Where is Jade, Scene 6

Harrisburg, Building Rooftop
It's been a few days since the whole incident went down at the abandoned E.L.F. base. Okami's left a message with Starguard for Star Girl to meet him on the roof of a building in Harrisburg and he waits for her that night.

Star Girl shows up, jogging and jumping along the rooftops of Harrisburg to get to the meeting place. "Hey," she says, her breathing a little elevated from the jaunt. She waves to Okami. "Got your message. What's up?"

Okami gives a short nod in the way of greeting to Star Girl as she arrives. From the rooftop he's stayed out of view of the streets below but he remains visible so that she can see him from some way off as she arrives. "Couple of things," he says. "You see the report I left you guys?"

"Er," Star Girl admits, "not exactly..." She frowns, perhaps sounding a bit embarrassed. But there was a couple tests she was cramming for at school.

Star Girl says, "Maybe you could give me the Cliff Notes version?"

Okami gives a short nod. "It's ok," he says, trying to be reassuring, "there were a lot of details I had to leave out. You guys have a mole in your organization. One of your techs named Marie Phillips. She's passing on info to UEMS."

Star Girl's eyelets widen. "Whoa! So what do we do now?"

Okami shakes his head. "That's up to your bosses," he says, "but if it were me I'd leave her where she is. Just be careful about what information passes by her. You can then use her to feed information to the UEMS and Guild."

Star Girl sighs and her shoulders droop a bit. "Great." After a moment, she says, "First Dr. Rudder, and now this... Star Guard needs to seriously review its screening process."

Okami shakes his head once again. "It's a lot more complicated than having a good screening process," he says, "otherwise no one would ever be able to get information. Don't feel too bad about it. Anyway, the UEMS agents that I saw in the valley were completely co-opted by the Guild. The Kulgan in charge gave them a kill order to wipe out the E.L.F. and they didn't even blink."

Star Girl says, "We turned up a smashed vase from Jade's apartment, there was a dent in it that matched up with the impression of a UEMS power armor. Of course, they probably know that we know as well..."

Okami thinks about that for a minute. "Maybe, maybe not," he says. "Marie's access isn't complete. She got the information about the valley because someone else was careless and left the results of the pollen sample I ran lying out. Anyway, I've got a number to call to try and contact the E.L.F."

Star Girl nods. "We need to find out what's going on."

Okami pulls out a small prepaid phone. "Figured it might be a good idea to have some backup when I called in case it set off something," he says.

Star Girl nods.

Okami punches in the international number, pausing for just a moment to sweep the skyline with his eyes looking for anyone who might be trying to overhear with a parabolic mike or similar equipment before punching it up on speaker.

Okami punches in the last few numbers and waits for the phone to ring.

Star Girl sighs and takes a look around herself, and she waits for the other end to pick up.

The screen on the phone shows the phone company's logo and a recorded voice starts saying 'That number has not been recognised. Please check and...' The recording stops mid-word and the screen clears to show the same man as Okami saw on the monitor in the base. "If you have this number you've been looking for us. I'm Green Warrior, spokesperson for the Earth Liberation Front. Please identify yourself and state the reason for your call."

Okami arches an eyebrow slightly. "Okami," he says, "calling about Jade Ashcroft and the Joplin valley. This line is secure but is a burner. Contact as soon as possible, please."

The man is decisive at least. He replies almost immediately. "We'll call you on that phone in exactly one hour to arrange a meeting."

Okami gives a quick nod. "I will be discarding the phone in two hours," he says simply, "for the protection of both of us."

Star Girl nods. She folds her arms. "So I guess we just wait now..."

Okami nods to Star Girl as he hangs up. "Yeah," he says, "Welcome to the exciting world of espionage. Hours of dull working and waiting followed by seconds of tension."

It's almost exact to the second. An hour later the phone bleeps.

Okami presses the speaker button once again. "Okami and Star Girl," he says.

Star Girl jumps up to her feet and comes over.

The man appears, "We'll meet you in Past Times Coffee Shop, in Bridgend. That's in your city. Obviously we'll be monitoring the surrounding area and any unusual activity will result in our absence. You have ten minutes to make the journey. Sorry if all this seems melodramatic, but you know what happened to the old base and I'm sure you can understand our caution."

Star Girl says, "I can't imagine a safer place..."

Okami nods. "Ten minutes," he says. "How do we establish contact?"

The man smiles, "We'll contact you. Unless you intend to look different than the image I'm seeing now?"

Okami nods. "That's fine," he says, "how will we know the right person is contacting us?"

Green Warrior looks to the side, then faces the phone camera again, "The person contacting you will be wearing a red and white hoodie," he smiles to the side as he continues, "of surpassingly bad taste."

Okami nods once more. "Ten minutes," he says and hangs up.

Star Girl can't help but snicker at Green Warrior's comment.

Past Time's Coffee Shop
The smell of fresh coffee is the first thing that assails you. The next is the very old style. It seems the owner has gone for the Edwardian style from early last century. Lots of imitation wood panelling and prints of old English countryside. There are many partitions between the tables, affording some privacy and the sound seems hushed in the room, this has been achieved mainly through very good design, which muffles sounds. At the counter service is quite quick and cheery, conveying a welcoming and friendly attitude. The menu boasts the fact that for a little extra real coffee is served along with light hot and cold meals and snacks. All in all a pleasant place to pass a bit of time.

Okami arrives at the coffee shop, having pulled the battery from the phone, broken the sim card, disassembled the phone and broken its memory and scattering the various parts along the journey. He looks more than a bit conspicuous in his costume, but what can you do?

Star Girl comes inside as well. "This spy stuff... is it always about one more call in an hour, or ten minutes later."

Okami shakes his head to Star Girl. "Its about trying to make sure that you really know what you think you know while making other people think they know what you want them to know," he says.

Inside the coffee shop a few of the tables and booths are in use. One booth, facing the entrance, has what seems at first glance a family group in it. But after a moment you'll recognise the 'father' as being Green Warrior. Sitting opposite him is a tall well-built blonde. Between the two is a child, or at least seems to be a child, a girl about twelve, wearing a hideous red and white striped hoodie.

Okami arches an eyebrow slightly at the sight of the E.L.F. members sitting out so exposed. He reached out slightly with one hand to stop Star Girl from moving toward them in case she should think to since that wasn't the agreed upon protocol.

Green Warrior looks up and smiles, "Hi. So we meet in person at last. Pull up a chair and sit down. It's your show, for now, so let's hear what you have to say."

Star Girl leans forward, about to head over, but she holds up at Okami's insistence. She looks over to him for the go-ahead.

Maggie's day is already well underway. Several bags from a variety of stores sit under the tabe at her feet while she enjoys a break. One chocolate chip muffin and a white mocha machiatto should give her the energy to finish whatever other tasks she has on the schedule for today.

Okami gives a quick nod to Star Girl as Green Warrior invites them over. He gestures for her to slip into the bench first before sliding in himself. "Looking for information on Jade Ashcroft," he says. "Seems there's a good chance she's with you."

Star Girl has a seat at the table. "Hey, I'm Star Girl -- but duh, you probably know that already... Who are your friend, Green Warrior?"

Citadel swings open the door and steps into the coffeehouse. He yawns a moment, and heads for the counter to get some strong coffee.

Green Warrior starts to rise as Citadel enters, but a hand on his arm from the girl brings him to a halt. The girl speaks, loud enough for Citadel to hear as well as those at the table. "Easy. Yes, he's UEMS. But he's clean." She looks at Citadel, "You might be interested in hearing this."

Okami casts a wary glance at Citadel for a moment as the meta enters. "Just to make it clear he isn't here with us," he says. "The downsides of your choice."

Ghost nods, putting the hood back and down. Her elf like ears are now visible. "This is kind of neutral ground. Recognized as such by heroes and villains alike. The safest place in the city to have a meeting, if not the most private."

Star Girl looks over at Citadel. "You're UEMS? Your organization has some issues..."

Ghost continues speaking, "Green Warrior you know. This," she indicates the blond woman on her left, "is Tag. I'm Ghost."

Okami nods to Ghost. "You leave the clues to the valley on your coveralls intentionally?" he asks her.

Ghost laughs, "No. You found our old base from clues on the overalls I wore? I'm impressed."

Citadel takes his coffee and walks towards the group, he takes a gulp. "My organization has issues, doesn't all organization have issues."

Maggie enjoys her muffin and coffee, but not enough to be oblivious. Large people in lycra are usually conspicuous, even if they're not all that unusual. She looks up from her break to idly observe. Some of those in the growing group may even be familiar to her.

Okami gives a short shrug of his shoulders. "Wasn't that it would eventually be something else," he says with a thin smile. "Got to say you're pretty difficult to track down, though." He turns toward Citadel and raises an eyebrow. "Yeah. Your group's issues are a bit bigger than most," he says.

Star Girl makes a frown to Citadel. "Understatement of the year... What do you know about Jade Ashcroft going missing?"

Ghost nods, then looks at Okami, "You want to know about Jade? Interesting coincidence. This was the table where Jade and I were sitting the last time I saw her. No, she's not with us, at least not physically. She's the inspiration for our movement though. I know where she is. In Stronghold, in a unauthorised and secret cell wing being interrogated."

Citadel looks to Star Girl, "Nothing personally." then pauses, "She is being held in Stronghold, under what charge?

Ghost looks at Citadel. "No charge. It's what you Earther's call a 'black operation.' Abducted and detained without charge or due process."

Citadel pauses a moment and says, "You should seek the courts then for action."

Okami grimaces at that. "Damn," he says. "Here I was hoping for some kind of happy ending to that part of the story." He turns to Citadel and says, "What do we do? File a writ for a person Stronghold isn't holding?"

Star Girl sighs. "We need proof."

Ghost shrugs, "I'm hardly going to involve the legal system. But if someone did, where's the proof? They'll just deny holding her."

Citadel shrugs and says, "You mean not officially holding?" then nods, "Gain proof, then you can take it to the courts, or of course the government. This assumes they aren't both compromised." shrugging, "Which leaves you the fourth branch of government of sorts."

Citadel looks to Ghost, "Do you think she is in Stronghold now?"

Ghost tells Citadel, with some sympathy, "Your organisation is compromised at the top level. You wouldn't know, as you're a Meta. You don't wear the UEMS battlesuit. But anyone who has worn one is suspect."

Ghost nods, "I don't think. I know."

Citadel nods and says, "Those battlesuits? Yes, mind control devices, Guild stuff." then looks around, "Perhaps a visit is in order. I haven't visited it for awhile."

Okami nods to Ghost. "Kind of what I figured," he says to her. "Let me guess, it's part of the mental defense system?"

Ghost "Yes. It was much cruder initially. Citadel, you saw one of the early versions, remember. But now it's all built-in. Part of the mental defense system, as you guessed correctly, Okami."

Citadel nods and says, "Do you have proof of these mental defense systems, and the suits?"

Citadel pauses a moment and says, "Strange, these suits, why stop at UEMS, why not give them to the soldiers or defense forces. Gain control of the whole defense system."

Ghost says, "Proof good enough for me, yes. Nothing that would stand up in a court of law I suspect. We've been accessing the Guild and UEMS computer systems."

Star Girl looks to Citadel. "Maybe that's their plan."

Citadel shakes his head, "If you have the information or proof, then use the fourth branch." taking a sip, "Law and politics are united, and when you feel the other branches are now corrupted, then you must use the base to topple the system." then glances around, "Basic politics."

Star Girl looks to Okami. "Look... I'm not a spy or anything, but there was this thing I saw in this movie..."

Ghost shakes her head, "In the long run, maybe. But Jade would be dead and vanished long before your courts came to a conclusion. This is the Empire. The lives of aliens, that's you, mean less than nothing to them."

Citadel shakes his head, "There is another way to assist Jade, if she is being unofficially held at Stronghold."

Star Girl says, "That's not true Ghost, not for all of them."

Ghost looks at Green Warrior and Tag. Then back at the heroes, "We don't have the firepower to get her out on our own. But if you were to help..."

Citadel shrugs and says, "Getting into Stronghold is easy, getting out, well that is more of the issue."

Okami shakes his head. "Fighting out isn't an option," he says. "Just lends validity to their argument."

Citadel looks to Okami, "You don't have to fight your way out of Stronghold. You just need to unofficially transfer her out." then nods, "If you have access to their computers, why not just have her, uhmm, transferred to another UEMS jail."

Star Girl says, "It they're holding her there unofficially, they must have an unofficial way of getting people in and out, right? Some kind of back door?"

Citadel nods and says, "Yes, that would be probably correct..."

Ghost looks at Citadel, "You don't think we wouldn't do that if it was possible? The computers are virtually hack-proof. There are three computers, and each one is controlled by the other two. Take over one computer and the other two simply rewrite the changes you make. Two of the computers are in an isolated control room with no access from outside it. A brilliant design."

Citadel looks around, "Two computers in an isolated control room with no access from outside, then how do technicians or operators access it."

Okami shakes his head. "No need for a back door," he says. "Stick her in a cape and mask and march her in through the front door, then play a quick shell game and move her off to the special wing."

Ghost laughs, "I'm talking hacker access. There's no net connection to the outside world. You have to be inside the room, which, yes, has doors, to gain control of the two isolated computers."

Citadel nods, and says, "Then where are these computers?"

Star Girl nods to Okami. "Maybe we can do the same thing to get inside."

Citadel looks and says, "You want to be put inside Stronghold?"

Okami shrugs his shoulders slightly to Star Girl. "Not too hard to get into Stronghold. It's getting out that's the problem. I think we need to come up with something that makes them want to bring her out."

Maggie isn't a political major, but knows enough to be surprised by some of the snippets she overhears. She manages to stifle her gasp, but still inhales a little coffee down the wrong pipe. Maggie coughs some. Caffeine was not designed to be inhaled.

Citadel pauses a moment, "The easiest way to get her out of Stronghold is to have them move her because they need to hide her." then nods, "The question is how do you get or make them uncomfortable with her being there."

Star Girl looks to Okami. "There might be a way... but do you think they might kill her instead?"

Okami nods to Citadel. "Easiest, but not the most effective," he says. "We don't just want her out but we want her out when we're ready and we want them to take her someplace we can control." He turns to Star Girl and says, "If they didn't think she was valuable they would have already killed her. We need something that makes them use her because of her value."

Ghost asks Citadel, "You know the layout of Stronghold? Do you recall the central services core? That was built back when your technology was less advanced. When they replaced the old boilers the new ones took up less than half the space. The rest of the area was used for storage until that breakout attempt in 2028. The prisoners took over the control room remember? After that it was converted to a secret control room that could override the main control room."

Citadel nods and says, "I've toured it. I know the layout as well as it was last time I visited." then shrugs, "How does the secret control room communicate with the control room?"

Citadel thinks. o O (Odd, such serious breaches in Stronghold security going on... how do they know about secret rooms...)

Ghost shrugs, "Optical cable link at a guess, just one out of thousands wired throughout the prison. I don't know for sure."

Ghost adds, "We're lucky they blundered. If I was designing the system I'd have all the details of the computer arrangement only on the two isolated computers. But they went for the tell-me-twice on everything. Which meant the details were on the computer I could access, although I couldn't change anything on it."

Citadel pauses and says, "So you need two to override one?"

Okami shrugs his shoulders slightly. "You're assuming they blundered," he says. "Could be the data on that machine was bad."

Ghost says, "Yes, Citadel. If I can get physical access to the isolated room it can be done. I have someone who can take over the accessible computer. I take over one of the net isolated computers. And then we can make any changes we want."

Citadel nods, "Of course to make this proper, you need to get appropriate permission to do this."

Ghost turns to Okami, "It's possible that the data is bad, I suppose. But I don't think there's anyone on or off the planet that could fool me in that fashion. Guild computer science is actually behind Earth's, so even with Guild help I doubt it's possible to fool me."

Ghost looks back to Citadel, "Wake up. There's nobody we can trust. The Guild have been infiltrating United Earth ever since it was formed. Who do you go to for permission? How can you know which side they're on? I wouldn't trust you, except I saw for myself your reaction to the attack on Jade in here."

Okami raises an eyebrow slightly but keeps his own counsel. "Still say the best solution is to have them bring her out. Present them with something that they need to bring her to, like a lock."

Star Girl nods to Okami. "I think so too. Maybe we can use the leak to pass the bad UEMS agents information to make it look like they need to more Jade."

Ghost queries, "Leak?"

Citadel nods and says, "The whole United Earth... problem then, that would make it a legal arrest if the government is behind it."

Star Girl shrugs. "We've got some security problems at Star Guard." She frowns.

Okami arches an eyebrow at Star Girl. "Starguard has its own issues," he says to Ghost. "I'm advising them how to...handle one of them."

Ghost have you done anything to degrade the confidence UEMS has in this leak's information?

Okami shakes his head. "Not yet," he says. "There hasn't really been enough time either way."

Citadel looks to Ghost, "There is another way to get her out, the legal way, the bureaucratic way."

Ghost says, "Only if you want her dead, Citadel. Dead people don't talk. Don't go to the press. Don't give evidence. Get it through your head, they'll kill her with no more remorse than you'd feel stepping on a bug."

Okami gives another tight smile. "What do you know about Joplin valley?" he asks Citadel.

Citadel shrugs and says, "Nothing, why?"

Ghost nods after Okami's question but remains silent.

Citadel looks around, "I can put in official requests for information, warrants, and stuff. However, that will be noticed by the so claimed corrupt UEMS officials and government bureaucrats."

Okami nods to Citadel. "It was the location of one of their old abandoned bases," he says, nodding his head in the direction of Ghost and crew. "I was there doing reconnaissance when a cloaked UEMS troop carrier dropped down into the valley and offloaded a squad of UEMS Marshals, a Kulgan, and 2 heavy worlders and I was listening to him when he gave the order to kill everyone in the base."

Citadel pauses and says, "Old abandoned base of whom?"

Ghost says, "Ours. ELF, the Earth Liberation Front."

Okami nods. "After they got pushed back they dropped a meteor on the valley. Can I prove it? No, but do you really believe it's a coincidence?"

Citadel shrugs and says, "So you are claiming that someone gave a command to UEMS to execute wanted people?"

Citadel looks Okami, "Odd, if you want to kill people in a military action, use Starguard, they are better at that."

Ghost asks Okami, "You were there when that happened? How did our defense setup work out?"

Okami nods to Citadel. "But Starguard isn't compromised like UEMS is," he says, "and besides, in a military action you still let people surrender. This was a kill order." He turns to Ghost and says, "Worked real well. Very impressive."

Citadel shrugs and says, "Did you record this with video, or any proof?"

Star Girl says, "He was there!"

Okami shakes his head. "No," he says. "Probably wouldn't have mattered much if I did. ELF's defenses would have fried the camera."

Ghost nods, looking pleased. "Earth has a much weaker magic field than my home. But that also means virtually nothing is mana-shielded. So even my weakened spells have considerable effect."

Ghost sighs, "It's a shame I can't use the same on Stronghold."

Citadel shakes his head, "Once again, no legal proof. You are claiming a world government corruption. You don't want to go to the press." then pauses, "There isn't much can be done then if this is true." then nodding, "Well, there is one thing you can do, but that is illegal."

Okami cocks his head slightly and studies Ghost for a moment. "Ah," he says. "I thought you were Earth born. Your human parent was on a Guild world?" he asks.

Ghost shakes her head. "My human parent was Earth stock. A descendant of the people kidnapped as slaves from Earth back in the 1200's."

Okami nods once more. "That would explain why my searches for you in Japan didn't turn up anything," he says, then turns to Citadel. "Yeah. Once again, no legal proof, but you can't believe that there aren't at least elements in the Guild up to something."

Star Girl says, "That's what bad guys do, right? Hide the proof. We need to find a way to deal with them, despite having no evidence."

Citadel shakes his head, "How do you deal with the government without proof and use of the media and public outrage?"

Okami shakes his head. "Right now the issue is getting Ashcroft free," he says. "We can worry about the Guild and getting proof later."

Star Girl says, "I don't know. If we free Jade, then that's all the proof we need, right?"

Okami shakes his head. "That won't be proof," he says. "Not any more than if I say what I saw."

Ghost says, "Take cameras. Record everything when you're rescuing Jade. There's your proof."

Ghost adds, "Do that and we can hijack every netcast and broadcast on Earth. Everyone will see it."

Okami looks dubious. "Still the issue of breaking her out of Stronghold," he says. "Not really something I am keen to take on."

Citadel shakes his head, "If you can find proof of Guild and United Earth conspiracy, that is what you need to get out."

Ghost says "We can take the isolated control room and get control of two of the computers. At that point we can shut down all the automated defences and seal off the cell wing where Jade is being held. But we don't have the manpower needed to get Jade out as well. Shift records indicate there will be four Marshals in battlesuits in the wing. If you are willing to take on that part of the operation we can do this."

Star Girl grumbles. "It's kind of like the Guild Olympiad thing all over again. We won't be able to stop them until we can expose the truth about them."

Citadel pauses and says, "You want me to do what, to whom?"

Okami raises an eyebrow once more. "Just four marshals?" he asks. "What's your plan for getting in and out of Stronghold itself?"

Ghost looks at Okami, "Or if you can arrange to have Jade moved to another location we'll help in rescuing her that way."

Citadel shrugs and says, "Still easier to do a bureaucratic transfer request and confuse them into moving her."

Okami nods to Ghost. "Give me some time to think about it," he says. "I'll need a way to get in touch with you."

Ghost says, "We can mimic a regular transport using spoofing and land our shuttle in the prison. Citadel, they don't officially have her. How can you make a bureaucratic request to move someone who doesn't officially exist?"

Green Warrior tells Okami, "Use the same number. If it's not you calling it will route to a dead line."

Citadel nods and says, "Well then, if she is not officially a prisoner at Stronghold no crime in taking her out."

Okami gives a short laugh. "It will be a new phone," he says.

Citadel looks around and says, "Don't you have a safer place to discuss these topics in?" then looks around, "Anyone here could be a Guild or government informant." then glances over at one person, "That one could be one..." or at Maggie, "Maybe her."

Ghost nods, "Think about it. Just don't take too long. Contact us when you're ready to make a decision. We've been here long enough." She nods in the direction of another coffee drinker, and with a nice night-sky-full-of-stars special effect the four vanish.

Citadel shakes his head and says, "Seriously, world conspiracies..." muttering a bit as he walks out of the coffeehouse and back to work.

Later
Harrisburg

This once middle-class section of town has fallen into disrepair: the rows of two-storey homes are mere ghosts of the past. Some of the vinyl siding is cracked and faded from decades of neglect. Children play unsupervised in now weed-strewn vacant lots. Graffiti along brick walls mark the territory of various gangs trying to claim the neighborhood as their own. Harrisburg Elementary needs its tall security fence and guarded gate.

If southern Harrisburg is bad, the north is appalling. Many of the homes are boarded up, perhaps occupied by homeless squatters, and the gang graffiti is ubiquitous. Drug dealers and worse have brought their crime to the district. Few trees or shrubs remain, and lawns are weeds and broken bottles. Here dwell the destitute, the desperate and the homeless.

Harrisburg Clinic

This is an old building, superficially renovated. A hand-lettered sign reads "Harrisburg Free Clinic - No Appointment Needed" in large letters. Underneath, a smaller sign reads "Dr. MacFurgeson, MD" and "Dancing Coyote."

The front steps are guarded by two members of the Harrisburg Watch. They don't appear hostile, just wary. They don't stop you from entering unless you look like you are going to cause trouble, although they do search you for weapons.

The interior, which is not visible from the outside, is surprisingly neat and well-organized. There are fresh flowers in vases that almost mask the hint of disinfectant in the air. A variety of public health and safety brochures are available on a nearby table, along with a basin marked "Donations optional" half-full of coins and rumpled dollar bills. A discreet hand-lettered sign reads "Yes, we do have drugs here. No, we don't give them out. Trust us, you DON'T want to try taking them. Thank you, the management."

Okami carefully climbs the outside of the clinic, locating Mary's room by scent and letting himself in through the window, exercising as much caution as he can despite the difficult situation.

That's Okami's intention at least. But while he's climbing up the outside a Watchman spots him as a black outline against the starry sky. "YOU! Come down, real slow. Don't try anything or you'll be history." he calls out to you, loud enough to alert the other Watchman on duty at the clinic. The Watchman is armed, an assault carbine. He looks ready, maybe even eager, to use it.

Okami curses to himself slightly under his breath. All the time he spends practicing on the course he designed and he silhouettes himself against the sky like a complete amateur. Well, no point in making a bad situation worse. He drops down from the wall landing lightly on hands and feet near the Watchman. "Put that away before you hurt yourself," he says, his voice pitched into a low growl."

A second Watchman comes into view, carrying a torch in one hand which he plays on Okami. He is also armed with a Assault carbine. "Who's this?" he asks, the question effectively put to both the first Watchman and Okami.

Okami gives a small snort. "Don't stand there," he says to the second Watchman with the flashlight. "Not unless you want your friend to accidentally shoot you." He points to a position about sixty degrees out of the line of fire so that the two Watchmen could maintain a one hundred and twenty degree arc, enough in most cases to effectively flank someone without shooting at each other. "Stand over there. I'm here to see Mary Brown. It's important."

The Watchmen glance at each other. Then the second to arrive says, "Clinic opening hours don't extend into the late night. Got to kind of assume you don't have an honest reason to see her if you're trying to sneak in. So, much as I'd like to teach you a lesson, I'll give you a choice. Walk away now. Or I'll wake up Mary Brown, and if you don't have a good reason to see her that she agrees with, you'll not get out of Harrisburg except by crawling. What's it to be?"

Okami gives the second Watchman a rather pained look. "I'm humoring you because I think you and yours do more good than bad," he says. "Try and play the bully and that won't continue to be true, will it? Now go get her."

The Watchmen continue to watch you. One uses a PDA to place a call to Mary Brown. There's a short delay. Then the door of the clinic opens and Mary Brown steps outside, wearing a dressing robe. She comes over, "I'm Mary Brown. The Watchmen said you wanted to see me?"

Okami nods to Mary. He turns his back on the two Watchmen. "You've got a line to Nicky Winters," he says. "I need to talk with her."

Mary says, "You can talk to me. I'm her eyes and ears while she's unavailable."

Okami nods and glances at the two gunmen. "I figured as much," he says, "but you're going to want to send them home. They don't need to hear what I've got to tell you and it will just put them in danger."

Mary shakes her head slowly, "I don't know you. You come at night and are caught trying to sneak into the clinic. I have no reason to trust you, and plenty of reason to distrust you. Even if you are being truthful I can't know that. The Watchmen stay. You can decide whether to speak or not."

Okami gives a slight shrug of his shoulders. "If you aren't going to trust me then it doesn't matter what I say, does it?" he asks, "'cause you won't deliver my message, so you decide now whether you're going to trust me or not. I'm not going to put your men in traction to prove that you should believe me." He shifts position slightly so that Mary Brown will not be in the lin of fire should the two Watchmen start shooting at him.

Mary points out, "Maybe your message will convince me to trust you, or maybe I'll pass on your message whether I trust you or not. I trust the Watch. They earned that trust during the Horde Invasion. You haven't earned my trust but that doesn't mean I'll ignore what you say."

Okami considers that for a moment and then makes a counterproposal. "Have them back off so they can't hear," he says. "I try something, they can still try and shoot me."

Mary shakes her head again, "No. If I did that I'd be accepting your opinion they can't be trusted. You can either accept that I trust them and talk to me, or you can go away and let me get back to my bed."

Okami chuckles a little. "Didn't say they couldn't be trusted," he points out. "Said it would put them in danger. Don't think they're really ready to take on the UEMS and the Guild."

Mary looks at you in silence for a moment or two, "No, they aren't. Neither am I. Nor, I'm sure is the Duchess. My Mistress has put that kind of activity behind her."

Okami gives a nod to Mary. "Yeah, but she might be in a position to help against them," he says. "Them," he gives a toss of his head in the direction of on of the Watchmen, "not so much, so anything they hear can only get them in trouble and can't help. Want me to go on anyway?"

Mary says, "You seem to be under a misapprehension. The Duchess has ceased engaging in criminal activities. Whatever your scheme, I doubt if my Mistress would be interested. Furthermore, I might feel obligated to inform someone of anything you tell me. Probably Spirit."

Okami arches an eyebrow slightly an then smiles a bit thinly. "I'm aware of that," he says. "If you were a criminal then either the Watchmen wouldn't be so keen on protecting you or I wouldn't be going out of my way to protect them, but there's issues with the Guild and UEMS. Elements that need to be stopped."

Mary looks curious, "In what regard?"

"The meteor that hit near Joplin," Okami says. "That wasn't a random meteor. That was an attack by the Guild against one of their enemies."

"All right. Assume for the moment that I believe you." Mary says, "What does this have to do with my Mistress?"

"The UEMS," Okami says, "is holding another of the Guild's enemies, Jade Ashcroft, in Stronghold, off the books, and your Mistress seems to be there largely of her own volition."

Mary's attitude changes noticably, "Oh. I see." She thinks for a few moments, "Do you know Spirit? He's one of the heroes of this city."

Okami nods. "We've met. I was with him in Texas when he was trying to locate Jade," he says.

Mary nods, "Nicky trusts Spirit. Although I don't think he yet trusts her. If you want to convince her to help, have Spirit with you when you meet her. Make your arrangements and call me at the clinic. I'll pass on the time of the meeting to Nicky."

Okami gives a nod to Mary. "I'll see what I can do," he says, "He can be a bit hard to get a hold of."

"It's your best chance to convince my Mistress to listen." Mary points out.

Okami nods again. "Like I said, it will be up to him, but I think he'll come."