Log:Discussing the Target List

A List of Questions 2019/10/04 	 Night Marshal Zero Mechanica Yamin

6

It's just past 10 at night. The air's a little crisp and cool, but the air is still. Mechanica is waiting on the rooftop across from Montgomery and Associates, having arranged a meeting with Night Marshal and Zero. She's at least not invisible, but she's sticking to the shadows, crouched and looking over several holo-display panes as she reviews information. One is a video feed of some other young vigilante in some building. "Turn left," she radios them.

Night Marshal gets some use out his gear. He climbs up the side of the building using his cling-grips, and pulls himself up onto the roof. He walks out onto the rooftop and looks around. After a moment, he notices where Mechanica is and heads over in that direction.

Another youthful heroine is making her way to the appointed location to meet her Sister from another Mister & some other mask she's been working with. This isn't a surprise turn of events, but it is rare enough that she's pretty excited to see who this mystery mask is and if its someone she's met before.

She swings down an alleyway before shooting her line straight up and retracting herself up. She runs up the wall to keep her position stable before being launched over the ledge and a few feet into the air.

She spots both and makes her way over as well.

Mechanica gets a ping on her radar and smiles. "Aaaaaand...door's unlocked. Security system down. You should be good on your own now," she says over radio as she watches her charge arriving at some secure looking door within a wealthy estate.

"B-but M..." a young male voice says nervously, maybe a teenager, before Mechanica shuts off the feed and her radio connection. She's still keeping tabs, but no longer broadcasting the footage on her display pane. She rises to her feet and smiles. "You both are punctual," she grins.

Night Marshal nods to tips his hats to both of the ladies. "Evenin'. How are you both doin' tonight?" He looks pretty relaxed as he leans against on of the roof air-con units.

It's just past 10 at night. The air's a little crisp and cool, but the air is still. Yamin has gotten an invitation from her fellow Fury, Mechanica, to meet at the rooftop across Montgomery and Associates. Zero, Mechanica, and Night Marshal are already there.

Zero smiles softly and gives a friendly enough wave as she regards Night Marshal for a moment.

"Well, it sounded like you had something hot going on- so I thought I'd hurry." Zero says as if she weren't just casing a mobster's house for laundered cash to donate as she sees fit.

"Plus how often do you invite someone outside our little circle along for fun and games?" Zero asks as she wonders where Yamin is. She's usually the most punctual.

Mechanica smiles at Night Marshal. "Hello, Vaquero. I think I made up with your police friend by helping with a little raid of his the other day. He should be happy. He managed to collar a few mobsters." She turns a grin on Zero. "Simmering only. I have a lot of pots on the stove, you could say."

Mechanica smirks at Zero's comment. "That's because I don't trust people. But...Night Marshal pulled me out of a fire when I got shot."

Night Marshal nods. "And I reckon I've got some additional information on that list, courtesy of that same police friend. It looks like it's a target list. One of the people on it ended up getting killed. With a garrotte. Carpenter's thinkin' it was a Triad assassin."

Zero looks to Night Marshal with surprise. "Ooh. So that's how you got on this one's good side?" She nods towards Mechanica. "What a lucky gunslinger you must be." She says appreciatively.

"Well, remind me to thank you some time." She adds as she pulls down her hood so she can give him a wink.

"Wait- Police friend? You?" She asks in surprise. "Now I've heard everything." She teases while finding a spot to lean against while they wait for their fourth.

Once Night Marshal breaks down this extra information he acquired she shakes her head. "How long is this list and who else is on it?" She asks.

Rooftops, the hidden road for many nearly as long as structures have existed. "Is anyone on this list of targets more a concern than others?" Yamin inquires as she steps from behind an HVAC unit. Perhaps she only just arrived, perhaps she was more punctual?

Mechanica scowls briefly at Zero's tease. "Not quite. I thought Carpenter was dirty and stole his gun from him to interrogate him," she says, unhappy at her wrong assumption on that. "Turns out he's one of the rare good ones."

Night Marshal shrugs, "The list is a couple dozen people, if'n I remember correctly. Carpenter hisself is on it, as well as an assistant district attorney. City council folks. Other pencil pushers. Mostly mid managers and aides."

Mechanica adds, "That's why I offered my help in that potential death trap ambush. Not my usual style. But it was dangerous. And that could have gotten Carpenter killed." That's as close to admitting she has a soft spot for someone as Mechanica's ever gotten. She looks to Night Marshal as he explains. "I did a bit more research. If they're not dirty, in aggregate...moving on these people will help with some of their operations. If you look at them as a whole. I think it's about influence without alarming the other crime syndicates in the city."

Zero doesn't seem surprised by Yamin's sudden arrival. She grins at the sight of her immortal friend before Mechanica's comment catches her off guard.

"Carpenter? Dirty!?" Zero laughs at the idea. "Oh you should have just asked me, chica. That man couldn't get dirty in a mudrace."

Her mirth dissolves as quickly as it arrived when NM gives more information. She gets much more serious. "My dad always used to say the only reason you get rid of middle managemnt is to replace them with someone a bit more flexible. He definitely wasn't talking about work from home policies or family time off." She comments.

Mechanica pfffts at Zero's laughter, rolling her eyes with a slight sneer in reaction to being laughed at. She knows NOW it was a bad call. "I didn't realize you were cozy with the detective." Of course she knows there's a chance they have a working relationship, since both work at the precinct. But she keeps that part close to the vest. She grins at Zero's obervation, though. "So maybe that's the move. The list had names and dollar amounts next to them. One's dead. Maybe they didn't accept the money. Or...maybe it's a hit list? A clean cop that can't be bought is a problem. The Assistant district attorney is definitely a thorn in their side. But so's the DA. But if they could buy her, that could slow their case. Make evidence and witnesses disappear."

Night Marshal gives Yamin a wave and tips his hat to her. He pulls out his PDA, and looks at the notes on it. "The deceased man is Edward Lawry. I believe he worked in housing inspections and the like. Supposedly he let his killer into the home, and had his back turned when the killer got him."

Yamin considers the information. "So, it is unknown whether it is a list of targets and bounties, malleable administrators and their required bribes, or users and their current online shopping cart totals... Were correlations between the individuals and amounts investigated, in the context of the individual?"

Night Marshal thinks about it a moment. "The DA has plenty of contacts with metas, though. High profile metas. I c'n see why they'd avoid trying to draw them in."

Night Marshal checks his notes once more, "Sorry...Lawry did inspections...but not housing. Commercial properties. In Chinatown. Certainly a target for bribes if'n I've seen one." He puts his PDA away agian.

"And now he's dead? I think Zero's dad was a smart man. Maybe they hope this Lawry's replacement will work with them or look the other way," Mechanica suggests.

"I couldn't agree more." Zero says in agreement with Mechanica's analysis. "Carpenter is definitely not the type to be bought off. So we'll need to keep an eye on him. He's got friends, but its not like someone is watching his back all the time." She says, figuring she might have to since they work together- though how she's going ot pull that off is anyone's guess.

"Hmm- that's a good point. That might explain why the DA isn't on the list but hte ADA is. Plus, an ADA can probably do a lot of things on the sly the DA can't." She replies in agreement to NM.

"Oh. Definitely- so now we've got more motive here. My dad knew that sort of business real well. And everything else we've heard so far jsut brings that point home for me." She adds turning to Mechanica.

Night Marshal says to Mechanica, "Any of the other names end up in police reports? Someone might'a not made the connection before."

Mechanica pulls up the list on her display. "Hmmm. I'll need a bit of time to access the reports. A few weeks back, the wife of one of the people on the list died in a car accident. Ruled an accident. Nothing on him, though..."

Night Marshal raises a brow, "Could be related, though. If'n it wasn't an accident and all."

"Hell of a way to pass along a message, if it wasn't an accident." Zero says sadly.

Mechanica nods. "The car could have been tampered with. Or something else caused the crash. Might be worth looking into." She looks to Zero, her face...a little stoney. "These don't care about harming family or innocents to get what they want," she says with a hint of anger in her voice. She quickly tries to regain her poise with a breath. "The man's still alive. I should check him for hidden accounts and see if any mystery money appeared there."

Night Marshal nods, taking a deep breath. "So...do we warn the people on the list? Talk to each of 'em?"

Zero recognizes that look and is feeling a bit of that herself. "Sounds like more reason to bring this to an end quickly." She says somberly, considering how many innocents might be served up if they fail.

"Absolutely." Zero says with a quick nod to Mechanica. "Then maybe we can figure out where the money is coming from too."

She affirms Night Marshal's question. For her, saving lives is first, then solving the case. "Definitely. These people need to know what's happening so they can get out of town. Maybe we send most to the wind so the assassin has to focus on one or two specifically. Then we bait the hook and swoop in before..." She drags a finger along her throat.

Night Marshal shrugs, "If they leave town, the Triad wins. The replacements get put in place."

Night Marshal rubs his chin, "We need to know who the contact person is. Lawry knew his attacker. If they've tried bribing 'fore, they'll have made contact. Maybe we can get a name of someone to track down?" He thinks about it a moment. "Maybe the number listed by the name is also an order of contact? Like...in sequence?" He looks at his copy of hte list, checking to see if ther's any duplication of numbers.

"Not in a week or two. We use the time to prop up a target too juicy to pass up. I mean- its dangerous. Maybe its a bad idea. I don't know. Still brainstorming here." Zero says with a shrug.

"We could also bug most of them. See if anyone makes a second visit? I suppsoe they wouldn't make a third though. So that's a dead end."

There's no duplication, but Lawry was somewhere near the top of the list.

Night Marshal nods. "I bet the detective would be willin' to be bait." He notices Lawry's placement in the list. "We should talk to the folks at the top...before his name."

"I like the good Detective- so if we're doing this we have to do it right." Zero says. "Is there anyone... I don't know, a little more scummy to choose from?" She asks as if she's ahving second thoughts now that its the one person she knows on the list.

"That would work with us?" Mechanica smirks. "I don't know," she says to Zero.

The next time Carpenter gets around to turning his own phone on, he'll have a text from Tamara. All it says is 911.