Log:Powerless in Chinatown, Scene 11

Powerless in Chinatown 2021/04/09 	 Chen Dark Horse Kid Tengu Lennox Union Battery Adelaide McFall

11

The heroes have won the big fight! But there are still loose ends. The stolen powers have been extracted, but they've yet to be returned to the Chinatown metas. And Chen and Kid Tengu have used a teleporter found on Agent Jim to reach a basement level of Snipe Tower downtown, to be shot at by a laser and then by the building's security people. The basement lab belongs to TransTech, but Agent Jim has been identified as working for Snipe Logistics.

The security people, to do them justice, do examine what's left of the smashed laser. 

A smiling Chen asks Kid Tengu, "Ever been in a death trap before?"

The security guy asks, "How'd you end up in there, anyway?"

Chen says, "Teleporter taken from a villain henchman."

"Once or twice- but that was the first time I've ever been trapped in a death trap that was also in a security vault." KT says, acting a bit brash and fearless about the whole thing, but he almost panicked in there. His heart beat is still going a mile a minute.

"So the teleporter was a trap, then?"

"Yup. Definitely a trap. Huge laser gun in the ceiling." KT replies. "It started blasting on us the second we appeared."

Chen nods to the guard, "Seems likely. Unless that was supposed to be a bug-out as far as the henchman knew and the villain combined it with a cut-out to break any possible trail. Villains rarely have pension plans for their hirelings."

"Hm. But there's no way to prove that TransTech was even involved. Presumably anyone could have set teleporter to take you to this... laser chamber, or whatever it is."

Chen says, "That was my first, Kid. Not a bad starting place for the trap experience log."

Chen says, "Anyone... with access to the TransTech security vault. Kind of narrows the field a bit."

KT nods in agreement. "Its a smaller pool than we had 5 minutes ago- so I say we're making great progress."

Chen says, "Anyway, settle down. Some more recgonizable heroes will be here in a few minutes."

The Snipe Building is typical of the downtown skyscrapers: it house a large number of businesses on various floors. A number of them have Snipe in the name, but most do not.

On arrival (driving with the others in his sedan), Lennox pauses before popping the trunk and closing up the front. He retrieves the power-transfer weapon, tucking it into his once-often-used rucksack and slinging it over his head and shoulder to minimize the chance of theft. "Supposedly in here," he says to Dark Horse and Union.

Dark Horse nods and gets out. "Huh. The Snipe Building? That's...interesting. I wonder how much the family knows about what's going on inside."

Union says, "We need to find out more about what's going on inside. Shall we?"

The police have also arrived, having been summoned by security. The heroes have hardly arrived before they are questioned about what brings them here!

Lennox looks up at the place, then shrugs. "Nobles rarely really do." He nods at Union, and gestures for her to lead; she is by far the most recognizeable and heroic of the three.

Dark Horse gives the police a rundown of the situation. The metas getting attacked. The people responsible supposedly inside, cornered by a couple of other heroes. Etcetera.

Union tells the security guys at the door, "We're here about the trouble in the basement..."

It take a while before all the confusion is sorted out: the police can confirm that the heroes are known heroes (at least the ones that are :) ) and the heroes's stories support each other, so the heroes probably weren't randomly breaking in, etc. etc.

This handled, the newly arrived heroes can join the others in the basement.

KT waves to the others as they arrive.

Chen grins, "Well, Jim was telling the truth. He said using the teleporter was a bad idea. He was nearly right. Put us in a death trap. Nothing we couldn't handle though."

Dark Horse nods slowly, and goes to take a look at the trap in question. "Maybe if he was carrying a particular transmitting device, the trap wouldn't fire? That's what I would do."

Dark Horse looks around. "So...what else have you found?"

The security chief has gone to find someone from TransTech to ask him about the 'death trap'.

Chen says, "A bunch of security guys who we needed to keep an eye on. So looking around was kind of inhinited. Anyway, we're thje shock troops. The brain work is down by other smarter guys. Like, you know.. you?""

KT resents that but not enough to ignore the opportunity of watching the others work. Any new working tactic is a welcome one, so reluctantly- he agrees with his silence.

Dark Horse glances over toward Chen, "Hence why I was asking if you found anything interesting worth mentioning. Sometimes...the eye sees something, but the beholder doesn't realize the relevance immediately." He starts to look around for clues.

Lennox looks at the death trap along with Dark Horse and nods in agreement -- yup, that's a death trap all right, he's seen his share. "Ha," he says. "I'm usually the hired help. So -- teleported straight in, no problem, then the thing started shooting?"

Chen nods, "Yes. It was a bit hairy for a while but KT broke open the door and that was enough." She doesn't mention smashing the laser.

The immediate room is not so different from many offices - lots of desks and computers showing screen savers - but other rooms have some pretty impressive labs, more the sort of thinga that super-scientists have than normal tech firms.

Chen points to a screen, "That had a image of one of the fancy weapons showing for a moment. Then went to screensaver. I'm no computer tech so left it for someone who knows what they are doing."

Union nudges the mouse on the indicated system.

A login screen comes up.

KT follows the Dark Horse detective about, but is silent, taking notes mentally.

Dark Horse sees the login screen and shakes his head, "So...we're going to have difficulty getting past that without the password. But...people are sometimes stupid. And write down passwords." He chuckles and starts to look through some drawers, focusing on desks.

Union lifts the keyboard.

"Maybe- we can't brute force it, but maybe we can finesse it if you don't find this company's number 1 security risk." KT offers, seemingly happy to supervise the otehr's search.

Well, the laser is clearly smashed, so someone did the deed -- but Lennox doesn't care about the specifics. "Hmm. To be honest, I think this is above our paygrade -- and getting beyond certainly my skill set. Anyone know who we should dump this on?"

Dark Horse does not have the luck to find the password quickly, but does find it eventially in a file at the back of a drawer that looked much used. Looks like it's the sort of place where they change passwords so often they have to write them down.

Chen says, "Guild tech involved? I'd say Starguard."

Dark Horse nods. "I can try getting through using brute force. But..it'll be a while." He holds up the paper he found, "Ah hah."

Dark Horse walks over to the keyboard again, and tries to log in.

Union steps out of his way.

The login is successful, and a diagram comes up on the screen which is recognisably the ego-sapping gun!

Dark Horse lets out a long whistle. "Hello." He furrows his brow, "There were no techs here when you both arrived? Just security guards?"

KT notices a picture of people on a nearby desk. He shifts into a random shape to try it on for size. He repeats the process randomly - as opposed to holding his breath the way an axious huuman might.

"Nope. Jsut Security when we got the vault door down." KT answers, turning to look over Union's shoulder to see what DH found.

Chen lifts her hands, "That was the case by the time we escaped from the trap. Can't say who was in here when we arrived."

"That's true. It was 10-20 seconds before we got out of there?" KT estimates, looking to Chen for confirmation as he slips into another shape.

Chen nods.

Dark Horse starts to poke around in the computer system, looking for other incriminating evidence. Hopefully a nice big PowerPoint presentation of their plans. But you never know.

KT is pretty good with computers- especially human computers, but he can't help but be impressed by Dark Horse's acumen. He's a regular deep-space haxxor. He nods, making the face he's seen humans do that can only say one thing, 'DAYUM'

Huh. While clearly this user doesn't have access to much a lot of the system, there's an impressive amount on weapons specifically, here. Including all the guns that SCALLOP have - the power drainer included!

Lennox stands back, letting the engineers do what engineers have done for millenia -- fiddle. But it's usually useful fiddling. "Well. I guess we're in the right place, then." He steps out (or over) to an officer and says, "These are the people. Can we get a detective assigned?"

Chen is looking over DH's shoulder. "That is something," she says seriously, "I wish we could un-invent." speaking about the power transfer weapon."

Some other points of interest come out quickly: that the ego drainer and the power-stealing gun are Fogg tech, for instance, while other weapons are labelled as being of alien origin.

Kid Tengu makes a note to share all the knowledge he can about that particular weapon with his pet humans- the rest of #CodeDark.

Dark Horse nods to Chen. "I seem to remember Einstein felt similarly about the atomic bomb. Unless my memory is faulty." He keeps poking around for anything else that might be of use. Names. Addresses. Finances.

At about this point a short, plump woman in a lab coat bursts in. "What are you doing? Get away from that computer! This is all TransTech property!"

Dark Horse raises a brow. "Is it? So, you're saying that TransTech itself is involved in stealing metahuman powers and giving them to other people to muscle in on criminal enterprises?"

Lennox looks over and snorts. Of course. "How about the working models?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm saying no such thing," the woman retorts. "But you have no business in here. We asked security to handle the intruders. We have been *patient* on the understanding that this was an unfortunate mistake. But now neither you 'heroes' nor security have any reason to remain!"

KT stops shifting when the woman bursts in. Instead he moves to prevent her from passing but comes to a halt as the others are much quicker with their words.

Instead he watches the woman unblinkingly.

"Actually," says Lennox mildly, "at this point this is a crime scene."

Chen appears apologetic, "Oh. So the data of that computer is TransTech proprietary property?"

If it is," the woman fumes, "It's only because you've committed a crime. We can still charge you with breaking and entering!"

KT shifts into a copy of the woman and nods. "You can definitely do that." She says mockingly.

The woman glares at KT. "I can see that we need to increase security."

Union says, "Actually, security let us in."

"Well, they can let you out. Now. Goodbye."

Union says, "But there is the question of the attempt upon the lives of two people."

Union asks the woman, "What was your name again? And your title?"

Lennox shrugs. "That," he says precisely, "is for law enforcement to establish. I hope your heavy weapons license is in order. I am, however, very certain that your computers and files are now evidence in an ongoing investigation." It sounds good, right? Just like on television.

There was no such attempt." explains the woman. "If you will break into our testing chamber we can hardly be held responsible for the result. You, on the other hand, willl most definitely be held responsible for breaking our equipment!'

Chen says, "Not to mention the possession of illegal Guild technology. Weapon Tech to be precise. As you, Madam, have admitted this is TransTech property, as an agent of SSG I'm requesting," she looks at an officer of the CBPD, that you are taken into custody and held until jurisdiction is established.""

KT causes the features of the woman he's mimicking to become more predatory and demonic. She also things of a thousnad snarky things to say, but the otehrs are doing so well he won't break their combo with warbling.

She squeezes one eye out as forked tongue slides out and polishes sprouting fangs as he continues to try to be unnerving while the adults do the heavy lifting.

Dark Horse keeps poking around on the computer, quickly looking for something that might be of use.

The officer asks Chen, "Is there enough evidence for us to detain them?"

Lennox catches what KT is doing out of the corner of his eye, and turns. "Hey,"he snaps, "knock it off. Go back to your baseline." He means the look that KT normally starts with in these encounters.

Union looks up, "Yeah, your normal mask looks much nicer."

Chen enumerates, "Admission that the location and property in here is TransTech's. The existence of schematics and specifications of illegally imported Guild weapons on a computer in this location. I believe that is more than sufficient to hold pending jurisdiction decision between yourselves and Starguard, Officer."

KT makes a face at the woman before quickly snapping back into a black bodysuit and blue tengu mask.

Dark Horse nods to the officer. "There should be, yes. We have eye witnesses who have seen their weapons being used to attack people in Chinatown. The shooters were tracked back to a house and a warehouse, where we defeated them. Since one is used to take away powers...it also needs to be used to return the powers to the person they were stolen from. And it MAY be a matter of life and death, given teh state of one of the people involved." He glances at the screen, noting that Fogg actually commissioned having some of the weapons made. Clearly the non-alien tech.

"There are no such schematics to my knowledge!" says the woman. "And even if there were any, you could only know that through illegal data intrusion."

The officer nods to Dark Horse. Sound good enough to count as probable cause - at least by the standards which generally apply to meta cases. So there's at least a good chance the evidence might be admitable. Let the lawyers sort it out.

Chen smiles to the woman, "Give it up. You should be thinking of aiming for a plea deal. This isn't Colonial Bay or even United States law. You're involved in terrorism. Different rules apply."

Dark Horse shrugs and pockets the password list from the desk. "You mean...these schematics? Officer, I am usre you'll want to seize teh computer systems."

Union says, "Are the files stored locally, or on a network, Dark Horse?"

The police officer nods to Dark Horse. "From this point we'll be taking over. Please leave the crime scene to avoid any comtamination."

Union thanks the officer and heads back to the elevator.

Dark Horse nods to the officer, "Of course." He pulls out the password list, and sets it down for the officer. "Here's their password list. You'll need it."

Adelaide McFall, for such, it turns out, is her name, is led from the room, and other TransTech employees find themselves being questioned too...

Chen looks at the officer, "Would you like us to remain nearby until you can get a SWAT team here? This incident has included enemy agents in heavy armor and weapons."

Dark Horse says to Lennox, "Let's get those powers returned. And then we can turn the weapon over as well."

KT glances at the password as he turns to exit the crime scene, pausing to wait for the others.

Union says, "Was there anyone else here we need to talk to?"

The officer nods to Chen. "That would be helpful." He adds under his breath, "It may be that the building security can be trusted - or it may not."

Chen nods, "My gut says they're clean. My head says don't bet the farm," she tells the officer.

Dark Horse shakes his head, "I don't think so, Union. The cops will take over on this end. We just need to restore people's powers."

Sure enough, the place is soon swarming with police of various persuasions, who take over the investigation - securing the labs, seizing the computers, questioning the employees...

Chen nods when Dark Horse says that. "Yes. Now would be good. Let's go?"

Union says, "Then let's get it done. Were you able to figure out how from the computer?"

Dark Horse shakes his head, "Nah. But I think we have it figured out from using the weapon already."

"We've labeled the weapon and he figured out how to restore them." KT informs Union. "So we're good to go." he gives a thumbs up.

Lennox glances at Chen, considers, and nods. "They were in a hospital, were they not?"

Chen nods.

Chen phones Battery once out of the Snipe building. She's one of Lee's metas who Chen has a friendly association with, "We have the power transfer device ready to restore the stolen powers. Where are OMA, Microwave, and Silkworm?"

The three depowered metas, it turns out, are all back in Precision's care, the hospital having been unable to help Silkworm. The heroes restore the powers to each, earning the gratitude of the Chinatown metas - though Silkworm remains in her cocoon. Some Assembly Required has not been seen since the incident, as is likely no longer welcome among Lee's metas.

The power-draining gun is duly given over to the police as evidence in the case.