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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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She has definitely noticed the big and strange colored kitty, but there’s no time to get distracted want to either question it’s color or fluff it’s fur with her fingers. Maybe later-but not right now.

Instead, she shrugs a bit over needing to ask more questions, figuring he’d probably want to vet people and not just take some randos words. Her head bobs faintly in agreement, can’t blame scared people for being scared and all that. Can’t say she entirely understands, if it was her she’d like to think she’d spit out all the details so the people could pay, but she gets that’s how most people are. Clam up to avoid repercussions or further pain.

“We’ve had a big ass war going on back home for a good while now, dealing with bad humans and even worse aliens. I’ve probably seen a bit of everything imaginable done to people. I’ve been on rescue missions to save people who’ve been fucked up with torture and shit only to watch them die anyways during e-vac, people who don’t want to be rescued and swear they were ‘taken care of and treated well’ while held as pets by Covvies, all kinds of messed up shit. Worked shoulder to shoulder with people who are jacked up still, too. PTSD is like a merit based in the ODST or something. Nothing like shoving a bunch of insomniac traumatized soldiers in a bunk together where half can’t even sleep, and the half that do wake up screaming. I’ve worked with and around rescued POWs and victims of war crimes, people who’ve lost everything including the energy to give a fuck and try to survive anymore. Kids, adults, old people. All ages, all types. Only been a marine a solid handful of years, but it’s a really shitty war back home.”

South rattles off her answer, lacking the usual bite of cockiness over her “accomplishments” that she had originally planned to have for the interview. The bravado and ego dropped before even starting when he explained the situation and the victims. She had assumed it’d be nothing major they ere dealing with, vandalism or robberies, possibly a run-of-the-mill murder or two. Nothing that hits so close to home. So her cocksure attitude stopped in it’s tracks and she laid it all out, she’s seen some shit even before becoming a marine, they’re one of the main and biggest reasons she became one. It’s true though, not really even exaggerated, though she is holding back a touch with a thing or two. Which she briefly mulls over bringing up or not before adding after a fraction of a pause.

“Don’t get it wrong though, being soft or gentle isn’t something I can do well. I know and work with and care about and have compassion for these innocent people who’ve been broken and ripped apart, I do. But I have heavy hands and deal easier with the revenge or justice or whatever you want to label it. My brother’s naturally the calm and patient one. I do my best, but total honesty, it’s not a strong skill set of mine.”

There. All of it tossed out like a sickly sour experience vomit on his table. Be just her luck he’d let her on the team but give her coddle duty and see how awful she is at it but didn’t say a word before. She’s fairly certain it won’t hurt her odds any, some people help victims with giving TLC, some help by dragging them out of the he’ll fire to safety then eliminating the threat. Best to give him and idea of a proper fit for her, which isn’t being a warm snuggle nurse. She does find it easier to be softer with kids, or the elderly, more than other age groups. But even for them she flounders awkwardly. Between a red tinted tunnel vision of rage and wanting to get revenge for the innocent people fucked over, and an unbeatable inner fear of being seen vulnerable, she could use some work with focusing on helping them cope and heal.

Hank listens to the tale. Honestly, it sounds far more normal than he'd like it to be. Sounds like she's had an unhealthy deal of the hard stuff, more than anyone's fair share. But it's also absurdly normal, morbidly familiar even in worlds like his. Hell, a firefighter or a police officer is more likely to die by their own hand than someone else's just because of the exposure they experience. Sometimes it's just too much.

At least it's not too much for her yet, but it does sound like she's singed.

"You might have to work with someone that is soft and gentle then. Some people will need a rough hand to be convinced to talk, some people will need to be calmed down. It's good to have both hands on deck."

He tips his head to the side.

"I'm assuming that, given your experience with the mayor, you can respect confidentiality. We're trying to keep certain details from the public so that the people behind it'll fuck up and say something they shouldn't. So I'll let you know some of the quieter details when the time is right." And Hank leans back again.

"Have you ever had to testify at a trial or be a part of a criminal investigation? Working with MPs count here. And what sort of government would you say you're used to?" They know the one they're a part of is likely a fair bit stricter than most. But they all have some sort of 'justice' system.

"It'd work for me." She can handle an idea like that, working with someone softer. North has his own edge, he's not as nice and sweet as he plays it, but he's a lot more gentle and patient than she is by a long shot. She knows how to work with someone of the other side of the coin.

"I can keep a secret, can't go around toss out details I overhear while with the Mayor." She agrees, nodding a bit. "Plus, I did a lot of recon for data and shit like that back home, too. Sensitive info kind of stuff. Never mind going to secret locations for stealth missions- they classed me as stealth in my program."

Sure, she's a goddamn wrecking ball in general. But she can stealth, she can keep sensitive information private, none of that is really difficult.

"Both. Comes with the territory. When citizens wind up dead, even if it's before we get feet on the ground, people what to know what the hell happened. Dress Blues and all that formal junk, dealt with it a handful of times before. And plenty of MPs, far too many who think they're hot shit, really." That had been a real exercise in self control, not popping one of those snooty bastards in the face when she was coming up from being a Cadet. "Normal government system, I guess? Laws in place, courts, juries, prisons. Some planets were fucked up with corrupt LE forces, some had their own specific laws and justice systems, but more or less what I'd figure anyone would have."

He could respect that, considering he lost his job to punch a fed. In the end, his job wasn't as important as saving someone's life. Dualis is his last chance to be a detective, and he's been glad to enjoy his last months of parting with the job, but god it felt good to punch that fucker.

"Well, as you know, the legal system here is a bit stricter. Which is why I wanted people rather than automated iterations for this kind of work. I need someone to use their judgment about who is actually a victim being trapped in a bad situation, and who needs their ass dragged in. No one is going to see a fair day in court. Everyone's going to be mildly guilty and subject to punishments that can be as bad as having memories erased. Be absolutely sure who is witnesses and victims, and who are perps."

He remembers back when he was in narcotics, going into homes during stings and finding women that were simply in positions of financial rigor. Women that had tried to leave many times only to find their family under threat and have to come back. He'd found children, young teens, having to help in their parents work because it was all they knew and were isolated from the outside world.

He also remembers the android girls, the ones in love, who only wanted to make sure they'd see each other again. The one who had to act in self-defense.

"I know if you teamed up with a psychic or somethin' it'll be a lot easier to make those kindsa choices. But do you think you could do 'em on your own if it comes down to it? Because whoever you bring in is probably going to have a nightmare of a fucking time if they're not approached by interrogators the right way."

Edited 2019-11-09 21:27 (UTC)

If there's one thing she's tried multiple times to bring up when alone with the Mayor, it's the lack of "due process" deal. Nothing ever comes of it, in fact the subject is usually bluntly changed or outright ignored. She isn't a fan of it, eyebrows pulling together slightly at having the specific issue at the front of her thoughts again.

"I'd say I have a decent bullshit detector," She starts, thinking back mostly to times when she was dealing with dumb guys who thought they were hot shit hitting on her in bars, nodding as she continues, "And my gut hasn't done me wrong yet with warning me about situations or people."

Typically, she doesn't trust many people and especially not when first making contact. This guy? Seems fine enough so far, but despite the slew of information she's tossed at him, it's nothing she keeps private, exactly. She wouldn't trust him to foot the bill if she ordered something, much less anything that'd affect her personally. It's not him, she just keeps a bubble up and suspects most if not all people aren't all that good. Whether it's them being intentionally evil or bad people, or they're just idiots or inexperienced and it's not entirely their fault, the only beings she feels right off the cuff are good are kids and animals.

Now. If that would help anything, being doubtful and suspicious of most people when meeting them, she doesn't know. It's kept her safe so far, personally. But, she has gone on undercover missions many times, having to pretend to be someone else, not a threat, blend in. She knows what to and not to do when hiding the truth. She figures, that could probably help her in what to look for with people and their stories or claims. So she nods to his question, pretty confident she could.

"I'll be honest," And not cocky or anything even at the cost of her fat head and ego, "Working with someone who could read minds or sense lies or whatever would probably be the best bet with lives and innocent people on the line, but I'd say that'd apply for anyone not just me. But yea, I'm confident I could decide if someone's a lying scumbag or a real victim."

Hank thinks the Mayor likely isn't the Mayor now. She might have been elected as a person, but he wonders if she's also a robotic replacement at this point. While she was in the hospital after the bombing would have been the perfect opportunity to replace her.

But Hank doesn't say this. Instead he's focused on this one task, this thing that he can actually do something about. Hank earned his name back home for good reason; his efforts to rid Detroit of the largest criminal organizations had been fruitful. Small time dealers still persisted (in the worst ways), taking advantage of the downtrodden and unfortunate. But the group effort was shattered, their interstate contacts demolished, and he has no doubt this woman will go down too when they find her.

"There's a psychic around named Charles Xavier. He's not really the fighting type, but he's pretty damn strong at what he does. I think he'd work really well in combination with someone physically capable."

He reaches down and rubs the Lying Cat's head. It rubs his forearm, laying its large ears to the sides to get its head rubbed.

"In my experience if a boss is doing performance killings, they've also been engaging in some fucked torture to prove points, too. A good way to keep important people in line. They also tend to work out of shitty places. The sort of places where police don't get called to very often.

"Since this is a police state I'm sure some iterations get called out when something gets caught on camera. But I'll go have a look at the map and pick out portions of the city where there's less of a 'person' presence from law enforcement. Where iterations get sent out more often and there aren't many patrols. Those'll be a good starting point."

South has only known the Mayor in the aftermath of the bombing situation, nothing to compare to so she can see if it's the human Mayor still or a murderbot duplicate. Though, after that robot bullshit, she did give everyone a cautious, suspicious once over or six. But the robots had seemed...noticeably different from their human originals. Anyone acting funky still gets an extra close eye from her, but she's fairly sure it'd be obvious if they weren't the same meat and bone humans. At least, if it was the same kind of robots used to replace people, anyways. But maybe she's just paranoid.

"Team up a brain person and a muscle person, it'd cover just about all the bases." She hasn't met this Charles Xavier guy yet, but she tucks the name away to nose around with later, nodding her head and doing her absolute best to continue ignoring the kitty.

Sure, she wants to reach out and rub it's cheeks with her palms, fluff up its fur, probably baby talk it and assure it she'll find a fuzzy pet sweater big enough to fit him- but she is trying to stay on task here. There will be time for kitty spoiling later, she wants to nail this bad guy hunting thing right now.

"Yea, that sounds about right." When there's less LE present, there's more safety for people doing shady shit. Back home, there are plenty of places on far too many planets where cops either turn a blind eye because it's too much trouble to deal with, or they're corrupt and eating up bribes to ignore the situation. Either way, having little to no humans on the ground makes a perfect breeding zone for trouble. "Every world seems to have their share or more of the asshole big shots trying to 'teach lessons' with creative torture, keep people too scared to go against them. And they use the lack of LE interaction to build their shit empires. If you ask me, it's always a good idea to go for the head, whether it's neutralizing an individual or an organization. Get feet on the ground in their slumholes and cut them off at the source. Show em they aren't as safe and hidden as they think they are when tucked away in their shadowy places."

Hank agrees with Loki's theory- that the Blackout released them early. That their doubles are perfect. That considering how some people were dead before coming here, they had to be put back together somehow.

But his theories have ranged as far as considering the iterations might have been people once, after they die enough. He's almost at the point of being a nutjob with a board of crazy yarn (except people would find that, so all his post-its are in a paperback novel).

"Since normally people come back from the dead, I also need to use this to figure out whether or not she knew that. They do seem like performance killings, so somehow she must have known either how to keep people dead, or if people were dying and not coming back and just took advantage of that. If she or her people give you a chance, I'd like as many alive as possible."

He shows her a list of people.

Charles Xavier
Wanda Maximoff
Connor
Loki

"Guys I've got helpin' me out so far."

He uses the word "normally" like people coming back from the dead is even remotely normal, outside of this place anyways. Then again, there's also magical tattoos and body mods and things as simple as candy that can magic-up your body. So. Yeah. Alright. She just accepts it as "normal-for-here" with a quick, short nod.

"I've managed it before and can do it again, though I can't promise the state of their health will be all that great." Alive? Doable. Able to answer questions? Eh, not the easiest requirement, but she can swing it. Anything past that is really up to them and how badly they want to be fucked up before getting dragged in.

South looks over the list, only recognizing one name on it, "Only know Wanda, and just heard of that Charles. You thinking of getting all of us together to do a briefing, or just whoever you team up together?"

It's normal here, at least. Fucked up, but normal. And he hates that a little. He misses the fuck out of Detroit and its brand of normal sometimes.

"I'll probably do a briefing when I've gotten all the info. It'll take me a while to compile it into some sort of strategic approach, get you a line of suspects, etc."

He pauses for a moment. He hears the coffee grinder going especially loud and two girls joking loudly, and chooses that moment for cover to say his next piece.

"I know you're the mayor's bodyguard. If you were there for the black-out the other night, you might want to not bring it up, considering how the department reacted when I mentioned it. Just uh... Seems like a bad idea right now."

It probably takes a second longer than it should for her to connect that the comment is timed with the noise on purpose. But when she does realize it, she can't help the way her back straightens just slightly and her hands flex a bit, wanting to tighten where they rest on the table.

Could someone be listening? Should they be extra careful with their words? She doesn't know, but it tips her into a suspicious feeling, muscles growing tense. So she just meets his gaze, not risking verbal acknowledgement as she nods once.

"Sounds alright, just hit me up with a place and time." She replies to the briefing part, pushing to settle her mildly paranoid thoughts as she sits back a bit in the seat, "You thinking you'll get more of us, or just those already on the list?"

He gives her a quick nod in return. Right. He doesn't promise any theories- he's only just met the mayor's bodyguards. He has to verify something first, and then talk to the people he trusts, and let it move from the people they trust. But there's an uneasy feeling that people like him and Connor and the Mayor's people will end up early targets.

Moving on, though.

"I don't know. These are the ones I have so far. They're a good crew but I still hope we don't gotta resort to iterations for any extra duty. I want to keep them out of it."

"Well hey, it wouldn't be the first time I was overworked. If you wanna just pile on as much stuff as you can on me, I can handle it." She assures him, likewise feeling the less iterations the better. "More people will probably come around, but if not, gimme as much workload as you need."

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CW for talks of war and all the awful things that come with it

CW Mentions of PTSD and suicide rates

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