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Post by Kup on May 20, 2010 21:58:41 GMT -5
Kup finishes checking the abandoned subway station they had found, he circles towards the center and throws himself down onto the ledge next to the rails. His legs dangle over the side as he removes the items he took from the apartment from subspace and sets them down - the computer, and the CD.
"Here's hoping we're deep enough to screw with radio, but I figure that thing can't be that damn powerful, anyway."
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Post by Spinister on May 21, 2010 9:26:54 GMT -5
Spinister looks thoughtful for a moment, doing some mental calculations. Then, he shrugs. Spinister wouldn't be satisfied if they were on a nuclear submarine in the Marianas Trench.
There are some derelicts about, but they scatter when they see the cop. Spinister growls out lowly, in Polyhesian, "Empties." Not even fit for target practise, good only to feed the smelter, if they were machines. Filthy snitches, too, gutter-snipe informants to the Scrounges of the world, he reminds himself, and he pauses a moment, to make sure that they really have scattered.
Then, Spinister settles himself down next to Kup, cross-legged, and he peers over at the items Kup is considering.
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Post by Kup on May 21, 2010 17:46:34 GMT -5
"Eh?" Kup answers in the same dialect. He knows the word well enough, but isn't familiar with it in this particular context. "Empty what?"
He hands Spinister the computer tower. "Computer that the message was recorded on," he says, still sticking, for now, to Polyhesian. "Might have more on it, though I wouldn't get my hopes up. Either way, we should probably hash out our next move."
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Post by Spinister on May 21, 2010 18:17:17 GMT -5
Autobots like Blaster hated those trash-mongers, too - don't play coy and innocent, Kup! No one is innocent, anyway. Spinister isn't sure why the Autobots bother to pretend.
He keeps his thoughts to himself and examines the computer when Kup hands it to him, soundlessly. A few moments fiddling around with it normally tell him that there's no more information that he can easily find - he's not Frenzy. Spinister pulls out a toolkit and sets it down on the side of him that is not next to Kup. The kit is rather... eclectic. It's hard to tell what kind of kit it even started out as, in the first place. Slipping on a static cuff, deftly, he opens up the casing on the computer. Seems he's reseated some motherboards in his time.
Spinister pries one of the tower walls away from the rest of the box, and he points at what he's found with something like a dental probe - a long, multiple array antenna, more like something one would find on a submarine than a personal computer. Signal traces aren't particularly his thing; Spinister is more about being untraceable, but he fiddles with the machine, and he reports, "Abnormally high signal strength and cohesion," hence that monster grade antenna, "Bounced across stations and towers like mad." Spinister shakes his head and leans back, the mess on his lap; he can't trace it any more than that.
Someone does not want to be found! But that's okay. Spinister will find them anyway. He doesn't care what they want.
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Post by Kup on May 21, 2010 19:52:50 GMT -5
Kup hnhs as he looks over at what Spinister's doing. He does make mental note of the skill indicated, but doesn't comment on it. Instead, he observes, "So probably not her personal computer. Or, well, it's been changed if it is. Which means those 'emergency contact numbers' are pretty suspect."
He sighs. "We could probably look up the sorta places that sell things like that antenna, but that'll take time we don't have and our attempt'll be tracable."
"So I guess I'm just going to ask: what do you make of this so far?"
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Post by Spinister on May 21, 2010 20:45:00 GMT -5
Spinister puts the computer back together and glares at it. He seriously ponders duct taping it to the back of a cab in a fit of pique.
Kup's question gets a grunt of a reply from Spinister, "Annoying."
Oh, does Kup want a more thorough assessment? They have a missing woman who went missing after she left work and didn't show up the next day, which was odd, because she never missed work, not even for vacation, according to her direct superior. They have a killer that people tell him is connected to some older crimes, but he's not convinced. They have a creepy Stepford Cuckoos neighbourhood.
"Not enough information. Want to see this Church."
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Post by Kup on May 21, 2010 22:38:12 GMT -5
Kup snorts.
"Not much of a talker, are you," he observes. Despite the phrasing, it's not really a question.
"I agree we gotta check out that church, but... I think we need a drink first. No point in going to church if we ain't got nothing to confess, right?" Kup then smirks. "Besides, Dawson's open, and I gotta see what this cockamamie package is." He swings his legs around to finish in a crouching position on the ledge. Then he nods towards the computer parts on Spinister's lap.
"We should probably destroy that thing first, though."
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Post by Spinister on May 22, 2010 15:34:47 GMT -5
Spinister leans back and chooses not to dignify Kup's question with an answer. Instead, he reluctantly explains, "All the recent victims had a meal from the church in their stomachs. Those who get help from the church but don't pay it back tend to end up just as bad off. The brothel burned down right after Jill got K'ire out. These church folks are mostly wallflowers, but Jill and K'ire were minor stars; neither's doin' well right now."
He flicks a rotor blade, itchy in his uniform, and looks at Kup expectantly. Spinister isn't even sure if these facts are facts, and even if they are, lying with the truth is a very effective method of deception. However, if they were all true and in accurate context, it doesn't paint this church in a very good light.
But it's a life church, isn't it? And death churches are more popular here, so a frame-up job is also possible, and...
Gnn.
Singe, however, grins, and he suggests, flippantly, "What, we're not gonna strap it to a taxi? If the perps are going to be PITAs about this..."
Hairsplitter, meanwhile, pulls out a map and unfolds it on his lap, looking for Dawson's. Spinister already knows where it is, but this is a subway map.
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Post by Kup on May 22, 2010 22:22:12 GMT -5
Kup sighs and shakes his head. "Damn it," he mutters, but doesn't explain himself. Not to Spinister. He doubts Spinister can really understand how badly he wants to see a good thing in this world that is actually a good thing.
This world is making him feel far too old.
He shrugs at Singe's comment. "Eh. I would, but frankly, even with Spinister over there yanking it to pieces, I don't think we can be sure they ain't recording us even when there's no transmitting." Granted, they are still speaking a non-native language, but...
Blast, but the places paranoia takes you if you let it. At the rate things are going, Kup suspects that by the end of this mission, he'll be taking a page from Red Alert's book!
(It doesn't help that he started the mission working with a Decepticon.)
"Question is, if it is the church, how to they benefit? I suppose it would encourage folks to pay them back, but for that to happen, people gotta know that things go bad if they don't, even if it's not officially known."
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Post by Spinister on May 23, 2010 17:46:26 GMT -5
Spinister looks to Singe, and then he looks for Kup for a long moment, as if asking permission. Then, whether or not said permission is granted, he snatches Singe up, cranks one dial to somewhat in the middle, and shoves the computer off his lap and down into the abandoned tracks below.
Then he torches the computer until there's just a puddle and the rails on which it is sitting start to run like melted cheese. Spinister flips Singe back over to Kup and stares at the puddle, watching it clink and pop as it cools.
Hairsplitter reports, "I do believe that this section of tunnel does connect to still-active sections here and here," he points on the map. "If we are careful," he mostly looks at Kup, "we can then catch a ride on a train proper and take the Magenta line to the Chartreuse line and then over to Cyan and Dawson's is right there."
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Post by Kup on May 23, 2010 21:49:36 GMT -5
Kup gives Spinister a quick nod when the other looks at him, and turns to watch as the assassin melts the computer down into a puddle. He catches Singe, then looks down at the flamethrower. "You want to sit on my shoulder, or what?" he asks.
With his free hand, he checks the CD he stole, making sure it doesn't hold any bugs - well, any obvious bugs, but really, would this person have guessed just which CD Kup was going to grab? - and returns that to subspace. He nods to Hairsplitter.
"Sounds colorful," he says before hopping down next to the rails, either carrying Singe on his hand or his shoulder (depending on Singe's preference) as he heads towards the connection Hairsplitter suggested.
OOC: Skip to Dawson's?
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Post by SceneMod on May 25, 2010 14:04:57 GMT -5
Our intrepid duo will find the unused subway tunnels only a few steps away from cesspit status, and they're crawling with street people. Most ignore Kup and Spinister, scuttling away into shadows and around corners, but a few watch the pair with much more intelligence than one might expect from a drugged-out derelict. Of course, even intelligent people fall on hard time and are seduced by needle and powder, so perhaps it isn't that odd a thing.
Eventually, they will find their way to Dawson's, and without much issue. It's an honest to goodness hole-in-wall pool hall and bar. No seriously- there is no door, just a large and jagged hole in the wall. There might have been a door there at one point, since that looks like part of a rusty and decrepit hinge hanging off one side. Makes one wonder how they close, until you get in and see the metal slab and brace that can be slid over the hole- and the very large moss-covered Rock Giant seated next to the door, rocked back in a chair that sags under his weight.
There's sawdust on the floor, a nice fresh layer since they just recently opened up, but looking beneath the sawdust will show all manner of stains, including blood, fuel, and other organic and inorganic bodily fluids. There's sharp sound of balls breaking cracks over the twangy music coming from a jukebox in the corner. The music maker and the pool tables look like they cost more than the entire place six times over.
The bar is scarred, the brass dingy, and the stools and chairs wobbly. The wooden tables are scarred with knife and burn, and the place reeks of stale smoke and cheap drinks. The place isn't too packed yet, but it's obviously a multicultural place, organics and inorganics mixing without any of issue. There's a low stage against the far wall, surrounded by a wire cage, and looks like a band is setting up inside.
If Spinister is still in uniform, he's getting some serious stinkeye sent his way.
It's obviously a seat yourself type of place.
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Post by Spinister on May 25, 2010 14:44:26 GMT -5
Singe does like to sit on Kup's shoulder, thanks.
Maybe whoever they're after has bribed all the street people. Spinister wishes that he could just kill them all, but that would probably upset Kup, and Spinister doesn't fancy his chances against Kup in a tunnel.
(Yes, he has a plan on file how to murder Kup in a tunnel. Doesn't mean he wants to use it right now.)
Later, at Dawson's...
...Spinister now regrets not changing. People are magically tracking him, so why should he bother changing, right?
This has to look weird. Kup looks like he could belong here, but what's Spinister doing with him? He scuffs his foot against the floor, looking at the mess under the sawdust and then scuffs if back.
He saunters over to the bar, mutters, "Something more stimmy than depressant," and then turns to lean against the bar, looking at Kup thoughtfully. A bit more loudly than usual, almost at a normal speaking voice, he says, "Just... try not to violate your parole again, hmm?"
Okay, that's what Spinister's doing with Kup. Kup can thank him for the instant street cred later.
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Post by Kup on May 25, 2010 18:31:26 GMT -5
Kup really does look like he belongs here. It's not just his clothes. He immediately falls into a way of walking, a way of moving that makes him seem right at home, as though he's been in places like this a million times.
He probably has.
"Yeah, whatever," Kup grumbles as he throws himself down on a stool. "Eh, one of your cheaper fuels, something that didn't have too much processing." Yech, he's going to regret that later. "But I don't want to put up with water in my tank, got it?"
He doesn't ask for the package. Let's see if these guys have been given a description of him...
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Post by SceneMod on May 25, 2010 18:51:45 GMT -5
The barkeep, a slight fellow with a handlebar mustache and greasy hair just nods at the orders, though his mustache twitches slightly. Cop in the bar is bad for business, and Kup brought the cop here. Ergo, the two newcomers are not going to be encouraged to hang around.
He fixes their drinks swiftly, pulling Kup's from a rusty metal drum just behind the bar. He plops that down across from the old man, coming very close to sloshing the liquid over the edge- but not quite. Spinister gets a mixed drink, the equivalent of a spiked coffee- and probably stronger than Kup's really. Rule number one: if a cop comes in, you keep him happy, and most cops won't turn down a good stiff drink that won't tell.
After a few moments, the barkeep says, "Booth by the juke is open, though you might want to check the seat cushions for rats 'fore you sit. Like to keep the bar seats open for the singles."
Did his eyes linger just a wee bit too long on Kup?
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