad up, pro-face back on. STEVE's not out of the woods just cuz' you made a tactical error.

>Questions about relations and Mayor
What was STEVE's relationship with the Mayor - and his family, if any?
When was the last time he met and spoke to the Mayor?
Had the Mayor expressed any concerns for his health or life recently?
Had the Mayor expressed that he was meeting with or getting back in touch with anyone?
Who was part of the Mayor's bodyguard team? Were they all Advance Team veterans?
For that matter, what's the bodyguard team's history - why the daytime only thing?
Does STEVE know why the Mayor did not want their company during the evenings?
Any other 'old war buddies' of the Mayor out there besides Team Bodyguard, STEVE, ERIK and BILL?

>Questions concerning 2nd Precinct and Manor access.
What was 2nd Precinct's relationship with the Mayor?
For example, why does 2nd Precinct have access to the Mayoral manor as a matter of course?
Who among STEVE's people have that access? You'll need a list - preferably with names and pictures.

If he starts complaining about biased scrutiny, axes to grind, etc. explain that you consider these details relevant because as long as this appears to be a premeditated murder - and it does - whoever got to Joe had to have gotten him out of his home, without bodyguards or friends, on foot, at a specific time, to a specific place. That takes something - like trust or blackmail - and either way, someone had to have gotten a private message in to a rather public individual. That means people with access to the manor and the privacy it affords.

>The tag
AC is not like the Advance Team logo, but given the icon I'm sure we can find a match if we ask around and/or set someone on it. I'm not sure this is a clue that can be taken at face value though, and not just because STEVE brought it in. It's... oddly convenient if the killer would just drop something that might identify them. A shiny something, no less. That you somehow didn't spot earlier.

Did STEVE identify the tag?
Where and how did he and ERIK find it?
Did anything actually place it as potentially belonging to the killer - asides from being near the spot they climbed?

Red herrings exist, it's a public bridge, stuff gets lost, etc. Also, if his evidence includes pictures of where it was found you can later compare and contrast to your own crime scene photos to see if it is even possible you guys missed this tag despite having gone over the scene.
>>
No. 972423 ID: dba489
File 159485455386.jpg - (157.58KB , 800x911 , cop61.jpg )
972423

"Fine." You take a deep breath, put your game face on, and borrow Dane's pad and pen again. "For the sake of restored sanity, we'll just do an interview here. I had a reason for overreacting, though, and I'll get back to you on it..."

>"Sure you will."

"Alright. Let's start with this thing," you say, looking in the bag again. "Have you IDed it already?"

>"Of course I have. It looks like one of the tie pins that Anomaly Collective members wear. I've got one that I wear to chapter meetings."

"Where and how did you find it?"

>"Like I said, I knew you scrubs would make a mess of checking the bridge. Your guys hardly even looked on our end, probably too scared to step over the jurisdiction line. Me and ERIK had to promise to give up anything we found to your precinct, but we got permission to check out our end of the bridge. That pin was sitting in the grass, inches away from a gash in the bricks the size of your head. We checked the underside, and it definitely looked like the starting point for whoever climbed out to get Mr. Mayor."

"You said you went through some shit to get it, what did you mean?"

>STEVE picks at a new hole in his sleeve. "Just a run-in with some punks I arrested a few weeks ago. They were at the bridge and came after me, so we had to handle that problem first."

"I see... Did anything actually place this pin as potentially belonging to the killer? Besides being near where they climbed, I mean."

>"It's a safe bet to make. Most of us who actually give a shit about our jobs are part of some union or another that's connected to the Anomaly Collective. If the killer could climb that far and leave those marks, I'm guessing he's one of us, so more likely than not he was either a member of the actual Collective, or a chapter leader for some union."

"You don't have photos of the spot you found it at, do you?"

>"Unfortunately, getting shot at made us have to expedite the investigating process a little. If your cops are still too scared to do it, we can take some pictures tomorrow."

You slip the jab and keep going. "Were there any fingerprints or other trace evidence on it?"

>"No fingerprints. The pin did have some traces of silk on it, though."

You write everything down and consider what to ask next. You want to know more about ERIK's current whereabouts and what he's been up to for the past week, but if it'll make STEVE pissy it might not be the best move...

>The dick waves a hand in front of your face. "You still with us, BAN? Getting sleepy?"

"I'm fine," you grate. "When was the last time you met and spoke with the mayor?"

>"So that's the direction we're going. If you can't get me on procedures, make me a suspect..."

>"Just answer him," Dane snaps. She's been holding her temper admirably, but you can see that she's beginning to crack.

>"Down, girl, down," STEVE laughs, taking a step away from her. "He was at the station on Monday to speak with our major. I met him at the door and took him up to the office, that was about it."

"Any idea what he'd been up to, recently?"

>"Outreach, outreach, outreach. He was getting his foot in as many new doors as possible before voting started, and of course he was also still dickriding his current suupporters."

"Hmmm. Do you know if he'd expressed any concerns for his health or life, recently?"

>"No, not publicly at least."

"What about mentioning that he was meeting with anyone, or getting back in touch with someone?"

>STEVE shrugs. "All I knew was that he was going to meet with Major Greene. Any other meetings or concerns were outside of my paygrade."

"So you weren't close enough to know much about the mayor's private or business life? Or who could have wanted him dead?"

>"Not quite. I have some theories, but until this case is finally in my hands they don't mean much."

"Uh-huh..." You try and push yourself to think faster to avoid another quip. "What was your relationship with Joe Durst and his family like, friendly?"

>"I'm on good terms with them, sure. I got invited to the mansion for dinner once, after the Wartown Murders case was closed. It's not like I knew them personally, though, I don't have that army background."

"Not like ERIK, right? And whoever made up Joe's bodyguard?"

>The asshole raises his eyebrows. "So you actually did a little digging today, what a pleasant surprise. You're right, all of the mayor's escorts were soldiers in his unit during the war. ERIK was in that unit, too."

"So I've heard. What's the deal with them, why were they only on duty during the day? Did the mayor not want company in the evenings?"

>"At the end of the day they weren't official bodyguards, just guys who really liked the mayor. They followed him around during business hours when they had the time, but cleared out whenever the day was done. His mansion's got its own security detail, so he wasn't completely naked when they left."

"Are there any other war buddies of the mayor's out there besides these men from his unit, ERIK and the head of the Durst mansion's security?"

>"You'd have a better idea than me, wouldn't you? Or maybe not..."

You click the pen. "Why don't you tell me about the Second Precinct's relationship with the mayor? Why do they have access to the mayor's home as a matter of course?"
>>
No. 972424 ID: dba489
File 159485472346.jpg - (135.02KB , 960x617 , cop62.jpg )
972424

>"Wait, you really are making me a suspect." STEVE had started to relax into his usual demeanor, but that question puts him back on edge.

"I'm just covering all my bases, here. As long as this looks like a premeditated murder, we've got to assume that whoever got Joe had to have gotten him out of his mansion, completely alone, and onto that bridge. That takes either trust or blackmail. Either way, it means someone had to have gotten a private message in to a pretty public figure, probably while he was at home."

>"You're not impressing me with your basic math, BAN. Do you really think that anyone in the 2P has that kind intimate access to the mayoral mansion?"

"Considering how close he was to some of your cops, yes."

>"Bullshit," he says angrily. "Even ERIK has only been invited over there a few times. I know you shitty minor precincts have this notion in your head that the mayor's in our pocket, but I haven't seen anything that could prove that. It doesn't matter the precinct, nobody can just go in and out of there on a fucking whim."

"Of course..." You hold your tongue about your experiences at the mansion...

>STEVE makes an annoyed sound and checks his watch. "Look, it's after nine and my buddy's still picking shrapnel out of our car, so how about we call it here? I'm sure we'll have some more riveting discussions when I take this case off of your hands."
>>
No. 972427 ID: 9876c4

We need approximate timing of the pickup of the button for our report. The shooting too, come to think of it. It was you, ERIK, and who else?

What were you guys doing before you decided to re-examine our crimescene anyway?

Let's see if ERIK has an alibi, and how flimsy it may be.
>>
No. 972439 ID: 8fab7a

Something stinks here, but let's - just this once - consider it might not be directly STEVE.

>when I take this case off of your hands
...ah piss on the 'tude, just tell him straight anyway. It's nearly nothing he won't be finding out about anyway - heck, the media caught half of it.

The matter you mentioned: a horned individual claiming to be a cop apparently had the right of way into Durst Manor and hassled the mayor's son for details. When -YOU- got there, you got held up at the gate - the security chief, on open record, before a dozen plus reporters, said only 2nd Precinct cops were allowed through - only STEVE, in fact. And he seemed awfully well-informed on who you were.

Needless to say, you were not pleased by the implications.

For what it's worth, you can believe 2nd Precinct weren't that close or permitted in ordinarily as ALICIA seemed surprised and displeased when she was informed another cop had entered the estate before you, and she sure as hell wasted no time getting you out again... but. But but but. Mystery cop. BILL's attitude about only letting 2nd Precinct cops - STEVE - in. Fuck, STEVE can check the news if he disbelieves, it was pretty damn blatant, and hearing him protest no connection is pretty damn incongruous even now.

One theory is that BILL was trying to cover for someone. Probably a personal stake, maybe through ERIK or one of his buddies - and you get that he's gonna be in his partner's corner here, but he has to at least consider the possibility.

What you know for certain is that someone had the walk of the place and used it to further traumatize a mourning kid before making themselves scarce. Whether one of STEVE's own stepped way over a line or his Precinct is getting scapegoated for some kind of vigilante investigation you intend to grill BILL and the rest of manor staff about later. For now you'll make a formal complaint about the apparent breach of procedure. You'd quite like to know what that cop - if there was one - thought he was doing.

Snap your notebook closed.

"I hope that clears the air, as we've both had a bit of a day. I mean... shit."

Belatedly consider what he just told you. He might be a smug, arrogant bastard rival, but, uh, that's a bullet hole in his sleeve.

"Punks, shooting after you, wrecking your car? That's not something to take so lightly. Who were they?"
>>
No. 972451 ID: b1b4f3

>>972424
He pretty solidly refuted anyone having easy access to the mansion. I don't think he knows ERIK was there today. Maybe it would be okay to tell him... If there's anyone that can dig up some dirt on ERIK, it's STEVE.

...how about we test the waters a little. Ask STEVE how well he knows ERIK. How much does he trust his partner? Murders are most likely to be committed by someone who knew the victim well. Close friends and family.
>>
No. 972558 ID: 44b1b5

"What I do know is that Durst's son testified that he had been accosted during the Durst Campaign meeting, shortly before we arrived, by a horned man claiming to be an officer. BILL, the chief of security, was not aware of this until I brought it to his attention, and Mrs. Durst, having heard about it only secondhand, thought he was with us. As I doubt someone could hop a fence and dodge all those security cameras just to grill a grieving son, my theory is that they hitched a ride on the down-low with one of the campaign members. STEVE, I don't consider you to be a suspect, but I'm sure you realize how that looks. I was about to issue a request for a photo line-up from all precincts of all their horned officers for the son, and I'm really hoping I'm wrong about this, believe it or not, but right now, I'm afraid ERIK might be turning into a Person of Interest. Especially if he did this without your knowledge."

*sigh* "Look, I don't honestly think he killed the mayor. I'm about 90% sure that - assuming he even is our alleged mystery cop - he's just pulling a renegade cop on us and trying to get a jump-start on investigating the death of a close friend. But understand me when I say this; yes, throwing the book at you was partly motivated by frustration and a desire to win something against you finally. But I also genuinely believe that this case is too damn important to not do by the book. Hopping case jurisdiction lines without the right paperwork, harassing grieving witnesses, and allowing officers with an extremely personal stake in the matter to investigate is exactly the kind of shit that can get a case thrown out of court on a technicality. That is the last thing I want for Mayor Durst, and I doubt it's high on your list, either. If ERIK is the guy that was harassing his son, you or your major need to reprimand him, because nobody should be putting this case in jeopardy. Can we at least agree on that?"
>>
No. 972600 ID: eb1fcc

>>972558
yeah this sounds pretty spot on, do this one
>>
No. 972865 ID: 7ae189
File 159528732101.jpg - (130.91KB , 880x501 , cop63.jpg )
972865

"Not yet," you say. "What exactly were you up to before you went to re-examine our crime scene, anyway?"

>"What, you want our alibis?" STEVE sighs. "How's this for one, we were at the precinct filling out the request forms to take over this case. They're all done. While we were there we got the okay to doublecheck your guys' piss-poor detective work at the bridge, too."

"We'll need an approximate timing of the pickup of this button for our report. The shooting, too."

>"We came back around 1:00 PM. We found that thing pretty soon after arriving, and we came under fire no later than 1:15."

"So it was you and ERIK, who else?"

>"Nobody else, until the shooting started. A patrol car came in after the dust settled to pick up two of the fuckers, and ERIK went after a third who got away on foot."

You glance up from the notepad. "Alone? When did you see him again?"

>"The piece of shit took him on a goose chase around Wartown for a few hours, but ERIK always gets his man. He made it back to the station with the punk in tow around 4:30."

"STEVE, how much to you trust your partner? Do you know him well?"

>The captain shoots you a dangerous look. "Quit while you're behind, BAN. He's not a suspect."

"Murders are most likely to be committed by someone who knew the victim well, someone like--"

>"Stop with the common-sense bullshit," he snaps. "I trust him with my life, and he trusts me with his. We've worked in this dogshit city for years together. He is not a suspect."

"You can't completely ignore the possibility," you stress. After some thought, you decide to bring up the mystery cop and see what happens. "Want to hear about that matter I mentioned earlier, the one that made me overreact? Before we arrived at the Durst estate today, Joe Durst's son was accosted by a horned man claiming to be an officer. And when we got there, we were almost barred entry, since they apparently wanted to see you or other 2P cops."

>"What...?" STEVE shakes his head. "That doesn't make sense, we weren't even close to the mansion. Whoever it was could've been lying. And even if it was an officer who trespassed, how many cops are there with horns--"

"And how many of them have a long, close history with the victim?" you ask. "BILL, the chief of security, wasn't aware of this until we told him about it. Mrs. Durst only heard about it secondhand and thought that the officer was with us. Chances are low that whoever it was jumped the fence and snuck by every camera--I think that they hitched a ride on the down-low with one of the campaign members. Now, I don't think you're a suspect, but you've got to realize how that looks."

>You watch STEVE wrestle with the information for a second before shaking his head again. "I know how much you'd love being right about this, but there's no way that it was ERIK."

"I'll be issuing a request for photos of every precinct's horned officers for the son to look at. Believe it or not, I'm actually hoping I'm wrong about this. As it stands, though, ERIK might be turning into a person of interest. Especially if he did this without your knowledge."

>"This is such horseshit..." STEVE runs a hand through his hair. "We both know I've stepped on some toes to get ahold of cases before, but I've never tried pinning another cop as a potential murderer. You're a special kind of dick."

>"That means a lot, coming from you," Dane grumbles.

"Look, I don't honestly think he killed the mayor," you say. "Assuming he even is the officer in question, I'm almost certain that this incident could be the result of him pulling a vigilante cop on us, trying to get a jump-start on investigating the death of a close friend."
>>
No. 972866 ID: 7ae189
File 159528747344.jpg - (105.14KB , 800x598 , cop64.jpg )
972866

>"I don't fucking buy it, BAN. I don't." STEVE looks more absentminded than you've ever seen him before. You're sure that he's replaying the day's events, trying to reinforce his confidence in his partner.

"I'll admit, part of throwing the book at you was just me trying to finally beat you at something," you continue. "But I also really do believe that this case is too important to not do it by the book. Skipping protocol, harassing witnesses, and letting extremely biased officers investigate are the kinds of things that'll fuck the prosecution over when this case gets to court. I don't want that, and I don't think you do either. If it turns out that ERIK is the guy harassing the mayor's son, you or your major need to reprimand him, because nobody should be endangering this case. Can we at least agree on that?"

>STEVE looks pissed, but he nods. "That's a really fucking big if, though. I don't want to hear about this bullshit again unless his picture is clearly recognized by that kid."

You close the notebook and relax your big dick cop persona a little. "That's all I have, then. I hope that clears the air, we've both had a bit of a day."

>"Speak for yourself. My day was going pretty fucking well until just now."

"Even though people shot at you and wrecked your car? That's not something to take so lightly... Who were they?"

>He scoffs. "Just a pack of wannabe gangsters from the Southern Bandits. It might sound serious to you, but that's just a cop's daily beat in Wartown--they weren't a threat, just another inconvenience. It was much less of a damper on my mood than some dick telling me not to trust my own partner..."

>STEVE shoulders his way past you and starts for the door. "Let us know if this shitty ploy of yours bears any fruit," he says. "You've turned into a real nuisance over the course of a day, BAN."

"Well, you too," you shoot back.
>>
No. 972870 ID: 7ae189
File 159528787547.jpg - (175.35KB , 800x945 , cop65.jpg )
972870

The second the door shuts, you smack yourself in the head. You literally 'y-you too'ed at him this time. Fuck, you're really choking on the closing lines... You'll have to pick up some better material from Combat Cop when you get home.

>"That fucking cockroach, he's always in the way!" Dane looks ready to punch something, but hitting anything nearby could be considered tampering with evidence. She jams her hands into her pockets, instead.

"He brought something that might be useful, at least," you muse. "Something stinks about this whole case, but for once in my life I don't think it's him..." You look at the pin one more time, then tuck the bag into the still-open evidence locker.

>"What a fucking setback... If you still want to check out the evidence, we should make this quick."

Sifting around the locker, your current evidence pieces include the Anomaly Collective pin and a large sack of loose bricks from the bridge. A small file cabinet at the bottom of the locker houses a copy of a written statement made by the fishermen who found the body, a short summary of the medical examiner's findings, and a hastily-written list of the top contributors to the Durst campaign. You consider what you want to examine more closely...
>>
No. 972875 ID: b1b4f3

>>972870
Look at the top contributors. Also see what kind of silk is stuck to the pin.

I wish the bricks were separately packaged. Them rubbing up against eachother is ruining any trace evidence and markings. Probably useless evidence now unless one of them has blood or something really obvious on it which we can analyze.
>>
No. 972880 ID: 86eb65

You should find out exactly who is in charge of the push to get the other precinct in charge of this case.

Because having you two fight over it and mess things up could be there goal.
>>
No. 972882 ID: 45acae

He can be as big a red tape pedant as he wants to be, the problem is he's an insufferable smug conceited- UUUuugggghgh. Every time he opens his mouth I want to hit him with a fencepost.

Help me flip through this donor list before my blood pressure kills me, would you? The physical evidence can go to the forensics team.
>>
No. 972887 ID: d186fc

If possible, we may want to get divers to check the riverbed for anything that may have fallen. It is a longshot, but we already missed the button and we should leave no stone unturned.
>>
No. 972993 ID: 7ae189
File 159548418024.jpg - (182.21KB , 800x793 , cop66.jpg )
972993

"I think we should find out exactly who's behind this push for the 2P to take the case," you say as you pick out evidence pieces. "Whoever's stressing it might just want us butting heads, to keep us distracted."

>"I was thinking the same thing. STEVE's always an asshole when it comes to stealing cases, but today was fucking insufferable... Maybe there's extra pressure from someone upstairs."

"Yeah." You pull out the bag that holds the tie pin one more time. "Also this is a bit of a long shot, but what if we sent divers to the bridge? Checking the riverbed might be smart."

>Dane frowns. "I don't know if any of our guys have dive training... Maybe we could steal someone from the 7P or 8P, they handle most of the work by the docks so they should have some divers."

"We'll nag The Major into asking for us, easy." You peer into the evidence bag. Sure enough, there are a few strands of red silk stuck onto the pin. You're not an expert on clothing materials, but the strings catch the light in a way that none of your bargain bin ties do. You deduce that the tie that this pin came off of was richer than your blood, at the very least.

>"Got anything?"

"Not much more than what STEVE already mentioned," you reply, putting the bag back. "I'll just leave the physical evidence to forensics, for now. Help me look over this donor list, would you?"

Your partner comes closer and reads along with you. The paper lists individuals' names, and the total amount given by each to either the Durst campaign or Errata Corrige, a super political action committee that supports them. You don't recognize any of the names, but Dane utters several curses as she goes down the list.

>"How much fucking money do you need for a local election?!" she eventually exclaims. She yanks the list closer to her face and checks the numbers again.

"What, are these amounts a lot?"

>"Yes, dummy, they are. The bottom of the list looks average, but then look at the top seven donors! What the hell are numbers?"

You reread the names at the top of the list and try to commit them to memory:

'YAMA DeValle - approx. 80 million, Errata Corrige'
'LILLITH Talman - approx. 20 million, Errata Corrige'
'ADAM Supay - approx. 10 million, Errata Corrige'
'FENNER Lupin - approx. 2 million, Errata Corrige'
'BENJAMIN Marduk - approx. 1.5 million, Errata Corrige'
'AZIZ Bourne - approx. 1 million, Errata Corrige'
'APPOLLY Bourne - approx. 1 million, Errata Corrige'

>"This reeks," Dane states. "six fucking figures in soft money? This isn't a presidential campaign, there's no way they could spend this much between the last election and this one."

"Hmmm...." You try to think through how much of a presence this organization has actually shown in the election season so far. You've seen the occasional attack ad on TV produced by Errata Corrige, and of course there are the campaign posters posted around the city. There have probably been rallies or meetings, although you're too out of the loop to hear about them. Still, you doubt that they've put out anywhere close to the amount of content and events that that money could buy. If they used it, where did it go, and if they didn't, why sit on such large amounts for so long?

>Dane takes a glance at your watch and grimaces. "Fuck. We'll have to come back to this, let's get this meeting out of the way."

You place the list back in the file cabinet, close the locker and hightail it to The Major's office.
>>
No. 972994 ID: 7ae189
File 159548439117.jpg - (235.95KB , 1300x797 , cop67.jpg )
972994

Everyone is already present when you enter.

>The Major rises from her desk and smiles at you. "The breadwinners are home," she says. "Welcome back, you two."

>"Captain! Sergeant!!" One of the patrol cops snaps to attention and salutes. This one's Hugo, you're pretty sure. "The First Precinct Special Homicides Division has assembled!!"

The rest of the patrolmen salute as well. Even KYLE joins in, albeit reluctantly.

You awkwardly respond with a salute of your own. "I'm not late for the briefing, am I?"

>"You cut it a little close, but it's not past my bedtime yet," KYLE remarks.

>The Major beckons to a blackboard and chalk. "The floor is yours, captain."

Standing in front of the small group, you realize that this is probably the largest number of people you've directly commanded since your last job... That familiar mix of feelings starts creeping into your chest, equal parts responsibility, optimism and despair.

Dane coughs and digs her elbow into your ribcage. Shit, how long were you just standing here? "Er, thank you, Major," you blurt, rubbing your side. You face your team. "Here's what we have so far, and what I want to do..."
>>
No. 972995 ID: 7ae189
File 159548452691.jpg - (192.54KB , 860x737 , cop68.jpg )
972995

You lay out the plan the way you imagined it at the diner. The patrol car duos plot out routes that cover the surrounding area on both ends of the bridge. You make sure to mention your want for divers to The Major, too--she's unsure of the result, but she'll ask your sister precincts in the morning.

>"You're going back to the mansion tomorrow, right?" KYLE asks. "I'll tail you when you do, and snag the guest list from that BILL guy."

>"This is a huge case for us, people," The Major says. "The people in this room represent some of the best that the First Precinct have to offer. I'm sure that you have what it takes to bring Joe Durst's killer to justice. Our friends across the bridge won't even get a shot at this!"

>She turns to you. "Anything else, captain, or should this meeting adjourn?"
>>
No. 972997 ID: b1b4f3

>>972993
Those... are all demon donors. That seems a bit unusual? I mean sure the mayor did work with the Anomaly Collective but does it justify this?
Definitely gonna have to investigate the first three, but wow that first one. 80 million is more than the rest of the donors combined.

>>972995
Yeah actually you might have one more lead, just popped up. Somebody should look into the activities of the top seven donors for the campaign. If hands are short, focus on the top three, they stand out more. Or even just the top one. YAMA DeValle. Gonna be hard to follow the money without access to the mayor's campaign finances... wait, can we get a warrant for that?
>>
No. 973003 ID: df76b1

This is ugly. All those demons dropping that kind of money, so they can use a dead man's demon wife to take control of the city for nefarious purposes.

Nevermind that it's (probably) not true. The facts back it up. And it might be the very story the killer wanted to publicize. This could cause a race riot, if it gets out.
>>
No. 973005 ID: b1b4f3

On second thought, wouldn't it be super dumb for a murderer to kill someone after giving them that much money via a method easily seen by the police? We still need to find out where the money went, but I'm having second thoughts about it being directly related to the murder. It's too big and easy a lead.
>>
No. 973009 ID: b1b4f3

Oh, there wasn't anything in the diner plan to specifically investigate the Anomaly Collective. The pin is our most solid lead; if we can find whoever was wearing it, that's the smoking gun. So, we should get a list of Demon members of the Anomaly Collective who don't have alibis for that night, and see if any of them are missing their pins. Or have a habit of wearing red ties. Though, we shouldn't discount the possibility the pin was attached to something that wasn't a tie... what do the female members attach it to?

I assume forensics is going to look over the collected evidence tomorrow, and the photos of the crime scene.

Lastly, someone's gonna have to try to find out if someone outside the police force has been pressuring 2P to take over the case.
>>
No. 973010 ID: 094652

>115,500,000 credits for one mayoral election
Off the top of my head, this screams money laundering, tax fraud, or bribe money to commit mass murder.

>Any final remarks for the meeting
Remind them this will be serious: the mayor is dead, and the damage could be measured in the hundreds of millions. Expect multiple casualties and visceral trauma before the case can be taken to court, but they WILL get this done.
>>
No. 973032 ID: ce39da

Waitaminute... 'approximately?' These guys aren't writing neat numbers? Either they're forking over something besides cash, an auction occurred, or someone's cooking the books. Unless I'm being stupid and Dane has a perfectly logical explanation or three to counter us. Make sure to get the word out about putting together that photo lineup, obviously.
>>
No. 973050 ID: dba489
File 159556750324.jpg - (142.54KB , 900x690 , cop69.jpg )
973050

"Oh yeah, we also have a few new leads," you say. "Firstly, that Anomaly Collective pin that STEVE brought. We should get a list of members who don't have an alibi for that night, and see if any of them are missing their pins. See if any of them have a tendency to wear red..." You wonder for a moment where women would pin it, if they didn't wear a tie. Maybe on their collars, or the cuffs of their sleeves.

>KYLE raises his hand. "So we really just need members who should have those pins? That narrows it down to what, chapter leaders and the reps themselves, right? I could handle it while I'm digging around that guest list, maybe there'll be some crossover between them."

"We've also got to look into the activities of the top seven donors for the campaign. I know we don't have the manpower to do everything at once, so maybe focus on the top three, or even just the top donor, YAMA DeValle. Major, can we get a warrant to get access to the mayor's campaign finances?"

>"Easily," The Major replies. "By the time you get there tomorrow you should be clear to check out anything in the mansion, their ledgers included."

"Great. Can we make sure to get a photo lineup of all of the cops who could fit John Durst's description, also?"

>"Hell, I'll do it myself. Those photos will be on your desk before you wake up."

You nod. "Finally, we're gonna have to try and find out if someone outside the police force has been pressuring the 2P to take over the case. It's just a hunch, but something about today didn't feel right, and I think an external force might be why."

You look around the room, locking eyes with each of your guys. "Prepare yourselves, because this case is going to be serious. Our mayor's dead, and depending on how things play out we could be looking at some serious damage to the city, financially or otherwise. Before this is over and the case heads to court, there might be more casualties, and we don't know what kind of shit we might get ourselves into. But we will get this done, got it? That's all for now, get some rest."

>"Sir!!"

Your subordinates startle you with the force of their response--they look pretty fired up.
>>
No. 973051 ID: dba489
File 159556768834.jpg - (133.10KB , 1030x685 , cop70.jpg )
973051

At 11:00 PM sharp, your team files out of The Major's office and disperses for the night. You and Dane exit the office shortly after. As soon as you're sure nobody's nearby, you slump against a wall and let out a huge sigh. You were really channeling the old BAN there at the end, and it was just as tiring as ever...

>"That went surprisingly well," Dane says.

"Did it?" you ask, rubbing your forehead gently.

>"Every now and then, you don't seem so...you. If you keep that up, we might have a chance here."

"Thanks...I think."

>Your partner leans against the wall next to you. "Is there anything else you want to do before you head out? I'll stick around as long as you do."
>>
No. 973052 ID: df76b1

I think we should sleep, try to get an early start on tomorrow.
Murder cases of this caliber tend to interrupt planned patterns, so we should prepare for that while we can.
>>
No. 973071 ID: ce39da

"Real quick; the 'approximately' part of the donations stuck out to me. Is that just due to taxes or a lack of direct sources, or am I right in thinking there's something more to it?"

> If Dane confirms we aren't stupid here:
"From where I stand, this smacks of correcting for more oddly specific numbers, which spells either that an auction happened, or that there were some non-credit donations that were exact numbers before being converted into credits. A competitive sale would explain where the obscene contributions came from, even if it doesn't tell us where they went, but that just begs the question of what they were auctioning that those top donors would be willing to pay seven to eight figures for it.

"Anyway, I'm not following up on this tonight - people and demons alike work better with a good night's sleep; I'll only pull an all-nighter if we're struggling on the home stretch of the deadline."
>>
No. 973077 ID: d186fc

>>973051
You know, maybe a little bit of old Ban sometimes isn't a bad thing.
>>
No. 973081 ID: 45acae

Ban, what is your opinion on doing this Day Of The Jackal style, and living in your office with a percolator working flat out until you find your killer?
>>
No. 973152 ID: dba489
File 159568724915.jpg - (135.86KB , 900x690 , cop71.jpg )
973152

"Real quick, just let me know if I'm being stupid or not about something," you say.

>"I can do that."

"What's the deal with the approximation for the numbers on that donation list? Unless they were cooking the books, it could mean that some kind of auction occurred, or maybe that some of the donors were giving something other than cash. Some kind of competitive sale would definitely explain those absurd contributions, even if it didn't tell us where they went. Although I guess that'd also raise the question of what was being sold, too..."

>Dane thinks about it for a moment before nodding. "All of those ideas are possible, and they're all either illegal or real fucking suspect. We're gonna have to sift through a lot of dirt when we start pressing these donors or Errata for information, I'm calling it now."

You groan and rub your eyes. Even if you solve this, you're going to end up stirring so much shit with rich people that somebody will still try to fire you...

"Right," you finally say. "I won't follow up on this tonight--everybody needs sleep when they can get it, we'll save the all nighters for when the pressure's on. Have you ever seen The Day of JACKAL?"

>"That thriller flick from the seventies? Yeah."

"Remember how Lebel started camping out in his office when he got put on the case? I've always wanted to try that, but we never got a big enough case to really warrant it."

>Dane stares blankly at you and crosses her arms. "You don't want to do it because it's efficient, you just want to do it because it looks cool."

"What? No no, it's simply the smartest choice for a detective to--"

>"I've got bedrolls, some clothes and a percolator at my apartment," Dane interrupts. "If you're doing it, I'm doing it... Give me thirty."
>>
No. 973153 ID: dba489
File 159568745327.jpg - (155.67KB , 800x844 , cop72.jpg )
973153

By 11:45 you're laying on a bedroll in your office. You keep a solid pokerface but you're absolutely giddy on the inside, this is just like it was in the movie.

>Your new roommate keeps shooting glares your way as she sets up her own spot on the floor. She seems slightly nervous. "What?" she snaps.

"What?"

>That somehow seems to make her madder. "Listen, asshole. If we're sleeping in the same place, then you have to deal with me meditating before bed. Non-negotiable. Alright?"

"Oh! Don't mind me, go ahead," you reply. You sit up and watch--you're honestly curious about what kind of routine she took away from that anger management course.

>Your curiosity is countered with a pillow to the face. "Turn the fuck around and get some sleep, I don't need a fucking audience!"

You quickly comply. So much for learning the secret to her newfound (relative) self-control. You close your eyes and start to drift off...

....Until you're snapped awake again by muffled screaming.

Startled, you roll over to find Dane covering her face with a pillow and going on a verbal rampage. In between wordless shrieks, she seems to be ranting at specific people. You hear your own name more times than you'd like.

She doesn't seem to have noticed you. You cautiously turn back around and try to force yourself to go to sleep...
>>
No. 973154 ID: dba489
File 159568766199.jpg - (178.00KB , 1260x604 , cop73.jpg )
973154

The smell of coffee pulls you back into consciousness. You open your eyes to see Dane pouring mugs. She looks incredibly well-rested, she's even smiling a little. Sitting on your desk is a stack of photographs, and two small takeout bags from that diner you visited yesterday.

>When Dane notices that you've woken up, her face immediately reverts back to its usual almost-frown. "Morning. We've got thirty until we're back on the clock, breakfast is on the desk."

Sure enough, your watch reads 6:30 AM. Unfortunately, she's right on time. It feels like you've slept for three hours instead of six. Your partner's meditation routine ended pretty quickly, but then you still had your own nightmares to contend with...

>The sergeant points to a little bag by your head. "A toothbrush and a shaving kit. I didn't know if you guys needed that stuff or not, so..."

"Thanks." You don't, but you appreciate the sentiment. You get up and start stretching. "How are we doing?"

>"Our cars' routes start at 7:30 AM. KYLE's in his office, already. The Major dropped off those pictures while we were sleeping, looks like."

"Oh, great." You flip through them until you find ERIK's photo. Geeze, what a scary-looking guy.

>Dane passes you a mug. "It's gonna be a long fucking day, boss. Where should we go first, the mansion again?"
>>
No. 973174 ID: df76b1

Should we spend an hour at the range to make sure our reflexes are where we need them to be?

Let's be honest, we find this perp, and I doubt he'll come quietly.
then mansion, sure.
>>
No. 973185 ID: 45acae

Make sure the physical evidence has gotten to where it's supposed to be, and read the statements by the fishermen or the coroner's report.
>>
No. 973196 ID: 8fab7a

Man, is ERIK a relative or something? You guys are somewhat similar.

Mansion. Early and bright might catch something in flight and gives less time for witness coaching. Also, you'd avoid all but the most dogged reporters.

Remember to get KYLE, he needed the visitor list. Bring the pictures for John. There's also the Anomaly Collective. On the drive, ask KYLE about them, as perhaps his... awareness of this org is better than yours. Also, while going after the richest blood on the donor list might be tempting perhaps it's actually smarter to go after one of the less rich. Stronger odds of them being intimidated by police investigation if they're not one of the uber-rich.

Does KYLE know anything about the top donors?

(Oh, and definitely question someone who appears both on the visitor list and the donor list.)

Hmm. If John IDs ERIK as the officer accosting him you should go interview the Southern Bandits punk ERIK supposedly chased and brought in. And any of the punks STEVE caught.

This could be important vis-a-vis the state of the evidence STEVE brought in. As leads go it's decent IF it's real, but it's also something a prosecutor could bring into question if it's revealed ERIK went gung-ho and his partner was the one that brought in the decisive evidence.

Aaand recall you did promise the press a conference at some point.
>>
No. 973213 ID: ce39da

"We've got a half-hour to kill before we have any business being out in the field, and I doubt we can waste all of it driving to the destination. We still need the list of people at the meeting, but maybe some overlap will already come up if we cross-reference the donor list and platoon roster with Anomaly Collective reps and chapter leaders. Remember; the donors are suspicious, but could still be irrelevant, while we have hard evidence against the AC; in other words, the AC is our actual suspect list. Let's also call ahead again - make sure ALICIA has time to prepare herself emotionally, and for the staff to make sure Uncle Durst is sober enough when we get there. Let's stress that latter point, that we weren't able to get a cohesive statement out of him before."
>>
No. 973458 ID: dba489
File 159598449006.jpg - (93.58KB , 800x677 , cop74.jpg )
973458

"We've still got time to kill before we should start getting out into the field," you say, grabbing one of the food bags. "Should we spend an hour on the range? When we find the perp, I doubt he'll come quietly..."

>"Good idea. Give me ten, I'll grab my rifle and meet you there." Dane downs the rest of her coffee, snatches up the other takeout bag and heads toward the door.

"Can you call the Dursts in advance again?" You ask as she leaves. "Get them to make sure ALICIA's in one piece, and that Uncle Durst is actually sober this time."

>"Will do," your partner says before she disappears.

With your partner gone, you're free to scarf your breakfast down with no restraint. Before you get ready to leave, you look at ERIK's picture again. He's not nearly as friendly-looking as yourself, but there may be some similarities between the two of you... You briefly wonder if he could be distantly related to you, somehow. Everyone is if you go back in time far enough, you suppose.

You make sure to grab all of the other photos and tuck them into your pocket before you head out.
>>
No. 973459 ID: dba489
File 159598488186.jpg - (179.32KB , 1217x834 , cop75.jpg )
973459

You stop by the evidence room before you hit the range. KYLE is there, digging through the file cabinet.

>"Sup," he says as you approach. "You doing some last minute prep, too? Our forensics guys are busy with the bricks and the pin, but the papers are still here."

"Perfect, I just wanted to check the fishermen's statements out."

>KYLE pulls out the document and hands it to you. "I just read through that one, I'm on the ME summary now. Whoever got the mayor really fucked him up, huh?"

You read through the written statement:

'Written statement by Kevin "Koso" Stevens and Sally "Squid" Maas, AMMO Fishing Co.'

'Recorded Wednesday, May 6 20XX, 12:45 PM'

'I was going fishing with my partner, Sally Maas. Our shop's near the river in Crosstown, so we usually just ride it all the way down to the shoreline. By 8:45 AM, we were passing under the bridge between Shiptown and Wartown. That's when we noticed something in the water up ahead. We thought it might be debris that came over from the road or something, so we got closer and tried to bring it in with a net. That's when we realized that it was a body. We tried to pull it to the bank and called 911. He was already dead when we arrived. That's all we really know. An ambulance came for the body and the police said that we could go, as long as we gave them our details.'

"Hmm." You glance over to see that KYLE has moved on to the donor list. "Do you know anything about those names?" you ask.

>"I can't say I do," he replies. "It's bad to say as a cop but I haven't really paid attention to politics in the city, or the guys who fund it... I'll do my homework, though, don't you worry."

"When you look into them, it might be smart to go for one of the less rich ones first. This YAMA guy might have sunk the most money into that PAC, but he's also probably the least likely to get shaken by a police investigation."

>"I've got it, boss-man," KYLE says. "I'm pretty crafty when it comes to dogging persons of interest, I'll play it smart."

"Speaking of, keep in mind that the donors might are suspicious, but they might not be our actual suspects. As far as we know for now, our main piece of hard evidence still points to the Anomaly Collective. You don't know anything about them, do you?"

>"Of course I do, half the force is part of that law enforcement union that's sponsored by them. Pretty much every worker's union that caters to guys like us is sponsored by them. They've got a great reputation in the city but I won't be surprised if something nasty comes up thanks to this case, wherever a ton of money gets thrown around there's bound to be something wrong going on."

>KYLE sighs and rereads the donor list again. "Man, I want that guest list from the mansion already. There's bound to be some crossover with these names, right?"

"Major donors, members of Durst's old unit, Anomaly Collective members, guests from that meeting at the mansion... Someone's got to show up on more than one of these rosters."

>"Fingers crossed. Anyone who does will be pretty high on my priority list, for sure."

The two of you reorganize the files, shut the locker and start for the door. "We're shooting for a bit before we head out," you mention. "You in?"

>KYLE laughs and shakes his head. "I'm already a crack shot, BAN, if you put me down there I'll just be wasting rounds. It should be a good experience for you, though! I'll spend that time doing some research, just hit me up when you're trying to hit the street."
>>
No. 973461 ID: dba489
File 159598513542.jpg - (179.15KB , 1120x701 , cop76.jpg )
973461

The shooting range is possibly the only part of your building that isn't aggressively shitty. Located in the basement, it's shockingly up to code, and it's currently the only quality range in Shiptown. Ironically enough, your finest facility has seen the least use--practice rounds are too scarce to let cops train frequently, unless there's something important to prepare for. You suppose that looking for the mayor's killer counts.

>Dane is waiting for you near the gun vault, sporting her patrol rifle. She's already back in her patrol gear, as well. "Took you long enough," she says. "Pick something out, and we'll make sure you can actually use it."

As a First Precinct cop, you have three main options for firearms. There's the standard service pistol, the semi-automatic patrol rifle, and the military-grade shotgun. The latter two aren't concealable and would have to either be open carried or kept in the car, but they have much greater range and stopping power, respectively. You're only comfortable with bringing one gun into the field at a time, so you decide on your favorite...
>>
No. 973469 ID: df76b1

Urban zone, with a potential perp that's tough as nails.

Obviously the shotgun, tricked out with heatshield, forend light and sidesiddle to be kept handy for close encounters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEs8j4_hrUY
>>
No. 973480 ID: d186fc

>>973461
Use the shotgun, but practice with slugs. Adding a mildot sight should let you hit targets with the slugs at the range you will be at. I doubt you will be in a firefight with targets further than 300m and even that may be pushing it. Use magazines if you have ones compatible with the shotgun. It would make switching ammo much faster.

--

Also, for today, you guys should probably be wearing plate carriers and pads in case things get hairy.
>>
No. 973482 ID: 8fab7a

You'll try the shotgun.

But uh... for having a backup that's a bit more concealable and a bit easier on softer people, do you have a tazer in the armory?
>>
No. 973493 ID: df76b1

>>973482
Or we could just grab a snubnose, and save even more weight.
>>
No. 973496 ID: d186fc

tase rounds should be brought for the shotgun. Also a taser and a sidearm should always be on your person.
>>
No. 973508 ID: ecd116

do these weapons have a stealth and/or non lethal mode to them with use of different mod attachment and ammunition and are you allow to used them on the shooting range? like tranquilizer and rubber rounds or even a silencer. otherwise if you have to go lethal do you use anti armor/piercing and anti personal rounds too ?
for the shooting range i say train in the weapon type you are least use to, or if you are have an all around average or better rating in all three pick the shotgun.
>>
No. 973510 ID: 094652

Get an Uzi; it's lightweight, one-handed, great for suppressing fire from cover, and the semi-auto mode means you can fire thrice the bullets as your handgun-wielding thugs before you need to reload.
>>
No. 973511 ID: 094652

Test your accuracy on moving targets first.
>>
No. 973512 ID: df76b1

>>973508
Police departments aren't allowed to do that stuff due to lawsuits. Lethal force is lethal force.

>>973510
If It's automatic, it's not really one handed.
>>
No. 973533 ID: d186fc

>>973512
On the contrary, machine pistols can be one handed, they just aren't accurate. That being said, using one is kind of the antithesis to our job since they are not designed to prevent collateral damage.

Since the shotgun is military grade, it should take magazines (even if it is a pump) so you should take some buckshot, triball (for that buckshot effect when your target would otherwise shake it off), and slugs which should cover your bases.
>>
No. 973580 ID: bb90ae

Did your department ever get those nonlethal ball shot attachments? They basically turn the pistol into a literal cannon for a single shot.
>>
No. 973582 ID: 218056

>>973580
those are pepperball rounds, not cannonballs, you goober.
>>
No. 973597 ID: df76b1

>>973582
He probably meant these
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2015/02/06/alternative-aka-gun-condom/

I'm not a fan.
>>
No. 973600 ID: 45acae

Bring the pistol. If you show up somewhere loaded for bear, there's no way anyone will be happy with you.
>>
No. 973688 ID: dba489
File 159637619236.jpg - (156.55KB , 760x979 , cop77.jpg )
973688

You weigh your options carefully, but it seems like your eye is drawn to the shotgun the most. You fish through the differently-configured shotguns, looking for any set up like your old one. Your hand stops on a shotgun that's kitted out with a basic red dot sight, a beat-up heat shield, an LED light taped to the foregrip, and a sidesaddle that can hold six extra shells. You pick the gun up and heft it. You're a little offput by just how familiar it feels...

As you check the action on the forend, you turn to Dane and try to look cool. "I like to keep this handy.... For close encounters."

>Dane rolls her eyes and turns her back on you. "....I heard that," she mutters under her breath.

You look over your ammunition options with distaste. The shotguns have tubular magazines, so full reloads won't be as fast as you might like. There are no kinds of nonlethal shells, just stacks of old boxes full of slugs and buckshot... You'll be sure to take some of both ammo types with you when you go. For now, you take a number of slugs from the practice ammunition and walk over to the firing line. Trying to load the weapon reveals that you can fit eight shells at a time in the magazine.

>"You know the basics for firing one of those things, right?" Dane asks, setting up next to you with her rifle.

Your muscle memory kicks in as you take up a firing stance. "I think so, actually... Can we get some moving targets?"

>"Sure." Dane goes to flip a switch on the back wall.

This is probably the last thing that the 1P has spent money on in years. A series of laterally-moving targets flip up and start sweeping across the range. You aim at the closest one, lead it, and--!!!

Fuck! It was a clean hit, but the shot rattles you. You forgot how loud these things were. You shake it off and get back into a good stance.

>"Solid," your partner remarks, rattling off a few shots herself.

The two of you take turns firing. You don't miss any shots, and upon review, it seems like the majority of them landed well within the targets' sweet spots. For better or for worse, you've still got it.
>>
No. 973689 ID: dba489
File 159637638991.jpg - (145.77KB , 800x693 , cop78.jpg )
973689

You return to the armory. It's not your style, but you suppose it'd be smart to put on some body armor in case things go south. You grab an extra patrol vest out of a pile and try it on.

>"You're putting one on? That's a first," Dane says, checking over your new gear. "You look better in that than you do in your usual getup."

"I feel more like a soldier than a cop, wearing all this," you say grimly.

>"It'll keep you a lot safer than a thrift store dress shirt will, though."

You give the weapon racks another once-over until you find what you're looking for. You procure a taser and a couple battery packs, and slip them into the vest's holster and pouches. This should be good enough for situations where it'd be socially unacceptable to tote a shotgun, you think.

Returning to the shotgun ammo, you fill the gun's side saddle with buckshot and the magazine with slugs. You place six more of each shell type into another vest pouch. You step back and take a deep breath, getting used to the extra weight on your body.

>"You ready?" your partner asks.

"As ready as I'll ever be..."
>>
No. 973690 ID: dba489
File 159637674049.jpg - (171.57KB , 800x699 , cop79.jpg )
973690

You check your watch as you head upstairs. It's about 7:45. You get KYLE, and the three of you go outside and head for the parking lot.

>"Nice threads," KYLE laughs, poking your new vest. "I never dug these, they're so much extra weight."

"I'm just playing it safe... Let's get to the mansion and see what we can find out."

It's a relatively still Shiptown morning. Some part of you had expected reporters or paparazzi outside the door of the station, but you guess that it's too early for anyone who would--

>"O-OHHHH!! EXCUSE ME!! EXCUSE ME!!!!"

Your heart sinks. A large van simply labeled 'NEWS' is sitting a couple spots over from you and KYLE's cars. Sitting in the back and devouring a can of beans is Devin Fowler. It doesn't look like he's slept at all.

>SIRS! MA'AM!! OVER HERE!!! DO YOU HAVE A MINUTE??!"
>>
No. 973695 ID: ce39da

"Nobody's getting an official comment until the press release if that's what you're after here. If it's not about that, go ahead and shoot."

If he wants to tell us something that he dug up or overheard, awesome - though we shouldn't be too enthusiastic; "We'll take your tip into consideration," "do you wish to remain anonymous," and all that.

If he's asking if we can make good on our promise finally, begrudgingly agree, but make sure he knows it'll be clear to all parties that if he asks something out of line to the Dursts, your team will personally throw him out yourselves.
>>
No. 973696 ID: 094652

"No comment."

Then just wait there and let him blab. If he shouts, begin beatboxing.
>>
No. 973698 ID: eb1fcc

>>973695
this one. We're somewhat friendly with this guy, and I feel a bit bad about dicking on him earlier. Lets not double down on that.
>>
No. 973719 ID: d186fc

>>973696
I say we do this.

>>973698
While you have a point, it would make us look worse if we go in with this guy. Plus, if things get hairy (which they hopefully won't) having an unarmed reporter in a close quarters firefight is just asking for trouble.
>>
No. 973747 ID: df76b1

We've got one. make it quick, please.
>>
No. 973771 ID: dba489
File 159650911940.jpg - (174.44KB , 970x600 , cop80.jpg )
973771

"Nobody's getting an official comment until the press release, if that's why you're here," you say sternly. "If it's not about that, though, go ahead and shoot, but make it quick."

>"OH, THANK YOU!!! I JUST WANTED TO...!! UH....?! Hey, what are you...?"

You passive aggressively beatbox until he gets a hint and lowers his voice.

>"Uh, I just wanted to let you know there's no hard feelings for yesterday," he starts again. "So maybe you can't get me into the mansion, it's whatever. But maybe our newfound friendship isn't quite over, yet!"

He turns on his laptop and pulls up a short video. You recognize it as footage of your retreat from the mansion yesterday. They even caught your vocals at the end, looks like.

>"This little ditty is on the news and most major online papers. Nobody's gotten a word in with the cops or the Dursts yet, so they're having a field day with what little they do have: you and that asshole BILL's chat outside of the gate."

>"That's horseshit! They didn't even talk that long," Dane cuts in. "What could they have to say about that?"

>"Don't underestimate the power of the press, lady. If they have to put something out fast about a big event, they'll use whatever they've got." The newsie clicks around to a few different pages. "'Confusion outside Durst Manor...' 'Police civil war...' 'Infighting among police for control of the case?...' 'Horned cop broke into Durst estate?...' 'Solving the mayor's murder with song...' There's plenty more."

>"Fuck." Your partner adjusts her cap angrily.

>"A lot of it's just fluff and yellow journalism until some real info comes out, but even that's dangerous. By now, that horned cop definitely knows that you know about him. I just hope he's not from that precinct you've been butting heads with, 'cause they're based out of Wartown. If a cop's dirty in that part of the city, then you know he's got some scary connections behind him..."

>Devin closes the laptop again and grins. "See, I knew you guys were probably too busy to care about headlines or gossip, so I figured I could be your eyes and ears for that. I stayed up all night for this, you know! Just to make sure you went out there with the best intel that you could!!"

This is starting to feel more like a bargain than a friendly tip... "And what do you want in return?" you ask.

>Devin puts on his most innocent face. "Well nothing, honestly. I can't ask for much of anything, really... I get that you can't get me into places on a whim, what with all the procedure and protocol and--"

>"Spit it out," Dane growls.

>"Let me tail you, that's it! Really, that's it!" Devin blurts. "Every chump change reporter in the city is gonna waste this week standing around in front of important people's doors. None of them are gonna get jack shit until someone decides to throw them a bone. But I've got a feeling, call it my sixth sense as a journalist, and I just know I'll get the big scoop first if I follow you guys around for long enough. I won't even try to butt in or go inside anywhere, just let me stay close by! And in return, I'll make sure you've got the word on the street, 24/7!"

You mull over his offer. You do kind of feel bad about shafting this guy earlier, and he seems decent. You are worried about the possibility of having to deal with a civilian in the middle of a dangerous situation, though. After a moment's thought, you finally decide...
>>
No. 973773 ID: 53560f

We’ll run a proper background check on him and his news group first but if that comes back clean then sure.
Also if there happens to be info we don’t want getting out yet then we want the ability to postpone info by at least a day or two so we can work without the culprit knowing how close we are. This is assuming that aforementioned info wouldn’t get out without Devin allowing it too, if it would get out anyway (i.e there was already a press group present or some other situation) then he’s free to do whatever with it.
>>
No. 973781 ID: df76b1

Wait a second...

If he does constant coverage, half the city will know it's OUR CASE within a few hours. That means it won't stop being OUR CASE without lots of civilians asking questions.

We could always try it out, and cut him off if he's trouble.
>>
No. 973795 ID: eb1fcc

>>973771
I'm ok with this if you can promise to let us pre-screen and edit any footage involved until after we get whoever's behind this put through trial.

I can throw you a bone, but I can't endanger the investigation by having our movements traceable by the general public or break protocol, you get me?
>>
No. 973803 ID: ce39da

"Three conditions. 1: No offense, but your setup seems sketchy, so we'll need to run a background check to see if you're on the up-and-up. 2: You have to check with us to make sure you aren't publishing anything considered confidential at the time. Finally, 3: If it looks like the situation's turned dangerous for us, then it's definitely too dangerous for a civilian. I dunno if I'd be able to forgive myself if you run towards that kind of scene instead of away, and get shot up or punched through a wall for your trouble."
>>
No. 973942 ID: dba489
File 159668454514.jpg - (163.46KB , 860x603 , cop81.jpg )
973942

After a moment, you make up your mind. "A few things, first. No offense but your setup is a little sketchy, so we'll run a background check on you and your news group to make sure everything's clean. We should be able to pre-screen and edit whatever you're trying to put out, just to make sure that nothing confidential gets made public until we want it to be. Also, if things get dangerous for us, then it's definitely too dangerous for a civilian, so make sure you run away from the action instead of toward it. I'm not about to have a civilian casualty on my hands...."

>"Deal," Devin says immediately. "Those terms are perfectly fine with me!"

It's easy enough to call the precinct and get a quick check of Devin and Crosshair Media. No criminal record or convictions, but a laundry list of complaints from various celebrities... You would call the journalist and his company 'benign' instead of 'clean,' but they do seem generally alright. You give him the OK to tag along in his van.

>Devin is absolutely ecstatic. He throws down his can of beans and shakes your hand. "OH, THANK YOU!! I WON'T LET YOU DOWN, CAPTAIN!!!"
>>
No. 973943 ID: dba489
File 159668502357.jpg - (232.02KB , 1000x730 , cop82.jpg )
973943

By 8:00, you've crossed the bridge into Wartown. With two 1P cars and a beat-up van, you've got quite the convoy going.

>"I can't believe you said yes," Dane says again.

"What, he seems alright. And if he gets good coverage of us, a lot more people will know that this is our case."

>"Doubtful. He's just a glorified paparazzi..."

You continue through the city. Your patrol cars have had a good thirty minutes' lead on you, and eventually chatter start popping in and out of the car's radio.

><< Time is 8:30, what's everyone's status? >>

><< Car 1 here, we doublechecked the Wartown end of the bridge earlier and found nothing. On Third Avenue, now." >>

><< Car 3, we--fucking asshole! Sorry, some 2P car cut us off. We're still running our route, nothing to report. >>

><< Car 2 on Seventh, we might be too far out from the mayor's predicted route. None of the commuters that we've stopped know anything, so far... >>

><< Fuck! Fuck!! >>

><< What's wrong now, Hugo? >>

><< Shots! Shots fired between First and Memorial!! Pete, get out of the-- >> There's some static, and then silence.

><< Hugo? Hugo!! We're closest, Car 1 is en route! >>
>>
No. 973944 ID: dba489
File 159668532346.jpg - (200.54KB , 900x858 , cop83.jpg )
973944

Car 1 frantically reports their movements as they start running an intercept. You and Dane look at each other wordlessly. Your phone rings, and you answer immediately.

>"BAN, you heard that, right?" KYLE asks on the other end.

"Yeah." Your eyes are scanning your surroundings. You're currently on Main Avenue, in the heart of Wartown. Traffic is slow, but it's not a standstill. If you turn on your lights, you could be there in what, five minutes? Six?

>"Have you handled a shooting before? Sh-should we go too? Or do you think Car 1 can handle it?"

Your heart's pounding. You'll have to think fast on--

>"BAN, down!" Dane yells, yanking you toward herself.

Bullets start tearing through your windshield, one after another.
>>
No. 973955 ID: df76b1

2 shootings, intercepting 2 of our cars? Seems like we're dealing with a cell or a military unit!

It's not terribly ethical, but I'd say get low and make street pizza out of these fools. Bullets won't stop physics.
>>
No. 973956 ID: 3074c8

>973955
This works, I'd just like to add that you should radio about the attack. Make sure your people get alerted that they may be targeted!

Oh, is that cop car to your 6 with you?
>>
No. 973985 ID: ce39da

The vest and firearms turned out to be an excellent idea. Make sure to call in the attack. Also, call it in on Wartown's frequency if you have it; those guys are used to these sorts of shenanigans. Use the taser first - not only is it non-lethal, but you also don't have to move as much to get in range. Wait until their clips fall quiet before making a move.
>>
No. 973987 ID: eb1fcc

>>973944
time to cook up some street meat. You'll probably only get one of them, though, with the other hightailing it out of there. Lean into that, make sure when you drift into one that your gun is at the ready to get the other on the ground.

I'm gonna say aim the car for the demon here, it'll PROBABLY survive that impact. The human(?) would be a bit too squishy for that.
>>
No. 973989 ID: d186fc

>>973955
Ethical? Dude, they are clearly trying to rip us to shreds, there is no way this could be spun to make us look like the bad guys.

Call this in and have all patrols not kitted in light riot gear like yourself RTB and kit up. Call dispatch and see if you can get the SWAT team in on this. This is organized and who knows how many ambushes are set up right now. Lastly, there is literally no way this is no longer our case even if we go over since we now have casualties.
>>
No. 973996 ID: eb1fcc

>>973989
you're clearly not familiar with how the media treats cops, lol, but its not relevant to our survival right now
>>
No. 974014 ID: 2e15a9

Step on the gas. No that's not protocol, it's also marginally more likely to get you a perp you can interrogate rather than one laid out on a slab from bullet wounds.
>>
No. 974041 ID: dba489
File 159676905741.jpg - (221.29KB , 860x835 , cop84.jpg )
974041

There's a lull in the gunfire for one instant. Your seat's swiss cheesed, but Dane pulling you lower than the dashboard seems to have saved you both. You know you have a couple seconds, at most.

"Call this in!" you say quickly, staying low but trying to grab the steering wheel again. You pray that the only people left in the crosswalk are these guys...

>Your partner snatches up the radio mic. "All cars be advised, we--shit!!"

The mic flies out of her hand as you floor it. In your rear view, you think you see KYLE trying to follow suit. One of the perps gets a couple shots off and scrambles out of the way.
>>
No. 974042 ID: dba489
File 159676920316.jpg - (323.39KB , 1276x746 , cop85.jpg )
974042

The other comes through your windshield and drop kicks you square in the chest.

Even with the armor, it feels like your torso's been blown out by a tank round. You gasp for air and take your foot off of the gas. KYLE's car swerves and narrowly misses your tail. You feel the car run into something and stop, but before you can get your bearings you catch another foot in the chest.

The assailant doesn't let up, kicking the shit out of your face and torso with his boots. You're on the defensive, just trying to block the strikes and get into a better position.

>"Hang on!" Dane scrambles for the guns in the backseat, catching a boot in the head along the way.

Still thrashing around with his legs, your opponent raises his pistol and tries to get a clear shot at her exposed back...!
>>
No. 974047 ID: df76b1

Ok, so you're gonna get kicked, and it'll hurt.
Right Hand, grab the gun and squeeze. He'll get the one shot, but then it'll jam.
Left hand, grab his balls and clamp down.
>>
No. 974080 ID: 36784c

>>974042
Grab the gun and one of his legs, then squeeze as hard as possible to crush both of them!
>>
No. 974085 ID: d186fc

>>974042
Forget the guns and just crush his fucking legs. Tell Dane to stay down. Make a mental note to radio in that all human officers need to wear helmets while out today.
>>
No. 974090 ID: 2e15a9

Grab the gun with one hand to throw off his aim, then black-ball him like they did to Ned Kelly.
>>
No. 974108 ID: df76b1

Also, we should perhaps stop the car.
>>
No. 974178 ID: d186fc

>>974108
Car is already stopped.
>>
No. 974201 ID: dba489
File 159693976111.jpg - (273.19KB , 800x745 , cop86.jpg )
974201

"Dane, duck!" You instinctively flash your right hand out and grip the pistol by the barrel. The perp manages one wide shot, then the gun jams. Thankfully the bullet misses your partner, but your relief is cut short by another hard kick in the chest.

"Forget the guns," you grunt, gripping the enemy's pistol tighter. You can feel the metal distorting under your fingers. "Get his fucking legs!"

Dane responds immediately, repositioning herself and latching onto one of the stranger's feet. Tanking a few more blows, you use your free hand to lash out at the bastard's crotch.

You get immediate results! He bellows in pain before desperately smashing a knee into your face, full-force. Your head flies into the window and--!!
>>
No. 974202 ID: dba489
File 159694030197.jpg - (257.18KB , 880x926 , cop87.jpg )
974202

An earsplitting crash wakes you up. Someone's screaming...

Christ, it feels like your head's cracking open. Your vision's dark and blurry. You wipe at your eye with a sleeve, and shudder when it comes away red. You hate seeing your own blood... Why are you bleeding?

Everything comes back to you as your vision slowly clears. With the blood out of your eye, you can see just how big of a shitshow you're in. Your car is halfway onto the sidewalk. Dane is writhing in pain in the center of a fresh, deep dent in the hood.

>"I'll kill you, you fuck," she's half-yelling, half-crying. She's trying to stand, but her coordination seems to be shot. "I'll fucking kill you! If you killed him, I'll fucking murder you!! You hear me?!"

You sit up just in time to see both of the perps fleeing the scene through the newly-formed crowd of onlookers, chased closely by KYLE. For one second you lock eyes with the man you were fighting with, and then he's gone. "Goddammit..." You close your eyes and heave a sigh.

>"BAN...?" Dane forces herself into an angle where she can see you. She's in too much pain to keep up her poker face, and she looks genuinely relieved to see you awake. "Oh, thank god...! He shook us, boss. I tried to tackle him and got slammed... I think I'm concussed."

"I don't feel too hot, either." Talking hurts a lot, but you're fairly sure that you won't have anything besides bruising to worry about. You're concerned about your partner, though--you've seen much larger men get thrown by people like yourself before, and they usually came away with a lot more than a concussion.

>KYLE reappears, completely out of breath. "I lost them, I fucking lost them," he wheezes angrily. "Jesus christ, man! Are you guys alright? What do we do?!"
>>
No. 974204 ID: eb1fcc

>>974202
our reporter friend got all of that on camera. Get copies of that film off him, it's a damn good thing we had him around for this because now we can put a proper photo bounty out on these clowns.

We might not have them yet, but we will.
>>
No. 974207 ID: df76b1

Yeah, lets get that footage edited. Full APB on those perps. See if the commissioner will authorize a reward.

You and Dane probably shouldn't be driving anywhere for the next few hours. Either delegate or hitch a ride.

Guess at some point we call STEVE and see if thats who he saw yesterday.
>>
No. 974214 ID: 094652

"We need a hospital. And our mommies."
>>
No. 974219 ID: 8959f6

First, Dane, lay down, and hold still. That's a order. You don't want her risking making her injuries worse by moving and laying down makes her profile harder to shoot. Then grab the firearms from the back seat, get out of the car, sit on the hood so your body shields Dane and watch the far side of the street for trouble while holding your shotgun. KYLE, take Dane's patrol rifle, stand in front of Dane to shield her from the crowd side, watch for trouble from that direction while asking the crowd to back off.

Second, call in a ambulance. Also, ask KYLE to look under the car to check for leaking gas or oil. If there is we're gonna have to also call in the fire department, just in case it catches fire and for them to clean up afterwards.

Third, get a radio, report status and location and call for all other cars to report status and location. Any that fail to report in, either they're in trouble or their radios are broken or out of reach. Try calling those officer's cell phones. If you're unable to contact 'em that way, order remaining cars to get eyes on the last known locations of unresponsive cars from long distance and report; No riding up into what might be a ambush for responding cops. You'll decide what to do after you hear the reports.

Fourth, call whatever precinct covers Wartown and request assistance. Whatever your officers report about the status of the unresponsive cars, you're still gonna need backup here for crowd control, traffic control, securing the scene, collecting evidence (like spent ammo brass) and statements and protecting y'all 'till Dane is in the ambulance all the way to the hospital. You don't got enough officers to do all that. Besides, it happened in Wartown, so investigation goes to the Wartown precinct. Gonna likely need their backup for what happened to your unresponsive cars too.

Fifth, tell Devin you want a copy of all the video he recorded of the attack. Hopefully he caught the shooters faces and from that they can be ID'd and a arrest warrant for 'em can be put out immediately. However, before spreading their images around you're gonna want to get a description of the gang members that attacked STEVE yesterday from him. Might be the same ones that shot you up. That's for after y'all are out of here and in safety, though.
>>
No. 974222 ID: df76b1

While trusting KYLE is great in theory, someone leaked our movements, and all signs point to him.

Let's not go handing him any long guns right now.
>>
No. 974229 ID: 2e15a9

Kyle, the other cars. Are they okay??
Get Dane to a hospital, quick. We're going to that mansion even if we need to hitch a ride with the fringe news paparazzi van.
>>
No. 974235 ID: 2e15a9

Oh, see if you've still got the gun you crushed, you wanna get that serial number. And call a tow for the car after Dane's on her way to the hospital. Also look at the headrest immediately to your left and feel lucky to be alive.

Hopefully the news crew got that, I'm eager to learn what put that dent in your bumper and what spooked the attackers off.
>>
No. 974274 ID: d186fc

>>974202
Call the fucking SWAT and get an ambulance. Dane needs help now. Check for any severe bleeding on either of you. Use your tourniquets as needed. If you have a working radio, deliver a sitrep and tell people to gear up. These guys are hunting cops and this can't be the only ambush. Try to get countersnipers on the roofs since they would have to be absolute imbeciles to not try sniping us.

If you have them, switch out any patrol cars with SUVs. They can hold a larger arsenal, are usually sturdier, and usually have more torque. Probably should take all POIs into custody so they don't get killed as well.
>>
No. 974275 ID: d186fc

>>974235
Worth checking, but they probably filed off the serial number if they were smart.
If they were really smart, they probably used a CAD machine to make their own guns (usually these 'ghost guns' fall into a loophole which makes owning them legal. Not selling or redistributing, and definitely not shooting cops tho).
>>
No. 974605 ID: e30795
File 159762680001.jpg - (192.43KB , 770x714 , cop88.jpg )
974605

"We need a hospital," you reply. You wince in pain as you try to adjust your vest. And our mommies, you think to yourself... "Is anything leaking on this thing?"

>KYLE gives the car a once-over. "Nothing that I can see. Jesus christ, they fucked us up..."

"What about the other cars?"

>"Mine's fine, the news guy's is alright too."

You maneuver past the busted glass and get out of the car. A surprised murmur ripples through the crowd of pedestrians as you emerge from the shrapnel. Standing makes you dizzy and everything's sore, but it's time to play professional again...

"Dane, lie there and hold still," you say as you pull the guns out of the backseat.

>She grits her teeth and tries to focus on rising. "Just give me a second, I'll be fine--"

"That's an order." You hesitate for a moment, but soon toss KYLE the patrol rifle. Gingerly you take a seat on the hood, facing the street. "We're keeping you safe until help shows. Are you bleeding anywhere?"

>"Not externally, at least..."

You check yourself as well. It looks like your only open wound is the gash that's screwing with your eyesight. It's annoying, but it's not deep. "We've got a radio, right? Did it get busted?"

>"Front pocket," Dane says weakly.

You procure the handset from her vest. There's a crack in the frame, but it looks like it still works. You prepare yourself for the blowup you're in for, and switch over to the Wartown police frequency.

><< Crime scene secured, we have two officers injured. They're from across the bridge, where do we take them? Please advise. >>

><< An ambulance is en route, we'll tend to them here. >>

You take a deep breath and press the transmitter. "Er, we've got an officer down on Central. This is Captain--"

>An all-too-familiar voice comes through the radio. << Play it safe, Captain, use a callsign. Dispatch, the captain will be known as Car 'Dunce' from now on. >>

This is just what your headache needed... "This is Car 'Dunce,'" you grate. "There's been a shooting on Central Ave, I've got an officer down. We need men to secure this scene, and an ambulance. Any chance of SWAT--"

><< That won't be necessary, Dunce. Car 'Hammer,' approach the scene with Cars 'Lucky' and 'Sow.' An ambulance will get there shortly. >>

><< Roger, cavalry's on the way. >>

You switch back to your team's frequency. "All cars, report status."

>There's silence for a moment, then someone gets on, breathing hard. << Car 1 here, on the scene with Car 3. The two of us are fine but both of them have graze wounds. Their car's totaled. 2P cars are on the scene, they say they're going to get an ambulance. >>

><< Car 2, still trying to get over there. No trouble yet. >>

"We got hit as well, Dane's hurt. Anyone who isn't wearing body armor, RTB and get some on. Swap your cars out for the patrol SUVs," you command. "I don't think this was a coincidence, this smells like an ambush... Be careful on your way back."

><< Roger, we'll wait for the ambulance to show and then get out of here. >>

><< Car 2's headed back now, we're taking Fourth until we're close to the bridge. This is unbelievable... >>
>>
No. 974607 ID: e30795
File 159762698335.jpg - (539.08KB , 800x418 , cop89.jpg )
974607

The wait for someone to show up is excruciating. Your head's throbbing as you try to keep an eye out for possible threats. KYLE manages to break up most of the bystanders, but there are still a lot of people on this street...

You waste some time fishing through the mess in your car, eventually finding the twisted remains of the thug's pistol. You sit down again and look it over, trying to find some sort of serial number. No luck... You see file marks on part of the barrel where you assume the number used to reside.

Eventually, you realize that Devin is still around, and that he's switched out his tape recorder for a video camera. "You got that whole thing?" you ask him.

>He feigns surprise at being seen. "Who, me? Well I did run away first, just like you said to, but coincidentally I--"

"Their faces. Did you capture their faces?"

>"Of course, my camera work is top-shelf! My side hustle's working as a po..as a cinematographer."

"Get me a copy of that video, and try to pick out frames that show their faces well," you tell him. "And stick around... I might need a ride to the mansion."

>"OH, YES SIR!! I'M ON IT!!!" He sprints toward his van, dodging incoming traffic along the way.
>>
No. 974608 ID: e30795
File 159762737784.jpg - (796.74KB , 900x663 , cop90.jpg )
974608

The cops of the Second Precinct are the first to arrive. STEVE gets out of the car and approaches quickly, followed by four other guys.

>STEVE lets out a low whistle as he surveys the damage. "I guess this is your official welcome to Wartown, BAN," he says. He waves at KYLE and your fallen partner. "Good morning, cat. Morning, sergeant. You still in one piece?"

>"We're fine," Dane groans, trying to sit up again.

You try to keep her still with one hand. "We'll need backup securing this scene," you tell STEVE. "We need to get this street blocked off, collect evidence--"

>"We'll have this under control within ten minutes," STEVE says dismissively, "or I'll give you that murder case for free. If there's one thing we know here, it's dealing with shootings."

You watch with a little jealousy as the cops get to work. As they go about their business, a thought comes to mind. "Those gang members who attacked you yesterday, what did they look like?"

>"Those punks from the Southern Bandits? They had their usual 'war' gear on. Grey hoodie, sweatpants, black shirt... What?"

"The guys that hit us were wearing the same thing."

>That seems to surprise STEVE. "Are you sure? You're halfway through Wartown, they'd never operate this far north. They're just dumb kids and army dropouts, they're not hard enough to fuck with the center city."

"The guy came through my windshield, STEVE. I know what he was wearing."

>"Weird... Well, if you can ID them we have a good idea of where to find them. You just worry about fixing up your booboos, we'll handle this."

The passenger door to STEVE's car opens. A huge man climbs out, radio in hand.

>"They're here," ERIK announces.

An ambulance rips around the corner, siren wailing. Two paramedics jump out and get to work, carefully getting Dane onto a stretcher.

>Before they can carry her to the vehicle, your partner struggles upright. She almost falls off while grabbing your sleeve. "Don't do anything stupid until I get back," she says, an unreadable look on her face.

"No promises, but I'll try." She's really holding on... You awkwardly place a hand over hers, hoping to relax it a bit. You resolve to turn your shotgun on STEVE if he cracks a joke about this.

Her grip tightens for a moment, then she lets go. Within a minute, the ambulance is carrying her away at top speed. You feel weirdly vulnerable as she disappears from view...
>>
No. 974609 ID: e30795
File 159762778390.jpg - (522.58KB , 1000x600 , cop91.jpg )
974609

ERIK approaches the scene. Geeze, he's even bigger up close. His voice is even deeper than yours--you're sure he'd be a bass, if he could sing.

>"We've got another shootout finishing up on Fourth," he reports to STEVE. "More of these fucking 1P guys. No casualties, no bad guys caught."

>"Damn. You're really stirring the pot today, BAN," STEVE says.

>ERIK looms over you. "He really is. Makes me wonder why he's got so many patrol cars rolling around our town in the first place."
>>
No. 974611 ID: ce39da

Be honest, but vague, and change the subject before ERIK can rebut: “Following leads, obviously. Not my fault so many persons of interest operate in Central... Wait, STEVE, what was that about military dropouts? Does that include, uh... a certain troop that a certain person was part of, or perhaps a related group?”

Yeah... A coordinated strike, by guys who normally don’t dive that far even for 2P, and include guys connected to the army... Needless to say, the chances of someone from the mayor’s army days being involved just shot up by about 50- no, 60%.
>>
No. 974616 ID: df76b1

"Maybe if someone had done a proper interview yesterday I wouldn't have too.

2 police shootings in 2 days is just asking for a crackdown. What kinda irons do the southern bandits have in the fire? What've they been up to?"
>>
No. 974636 ID: 19da02

No need to be pointlessly antagonistic or tip ERIK off that we may suspect him of something. Weren't at least some of your mans traveling through Wartown to go elsewhere?

I think "following up a few leads" is sufficient. Just how often are there police-invovled shootings down here?
>>
No. 974652 ID: 2e15a9

I get it ERIK, I know you're not the only person who wants 2P on this case. Hell, if the mayor were killed at the site of the initial attack where STEVE found that pin, you would be. Look, I've been kicked in the head one too many times today to get into it.
>>
No. 974785 ID: 5412a8

>>974609
Because the case I'm working requires me to, ERIK.
>>
No. 974904 ID: e30795
File 159814280103.jpg - (410.61KB , 1858x1689 , cop92.jpg )
974904

You try to stand up a bit straighter. "Because the case I'm working requires me to, ERIK," you reply brusquely. "Maybe I wouldn't be here if someone had done a proper interview yesterday. We were just following a few leads."

>"What kind of 'leads?'"

This wouldn't be the right time to show your hand, you think. You try to redirect by putting on your best 'don't fuck with me' face--in your current state, it's easy to do. "Look, I know you're just busting my ass because you want the 2P on this case. And I know you're not the only one. I've been kicked in the head one too many times today to get into it, we have some leads and we were following them."

>ERIK crosses his arms. "Look around you, is this really the best time to be keeping secrets from fellow cops? You can't tell us what kind of leads warranted this mess?"

>STEVE laughs and shrugs. "If our roles were reversed we'd probably be doing the same, wouldn't we, ERIK? BAN's balls dropped yesterday, so he's acting like the 1P has some honor now."

>"Is he, now..." STEVE's partner doesn't look convinced, but he stands down a little.

You take the opportunity to change the subject. "Two attacks on police in two days... What's the deal with the Southern Bandits? What have they been up to?"

>"Nothing out of the ordinary," STEVE says, rubbing his chin. "Dicking around near the bridge, minor dope sales. At least, that's what we thought. If they're taking on the center city, though, I've got some extra digging to do."

"Just how often are there police-involved shootings around here?"

>"I told you before, it's our daily beat," STEVE replies proudly. "Any gang member worth his salt is willing to take a couple potshots at cops on patrol if he's feeling lucky, and groups gain street cred if they get away with it. They usually don't."

>"Except for today," ERIK adds, scowling at your totaled car.

"I see..."

>KYLE inches closer, shooting nervous glances at ERIK. "Hey, I'm not getting a real comfy vibe from these guys," he whispers in your ear. "Do we have to stick around while they handle this? What if we got out of here, tried getting up to the mansion in one piece?"
>>
No. 974908 ID: 3ed3c3

>>974904
KYLE, you're a man of duty and principle. I respect you.
Let's leave STEVE and his butt buddy to clean up the mess while we get back to business.
>>
No. 974910 ID: df76b1

I agree- We've already seen far too much of this place, and our work won't rest.
>>
No. 974912 ID: eb1fcc

>>974904
Steve's sticking up for us here. Take a silent note of that.
>>
No. 974916 ID: ce39da

“Oh, you mentioned army dropouts? ... Actually, nah - it’d make my case if it were true, but it’s just a crackpot theory until some evidence turns up connecting those two parties beyond social means and sus timing. May we resume our own investigation now?”
>>
No. 974918 ID: 98dc29

>>974904
Well there is no real point to staying here, unless there is some police procedure I don't know about. And talking further with STEVE and ERIK isn't going to be...productive. You don't need to be butting heads with other cops if you don't have to, and at least this time they seem almost agreeable.
>>
No. 975022 ID: 1b564e

>>974912
This, beat be polite about this. It IS his turf, after all.
>>
No. 975059 ID: 21bd50

>>974904
Remind Kyle that they are our colleagues, not our adversaries.

Offer to give Steve the rundown on the situation later today once you have regained your bearings a bit.
>>
No. 975067 ID: 19da02

Stay polite, but don't offer anything to either of them, especially not in front of ERIK. The less he suspects we are suspicious of him, the better.

We should get on to the mansion. I think it's fine to tell them that's where we're going. Actually, it's a great idea to tell them where we're going, to see if we get mysteriously interfered-with after we've said something like that in front of ERIK. We have followup questions from the wife and kid and were just heading there, which necessitated driving through their turf.
>>
No. 975102 ID: 21bd50

>>975067
Ballsy, lets do that.
>>
No. 975138 ID: 2e15a9

Right, do you need a statement or should I just get out of your hair?
>>
No. 975308 ID: e30795
File 159879119689.jpg - (249.44KB , 857x840 , cop93.jpg )
975308

"They're colleagues, not enemies," you whisper back. You wonder for a moment if you're trying to convince KYLE, or yourself...

>"Problem?" ERIK asks.

"Nothing important." A risky idea comes to mind... You choose your words carefully. "STEVE, if your men could handle cleanup here, I'd appreciate it. We've still got to get up to the mansion as soon as possible--we have follow-up questions for Mrs. Durst and her kid."

>"There's the rub," STEVE says. His tone's still lighthearted, but his eyes look a little harder. "We came here to secure the place, not to get stuck scraping your car off our sidewalk. I know you're on a time crunch, but if you want to dine and dash you're gonna owe me, BAN."

You inwardly seethe at the thought of owing any kind of debt to the man, but you nod. "It's only fair... After I hit the mansion and get my shit together, I can catch up with you and give a statement if you need it."

>STEVE shares a look with his partner, then sizes you up one more time. Finally, he shrugs. "You know what, it's a deal, BAN. Hit the road, we'll get this squared away. Don't forget to get your mug cleaned up before you show up at ALICIA's place though, she hates blood. Let's get to work, ERIK."

>"Right..."

You try to check for a reaction from ERIK, but he's just wearing the same unreadable glare. With KYLE in tow, you head over to the news van as fast as your aching body will allow. You hear a couple of the 2P cops jeering as you leave the scene...
>>
No. 975309 ID: e30795
File 159879158931.jpg - (492.97KB , 980x700 , cop94.jpg )
975309

You collapse into the passenger's seat of the van. Devin's in the back with his laptop. "We're moving," you say miserably.

>"OH, YES SIR!!!" The journalist tumbles into the driver's seat.

Finishing the drive to Northtown is a tense balancing act between cleaning up wounds, recovering strength and trying to focus on your surroundings. If your little experiment was a success, you might find yourself dealing with some extra trouble.

>"I isolated some great frames of those guys' faces," Devin reports. "The whole video's sensational, it should get a lot of hits--uh, if you give me the OK to keep it, of course."

"Uh-huh..."

Despite your best efforts, your mind starts wandering. You're really worried about Dane. She gives you a lot of grief, but you can't remember the last time that you worked a day without her... You're not sure if you can trust Devin or KYLE to watch your back as closely as she did.

You're almost equally concerned with owing STEVE any favors... Replaying the conversation in your head, though, you realize how abnormally cordial the whole exchange was. He even sort of stuck up for you, when ERIK wanted to grill you. You wonder if your run-in from last night actually gave him some doubts about his partner...

>"CAPTAIN! CAPTAIN!!!! CAPTAIN!!!!!!"

"What?!" You jolt awake and reach for your shotgun.

>"Oh, I was just saying that we're almost there."

"...Thanks."
>>
No. 975311 ID: e30795
File 159879192416.jpg - (617.10KB , 860x658 , cop95.jpg )
975311

Looks like you made it in one piece. You check your watch as your mini-convoy pulls into the parking lot. 9:00... You're surprised that you made such good time, despite the incident.

You approach the gate with Devin and KYLE close behind. The reporters have already set up camp, looks like. An additional barricade has been put up to keep them further from the gate. Once they catch sight of you, they start swarming.

>"CAPTAIN BAN, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!"
>"WERE YOU INVOLVED IN THE SHOOTINGS IN WARTOWN??"
>"DO YOU HAVE ANY LEADS ON THE CASE?!"
>"WHEN WILL CAPTAIN STEVE TAKE OVER?!!"

This isn't doing your throbbing head any favors... A few hoarse 'no comment's carry you all the way to a tired-looking BILL. He grimaces when he catches sight of you.

>The security guard raises a hand before you can say anything. "Before you start, just let me say my piece. Mrs. Durst gave me instructions not to let any cops in today until after her 11:00 campaign meeting. She was very passionate about it."

"But--"

>BILL's angry hand shuts you up again. "I know, I know, I know. You're not going to respect my orders, or my job. Nobody will. Not until this damned crime gets solved, anyway. So I'm going to skip the bullshit, say you won today's skirmish and just let you through."

"And--"

>He presses a folded sheet of paper into your hand. "I didn't forget, no. This is every bastard in a suit that came to this house via limo yesterday."

>Devin inches closer. "Er, I'm actually BAN's assistant. Can I also go in, or--"

>"I don't care~~!" BILL starts to open the gate. "Do whatever you want~! Fuck it, what else can I do for you, before I get fired?"
>>
No. 975321 ID: ce39da

"Look, we know I'd win an argument with you, but ALICIA's a different story. I'll respect her wishes and come back after 11 - it'd defeat the point if we pissed her off on the second go-around. Make sure she knows I'm coming as soon as she's ready, though. Oh, and remind the staff to make sure the uncle's sober this time. Oh, and if today's a school day, we can come back around 3." Look around. "Meanwhile, while we have you, you're sure you didn't let any cops in before us yesterday? Durst Jr. ran afoul of a 'horned cop' shortly before we arrived. I can assure you this mysterious hassler wasn't with us."
>>
No. 975333 ID: eb1fcc

>>975321
yeah, this. Dude seems like he's having a bad time, and there's other things we can do until 11.
>>
No. 975336 ID: df76b1

Bill, our goal is to catch bad guys, not cost jerks their jobs.

Since you got all this info, we can do some preliminary fact-checking instead. It should take us until... Oh, I'd say a little after 11.
>>
No. 975492 ID: 19da02

If the campaign meeting starts at 11:00 we don't want to wait until after it's over to talk to her. We will have effectively wasted and entire day and gotten nothing done. We honestly shouldn't need more than an hour with her at the very very most, so delaying that long seems like a terrible idea. Let's just talk to her first and make sure we're gone before we interfere with her stuff.
>>
No. 975500 ID: eb1fcc

>>975492
shit, good point. Perhaps we could offer him our card, get him situated as a cop?
>>
No. 975506 ID: df76b1

I still think we should wait, and look through those files. Maybe we can scan them and send copies to HQ.
>>
No. 975758 ID: e30795
File 159939839955.jpg - (504.51KB , 850x739 , cop96.jpg )
975758

You hesitate. Your job's catching criminals, not costing assholes their jobs... If you wait, though, you're sure to lose several hours before getting into the mansion. You have to think hard about it, but you eventually come to a decision.

"We'll be in and out before the meeting starts," you assure BILL as you step through the gate. Devin tails you while trying way too hard to look natural.

>"Just get what you need and leave," the guard sighs.

>KYLE stays on the other side of the gate. "I'll cut out here, if that's cool with you," he says, taking the guest list from your hand. "While you're in there, I can get started on hounding these names. I might stop by the precinct and get a vest first, though..."

"Sounds good," you reply. "Be careful, KYLE."

>"I'll be fine, man. And I'll take the long way back, fuck going through Wartown again."

Before you go, you turn back to BILL. "Just one more thing, while I have you. You're sure you didn't let any cops in before us yesterday--"

>"Yes, goddammit! Just go!"

You pause for one more moment. "Uh... This might not be the right time to say this, but if worse comes to worse, there's always police work."

>BILL looks at the ground and shakes his head. "Police work? Come on, that's purgatory for vets..."

"...Right." You shake off the remark and move to give him one of your cards. After a minute of rifling through your wallet, you grimace and remember that Dane has them, because you kept losing them. You awkwardly pocket your wallet again and start toward the mansion...
>>
No. 975759 ID: e30795
File 159939849546.jpg - (644.59KB , 800x849 , cop97.jpg )
975759

You're met at the door by ALICIA herself. She doesn't look happy to see you.

>"The detective from yesterday. You look poorly," she observes coldly. Her glare moves from you to Devin. "Who is this?"

>"Devin Fowler, First Precinct," Devin lies through his teeth. "I'm just here to help document things for the captain."

>ALICIA looks ready to snap. "Detective, my son just left for school and I have a meeting in two hours. Why are you here? Why am I being told that you bullied your way past our security detail at 9 AM in the fucking morning?"
>>
No. 975762 ID: df76b1

This vest has come in real useful this morning, I'm afraid.
Anyway Ma'am. I've been reliably informed you have an upcoming meeting, and I have a deadline. I would like nothing more than to get out of your way, but I still need a statement from the deceased's brother.

We're also trying to identify the officer who broke in yesterday. We're taking that very seriously.
>>
No. 975840 ID: ce39da

"Not so much 'bullied,' more like 'asked, receiving tired resignation in response.' I do apologize for the timing, but we'd like to do as much as possible before it's time to hand over the case. We'll gladly wait to get statements from you and your son until the appropriate time. For now, we wanted to catch the uncle while he was sober and coherent, as well as gain access to Mr. Durst's office to search for anything that could explain his final actions."
>>
No. 976134 ID: e30795
File 159992285622.jpg - (312.08KB , 900x626 , cop98.jpg )
976134

"Sorry for my appearance--unfortunately, I've gotten some use out of this vest today," you say. "I also apologize for coming in this early, ma'am, but we're just trying to do as much as possible before it's time to hand over the case." You tactfully omit the fact that BILL let you in without resistance--you've done enough harm to his job security already, you think.

>"What do you want?" Mrs. Durst demands.

"We're aware that you have a meeting soon, and we'd be happy to make this quick. We can hold off on further statements from you and your son until a better time, but we want to catch the uncle while he's sober, and take a look around Mr. Durst's office. Hopefully, we can find something that could help explain his final actions."

>The widow closes her eye and rubs her forehead for a moment. Finally, she opens the door and pulls out her phone. "At 10:15 AM sharp, I'm having my staff remove you from the premises. Sam's sleeping downstairs. Joe's office is upstairs. Use your time wisely."

>"Oh, thank you, ma'am!" Devin starts. "All of us at the First Precinct are--"

>She cuts him off with a look. "Don't push it. If you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do."

ALICIA disappears inside. You can see the butler in the foyer, waiting to escort you to wherever you want to go first...
>>
No. 976137 ID: ce39da

Unless there's something serious we need to press in the 11th hour, we should plan to start wrapping up and leaving at 9:00, be out of ALICIA's house before the deadline hits.

"Could you have a staff-member wake up the uncle, maybe get him some hang-over treatment? We'll be checking the office in the meantime if you'll escort us."
>>
No. 976200 ID: df76b1

Well, I don't agree we should rush, but I do agree we should look at the office while they try to get Sam presentable.
>>
No. 976224 ID: e30795
File 160000208533.jpg - (793.48KB , 1000x719 , cop99.jpg )
976224

You approach the butler. "Could you have someone wake up the uncle, maybe get him some treatment for hangovers? We'll check the office in the meantime, if you'll escort us."

>"Of course." The butler sends one of his subordinates toward the basement lounge and beckons for you to follow him.

You and Devin are taken up a flight of stairs and through a long hallway. At the end of it lies a large door. The butler waits outside as the two of you enter.

You feel a pang of jealousy when you first see Joe Durst's office. The mayor had some nice digs...

>Devin has a huge grin on his face as he steps further into the room. "The room where it happens," he says in awe, pulling a camera out from under his shirt. "Ohhh, this is good. We're gonna find something juicy in here, I can feel it."

You take in the room at a glance. The middle of the floor is covered with what looks like some kind of animal pelt. At the center of that sits a table, littered with papers, a folder and two ornate cups. The empty bottle of whiskey sitting on the floor tells you that the mayor wasn't just having tea time...

>Devin snaps photos of some strange-looking pottery sitting by the wall. "This is some ancient art, or at least a replica of it," he says. "I ran a history article about pieces like these a couple years ago. Mr. Mayor had some real taste, huh?"

"Huh..." You walk over to the desk. Another of those pots is sitting beside it--looks like he used it as a trash can. On top of the desk is a stack of papers, a few small books, and one large binder laying open. To the desk's left, a large bookshelf lines a section of the walls. To its right is a fireplace, and hanging behind it is a tattered banner. You recognize it as an army standard, probably the colors from Joe's old unit.

You step back check your watch. 9:10... You've got an hour and some change to check this room, and hopefully get a statement from Sam Durst as well. You start picking out what you want to examine more closely...
>>
No. 976226 ID: df76b1

Trash can, the papers on the desk and the binder.

Call it a hunch, but we should check behind the army banner, too.
>>
No. 976233 ID: 094652

Quick snapshots of everything with writing on it. Search around for secret containers and anything related to keywords you've seen up until now.
>>
No. 976237 ID: ce39da

> Two cups.
He met with someone here, recent enough that it wasn't cleaned up. Take fingerprints if you can. Do both of the cups smell like booze? If so, that narrows it down to two kinds of people - the uncle, or an old friend (likely an army buddy). Also, that meeting must have either been something he wasn't looking forward to or something he plum didn't plan, if he went there with a buzz.

> Pottery.
Another thing linking him to demons - we're starting to leave 'friendly' territory and approach 'fascination.' 'Obsession,' if even more stuff turns up - dude's whole life may as well revolve around our kind at that point.

> Trashcan and fireplace.
Check both for things the late Mayor might have disposed of in a hurry. Just take photos of all the paper that's in the open; sort that out later.
>>
No. 976272 ID: 5b93d3

>>976224
Bookshelf on the right looks like it's been dragged away from the wall. Check behind, and note if the bookcase is heavy enough to have been moved by a normal human.
>>
No. 976509 ID: dfbc4b

>>976224
Looking over the papers first is probably the best use of our limited time.
>>
No. 976516 ID: 81b3c1

>>976509
Oh, and ask Devin for a quick rundown on what he knows about the pottery while you search, just be sure to sushi him if necessary.
>>
No. 976827 ID: e30795
File 160061200455.jpg - (318.37KB , 800x733 , cop100.jpg )
976827

"Make sure you get pictures of all these papers," you say, approaching the small table. You sniff both of the cups--they've both definitely had some liquor in them, recently. You kick yourself for not bringing some kind of fingerprinting kit...

You read over the papers on the table as Devin snaps photos. They seem to be a collection of letters, all addressed to Joe from different people. Skimming through, it appears as though all of the senders were former soldiers. One stands out from the rest--it's much more worn-out, and there's a portion missing on the bottom. You read through it:

'Boss,'

'I got your letter. I'm glad to hear from you, ten years is a long time.'
'Camping has been going well. The animals are pretty welcoming, if you stay around them long enough. I could probably start a firepit soon, if I wanted.'
'Some of the guys say that they've also gotten letters. Are you finally putting together that hunting trip? All of us would be willing to go with you. You know I have plenty of experience in this jungle.'

'Keep in touch,'

'LT--'

The sender's name has been ripped off.

>"Private... Private... Sergeant... Private..." Devin puts down the last of the letters and takes another picture. "These are all from ex-military guys, aren't they?"
>>
No. 976828 ID: e30795
File 160061228596.jpg - (522.93KB , 1600x772 , cop101.jpg )
976828

"Seems like it." You start poking around in the trash pot. It seems to be filled with crumpled stationery paper and an empty ink well. You look over the pot's design for a moment, then turn back to Devin. "What do you know about this pottery?"

>"They're old religious art pieces," he explains. "Their style kind of got jocked by the church when Christendom got started, but the oldest ones can be traced all the way back to antiquity. Depending on how much money Joe was working with, these could be imitations or the real deal, straight out of a museum. See those weird halo-like things? The church puts them over the heads of the humans, but the original works had them just like this, over the heads of the demons. There's a bunch of juicy theories about why the switch in design happened, my money's on an alien conspiracy."

"Right..." Sifting through the fireplace, you find a few burnt, crumpled balls of paper. They're completely illegible... You wonder if 'LT''s name was on one of these, at some point.

You and Devin move to the mayor's desk. You skim the documents as your subordinate takes more pictures. The stack of papers appears to be mostly work-related--manifests, invitations, reports from campaign staff. The books don't seem related to his job at all--they're all old strategy books and soldiers' memoirs. You come across more torn pages as you flip through them--it seems like someone's written small notes at the beginning of each book.

The first note is written in 'Concrete Jungle':

'Boss,'

'It's a few years late, but I found that tactics book you kept trying to find before our first tour. Maybe now you can finally learn how to clear a building.'

'LT--'

The name's been torn off, again. You go to the second book, 'The Piper and His Flute':

'Boss,'

'This is a memoir by that guy who helped run the insurrection in Canard. Seeing the war from that angle was eye-opening, hope you like it.'

'LT--'

The third book, 'Memories,' is missing both the note writer's name and an entire second page:

'Boss,'

'History goes in cycles. Reading a book like this today could help you get ready for tomorrow.'
'Prep is complete. Everyone's looking forward to going hunting. We all signed the next page, so you know how many to expect.'

'LT--'

Your head's throbbing as you try to figure out what it all means. For the sake of time you keep moving, but those notes have piqued your interest.

The large binder appears to be a calendar, filled with day-to-day tasks. Flipping around, you notice that this week's schedule looks a lot sparser than previous weeks'. All Joe noted was a meeting with the 2P's major on Monday, a campaign meeting later that same day, and 'Lunch - AC' around 1 PM on Tuesday.

>Devin scoots in front of you to take a picture of the binder. "This is gonna be big, I just know it," he says, more to himself than to you. "Goodbye beach panty shots, hello Journalists United panels..."
>>
No. 976829 ID: e30795
File 160061245592.jpg - (430.79KB , 890x848 , cop102.jpg )
976829

On a hunch, you start looking for anything hidden in the room. You check the desk's drawers. Nothing catches your eye until you open the bottom drawer and find yourself staring at the butt of an officer-issue army pistol.

>"Oh, shit!" Devin almost trips over himself, trying to get pictures of the gun. "Nice catch, BAN!"

Looking up from the desk, you notice that the far bookshelf seems skewed. Walking closer, you realize that it has been dragged out from the wall. It doesn't seem particularly heavy, when you nudge it--anyone could have done this, as far as you can tell. You don't see anything behind or under it, but there's a rectangular imprint in the dust that the shelf used to cover. Eyeballing it, the mark appears to be a similar size to the folder currently sitting on the table.

You return to the desk and examine the army banner hanging behind it. You lift a corner and check behind it, revealing what appears to be a safe embedded in the wall. It's locked with a small keypad.

>"I don't suppose we could get into that, could we?" Devin asks hungrily.

"Not without a code," you muse.

You step back again and rub your temples. There's more to this place than you'd expected. Your watch already reads 9:30. You try to make sense of what you've seen so far and plan your next action...
>>
No. 976857 ID: df76b1

Sounds like he was thinking of staging a coup, or at least settling a score. There's a lot you could do with an entire reformed infantry unit. We need to figure out who AC is.

This army correspondence is pretty far outside the campaign field, and could be taken as evidence if we really wanted to. *Shrug*

Let's get the brother sent up here, maybe he'll let something slip. If not we still need our interview.
>>
No. 976866 ID: ce39da

> The Gun
He didn't take it. He trusted that he would be safe, walking alone, to a meeting on a bridge, at night. One, he trusted the guy he was meeting with. Two, he was either confident in his safety on the streets, or he had an escort.

> Motive
We have one; Durst made plans for something potentially awful, and he told many old army friends about it. Not hard to imagine that one of them no longer feels so strongly about it all. Also not hard to guess he would want Durst to die a hero instead of being ratted out as a villain. The "LT---" that sent "The Piper and His Flute" springs to mind, considering it seems almost like he wanted to talk Durst down from something. An army background fits the MO of the attack, too; that whole scene plays out like something out of a stealth take-down operation, now that you think about it.

> Ripped-Out Names
Someone was in here, ripping out pages. They didn't want anyone to be implicated in all this madness. If this "hunting trip" motivated the mayor's murder, then either the culprit or an accomplice was in this room. Whoever Durst was having a meeting with is shooting up in suspicion. Ask Devin if the uncle was also involved in the military.

> Safe and Cups
We don't have any dates or otherwise significant numbers to try, and we need to get back to the cups and the bottle with a dusting kit. Tell the butler that no one is to clean up or otherwise disturb the office.

> What Do
Time to go talk to the uncle.
>>
No. 976941 ID: 05e212

>>976829
Well well well, this is getting interesting. Assuming that those letters are inuendo, something big was about to happen. I'd wager that it was the mayor who tore out the signature's, probably to protect his old mates. Once you get back to the precinct you could probably find out what Lieutenants worked with the Mayor during the war, and ask BILL too, if he's up for it.

I'd love to see what's in the safe, though I doubt you'd get the code out of ALICIA without a solid reason. The content of those books could provide clues, not that you have the time to read them. Probably something you could get an intern to handle back at the precinct. But for now head out and find the Uncle.
>>
No. 977331 ID: e30795
File 160122062611.jpg - (207.97KB , 540x951 , cop103.jpg )
977331

>Devin gets you out of your head by tapping your shoulder. "I can see the gears turning, something come to you?"

"I'm just thinking about all this army correspondence," you reply absently. "Durst was making plans for something, something big, and he wanted all of his old guys in on it. There's a lot that you could do with a reformed infantry unit..."

>The journalist nods energetically. "So I'm not just being paranoid about these letters, thank god. I was thinking the same thing."

You gather up the letters on the letters on the table and place them in the folder. You take the three books off of the desk and stack them on the table, as well. You might be able to take these back with you as evidence--you can't imagine that the Durst campaign staff would need them.

You poke your head out the door and hail the butler. "Nobody can clean or touch anything in this office," you order. "We'll have to come back to some things later. For now, can you get the uncle up here?"

>"As you wish. Sam will be up shortly." The butler disappears down the hall.

"Joe's brother was also in the army, right?" you ask Devin. "ALICIA mentioned it, yesterday."

>"Yeah, same unit if I remember right," he says, taking some extra pictures by the desk. "He never got the hero treatment that his brother did when he came back across the border, though. He's not that rich or famous, I've never even run a story about him before."

Moments later, the door slowly creaks open. Sam Durst shuffles into the office, clutching what looks like a can of tomato juice.

>"Officers," he says, nodding awkwardly. "I, uh.... I'm sorry about how you found me, yesterday. Did you need me for something?"
>>
No. 977337 ID: ce39da

"Just wanted to ask some questions about the victim. ALICIA and the son are both occupied at the moment, so we're starting with you. Do you mind if we record this?"

> Questions
"Alright, then. We'll start with your name, occupation, and relationship with the victim." Don't ask this if he asks you not to record him. (This suggestion isn't because I realized I lost track of whether he's Durst's brother or uncle, no siree.)

"How would you describe your relationship with Mr. Durst?"

"How would you describe Mr. Durst's state leading up to the night of the crime? Did you see anything suspicious around that time?"

"And where were you that night? Could we have your account of it?"

If he says nothing about why he may have been drinking, ask him about that.

"We have reason to believe that Mr. Durst was planning an outing with his old army friends. I seem to recall that you served in the same war - would you happen to know anything about this outing?"

"The letters 'LT' came up several times while we were investigating Mr. Durst's belongings. Was he close to someone by that abbreviation, or perhaps a lieutenant?"

"We have reason to believe that Mr. Durst met with someone in this room quite recently, possibly the day (or even night) of his death. That meeting involved alcohol. That wouldn't happen to be you, would it?" That's assuming he didn't already testify about this. If he denies it, ask if any other army guys were here during his final evening.
>>
No. 977555 ID: 98d2bc

>>977331
Ask him about what he was doing during the night of the murder. Also ask if Mayor Durst was acting strangly in the previous day's. See if he knows if he was talking with any old army buddies, and if so who they were.
>>
No. 977565 ID: 5b93d3

It's likely that the 'Boss' referenced in the letters and book dedications is the former mayor, but it's not proven yet. There's the outside chance those books and letters were originally for someone else, but were collected by Durst. Simple example: items belonging to his father or a grandfather, but could also be belongings of a former SO or other way buddy.

It also seems likely that, as the box containing the notes was hidden under the bookcase but never returned there, the tearing of the names out and burning of the fragments was done recently and in a hurray. It may have been done by either the person named, or someone working for them. That they tore out the sections and burnt them rather than burning the letters entirely or removing them from the premises implies they had to work fast and had only one chance (implying it was not a member of the household, who would have plenty of opportunities for accessing the office), but who also already knew where Durst was keeping the letters (or there would be more destruction as they tripped the room apart trying to find them), so it is likely someone visited the office before and either had Durst's confidence to be shown the letter stash, or had spent enough time alone there to search for it discreetly.

The best hope is to find a letter or book the Durst stored elsewhere, or leant to someone, that would have escaped notice. Asking his son if his father had given him a book may be a good lead.
As would be searching the office for places a letter could have slipped that would be really inconvenient to check in a hurry: e.g. under the pots, under the table foot, under the rug, under or behind the bookshelves, or (in the unlikely event a warranty to search intensively can be gained) slipped between floorboards and sitting under the floor.
>>
No. 977569 ID: 6fdd3d

>>977555
I mean, Im not saying your wrong, but if someone came in and tore out those names to hide something why not just destroy the letters entirely?
>>
No. 977832 ID: e30795
File 160175353937.jpg - (331.19KB , 900x713 , cop104.jpg )
977832

"We just wanted to ask some questions about the victim," you say, beckoning him to come closer. "ALICIA and her son are both busy, so we're starting with you. Do you mind if we record this?"

>"Yeah, sure--"

>"GREAT!!" Devin's tape recorder is under Sam's chin as soon as the words leave his mouth.

"We'll start with your name, occupation, and relationship with the victim."

>"Samson Durst. I'm, uh, kind of in between jobs right now... Joe was my brother."

"How would you describe your relationship with him?"

>"Our relationship? We were real close a while back, I actually followed him into army service when the war broke out. Recently though... I don't know, we've been distant for a while." He takes a sip of his juice.

>"Distant?" Devin cuts in.

>"I mean, we were still cool. We just went in different directions after serving, is all..."

"How would you describe Mr. Durst's state leading up to the night of the crime?" you ask. "Did you notice anything suspicious around that time?"

>Sam's expression darkens, and he starts fiddling with the can in his hand. "I don't know. I should've known something was up when he invited me to stay here for a week."

"Was that abnormal for him?"

>"For a guy who promised that he'd never speak to me again unless I got a 'real' job? Yeah." Sam blinks, realizing what he just said. "I mean, we really weren't at odds or anything though. We just...it's hard to explain. Him asking me to come by for a week was strange, long story short..."

"I see... And where were you on the night of the crime?"

>"A couple of my buddies happened to be in town, so we were out on a bar crawl together. When I found out what happened the next day, I just kept drinking..."

"A couple buddies? Were they also ex-military? We have reason to believe that your brother was planning some kind of outing with his old army friends."

>"What...?" Sam buries a distressed look behind the juice can. "I mean yeah, they were a couple guys who served with us, but they never mentioned anything about my brother. They were just passing through, honest. I don't know who my brother was going hunting with, but they weren't invited."

>"Can we get their names, too?" Devin asks.

>The veteran hesitates. "They were just in town and wanted to get some drinks, okay?" he asks warily. "They're good guys, there's no way they'd be involved with anything."

>"They're not in any kind of trouble with us, Sam, we're just getting all of our facts together."

>"Alright, then..." He takes another swig of juice. "SABA and Miles are their names. They really were just passing through..."

"So you were out drinking that night." Your headache worsens as you start thinking harder. "Did you have anything to drink earlier on? We think that Joe met with someone in this room recently, maybe even the day or night of his death, and that meeting involved alcohol."

>"I was with my guys for the better part of the day, too. I never even saw Joe on the last day..."

You glance at the letters on the table. "One more thing. The abbreviation 'LT' kept coming up as we went through the mayor's belongings. Was he close to someone who fits those letters? A lieutenant, maybe?"

>"'LT...'" Sam looks like you just punched him in the stomach. He stares blankly at the banner on the wall. "There were three lieutenants in our company. One of them ate it a few weeks before the end of the war. The surviving two were my brother, and a guy named ERIK..."

>Sam shifts around and looks toward the door. "Hey, uh, I just remembered that I was actually supposed to get food with my buddies today. I'm not trying to get out of this early or anything, but is there anything else you need from me...?"
>>
No. 977836 ID: df76b1

Let's show him a picture of ERIK, and get an ID. That's too close to be a coincidence.

Hey, he didn't see that guy hanging around yesterday?
>>
No. 977837 ID: fddbed

>ERIK
Well, that's interesting. Get a description of him. And if it matches the ERIK we know get a background check on him back at the precinct. If, IF, it's him we will need iron clad evidence.

Also ask if he knows of any personal details about the LT, see if there were any grudges between the two, or if there was some otherwise 'Unfinished' business of some kind.
>>
No. 977853 ID: 3ed3c3

>>977832
We need a positive ID on this ERIK. Is he "our" ERIK? Show Sam a picture for reference. I have a hard time believing this is a coincidence.
>>
No. 977886 ID: e30795
File 160182676707.jpg - (587.87KB , 960x684 , cop105.jpg )
977886

There's no way this is a coincidence... You reach into your pocket and pull out the set of photos you brought with you. They're ragged from the action earlier, but not ruined. You pull ERIK's picture from the collection and show it to Sam.

>"What is this?" he asks nervously. "A mug shot or something?"

"This is one of the Second Precinct's cops, a man named ERIK. Can you ID him as your lieutenant?"

>Sam seems transfixed by the photo. He takes it from you and stares at it, wide-eyed."He's a cop, now? Christ..."

"I'll take that as a yes." You tuck the other photos back into your pocket. "You didn't see him hanging around here at all yesterday?"

>"He was here?! Why? I mean, if you know the reason, I'm curious..."

"We're not sure if it was him or not, but a cop matching his description skipped out on a lot of protocol to question your nephew yesterday," you explain. "Can you tell me any personal details about him? Possible grudges, unfinished business, anything?"

>The veteran's eyes never leave the photo. "He always scared me. Don't get me wrong, all of us in the Advance Team were insane bastards, but... I don't know, he just scared me."

>He starts pacing. "He got everyone into these weird rituals, and... I don't know, I never got over how he treated us humans. There were maybe twenty of us in the whole company, everyone else was a demon. He was too...welcoming, you know? He got us into all of the ritual stuff, too. We'd get through with an op and he'd run into me or Joe or someone, and right after all of the terrible shit you saw him do in the field, he'd look at you like a brother. Like, 'you're just like me...'"

>Devin cocks his head. "So he scared you by being too friendly?"

>"I can't explain it well enough," Sam says exasperatedly. He eyes the photograph as if it's ERIK in the flesh. "He didn't have any grudges with anyone. Him and Joe were inseperable during our tour. They'd get together and talk philosophy and religion, when we weren't getting shot at. I was kind of hoping that they'd just go their separate ways after the war ended, but..."

>Sam glances between you, the photograph and the door. "So you think he came here yesterday...?"

"Signs are pointing that way," you reply.

>The vet hands you the photo and begins to slowly inch backward. "I see. Well, I'm really not trying to duck out of this or anything, but my buddies are probably waiting for me, so...."
>>
No. 977892 ID: 094652

>ERIK is strangely unprejudiced, performs weird rituals and manipulates others into performing with him, violent on-field
"So you instinctively realized he was a sociopath?"

>We're done here
"No. No we aren't. You're clearly intimidated by the higher-ups in your former unit, your brother included. But no matter how many pies they have their hands in, you can't sulk in their mansion all day. If this escalates, your nephew could get caught in the crossfire, and then they'll find a way to blame it on you. Please, if you know anything, anything at all, just lay it out on the table."
>>
No. 977903 ID: 3ed3c3

>>977886
This is super fucking weird. We can't get a positive ID on ERIK until we can talk to the son again, but hearing about his behavior during the war doesn't paint a good picture. Was he some kind of cultist?
>>
No. 977907 ID: ce39da

> Hunting trip.
"One more thing; I only mentioned he was planning 'something' with his army friends, so how did you know he was specifically planning a hunting trip?" Don't press too hard, of course; accept whatever answer he gives (for now), even if he does sound like he's hiding something. (If something connecting him comes up, we can come back for him.)

>>977892
That's laying it on a bit thick, and if we resort to pressure tactics, we'll be no better than the intruding cop.

>>977903
Oh, yeah, maybe ask him to elaborate on these rituals. Don't spend too much time on this, though; it's technically a tangent, and we don't want to run out the clock.

Once you're done: "That'll be all, thank you. We'll need to talk to SABA and Miles so they can corroborate your story, of course."
>>
No. 977941 ID: a6e54f

Well, the ritual shit is in line with the pottery that we saw in the office. Ask how deep his brother was in with the mumbo-jumbo that this 'ERIK' tried to get everybody in. Also ask what he knew about this hunting trip.
>>
No. 977969 ID: 16976a

Ask if he can give you a quick description of what the rituals entailed
>>
No. 978200 ID: e30795
File 160226001366.jpg - (541.12KB , 1200x683 , cop106.jpg )
978200

Hang on, a minute. You raise a hand as something comes to you. "Actually, we're not quite done yet."

>Devin glances at you, looking confused. "We're not...?"

You shake your head and point a finger at Sam. "I only mentioned that Joe was planning something for his army friends. How did you know he was specifically planning a hunting trip?"

>Sam stops in his tracks. "Did I say that?" he asks, voice cracking. "I mean, I just sort of assumed--when we were still close, he used to talk about putting together something like that with the guys. I guess I just guessed it."

"You guess." You have half a mind to really press him on this, but you restrain yourself--you don't want to rely on the same tactics as the intruder from yesterday. There's also the time restraint to think about, a factor that a glance at your watch painfully reminds you of. It's already 9:50...

>Sam's been squirming for the entire time that you've been deliberating with yourself. Finally, he cracks and speaks up again. "You don't have to mad-dog me like this, you know, I'm telling you the truth! Honest!"

"Oh don't worry, I believe you," you lie, "I was just thinking. Before you go, could you tell us just how deep your brother was in with ERIK's rituals? What did they entail?"

>The veteran still looks pretty shaken. You can see him carefully picking out words before saying them aloud. "Joe was... He was really into it. I mean, we all were into it at the time, but he was... He was just really into it. I, uh, I'd rather not discuss too much of what we did. There were a lot of parts to it, songs and dances, prayers, uhh... Offerings... Whenever we did them together, we'd get so hyped up, like we could tear through anything the Canardi put in front of us. It was really scary, what we were dabbling in..."

>He looks at you with desperate eyes. "I promise you, I'm not trying to run or anything. But I should really go meet with my friends..."

You pause for a moment before nodding. "Alright. That'll be all, thank you. We'll need to talk to SABA and Miles so they can corroborate your story, of course."

>Sam closes his eyes and breathes a sigh of relief. "Oh, of course. Do you know where Burg's is, near the north end of Wartown? That's where we're meeting for lunch, if you want to stop by and get anything from them."

Sam beats a hasty retreat.
>>
No. 978201 ID: e30795
File 160226013807.jpg - (505.45KB , 980x754 , cop107.jpg )
978201

>Devin switches off the recorder and turns to you, a huge smile on his face. "Now this is real journalism," he says giddily. "That was juicy as hell, the guy's statement had more holes than swiss cheese. And that was a great catch with the hunting thing, I can't believe I missed it! God forbid this doesn't all work out, but if you ever switch jobs in the future, you should try your hand at reporting..."

"Hmm..." You turn back to the pottery sitting against the wall. You close your eyes and try mentally painting a picture of wartime ERIK, using all the information you've received. The end result isn't pretty. Was he a cultist of some kind? Some sort of sociopath? And just how involved was Joe in all of this...?

>Devin snaps a finger in front of your face. "Hey, Captain Spacehead! I said, what should we do with the rest of our time? It's almost 10:00, already."
>>
No. 978206 ID: 094652

More basic photographs of anything and everything. Keep shooting until the film runs out.
>>
No. 978207 ID: 8a1e18

>>978201
Well, we did say that we'd hold off on further statements from the kid till a better time, though we really should get him to identify ERIK as the officer from the other day or not. Doing that should take up the rest of our time, after that see if you can catch up with KYLE and see what he's found. Then you should think about tailing Sam and see about his friends. Not to be paranoid but the way he was reeeally insisting on meeting with them sets off warning bells for me.
>>
No. 978213 ID: ce39da

>>978207
The kid ain't here - one of the reasons why we agreed to come back later after this, alongside ALICIA, and returning to this room with forensic stuff. For once, I actually agree with Kome: Get photos of all the pots in as many angles as you can get them, assuming you haven't already. Remember; technically, you agreed to leave at 10:05 (in case you need one more minute), but getting out of there on your own before you run afoul of that deadline is the polite thing to do, after inconveniencing ALICIA so.
>>
No. 978300 ID: e30795
File 160242886461.jpg - (310.63KB , 800x936 , cop108.jpg )
978300

"Let's make this quick," you say. "Get more pictures of anything and everything, use all the film you've got. Make sure we have plenty of shots of this pottery..."

>"YES, SIR!!!"

Devin works like a madman, getting close shots of the pots and their designs. He manages to do a once-over of the room's more interesting features as well, before the film runs out. Once they're developed, you'll have a photo record of the entire room.

You check your watch... 10:04. You haven't even used up your time, excellent. You gather up the folder of letters and the books, take one last glance around and exit the office.

The butler leads the two of you back to the entrance without issue. You don't see ALICIA once on your way out.

>"Mrs. ALICIA would like to know if we'll be seeing you again, today," the butler says as you step outside.

"Plan on it," you reply. "And remember, nobody goes into Mr. Durst's office before we return."

>"Of course. The campaign meeting should conclude shortly after 3:00, today. We will expect a visit sometime after that."

>"Thank you, sir," Devin pipes up. "We at the First Precinct appreciate your cooperation!!"

You head back down the driveway with Devin close behind.
>>
No. 978301 ID: e30795
File 160242914099.jpg - (365.13KB , 900x707 , cop109.jpg )
978301

You make your way past a sullen BILL, sing an excellent duet to get past the reporters, and make it back to the parking lot.

>"I've got guys at Crosshair that could get this film processed for me," Devin tells you as he shoves the books and letters into the van. "If we hit their offices sometime today, you could have the pics fast, probably before tomorrow."

"Couldn't we just get it done at the station?" you ask. "I think our evidence room has the equipment."

>Devin clears his throat and tugs at his collar. "Er, we could do that, but I used this camera for some Crosshair work the other day, and I'd rather not have a cop digging through some of the more...avant garde shots from this roll. You understand...?"

"Not really..."

>"You're too good for this world, BAN," he says, patting your shoulder.

You look up at the sky and think about your next move. It's currently 10:15. At some point, you'll need to hit the station and get some forensic gear to really turn over Joe Durst's office. Getting Devin's film processed should get handled sooner rather than later, too. If you're fast enough now, you may be able to go after Sam Durst, maybe run into those friends he was so desperate to meet. It might not be as pressing to the case, but there's also the issue of Dane... You're still worried about her, and if you have the chance you'd like to visit wherever it is they took her...

>"Wow..." Devin's staring up at the clouds beside you. He shakes his head in feigned awe. "Incredible. Absolutely nothing... Damn...."

A silent glare shuts him up and sends him scrambling for the driver's seat.

>"Sorry, sorry!!! You're the boss, think as long as you want!!" He fights with the ignition until the van starts. "Wherever you want to go, I'm ready!"
>>
No. 978326 ID: ce39da

“Think we can drop off your film, grab a new one, and still be at Burg’s by lunch?”
>>
No. 978327 ID: c57263

>>978301
You are wistfully daydreaming, not thinking. Also, we need to figure out how to get this reporter into the force or everyone involved is going to be in serious legal shit.
>>
No. 978330 ID: 99c1ef

Drop off the film, then see about the 'Friends'. I'm still fairly convinced something is up with them, so be cautious. On the way we should radio in about where Dane got taken to. Gotta look after your partners, after all.
>>
No. 978341 ID: df76b1

>>978327
When we're called in to maintain our jurisdiction, we could make the case for his employment as a 'media consultant' to maintain protocol and prevent blowback.
>>
No. 978867 ID: e30795
File 160304448228.jpg - (419.47KB , 980x701 , cop110.jpg )
978867

You clear the more wistful thoughts from your head and climb into the van. "Think we can drop off your film, grab a new one, and still be at Burg's by lunch?" you ask.

>Devin nods vigorously. "Easily!! Crosshair's based out of Northtown, we're not too far from the office."

A few minutes and some questionable interpretations of traffic laws later, you arrive at the offices of Crosshair Media. You're surprised to see that it's a real building, and it looks relatively official.

>"I'll be back in a sec," Devin says, snatching up his camera and hopping out. You notice he's left the engine running... "Give me ten minutes, tops."

You watch ten minutes pass on the dashboard clock. Your mind has just started to wander when you see the journalist approaching quickly, carrying a large box. He's being followed by a very angry-looking man in a suit.

>"THIS IS THE LAST STRAW, FLETCHER!!!" you hear the man screaming as he gets closer. You can tell by his vocal cords that he's another newsperson. "YOU WALK AWAY FROM ME RIGHT NOW AND YOU'RE DONE!! DONE, YOU HEAR ME?!!"

>Devin continues on his beeline toward the van. He's sweating bullets. "Listen, boss, this is a real scoop here!! We're looking at honest publicity, real money! I know I'm behind on the bikini article, but--hey!!"

A flying shoe barely misses Devin's head and smacks into the side of the van. Devin's boss starts untying his other one.

>"SO YOU'RE TOO GOOD FOR YELLOW PRESS, YOU LITTLE SHIT?! THINK YOU CAN DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN CHURN OUT CLICKBAIT AND SOFTCORE PORN?? YOU WANNA BE A 'REAL' JOURNALIST??? WELL, DO IT ON YOUR OWN DAMN TIME!! YOU'RE FIRED, DEVIN FLETCHER!!! GET BACK IN THAT BUILDING, CLEAR YOUR DESK, THEN GET THE HELL OUT OF MY PARKING LOT!!!!"

>Devin stops in his tracks. He turns around and violently shakes the box at his ex-employer. "FIRED? FIRED?!! I QUIT, YOU FAT FUCK!! AND I ALREADY CLEARED MY GODDAMNED DESK, SO YOU CAN SUCK MY--"

The second shoe catches him square in the mouth. Enraged, Devin picks up the shoes, shoves them into his box and dives into the driver's seat. Before his old boss can react, the van is rocketing away.
>>
No. 978869 ID: e30795
File 160304477961.jpg - (236.21KB , 1226x600 , cop111.jpg )
978869

The first few minutes of the drive to Burg's are quiet. You're too confused to speak, and Devin's too busy catching his breath. Evenntually, he calms down and looks your way.

>"So I know that seemed like a lot of trouble, but that's just how we journalists do business," he says with a nervous laugh.

"So you didn't just get fired?"

>"Oh no, I totally just got canned." Devin lets out a deep sigh. "Should've seen that one coming. On the bright side, though, I got the film processed and procured some extra rolls!"

You peek into the box. Sure enough, underneath the rest of Devin's things lies a large stack of developed photos. It looks like they've been blown up for easy viewing, too. The pictures look great, but your eyes keep getting drawn back to the pair of shoes sitting at the top of the container... "Did you just steal his...?"

>"Oh no no, don't worry about it," Devin says offhandedly. "You think that place was nice enough for company vans? This is my vehicle, believe it or not."

"That's not what I.... Nevermind."

>The journalist sticks his head out the window for a moment. "Christ, I should've done that years ago. I feel so free! The loss of income stings, but everyone's homeless at one point or another, right?"

"Right..." You consider the possibility of getting the man employed by the First Precinct. It'd get rid of a lot of potential legal hangups about his involvement, for sure. You make a mental note to bring it up to The Major when you get back to the station.

You're still a few minutes out from the restaurant. You fish around in the back until you find Dane's radio. You switch it on and tune to the Wartown frequency. "This is Car 'Dunce,' anyone read me?"

>The same operator from earlier is on the other end. "Your signal's weak but we hear you, Dunce. Are you outside of Wartown?"

"Currently, yes. Can I get some info on where my partner was taken?"

>"The injured officer is currently at DeValle Memorial Hospital, in the center city. They would have more information on her status."

"Got it, thanks." You switch the radio back off and slump in your seat. So she's in the middle of Wartown and her condition's unknown, great.

>Devin notices you sulking and cracks a smile at you. "I'm sure she's fine, buck up. That lady's built like this van, one little hit isn't enough to--"

As you approach Burg's, Devin accidentally rushes over a speed bump. Something in the engine starts grating and rattling....

>"...Forget what I just said, would you?"
>>
No. 978870 ID: e30795
File 160304494256.jpg - (360.28KB , 1000x657 , cop112.jpg )
978870

You pull into the parking spot and exit the van. Your watch reads 11:00.

Burg's looks like a pretty standard burger joint. There's only a few other cars parked here at the moment--you assume a couple of them belong to Sam and his friends.

Your hunch is proven right when you see Sam come around the corner of the building, followed closely by--?!!

The gangbangers who fucked you up earlier are currently flanking Sam on either side. It looks like they've changed outfits since the attack this morning. The three haven't noticed your arrival. They talk among themselves at the door for a moment, then walk into Burg's.

>Devin puts two and two together shortly after you do. "Hey, BAN?" He slowly lifts a finger and points at the restaurant. "Were those...?"

"Yes," you reply, glaring at the entrance. You try to keep a level head and think about how you're going to approach this situation...
>>
No. 978872 ID: ce39da

The attack against you is 2P's jurisdiction unless there's concrete proof that it's connected to the mayor's death. Head in after them, and try to get a nearby table for some eavesdropping - you only need to confirm their identities, then call 2P with the new info. If they spot you, act like you don't recognize them, and explain that you were actually there to find Sam's friends so they could corroborate his alibi. Make sure Devin knows the plan ahead of time, of course.
>>
No. 978878 ID: 3ed3c3

>>978870
Oh, shit shit shit.
Okay.
This is all kinds of weird. Does Sam know?
We need to find out what's going on without getting caught.
They'll recognize BAN for sure, so maybe have Devin scout it out.
>>
No. 978880 ID: df76b1

We need to call in backup, right the hell now. The only way these guys wont try blasting their way out is if they're facing enough guns to give second thoughts.
>>
No. 978921 ID: 58bb31

>>978870
Much as I'd like to get back at those two, you barely got away with you and your partners life last time. Call in backup, and hope they don't notice you. Though you also don't have time to rest on your laurels and wait for backup, no doubt Sam is going to mention that you'll be showing up soon, off-handedly or otherwise. What kind of disguise can you throw together in the next minute or so? Just enough to set yourself within earshot.
>>
No. 978933 ID: 094652

Call for backup, gear up for a shootout, and walk on in. Act casual until they pull their guns out, then smash them both into submission. Get their testimony quickly and directly.
>>
No. 979354 ID: 88966b
File 160348999425.jpg - (249.83KB , 950x702 , cop113.jpg )
979354

The two of you retreat back inside the van for a moment. You give your shotgun a quick once-over, and Devin gives his video camera a similar treatment.

There's no way you'd walk into a repeat of this morning--your headache is just starting to disappear. You decide to call for backup, pulling out the radio and tuning into the Wartown frequency again. "This is Car 'Dunce,' we've found the perpetrators from earlier," you announce urgently. "Requesting backup at Burg's, up by Northtown."

>A deep voice crackles through the speaker. "Car 'Hammer' hears you, coming your way. Give us five minutes."

>"Hammer should be enough support," the operator says. "Sit tight, and engage when they arrive."

"Great. Thanks." You turn off the radio and grimace. So the only help you can look forward to is STEVE and ERIK...

>"What do we do?" Devin asks, aiming his camera out the window. "Just wait for the cavalry?"

"No time, Sam will definitely mention that we'll be showing up soon. We need to find out what's going on without getting caught," you muse. "Can we put some kind of disguise together? I want to eavesdrop, somehow..."

>"Don't take this the wrong way, but you've got a pretty distinct face, pal. There's no way you could get in and out of there without them figuring out who you were. You'd need someone with a little less stage presence, someone they've seen a lot less of."

"Someone like you?"

>"Maybe." Devin starts rummaging through some extra clothes in the back of the van. "If you can promise me that I'm not gonna get pummeled by one of those thugs, that is."

"You should be alright. Just get within earshot, scout it out."

A fake beard and some ragged clothes turns Devin into a startlingly convincing homeless person. He hides his tape recorder and cell phone under his oversized jacket.

>The journalist slowly opens the door and gets out of the van. "The things I do for a scoop," he mutters. "I'll call you when I'm inside so you can hear, too. If things go south, come bail me out, would you?"

The two of you trade numbers. Devin makes the sign of the cross on himself, then walks straight toward Burg's.
>>
No. 979356 ID: 88966b
File 160349030335.jpg - (385.46KB , 1748x700 , cop114.jpg )
979356

You sit in the back of the van with your shotgun across your lap, occasionally peeking through the front window to check Devin's progress. When he's almost to the door, your phone rings.

>"I'm headed in. Recorder is on," he reports. "Full disclosure, I've only used the vagabond routine to sneak butt shots before today. Here goes nothing..."

You watch as he disappears into the building. There's a lot of noise on his end as he pockets his phone. Your heart picks up the pace a little as you wait for his next report.

>Finally, Devin comes back on. He's speaking with a lot more bass in his voice now, and he's put on a weird approximation of a Canardi accent. "Yeah. Yeah, Burg's. You're buying, right? Hell yeah."

"Do you see them?"

>"Oh yeah, plenty of empty seats. Just these three guys over in a booth. Hey, I'm gonna order, now."

Much to your dismay, Devin actually orders two burgers and drinks. You have a bad feeling that part of that's going to come out of your pocket, eventually.

>Several agonizing minutes later, you hear Devin moving around again. Eventually, he gets back on the line. "You still there? Yeah, food looks great. Get here before it gets cold this time, bastard. Alright. See you then."

There's a small thud, and suddenly you can hear the room a lot clearer. Devin probably set the phone on the table.

>"...but that's the truth. I'm sorry, man." You don't recognize this voice.

>There's a moment of silence, then Sam's voice speaks up. "You waited until just now to tell me this? Guys, are you serious? Miles, why didn't you--"

>"Keep it down, bro."

>"Like hell." It gets a little harder to hear, but you can still make it out. "Why'd it have to be you two, of all people?"

>"Because you trust us." You recognize the voice of the fucker who came through your window. If the other voice is Miles, this one must be SABA.

The three go silent for a moment. All you can hear is Devin loudly chewing.

>Eventually, Sam speaks up again. "My brother really went this far just to keep me out of the hunt. My own squadmates..."

>"This isn't some kind of spite thing, Sam, your brother's giving you a get out of jail free card. You don't know anything, you're not relevant to that cop's case, you're not relevant to anything we're up to. You're totally innocent to all of this, and he wanted it to stay that way."

>"It didn't really take much to convince us, either. If there's one guy from the team that deserves a clean slate, it's you."

>"Fuck." More silence. "So what now? Those cops are gonna get here eventually, and I'm gonna fold. What do I do?"

>"You tell him what we told you, you tell him what you know. Trust me, it's not enough to cause any problems for us. When they don't need you anymore, you get the hell out of Dodge."

>"And that's it? What are you guys going to do?"

>"Hang on, LT's calling. Hello?"

The line goes quiet for a little too long. You take another peek and see SABA staring straight at the van. You duck back down with a curse.
>>
No. 979358 ID: 88966b
File 160349072080.jpg - (160.70KB , 964x650 , cop115.jpg )
979358

>"That fucking cop already called for backup. Said he knew who we were. Fuck, I don't even see him out there."

>"All I gave them were names, there's no way they could've known it was you! I didn't even know--"

>"Keep it down...!"

Their voices are barely audible through the phone mic, now. You strain to make out what they're saying.

>"Two of them? That blonde's still alive?"

>"No no, he was with some guy."

>"Keep cool, we can do this. LT says we've got at least twenty minutes before we have to worry about other cops. If he IDed us, they have to hiding somewhere out there. Maybe they've switched cars, or changed to plainclothes, or what if they're using a--!!"

>"What're you thinking, Miles?"

Devin's loud smacking slowly stops.

>"A disguise...."

>There's a lot of rustling as Devin picks up the phone again. "Hey, buddy, you nearby yet? You're really bearding me, here," he says, still in-character but clearly nervous. "This food's not gonna finish itself--"

A loud crash comes through the phone speaker, followed by yelling.

>"Move again and you're dead, I mean it."

>"PLEASE DON'T SHOOT ME, JESUS CHRIST, PLEASE!! I'M NOT A COP!! SERIOUSLY, I PROMISE YOU I'M NOT A COP!!!"

>"That's him! That's the other officer!!"

>"You! Stay at the fucking register! Stay there!"

>"The cop's a hostage, so are you, Sam! Miles, let's get to the cars!"

Shit, shit, SHIT. The voices are getting further and further from Devin's phone. Peeking out, you can see a lot of movement in the restaurant...!
>>
No. 979376 ID: 094652

BREACH BREACH BREACH
>>
No. 979382 ID: 2e15a9

Let them know there's a hostage situation over the radio and who's there, and that you're going in. Attempt to bait the guys out- They want to finish what they started? You're right here!
>>
No. 979393 ID: f2320a

>>979382
Support reading all this in one sitting jas my blood pumping we also need to sample the holes for traces of anything from metal compounds could be new or old military equipment or some traces of paint or something like nail/claw fragments anything really as it can be used to identify the equipment used
>>
No. 979401 ID: df76b1

Get cover and hold the front.

You're in an interesting situation; with your shotgun and armor, you have the advantage. But they've got hostages.

Bet they can't get into a car with them, though.
>>
No. 979414 ID: eb1fcc

>>979401
Branching off this, slash their tires on your way in.
>>
No. 979415 ID: d9a20f

Usually I'd say not to go in on your own, but ERIK is on his way, and having STEVE not freeze up at his partner turning traitor isn't a guaranteed thing (that is of course assuming that all the evidence pointing to ERIK isn't all just hugely circumstantial). You may need to end this NOW.
>>
No. 979475 ID: e30795
File 160359663551.jpg - (301.48KB , 860x776 , cop116.jpg )
979475

You grab the radio one more time. "This is Car 'Dunce.' The perps have taken hostages in Burg's, one journalist and Joe Durst's brother. There's no time, I'm going in," you report quickly.

>"Don't move yet, Dunce," ERIK's voice replies. "Don't engage alone, we'll be there soon--"

You switch the radio off, heft your shotgun and exit the van.
>>
No. 979476 ID: e30795
File 160359686969.jpg - (584.92KB , 900x761 , cop117.jpg )
979476

You move quickly, closing the distance and taking cover behind one of the cars. You haven't been seen yet--from the sound of it, they're still trying to get Devin under control.

You set the gun down and grip one of the car's back wheels. A little effort mangles the wheel enough for it to start deflating. You dive for the other car and give it a similar treatment.

Just as you finish the job, you hear the front door of Burg's slide open. You snap up and take aim.

>"Shit!!" Miles locks eyes with you for one instant before ducking back inside.

"Remember me?" You call out, channeling your inner Combat Cop. "You want to finish what you started, fucker? I'm right here!"

The response is several gunshots. You stick to cover as the front door's glass shatters and falls to the ground.

>"Those were warning shots, asshole," Miles yells from somewhere inside. "Try baiting me again and you'll lose two partners today."

>"HE'S AIMING AT MY HEAD, BAN," Devin bawls. You can't see him, either. "I'M NOT SURE IF HE'S BLUFFING OR--CHRIST, OKAY!! HE'S SERIOUS, HE'S SERIOUS!!!"

>"We're both in a hurry, so let's skip the bullshit," Miles states. "These are your options. Back away from my car, put the gun down, and we all walk away unharmed. Don't, and this turns into a fucking bloodbath, understand?!"
>>
No. 979486 ID: 0db494

>>979476
Stall for time. Ask him a question to rile him up. "So why kill your own commanding officer, buddy? Revenge for all the toilet scrubbing?" or something like that.
>>
No. 979489 ID: 9f3edf

>>979476
Congrats, you fucked the situation up. Your options now are either surrender, or bloodbath. Waiting isn't an option cuz if you don't surrender in a few seconds, it defaults to bloodbath. Surrendering isn't an option, but bloodbath is pretty damn bad and only slightly better than surrendering (which will probably lead to bloodbath anyway).

I am really hoping someone else has a fucking phenomenal idea cuz i got nothing.

Also, we now have proof(!) that there is a very active rat in the 2nd precinct. The guys in the diner knew you radioed in within five minutes of your radioing in. Not only that, but they said it was the LT that told them.
>>
No. 979498 ID: d2e3bc

>>979489
yes we fucked up, but we can get out of this with more information and a safe reporter bro even if we don't wind up taking down a perp.

we've already confirmed there's a rat in the ranks, AND that they're not just picking on cops randomly. we fish for more info.

it's time to summon the power of tgchan's special bloodline technique talk-no-jutsu.
>>
No. 979499 ID: d2e3bc

>>979486
Don't do this talk no jutsu though, they just said baiting won't work. aggro approaches are out.
>>
No. 979501 ID: df76b1

I think we need to act as if hostage lives don't concern us at all.
Less leverage they think they have the better.

"You guys shot a cop this morning! You harm anyone in there, and it's death row for sure!"
>>
No. 979504 ID: 7835a9

Because of that clever tire slash, they'll fail to getaway if you back off. So, your priority is the release of the hostage.

Actually, that may work to stall them. Ask what their terms are for the release of the hostage.

Also, do they have more or less leverage if they believe they have a cop?
If you've got little idea, go with civvie. It's best that they believe this guy is just some poor sod who got caught up, as opposed to somebody who would be able to out them.
If it's better that they have a civvie, you might be able to fake that you've barely met. As a pushy reporter, he'd obviously have some idea who you are.
>>
No. 979506 ID: 094652

Damnit, I had all these great threats but you're still a cop and you need to show decency to keep the peace and make people feel safe yet free.

Still, you can insult them with disturbing comments and they'll beg to have them stricken from the record for decency.

"So this is your life now, huh? One minute you're trying to save your old war friend from going down the same self-destructive drug-addicted path you threw yourselves into, the next you're shoving his dick up a gun barrel. You cultists and your silly, screwed up rituals. I bet ERIK's laughing his ass off at how gullible and disposable you are right now."
>>
No. 979508 ID: 68dca1

>>979506
I'd drop that last bit about them being cultists and mentioning ERIK.
>>
No. 979511 ID: eb1fcc

>>979504
This one is the correct one. I repeat once more, do not provoke them. Negotiate release of our buddy in return for them getting to their cars. Do NOT let them take him, that is firmly off the table.
>>
No. 980223 ID: 88966b
File 160427743749.jpg - (544.70KB , 1900x678 , cop118.jpg )
980223

Your heart's pounding. You try to quickly think of something to say that could stall them. You consider playing it like you don't care about the hostages, maybe provoking them more, but you don't want to risk them calling your bluff. Dammit, BAN, think...!

>You catch a brief glimpse of Miles in one of the windows, then he's gone again. "BAN, is that your name? You haven't dropped the gun yet."

"What about your hostages?" you call back. You consider the angle you want to take with this. Maybe you could regain a little leverage if they really think Devin's a cop... "What are your terms to let Sam and my partner go? You guys have already shot one cop today, if you hurt another--"

>"You think I don't know that?!" Miles interrupts angrily. You catch sight of him in the window again. "Do what I say, and nobody gets hurt. I've told you what I want. Back off, drop the fucking gun, and we'll go from there."

"I want them released before you get to your cars," you demand. "You're not taking them with you."

>Miles quickly glances behind him. Whatever he sees, he doesn't seem to like. "You know what? That's fine, man," he says tersely. "Put the gun down and your pals walk out first, then me, deal?"
>>
No. 980226 ID: 094652

>>980223
"Fine, yes, deal, if anyone dies here we BOTH lose."
Put the gun down as you say this. Be sure to move further into cover away from the shotgun (don't let them see your secondary).
>>
No. 980245 ID: eb1fcc

hold up your gun, then gently toss it towards your car out of reach. then slowly back off.
>>
No. 980261 ID: 3ed3c3

Did he say "pals?" As in more than one? What's up with that?
That aside, with their tires popped, we just need to get the hostages away from them, and then we can see about wrangling these scumbags. Make a show of ditching the shotty while you discreetly ready your sidearm.
>>
No. 980284 ID: eedb5e

>>980226
Wait, does BAN even have a secondary? But yeah do that.

>>980261
Probably referring to Sam.
>>
No. 980308 ID: df76b1

I'll defer to the consensus to play it safe.
>>
No. 980395 ID: be482f

Remind them that the only reason you are not assaulting the building is because of the hostages.
If they kill them, they are done.

Also, tell them you have no reason to believe they won't kill you once you put the gun down, considering what happened earlier.
>>
No. 980615 ID: e30795
File 160485172047.jpg - (438.32KB , 900x763 , cop119.jpg )
980615

"Considering what happened earlier, how do I know you won't kill me when I drop the gun?" you ask warily.

>"I guess you'll have to trust me, same way I'm trusting that you haven't just slashed our tires yet."

That isn't comforting, at all... Still, you nod and raise the shotgun slowly. "Fine, deal. Just remember, if anybody dies here, we both lose."

You toss the weapon a small distance behind you and begin backing away from the cars. As you move, you're careful to angle yourself in a way that obscures the taser that's still holstered in your vest. You're in no man's land, now--the only potential cover is back at Devin's van, or in front of the door where those cars are sitting.

Miles waits until you've retreated behind the point where the shotgun landed, then disappears for a moment. Shortly after, Devin comes barreling out of the front door.

>The journalist nearly crashes into you in his haste. "BAN!! JESUS CHRIST, THEY WERE GOING TO SHOOT ME!!!" he wails, taking cover behind you.

Sam makes a much more reluctant exit soon after. He keeps looking back over his shoulder as he approaches the two of you. When he finally reaches you, he stays quiet, nervously shifting from foot to foot.
>>
No. 980616 ID: e30795
File 160485186646.jpg - (385.67KB , 1200x711 , cop120.jpg )
980616

>Miles is the next to come out. He keeps his pistol trained on you as he moves toward his car. "You're smarter than you look, cop," he says. "Maybe we can all get through this, after all."

You blanch as the ex-soldier proceeds to check the back wheels. He pauses for a moment, staring at them.

>When he looks up at you again, his expression is much darker. "...Or maybe not."

The next moment feels like it happens in slow motion. Miles fires a shot in the air, then jumps into his car and starts it up.

>"BAN!!!!" Devin screams, pointing upward.

SABA's appeared on the roof of Burg's, and he's scrambling to set up some kind of rifle...!
>>
No. 980625 ID: eb1fcc

>>980616
shit shit SHIT. Go for the gun, draw their fire. Let them run off, you can take a bullet or two to give them a window. Probably.
>>
No. 980649 ID: df76b1

Everyone get cover now! We can let them escape, just as long as no one gets shot.
>>
No. 980653 ID: 5b93d3

Get inside, and head upstairs. SABA is trapped, even if Miles abandons him to get away you still have someone to take in for questioning.
>>
No. 980658 ID: 8fab7a

Think fast.

... and I think pretend ruthless is the name of the game today. They really shouldn't have hurt your anger-buddy.

Tell Sam to stay put and Devin to hide behind Sam - they don't actually want to shoot him. Run right the fuck over to the car with Miles, elbow-smash through the front side-window and grab his throat/head before he can pull out and up or switch back to his gun.

SABA can't really shoot without risking stray shots perforating his buddy, but he might be crack enough to risk it if he has time to aim, so you should endeavor to make the risk even more likely / obvious by hauling Miles' ass out the car however you can (through smashed window, wiggle open door) and putting him between your vital organs and and the other demon's sights.

And prevent Miles from grabbing his gun again - something he at least has given you a helpful edge with, in trying to put two hands on the wheel.

If all goes well, use the edge you've gained - your own hostage.

"SABA! Drop that gun off of the roof NOW, or I return the favor from earlier today!"

Look to Sam.

"Sam, tell your old warbuddy to surrender or this ends very poorly for him. They can clam up all they'd like behind bars - but 1st Precinct does NOT appreciate its officers getting assaulted in broad daylight by people clearly trying to impede an active murder investigation."
>>
No. 980659 ID: eb1fcc

he's probably going to try to ram you. make sure when you're suppressing the roof guy you pay attention to that.
>>
No. 980660 ID: 63c7b6

I feel like a jerk for suggesting this, but Sam IS important to them...and within arms reach...

Just saying...
>>
No. 980676 ID: 9c4448

>>980659
How is he going to suppress the roof guy, he only has a taser
>>
No. 980679 ID: 11c9d0

That thing looks like a MAS-38 M/45 hybrid with a FAMAS carryhandle. Regardless, that looks like an smg. It likely shoots pistol bullets. While it is definitely still lethal, you should be able to tank hits with your armor. Ofc your friends aren't so fortunate so they should take cover asap. Anyway, I say you take the offensive and pray that they aren't using some weird ammo. Grab the guy out of the car, knock him out, and take his gun. Pop some shots off at the guy on the roof while you grab your shotgun. From there we will have to wait and see.
>>
No. 980680 ID: 11c9d0

Also, try to keep tabs on Sam, he may be armed and planning on threatening Devin once you are distracted.
>>
No. 980681 ID: eb1fcc

>>980676
his shotgun is like right next to his feet, lol
>>
No. 981055 ID: 88966b
File 160546100205.jpg - (414.32KB , 900x815 , cop121.jpg )
981055

You respond immediately. "Get to cover!" you shout as you go for the shotgun. Devin and Sam start making a mad dash for the van.

SABA opens fire and the ground around you is riddled with bullets. That's definitely an SMG, you think to yourself. What kind of build could it be, you wonder--fuck!!!

Four fast hits to your torso stop your tangent short. You stagger backward with the force of the strikes. You don't know if they pierced the armor or not, and there's no time to check. You angrily return fire, sending three shells' worth of buckshot in rapid succession.
>>
No. 981056 ID: 88966b
File 160546108328.jpg - (453.29KB , 1000x698 , cop122.jpg )
981056

SABA grunts and ducks behind the lip of the roof. Miles makes his move at the same time, gunning his car in reverse. The rear of the car swerves toward you, and you barely dodge it. Miles's car bangs into the second parked car, and is still for a moment.
>>
No. 981057 ID: 88966b
File 160546156428.jpg - (438.33KB , 860x842 , cop123.jpg )
981057

You go after the opportunity, firing one more shot up at the roof before approaching the stopped car. Miles reaches for his gun, but he's too slow--the butt of your shotgun decimates his window, and you forcibly yank him out of the car with one hand. He screams in pain, and you realize that you've probably crushed or broken something in his left arm on accident. Serves him right for what happened to Dane, you think darkly...

You pull the still-screaming Miles in front of you just as SABA pops up for another volley. When he realizes the situation he fires wide, barely missing you and your new hostage.

"SABA!" you yell to the gunman. "Drop that gun and get off of the roof, now, or I'll return the favor from earlier today!"

>"Shoot us both, quick!" Miles cries out. "Do it, man!!"

>SABA doesn't lower his weapon, but he doesn't fire again. "You're playing with fire, cop," he growls. "You think this gives you the upper hand?"

You glance back toward Sam. He's still cowering near the van beside Devin. If he's planning on helping these guys in any way, he hasn't made a move yet, you think.

>"Don't even think about it," Miles groans, writhing in your grip. "Sam's not talking us out of jack shit, asshole!"

Dammit, there goes that plan. "Listen, you either surrender now or this ends very poorly for you," you snap at SABA.

>The gun still doesn't waver. "You're a military man, aren't you? SABA asks.

"I'm a cop."

>"I know that firing stance, and I know that face. You were infantry, weren't you? You're a demon, so you were Advance Team, right? Which company?"

You ignore the questions and grip Miles tighter, coaxing out another pained yell from him. "Just drop the fucking gun, already!"

>"You of all people should know what this is all about. You should remember what happened across that damned border." SABA aims down the iron sight. "...And you should remember our policy on POWs."

>"Do it, bro! My job's done, anyway!" Miles yells. When he sees SABA taking aim, he cheers and weakly elbows you with his free arm. "Get some, you fucking turncoat, we've already won--"
>>
No. 981058 ID: 88966b
File 160546178325.jpg - (453.64KB , 1100x744 , cop124.jpg )
981058

The SMG chatters again and Miles's head jerks back, spraying blood. Shocked, you let go of his arm. As he falls, SABA fires another burst, hitting his partner's chest several times.

SABA pops out the spent magazine and reaches for another.

It feels like everything's slowed to a snail's pace again as you keep looking at the body. You're not sure what time it is. How long have you been standing here? Has he reloaded yet? You hear a police car's siren in the distance...
>>
No. 981060 ID: 3ed3c3

Fall back on instinct. These are hostiles, not people. Kill or be killed.
Take the shot while he reloads.
>>
No. 981062 ID: 8fab7a

Oh. Great. They were actually zealots willing to die for whatever blind cause this is. Uh. Get a grip, eyes off the body, nothing to do there. Move, in case SABA's about to shoot. Look for him.

If only moments passed, shoot his magazine. Shoot his gun. Shoot it now - even if you just dent it he might not be able to make use of it or be deprived of his backup ammo. Stop him from shooting or hurting anyone else.

If he's not there, look around, get overview of the situation, and keep moving. Go after SABA if he's retreating - but above all protect the civilians.

Think. This is a crazed ex-veteran. What'll be his next move? How you can flip his switches to draw aggro, prevent more needless deaths, other ? Is it even viable at this point to capture him alive? He clearly intends to go out guns blazing or escape to get revenge.

You've gotta stop that. Stop him from taking fresh hostages. Stop him from assassinating people in broad daylight.

... he flipped your switch. Can you flip his?

"SABA, YOU EVIL BRAINWASHED PIECE OF SHIT, HE WAS YOUR BUDDY, NOT A POW. A. FUCKING. PERSON. THE ONLY WAR RUNNING NOW IS IN YOUR HEAD AND YOU'RE LOSING IT."
>>
No. 981066 ID: 094652

You need to stop him before he kills random civilians. Keep him distracted and call for a police sniper. Head behind the car engine for cover - pile Miles' corpse on the hood for extra psychological protection.
>>
No. 981085 ID: fefad8

>"You of all people should know what this is all about. You should remember what happened across that damned border."

This is probably a question for later, but...what the FUCK happened during the war?
>>
No. 981092 ID: fefad8

>>981062
>SABA, YOU EVIL BRAINWASHED PIECE OF SHIT
I don't know if talking to him is even a remote possibility, but name-calling like that certainly isn't going to help. You can't really brow beat someone who's prepared to kill a friend almost at a moment's notice.
>>
No. 981114 ID: a0365f

>>981092
Yeah, no. Regardless of the atrocities BAN may have seen in the past, he clearly came to very different conclusions than these delusional fucks.

This is turning into a shitshow. If anyone asks, we never held that guy hostage. We dragged him out and tried to cuff him, but the other guys shot him up before we could secure him. That is basically what happened anyway.

Flip some cars onto their side and hunker down. You need to radio this all in and escalate things. This guy has done enough to warrant an immediate SWAT response. This isn't a hit and run or a guerilla ambush. This is a guy with who knows how many rounds in a vantage point firing full auto into the parking lot.
>>
No. 981126 ID: eb1fcc

>>981058
Nah. No blood-rage.
We're better than this punk. Snap out of it, Ban.

Get behind the car, backup's here already. Keep him from escaping, but know he's GOING to blow his own brains out if he gets pinned here.

That's a problem we need to solve, try and get some shot into his hands while he's still reloading. No bullets, no suicide option hopefully.
>>
No. 981852 ID: 88966b
File 160611695889.jpg - (106.81KB , 800x923 , cop125.jpg )
981852

You haven't completely left your stupor, but your instincts keep you in motion. You get eyes on SABA again. Hes about to finish reloading. You can't let him cause any more collateral damage, you think desperately. You steel your nerves again, raise your shotgun and try to aim for his gun or his hands.

Two fast shots pepper SABA's left arm and torso. He yells out a curse and ducks again, almost dropping his weapon in the process.

You rush to take cover behind Miles's incapacitated car. Your head's swimming with rage and adrenaline. You want to scream at SABA for what he's done, but you hold it in--anything you'd say would fall on deaf ears, with a zealot like this. Now you just hope that the bastard's finally unable to continue.

Your heart sinks as SABA stands and attempts to fire a volley one-handed. The shots are all over the place, punching holes in the car and tearing up the asphalt nearby. When he sees how poor his aim is, he angrily returns to his cover.

You're losing the last of your cool. Two warriors are in a firefight right now, you think grimly. Should you even bother thinking about taking him alive, anymore? This isn't a person that you're trying to arrest. He's a hostile, and he's deadly, which means that it's kill or be killed...

When the enemy stands again, you're ready. You already have his head in your sights.
>>
No. 981853 ID: 88966b
File 160611721003.jpg - (164.22KB , 1000x739 , cop126.jpg )
981853

Two Second Precinct patrol cars come tearing into the parking lot, sirens wailing. They come to a stop a short distance from you. SABA sprays wildly at them for a moment, then crouches again.

>"You dumbass!" STEVE climbs out of his car and rushes to your side. "You alright?"

"I'm fine," you say, lowering your weapon. You've never been so relieved to see this asshole's familiar face. The sight of him clears your head and brings some of your focus back. You're a cop, you remind yourself...

At his signal, Two more cops pile out of the other car and join you. They provide cover fire, taking potshots at the roof with their pistols.
>>
No. 981854 ID: 88966b
File 160611764282.jpg - (114.23KB , 860x858 , cop127.jpg )
981854

>"You won't stop us!!" SABA bellows. He flings the gun down at you before disappearing from view.

>"He's gonna run," STEVE says urgently. "Go after him!"

A white blur flies over your cover, hits the ground and dashes for the building. ERIK tears up the side of Burg's at an absurd pace. In seconds he's made it to the roof, and soon he's disappeared over the other end. Something about his aura gives you a bad feeling... You stand up and start after him.

>STEVE puts a hand on your shoulder. "Easy tiger," he says. "ERIK will bring the guy in, without fail. You don't need to push yourself any further, do you?" You can't tell if he's asking you or ordering you...
>>
No. 981860 ID: df76b1

I need him alive, you know.

Your partner goes tearing off like that, a guy could get the wrong idea.
>>
No. 981878 ID: b8579e

>>981854
Tell him we have enough evidence to believe ERIK might be compromised. We need to be on our guard. Clarify that this isn't an accusation, it is just a precaution.
>>
No. 981885 ID: 70b26d

>>981878
Much as I want to end this charade now and bring him in, the timing isn't...prudent. Imagine STEVE'S position: some upstart low level cop you hate starts a firefight in your precinct, alone, and when you bale his ass out the first thing he does is accuse your partner of treason. Doesn't look good.
SABA most likely isn't coming out of this alive, nothing much we can do about that. For now our best bet is to play along with whatever story ERIK cooks up to explain why he couldn't bring him in alive. If pressed for what you found at the mansion tell them what you know, minus the tidbits that would tip off ERIK that we are on to him.
>>
No. 981907 ID: 77cba3

They had backup so Erik needs backup. This day has been bad enough without something going wrong and Erik getting hurt.

At least that is the excuse we will give for following. If you can still move there is no reason to not help cut the guy off.
>>
No. 981911 ID: b8579e

>>981885
I said compromised, not a traitor. That could mean he is being blackmailed or threatened. I absolutely agree that this is not the time and place. I wouldn't even suggest saying anything, but if SABA is more important to ERIK than STEVE and the other cops, then ERIK may switch sides. Hell, he could even try to kill everyone here and then bring BAN in saying that BAN went berserk during his blood rage or whatever and killed everyone. ERIK has enough prestige that he could probably convince anyone who questions it despite it not fitting BAN's character.
>>
No. 981952 ID: 380509

The way those bricks are damaged reminds me of a certain bridge we saw not too long ago...

We can't say for sure if ERIK is behind everything but it's pretty clear that something's fishy about him (and honestly, both of the shoot-outs so far). We could try to circle around the building and intercept SABA and/or ERIK as they come down from the roof with some kind of "securing the perimeter excuse", maybe getting STEVE to come with us.
>>
No. 981955 ID: eb1fcc

>>981854
honestly, just thank him for getting there in time.

I think we seriously misjudged this dude. He's an angry lil' shit, but he's had our back.

We should buy him a sandwich when things calm down.
>>
No. 982399 ID: e30795
File 160667075276.jpg - (134.20KB , 980x701 , cop128.jpg )
982399

You shrug off STEVE's hand. "Thanks for getting here in time, seriously. But ERIK's..." You hesitate, choosing your words carefully. "He's going to need backup, and I need this guy alive. I can still move, I'm going to secure the perimeter and get after them."

>STEVE nods and double-checks his pistol. "Alright, then. We'll both go, my guys can secure the restaurant."

The two of you take off to one side of the building. You wrap around toward the back, eyes scanning the roof as you go. You come around the corner and put on some more speed, ready to cut them off--?!!
>>
No. 982401 ID: e30795
File 160667133858.jpg - (124.88KB , 1050x715 , cop129.jpg )
982401

Shit.

>"Shit," STEVE hisses.

The restaurant's back lot is completely empty. Two heavy dents on the dumpsters tell you that your quarries have already come down from the roof, and a fresh set of tire tracks say that they've taken off for god knows where.

>"So he had a getaway plan," STEVE mutters, glaring at the tracks. "Knowing ERIK, he's probably got his claws dug into the back of that asshole's car right now. He'll drag him back here, soon enough."

He doesn't sound too sure of himself, you think. You take a second to catch your breath, then take another look around. Dammit, there really is no other trace of them. Looking at how the tracks meet the lot's exit, all you can deduce for sure is that they took off in the general direction of Wartown...

>The back door opens, and one of STEVE's cops pokes his head out. "Boss, the cashier and the cook staff are all okay," he reports. "We're getting statements from those guys out front too, they're pretty shaken up but they're alright. Looks like the only casualty's that prick near the cars."

>STEVE lets out a sigh of relief and holsters his pistol. "Great. Get one of our specialists, another car and a coroner out here, let's get this shitshow sorted out. And keep an ear out, ERIK will probably be calling in an arrest."

>He turns to you. "So what's your next move, BAN? Is the 1P's rampage over, yet?" He asks dryly. "If you want to stick around for cleanup this time we'd appreciate it, unless you've got some more fires to start around town."
>>
No. 982423 ID: 094652

Call in the arrest first. This is your ^&*(-show, not ERIK's. Check the bar in case they dropped something between the moment they were cheering their friend's retirement and using him as a hostage.
>>
No. 982430 ID: 380509

Looks like there's a security camera pointing directly at the tire tracks, how convenient. We should ask the owner if we can see the footage from today to see how ERIK and SABA got away, and if there was anything else suspicious that we'd missed.

Other than that, we should probably check on Sam and Devin and help STEVE sort things out at what is now most definitely a crime scene.
>>
No. 982451 ID: 3ed3c3

Check the footage for that camera. I have a feeling we might see something important.
>>
No. 982452 ID: 3ed3c3

Oh, and check on Devin, too. Poor guy.
>>
No. 982491 ID: 1872fa

>>982401
Get the footage from the camera, hope it gives us a good view.

>took off in the general direction of Wartown
Oh man I hope they aren't going after Dane
>>
No. 982518 ID: eb1fcc

>>982430
Camera. Call in and make sure the hospital's on lookout too, bad feeling in the gut.
>>
No. 982709 ID: 5a788d

Check then CCTV, but drag STEVE along too. Would suck to have actual evidence on ERIK and have the machine eat the tape.
>>
No. 982902 ID: e30795
File 160731405738.jpg - (314.73KB , 980x563 , cop130.jpg )
982902

"Yeah, I'll help you sort everything out," you say, still eyeing the tracks. A concerning idea comes to mind... "We should get DeValle Memorial on the line, just in case."

>"The hospital? There's no way the perp will make it that far with ERIK on his ass."

You take Dane's radio out of one of your vest pockets. You're relieved to see that it wasn't damaged further during the shootout. "I've got a bad feeling in my gut, STEVE. They should be on the lookout."

>"You took a nine millimeter round in the stomach, of course your gut feels bad. Your sidekick's safe." STEVE pauses for a second, then shakes his head and shrugs. "Let me get one of my guys to call... They'll take the warning more seriously if a 2P cop gives it."

"Thanks..." You pocket the radio again and give the area another pass over. Your eyes are drawn to what looks to be an old security camera, fixed over the back door. If it caught how those two got away...!

>STEVE notices the camera shortly after you. "What are the odds that that thing works?"

"Let's find out," you reply, walking into the restaurant.
>>
No. 982905 ID: e30795
File 160731449876.jpg - (473.25KB , 950x819 , cop131.jpg )
982905

The 2P cops have already gathered Sam, Devin and the Burg's staff in the dining area. STEVE sends one cop back to his car to handle contacting the hospital, and the other exits to start cordoning off the parking lot. You check your watch for the first time in what feels like ages: it's almost 11:40.

Before going for the recordings, you take a second to look around. It doesn't seem like SABA and Miles left anything of note behind. Your examination leads you to where the ex-hostages are resting, a few booths over from where Devin was tackled. When you approach, Sam is just staring blankly at the ground, shaking his head. Devin is visibly trembling, maybe from shock or adrenaline, but he seems to be keeping it together.

>Devin gawks at your appearance. "Jesus H. Christ, are you alright?!! Did you get hit?! Is that your blood, or is it all from...?" He trails off awkwardly, glancing at Sam.

"I'm fine," you say, double-checking to make sure none of SABA's rounds actually pierced the vest. You're definitely getting your money's worth from the thing--you look like a walking corpse, but you're more or less intact. "How are you holding up?"

>"Oh, I'm fine too, of course!! I'm a journalist, I've been in worse scrapes than this," he brags with a forced grin. "I'd be more worried about Mr. Durst, here..."

You try to get Sam's attention, but he ignores you. You're about to try again when one of the Burg's staff members approaches you.

>"Excuse me, officer? I'm the day shift manager here. I heard you guys wanted to see the security cameras..."
>>
No. 982910 ID: e30795
File 160731502925.jpg - (342.80KB , 1100x630 , cop132.jpg )
982910

You and STEVE follow the manager back to a tiny room on one side of the kitchen. This shitty manager's office is pretty comparable to yours, you think...

>"We need the footage from that camera in the back lot, shortly after the shots started," STEVE orders.

>The manager turns on his desktop and turns the monitor toward you. "The CCTV cameras record up to twenty-four hours, they delete the old footage every night at midnight," he explains. "If you're trying to see something that happened in the back, I should be able to pull it up. There's no sound, but the video's pretty clear."

He opens the rear camera's live feed and rolls it back several minutes...

A plain-looking red car is sitting in the middle of the back lot. It looks like its engine is running.

You watch SABA land on one of the dumpsters hard. He falls off of it and onto the ground, clutching his arm. He's still scrambling to get up and go for the car as ERIK lands on the second dumpster.

>"Oh boy, here we go," STEVE chuckles under his breath. "Sic em, buddy."

ERIK smoothly hops off of the dumpster and approaches slowly, stopping a short distance from the injured veteran. The SABA turns to him and says something. ERIK says something back, and SABA nods vigorously as he responds.

The exchange continues for several long seconds. A few more times ERIK asks or says something, and SABA responds affirmatively. SABA nods once more and moves to open the driver's side door.

He turns back to ERIK and salutes. ERIK turns and stares up at the camera for a moment. Then he quickly gets into the car, helps SABA climb into the other side, and tears out of the parking lot.

Maybe two seconds later, you and STEVE enter the frame.
>>
No. 982917 ID: e30795
File 160731546575.jpg - (408.18KB , 980x691 , cop133.jpg )
982917

>The manager pauses the feed and looks at the two of you. "I think that's everything. I can get you a copy of this, if it'd help."

You glance at STEVE and flinch. The cop's face is completely contorted with rage. He leans on the desk and wordlessly rewinds the footage, pausing on the frame of ERIK staring into the lens.

>The manager swallows nervously. "Officer...?"

>"That'd be great, thanks," STEVE says. You can hear him straining to stay civil. "Now leave the room."

The manager beats a swift retreat. STEVE quietly replays the footage several more times.

>After a long silence, he glances over at you. There's a dangerous look in his eyes. "This... This stays quiet until I have my hands on the Durst case. Nobody hears of this until I say they do."

"You can't just--!" STEVE's wild glare kills the sentence in your throat.

>"Nobody. Nobody, goddammit. Especially not your little paper boy, out there. You promise that to me right now or I will make the next 36 hours of your life hell on fucking earth, I swear to god..."
>>
No. 982922 ID: 77cba3

"Oh you are going to make my life miserable? How about you applogize for that remark. Because if I don't get one we are going to start saying things to each other that we can't take back."

"We are up to our ears in this together Steve. If you want this done right you will drop your pride and and stop giving ultimatums. We have active terrorists in the force attacking cops and killing polititions. We could have bombings and full on war in the street soon."

"All the departments need to work together right now despite any petty differences we might have."
>>
No. 982925 ID: 094652

"I need to know that if the time comes, you will execute your former partner before he murders another innocent, directly or indirectly. Promise that, and I'll shut up until you're ready to go public with this.

And you will go public with this, or I'll take you down with me."
>>
No. 982927 ID: e8a473

>>982917
"Fine, sure, whatever! But your going to have to tell me everything you know about your 'partner'. You and I and Sam can have a nice, long, chat together."
>>
No. 982941 ID: df76b1

STEVE. You've been compromised by your partner. You aren't going to get your turn on this case, or the FEDS would audit our whole department. You know that.

Not everything is even on that tape. It Just confirms a few things. If you need time so bad, tell me what you're going to do with it.
>>
No. 982947 ID: 449631

I'll ignore the threat and at least appreciate that if this had happened with my team I would want to be able to handle it personally without everone butting in. But you already know well enough that I want to actually get this case delt with insted of just being treated like a timed obstacle for you.
>>
No. 982953 ID: 67d59f

Tell him to calm the fuck down. This is incredibly traumatic for him and he is being irrational. Letting the 2nd take control of the case would only make things look worse, especially if anyone else may be compromised. Offer to let STEVE work with us if he wants, however it would have to be on the down low so as to not arouse suspicion. Promise that you are not out for vengeance and will try your damnedest to keep the 2nd's reputation from being harmed.
>>
No. 982973 ID: 5a788d

>>982917
Promise it won't go public, but your guys are going to have to hear about this. ERIK knows he's rumbled, he's not going to work subtly any more.
>>
No. 982984 ID: 472a02

"STEVE. You're not going to get the case. As much as I would trust you with it, when (not if) it will be revealed I handed it off while knowing full well your partner has gone rogue, we will both get skewered by our respective administrations and possibly make all our work unusable in court.

Now, I can hold my tongue if you need some time, but if you have a plan, you better tell me about it. We need to work together on this."

On a side note, I really doubt STEVE is part of this conspiracy, no way he's faking it. I think we can trust him with all the info we have on the case. Heck, our partner is incapacitated and his partner has just gone AWOL. We might as well team-up, at least for the rest of the day.
>>
No. 983036 ID: eb1fcc

>>982953
this one. STEVE's losin' his cool. He's shown us he's at the very least a better cop than that.
>>
No. 983566 ID: 88966b
File 160797035059.jpg - (345.41KB , 900x702 , cop134.jpg )
983566

You regain some nerve and shake your head. "You're being irrational," you snap. "Take that back and get a hold of yourself, before we both say something we'll regret. You know you're not going to get this case, not now."

>"I'll show you irrational, you little...!!" STEVE snatches you by the vest for a moment, but thinks better of it and lets go. He backs off, wiping his bloodied hand on a pants leg. "Damn it all... Fine, forget I said that."

You hold your ground and adjust your blood-soaked tie. "I get where you're coming from, but the 2P's compromised. I can promise not to go public but our people need to be told, and when they find out what happened here..."

>STEVE deflates a little. "Goddammit, I know. There's not a snowball's chance in hell that we'll be allowed to head the investigation."

"Exactly. If you took over now, we'd both get skewered by administration. But..." You decide to front an idea that's just come to you. "Maybe, if you kept things on the down low, we could share information and still handle this case together."

>The captain lets out a humorless laugh. "'On the down low,' huh? So I should work under you in secret, that's your proposition?"

"We're up to our ears in this together, STEVE. We could be looking at a full-on war in the streets, soon." You cautiously extend a hand. "Drop the pride bullshit, and quit threatening me. Work with me, and I'll try my best to help keep the 2P's name clean."

>STEVE stares at you. "BAN, you and your precinct are a bunch of bastards," he says frankly. He hesitates for another second, then takes your hand and shakes it roughly. "But damn it, you might be the only cops I can trust with this. I'll help, for now."

Teaming up with STEVE, you think to yourself. Just a few days ago, the thought would never have crossed your mind... "Alright," you say. "Just so we're clear, though, if the time comes--"

>"Yes." STEVE's eyes are drilling right through your skull. "Yes, I'll handle that motherfucker when the time comes. I'll do it with my own hands."

You swallow hard and nod. "Great. Now I think you, me and Sam should have a talk..."
>>
No. 983567 ID: 88966b
File 160797086675.jpg - (351.15KB , 900x814 , cop135.jpg )
983567

You call Sam into the office. He still looks shell-shocked... He props himself against the desk and stares at the computer monitor.

"First things first," you say, turning to STEVE. "Tell me everything you know about your 'partner.'"

>STEVE closes his eyes and leans against the wall. "We all started in the academy at the same time, ten years ago. You remember those days, right? Probably not, you were like a zombie back then."

"Just talk ERIK, STEVE."

>"Right. I knew him since the academy, we were both assigned to work in Wartown and came up together. I think he started working as my partner seven or eight years ago. I knew he was a veteran, but he never talked about it and I never asked."

"Do you have anything more?"

>STEVE shrugs, a bewildered look on his face. "I trusted him with my life, we were inseperable on the job. Shit, we were even co-chapter leaders for Wartown's cop union. But standing here thinking about it, I don't know if there's a single notable thing about him that I could tell you."

>"That's ERIK, for you." Sam's hoarse voice startles both of you. He continues gazing at the monitor. "You wake up one day and you start wondering why this total stranger is next to you, pretending to be everybody's friend. When you notice it, you can't unsee it. You don't know when he showed up, or how long it's been. You start wondering why everyone's going along with it like it's normal. And why you are, too...."

>Sam shakes his head like he's coming out of a trance. He grinds his teeth for a moment, clearly thinking hard about something. He turns to you, looking even more distressed than before. "I'll... I'll tell you everything I know, alright? Whatever you want to know, if it'll help you catch ERIK," he blurts out. "Anything, if I know it, I'll tell you. Just... I think something terrible's about to happen..."
>>
No. 983605 ID: df76b1

Let's start with the obvious one- what's he trying to accomplish?
Your sister in law the prospective new mayor- one with a lot of financing- What kind of thing would she back that Joe wouldn't?

Too much gang involvement for this to just be an affair.
>>
No. 983606 ID: 77cba3

Wait did someone mind control Erik in here Sam?

Is there anyone else that matches the "out of nowhere" or is Sam just being wierd.

I am thinking there is some big ass history we don't know about.
>>
No. 983631 ID: 370351

>>983567
"Sam, are you saying he has mind control powers or something? Or is he just really persuasive? Oh, and tell me everything you know about this 'hunt', what happens in it and the like."
>>
No. 983634 ID: 094652

You need to know about the cult's hierarchy and charter - who's in control, and why are they doing this?
You also want the names of anyone loosely linked to all of this. You should focus on decoupling anyone related to this whole mess right now, before the cult reaches its aggressive phase and sends its members into a death spiral.
Lastly, you need to know about any safe houses under the cult's control. If you take them over, you can wage an intel war against the cult and take out enough key members to minimize the damage.
>>
No. 983657 ID: eb1fcc

>>983567
the fuck are you guys talking about mind control, what?

Ask about the hunt, that's the most important question here. What is the hunt? Why would someone sacrifice their allies and reputation for it?
>>
No. 983670 ID: 1179b6

>>983567
Doubt it is mind control. It is probably just a Machiavellian personality and a healthy dose of charisma.
>>
No. 983676 ID: 3ed3c3

>>983567
Yeah, no shit. We have a pack of fanatics with guns running the streets and planning some terrorist crap, and we've had one of them spying on us for who knows how long.
ERIK is a manipulator, there's no denying that. He wormed his way into the force to keep tabs on us and keep whatever assholes he's working with out of sight.
Who are these people? What's their motive? Their endgame? How many are there? Do they have any hideouts?
>>
No. 984080 ID: dba489
File 160855368457.jpg - (534.73KB , 800x888 , cop136.jpg )
984080

"First of all, what is this 'hunt?'" you ask. "What exactly is ERIK trying to accomplish?"

>"A few months before shit hit the fan in Canard, ERIK had us all memorize this passage from one of his books. 'His spears will become her own, and hunt the wrongful master and all that is his unto death,'" Sam tentatively recites. He screws his eyes shut and thinks hard. "Uh... 'Blood will flow like water, and upon it she will descend. Thus EIRIS, the master's master, the spearman's shield, will exact justice...'"

>He opens his eyes and looks at the two of you anxiously. "What's he trying to accomplish? He's trying to go postal on this city, that's what. I don't know who his next target will be, but I know that if he stays loose, somebody else is bound to die. And if more guys from my company are in on it too..." he shudders.

"And he'd sacrifice his allies and reputation for this?"

>"Yes," Sam says without hesitation. "'Anything and anyone, for the mission...'"

>"But why?" STEVE asks, frustrated. "The war ended a decade ago. How could these assholes still be this obsessed?!"

>"It doesn't leave you easily, officer. The end of the war was a nightmare for the Advance Team," Sam explains. His expression goes blank as he recalls it. "For months we were hit with ambushes, artillery, bombing runs... Comms with our 'support' was a joke, and we were strafed by our own fighter jets more than once. We found out later that we had literally been left for dead--while we took on the whole damned country, the rest of the UCS forces just sat on the border and watched. A whole battalion, thrown to the wolves to stall for time. And after we bled to take and hold all that land, the peace treaty just gave it back..."

You absentmindedly finger the butt of your shotgun. That's enough to make anyone jaded for life, you think bitterly.

>"While our company was in it, it seemed like my brother and ERIK were the only reasons that any of us were still alive. We were all-in on everything they preached, we did anything they asked like our souls were on the line. That quote was like a mantra--we looked forward to the day when we'd finally make it out and go on the hunt, and pay back some of the fucking bastards that put us there to begin with..." Sam's own words seem to scare him. "I, uh... I'm just saying what we thought at the time. When the war ended, I got past that stuff. But a lot of other guys didn't..."

"Tell me about your company's hierarchy," you say. "How many of them are there?"

>"If everyone from my company who crossed the border and survived is in on it, there could be at least 150 vets ready to hunt. If guys who didn't make it that far get involved, maybe 200. I don't even want to think about the chance that guys from other companies would get roped in, too. For all of our sakes, I hope that I'm overestimating..."

This is getting better and better... "Assuming the worst, what would their chain of command be? Can you give me names?"

>Sam racks his brain desperately. "ERIK's the highest-ranking officer that's still alive. Not counting me, I remember seven other squad leaders that made it through Canard... Ronnie, WES, YAMA, SALLE, PAVEL, BRICK and ANDY could all be in. There were some others that ate it way before we hit the border, and I remember BILL got wounded and flown out right before we went over. Below that, it's just a lot of privates and corporals."

"I see... You don't know of any hideouts or safehouses, do you?"

>"I don't know for sure," Sam says. "When SABA and Miles came clean to me about being in town for the hunt, they mentioned that they were laying low on the south side of Wartown. But they also told me that I could tell you that, which might mean it's a trick..."

"I've been wondering about something else," you say. "Your sister-in-law, the prospective new mayor. Is there anything that she would back that he wouldn't?"

>Sam's face falls. "I've been thinking about that for a while now," he sighs. "I... I don't know. They're practically the same person when it comes to politics. But if the same person's going to end up the mayor either way, I just don't know why my brother had to die..."

>STEVE glances at his watch. "Shit... If you've got more questions, we should handle them on the go," he says urgently. "Whatever those bastards are gonna do next, they have a twenty minute head start. This is your case, 'boss'--what should we do?"

You ignore the sarcasm, check your own watch and utter a curse as well. STEVE's right--It's already 12:00. You try to quickly digest everything and figure out the best course of action...
>>
No. 984090 ID: eb1fcc

>>984080
I can't think of anything to follow up on in the immediate sense, but it's notable to me that of the 9 surviving ranked officials mentioned, only two are human: Ronnie and Sam.

We've seen that demons are a LOT more durable than humans so far, which tells me that these two are some particularly hardass humans.

Now, Sam's pretty rattled by this whole situation, but that makes sense to me since he's pretty much just gotten confirmation his most proven allies in life are involved in a military death cult.

But what's Ronnie's deal? He stands out to me.

I think we should get to Dane ASAP and find out.
>>
No. 984091 ID: 094652

>>984080
So ERIK's gone Big Boss and wants to create his own Outer Haven cult.

>"Why my brother had to die"
Occam's Razor? Jealousy. Your brother was on the fast track to becoming a senator, or even a shot at running the big fish election, or whatever. His motivation to stay on as a co-leader of the cult of EIRIS withered, while ERIK couldn't catch up in power. Hell, he might have been planning the cult's downfall and his convenient 'bust' of them as his magnum opus - or rather, ERIK would think that way. All your brother had to say to trigger ERIK into a murder-fest was "I don't want to lead this movement anymore" or "we have to lay low".

>What do
Send a drone to scout the place SABA and Miles were talking about. It's likely a trap, so bring an unregistered model and make it look like the local kids were having fun; don't worry about collecting solid evidence, just find some leads and trip deathtraps before someone else barges in and gets killed.

Search the internet for those phrases, the sooner you can find a copy of whatever scripture ERIK is quoting, the sooner you can get a framework for their charter and motives.
>>
No. 984101 ID: df76b1

We can't keep this shooting a secret for long, if at all.

Sam, you're not being detained, but you're now a big part of the case. We advise you to stay under police custody. There's no guarantee if you go home they won't try to get you.

I suppose working the internet angle and investigating the hideout are both logical points of interest. STEVE's gonna examine ERIK some more- at this point, he's our probable perp.

Maybe we should go see Dane.
>>
No. 984169 ID: cd79f5

>>984080
Yama. Yama, we've heard that name before. Wait, he's the top donor for the mayor
YAMA DeValle - approx. 80 million, Errata Corrige'

So right now he's the tentative top suspect
'
>>
No. 984224 ID: dba489
File 160877553102.jpg - (455.24KB , 980x606 , cop137.jpg )
984224

"We should get eyes on that place that SABA and Miles mentioned," you tell STEVE. "You guys don't have access to drones, do you?"

>"Of course we do," STEVE says incredulously.

Of course they do... "Get your hands on one and try to scout that spot out. And make sure the drone looks civilian, we're not trying to set anything off yet."

>The captain's got an eager look in his eyes as he nods. "It'll be done within the hour. What's the address?"

>"Somewhere on Fourth Avenue, a few blocks from the bridge, they said." Sam's shoulders sag. "I'm officially in the game now, aren't I? So much for getting out of Dodge..."

"Sorry," you say. "You're not being detained, but you're a big part of this case now, Sam. We'd advise that you stay under police custody--we can't guarantee that you'd be safe if you went back home."

>The veteran sadly nods. "I understand..."

>"I'd offer to get him squared away, but he might be safer with the 1P," STEVE says. "Think you can get him to your station in one piece?"

"Of course," you say. You grab your shotgun and start for the door. "Let's get moving."
>>
No. 984225 ID: dba489
File 160877616853.jpg - (421.93KB , 900x843 , cop138.jpg )
984225

STEVE hangs back to give some last-minute orders to his guys while you head outside, Devin and Sam trailing close behind. As you pass by the aftermath of the fight, neither of your fellows can bring themselves to look.

>"I don't think I'll ever be able to eat here again," Devin says somberly. "It was a good burger, too... Where to now?"

"DeValle Memorial," you say. "I should check in with my partner."

>"Yes, sir!!!" Devin stops at the door to the van and looks you over. "But maybe you should clean up a bit before getting in..."

Devin's failed costume is repurposed as a cleaning rag. Your vest and clothes still look terrifying, but at least your face isn't covered in gore anymore. Soon, you're on your way into the center city.

After getting Devin up to speed, you sit back and mull over everything you've learned. So, ERIK's trying to erect some kind of military cult of personality... It's a lot like that Steel Gears game you used to play, years ago. He could have any number of motives for orchestrating Joe Durst's death, maybe jealousy, or maybe a twisted sense of self-preservation. If Joe had voiced any kind of of dissent to what the two of them had been planning, it could have been the catalyst for all of this...

>"A secret army on a religious crusade," Devin says giddily as he makes an illegal left turn. Getting some distance from the place where he almost got shot seems to have helped his mood considerably. "God, what a story. If we can just stay in one piece for long enough, we'll be set for life."

An idea comes to mind. "Devin, can Sam use your laptop?" you ask. You turn to Sam, who's currently wedged between two boxes in the back. "If we can find the book that that passage is from, we can get a better handle on what exactly these guys want."

>"Yeah sure," Devin says. "The Loginos Library's online catalog should have anything you're looking for, if you connect to the internet. Just don't open my Crosshair folder, yeah?"

>Sam searches for a few minutes before excitedly nodding. "This is it, I'm sure of it! 'Soldier's Way,' that's the one he read from, I remember this cover. It's been translated a million times but it originally dates back to ancient Doria. Like, pre-Christendom, pagan times. It looks like a lot of tactics books have quoted it too, I'm seeing military texts from the middle ages all the way up to 'Concrete Jungle.'"

As Sam keeps browsing, you decide to ask him something that came to mind earlier. "What's Ronnie's deal? The two of you seem different from the rest of your company's surviving sergeants."

>"Ronnie?" Sam looks up from the laptop. "He was just like Joe, he was what we all tried to be during the war. A crazy motherfucker, tough and lucky, the closest thing to a demon that we could dream of being. With Miles gone, I guess the two of us are the only human NCOs left from our company." He grimaces at the realization.

If he shared a rank with someone like that, Sam's probably a lot tougher than he lets on too, you think. You go over the list of sergeants one more time, thinking about any others that stood out. There was one name that gave you a sense of deja vu...

"Wait, YAMA? As in, YAMA DeValle...?" you ask, half to yourself.

>"How'd you know his last name?" Sam asks. "He was one of the squad leaders in Joe's platoon."

>"WHAT??!!!" Devin yells, spinning around in his seat. The van swerves wildly in response, and he sheepishly faces the road again. "YAMA DeValle served in your batshit unit?!! Like, our local billionaire?!!!"

>It's Sam's turn to be shocked, now. "Billionaire?! I haven't kept up with him, is he really...?" You watch as the name of your current destination clicks in his head. "Jesus, really?"

>"He's the poster boy for both new and old money," Devin says. "After the war he took over DeValle Works, his father's arms company, and he expanded it into this huge industrial monopoly. Half the country runs on his equipment, now. Geeze, if he's payrolling these nutjobs...!!"

"He was the top donor for Joe's campaign, too... That's a real possibility." You get a bad feeling in the pit of your stomach. KYLE headed out to track down persons of interest three hours ago, and YAMA was on his high-priority list. You hope he hasn't run into any trouble...

A few more hazardous turns, and the hospital comes into view.
>>
No. 984230 ID: dba489
File 160877692117.jpg - (368.70KB , 900x708 , cop139.jpg )
984230

It's just short of 12:45 when you enter DeValle Memorial Hospital's grounds. The stark white building is massive--you're sure that in this part of the city, its enormous capacity is put to good use. You wonder what part of this giant structure Dane's currently stuck in...

>Devin pulls into the parking garage and tries to park as inconspicuously as he can. He glances around, scanning every other nearby car for danger. "Uh, maybe you should take point on this one," he says with a nervous laugh. "Just in case?"

"I've got it," you reply, climbing out. "You two stay here and lie low."

You'd feel wrong toting a shotgun inside a hospital, so you opt to leave it behind. You feel scarily naked when you close the door...You touch the taser holstered in your vest for reassurance and start toward the main entrance.

It's a fairly busy day for the front desk. You join the line of people waiting to check in.

>A passing nurse does a double take when she sees you. "Oh my god," she exclaims, a look of horror on her face. "Oh my god!! Sir, are you alright?!"

Heads turn, and more people stare in shock at your appearance. You squirm awkwardly under their fearful gazes. "Uh..."
>>
No. 984243 ID: 094652

>Sir, are you alright-
"I'll manage. Most of the damage is to my armor, give me a quick checkup so I can get back to work."
>>
No. 984244 ID: 53560f

Don’t worry, it’s mostly not my blood, I think.
I’m here to see my partner, she would have come in recently after a car crash and shootout. Could you please direct me to where she would be found.
She’s the one with the potty mouth and ceaseless glare into your soul.
>>
No. 984248 ID: eb1fcc

>>984230
...are we? We should probably take stock of that now that the adrenaline's worn off.
>>
No. 984274 ID: df76b1

>>984244
Mostly like this, I think.
>>
No. 984287 ID: dba489
File 160892081276.jpg - (433.31KB , 950x750 , cop140.jpg )
984287

"I'll manage," you say cheerily. "Don't worry, most of it isn't my own blood, I think."

>Somehow, your remark seems to make the nurse even more upset. "Oh my god...! Please, come with me!"

Before you have a chance to say anything, you're being rushed to the ED. Within minutes you find yourself in a small room, getting your vest removed by two nurses. As they carefully undo the straps, you're a little scared to look--you go over the whole firefight again, asking yourself if you really got through it in one piece or not. You know just how long a man can go without feeling an injury, as long as he doesn't see it...

>"Do you think it's shock? What do we do?" one of the nurses whispers to the other.

"What?" You blink. "No no, I just zoned out for a second. I'm fine, really..."

>"Barely," the second nurse says. He hefts the vest and slips out one of its plates so you can see how damaged it is. "One more shot to the body, and you'd be in surgery right now. Belle, give me a hand with his shirt--we should check for blunt trauma."

They slowly remove your bloodstained shirt and tie. The first nurse gasps and puts a hand to her mouth.

You glance down worriedly, but are relieved to see nothing out of the ordinary on your torso. You've got some angry-looking bruises where the bullets struck the vest, but other than that you're unscathed.

>"Jesus," the second nurse says under his breath. "So you've been this lucky for a while, huh..."

>He looks you over and runs a series of basic checks. Eventually, he reluctantly nods and hands you back your shirt. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but with a day or two of rest you'll be good to go, physically."

"That's great," you say.

>He shakes his head, a stern look on his face. "Not just great. In this part of town that's a miracle, cherish it. Can we do anything else for you while you're here, officer?"

"I actually came here to see my partner," you say. "She would've come in recently, from a car crash and shootout? She's got a mouth like a sailor and a pretty intense stare, if that narrows it down at all..."

>The two look at each other, then back to you. "You mean the sergeant. So you're Captain BAN?"

>"She's been fighting with our staff about getting discharged all morning. We had to move her to one of the upper levels, it was getting too disruptive..."

You nod vigorously. "That's the one. Can you tell me how to get to her?"

>"She has a room to herself on the tenth floor," the first nurse says. "I can take you there."
>>
No. 984288 ID: dba489
File 160892104693.jpg - (364.96KB , 1284x500 , cop141.jpg )
984288

You quickly put on your shirt and tie, and slip back into the damaged vest. One of the nurses leads you back through the ED and into a hallway with an elevator.

>"She's as tough as you are," the nurse says as she punches the button for the tenth floor. "Maybe even tougher, considering her smaller size. She was pretty shell-shocked when she came in, but it seems like the initial trauma was the worst part--right now, it looks like all she'll have to worry about is moderate bruising along the posterior chain and a light concussion. When she first came in we were sure she'd be paralyzed, so this really is the best case scenario."

You reach the tenth floor and follow the nurse to a door at the end of the hall.

>The nurse knocks on the door, then turns back to you. "If I can just say something before you go in," she says, lowering her voice a little. "I'd highly suggest letting her rest for a week or more, just to be safe. She's been very...adamant about seeing you and getting back to work, but I don't think that's the best course of action for--"

>A rough voice calls from the other side of the door. "I can hear you, cunt! What the fuck do you want now?"

>The nurse glares daggers at the closed door. "Sergeant, there's another visitor here for you," she grates through a fake smile.

>"What did I say the last time, bitch? If it isn't my boss, tell them to shove it!!"
>>
No. 984289 ID: dba489
File 160892161387.jpg - (548.55KB , 850x904 , cop142.jpg )
984289

You open the door and peek inside. Sergeant Dane is sitting at the end of a hospital bed, arms crossed, face as red as a tomato. The hospital staff managed to get her out of most of her gear at some point--her vest and cap are sitting on the floor in the corner.

Her eyes widen for a second when she sees you. She immediately jumps off of the bed and marches toward you. Seeing her in one piece fills your heart with relief, and you outstretch your arms for some kind of greeting. An all-too-familiar sense of dread returns when she bats your hands aside and takes up a fighting stance...

>"YOU!!" She winds up to sock you in the stomach, but hesitates when she notices your armor's appearance. She keeps her fists up as she concernedly looks you over. "What the fuck did you do...? Who did this to you?!"
>>
No. 984291 ID: 094652

"Video games convinced me taking a meatshield was a valid strategy. It wasn't.

The good news is, we caught ERIK in the act, on tape. They'll post bounties on him in about a month."
>>
No. 984294 ID: 2e15a9

Whatever you do, don't say 'calm down'.
Dane, You really ought to be resting and recuperating, not shaking with rage at anyone who enters the door. Though I am glad you're still in fighting shape.

Good news, we know who did it and... mostly why. I guess it's fair to say I know the motives but don't understand them.
Bad news is we still need to catch them. And by 'them' I mean Erik and like 150 of his goons, financially backed by YAMA DeValle.
>>
No. 984296 ID: 1784b9

>>984289
Armor wasn't enough. (mental note to wear full body armor and have everyone use plate inserts rated for multiple shots with the highest armor rating you have at your disposal.)
>>
No. 984298 ID: 53560f

Tried to reverse a hostage situation... then they deliberately shot their guy instead of trying to go for me.
I wanted to make sure you were okay and get you back to the station since things are heating up a bit and pretty soon we’ll need all the help we can get.
You’re still on bedrest though until we need you.
>>
No. 984314 ID: 95e938

>>984298
Emphasize that that reverse hostage thing was a heat of the moment decision and was a bad idea to begin with (morally speaking).
>>
No. 984317 ID: eb1fcc

>>984289
"Ain't my blood, bud. Took one of theirs hostage during a shootout, gave me a new paint job for the trouble. Bright side, turns out STEVE is on our side now and ERIK was actually evil the whole time. We got him on _tape_, AND we know what's actually going on now.

There's an honest-to-god military death cult, Dane."
>>
No. 984323 ID: 3ed3c3

>>984289
"Easy, sergeant. Most of this isn't even mine. Turns out these guys aren't afraid to shoot through each other, and I learned that the hard way."
>>
No. 984333 ID: 66e77d

>>984289
What the others said, plus "Oh come on, Dane, why are you giving the hospital staff such a hard time?"
>>
No. 984362 ID: 6b54d1

>>984317
Don't say any of this here. Don't say anything sensitive. This isn't a secure location.
>>
No. 984368 ID: eb1fcc

>>984362
too paranoid. it's a hospital broseph, they wouldn't have had any opportunity to bug it in advance.
>>
No. 984374 ID: 6b54d1

>>984368
You are probably right, but there are other ways, like to have someone we wouldn't recognize sit nearby.

Given they have a rather wealthy backer, they could also use something like a laser microphone to listen in from a distance.
>>
No. 984446 ID: dba489
File 160926746690.jpg - (276.01KB , 800x718 , cop143.jpg )
984446

"Easy sergeant, it's not my blood," you say hurriedly. You decide not to risk the words 'calm down' until those fists disappear... "Turns out these guys aren't afraid to shoot through each other, and I learned that the hard way."

>"You learned it the--!" Dane stares at you in disbelief. She grabs your vest and yanks you closer, checking again for any visible signs of injury. "What happened, BAN?"

You glance back at the door. Is it safe to discuss this kind of thing here, you wonder? It's a hospital, there's no way anyone could have gotten in and bugged this room beforehand. The possibility nags at you, though... You decide to save the news about ERIK for the van just to be safe, and--!!

>"Don't fucking do this right now!" Your partner shakes you roughly and snaps you out of your thoughts. There's as much worry in her eyes as there is anger. "Focus, motherfucker, and tell me!"

"There was a hostage situation with the guys that hit us earlier!" you blurt out. You catch yourself and lower your voice a little. "I tried to reverse it by taking one of them hostage, and that's when I got this new paint job... They deliberately shot him before aiming for me."

>Dane lets go of your vest and steps back. She takes a few calming breaths before speaking again. "Why would you even think about trying something like that without me? Did you have any support?" She tsks angrily when she sees your reaction. "No, of course not."

"It was a heat of the moment thing, and in hindsight it wasn't a great idea," you admit. You hang your head in shame. "Er, to tell you the truth, I saw it in a video game once and thought that it would be a good strategy..."

>The sergeant looks like she's ready to have an aneurysm. She makes a frustrated sound, throws her hands in the air and heads for her gear. "I knew it," she rants, hastily tying her hair into a bun. "I told you not to do anything stupid, dipshit. I leave you alone for just a few hours and you almost get smoked."

"I'm fine," you stress. "I just came by to make sure you were okay, and to get you back to the station. Things will probably be heating up soon, and--"

>"Getting shot four times isn't things heating up, yet? Jesus, BAN!" Dane winces in pain as she throws on her vest and adjusts it. She recovers quickly and shoots you a dangerous look. "I'm fine. You, on the other hand... I'm getting back to work, before you fucking kill yourself."

You shake your head. "I'm glad that you're in fighting shape and all, but you should really focus on recovering... You're on bedrest until we need you."

>She scoffs at that. "That bitch put you up to this, didn't she? Cut the bullshit, you need me right now."

You ignore the possible truth in that assertion. "Come on, Dane, it's just common sense. And there's no need to give the staff here a hard time about it, either."

>"They started it," she grumbles. "Those assholes wanted me off the case for a week, minimum. A week! For some bumps and a goddamned headache. If I'm gone that long, who knows what you'll do with yourself."

>The nurse peeks in. Her fake smile falls apart the second she sees Dane in her full kit. "Sergeant! You're up again, I see," she says flatly.

>"He's taking me with him," Dane says brusquely. She elbows you in the side. "For...'bedrest.'"

>The nurse smiles at you gratefully. When she looks at the sergeant, there's some added smugness to the look. "It's really for the best. Just hold off on anything strenuous for a week or two, and you'll be back in action in no time."

>"Just give me the paperwork, bitch."

>"Slag," you hear the nurse mutter on her way out...
>>
No. 984447 ID: dba489
File 160926784101.jpg - (583.85KB , 900x831 , cop144.jpg )
984447

Dane probably sets a record for the least amount of time spent filling out hospital paperwork. The ED staff seem especially eager to help get her through the system and out the door. By 1:10, the two of you are headed for the parking garage.

>Dane squints at the sky and grimaces. "Damn, it's bright out..." She pulls the brim of her cap lower and looks at you. "So what's the state of the case?"

You make sure that nobody's nearby before replying. "The good news is we know who did it, and why...mostly. I guess it's fair to say that I know their motives, but I don't understand them... Also STEVE's in our corner now, and he wants to help us out."

>"How the hell did you manage that?"

"It's kind of connected to the bad news... Our suspects are still loose, and we have to catch them."

>Dane palms her fist eagerly. "Hell yeah, who are we going after?"

"ERIK and 150 or more of his goons, all backed by YAMA DeValle's money..."

>Your partner stops in her tracks. "You're shitting me."

You nod. "We got ERIK on tape, and now he's on the run with the perp who got away. From everything we've learned today, it looks like we're dealing with a full-on death cult."

>If she's overly fazed by the information, Dane doesn't show it. She falls back in stride with you as the van comes into view. "Fuck. I guess we don't need to show that kid his picture anymore, then..."

Devin catches sight of you and the van's engine sputters to life. He waves energetically at Dane, but is quickly shut down by a glare. Before you head around to the passenger side, Dane stops you.

>"Just so we're clear, that bedrest talk was bullshit for the nurses, right?" she asks cautiously. "What's the plan from here, really?"
>>
No. 984485 ID: eb1fcc

>>984447
My vote's on putting Dane on overwatch. Get her drone support and a walkie talkie, make sure she's not "in the action". She's not going to take being left uninvolved well, but if she's still contributing she'll probably take it with a minimum of grumbling about it.

Concussions aren't to be fucked with, if we have to do any running and jumping that's gonna get real bad for her fast.

I'm suspecting BAN know that from experience given his spacey attitude and firefight personality shift, if she doesn't wanna get as forgetful and dopey as us she's gotta focus on recovery at least a bit.

Plus, man, I really don't wanna see her get plugged.
>>
No. 984495 ID: 6bd28e

>>984447
Nope, Dane needs to recover. We just need to put them somewhere safer since they could become a target.

Anyway, since we literally have an ex-military company at large with fuck knows what for hardware given that budget, might it be time to call in the feds? This is reaching FBI/GIGN-level stuff here. We are just one precinct in one city.
>>
No. 984592 ID: dba489
File 160946663130.jpg - (281.87KB , 1060x513 , cop145.jpg )
984592

You shake your head. "I meant it, the plan is to get you somewhere safer so you can recover. You'll still be involved, I promise," you quickly add when you see her brow furrowing, "but you can't fuck around and stay on the front line with a concussion, trust me. Not unless you want a brain like mine..."

>Dane shudders at the thought. "Fine," she says resignedly. "But you'd better keep me busy, or else..."

"Of course." Plus, you really don't want to see her get plugged, you think to yourself... Looking at the rapidly growing scale of things, your next step seems clear. "I think it might be time to call in the feds."

>Your partner spits. "The SIG? They're good, but they're a bunch of fucking creeps. It'd be a deal with the devil."

"I know, but we've got to level the playing field somehow. We're just one precinct, the odds aren't exactly in our favor against these guys right now."

>She thinks on it for a moment, then growls and starts toward the van again. "If we're going that route, we should talk to The Major. She knows how to handle those assholes better than anyone."

The two of you pile into the van and tell Devin to head for Shiptown.
>>
No. 984593 ID: dba489
File 160946716430.jpg - (310.69KB , 900x595 , cop146.jpg )
984593

Everyone's on edge as you move slowly through Wartown, but you manage to reach the bridge without further conflict. Not long after crossing into Shiptown, you're pulling into the 1P parking lot.

>"Holy shit," Devin says as he turns into an open spot. "Are those yours?"

"Yeah," you say as you get out. The journalist is gawking at three 1P cars parked nearby. They're all riddled with bullet holes, and scratched up to varying degrees... They must be the patrol cars that your guys went out in, earlier.

>"Motherfuckers," Dane grates. She looks over the damaged cars with clenched fists.

Devin quickly fills one of his boxes with everything you collected from the mansion, and the four of you enter the precinct.

>The receptionist looks relieved to see you. "Captain, thank god you're alright! Your team got back earlier, we were all worried about you two... I think they're still here, if you need to speak to any of them."

"Thanks." Your watch reads 2:15... You mull over anything that you'd want to do here before visiting The Major.
>>
No. 984604 ID: 094652

Practice your Butt-Secs dance.
>>
No. 984620 ID: eb1fcc

>>984604
consider that you may be developing dementia if thoughts this unfunny are entering your head unbidden
>>
No. 984623 ID: 66e77d

>>984593
See if you can catch up with Kyle, ask him if he found anything.
>>
No. 984631 ID: cd79f5

>>984593
Sitrep guys. What's going on and where?
>>
No. 984633 ID: 53560f

>>984620
Would it be better if he was thinking those thoughts willingly?
Anyway, leave Sam in a guarded cell for his safety for now and go see the major.
>>
No. 984740 ID: dba489
File 160970672803.jpg - (312.74KB , 800x713 , cop147.jpg )
984740

You arrange for a couple officers to put Sam in a cell and guard him, for his own safety. He hangs his head, but goes along with them without a fuss.

You peek into KYLE's office and are relieved to see him sitting at his desk. A patrol vest is on the floor by his chair, and Dane's rifle is propped against the wall. He looks up from his laptop and gives you a wave.

>"You made it back in one piece," he says gladly. He looks over the sorry state of your armor. "....More or less."

"What's the situation?" you ask. "What's going on, and where?"

>"Right now? Not a lot, honestly... The patrol guys trickled in a while ago, and it looks like they went through some shit to make it here. Hugo and Pete got nicked, but they say they're still ready for duty. The rest of the guys are still alright, somehow. When they didn't hear from you they decided to just wait until you got back, I think they're all in the ready room right now."

"How's it going with you, did you find anything?"

>KYLE scratches his ear. "I've had one hell of a day, man... After the action this morning I came back here to suit up, but my gut told me that I should stick to plainclothes. I put the rifle in the trunk of my car--my car, not the patrol one--and went out digging, again. I've never been so scared, just driving around town..."

>He waves a piece of paper at you. You recognize it as the mansion guest list. "Do you know how many of those donors are on this list? All of them, mixed in with some bureaucrats and other donors. I almost didn't know where to start. I was still a little scared to go knocking on doors, so I figured I'd come back and start with the guy that I could find the most dirt on from a distance, YAMA. Did you know he fought in the war, too?"

"Yeah, we picked up on that earlier today."

>"Well, did you know that he's also the current head of the Anomaly Collective?" KYLE shifts through some of his notes. "And these two, LILLITH and ADAM, they're also Collective members. Between the three of them, they've got their fingers on the pulse of every industrial, medical and police worker's union for people like us in the city. All of these other big donors are chapter leaders for major unions, based out of different parts of the city. It's uncanny though, it's like half of these guys don't exist in real life. YAMA's obviously huge, it looks like LILLITH's something of a celebrity and ADAM's a big name in veteran affairs, but these other people have no public history to speak of. Weirdly anonymous, for millionaires... I'm just trying to figure out their angle, now."

"I might be able to help with that..."

You fill your subordinate in on everything you've found out since this morning. His eyes widen as he listens--you can see something click in his head as you explain. When you finish, he frantically turns to his laptop and starts typing.

>"Fuck, they've covered all of their bases. That action comittee that they donated to is a front to pool their wealth. They've got direct influence over the local government, and through running the unions they have intel on the whole damned city's infrastructure. I've gotta trace every single guy from that company, we need to know where they are. They could be acting as sleepers, anywhere in the city." His typing gets more desperate as the information sinks in further. "Anywhere, jesus! Give me a sec buddy, I have to figure this out...!"

KYLE's gotten completely absorbed by his work. You decide to leave him to it and go practice your--what?? Why would you think that? You try to clear your mind as you head for the door. Keep it together, BAN...
>>
No. 984743 ID: dba489
File 160970818215.jpg - (341.42KB , 1200x554 , cop148.jpg )
984743

You move to The Major's office, flanked by Devin and Dane. You leave the shotgun at the door and head inside. She rises from her desk when you enter.

>"Major!" Dane barks, saluting smartly.

>"Captain, sergeant. You had me worried," she says, returning the salute. She glances at Devin and smiles. "Mr. Fletcher, yes? We ran a background check on you earlier. You really get around with that camera, don't you?"

>Devin slinks behind you sheepishly. "Er, yes..."

>The Major looks at you more seriously. "I hear that things went poorly this morning," she says. "From the looks of my cars out front and your vest, very poorly. If you're able, I want a full report."

You tell The Major everything that's happened to you and Dane, and what KYLE's come up with. Devin presents the photos that he took, and the three books that you collected from the mansion. As she listens, your commander's usual half-smile slowly falls.

>"I see," she says heavily. She crosses her arms and sighs. "Damn... I'm sorry that I threw you all into this unprepared. I had no idea that Mayor Durst's death would be tied to something this big, and frankly, it's way past your pay grades."

>"We can handle it, ma'am," Dane says. "We just need the resources, that's all."

>The Major closes her eyes and leans against her desk. "There are two options that I can think of. They're spread pretty thin right now, but if I went to the SIG with this, we'd get at least a platoon from their Capture Team and some of their special agents, maybe thirty or forty men total. They're the best around, but they're paranoid as hell--it'll be tough to expand our team any further once they get here, unless they decide to bring more SIG members in. On the other hand, I could reach out to the other precincts, and put together a much larger task force. If ERIK's men are spread as far as you think, though, we might compromise ourselves in the process..."

>She opens her eyes and looks at you again. "It's your choice to make, captain. As out-of-hand as it is, this is still your case, and whoever we pull in will be your men."

The feds or more cops, you muse. Either option would be a great addition to your force, but you're sure that they both come with baggage. You think about the options carefully and try to come to a decision...
>>
No. 984750 ID: 094652

Government corruption is what started this mess, but ultimately? We're dealing with a billionaire. We need to Umbrella this @#$%er and get YAMA's assets frozen by the government as soon as possible.
Call the feds, make sure the team is more interested in political power than economic connections, because YAMA will cutout-bribe everyone who touches this case.
>>
No. 984756 ID: 19a984

>>984743
Feds is going to be the best choice. As KYLE said, these guys have the police unions under their thumb. More local cops is too risky. The feds will be too high up the food chain to be influenced since the cult's influence seems to only be within this city. Feds will also have access to much better gear than we do.

That being said, round up as much gear (swat gear, flashbangs, assault rifles, shields, armored cars, etc.) as you can and start practicing with the cops we do have. Is there a shoothouse at the range we could use to practice cqc in?
>>
No. 984767 ID: df76b1

We don't know if Erik's persuasive enough to have moles in SIG.
We do know he's burrowed in nicely among the department.

It's a shitty choice in general, but going to the feds is the tactically correct one. At least that Paranoia will serve us well.
>>
No. 984768 ID: 41e388

Paranoid is pretty much what we need at this point. We can't rely on other precincts, any cop could be a sleeper agent like ERIK. Call the SIG, dealing with police corruption is in their job description.
>>
No. 984776 ID: ce39da

I almost don't even need to suggest, but yeah, if this isn't a time to call the feds, I don't know what is. Other people explained it nicely; they aren't compromised, and they can grind the flow of the enemy's assets to a screeching halt; dealing with corrupt cops and billionaires is their whole job.
>>
No. 984790 ID: eb1fcc

>>984743
Feds for sure, but remember what we promised STEVE. We're gonna do our best to get 2p out of this with a clean rep.
>>
No. 984805 ID: 3ed3c3

>>984743
I hate to say this - and I really do - but I think it's time to call in the suits.
The force - the entire city - is compromised. Anyone could be in league with these freaks, and we can't take risks.
So, as much as I dread to think what the consequences may be, call in the feds.
>>
No. 984990 ID: dba489
File 160987202944.jpg - (262.56KB , 880x437 , cop149.jpg )
984990

The more you think about it, the clearer the choice seems to become. "If you could contact the SIG, I'd appreciate it," you tell The Major. "If this isn't a time to call the feds, I don't know what is..."

>The Major nods and walks over to a telephone on the far wall. "Good call. I'll make it happen, captain. Take a breather in the meantime, all of you have earned it."

You're dismissed from The Major's office. The three of you regroup a little further down the hall.

>"Forty SIG slugs squatting at our precinct," Dane thinks aloud. "I wonder who they'll arrest first, ERIK's crew or ours..."

"It was the right call," you say. "It was a shitty choice in general, but at least we know those guys aren't compromised." The SIG does have a reputation for getting cannibalistic with other departments, but maybe some paranoia is what you need, here. You are a little worried about what their presence could mean for STEVE and the 2P, though. Coordinating with him and keeping his precinct's name clean may take some extra work, now...

>"So what now, we just wait for these SIG guys to show up?" Devin asks. A thought crosses his mind, and he looks at you worriedly. "Hey, just how paranoid are we talking here? I'm not gonna disappear or something, am I...?"

Dane silently stares at Devin and smirks. The look makes him sweat bullets.

>"H-hey, you know what, why don't we go do something?" Devin says nervously. "You know, idle hands and all that..."
>>
No. 984991 ID: dba489
File 160987263546.jpg - (578.50KB , 1100x640 , cop150.jpg )
984991

Devin busies himself with getting the new evidence processed while you and Dane work on consolidating gear. First, you check the parking lot for anything tougher than a patrol car. There are several patrol SUVs sitting toward the back of the lot. At the very back of the lot hides the shame of the 1P, the decrepit 'Battle Van.' In all of your years here the precinct's mobile command vehicle has only been deployed once before, when you got bored while rescuing a cat... It's easily the most well-armored vehicle in your arsenal, but it's also the most run-down.

You go back inside, go downstairs and visit the armory. When it comes to tactical gear, the selection is poor, to say the least... You can't find any assault rifles or heavy armor, just stacks of patrol rifles, shotguns and standard patrol vests. Some deep digging uncovers an ancient box marked 'RIOT' with a stack of infantry helmets inside. You also find a crate that looks like it used to hold flashbangs, but it's empty... You inwardly curse the precinct's miniscule weapons budget, and hope that the feds bring some extra gear with them. While you're here, Dane bluntly reminds you that your vest still looks like dogshit, and you take a moment to replace it with a fresh one. Your clothes are still rough, but your armor is ready to go, now.

You look around as you exit the gun vault. You find what you're searching for down near the end of the shooting range--a long maze of walls and windows, a makeshift killhouse. It probably hasn't seen use since the last major police academy exam, but it should still work. You could practice CQC with your guys there, if you wanted.

You glance at your watch as you plan your next move. It's only 2:35... The Major will be on the line for at least another hour, getting everything figured out. The concept of downtime is weirdly foreign to you, considering how the day's gone up until now. You're hesitant to go back across the bridge, but if there are any other tasks that you want to handle here or elsewhere in Shiptown, you should have the time for them...
>>
No. 985011 ID: 19a984

>>984991
See if you can contact STEVE and have him send over as much supplies as he can (actual riot gear and shields, assault rifles, rams, grenades, drones, etc.). Also we need a shortlist of everyone he his absolutely positive is not involved with any shady shit. We need to consolidate.
>>
No. 985012 ID: 19a984

In the mean time, practice breaching and clearing in groups of four. Shotgun in front. Since we don't have adequate armor or grenades, only have guys like you (demons) take point since you can take a few hits. You will get shot at.
>>
No. 985034 ID: 46a721

Close quarter combat practice sounds quite relevant right now.

Also, make a mental note to propose a city-wide curfew to the Major once the feds show up. If ERIK is planning to literally paint the town red, people must be made to take shelter.
>>
No. 985049 ID: df76b1

We absolutely should not let slip that we know what's going on. Give STEVE time to work, and SIG to set up it's dragnet.

So yeah, tactical drills, incident reports about this morning, but nothing special until we've got all our pieces on the board.
>>
No. 985084 ID: 66e77d

>>985011
Backing this.
>>
No. 985196 ID: dba489
File 161005473019.jpg - (838.88KB , 800x919 , cop151.jpg )
985196

You round up your task force for some drills in the killhouse. Dane's sidelined and KYLE's too busy with his work to join in, but all of your team's patrolmen are present. Hugo and Peter are sporting some bandages, but they seem to still be in fighting shape.

You give your guys instructions on how to breach and clear rooms. Move in fireteams of four, breach with a shotgun, soften the room with a grenade, hit them fast and hard... Muscle memory kicks in almost immediately, and you have to consciously slow your pace until they get the hang of it. After an hour of drills, though, they're all moving a lot better and can keep up with you...almost. When you finish the practice session, they all decide to stay and keep running drills.

>"You're not bad at that," Dane remarks. She watches jealously as the cops head into the killhouse for another drill. "I would've been a better support, though... They weren't catching onto everything you did."

"Until you're back in the mix, they're good enough," you reply. Maybe she's right, but by most people's standards your cops are surprisingly solid. You're sure that they'll be able to hang in there beside any of the SIG's less-skilled operatives, especially if they've got someone who's hard to kill taking point. You'll handle that job yourself, you decide...
>>
No. 985199 ID: dba489
File 161005618151.jpg - (712.66KB , 880x759 , cop152.jpg )
985199

It's 3:40, now. You head upstairs, stop by the dispatch office and ask them to try and get STEVE on the line. The dispatcher tells you that she'll make the call and patch him through to your phone, soon.

You head over to your office. While you wait, Dane digs around in her corner of the room and throws a shirt at you. It looks a lot larger than the rest of hers.

>"You didn't bring any changes of clothes," she says flatly.

You're about to object when you realize that you haven't even seen the inside of your apartment since Tuesday. "Er, I--"

>"I knew you wouldn't." She crosses her arms and faces the wall. "Put that on, you can't just run around with blood on your collar."

Your phone starts ringing mid-change. You rush to finish putting your vest back on as you pick up. It sounds like he's somewhere with a lot of traffic. "STEVE?"

>"No, it's grandma," STEVE says snidely. "Just listen for a second, I've got a lot to tell you."

"Shoot."

>"The 2P's major is another vet, BAN. I don't know if he's from Durst's company or not, but I'm not risking it. I'm trying to make sure he's convinced that I don't know anything about that, just in case. I told him that there was a hostage situation at Burg's because you bungled something related to the murder case. I said that the two of us came to support you, and ERIK's still out tailing the perp that got away. And as much as it pains me to say it, I'm pushing for the major to station 'us' at your precinct as fast as possible..."

"What about the security footage, though?"

>"Nobody else knows that it exists or that we've seen it, as far as I know. If we're lucky, I can get the hell out of here and start working on this shitshow more openly."

An idea comes to mind. "Do you think you can get supplies sent over, as well? Riot gear, better weapons, rams, drones..."

>"Jesus, do you want my house, too? I'll see what I can do. I painted a pretty ugly picture of the current state of your precinct, so he may just say yes to anything out of pity."

You try to send a glare through the landline. "Great, thanks... Is there anyone else at the 2P that you know for certain is clean?"

>"I wish I could tell you that... My sergeant KEN doesn't have a military background, but I'm not certain about the guys below him. Cops who I'm not in charge of, I have no idea. I'll try to find out, but I'm not blowing my cover for it--"

Someone starts talking to STEVE, but you can't make out everything that they say.

>"Shit. Land it, we'll report back," he says to the new voice.

"What's up?" you ask.

>"That address that Sam Durst gave me," STEVE says. It sounds like he's started moving quickly. "Me and one of my guys just scouted it out with a drone. It's a traphouse that we've been watching for weeks... The Southern Bandits' headquarters."

Shit...! "Any sign of the getaway car?"

>"I don't see it. They've got a garage, but the door's down." STEVE'S end is silent for a moment. "BAN, he could be in there. Even if he's not, someone in the know could be. My guys have been waiting for an excuse to crack down on those punks anyway, I could take them!"
>>
No. 985200 ID: 094652

Can you hire an assassin or something? That place is a deathtrap waiting to be sprung.
Have snipers posted around the area, and scout the nearby sewers. Do not engage yet, fly as many disposable RC drones into the building as you can, trip the C4 and other traps. Then you may breach.
>>
No. 985209 ID: 3ed3c3

Wait for backup, STEVE! You rush in there with a head full of steam, you're liable to lose it!
>>
No. 985212 ID: 5a788d

>>985199
>My guys have been waiting for an excuse to crack down on those punks anyway, I could take them!
"You can take a warehouse of street punks. But if that's a warehouse of armed vets?"
>>
No. 985216 ID: 53560f

I mean, yeah, you probably could take ‘em but if you attack now then we risk losing a potential advantage later and not to mention that if there are any of the vets in there then things might escalate before we have a proper plan set up.

How about you take note of it’s location and continue to have it watched. Later we can probably use this knowledge against them, knowing where they’ll retreat to hide and lick their wounds is a pretty useful thing, could get them all at once if we do it well.
>>
No. 985219 ID: 2e15a9

Steve, you do not get to say "Nobody else knows that it exists or that we've seen it", followed by "waiting for an excuse to crack down on those punks anyway, I could take them!". You know they know you're coming, PLEASE don't get killed tempting fate.
>>
No. 985231 ID: cd79f5

We should get Dane to get someone to fix up the precinct's old battle Bus. Fill up the petrol tank, brakes, hydaulics, even the windshield wiper soap. The entire maintainance works. We might need it later on. Better to have and not need to me.
>>
No. 985415 ID: 66e77d

>>985231
Will we have time for something like that?
>>
No. 985479 ID: 88966b
File 161046652510.jpg - (223.21KB , 900x526 , cop153.jpg )
985479

He's actively trying to get jinxed, you think to yourself... "Wait for backup STEVE, if you go running in right now we'll lose our advantage. What if there are more vets in there? Just note the location and have it watched, maybe check the surrounding area and sewers. We'll hit it when we have a solid plan."

>There's another brief pause, followed by a frustrated sigh. "Alright. We'll hang back and keep tabs on it. Give me a call if you need me, I'll go see about getting those supplies."

You hear STEVE say something to another cop, and then he hangs up.

>"He'd better not do anything stupid," Dane mutters.

You peer out through your small window. That beast in the back of the parking lot keeps catching your eye. "Do you think you could get someone to try fixing up the Battle Van?" you ask your partner. "General maintenance, filling the tank... Would we have time for it?"

>"Give me a few hours, boss," she says resolutely. "I could do it myself."

"You're a mechanic, too?" you ask, surprised. The glare you receive in response makes it clear that this is another thing that you've just forgotten. "...I mean, that would be great."

>She lowers the brim of her cap and starts for the door. "I'll drive it to my dad's shop and handle it, don't burn the place down while I'm gone."

"Hang on, you'll drive it?" The command vehicle already handles like a bitch, you can't imagine anyone trying to drive it with a concussion.

>Dane crosses her arms at you testily. "What, you want someone to drive me? Who's got the time for that, you? Because you're not putting the paparazzi behind the wheel of that thing..."
>>
No. 985482 ID: 446cd3

One of the other cops could do it. Having a concussion is a real problem and having someone for driving and backup is the best idea.
>>
No. 985502 ID: 3ed3c3

>>985479
Any other cop. Like, literally anyone else. We are not letting Dane get herself killed from a combination of stubbornness and a concussion.
>>
No. 985503 ID: eb1fcc

>>985479
I'd say pick out whoever looks most winded from the drills earlier, they'd probably appreciate the break.
>>
No. 985521 ID: df76b1

We can spare two cops on this, let's send someone with her.
>>
No. 985537 ID: 19a984

>>985479
See if we can't get some tools brought over here. We should probably keep the van on the premises.
>>
No. 985649 ID: cd79f5

>>985479
I'd send another cop with her. Tell them to come back with coffee. It'll be a long night.
>>
No. 985655 ID: e30795
File 161063838414.jpg - (230.98KB , 950x483 , cop154.jpg )
985655

You rack your brain for options that don't include her operating a vehicle... "Can't we just get some tools brought here?" you ask. "The van should probably stay on the premises."

>"We could do that," Dane says. "I'll just grab a car and go pick them up--"

"Hugo will grab a car and drive you there," you say in your most authoritative cop voice. "Peter too, we can spare two cops for this. They both could use a break, anyway."

>Dane stares at you with an unreadable expression on her face. When it becomes clear that you're not going to budge, she tsks and heads for the door. "Got it, boss..."

"Bring back some more coffee while you're at it," you add. "It'll be a long night."

You heave a sigh of relief after she exits. Keeping Dane's stubbornness in check until she's healed is going to take a year off of your life... Speaking of coffee, you realize that in all the commotion you forgot to eat lunch. Your wallet will be upset, but you might want to hit that diner by the docks again later.

You only have a moment's respite before your office phone rings again.

>The Major is on the other end. "Captain, I've gotten everything squared away with the SIG," she tells you. "Three special agents will be here by tomorrow, and a Capture Team platoon will be in by Saturday."

"That's great," you reply.

>"It's something," your commander says uneasily. "The discussion of jurisdiction and command got...interesting. I managed to get them to agree to act as support for you, but it was tough. Very, very tough... These guys will be a huge help, but stay cautious, BAN. You'll have to keep them convinced that you're two steps ahead of them, or they might just snatch the case and leave us in the dust."

"I'll do my best, ma'am." Is there a single outside force that isn't trying to screw you over, you wonder...

>The Major switches to another line for a moment, then comes back to yours. "Captain, it seems like one of the SIG's agents is close by. I'll see if I can arrange a meeting for the two of you so you can--"

A loud knock on the door yanks your attention from the phone.
>>
No. 985656 ID: e30795
File 161063878731.jpg - (287.00KB , 850x737 , cop155.jpg )
985656

A woman that you've never seen before steps into your office. She looks around with visible disdain at the small space...

>"Captain BAN?" she asks as she comes closer. She pulls out a badge and shows it to you. "I'm Special Agent HALE. I was already in town for my last assignment, so I figured I'd come over to scout things out. I understand that we'll be working together, now."

You hang up your desk phone. That was...fast. You try to hide your bewilderment at the agent's sudden appearance. "Yes, that's correct."

>"So...?" HALE stares at you expectantly.

"What...?"

>You bristle as she keeps staring. Her vibe is unsettling... "Four cops in a basement, a couple detectives in broom closets?" she asks. "That's your counterterrorism team? Really?"
>>
No. 985657 ID: 46a721

We didn't know this was a terrorist conspiracy until a few hours ago, and we didn't request additional support from the other precints for fear of them being compromised, like the 2P was.
>>
No. 985658 ID: eb1fcc

>>985657
>saying that 2p was compromised
>the thing we promised not to do

hard no.

Instead, we say that we've taken command of the 2p assets, and have been rounding up the home troops for a raid. This is more or less true, since STEVE is already in position and just needs backup. It'll also paint us as immediately ahead of the game, thanks to STEVE's proactive nature.

Be sure to mention he's going to be heading the raid so we don't accidentally steal credit for his op, we really want to make sure 2p gets through this mess.
>>
No. 985662 ID: 8fab7a

Play a little to her paranoia, but don't target 2P in particular - target the entire police force. Looking into who's a war vet or not is something they'll think of anyway, so it's not a dead giveaway - it'll just make you seem paranoid. Which with these guys is probably a good thing.

"Apologies for discovering what appears to be a serious terrorist conspiracy on a mere precinct budget, miss HALE, but the situation is fluid and we're still trying to bring some of the other precincts' resources to bear - resources right now, not men, although I've liaised a bit with Captain STEVE from 2P. You'll find that 1P's nature has been - and may continue to be - a strength, though. There are a lot of war vets out there who could harbor sympathies with these guys and some of them joined the police force - like me - so I can't guarantee there won't be someone feeding them a line from other precincts. In 1P, I'm one of the few vets - you can do background checks I'm sure. In fact, please do, just in case someone hasn't been forthright. Frankly speaking, this precinct isn't as... glamorous as the others. We do good work, but there's less local violence, so less gear and funding. The Mayor's case happening in our jurisdiction was sheer happenstance, but we took it as seriously as we could and this is where it lead us. Now I'm building up a force to find and neuter these guys before things go bad."

Fold your arms, facing her.

"I want this to be taken seriously, not shuffled off someone's desk until the inevitable happens. Take it from me - if the two I ran into were any indication, these guys are itching for a fight, but want to pick the time and place. One literally begged the other to shoot him so he couldn't be kept captive and interrogated. They've got zeal, they're local and probably dug in and relying on anonymity, local connections. They've gotta be pretty confident about their numbers and chances if they're popping off people like they have so far. Did anyone tell you there was an attempt at me and my sergeant's life as well? Before we figured out there was a conspiracy? So, proactive and disturbingly well-informed."

Sigh.

"Anyway, SIG got called in because, yes, we need the backup. You're out-of-towners, so we can put a little more trust your way. You've got extra sway and pull to throw around, so I don't have to rely on other precincts for everything and can keep a tighter inner circle. And here's a bone to you: if it all blows up in our faces - or looks about to - you can swoop in like angels and call it my mess. See how that works? But until then, this case is ours, so please help like you mean it. And by help I mean, what can you do for us that a lowly captain wouldn't immediately come to think of? I've got ideas, of course, but I haven't worked tightly with SIG before. If you want to get to work ASAP, far be it from me to keep you from it."

Pause and look her up and down again.

"Also, trust-wise and all, why were you in town, agent HALE? A case? Do you have any local connections yourself?"

Make a mental note to see if YOU can run background checks on the SIG team.
>>
No. 985664 ID: df76b1

Once you review the evidence Ma'am, I'll be happy to discuss how I used too much caution.

Up until 2 hours ago, This was just a murder case.
>>
No. 985669 ID: 19a984

>>985655
Honestly, idk. It might be better if they just take over. I mean, it wouldn't be ideal, but in the end, the only thing that matters is that the criminals get brought to justice.
>>
No. 985673 ID: eb1fcc

>>985669
>trusting the feds to do a good job

This is usually a bad idea. They'll only ever do an adequate job because this isn't their hometown they're mucking up. Maintaining control over this is a better idea.
>>
No. 985682 ID: 3ed3c3

>>985656
"Oh, my apologies, Agent HALE! I can assure you, if the secret terrorist cell of actual cultists had done the polite thing and phoned ahead, we would have been more prepared! Really, it's so embarrassing. I hope you can forgive us."
>>
No. 985686 ID: 2e15a9

Don't apologize, you've done nothing wrong. You've been a counterterror unit for less than a day and have already ran drills, requisitioned bigger guns and got the war wagon out of storage. Unless she's offering some of that federal budget to renovate the building herself, you don't want to hear it. Now, 2P has a suspect location surrounded and under surveillance, have you any assistance to render before I go down there?
>>
No. 985703 ID: cd79f5

>>985656
We were investigating a murder. When the case expanded, we sent it up the chain of command.
>>
No. 985706 ID: eb1fcc

>>985682
we want to come off as competent and in-control, not as petulant impulsive children. Don't do this.
>>
No. 985806 ID: 5a788d

>>985656
"Ma'am, less than 4 hours ago this was still a murder investigation".
(1540 STEVE called - moments ago - and 1200 was when Sam spilled the beams on it being a vast conspiracy rather than a mole and some old war buddies)
>>
No. 985972 ID: da1170

>>985656
"We... didn't exactly get the funding for that kind of stuff..."
>>
No. 986002 ID: cd79f5

We should go to the Mayor's house soon. Or at least call in. We did have an appointment.
>>
No. 986139 ID: d14ad7

>>985658
Supporting this. Also, we need to get Devin an actual job with us, so the feds don't bust him, also for all the general good work.
>>
No. 986162 ID: ce39da

... This early arrival becomes infinitely more suspicious when you consider that you literally just got off the phone with the Major telling us SIG's projected timetable. If they assigned their agents before telling us, they would have known HALE was already in the area, and if they assigned their agents afterward, HALE would need to have practically been standing outside the front door when she got the call to show up this quickly.

Invite her in. Be polite, offer a seat, and pick up the phone to ask that KYLE bring in some water for our loaned agent. Distract HALE with pleasantries until KYLE shows up, then call the Major and calmly ask her to ask SIG if there's supposed to be an Agent HALE arriving this far ahead of the timetable estimate we literally just got from them.
>>
No. 986174 ID: 969209

>>986162
Oh yeah, never mind my last vote, this is a good point. I don't think we can distract HALE with pleasantries though, she'll just try to pressure us. We should be firm and tell her to sit down and wait, get KYLE in, then ask. Or maybe leave the room and ask?
>>
No. 986201 ID: 4a04f9

>>986162
Very good point.
>>
No. 986239 ID: e30795
File 161154858920.jpg - (349.29KB , 900x842 , cop156.jpg )
986239

"Ma'am, less than four hours ago, this was still just a murder case," you reply. "We've been a 'counterterror' unit for less than a day, and in that time I've already started pulling for more resources. Have a seat, I've got to make a quick call..."

>"Sure." You watch in horror as HALE grabs Dane's pillow from the corner of the room. "A real traditionalist, huh," you hear her say under her breath as she sits on it, knees-first.

As you dial, you mentally kick yourself for never stealing a few extra office chairs... "KYLE," you say as soon as you hear him pick up. "I've got one of our loaned agents with me, could you bring her some water?"

>"What?! Water, right now?" he asks in disbelief. "Can't you get it? I'm busy--"

"Right, just a couple cups in my office. Thanks," you say pointedly before hanging up. You move from your desk and awkwardly mirror HALE's strange sitting position with your own pillow. "Where were we?"

>"Resources, and your apparent lack of them."

"Right..." You try to get more comfortable and choose your words carefully. "The situation's obviously very fluid right now, but I've been liasing with Captain STEVE from the 2P, and I've secured some of their assets. He's already gotten a suspect location surrounded and under surveillance, and he's ready to lead a raid at any time."

>"You're working with STEVE? But he was a coworker of ERIK's, wasn't he...?" The agent stares at you, her face completely unreadable.

You keep your nerve and stare back. "If you're asking if he's compromised, I can assure you that he isn't," you say firmly. "I want to keep our circle small, and in general I just want resources from the other precincts, not men--I wouldn't be making an exception for him if I wasn't already certain that he was solid."

>Those eyes still don't let up. "Captain, there are fifteen war veterans currently working for the 2P, and two of them used to be Advance Team, including ERIK. Your associate being 'solid' doesn't matter much if he's surrounded by potential leaks."

"That's an issue that we're aware of, and trying to work around. And it's not one that's exclusive to the 2P," you add. "There are a lot of war vets out there who could sympathize with these guys, and some of them joined the police force--they're spread throughout most of the major precincts, to varying degrees."

>"There's even one out here," HALE says, looking you over. "I understand that you led a platoon during Operation Phalanx, in the months leading up to the peace accords. I understand that you and your men were present at ground zero during its last phase, as well..."

It feels like she just socked you in the gut. You swallow hard. "I...."

>"You are that BAN, aren't you? Is my information wrong?"

You make a mental note to try and get back to the Dursts' mansion soon, or to at least call in. You did have an appointment, after all.

>"Captain?"

Making Devin a proper hire would also be a good move--he's definitely done a good enough job for it, and it'd help keep the feds from eating him alive. You wonder if KYLE's found that water--

>"Captain," HALE repeats, more forcefully this time.

Fuck. You feel like a cornered animal. The right words are all there, but they're catching in your throat... She's still staring, and she looks annoyed. "You're... You're correct," you force out. "In the 1P, I... I'm the only veteran. You can do background checks to confirm that, I'm sure."

>The agent sits back on her heels a little more. "That would make this the one theoretically airtight precinct in the city. But that's assuming that you, yourself aren't a risk."

"Is that in question?" you ask grimly.

>"Hmm..." HALE studies your eyes in silence for a long time. Finally, she speaks again. "No. You're clearly not all there, but it's not ERIK's kind of crazy."
>>
No. 986243 ID: e30795
File 161154953853.jpg - (426.86KB , 1481x600 , cop157.jpg )
986243

>KYLE pokes his head in. "Hey BAN, you asked for water?" He enters the office, balancing three paper cups. He nervously moves to sit cross-legged beside the two of you.

You take one of the cups gratefully and try to regain some composure. Your stomach's still twisting...

>"Thank you, captain." HALE takes the cup without breaking eye contact with you.

"The 1P doesn't deal with much local violence," you say as she drinks. "We haven't exactly gotten funding for this kind of stuff. But this case ended up in our hands, and we're taking it as seriously as possible. This isn't something that can be ignored until it's too late. Take it from me--if the two that I ran into were any indication, these guys are itching for a fight. They just want to be the ones who pick the time and place."

>"I'm well aware of the Advance Team ethos," she replies. "And I've seen what they've already put you through today. Nobody's taking this more seriously than the SIG, I can promise you that. Some of us might prefer it if we were calling the shots, but if we're all working toward the same ends then I trust that the technical leader won't matter."

You nod. "And I'll offer you this as well," you say. "If this all blows up in our faces, or looks like it's about to, then your people can swoop in, handle it all your way and call it my mess. I'll take the fall if this all goes south."

KYLE glances at you, but he keeps manages to keep an okay poker face. He buries his face in his cup and stares at the ground.

>"Deal," HALE says without hesitating. "That was already our contingency plan, but I appreciate you offering it as well..."

You point a cautionary finger at the agent. "Until then, the case is still ours, though. I'm expecting you to help like you mean it. If you've got any ideas, I'd gladly hear them."

>"Oh, I've got a few."

You stand up for a moment and your knees cry out in pain. "Also, in the interest of trust and all..." You walk behind your desk and pick up the phone. "Why were you in this city, Agent HALE? Another case?"

>HALE snickers. The sound catches both you and KYLE off guard. "Ahhh, I understand. This is a nice setup," she says gleefully. The mirth never quite reaches her eyes. "The SIG's had me sitting around Loginos for the past few months, watching a few persons of interest. Go right ahead and check that while your friend here keeps an eye on me. Well done."

>The Major picks up quickly when you call. "Captain, I lost you a second ago."

"Sorry, ma'am. Can you get the SIG back on the line and ask if there was an Agent HALE that was supposed to be arriving this soon?"

>"HALE? That's the one." There's a brief pause. "She's already here...?"

"Yes ma'am, she's in my office at the moment."

>"I see... Put her to work, captain, but keep her at arm's length."

"Got it." You hang up and nod to your friend. He breathes a sigh of relief and stands.

>"I've still got a ton of work to do, if you guys don't need anything else," KYLE says, already halfway out the door. "I'm in my office, BAN..."
>>
No. 986249 ID: eb1fcc

>>986243
well, that all went about as well as it could have. Excellent! First order of business, lets get some SIG reinforcements up with STEVE's crew.
>>
No. 986251 ID: e30795
File 161155140610.jpg - (151.07KB , 950x641 , cop158.jpg )
986251

You return to your makeshift seat across from HALE. Your head's starting to hurt from trying to decipher that damned stare. Her quick arrival is really rubbing you the wrong way, the longer you think about it... She had to have been practically outside the door already, before The Major even called for support. Did the SIG have agents assigned for this already, or did she really respond that quickly to the new assignment?

>HALE cocks her head to one side. "Where do you go during these little episodes, exactly? Is it a form of PTSD?"

You ignore the question. "You said you had some ideas."

>"Of course." She sets her cup down and leans forward. "First off, we need to get in their heads in order to get a better sense of our own timetable. We don't know when exactly these people want to get active, just that it's probably soon, yes? Election day's on the 20th, could it be then? That would give us what, two weeks? We don't know. We need arrests and more information, but if we move too quickly we could accidentally force their hand before we're ready. How do we stir the pot without stirring the pot...?"

>The agent trails off and stares through you, deep in thought. Suddenly, she blinks and nods vigorously. "I see, now. Maybe we can use your associate in the 2P, after all."

"What do you mean...?"

>"We could set up a proxy. Captain STEVE and his men raid that location. They arrest the suspects, we pick the suspects up while the dust is settling. What will ERIK's group see? At best, routine police action. At worst, they'll assume that you've started working with local police. Either way, your SIG assets still keep the element of surprise. And if anythng goes wrong during the operation, like an information leak or an ambush..."

You narrow your eyes. "The Wartown cops are the only ones who have to suffer casualties."

>"Exactly. A possible threat deals with a real one, and we get to keep the spoils." When she notices the look that you're giving her, HALE matches it. "What? It's like the hammer and anvil strategy. You've been the 'anvil' before, you know how it goes--you never throw your best units straight into the grinder, you send in the expendable ones. If this works, we could gain some serious momentum before my people even arrive."
>>
No. 986256 ID: df76b1

I'm not saying I love it, but I understand it.
>>
No. 986258 ID: 3ed3c3

>>986251
Y'know, it's shit like that that started this whole mess. Carelessly sending people into a meatgrinder for a potential win is a shitty thing to do, and I don't see it benefitting us in the long-term.
>>
No. 986262 ID: 094652

>>986258
If you pull the same tactics that pissed them off in the first place, they'll become permanently non-negotiable.
Send in ACTUAL disposable troops: robots, RC bombs, demons with resurrection powers or bulletproof psionic humans or whatever. However unethical using dirty tactics may be, they demanded a war. You'll give them one so they leave the rest of the city alone.
>>
No. 986263 ID: 119bbc

>>986258
this poster has the right of it. long term, we're just setting up echoes. We're going to at the very least deliver them some backup.
>>
No. 986276 ID: 3ed3c3

I think I may have figured it out.
It is super sus that she got here so fast. In fact, it was like she already knew. The only explanation for that I can think of is that the SIG already knew. But if that were so, then that would mean that they already knew about ERIK, the other vets, and their plans yet did nothing. The only reason I can think of for that would be that the SIG knew that if they interfered or even acknowledged the rogue vets' existence, then there would be too great a risk of revealing the government's culpability. Remember that the whole reason the vets are doing this is because the government abandoned them during the war. If that truth got out to the general public, it'd be disastrous for the administration. Now that they have no choice but to get involved, I can only believe that they want to keep it as quiet as possible. This brings us back to agent HALE here. It is far too likely that she and her fellow agents have orders to not only resolve the issue, but to also bury it and silence anyone who knows too much.
I know this may sound paranoid, but considering what we've seen so far, it's justified concern. That and it definitely feels like the kind of nasty, underhanded crap a bunch of fed spooks would get up to.
>>
No. 986279 ID: ce39da

"We'll make that plan omega; hammer and anvil tactics are what made a lot of those vets join up with that cultist in the first place. Got any other ideas?"

(For the record, we should also be coming up with our own solutions instead of just objecting to HALE's. I got none, myself, but I'm putting that out there.)

>>986276
There's no reason for them to lie about the timetable, however. The only thing HALE arriving this far ahead of the stated schedule does is make us suspicious.

And besides, several people have openly stated the circumstances surrounding that operation. If SIG wanted to keep people silent, they would have dealt with the troops themselves as soon as it became apparent that some survived. It's safe to assume it's already common knowledge.

Furthermore, ERIK was working on the troops since the Advance Team was first formed. He was always a cultist. The operation isn't what this is really about in the first place, even if revenge for that is what got most of the troops hooked on his words.

So cool your jets.

In fact: "By the way, if we're talking about getting into the enemy's head, I have a few notions about the relationship between ERIK and his followers. While I'm sure some of the soldiers want revenge for the hell they went through during that whole shitstorm, I have it on good authority that ERIK was moving them with his words since long before shit hit the fan. My guess is that he has some demonic superiority angle, or maybe some apocalyptic purpose demons are supposed to fulfill. What are your thoughts? Can anything be exploited there?"
>>
No. 986280 ID: 6e4236

We can't let the second precint take the axe just because they may be compromised. Let us lend our support in raiding that residence.
>>
No. 986281 ID: 3ed3c3

>>986279
>So cool your jets.
No.
>>
No. 986288 ID: d0fe53

>>986279
There's no need to speculate on what angle ERIK was taking with them, we have SAM to question. Also, the book in the mayors office.
>>
No. 986340 ID: 4a04f9

>>986279
No, actually that is a decent idea, however, why not have SIG members participate in disguise? When you are wearing all of the gear used to raid a building known to house extremely dangerous fugitives, you are pretty much covered aside from the clear visor. Add a balaclava and nobody will know who you are (just look at the irl riot police anonymity issues). Have some SIG operators stand in for 2P officers with similar builds.

To keep this from getting leaked, keep it within the 1P and SIG till the very last minute. When people are gearing up, brief the team on the real plan and have the operators switch uniforms with some of the officers.
>>
No. 986341 ID: 4a04f9

>>986276
Given her questioning, it seems like BAN was one of the POIs she was monitoring. Honestly, this seems to indicate that while SIG was aware of the cult's existence, they were still trying to figure out the structure of it and confirm targets.

---
>PTSD
Yeah, probably something, but it is more the dissociation and numbing out kind rather than the violent thoughts and outbursts kind, and definitely not whatever these psychos have.

Honestly, for our own sake, along with the sake of trying to reach the best possible end result, it may be better to work jointly with SIG rather than heading it entirely ourselves, especially when we could be a POI.
>>
No. 986343 ID: eb1fcc

>>986341
absolutely. Working with them should be the goal here, so much of the strife between the fed and the police is just the continued refusal to work with the other.
We should still call out that hammer and anvil will perpetuate the cycle here, long-term not smart.
>>
No. 986438 ID: 4a04f9

>>986343
The hammer and anvil idea is only bad if we do it as stated. Like i said previously, if some SIG operators take part disguised as 2P officers, the odds of casualties are much lower. SIG operators should be much more skilled and elite than your average officer, even 2P officers. Tactically speaking, it is a smart move to keep SIG's involvement hidden as long as possible. Once they know they are up against the big boys, they are bound to up their game.
>>
No. 986473 ID: 2e15a9

That sounds like exactly the sort of thing these lunatics are railing against, meaning it's exactly the kind of tactic they expect us to use. Besides, 2p cops are not replaceable enough to be expendable. I've got more problems with your plan, but for the sake of continued cooperation I'll leave it at that.

Let's get some floorplans and take stock of our available assets before we start deciding on tactics.
>>
No. 986486 ID: ecd116

is there anything else to up the survival rate of the p2 units? like armor/equipment or cover even if it from homemade everyday objects or whatever you can get your hands on either what we got here right now or out there on the field just to protect important vita points from a one shot kill. also this is a bit of a stretch but are inflatable and paper/cardboard cutouts decoys of humans & demons a thing and if so are we able to get those in and place in time? finally if it come down to it do we have a escape/rescue plan for them as well? even if it just a smoke bomb or medic/first aid kit to back them up.
>>
No. 986496 ID: 4a04f9

>>986486
2p are the ones with the equipment. 1p (us) are the ones who don't. On a raid, 2p should be wearing heavy platecarriers, helmets with visors, plated pads, stab vests under their plates, and using ballistic shields (solid metal riot shield, basically), along with just about any reasonable police gadget a force may have. The only thing these guys may not have is the superior skills.
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No. 986545 ID: 7a11a6

>>986251
Dirty and Underhanded, eh? Guess you wouldn't be SIG if you weren't.
>>
No. 986552 ID: d3fc52

>>986545
how about pragmatic and ruthless
>>
No. 986719 ID: 88966b
File 161215323375.jpg - (253.76KB , 800x707 , cop159.jpg )
986719

She wouldn't be SIG if she didn't have ideas like these, you think bitterly. You think about anything that could be done to mitigate 2P losses. You come up with a few exotic ideas, but you doubt that you could provide a center city precinct with anything that they don't already have. In terms of equipment, experience and survivability, the 2P SWAT team is probably as solid as it could be. Still, you're getting a bad feeling in your gut at the thought of leaving them hanging...

>"Still with us, BAN?" HALE leans in even closer.

You sit back on your heels a bit more. "I understand it, but I can't say that I love it. The 2P's cops aren't easy to replace, and they're definitely not expendable."

>"We'll have to agree to disagree on that point..."

You keep a steady handle on your temper. "Look, plans like that are what started this entire mess in the first place. We should at least support them in the raid. If some SIG operators took part while disguised as 2P officers, casualties would be minimized and your involvement could remain a secret."

>HALE doesn't look convinced. "Our cover would be intact, sure, but we'd be putting our own people at risk unnecessarily, and the prospect of making arrests ahead of schedule would be out the window. The Capture Team's not getting here until Saturday, remember."

"But the other special agents will arrive tomorrow, won't they?"

>"Are you serious...?" The agent stares at you incredulously. "That's not an option, here. It'd be a gross misuse of assets, the risk would completely outweigh the reward."

"Do you have any other ideas, then?"

>"If you want to quietly support this raid without waiting until Saturday, then you might as well take your little troop of officers and do it yourself," HALE says. "It'd be safer for the stability of the case, compared to throwing the three of us under fire. Alternatively, we could scrap this idea and play more passively for the next two days, although I wouldn't prefer it... We could stay under the radar, leave the house under surveillance and focus on finding persons of interest until our pieces are all in place."

She really doesn't want an outcome where a SIG agent steps into harm's way... You decide to circle back for a moment. "Let's get some floor plans and take stock of what we've actually got from the 2P before we pick a tactic," you decide.

>"Of course," HALE says. She sits back a little, but the pressure from her doesn't fade...

Contacting STEVE to get the information takes longer than expected. He picks up briefly, but the line cuts out halfway through your request. He must be busy with something.

You decide to bring something up to HALE while you wait for a response. "Speaking of getting into the enemy's head, what do you think about the angle that ERIK's taking with his men?" you ask. "He's had them hooked since long before things went south. My best guess is that it's some kind of superiority angle, or maybe he's playing up some role that people like us are supposed to fulfill."

>HALE shrugs. "My prep work isn't quite finished for this case, or I could tell you. The supremacist angle's a popular one, sure. I've busted a few cells of anomaly terrorists, they all think they're superior for one reason or another. I can't remember coming across a single one that allowed humans in their ranks, though. I understand there's some religious element at play, but again, if the focus is on the anomalies' apparent role then why are so many humans involved? "

"Hmm..." You do have Sam at your disposal, and the books that you took from the mansion. You may want to dig into those resources, when you have a moment...

Your desk phone rings.
>>
No. 986720 ID: 88966b
File 161215364691.jpg - (410.70KB , 900x685 , cop160.jpg )
986720

>"BAN, I'm in the middle of saving your ass," STEVE says hurriedly. "Me and nine of our SWAT guys are cleared to take that house, I just have to say when. You wanted the floor plan? I'll fax it over, the joint is three floors and a garage. And because I'm a saint, a car's bringing you flashbangs, breaching gear, a couple SMGs and some armor that isn't made out of paper mache. We accidentally left the 2P markings on it, but I'm sure you'll make do."

It takes less than five minutes to take precinct markings off of a vest. The two of you are thinking similarly, you realize... "Thank you, STEVE--"

>"On my way, sir!" STEVE calls to someone. He turns his attention back to you. "Just tell me when. Use that equipment wisely, you get me?" He hangs up quickly.

>HALE's eyes have been glued to you throughout the phone call. "So...?"

You ignore the stare and think hard. Ten 2P cops versus whoever's in that house... There's no way that you'll let them handle it alone, especially not after STEVE's practical invitation to join him.

Timing and personnel seem to be the most pressing concerns. It appears as though your main options are to set up the raid with your own guys as soon as possible, drag the special agents into it tomorrow, or just investigate things further and reassess when the cavalry arrives on Saturday. You rack your brain, doublechecking for angles that you haven't thought of yet. It takes some doing, but eventually you come up with your next course of action...
>>
No. 986727 ID: 66e77d

>>986720
Well shit, would have liked more support from the SIG, but that doesn't seem to be an option. It also seems that STEVE is pulling some decent strings on our behalf, so calling it off at the last second, while an option, doesn't feel like a good decision either. Looks like we're playing it to the hilt, join STEVE so his team isn't all on there own. Disguise yourself as 2P if that's an option.
>>
No. 986740 ID: eb1fcc

>>986720
agreed with above, the least bad decision here seems to be taking our own squad in as support. We should have enough competent folks on staff, even if our equipment isn't the best.
>>
No. 986769 ID: ce39da

"Alright, I've decided; I'll support STEVE's raid with my squad. It's not ideal, but you've implied that this isn't the end-all operation, anyway. If we leave now, will you have guys in position at the 2nd Precinct in time to snap them up as soon as STEVE brings them in? I'd hate to see 2P's major walk them out the back door if we do this an hour too early."

Oh- Mention that you were told that the major was likely compromised.

As for ERIK's specific religious angle... Let's think back to the books he gave the mayor. Are there any common themes between them? The pottery's iconic imagery does imply 'anomalies' having a particular role in everything, but what else links it all...?

"Honestly, I'm not sure if your rational 'why humans' reasoning works when you consider the religious angle. Cults can get mentally vulnerable people to buy into and even support all sorts of irrational and self-destructive crap, right? If he's arguing that, say, 'demons were created to bring about the apocalypse for humans,' I'm sure there's some twisted reasoning that could get a human to help that along, even if they know they're supposed to die when the cult achieves its goal."
>>
No. 986782 ID: d3fc52

>>986769
Death cult is as death cult does.

Anyway, lets take only a few guys, and only those that are the most skilled. Also bring a few two person sniper teams to do overwatch.
While it sucks, we probably shouldn't be on the raid team. We are too large distinctive as a non-human. If they have cameras in there, they will know something is up.
We should regroup with STEVE prior to the raid and make sure he knows that this could be a trap, especially since he got the green light when the 2P is compromised. Anyway, as long as you use shields and the heaviest gear you have, you should be good.
>>
No. 986876 ID: 5a788d

Hold off until tomorrow, then joint raid with the 2P as planned. SIG agents don't get involved with the raid directly, but are around the area to watch for and follow any runners back to wherever ERIK is staging.
>>
No. 986890 ID: eb1fcc

>>986876
>tomorrow
>on a time-locked raid opportunity happening _right now_ that steve is having trouble delaying for just a few minutes

lol, nah, we goin' in hot boyz
>>
No. 986892 ID: d3fc52

>>986890
Just make sure to only send in people that could pass as 2P officers. Nobody recognizable like BAN should be on the breach team. If BAN is confident in his sniping ability, he should be one of several pairs on overwatch.
>>
No. 987328 ID: e30795
File 161276289259.jpg - (354.40KB , 900x1284 , cop161.jpg )
987328

"I've decided," you declare. "We'll do it today--I'll support STEVE's raid with my own squad. We'll use the armor that STEVE's sending over as a disguise."

>HALE nods reluctantly. "If you really won't let them handle this alone, then that is the next best option."

Looks like you're going to be playing this to the hilt, you think. You check your watch--it's 4:00 on the dot. "If we leave now, will you be able to have guys in position to snap up any arrests? I've been told that the 2P's major might be compromised, and if there's any chance of him letting our targets walk..."

>"I don't have anyone to work with until tomorrow, remember?" HALE replies, crossing her arms. "If I can borrow one or two of your men, though, I could do the job. We could be ready to go at any time really, the raid team will definitely take longer to set up than us."

"I could arrange for that." You only plan on sending a few of your guys in directly, anyway. Besides you, the only ones with the experience and the physical build to really fit in with the 2P are KYLE, Hugo, Peter and Walker. Dane would be on that list too, but with her current injury that's out of the question...

The gears are turning, now. You have more thoughts on how ERIK's cult works, but you hold onto them for later. You rummage around the office until you locate Dane's notepad and a pen. You quickly draw a chart with all of the personnel at your disposal, including yourself.

There are three prongs to this operation: the raid, led by STEVE, suspect retrieval by HALE, and overwatch. You realize that you may be too easily recognizable to join the raid itself, so that third task might be yours... You hastily write out assignments for everyone. When their roles are decided, the only thing left to do will be to contact STEVE and get to it...
>>
No. 987342 ID: df76b1

Hugo Peter and Walker on raid. KYLE picks two officers and joins HALE. You'll take Devin, Dane, and whoever's left on overwatch.
>>
No. 987436 ID: 66e77d

>>987328
KYLE mentioned that he kept a rifle with him, right? If he's any good with it he might serve well on Overwatch, Devin too. Have Dane and one or two officers stay with HALE, and then have those who can pass for 2P join them.
>>
No. 987437 ID: ce39da

Don't send anyone recognizable with HALE or STEVE. KYLE, Dane, and Devin should be with you on Overwatch (assuming Dane and Devin need to be anywhere on this chart).

"Ideally, how many men do you want with you?"

Send Hugo, Peter, Walker, and maybe a few lesser officers to help STEVE directly (depending on how many guys you need to reserve for HALE). Have everyone else help HALE.
>>
No. 988102 ID: eb1fcc

>>987436
us as a spotter for kyle might be a good idea.
>>
No. 988134 ID: df76b1

I don't know how good a shot BAN is, but nothing is preventing Dane from spotting, whereas lots of running may not be so good.
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No. 988140 ID: 88966b
File 161337006768.jpg - (316.85KB , 900x1284 , cop162.jpg )
988140

You glance up from the notepad. "Ideally, how many men do you want with you?"

>"Just two should get the job done," HALE says. "I just need more than one set of hands to move arrests quickly."

"Hmm...." You brainstorm a few different possible configurations, and try to create a balance between them. The more recognizable faces will stick with you on overwatch, while Hugo leads the other tougher cops to assist STEVE. Josh and Megan are the least experienced out of the team, but they should be able to handle working under HALE without issue.

When you're satisfied, you snap the notepad shut and start for the door. HALE stands and falls in behind you.
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No. 988141 ID: 88966b
File 161337027539.jpg - (375.60KB , 800x703 , cop163.jpg )
988141

The amount of prep work that goes into the next couple of hours makes your head spin. First is a painfully long waiting period. Dane and her unwilling escorts return soon, pulling a trailer full of tools for the Battle Van. The team is gathered and officially introduced to HALE soon after that. Even with everyone assembled, though, you still have to wait on the arrival of the gear from the 2P. Just before 5:00, a pristine-looking 2P Battle Van pulls into the station. When you head out to greet it, you're surprised to see that the driver is STEVE himself.

>"Everything's ready, BAN," he says as he hops out. "My guys think I'm picking up a reserve unit of our SWAT team. The outfit's so big, they won't think twice about a few new faces in the van."

You help the captain pull several crates out of the back of the vehicle. "Are you prepared for this to be some kind of trap?" you ask as you work. "I was thinking, if the 2P gave you the greenlight despite being compromised..."

>STEVE has a fire in his eyes when he looks at you again. "Do you really think I'd go this far if I didn't think it would work?" he retorts. "My gut's telling me that this is the right call, BAN. Somebody important's in that house right now. And if it is a trap, we'll just smash through it. We're past second-guesses now, BAN."

You nod and reach for another crate. "Right..."
>>
No. 988142 ID: 88966b
File 161337096210.jpg - (591.11KB , 1000x687 , cop164.jpg )
988142

The new gear is quickly hauled into The Major's office. Your task force starts eagerly sifting through the new equipment while you and STEVE head the briefing.

>"Pick your jaws up off the floor," STEVE starts, pacing around the room. "A lot's happening fast, so just try to keep up. I'm here because my people are about to make a bust that is potentially beneficial to your ongoing investigation. I brought this little olive branch along because for this operation to go smoothly, some outside assistance is needed... I know that our precincts' relationship has been rocky, and I know how short-notice this is, but I'd like to ask for your support. If you help the 2P take this house, then anyone relevant to your case is yours for the taking. That would benefit my people as much as it would yours."

How long did he have to practice asking that politely, you wonder. Even Dane seems a little surprised at the civility of his opening statement.

>STEVE passes out some documents, then starts drawing on the blackboard. "146 Fourth Ave is our target. It's a relic from before the city knew where it wanted to put its suburbs--you won't find another house like this one for a couple miles. Just look at that garden space... Here's the floor plan. Anyone who's coming in with me needs to have it memorized. We've got to clear out three floors, a basement and a garage. Don't let the scale of this map fool you--it's a big building, and defensible. There's a reason why the Southern Bandits have stuck around this long, even with so many rivals nearby."

You give everyone the details on their job assignments. You pause for a moment when you get to Devin--that looks like a 1P uniform he has on under the new armor...

>"Oh, this?!" Devin tugs at the shirt's collar and smiles. "Your major hooked me up a couple hours ago! I'm a little behind on the paperwork, but you're looking at a 'civilian investigator' in the making!!"

>"God help us," Dane grumbles.

>"I'll have two of my men join your group on overwatch," STEVE says. "There are some storefronts on that street with a solid view of the house. We'll put you guys on their roofs and cover our points of entry."

>"And where exactly are those?" HALE asks. She seems to be taking a good deal of amusement from this whole thing.

>STEVE points at a few different images on the board. "Here, here, and here. The raiding group will use three teams of four. I'll go in the front. A second team will hit the back door, and the third will try to enter through these windows on the side of the garage. We'll clear the first floor fast, and spread out from there. Anyone we find will be subdued, and when the dust settles we'll take them out to where your vehicles will be waiting, Agent HALE."

>The Major passes out a number of photographs. You see ERIK's face appear in the pile several times. "You may remember some of these faces from this morning's chaos," she explains. "These are all potential suspects that could be present in that house, mostly prominent members of that gang.

>"We hit at 8:30," STEVE says. "Keep your eyes open, and this should be a big win for all of us. Anything else, BAN?"

You slip into a 2P vest and look around the room. The scale of this operation's sinking in--the younger cops look eager but worried, and the older ones already have their game faces on. They all look like they expect something from you... You try to remember what you used to tell your last group of guys in a situation like this.

You roll up your sleeves and reach for your shotgun. "Happy hunting," you say simply.
>>
No. 988144 ID: 88966b
File 161337147346.jpg - (558.63KB , 1479x650 , cop165.jpg )
988144

Transit goes by without issue. HALE's group makes their way to Fourth Avenue in a trio of unmarked SUVs. The rest of you ride in the 2P's Battle Van. You make your way up into the center city, pick up the rest of STEVE's task force, and head back toward the bridge. With all of you crammed into the same vehicle, wearing the same gear, you realize just how well some of your guys could do in the other precincts. They definitely don't look that out of place, even sitting beside STEVE's best guys.

You doublecheck the overwatch group's equipment. You currently possess one of the 2P's police-issue sniper rifles, as well as your trusty shotgun. You've also got two flashbangs and a pair of handcuffs, like everyone else. KYLE is mirroring your setup, except with a patrol rifle instead of a shotgun. Devin and Dane will work mainly as spotters--they both have a pair of binoculars and a service pistol. Everyone's also outfitted with a radio.

>"Hey, what's with the earmuffs, sergeant?" one of STEVE's men pipes up as you approach your stop. That's Aaron, the sniper who's assigned to overwatch with you.

>Dane takes off the ear protection and glares at him. You catch a subtle wince when she's exposed to the roar of the van's engine... "It's part of the uniform, private," she spits. "Where are yours?"

>"Easy, I was just wondering." He shrinks into his seat a little and cradles his rifle. "I thought our guys only used them if they got their head knocked, or something."

>Chase, his spotter, adjusts his helmet. "Nah, like, most chicks use them regardless. They've got more sensitive ears, you know? It's, like, science."

Dane opens her mouth to cut the guy to pieces, but the van's sudden halt cuts all chatter short.

>"Dunce 1 through Dunce 6, out," STEVE orders over the radio. "When you're in position, we'll begin."
>>
No. 988145 ID: 88966b
File 161337201527.jpg - (849.71KB , 1000x1012 , cop166.jpg )
988145

You unload on the end of Third Avenue. There don't seem to be any pedestrians out, right now. KYLE and Devin have the unlucky task of moving all the way to Fifth and finding a position that overlooks the traphouse's small backyard.

When they're in position, Aaron moves further down Third. He climbs an adjacent building and sets up with a clear line of sight to the side of the garage.

You and Dane clamber up the fire escape of a dollar store that overlooks the front entrance of the house. Geeze, STEVE wasn't kidding... It's no Durst Mansion, but it's a lot bigger than you expected. The lights are on, but you can't catch any movement in the front windows. It looks like some of the curtains are closed.

>When your firing position's set up, Dane elbows you in the side. "So much for bedrest," she says smugly. "I knew you'd need me."

"Shut it," you say indignantly. You'd considered spotting for KYLE, but that would have left your partner in charge of the last firing position... You'd rather endure this than have her possibly firing a gun today. "...And put your earmuffs back on, already."

You catch a second elbow to the chest as you radio in. "Dunce 1, Dunce 2, ready."

>"Can I say it?! I'm a cop, technically!"

>"Knock yourself out, man."

>"Dunce 3, Dunce 4, ready!!!"

>"Dunce 5, Dunce 6, okay."

>"Ravens 1 through 3 are good."

>"Hammers 1 through 12, on the approach."

You watch as the Battle Van comes into view. It tears down the avenue and comes to a stop in front of the traphouse. Twelve armored figures pour out and rush into position. Helmets, shields, rams, SMGs... They look a lot more like soldiers than cops.

You watch STEVE'S squad approach the front door. Unless you're mistaken, Hugo and Peter are two of his three squadmates.

You quickly check the time. 8:31. The sun's starting to set. This is it...
>>
No. 988146 ID: 88966b
File 161337227334.jpg - (648.87KB , 860x775 , cop167.jpg )
988146

>The other three officers stack up as STEVE aggressively bangs on the door. You can see Hugo preparing the ram. "Second Precinct, search warrant!" STEVE yells. "Second Precinct, search--!!!"

A single gunshot makes everyone jump.

The initial startle lasts for less than a fraction of a second. Almost immediately, people start moving. Dane ducks below the parapet and scrambles for her ear protection while you go for the rifle. The second floor's windows start shattering outward, and STEVE's team takes cover from the falling glass. STEVE shouts something, and you see Hugo trying to get into position to use the ram on the door. A man leans out of one of the broken windows and takes aim at him...!
>>
No. 988149 ID: df76b1

Safety off, center mass, BANG. You know how this works. The second he falls, you unscope and look around for who else is shooting.
>>
No. 988184 ID: ce39da

>>988149
Yeah, this. Then check the other broken window and take a second shot if there's also a guy there.

Also, have Dane report it: "Shooters in both the front windows on the second floor," followed by whether you got a confirmed hit on the one you were aiming at. Then check *all* the windows you can see, starting with the other one that got broken.
>>
No. 988188 ID: 030bbb

RacoonGuy is right, we have to take the shot. Hugo is too exposed right now.
>>
No. 988192 ID: 4bd103

>>988184
No, hold on. Take out the one guy for sure, but then leave the spotting to the spotter. Try to keep your gun zeroed in on that one window in case there are more. Also make sure to call out your target so the other snipers don't waste bullets on the same target.

>>988188
>too exposed
Such is the life of a pointman.
>>
No. 988193 ID: 4bd103

>>988192
Ofc, if your spotter calls out another target, then definitely go for it.
>>
No. 988484 ID: 66e77d

>>988146
Waste 'em.
>>
No. 988507 ID: 591062

>>988146
Make sure to call out tangoes in the window so they guys on the ground know (spotter would probably do this, but Dane is still hunkered down). A tetsudo shield formation should work to protect Hugo while he breaches.
>>
No. 988519 ID: 3ed3c3

Take him out and call it.
>>
No. 988643 ID: 88966b
File 161386108058.jpg - (490.01KB , 1250x631 , cop168.jpg )
988643

Your heart's pounding as you flip the safety off and aim at his chest. You know how this works... You fire once and the man disappears in a cloud of red. After he falls, you stay dialed in on the window--you can see glimpses of movement, but no clear targets.

>Dane's already back on the wall beside you. "Be advised, shooters on the second floor," she barks into her radio. "One's down--BAN, shift right!!"

You respond immediately. As soon as he appears in the right window, you drop a second would-be assailant.

>"Two are down, but there's still movement," Dane reports quickly. "A lot more on the second floor, and possible movement on the third."

Her callouts are almost lost in the rush of radio chatter that follows. Under the cover of his squadmates' shields, Hugo desperately goes at the door. It blasts inward with a single hit. STEVE's group disappears inside.

>"In, in, in!!"

>"Second Precinct, drop it! Drop it now!!"

>"Grenade!"

Small arms fire starts rattling off at random intervals. A flashbang briefly lights up one of the ground floor's windows. You hear more glass breaking in the distance.

>"We're coming in the back, now."

>"Fuck...! He just ran that way, watch yourselves!"

Something a lot heavier than an SMG starts firing rapidly. Several smaller pops answer it, and eventually the larger gun goes quiet.

>"He's down, he's down! Cover the stairs!"

An all-too-familiar bang echoes through the traphouse. Through your scope, you can see that it made the floor shake.

>"Jesus, fuck! Oh, fuck!!!"

>"Was that a claymore?! Is he okay? Don't go up there yet!"

>"9 through 12, get the fuck in here! Fucking hurry up!!"
>>
No. 988646 ID: 88966b
File 161386150163.jpg - (419.63KB , 800x809 , cop169.jpg )
988646

Glass breaks somewhere on the side of the garage. The third squad must be starting its entry.

Another loud crack tears through the rest of the noise. Now that you've fired this rifle, you know its sound when you hear it...

>"Wait." Dane's caught on, as well. She keeps an eye on the building as she goes for her radio. "Overwatch, who's shooting right now--"

>"He's hurt! Where'd that come from?!"

>"Pull him inside, boy!"

>"Hammer 10 is injured, we need some cover, Aaron! We're entering the--"

Another gunshot. Dane's head is on a swivel now, trying to get eyes on any muzzle flashes.

>"Fuck, my arm!!"

>"Get in here and take cover!"

>"Who's shooting?!" Dane repeats angrily.

>"We've got nothing solid back here, I still haven't fired," KYLE responds. "Come on, give me something, Devin!"

>"Dunce 5, Dunce 6?"

If there's a response, it's lost in the chatter from the raid team. Dane shares a look with you, then aims her binoculars at Aaron's firing position.

>Your partner looks confused as she focuses her lenses. "Hey--"

Another shot rings out, and Dane is sent flying backwards.
>>
No. 988648 ID: ce39da

Get down, and drag Dane to cover.

"Dunce 2 is hit! They have snipers! Ordering all Dunces to take cover; Dunces 3, 5, and I should commence with counter-sniping procedures!"

Have Dane tell you what she saw, then relay it. If it turns out "Dunce 5" is a traitor, shoot him. No hesitation; even if you miss, you'll force him into cover for a moment.
>>
No. 988649 ID: 6943b4

Tell Dane to stay down, then duck and check Aaron's firing position!
>>
No. 988654 ID: 7fc9eb

>>988646
Call out Contact and Man Down and start scanning. Sounds like the shooter is where the other sniper team was. Either they got fucked up and enemies appropriated their gear, or they are the ones firing. The guys inside should pop smoke inside and get in rooms without windows. The building seems big enough that it should have some.

It looks like Dane's rangefinder was hit, so she may be fine. If someone got hit by a claymore though... they are fucked. They are a directional mine that use C-4 to launch several hundred steel balls in a cone. More like a shotgun but worse. Given how many projectiles there are, and how they have the potential to ricochet, these guys are absolutely nuts to use them indoors.
>>
No. 988674 ID: df76b1

Raise the other team on comms, and advise them that you seem to be taking fire from Aaron's position. Let them verify.

If we start shooting back and forth, things are not going to go well.
>>
No. 989187 ID: e30795
File 161433152133.jpg - (614.49KB , 1000x624 , cop170.jpg )
989187

"Shit," you hiss. You set the rifle down, get low and rush for your fallen partner.

>"Motherfucker!!" Dane screams, writhing on the floor. "Fucking asshole! You fucking asshole!!" Much to your dismay, she's already trying to stand up again. Coming closer, you can see that the bullet hit high enough to pass through her shoulder pad without contacting flesh. Even if she's technically unharmed, though, she's still seriously dazed.

You manage to reach her and yank her back to the ground before another shot is fired. "Stay down," you order. When she protests, you start to forcibly drag your partner back toward cover.

You radio in the situation as you move. "This is Dunce 1, we've got a man down, they have snipers. Hammer team, stay away from the windows until we handle this."

>Dane punches your leg and struggles to get free. "Fuck you, I'm alright! I'm fine, goddammit!!"

>The radio's speaker distorts as gunfire gets picked up by someone's mic. "Do it fast, Dunce! We've got a man dying in here, we need to finish this!!"

>"Basement's clear, we're coming back up."

>"Hurry up, Dunce!" STEVE sounds haggard. More gunshots blow up the speaker. "We're moving soon!"

You turn back to Dane. She's trying to pull herself together, but she's clearly still rattled. "You okay?" you ask seriously. "What did you see?"

>She screws her eyes shut in pain. "Get off of me already, I said I'm fine, shithead. That fucking shit wasn't even facing the fucking traphouse anymore," she grunts. "He's dialed in on us, BAN. And his fucking spotter's nowhere to be seen."
>>
No. 989188 ID: e30795
File 161433223062.jpg - (627.12KB , 1286x680 , cop171.jpg )
989188

Your stomach's turning as you grab your rifle and go for the radio again. You have an idea of what you have to do, but you want to be sure...

"The sniper fire appears to be coming from Dunce 5 and 6's position, can anyone confirm?" you ask warily.

>"We'll try to get eyes on it," KYLE says. "Stay low and I'll--"

>"Dunce 5 here," Aaron cuts in. "No need for that, don't strain yourselves. I can confirm that, I've been the one firing."

The voices of the team that went in through the garage start to interject.

>"What?!!"

>"Ronnie, what the fuck? You shot me and Ethan, you dipshit! Who the fuck is designating targets, is Chase blind?!"

>Aaron chuckles. "Well he does have a .308 through his eye at the moment, so I'd say so, yes..."

>"You son of a--!!" Another exchange of gunfire inside the building cuts radio chatter short.

>"Guys, it's been a fun few years. I really mean that," Aaron says. "But it's time for me to go, now. 'Dunce 5,' out."

The raid team blows up the comms, but there's no further response from Aaron.

There's no time to hesitate. You snap up and try to get a shot off at his position.

Aaron's faster. You instinctively duck again, and a round zips past your ear. A couple more suppressing shots follow shortly, each within centimeters of the spot where your head used to be. Pieces of the roof's wall are coming off with every shot.

>"Fuck this!" Dane yells. She pulls the brim of her hat lower and picks up her rangefinder again. "How are we gonna nail that son of a bitch?!"
>>
No. 989190 ID: 094652

>Sniper is a mole
You know his exact location, wait for a squad to storm the building he's in and use a drone to distract him.
>>
No. 989191 ID: eb1fcc

>>989190
Yep. dude kinda fucked up here, I see no way for him to get out of this unless that building has some secret exit bullshit.
>>
No. 989195 ID: 9a2966

Okay, so the enemy had a headsup we were coming, hence the traps and the ambush. STEVE's gut instinct that there's still something to gain here had better be right given the blender it's turning into - and Aaron IS sacrificing his cover here, so maybe there's something to that. At least even if it's not there's less to lose to the actual loyal 2Ps (bit of a weeding process this, actually, since any survivors here are far less likely to be infil-traitors).

You just gotta... deal on the fly.

>>989191
Well, his 'way out' is to go out in a blaze of glory, giving someone else the chance to escape and carry the day - and to do the most damage to the 2Ps on his way out. That seems to be the MO of these mooks at least. When the chips are down they don't seem afraid to do and die. Which is one reason to refuse them that pleasure and get their asses cuffed and secured.

>How are we gonna nail this son of a bitch
Do some rapid-fire leadershippening.

Tell Hammer to shut up and link up ASAP or this could get even more FUBAR.

Tell STEVE comms are compromised. He needs to take local command and keep low until Dunce-5 eats shit.

Tell KYLE to start suppressing fire at Dunce 5 now now now (since compro-comms and Aaron was currently aimed at you).

Tell Dane to keep her head down and get her flashbangs out.

(Unless you can get a direct line to KYLE through the 1P network and bypass anything Aaron could listen in to?)

Then, crawl to the farthest point away on the roof from KYLE's direction, so if Aaron shifts to pop shots after KYLE you can try to get him in turn before he can reposition his aim. Count bullets - that's, what, six shots so far? No wait, seven shots - he shot his partner too. Once he's out of clip (however large that is) you've got a moment's breathing space to do A Thing in the open somewhat safely, whether it's dashing for his building, moving to a better position or throwing flashes at him.

Speaking of, could you BLIND THROW a flashbang onto his roof? Building's adjacent and the human dumbass doesn't wear his muffs. Between you and Dane you've got four flashbangs, so make 'em count. If her arm's good for a blind throw, she could pepper him while you leave the building and run for his. If not, you should throw when you feel you've got room for it and want to spoil his aim.

If Dunce 5 gets flashed and/or suppressed by KYLE, he is a shotgun shot - or a decent punch - away from being taken out of the picture. Consider ways of getting over to him. It's too far to jump, right?
>>
No. 989202 ID: 0fbdcd

If you pop your head up, it's going to come off.
What we need to do is distract him.
Get Dane to pass you her hat, then get on the radio and start distracting him. Question motive, question how many moles are in 2P, stuff like that. His responses don't really matter- we just need to break his concentration.
At some point poke the hat up over the railing so he keeps his eyes on you (and probably shoots the hat, keep your fingers safe!)
We just need to keep him shooting at us until KYLE can get an angle and put him down.
>>
No. 989218 ID: df76b1

>>989202
This is a workable plan.

Proceed with the assault. He can't cover you and the entry team at the same time, so make him pick and get distracted.
>>
No. 989235 ID: b33eb1

>>989188
You need to find a way to change frequencies. We can't react over comms until our mole isn't listening. Assuming the 1P uses a different frequency for their radios internally, and that you are using the 2P frequency now, you could tell your guys to switch to that one and then on the new frequency, give them an arbitrary frequency to tell everyone near them to switch to.

>>989195
We don't know when he killed his spotter. Six bullets is a safer estimate.

--

Not really the time, but for better or worse, 2P is done. There is no coming back from this now that everyone here knows that they are compromised. Unlike one security camera, there is no way we can (or in good conscience, should) keep this covered up.
>>
No. 989237 ID: b33eb1

>>989235
SIG will probably have to send in a force to act as an interim police force while 2P is thoroughly interviewed and shaken down.
>>
No. 989520 ID: e30795
File 161456084192.jpg - (463.53KB , 1535x680 , cop172.jpg )
989520

You duck a bit lower and get back on the radio. "Hammer team, go to radio silence immediately," you order rapidly. "This channel's compromised. Switch to local comms only and continue the assault."

Someone keys their radio once in acknowledgement, and the line goes quiet immediately.

"Dunce 3, switch frequencies now."

>KYLE picks up on what you're saying, and he's on the line when you switch to the 1P frequency. "What's the plan?"

"Suppress him, now," you say. You beckon Dane, and the two of you start shifting to the left corner of the roof. "We're going to keep him distracted, if his hands are full with us he can't shoot our guys."

>"We've got your back," KYLE says.

You hear KYLE fire once. There's no return fire--Aaron's probably trying to get into a safer position. You try to recall how many times he's fired so far--you're sure there have been six or seven shots, total. These rifles hold five rounds per magazine, so he's already reloaded at least once. How much extra ammunition did he bring with him though, you wonder...

>Dane shakes your shoulder roughly. "You still with me, motherfucker?" She asks, checking your eyes. "No daydreaming!"

"I'm still here," you say. You switch your radio back to the 2P frequency and hold out a hand. "Let me see your hat."

>Your partner touches the brim of her cap defensively. "Why...?"

"Just do it!" You key your radio. "Aaron, why are you doing this? I know you can hear me."

There's no response. You hear KYLE fire again.

"How many of you are there in the 2P?" You slowly raise Dane's cap until it's peeking over the top of the roof's wall. "Why move now, when you're in such a shitty position? Who could possibly be worth betraying your--!!"

Aaron puts a hole straight through Dane's cap. It falls to the floor a short distance from you.
>>
No. 989522 ID: e30795
File 161456171623.jpg - (614.53KB , 860x1001 , cop173.jpg )
989522

>Dane makes an annoyed noise as she carefully retrieves the cap. "Dick," she grumbles. "This was my lucky one."

"It still is," you say, looking over your unscathed hand. You realize in hindsight just how easily you could have lost a finger, there...

You try to get Aaron's attention a few more times, but he either doesn't have his radio on or refuses to respond. Eventually, you switch back to your own frequency.

>KYLE sends several more rounds. "Reloading now. C'mon, look at me... Give me something...."

Another shot comes from Aaron's position, but it sounds a little different--that familiar snap of a bullet passing overhead is missing.

>"Oh he's looking, alright!!!" Devin's talking into his mic a little too loudly, and it keeps peaking. "He's shooting at us now, captain!!"

>"Dammit, I almost had a bead on him, too."

Another shot, and a round goes flying over your head again. Trying to cover both you and KYLE at the same time... He's putting up one hell of a fight, you think to yourself. You realize that there's probably no real 'way out' in Aaron's mind--the fucker's trying to go out swinging, like those vets from earlier. You have half a mind to deny him the pleasure, if you can just find an opening.

You glance above the parapet for a moment and try to judge the distance. "How's your throwing arm?" you ask Dane. "Think we could reach him with the flashbangs?"

>Your partner shakes her head. "Not from here, their fuses are too short. We'd have to get a lot closer."

You glance at the shotgun sitting at the other end of the roof. The distance is too long for you to jump to Aaron's position, but if you went off the side of the building and ran for it, maybe you could--!

All sniper fire stops for a moment as the traphouse erupts with gunfire. Much louder bangs are heard in between a cacophony of sustained small arms fire--some sound like flashbangs, others like claymores or other kinds of ordnance. Jesus, it really sounds like a warzone... STEVE's team must be making their move on the upper floors. Whether you want to take Aaron alive or dead, it's time to act fast.

>KYLE breaks the stalemate first, taking another potshot. He radios in when no fire gets sent back. "Hey, did I get him? He's crawling out from the corner... Devin, what do you think?"

>"No, look!! He's moving toward that body!!!"

>"He must need more ammo! I've got his head lined up, BAN, should I drop him?"
>>
No. 989526 ID: 46f0eb

>>989522
Team action!
Grab the shotty and make like you're going charge. That should draw him out, making him a ripe target for KYLE.
>>
No. 989527 ID: 094652

"Aim for center mass! Use half your clip! Now!"
Throw a grenade or whatever you can, then quickly return to cover.
>>
No. 989529 ID: c50ee8

Can Kyle aim to cripple?

If so, we have a chance to interrogate him after this mess is over.
>>
No. 989543 ID: df76b1

BAN, how're you at skeet?
If Dane could underhand a flashbang most of the way, and you could tag it with your shotgun, you could send it towards the roof before it blows.

It's a slim chance, but with buckshot, you might just do it.
>>
No. 989545 ID: ce39da

Guys, the issue with the grenades isn't whether we could throw something that far - it's that the flashbang will go off in mid-air long before it arrives.

"Take the shot."

Capturing Aaron alive would guarantee that this mission is a technical "success." Still, it's more important for us to get back to supporting the raid as soon as possible, and there is the danger of countersnipers appearing in the building itself.
>>
No. 989556 ID: eb1fcc

>>989522
take him out, shooting to injure just means he'll plug himself or keep going through the pain.

We have an entire traphouse to focus on right now, we don't need our sniper support out of commission for this.
>>
No. 989565 ID: cd79f5

>>989522
Kill him. There's no point trying to spare him. We've got bigger fish to fry with the raid. Besides, he's dirty and a copkiller. Won't survive the week tops.
>>
No. 989572 ID: 0fbdcd

Pop him, KYLE. The situation is too precarious to go for anything fancier. We need to get back to supporting the raid team.
>>
No. 989596 ID: b33eb1

>>989543
The chances of this going bad are way too high. I wouldn't trust the flashbang to survive the hit. It could go off on impact or, more likely, it just won't go off.

>>989527
Don't use more bullets than necessary. Keep it clean.

>>989545
To be honest, even if we capture them, they probably have a cyanide capsule or something in a fake tooth. These guys are too professional not to.
>>
No. 989632 ID: 5a788d

Take it.

He has both overwatch teams pinned, and already seems resigned to death. There's a good chance even if you can wing him he'd suicide before you had the chance to interrogate him. Not worth losing the chance to take him out.
>>
No. 989984 ID: 88966b
File 161494729844.jpg - (686.98KB , 1660x700 , cop174.jpg )
989984

You weigh all of your options in a splitsecond. You struggle to find an outcome where the bastard doesn't end up dead, by his own hand if not by yours. Ultimately, you have bigger fish to fry... "Take the shot," you order tersely. "Keep it clean."

KYLE fires once.

>Devin takes a deep, shaky breath before making his report. "He's down, captain! H-his head popped, I saw it myself...!"

"Good work, you two." You raise your rifle to confirm it yourself. Damn, KYLE really is a great marksman...

You don't have long to celebrate the victory, though--the gunfire still hasn't let up inside the building. The larger explosions are becoming more sporadic, but the firefight appears to be far from over. You and Dane hurry back to your original firing position and resume overwatch.
>>
No. 989986 ID: 88966b
File 161494768105.jpg - (340.23KB , 800x796 , cop175.jpg )
989986

>Dane tsks as she scans the traphouse with her binoculars. "I can't see jack shit," she growls. "Whatever's happening in there, they're not staying in the windows for long."

You can't see anything of note through your scope, either. The longer you go without seeing a clear target, the more concerned you become.

This uneasy holding pattern continues for several grueling minutes. You watch empty windows as the sounds of combat become more and more spaced-out. Eventually, the gunfire stops altogether.

>You crouch in silence for a moment longer. Eventually, Dane glances at you. "Is it over...?"

Movement on the first floor catches your eye. You aim at the front door and pray...

You catch sight of a battered-looking STEVE for just a moment. He pokes his head outside, then ducks back in. You think you could see him talking--you switch back to the raid team's frequency on your radio.

>"--hear me? Dunce, what's the situation out there?" STEVE risks one more peek out the front door. "Dammit, somebody answer me! Is it safe to come out?!"
>>
No. 989989 ID: df76b1

Yeah, you had a mole infestation, but KYLE fixed it.

Tell us what you found.
>>
No. 989990 ID: 0fbdcd

It's safe. Give us the bad news, Steve.
>>
No. 989991 ID: 59305b

Should be safe, but proceed with caution.
What's the story on their end? Did we win?
>>
No. 989992 ID: 094652

"Steve, our Sniper was a sleeper agent. We took heavy losses but at least he's dead."
>>
No. 990000 ID: ce39da

"Had to deal with a mole there, but it should be safe now. How are things on your end?"
>>
No. 990050 ID: f5b552

>>989986
Tell them your scope is clear, but keep their heads on a swivel.
To be clear, we are probably out of the woods, but we don't want to get killed just cuz we let our guard down once the hard part was over.
Don't talk about moles or spys unless you are directly asked. Save it for the debriefing.
>>
No. 991062 ID: 88966b
File 161567301880.jpg - (429.52KB , 1354x650 , cop176.jpg )
991062

"My scope's clear," you respond. You decide to save the mole talk for the debriefing... "Proceed with caution, but it should be safe. How are things on your end?"

>STEVE staggers out of the doorway and into view, flanked by Hugo. "Half of our guys are injured, and my sergeant.... It doesn't look good for him. They had mines set up right on top of that first stairway. We've already got paramedics on the way."

Jesus... You feel a little callous about asking this, but you need to know. "Did we win?"

>You see STEVE glance back inside. "Oh, we won alright," he says darkly. "You're gonna want to come see this."
>>
No. 991064 ID: 88966b
File 161567419486.jpg - (680.04KB , 1053x800 , cop177.jpg )
991064

You and Dane climb down from your firing position and cautiously approach the scene. As you cross the street, HALE's group pulls up in their SUVs.

>STEVE meets you on the front lawn. He looks like shit, and his helmet is missing. The right sleeve of his shirt is torn up, and you can't tell if the blood staining it is his or someone else's. "Just in time for the parade," he remarks.

Several men come shuffling outside, hands cuffed behind their backs. They're escorted by a few haggard raid team members. It looks like every arrest was someone like yourself. They're hurried over to HALE's SUVs. You see her injecting something into each of their arms before loading them into the vehicles...

>"Five grunts taken alive. There's twelve more of these fucks lying dead in there," STEVE says as he watches two more prisoners get brought out. "There were a few guys on the first floor, but the rest made their stand on the second. It was bad in there, BAN, even for this part of town... Thank god that your guys held up, because it took all of us just to get through it."

"Was there anyone on the third floor?" you ask.

STEVE's expression sours. He crosses his arms and stares at the ruined doorway.

ERIK strides out, with SABA close behind. They're quickly followed by the rest of your guys, and a couple more of STEVE's.

>"They were waiting on the top floor, unarmed. Just fucking sitting there like they were villains out of some cartoon." STEVE narrows his eyes as he looks at ERIK. "I clocked that son of a bitch with my helmet. In self defense, of course..."

>"You should've gotten them both," Dane growls. She's recognized SABA from this morning's skirmish. Her glare doesn't come off of him until he's shoved into the back of an SUV.

When he sees you, ERIK approaches without hesitation. The other cops scream at him to keep moving but he ignores them, instead planting his feet a short distance from you. He's handcuffed and sporting a huge bruise on his face, but he somehow feels even more threatening than before.

>"I murdered Jonathan Durst," he says flatly. "And you've just killed or arrested all of my accomplices. Case closed, lieutenant."

"Captain," you correct, bristling.

>"Shut the fuck up," STEVE snaps at his ex-partner. He turns back to you. "That's all he's felt like saying since we put the cuffs on him. I'm sure you'll have fun picking his brain, later."

>"I'm sure I will," ERIK says. He doesn't even acknowledge the glare that STEVE shoots him. "We've got plenty to catch up on, LT."

Before either of you can respond, he turns and walks calmly toward HALE.

Every 2P cop's eyes follow ERIK as he joins the line of perps. They're hiding their emotions well, but you get the feeling that they're all holding back the urge to jump him. So much for keeping the reputation of STEVE's precinct out of the dirt, you think grimly. There's no coming back from what's happened, here--for better or worse, the 2P might be out of commission for a long time.

>STEVE notices that he's been holding his pistol in a vicegrip this entire time. He roughly jams it into its holster. "Piece of shit," he hisses. "I don't fucking understand him..."

Vincent, Walker and Pete move to load into the SUVs as well. They'll assist HALE's group in processing the arrests and getting them into cells. As they pass by you, you catch a glimpse of their faces. You see a little too much of yourself in those expressions...

>"Come on," STEVE says. He heaves a sigh and walks back inside. "You two should check this place out."
>>
No. 991065 ID: 88966b
File 161567521571.jpg - (660.22KB , 1490x800 , cop178.jpg )
991065

You hand the sniper rifle to one of STEVE's men and enter the traphouse.

The entryway to the building is an utter mess. You gingerly step over the remains of the door that Hugo burst through. You hear pained cries coming from upstairs, interrupted occasionally by someone talking softly. To your right and further down the hall, you can already see a couple of corpses...

>STEVE makes his way through the sea of bullet casings toward the stairway. "I'm gonna stick with KEN until the medics get here," he says. He gestures in a few different directions. "This floor's just full of stock trap trash, but the basement... You should just see it, I don't know how to describe it. There's some strange things on the third floor, too. The second floor's gruesome, but there might be something there if you check under enough bodies..."

Out of habit, you check your watch. Only 8:48... The battle had felt longer, out on the roof.

>"I'll stick with you, boss," Dane says, warily taking off her ear protection. "What should we do first...?"
>>
No. 991073 ID: ce39da

Trust HALE to follow up on whether ERIK is lying about being completely foiled, at least for now.

> Hiding his pre-army past.
> Manipulating soldiers long before 'The Operation.'
> Still seems fixated on what happened in the war.

"Shit... I think I've already figured out what ERIK's deal is."

Do make a note to have Agent HALE look into that missing history - specifically, how he entered the army, or whether he even officially did in any capacity besides official records... My new theory is that ERIK isn't mad about what happened to the soldiers on the winning side; he's mad about who the winning side even was. It... perfectly explains why he seemed to be planning a massacre of some kind. It's not to make noise or further some occult plot; it's to take revenge. It was just his good fortune that his cover wasn't blown at the war's end.

Do head to the third floor, though; that's probably where the high concept records and other evidence lies.
>>
No. 991074 ID: ebc3a4

>LT
Maybe that was supposed to be army LT, as opposed to police?
>>
No. 991077 ID: 3ed3c3

>>991065
...Is that a fucking bong back there? Weird thing to notice considering everything else, but what the fuck? What were these people doing?
>>
No. 991099 ID: 1ee17c

Detective Calliou, you are not wrong:
>>984080

Let us check the third floor first. ERIK was up there planning his move, after all.

>>991064 Haha, looks like we caught ourselves a volto, guys.
>>
No. 991107 ID: 2e15a9

>>991077
Like he said, stock trap trash.
I'm assuming that's KEN making that noise, in which case I doubt there's anything we can do for him. We ought check out the other floors. Let's go from the bottom up, start with the basement.
>>
No. 991147 ID: 0fbdcd

We start from the bottom up, I think. We don't have any time pressure right now, so we can take our time and get a full catalog of weird militia bullshit. We're gonna need it when we go after the billionaire.
>>
No. 991246 ID: d31e61

>>991077
Fucking chilling, bro!

>>991074
Almost definitely, however that rank most likely carried over to the police, and if it ever came to that, BAN's new rank would most likely carry back over to the military. Just one of those things with a police force that is technically part of the military.

This seemed a bit anticlimactic (which it sometimes is). You would think that the group would be smarter than put all of their eggs in one basket. Especially when they had all of those connections. Something seems a bit sus. Also, before you start exploring the basement, you may want to grab a gas mask, just in case. Someone here probably has one you can use, and if not, there are probably at least a few in one of the trucks.

Watch out for mines and wires that may not have been triggered earlier.

--

>2p
The 2p is probably pretty fucked right now. That being said, they have a lot of equipment and the 1p has good people. I wonder if we couldn't suggest a merger (even if only temporary) to higher command.

--
Do I spy Muschio fucking Malto being loaded into the middle vehicle? :D
>>
No. 991254 ID: 2f6ee0

>>991064
>unarmed
>openly admitting his crimes
>they were just sitting there and let themselves get arrested after a token fight

I have a very bad feeling that getting caught was part of the plan. make sure we get them locked up at 1p, we don't want them on familiar ground.
>>
No. 991301 ID: 5a788d

Chances the organisation was set up with a top-down command structure rather than with independent cells? Damn near zero. Arresting ERIK is going to do pretty much nothing in stopping whatever shit they intend to pull.
Priorities:
- Any group photos or other items that could help identify members of other cells (too much to hope they're dumb enough to keep a roster list, but finding phones with contact lists, letters with return addresses, anything that could point towards other parts of the network)
- Potential targets. Tourist pamphlets, photos of buildings, travel guides, bus timetables, event posters, anything that indicates they have been scouting a location and/or event.
- Goals. While not much use in the near term, figuring out what they hell they want may give hints as to potential future moves.
>>
No. 992324 ID: e30795
File 161629307491.jpg - (930.13KB , 1009x900 , cop179.jpg )
992324

Before you investigate anywhere, you step outside and borrow two gas masks from a couple of STEVE's men. If there are any undiscovered traps in the house, it's better to be safe than sorry... You're already forming a plan of attack on your way back in. The time pressure is off, so you'll do your best to be thorough. You'll keep an eye out for anything that could help reveal more about ERIK's men, their goals or any of their potential targets.

You decide to go from the bottom and work your way up. With Dane close behind, you make your way through the mess on the first floor and descend the stairs toward the basement.

>Your partner sniffs the air and wrinkles her nose as you get close to the bottom. "Their stash is down here somewhere," she says. "Smells like a shitton of weed, and something else..."

You reach the basement. Multiple wooden crates are placed haphazardly near the stairs, and more are piled along the right wall. You see several bloodstains on the floor, but they don't look recent. In the center of the room is some kind of metal rod, jutting out of a pile of sand. You see a collection of tools and a workbench over to the left. Along the back wall, several familiar-looking vases sit on either side of a stone pedestal. A glass ball sits on top of it.

You sniff around a little. The air down here is thick with the scent that Dane picked up on. There's definitely a large amount of rather poorly-stored weed hiding down here, but this other scent...? You're not quite sure what it is. It reminds you of that smell that appears right before a heavy thunderstorm.

Two raid team members are down here already, poking around carefully. They seem to be doing fine without masks--whatever the strange smell is, it doesn't appear to be dangerous.

>The nearest cop nods to the two of you. He looks relieved when he notices the rank on Dane's hat. "Sarge! We were supposed to handle finding evidence down here but we can't make heads or tails of this shit," he says, looking embarrassed. "This might be out of our paygrade, ma'am. We can't even find their stash... Could you give us a hand?"

>"We'll handle it," Dane says. She jerks a thumb at you. "The captain's good at this kind of shit."

>The cop heaves a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank god. Check out whatever you want down here, we'll give you a hand if you need anything."
>>
No. 992328 ID: eb1fcc
File 161629401744.png - (1.11MB , 1009x900 , do these.png )
992328

>>992324
Here's what leaps out at me. The hidden wall-panels or marks of something that got taken down seem mildly important, but I have no idea what that thing on the ceiling is. If it's a boiler, that means the other is fake and might be where the stash is.

The smell is... probably ozone, so we should be careful about electrical traps? make sure we're insulated before faffing about with anything.
>>
No. 992329 ID: 537775

Oookay, so the smell you can't quite placer might be ozone or humid air, and this Is obviously these people's death cult worship room.
Let's see if can get more insight on their mindset.
>>
No. 992342 ID: 4eb01a

>>992324
Take a look inside the UCS box- that's military, right?
Check out the nature of the tools on the workbench. Woodworking, metalworking, electronic repair? It looks like there are notes posted to it as well.
Are the rest of the crates just full of weed? Make sure.
Finally, examine the pottery, crystal ball and eye mural. What kind of familiar are the vases? Nostalgic, something you saw in a documentary, something you saw in the military, something primal?
>>
No. 992412 ID: ce39da

Oh, there was a safe behind the painting up on the first floor. Make a mental note to check that after we get out of this pit.

Remember to tell DANE about how they got U.C.S. goods in here; the feds are the ones who're best at following cross-jurisdiction clerical trails.

I got no input elsewise that others didn't already cover.
>>
No. 993610 ID: e30795
File 161697889209.jpg - (697.98KB , 980x757 , cop180.jpg )
993610

You realize what that strange scent may be as you step further into the room. "It smells like ozone down here," you tell Dane. "Could there be some kind of electrical trap down here...?"

>Your partner pulls a heavy-looking pair of gloves out from the inside of her vest. "I've got it," she says, pulling them on over her usual pair. "Just tell me what you want moved."

You walk over to the open crate near the workbench. Three beaten-up assault rifles are sitting inside of it. They've seen better days, but they're definitely military-issue. 'U.C.S.' is printed on the underside of the lid in stock army font... You'll be sure to let HALE know about this.

With Dane taking point, you proceed to check inside the other crates. The ones closest to the stairs carry a number of frag grenades, pistols and SMGS. Underneath the lids are more UCS labels. The crates along the far wall house several battle rifles, a collection of small pots and some kind of long leather case.

>"Is this for that thing?" Dane muses, waving the case at the pole in the center of the room.

You examine the metal rod in the sand. It's a spear, buried blade-first. You can feel yourself becoming more on edge as you stare at it, although you're not sure why. The closer you get to it, the more uncomfortable you feel... It may just be your imagination, but the ozone smell seems to be stronger near it.

>"BAN...?" Your partner elbows you gently. "You there?"

"Er, yeah," you say, snapping out of your trance.

You turn away from the spear and shift your focus to the shrine on the back wall. This giant eye mural creeps you out... It seems to be a larger version of their company's insignia. Seeing it reminds you of the banner in Joe Durst's office, and the safe behind it--you make a note to check the banner on the first floor for similar secrets. Speaking of Joe's office, these vases look a lot like his as well. You look over the crystal ball last. It's partially filled with some sort of clear red liquid. It doesn't look like blood, you think, but you're not sure what else it could be... Now that you're up close, you realize that the substance seems to be letting off a very dim light.
>>
No. 993612 ID: e30795
File 161697916470.jpg - (450.02KB , 1200x679 , cop181.jpg )
993612

You leave the obvious macguffins alone for now, and turn your attention back to the workbench. Sitting on top of its main table is a food scale, an officer-issue pistol and a metal file. A torn piece of paper near the file seems to detail the proper steps for getting rid of serial numbers. On the wall beside the table, several power tools and a toolbox are hanging on metal hooks. You notice what looks like a trap door on the floor beside the workbench--opening it reveals the source of the overpowering weed smell.

>One of the 2P cops lets out a hoarse laugh when he sees the stash. "They put up this much of a fight over a couple pounds of street grass? I thought STEVE had sicced us on a bunch of cartel guys, or something."

>"Bullshit, this is what KEN'S dying up there for?" The other cop looks around the basement, dismayed. "Whatever this shit is, some military surplus and some weed?"

You notice several things posted onto the workbench with thumb tacks--Dane pulls them off and hands them to you for closer inspection.

The first thing that catches your eye is a photograph. A squad of soldiers poses in front of their unit's flag. You recognize a few faces--that's definitely a much younger Sam, Miles and SABA in the front row. You have a feeling that you'd find more familiar faces if you went through the bodies upstairs...

Another photo features several of the same soldiers crowded around a rough-looking ERIK. A book is lying on the ground in front of him. Sam is holding what looks to be the same spear that's sitting in front of you now. Everyone looks a lot more serious in this photo...

A hastily-written note is attached to the bench, as well:

'- EMERGENCY PLANZ -'
'1. STASH THE WEED'
'2. ARM FUCK-YOU FUSE, 2 HRS'
'3. ARM THE SAFE (CODE IS DEPLOYMENT DATE)'
'4. TOKE UP'
'5. KISS YOUR AZZ GOODBYE'

>Dane's been reading along, too. She looks up at you, confused. "Arm a fuse...?"
>>
No. 993613 ID: e30795
File 161697960136.jpg - (396.05KB , 1200x649 , cop182.jpg )
993613

You've got a bad feeling in your gut. Your eyes are drawn to the boiler in the corner of the room. "Are we sure that thing's real?" you ask one of the other cops.

>"Looks like it to me, I've got the same model in my house."

Then what is that...?

You look up at the strange cylinder clinging to the ceiling. It's been bothering you since you first entered this space. If it isn't a boiler, and it isn't a stash box...! Outwardly you keep your cool, but alarm bells are starting to ring in your head. An IED...?!

You glance at your watch, then back to the cylinder. 8:55. Two hours...? When could they have armed it? When the raid started? Before that? How long before? How powerful could it be?

>Dane follows your gaze. You can see her quickly coming to similar conclusions. "Tell me what you're thinking, boss," she says levelly, not taking her eyes off of the object...
>>
No. 993614 ID: 3ed3c3

>>993613
Grab everything important and/or incriminating and evacuate everyone.
Call the bomb squad as soon as you're clear.
>>
No. 993625 ID: eb1fcc

>>993613
IED, call in bomb squad immediately THEN start moving shit.
>>
No. 993642 ID: 5a788d

>Red liquid
>glows
>ozone smell

Aw fuck, Ionising radiation. Hopefully not enough to give anyone in the room a serious dose yet. Plus the timed bomb, this whole place is going to end up a superfund site. Won't even be able to sift through the wreckage anytime soon.
>>
No. 993655 ID: 094652

Grab everything you can carry on the workbench and run.
Call the bomb squad as you retreat, tell them to bring hazmat suits.
>>
No. 993672 ID: 0fbdcd

Yeah, smells like dirty bomb in here. Call the bomb squad and get everybody out.

We either have a radioactive hole in the middle of the city or they defuse and we can continue to explore. I don't feel comfortable risking further exploration while an unknown timer counts.
>>
No. 993693 ID: e6f507

>>993642
I doubt it will be enough to cause serious damage in the short time we have been here. That being said, yeah, bomb squad now. Fuck the evidence. If you have a phone, snap pics quickly and then book it out. Just pray that the damn thing isn't a nuke.
>>
No. 994665 ID: e30795
File 161749128917.jpg - (574.76KB , 1100x731 , cop183.jpg )
994665

You key your radio. "Everyone, we've got an IED down here," you announce quickly. "Clear out of the building ASAP, and get the bomb squad on the line. Tell them to bring hazmat suits."

>"Dammit...!" STEVE cuts out for a moment, then comes on again. "Roger, we're heading out."

Seconds later, you can hear the rumble of boots upstairs. Everyone else should be outside, shortly. You turn to Dane and the two worried-looking cops. "Grab whatever you can, we're out of here!"

>"Yes, sir!!" Each cop shoots one more uneasy glance up to the ceiling before getting to work...

You pull out your phone and snap pictures of the workbench tools, the other crates and the shrine. You hesitate in front of the crystal ball. You pray that the slight glow coming from it isn't radioactive, and that this bomb isn't dirty. You don't even want to think about the shitshow that would cause--a superfund site popping up in the middle of the city is the last thing that you need right now...

The two raid team cops manage to drag one of the weapons crates upstairs with them. You run back over to the workbench and quickly pocket the photos, the note and the pistol.

>"Hey, what about this shit?" Dane calls. You turn to see that she's draped the leather case over her shoulder, and is standing over by the spear. "This thing and that ball, should I grab them?"
>>
No. 994676 ID: 3ed3c3

I don't trust them hanging in the breeze.
Grab them and get moving. We'll lock them down once we're out.
>>
No. 994693 ID: 094652

"It's radioactive evidence. Grab it and throw it into the empty street the instant we're out."
>>
No. 994710 ID: 921468

>>994665
Fuck no, don't grab the weird potentially hazardous shit. Just take pictures of them from multiple angles and get the fuck out.

Ideally, the bomb squad will get here and deal with the thing before it goes off.
>>
No. 994752 ID: df76b1

I'm thinking not, until we get some idea what the trigger is.

Grab anything lose, but don't touch the fixtures.
>>
No. 994769 ID: eb1fcc

>>994665
pictures, no touching. Last thing you need is direct radiation burns on top of a concussion.
>>
No. 995717 ID: e30795
File 161818668306.jpg - (622.31KB , 1200x759 , cop184.jpg )
995717

You contemplate trying to grab them, but ultimately you shake your head. "They might be hazardous," you say. "Get some pictures and let's get the hell out of here!"

>"Got it!"

The two of you make a quick escape from the basement. You step outside and immediately catch sight of your fellow cops. Some of the raid team have put up road blocks, creating a large perimeter around the house. The rest are hunkered down behind the Battle Van on the other end of the street. Parked beside the van is an ambulance, and parked a little closer to the house is a SWAT armored car. Looks like the bomb squad is already here.

A fully kitted-out bomb technician climbs out of the SWAT car, followed by several other specialists. He lifts his helmet's visor and approaches you while his guys handle setting up equipment.

>"I don't think I've met you before," he says, extending a large hand. "You're The Dunce, right? They call me Crab. The Hammer said there was something scary in the basement?"

It's The Dunce, now...? You mask your disappointment, shake his hand and nod. "It's big, on a timer, and it might be dirty, we're not certain. Be careful down there."

>Crab doesn't look concerned. "Whatever it is, we can turn it into a dud, I guarantee it. Me and my boys used to be EOD, you know--Wartown bombs are like firecrackers compared to the shit that the Canardi could build."

>One of Crab's men comes closer, laden with wires and tools. "We're ready, sarge," he says.

>"The game's afoot, then." Crab lowers his visor and faces the doorway. "Let's do it. Keep your radio on, Dunce, I'll keep you posted."
>>
No. 995722 ID: e30795
File 161818822691.jpg - (861.16KB , 950x870 , cop185.jpg )
995722

You and Dane pull back to the Battle Van. Your guys look happy to see you in one piece. STEVE briefly acknowledges your presence, then returns to speaking with a pair of medics. They must be dealing with KEN and the other wounded... You turn back to the house and turn on your radio.

>"Dunce 1, Crab 1," Crab reports. You can hear that he's got his game face on, and his transmissions are brief. "You there?"

"Go ahead."

>"We're in the basement. There's nothing on our detectors, no radiation down here. We're getting to work, now. Out."

An uncomfortable amount of time passes. Before you hear from the bomb squad again, the medics finish their work and the ambulance speeds off, carrying KEN and a couple of the more heavily-injured officers. Your watch reads 9:05. The sun's already completely set, and it's not helping anyone's mood.

Sudden movement puts all of you on edge. One of Crab's men dashes outside, reaches their vehicle and starts frantically digging around. He heaves out what looks like a large RC vehicle and disappears back inside.

>Devin inches up behind you for a moment. "Hey, I don't like this," he says under his breath. "Are we back far enough if that thing goes off? What if--"

>"We'll be fine," Dane snaps, rolling her eyes. When the journalist isn't looking, she shoots an uneasy glance your way...

>The radio's static eventually cuts out once more. "Dunce 1, this is Crab 1 again. This is tough. Tough..." Crab is breathing heavily. "This is well-made. Really well-made. Shit, I owe whoever put this together a drink..."

You share a quick look with STEVE. Something in his eyes tells you that this isn't usually how things go for the bomb squad.

Bomb squad members run in and out of the building at breakneck speed several more times, sometimes carrying tools, sometimes operating something from the back of their car. 9:15...

>"We're investigating further, now." Crab lets out a shaky breath. "Okay. Okay, okay, okay... No, we can't risk that. Check upstairs... The fucker thought of everything... No, this is even better than that one. Way better... Yeah, I feel it too. Like being in the room with a ghost...."

>You hear more panting, and some metal clangs. "Ah, shit. Disregard, I left my radio on. Sonya, can we get a phone line going? I can't deal with this thing right now..."

>Crab's radio suddenly cuts off. Shortly after, a bomb squad member comes tearing out of the traphouse. She sprints up to your position and hands STEVE a cell phone. Before she leaves, she quickly eyes the distance between you and the house. "You may want to pull back a little further, sirs," she says breathlessly.

>STEVE puts the phone on speaker as he watches the specialist disappear back inside. "Situation, Crab?" he asks tersely.

>There's a beat of silence before the specialist responds. "Okay. It's... It's okay. But we've got to act fast. Hey, pass me more of those those charges!"

>More background noise. Crab takes another breath. "Listen. I have good reason to believe that this thing is housing between 1000 and 2000 pounds of explosives. I also have good reason to believe that besides the timer, there are several anti-tamper measures in place that could set it off as well. If it goes off, I believe that its encasement will work to shape the blast in a way that would fully destroy the house and anything inside. The shockwave might rough up the nearby shops too, but they shouldn't go down. Shit, I wish we had a clearer timetable, but the display for the bomb's timer is likely inside the encasement--we can't see it without risking that anti-tamper element. I'm just going to be optimistic and guess that we have still have enough time.

>"I only see a couple ways about this," he continues quickly. "If this bomb was constructed the way I think it was--and I'm pretty sure it was--then we may be able to disable it by using tiny shaped charges at specific points. That's the only way I can see this building and the evidence inside it surviving the next thirty minutes or less. I have to warn you though, it'd be risky--I'd have to handle it personally, and I'd need to stay pretty close to the house to trigger the charges. I'll highball it and say that I'd have a 65 percent chance of success. Maybe."

"What's the other way?" you ask.

>"Try to set up structures to contain the blast, use some remote measures and just detonate the damned thing ourselves. I can't guarantee that whatever you wanted from this place will survive, but at least nobody else will get blown up--nobody who's still alive, anyway." Crab hesitates for a moment. "This is my ego talking, but if this crime scene means something to you then we're willing to try the disarm. We've lived through worse dice rolls than this..."

Shit... You weigh the options carefully. You do already have the few pieces of evidence and the photos that you took from the basement, but not much else. You're certain that the upper levels of the house have to be hiding something important. But is a chance at the rest of the evidence worth the danger to personnel...?

>"Hey, are you still there?" Crab asks, a little more urgency creeping into his voice. "It's your call to make, but make it quick!"
>>
No. 995723 ID: eb1fcc

>>995722
well, we already have EVERYONE that was in that building dead to rights on terrorism charges for the bomb alone, but I feel certain that this isn't the end of the rabbit hole. There's more besides this place involved in this, and we're going to need to know who.

Still, I'm not down with risking good men on one case. There will be other bombs.

Set up the detonation, and send in a squad to pull any papers and photos they can while that's being set up, we'll have to make do with what we can grab.
>>
No. 995725 ID: 1a8a7f

>>995722
65% is poor odds, especially when you’re up against an enemy who knew who’d be called in to deal with this. You’re not happy, but your gut says not to risk it.

... how long will it take to set up the safe detonation? You can make a run for the upstairs and flash more photos / grab more stuff. Volunteers only, one run only.

Paranoia check - put Dane on seeing whether anyone from the bomb group’s smuggling something out.
>>
No. 995726 ID: 77cba3

Your job is public safety and a tricky bomb that could kill your best bomb squad is just not worth the risk of finding more evidence.

Have your bomb crew get any evidence they can grab and get there people to safety.
>>
No. 995727 ID: 094652

"33 percent risk of mass destruction is unacceptable. Detonate this thing, and grab all the obvious stuff on your way out. Be sure to throw it into whatever you guys use for dirty bombs."
>>
No. 995734 ID: 3ed3c3

>>995722
I'm not taking any chances with this crap.
Set up for the detonation, and pull back.
Don't bother grabbing anything on the way out. It might be wired to the bomb.
>>
No. 995832 ID: ce39da

ERIK knows exactly who'd get called in for this.

ERIK knows exactly what call STEVE would make here. Maybe he'd have been counting on it.

Conclusion; don't play chicken with a psychopath, especially not with odds only somewhat better than a coin flip.

Ask Crab's advice on whether you can sweep the upstairs while they set up.
>>
No. 995895 ID: 0fbdcd

No, we can't risk it. Set up the controlled det and grab anything you think might be of value on your way back up.
>>
No. 996028 ID: 6b7c95

>>995722
Set up the structures regardless. If he is feeling lucky, have him try to disarm the bomb. This is his call though since he is not only the one that this is riding on, but also the only one that will probably get hurt if it goes wrong. He does have his suit though, which should protect him completely save for his hands, but that is what they signed up for.

If he does manage to disarm the bomb, we can just take down the structures once he is done.
>>
No. 997684 ID: e30795
File 161937128185.jpg - (426.20KB , 900x899 , cop186.jpg )
997684

You consider everything, but your gut's telling you not to risk the bomb squad's lives. "Set up for the detonation, then pull back," you order. "Do you think we'd have time to sweep the upstairs while you work?"

>"You want to come back into this death trap...?" Crab lets out a desperate laugh. "If you can get anything done in ten minutes, go ahead. We'll be in here for fifteen more, at most."

You turn to the nearby cops. They've heard your conversation, and their reactions are mixed... Your guys look willing to go, but the rest of the team is staring at you like you've gone insane.

"I only want volunteers," you say, already starting to move. "I'm making a run for the upstairs to grab what I can."

>Hugo gets to his feet and starts after you. "I'll go, sir!"

>KYLE and Devin set aside their sniping equipment and approach as well. "Do we get paid overtime for this...?" you hear Devin ask quietly.

>Dane puts on her ear protection and glares at you. "I'm coming too," she says stubbornly.

You definitely don't have time to argue with her... "Alright. You can cover the bomb squad while we go upstairs." You think that you can trust Crab and his men, but at this point a little paranoia is entirely justified.

>STEVE shakes his head and takes a step back. "Forgive me for not jumping at this golden opportunity, but I'll pass." He looks at you seriously. "Don't get yourself blown up, BAN..."

STEVE's men look relieved by his decision, and none of them move to join you... Looks like this is all the help you'll get. Without another word, you make a break for the traphouse.
>>
No. 997685 ID: e30795
File 161937159756.jpg - (671.19KB , 1800x759 , cop187.jpg )
997685

>You pass by one of Crab's runners on the way in. "Nine minutes!" she shouts at you as she sprints for the bomb squad's car. You check your watch--9:18. You'll make this quick.

You rush for the stairs, followed closely by your guys. Dane's lagging behind a bit, but you catch sight of her entering the house and heading for the basement as you make your ascent.

The second floor is gruesome. A makeshift barricade in the center of the space is strewn with bodies. The walls are covered in splatters of blood and bits of shrapnel, and shell casings are everywhere. By the stairway, you think you can guess where KEN got caught by that claymore... Besides this main area, there are also several connecting rooms. A stairway on the far wall leads up to the third floor.

>Devin drops to a knee and retches. "Christ...!! W-where do you want us looking, boss?" he asks, weakly getting back to his feet. "Somebody's got to check the other floors too, r-right...?"
>>
No. 997688 ID: 094652

Throw everything you can find that isn't fragile out the windows. Corpses, tables, anything and everything you can get your mitts on before the bomb explodes.
>>
No. 997699 ID: 9a2966

Put your least squeamish guy on searching the corpses, IDs, wallets, pictures, phones.

Assign someone with a camera snap images of each room and detail images of anything too large to be snagged - it'll be the only pictures you'll get out of the crime scene so make it count, but be fast.

Everyone else, up to the next floor and/or search the rooms on this floor.

Remember to watch out for more claymores, i.e. if you see a door, don't just open it without care. Spot for wires.
>>
No. 997716 ID: eb1fcc

>>997699
this. Tossing the corpses isn't gonna be fast, they're cumbersome and heavy and awkward to move. Waste of time.
Wallets and dogtags are easy to frisk for, and easy to grab.

Reporter friend on camera duty with Dane and Hugo, he's used to seeing awfulness through a lens and Dane's reliable, she'll find something. Dunno much about hugo.

We take top-floors with KYLE, worst case we're the only ones here who could probably take a leap out a window and live.
>>
No. 997939 ID: 0fbdcd

Wasn't the supervillain lair on the top floor?
Leave two guys behind here and tell 'em to search. Doubt there's anything on the bodies myself- we want them scanning the rooms for anything that looks important or like a document. Move up yourself.
>>
No. 1000325 ID: 88966b
File 162110356138.jpg - (493.75KB , 950x730 , cop188.jpg )
1000325

"Hugo, check the bodies. I want wallets, phones, anything that'll give some ID. Devin, get as many pictures as you can, and try to find any documents. Keep an eye out for traps, search smart." You're already moving toward the stairs as you give the orders. "We're going up, KYLE!"

>"Got it!"

You run up to the third floor. Your watch reads 9:19...

This floor seems to have avoided collateral damage, and the scene is much less gory. In the center of the main room, two cushions sit on either side of what appears to be a map of the city. STEVE's bloodied helmet is lying near the map, as is a large book. Off to your right is a bookshelf. You scan the room for anything else notable, but the place seems to be disappointingly barren.

>KYLE peeks into the connecting room. "We've got some big vases and not much else," he reports quickly. He tsks as he looks around further. "Shit, couldn't they have just left an 'evil plans' binder lying around or something?"

You give the items in front of you another once-over. Your mind's racing, deciding what to immediately examine and what to just grab on the way out...
>>
No. 1000350 ID: 77cba3

Wait big vases? Like big containers that could be full of explosives or liquid fuel?

Get map, book, and attache case on bookshelf.
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No. 1000370 ID: 5a788d

>>1000325
Smash a window, hurl out as many of the books as you can (and the pillowcases, just in case). If the shaped charge is aimed upwards, that may keep them clear enough to survive. Moving the bookcase is too high a risk of it being booby-trapped. Don't touch the map, too obvious a trap too, but take a photo. Photos of the vases too, to reference the ones in Jo Durst's office. Grab the satchel on your way out.
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No. 1000380 ID: 99cd0c

Are they more of those religious vases? If so, we should investigate them, along with the large book.
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No. 1000623 ID: eb1fcc

>>1000325
chuck the whole-ass bookshelf out the window, wrap everything else up in that tarp thing, and get ready to jump.
>>
No. 1001574 ID: 88966b
File 162182622397.jpg - (353.52KB , 900x764 , cop189.jpg )
1001574

You take a look into the adjacent room. Sure enough, it looks like more pottery in the same style. "Is there anything in them?" you ask.

>KYLE sifts around the pots for a moment. "Doesn't look like it," he replies.

You examine the vases further. You're relieved to find them empty--they would have been the perfect houses for additional explosives, you think. You pull out your phone and snap several pictures of them before rushing back to the main room.

You move to the middle of the room and pick up the large book. It's ragged, and it looks like a bullet pierced the back of it at some point. There's no title, just a crude drawing of a man with a spear on the front...

>"Out! Everyone out!! Everyone out!!!" You hear Crab's subordinate well before you see her. After yelling at your guys on the second floor, she bounds upstairs. "The sarge is already finished! We've got six minutes to get clear!!" She disappears down the stairs again without waiting for a response.
>>
No. 1001575 ID: 88966b
File 162182645506.jpg - (646.32KB , 1827x680 , cop190.jpg )
1001575

>KYLE is about to take off after her when he notices you moving toward the bookshelf. "BAN, you heard the girl!" he exclaims, pointing at the stairway. "We need to get out of here!"

"We will," you say, eyeing the windows. You almost pick up the entire shelf, but you stop yourself--it could be booby-trapped, you muse. Instead, you use the butt of your shotgun to smash open the nearest window and begin slinging books out of it as far as you can.

>Your friend looks from you to the stairs and back again. "Goddammit...!" He shakes his head and moves to assist you in throwing books.

Your watch reads 9:22, now. You estimate that about half of the shelf's contents have been thrown into the front lawn or the street. You're cutting this close... You turn your attention to the map on the floor. Examining it further, you're almost certain that it's safe to move. You snatch it up and wrap STEVE's helmet and the large book in it. Finally, you return to the bookshelf and grab the satchel from underneath it.

>KYLE checks his own watch and grimaces. "This is it, buddy," he says. "We're fucked!"

You shake your head. You've just remembered one of your favorite scenes from Combat Cop. "Not yet... Get ready to jump."

>"To what?!!"
>>
No. 1001576 ID: 88966b
File 162182670375.jpg - (546.90KB , 913x960 , cop191.jpg )
1001576

You shoulder the satchel and grip your makeshift parcel tightly in one hand. With the other, you take your shotgun and widen the hole in the window further. You back up, get a running start and burst out into the night sky.

>"OH GOD, OH FUCK!! JESUS!!! JESUS FUCK!!!!! JESUS FUCKING CHRIIIIIIIISTTTTTT!!!!!!"

>"Holy--! BAN?!"

You hardly register whether the screaming's coming from yourself or KYLE. You hit the ground, roll awkwardly, and almost crash into Dane in the process. Shit, she's still this close...? Scrambling to your feet, you throw the shotgun to KYLE, scoop your partner up and break into a sprint, getting to the far end of the street and passing into the newly-repositioned police barricade in under a minute. Hugo and Devin are already here, it looks like. A still-screaming KYLE streaks past you a second later.

>"Everyone down!" Crab calls. He and his crew have all gotten out safe, too. Without further delay, he picks up a large remote and presses a button.
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No. 1001577 ID: 88966b
File 162182677850.jpg - (467.90KB , 788x900 , cop192.jpg )
1001577

It feels like the world is ending.
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No. 1001578 ID: 88966b
File 162182733985.jpg - (400.94KB , 800x900 , cop193.jpg )
1001578

You stay on top of the wounded soldier. Shrapnel, bricks and pieces of wood are falling from the sky like rain. You feel a piece of falling masonry clatter harmlessly off of your helmet. Jesus christ, the sentry tower was completely vaporized. VARGA and JOAN are dead, they have to be... You--

>"You okay?! That hit your head, BAN!"

The dust settles. More shells will be coming in, soon. You screw your eyes shut and pray. Damn it all, this is really it... To think that you'd go out like this right after living through--

>"Dammit, are you listening to me?! Move, let me see it! Move!!"

Something's pounding hard on your chest. Is that your heart? Are you dying? What time is it...?

>"Fucking hell...! I said move, dickhead!!"

Dane manages to shove you off of her. Your senses are still completely overloaded, and she seems to be faring only marginally better. Everything still sounds like it's underwater, but from where you lie you can make out someone cheering, confused yelling from the other cops, and what seems to be every security alarm on the block going off at once. You think you can hear sirens in the distance.

>Your partner crawls over to you and roughly grabs your face with both hands. She's trying to stare into your eyes, but her own can't seem to stay focused. She blinks hard for a second and tries again. "Fuck," she hisses. "I can't...!"

You eventually realize that she's trying to check you for a concussion. "I'm good," you say, struggling to your feet and giving her a thumbs-up. Dane doesn't look convinced, but she's too rattled to argue. You help her up and try to assess the situation.

The rest of the task force is slowly rising to their feet as well. It looks like nobody was seriously injured by the explosion or falling pieces of the house. Crab and his men seem to have recovered the quickest, and they're joking with each other on the other side of the barricade.

You're still a little unsteady, but the shock of the blast is already wearing off. You make your way over to the bomb squad.

>Crab's taken his helmet off. He grins at you and points to the massive pillar of smoke where the traphouse used to be. "A Canardi 'funeral pyre,'" he says, nodding confidently. "Back in the war, they'd put these things under anything that they didn't want us to get their hands on. Lots of unluckier EOD teams bit the dust trying to figure them out. We lived long enough to disarm a few of the shittier ones, but this is how we handled the rest. This was the biggest one we've ever seen."

>"And we fucking beat it," one of Crab's men says, pumping a fist in the air. "We win again, sarge!"

>Crab scowls and shakes his head at you. "There's no winning when one of those bastards get put together, Dunce. Unchecked, this whole block would've been screwed. Even when you successfully mitigate the damage, any assets that the enemy was trying to protect get cremated or vaporized. The only real 'win' here is coming out alive..."

You look around at the adjacent buildings near the blast site. You still see a lot of broken windows, and debris is strewn about everywhere. You'd hate to see what the 'unchecked' version of this scene would look like...

>The bomb squad sergeant claps his hands together. "Anyway, we've got a lot of cleanup to do. I'm sure the other departments will be collectively flipping their shit right about now... Thankfully you rank higher than me, so I'm gonna let you and Hammer do most of the heavy lifting in handling that whole mess."

Your heart sinks. Crab is right, you're going to be in for a logistical shitshow once Wartown locals start calling for police or the fire department... You don't know if you can just drive away from this one. You struggle to clear your head and start thinking about what your next steps should be...
>>
No. 1001586 ID: 2996dc

Time to interrogate ERIK and his lackeys.

But not before we recall Canard.

ALL of it.
>>
No. 1001587 ID: 3ed3c3

The fact of the matter is that we are dealing with a VERY REAL terrorist threat, and said terrorists rigged a ludicrously overkill amount of explosives that would have cost a horrific amount of lives had we not dealt with it. Add to it that we managed to capture multiple members of the group responsible as well as ERIK.
Honestly, this all went far better than expected.
>>
No. 1001589 ID: 094652

You cannot let ERIK slip through your fingers again with more sleeper agents, but you can't execute him outright.

He's resorted to mass terrorism and genocide. If he lives, he is expected to attempt escape with more expendable, not-really-on-your-secret-side minions. If he dies, YAMA posts his image up as a martyr on social media and this gets even worse. So get extreme. Do what you have to do to keep him both alive and incapacitated.

Surgically disable the tendons in his limbs. Then keep him drugged 24-7 so he can't think straight.
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No. 1001607 ID: cd79f5

I don't know about you but I think we need to report this to HALE, the Major and up. We cannot keep this as a shadow war or police action anymore. We need the Fed reinforcements immediately.
>>
No. 1001658 ID: c8a2f4

>>1001607
This is very much the case. Fuck standing and glory or whatever. We need to see a doctor asap to make sure we are fit for duty. Otherwise we just risk being a liability. We are not fit to lead in our current state. Make sure the EOD guys check everyone for concussions and such. They seem to be doing the best at the moment.
>>
No. 1002229 ID: e30795
File 162249031147.jpg - (371.26KB , 1000x604 , cop194.jpg )
1002229

You look up at the giant smoke cloud and take a deep breath. Random aches and pains are seeping into your body--it feels like everything that's happened today is finally catching up to you. Your pride as a 1P officer aside, your head's scrambled, your partner's injured and this terror situation is getting entirely out of hand for local law enforcement. You really don't think you're fit to lead like this...

"You and your men should check everyone for injuries or head trauma," you tell Crab. He glances up at your own head wound, but says nothing. "Captain STEVE's in charge of the rest. I've got to make a call..."

>"Got it, sir!" The bomb squad moves to check on the raid team.

You step outside of the barricade and walk a little closer to the wreckage. The smoke is reaching up past the clouds, now. The sight is eerily nostalgic. Some memories from before come floating to the surface, but you desperately squash them. How long can you keep living like this, you wonder, when everyone's trying so hard to dig up the past...?

You sigh heavily, pull out your phone and dial up the precinct. Within minutes, you're on the line with HALE.

>"Judging by the sound we just heard, something's already blown up in your face," the agent says.

"Yes," you say flatly.

>"My people have already been informed. I'll let your major know, as well. We'll be in position to take charge of the case within the next day.

"Alright..." Something about her tone is off-putting, but you let it slide. "Is ERIK secure? We can't risk losing him again."

>"He won't have an opportunity to escape, I assure you."

More and more sirens can be heard in the distance. You hear a chopper approaching, as well... "We can't keep this conflict a secret anymore," you say, more to yourself than to HALE.

>"That is yet another place where you're wrong, captain," HALE replies.

>STEVE jogs up to you. "BAN, we've got to get these streets blocked off before everyone and their dog gets down here," he says urgently. "We can report to the brass later!"

>"Is that STEVE?" HALE asks. "Perfect. Both of you stay where you are, will you? My associates have just arrived."

"What...?"
>>
No. 1002230 ID: e30795
File 162249050344.jpg - (428.74KB , 900x971 , cop195.jpg )
1002230

An all-black SUV darts around the corner and onto the street. Unfazed by all of the debris in the road, it speeds past the wrecked traphouse and comes to a stop just a couple feet from the two of you. Two men step out with weapons drawn.

>"Special Agent OLLIE, SIG," the driver says, pulling out a badge with his free hand. He gestures at the other man. "Special Agent PAZ, of the same. We're here to pick you up, gentlemen."

>STEVE looks between the bombed building, the agents and his men. You watch him censor himself in realtime... "What exactly is this?" he finally asks.

>"A smooth transition," the second agent, PAZ says. "You're out, we're in."

Your heart's pounding again. Your left hand's searching for a gun you no longer carry...

>"You're crazy, do you see this scene?!" STEVE takes a step forward. "We're in charge of all the men here! We're busy, you can't just--!"

>OLLIE pockets his badge, pulls out a magazine and loads his pistol in a splitsecond. "Get in the car, or die in the street," he shouts.

STEVE stares wide-eyed at the agent. His face is twisting in a mix of shock and rage. For one terrifying second, you think he's going to draw his own pistol... Finally he looks at you, gives a faint nod and wordlessly walks toward the SUV.

You glance back at the barricade one more time. Dane's noticed what's happening, and she's desperately trying to get more cops' attention. You offer up a prayer to whoever's listening, and climb into the back seat.

>"I told you about Loginos cops, bud," PAZ says to his partner. "They're all this stubborn, every single one of them."

>"Christ, I hope not." OLLIE scoffs and lowers his pistol. "You stay here and make sure their underlings don't cock anything up, I'll handle these two."

>"Got it. We'll meet back at the First Precinct." PAZ waves at your men and walks toward them.
>>
No. 1002231 ID: e30795
File 162249072973.jpg - (505.97KB , 1000x1016 , cop196.jpg )
1002231

>OLLIE closes your doors and gets back into the driver's seat. He looks at the two of you in his rear-view mirror and sighs. "Not a great first impression, huh," he says sheepishly. He still hasn't put down the gun. "If it's any consolation, I wasn't actually going to kill you when I shot you, captain."

You and STEVE glare back at him silently.

>"This really isn't as bad as it seems. We're just going to go for a drive and debrief a little bit--we want to make sure our intel lines up before we start working. If everything checks out, both of you will still be on the case, under us." OLLIE looks displeased at the lack of a response. "Guys, come on. Is this really how we're doing this?"

The two of you continue to stare.

The special agent starts the engine.


**** THREAD END ****



**** DEBRIEFING ****


DAYS ON THE JOB: 2

1P FORCES: 10
1P CASUALTIES: 0

2P FORCES: 9
2P CASUALTIES: 5

SIG FORCES: ???
SIG CASUALTIES: 0

PERPS ARRESTED: 5
PERPS KILLED: 14
??????: 15%


**** ACHIEVEMENTS ****

DAY 1:
**** IF YOU BUILD IT - Collected your first piece of evidence. A sack of bricks.....
**** SONGMASTER - Defused a situation with dance and song.
**** FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT - Stood up to STEVE for the first time. Maybe you have a chance, after all...
**** WEEPING WIDOW 1 - A grieving wife, or something more...? Interacted with ALICIA Durst for the first time.
**** DEVALLE WORKS - Money makes the world go round... Started investigating YAMA DeValle.
**** MONEY TALKS 1- ERIK's network is bigger than you thought... Started investigating Errata Corrige and the Anomaly Collective.
**** DAY OF THE JACKAL - Started living at the precinct. You saw it in a movie once...

DAY 2:
**** JUST LIKE OLD TIMES - Equipped the shotgun for the first time.
**** I'M A JOURNALIST!!! - Devin Fowler joined the 1P forces.
**** OUR DAILY BEAT - Entered combat in Wartown for the first time.
**** "LT" 1 - How close was the victim to his murderer? Investigated Joe Durst's office for the first time.
**** SOLDIER'S WAY 1 - Weird rituals...? Started investigating ERIK's mindset.
**** TAKE NO PRISONERS - Failed to keep Miles alive at Burg's.
**** ENEMY OF MY ENEMY - Allied with STEVE and his 2P forces.
**** STUCK IN DODGE - Took Sam Durst into 1P custody.
**** YOU NEED ME - Allowed Dane to return to duty.
**** MONEY TALKS 2 - It's all connected, and it doesn't look good... Made some progress investigating YAMA, EC and AC.
**** LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS - Trained with the 1P forces.
**** DEAL WITH THE DEMON 1 - Allied with the SIG forces...
**** BLITZ - Opted to raid the traphouse.
**** SNIPER BAN - Took down more than one target with the scoped rifle.
**** LAST MAN STANDING - Killed Ronnie at the traphouse.
**** SOLDIER'S WAY 2 - Ancient books, pottery, a spear, an orb...? Made some progress in investigating ERIK's mindset.
**** GRAVE MISTAKE - Arrested ERIK at the traphouse.
**** PAYBACK - Arrested SABA at the traphouse.
**** COMBAT COP 1 - Escaped the traphouse in style!
**** BOMB DEFEATED - Detonated the 'funeral pyre' without any casualties.
**** DEAL WITH THE DEMON 2 - Lost control of the case to the SIG forces.
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No. 1002258 ID: 2892e3

>>Killed Ronnie in the traphouse.
>>Taking ERIK alive was a GRAVE MISTAKE.
Well, that sounds promising.

Thank you for this amazing adventure it was really a ton of fun!
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No. 1002259 ID: 9a2966

>>1002258
Agreed!
>>
No. 1002273 ID: df76b1

Great story so far! For our first time out we kept a lot of people alive.
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