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[Text]

This is Hank Anderson, and I recently got my promotion so it's now Det. Hank Anderson. Which is why I wanted to make this announcement.

[Hank still wants to research into the missing people and initiate his vague plan to devalue the iterations. Right now the public see them as a protective force for good. Hank wants the people to see other fucking people as their reliable protective force. That in the many variations of temperaments and personalities and creative resolutions to conflict, they can find their safety.]

I have a case that could use some assistance from some specialized outsiders. If you could come to me and lay out your experience and training, I would like to offer you temporary deputy work in helping solve this case.

Necessary qualifications include:
-Combat against armed opponents
-Negotiation and Interrogation
-Ability to secure an area until CSI arrives (cursory crime scene analysis a bonus)

Due to Dualis's policy on providing payment through credit, if you would want rewards we would have to attach a name to your activities. However if you'd want to work off-record [which is as close to anonymously as he can get] we could come to some sort of arrangement such as donated payment.

I'll be at the cat cafe to conduct interviews 4:00 to 6:00 in the afternoon for the next week. You can show up when it's convenient to talk. Sounds like a fucking weird place for it, yes, it'll make more sense when you're there.

I've also arranged for donated goods to be offered when people come in and might find themselves in a state of disrepair or any nicer version of saying fucked the hell up. New clothes, medical things like crutches for people with chronic conditions, sanitary supplies like soap and toothbrushes, things of that nature. So if you want to donate something to the people coming in there's a donation box in the dormitory's lower entryway and they'll be taken to the temple.

[Action]

Like he promises, Hank's waiting around at the cat cafe whenever someone shows up. Usually reading a book, sometimes bored, sometimes deeply into it. Right by his side though? A mammoth green cat, purring and resting her head against his arm. She's twitching her tail to and fro.

Hank is pretty sure he'll be able to tell if someone is bullshitting their credentials and whether they'll do intentional harm with their new role. It's hard to do background checks when different universes are involved, but he thinks he's figured out a way to beat the system without having to use any of the department's lie detectors.

Note: Plotting post here.

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He's gotta go the way of understatement or his poor brain's gonna get overwhelmed with a case of 'in over his head's. Never mind the unintentional puns, he's just a human, and sometimes he really fuckin' hates that.

At least he's got friends capable of some pretty remarkable shit.

"Yeah. I don't know whether it's somethin' she can do, or if she's getting lucky, or if there's something wrong with the head. When we had our memories spilling over each other, and the clones were half baked. I'm starting to wonder if he's breakin' down. He's been around for a long time."

Then he shrugs. "But first we gotta find this woman and talk to her. Problem is, no one is willing to come forward 'cause they're scared shitless. The bodies she leaves aren't in great shape. And I'm gonna need help with that, 'cause I want to prove that these fucking iterations have nothing on what real people can do... if you just let 'em."

He spreads his fingers and looks over at the giant cat, who bumps on his shoulder. Thinking back to what Loki said. "I don't hate cats, they're fine. I do like dogs better. But this big fella is called a 'Lying Cat'. It knows when people are lying, and it'll say it. If you're good with that, I'll not get too personal. Especially since you're a fuckin' battle god of some sort. First question. You are the real Loki and not another better-made duplicate?"

He doesn't know if it'd work on the copies but it's worth it for a first question.

While Loki already has an idea on how he might best glean information on this woman and infiltrate her inner circle, there was plenty of time to present his forming ideas on the matter, and so instead he simply smiles, impressed with Hank's use of the resources available to him. He almost wishes he'd thought of it himself.

"Now that is a useful beast to have around." He'd have to be careful, of course, but as of yet, Hank hasn't given him any cause to lie. "I can assure you anyone would be hard-pressed to make a suitable replacement of me, let alone one that could be considered an improvement upon me, the original."

"Yeah I'm pretty sure it's you." He says after that, but with amusement rather than any sort of criticism. He's pretty endeared to Loki's ego. Probably unwisely, but the guy is already miles better than some of the guys he works with and he's a fuckin' god of pranks and apocalypses.

He contemplates again. "So you do understand that we have to make keeping people alive a priority. Either civilians or people brought in for questioning and trial later? Do you think you can do that?" He tips his head. But then adds?

"I'll make it fair. You can ask me what you need to, too, so long as it doesn't involve any other Dualis PD cases."

"I'm glad I've been cleared." Loki's amusement matches Hank's own. "Your admittance exam is purportedly brutal, after all."

He breaks into a large grin at Hank's explanation, even laughing slightly. "You mean I can't just wantonly murder any n'er do wells involved in this heinous plot? People need witnesses to bring about justice?" He scoffs, shaking his head. "The Kingdom of Asgard are the sworn protectors of the Realms, Hank. We don't just kill people." And he winks. "We make sure they deserve it, first."

He nods, though, bringing a hand to his chin, thoughtful. "How is it you've come upon the information you possess on this woman, albeit sparse?"

Cat doesn't protest again, just rubs its cheek against the edge of the table as it purrs.

"Two of the victims had notes in their houses. One was a dealer who was being held accountable for not being able to properly distribute the product- in this case it was pharmaceutical goods. We're talkin' stuff that makes athlete steroids look like candy. He also had some materials taken that wouldn't have been relevant to what he was selling, they had to be for something else. The second victim worked for one of the other crime families. Message was simple. 'This area is hers now'. He'd been under observation by someone on property unit because he'd been suspected of trafficking stolen goods, apparently they were able to catch him while he wasn't being watched."

Which is another reason Hank thinks outsourcing might not be a bad plan.

"The Dualis PD has a remarkably low level of corruption. The lowest I've ever fuckin' seen. But there's always a little wiggle room. And I'm not one hundred percent sure that someone wasn't notified that they were clear to kill the guy. We don't even know if the message was for us or the other family or both. And I doubt I can invite everyone out for coffee-" he gestures to the cat "-and I don't really want a lie detector constantly going at the DPD when you have fuckin' assholes inviting people to their secret meetings."

Thanks, Heart, for acknowledging the Head was killing off your members after inviting a bunch of teens to your secret fucking meeting.

Loki listened intently without comment until Hank was finished, nodding. He agreed it sounded best to outsource, especially considering it was likely this was an inside job, or at least aided by forces on the inside.

There were several ways to go about getting on the inside here, but the most obvious was also one he was certain only he could pull off. "This 'someone on the property unit' is still with the force, I presume?"

If so, it was also likely they were still a trusted man of whomever 'she' was, which was important to his plan.

"Yeah he is." Hank's immediately curious, but wonders.

"I don't know if it's him or someone who would have known his schedule, though. All it would take is a helpful 'he stepped out for a minute'."

He nods. Either was possible, of course.

"If it was him, then he must meet with someone, or at they very least receive instruction somewhere away from his dwelling and the station. I'll follow him, and if he is our man, then I'll take a tip from our captors and replace him, temporarily, long enough to seize whatever information was meant for his eyes. It should be enough to allow me to find our woman, or at least a means to find her inner circle."

Not that he suggests how he might accomplish this feat of simply replacing the man.

"What are you suggesting?" He's got Hank's attention.

"I mean, yeah. I get what you're saying. But uh... how are you talking replacing him?"

Hank's never seen Loki change into people before. But he's sort of guessing that it might be something like that.

"Well, hypothetically, of course. He may not be our man." A mischievous smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth as a wave a greenish energy moved over his form, his features contorted, aged, and then Hank was looking in a mirror, albeit a mirror with a playful glint in its eye.

The remainder was even spoken in Hank's voice. "I am the God of Mischief, you know."

A few people in the cafe look in their direction, and the lying cat says a long 'Lyyyying' with a yawn. Not at what Loki says, but what he looks like.

Hank leans back and blinks. But then he just barks a laugh at that. Not bad, a hell of a lot better than his duplicate had been.

"Nice work. Alright, I get your meaning. I don't wanna just outright replace him without knowing he's the guy, so give us a little time to look into it. But I like the idea. God-fuckin' damn that's a good one."

He picks up his coffee to drink again, glancing around.

"I know," Loki's final imitation of Hank's voice before that same greenish glow flows across his form and Loki is once again himself, and grinning. His gaze flits to the cat, though, annoyed by only marginally. He'll need to be sure this strange beast, or one similar, wasn't present whenever he was having a look about. "It's as though I've done this sort of thing before."

He does nod, though, at the restriction. "Part of the charm of this place is the effect the atmosphere has on my magic. The delay will give me the time to test boundaries." How long he could remain shifted before needing a rest, how winded he would be afterward.

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