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Post by jarahamee on Nov 13, 2020 0:51:10 GMT -6
Cassius looked at Lin, and shook his head. His expression slipped into a more defeated patience. Lin was trying to help, and he’d do his best to be understanding. These were Aaron’s coworkers after all, and as far as he knew, they had been nothing but trustworthy. He exhaled through his nose with a soft huff and then put his flip phone back in his pocket obediently. It would be good to at least placate him, but he would do best to explain himself.
“I do not share sensitive information, Agent Lin. I am just concerned. Agent Decker /is/ involved then?”
He focused to keep his calm. So, Decker was involved then. It did not surprise him. The man had been a thorn in his side since his arrival. His narrowminded focus on undermining and attacking Director Lonan had been unforgivable in the face of the threat that would come to be known as Atol. Now at the end of the world, he, and all the agents had just been chasing their tails, useless until Sarkany came along. How ironic. And now Decker was here, removing one of the last good people in the department from action.
Cassius himself looked about, trying to determine what room they were heading into, when Dr. Mura came around the corner to find them both. It would be best to put discussion of these matters on hold for now. He did have a mission, after all.
“Dr. Mura.”
He inclined his scarred head slightly, highlighting the presence of a scar through his hairline. All things considered, he looked the calmest Faolan had ever seen him. Fading periocular hemorrhage in his right eye, bruise-marks on his throat and a split nail. He had been fighting again. It wasn’t unusual given his nature. Probably field-work. Or maybe a carpentry project.
“We are here to bring some potions to Dust. I made some with special potency just for him.”
Except that he would have normally given them to Aaron. He wondered if that was all the reason they were here. If so, he might have known where Dust had been on his own.
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Post by MP on Nov 13, 2020 0:53:06 GMT -6
[Cassius and Faolan]
Lin snorted faintly as they approached the doctor. The disdain was evident even in that one exhale. But he scratched quickly at the blackboard and held it up.
DECKER IS AWARE. DIDN'T START IT.
The tip of his tail lashed to admit it, but Lin felt that much was fair. That was also as much as he had time to say. He flipped the blackboard onto its face, wiping the surface clean on his chest as they came level with Faolan.
Lin nodded at the greeting, blinking his eyes in a peaceable gesture. He liked the doctor. The man smelled calm, and he lacked the sharp tone that characterized so many WDSA personnel lately. He started to reach for the chalk, then remembered, the tip of his tail flicking. His hands came up instead, massive claws racing through perfect sign language.
Good morning - noon. I'm looking for Higashi Koji, please. Fire Genasi. Officer Lucidus and I are filling in for Agent Telmore. Can you point me toward the room?
Lin scratched his mane, puffing out a bear-like breath in what was evidently sheepishness.
I haven't visited before.
[Simon]
Her mouth narrowed to a thin line. Agent Ruiz leaned slightly forward in her seat.
"You say he's been bad recently. When would you say that started?"
The agent was nothing if not thorough. She wanted details. Schedules and meetings, kept or missed - and not just on Aaron's part, but for all four of the Halloween survivors. Conversation topics, work or casual, that they'd discussed. Even the locations of movies and lunches were combed over. Agent Ruiz jotted it all down in her notepad, a messy scrawl that would have made a doctor wince.
"Well, I guess that covers it," she said at last, pushing to her feet. "Thanks for putting up with all the questions."
There was a certain undertone, however, that suggested she wasn't quite satisfied with the answers. Agent Ruise pocketed the notepad and stood, brushing off her hands in an absent manner. Then she paused.
"Actually, Telmore mentioned you especially in his report. On this year's 'event.' Pretty glowing praise too. Heh." She suppressed a smirk. Work before puns. "He say anything? Act any different?"
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Post by qhostqrowls on Nov 13, 2020 3:58:33 GMT -6
"Sure thing. It's room 408, so you go left, and then - actually I'll just lead you there." Faolan waved a hand halfway through his sentence. It would be faster to take them there directly, and would also give him the opportunity to pry.
Aaron had been right on time for every check-in ever since the Genasi had been hospitalized. The agent was barely ever a minute late, so to miss it completely was very unexpected.
"Is Agent Telmore off sick?" Faolan asked over his shoulder, a slight crease to his brow.
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Post by jarahamee on Nov 13, 2020 11:44:20 GMT -6
Cassius frowned. Then it wasn’t Decker. This just raised questions now. What had happened? It must have been something big if it got him suspended. He rubbed his neck idly and felt the faint pain of a bruise.
He would have to be even more careful in his investigations if Decker was watching. He had revealed his cards too early. He could not have helped himself. Suppressing his emotions and natural protectiveness was not his strong suit. Thankfully suppressing his violent urges had been a far more successful endeavor on his part.
Cassius watched Lin sign and realized that it would have been easier had he known that from the beginning. He was hardly fluent but he knew enough to get by. He watched the large being sign to Mura, and an additional piece clicked into place. He didn’t know where to go. He would have said he should have asked but..it had given them time to talk and that was fine. It was just inefficient now.
He took a deep breath at Dr. Mura’s question, and decided to let Agent Lin answer that however he was going to. He did his best not to shake his head over his shoulder in contradiction. If only he could think ‘no’ hard enough. Instead he rolled the potions around in his hand and wondered if they would taste any better warm.
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Post by Sharei on Nov 13, 2020 11:51:10 GMT -6
"Elsewhere," Koji said gruffly. "And I'd like to keep it that way."
The Genasi breathed out in quiet relief. At the sound of his name, he'd thought himself caught, but he'd been lucky. He couldn't count on Sohl not to out him to an agent if it seemed like Koji would hurt himself otherwise, but Koji hoped Sohl would, at the very least, listen to the explanation. So he allowed himself to be pushed without complaint.
"Something's rotten," Koji said, keeping his voice low to avoid being overheard. "My friend, Aaron, didn't show up for his usual check-in and the WDSA agents are acting suspiciously. Maybe it's my paranoia and background, but something doesn't feel right, Sohl - turn here."
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Post by beastly on Nov 13, 2020 12:43:28 GMT -6
Simon patiently answered all of her questions. He wasn't sure how this was relevant to anything, because he didn't know what the anything was, but he tried to be helpful. There were things he wasn't being told, so really he could only hope that he was giving good information about whatever thing was happening. He tried to get a hint about what was going on by thinking about the questions Agent Ruiz was asking. What was she trying to establish? It seemed like Aaron's behavior was being scrutinized. Also theirs, which made him pause. Why though? Was the woman planning an intervention? Make the guy slow the hell down before he crashed...? He didn't think that was quite it. No, it felt different. It was hard to guess, he didn't know Agent Ruiz at all. He was just left worrying.
"No problem, uh..."
He could sense she wasn't satisfied with what he'd given her, but damn it, how could he if she wasn't telling him what she really was after? At the mention of Halloween, Simon stood as well, and kinda shrugged. He'd just been doing his thing. Frankly, he felt like Aaron had done all the heavy lifting, the keeping em all together and supplying order and a cool head in the middle of a terrifying situation. But hey, he took praise and complements badly, he wasn't the most objective when it came to evaluating his own performance. He knew this.
"You mean, did he say anything about the Halloween situation, or 'bout me specifically? And, uh... Act different how? ...What exactly are you looking for?"
He wasn't quite sure what she meant. Was there a phrase she wanted to hear? Something she was hoping he'd say? He was a bit frustrated, he wanted to know what was going on. Being questioned without knowing why was agitating, although he tried to keep cool. A thought chewed at him.
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Post by MP on Nov 13, 2020 13:44:56 GMT -6
[Simon]
"Any behavior you've noticed, toward you or anyone else, compared to how he was on Halloween night."
Agent Ruiz dragged both hands down her face, uttering a groan of a sigh. The sound brimmed with fatigue and, beneath that, anxiety. She seemed more stressed with herself than frustrated.
"Look, I'm gonna be frank with you. Can you verify - no." She swished a hand through the air, aborting her words. "Did you actually, physically see Telmore leave the maze?"
[Koji]
"Oh, your case agent, right?" Sohl said, turning the corner obediently. They were heading toward the elevators, he realized. Glancing uncertainly over his shoulder, he wondered if the agent would approve of this.
"There were a few emergencies today, but I didn't see him warped. Maybe he's in for something minor. Or decontamination. Have you checked with the doctors?"
Koji and Viktoria really were alike, he thought, keeping course toward the elevator until the Genasi said otherwise. They both leaped right to action, like it was them against the world. Right now, he wasn't sure that was a good thing. Agents took care of their own. The man was probably fine and just busy somewhere else.
"So," he said, turning another corner. "What was so suspicious about the agents anyw - oop."
He came to a stop. Had to, because there was no way around the black-coated wall now crouching in their way. Sohl bit off the end of his words, looking distinctly embarrassed.
[Cassius and Faolan]
No. Maybe? Really needs some sleep. Lin nodded knowingly at them. Anyway, he's off for awhile, but he asked us to deliver the weekly elixir.
The gentle pat on Cassius' back knocked the officer two extra steps forward. Lin withdrew his hand with an apologetic chuff and kept his hands politely curled after that. He walked with them at a more moderate pace, trundling along on undersized legs.
I'm filling in for him until he gets back.
An anxious curl of his tail. Telmore's Genasi had a bit - a lot - of a reputation. His staunch refusal to consider a different case agent was common knowledge, and he'd been downright hostile to subtle attempts to transfer, even with Telmore's recommendation. Lin gurgled faintly to himself, wondering how to put the situation. It was hard. It was scary. He might be fireproof, but the man had a glare that could curdle milk. Maybe if he-
The reptile's eyes widened as they rounded the corner and came face to face with a wheelchair. And a very familiar face.
Beady eyes tracked from their expressions to the chair and back again. The orderly's expression - no, not an orderly - screamed that they weren't supposed to be here. Heading for the elevators? Had Decker been right about this after all?
Lin puffed out a soft breath, the force ruffling the hair of the escapees. He lowered himself to a squat, trying not to jump to conclusions.
Hi, Koji. We were just looking for you. I'm Agent Lin - Telmore's squadmate. You remember me? He bobbed his head hopefully, nictitating membranes clicking in an unconscious show of anxiety. Agent Telmore can't make it today, but he asked us to deliver these for him.
He gestured helpfully at Cassius. The officer's scarred grimace was almost as intimidating as the Genasi's, and Lin was suddenly grateful for it.
When you're done, I also need to ask you a few questions. Please.
[Sara]
Todd let out a breath. Several subtle starts and stops, evidently trying to figure out the gentlest way to start.
"There's...a strong chance we've been infiltrated. Decker suspects Zramek activity, and tests are underway, but until results are more conclusive..."
He faltered again, looking at the shifter's face. Todd braced himself, shoulders straightening like a schoolboy under scrutiny.
"Agent Telmore has been removed from duty and is under investigation until his identity can be verified. Unless he allows a psychic read or we can disprove Zramek involvement, Higashi Koji's behavior is also suspect. We don't know the full extent of Zramek behavioral conditioning or capabilities."
Despite his obvious discomfort, there was a firmer note in Todd's voice as he met the shifter's stare.
"I need you to be discreet with this information. We don't want a panic, or false assumptions until we know what we're dealing with. This is for Telmore's sake as much as ours."
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Post by qhostqrowls on Nov 13, 2020 15:27:23 GMT -6
'Off for awhile'. Faolan frowned as they made their way down the corridor, unsatisifed. It seemed purposely vague. Cassius seemed to have been saying otherwise with that stare of his. But maybe he was just being particularly intense. He wasn't sure. At any rate it wasn't a proper answer, and the doctor considered another one as he walked. It was hard to not sound nosy or pushy, and Lin seemed anxious already. Maybe Officer Lucidus would tell him more.
If he was going to ask anything, he'd have to do so soon. They were almost at the Genasis room. The trio turned another corner and abrubtly found the patient already there. Koji sat in a wheelchair, with a guilty looking Noah standing behind him. The Genasi was absolutely not supposed to be out of his bed, let alone his room. They both knew that judging by their expressions - there was no need for him to tell them.
He looked expectantly at the pair as Lin signed, smoothing his nervous expression into something more neutral. It was good the agent was here. Koji could be a bit scary and didn't look very pleased by the interruption. Faolan glanced back at Cassius. What was going on today? Telmore missing, and Koji seemingly trying to escape.
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Post by Sharei on Nov 13, 2020 16:06:27 GMT -6
Koji's gaze, when Lin returned his eyes to the Genasi, was staring the draconian down with black, unforgiving judgment. The glare was only a half-level shy of murderous.
"I doubt it," the Genasi said, and despite his elemental affinity, his words were icy. "Aaron makes a point of informing me of any schedule change, given recent incidents involving security breaches, so I find it difficult to believe he'd ask you to deliver something so personal without saying anything. I'm sure you're already aware of that."
Koji was only peripherally aware of Faolan and Cassius, always alert to their presence, but his focus was forward. It had been the moment they'd rounded the corner and seen the agent.
"Where is Aaron?" he demanded.
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Post by beastly on Nov 13, 2020 16:15:09 GMT -6
Simon's eyebrows knit together, and he searched her face. No. No, he hadn't. He got a funny feeling in his stomach. All the questions...
"You think- you think it isn't Aaron? In- in this real flesh world?" There was probably a better way to phrase that, but he wasn't bothering with it.
"I didn't see him leave. It got...bloody at the end. We were on the roof, and he didn't come down. Not that I saw, he was fighting something. There was this gate, and we had to unlock it with crystals to leave, see? I tried to defend it long enough for him and the rest to get in there, and his light was present, so- he didn't die- not while I was there." He bit his lip. He had to admit, he had not seen him leave.
"But... No. I didn't see him leave. Got pushed through before that. He remembered, so I didn't press him about it after. Didn't wanna bug him. If he died, he wouldn't have remembered." That's what the god said. Another thought, however- did he trust that god? Was he just rationalizing?
A whole world of awful possibilities stretched before him, and he tried to grapple with it. He didn't like that.
"You think it isn't him?"
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Post by tsukikoko on Nov 13, 2020 16:44:08 GMT -6
As Todd explained, an abnormal flatness shuttered down Sara's expression. It was the calm before a building storm, something hardly anyone at the WDSA had seen, because she had resolved not to let it rise again. Not since Matt. There had been times, certainly, that it had reared it's head, but she'd never been as venomous, vicious, as that day.
But it threatened now.
Not just because of his words, or Todd himself. Rather, as the threat of another infiltration surfaced, as she thought back on the pain the last one had caused, those who had been trusted and then betrayed that trust, the poison curled around her. She thought on Nyugen. How Aaron had been taken, the time he'd spent in Zramek's captivity. Behavioural conditioning. Did they only mean Koji? Who had already suffered so much, had been dragged through so many hurdles to get to even being tolerated by most in the establishment. Of not having his every action viewed as suspect.
Now, it was as though he was back to square one.
Not to mention, she thought as her gaze turned away, what if they didn't mean just Koji? Did they suspect Aaron had been behaviourally conditioned? What if he had been...? What if- the man she'd been living with, who had proposed to her, was a twisted version of her partner, infested by Zramek's influence? She thought of Viktoria, how the scarred feline had been so changed and corrupted as to act without her own free will.
What if-?
For a moment, the shifter teetered, unsure what to believe. Aaron's delighted grin, as he stepped into a mech bay while hooked into a VR headset, took precedence in her mind's eye. With it, defiant, stubborn belief formed a blazing weight within her chest. He wasn't an infiltrator. She trusted Aaron, more than anyone. How could she have ever doubted? Sara's eyes flickered back to Todd; the longer she looked at him the more her resolve tightened.
And in that one flash of a moment, she hated him for tainting her view of Aaron, even momentarily.
"'As Aaron been checked by a psychic, like?" The shifter was absently surprised by the calmness of her own voice. It seemed so far away, all of a sudden. Masked by the ringing in her ears, yet still so light. She understood, logically, why Aaron might have to be investigated. But why had she been cleared in barely five minutes, despite only claiming that she had escaped Zramek after attempting a rescue for the agent, yet he had been removed from duty?
Ultimately, she just felt so frustratingly, achingly helpless. She couldn't sneak in, break him out and escape, when these were supposed to be her people. On top of everything else that was happening lately, this seemed like a kick in the teeth. She just wanted Aaron back.
Heat built behind her eyes, spilled as a single rolling tear before she could stop it.
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Post by jarahamee on Nov 13, 2020 18:21:36 GMT -6
Cassius watched this situation unfold before him. Koji was naturally suspicious and prone to violence. He was also excellent at pyromancy. This was going to become violent quickly, and he knew it. He felt his options appear before him, and in the heat of the moment, he made his decision.
The scarred man stepped carefully in front of Agent Lin, leaving room for Faolan. His action was deliberate, and though it wasn’t aggressive, it was definitive. He was not sure if Faolan had a friendly relationship with Koji, but he assumed, unfortunately, he was probably the person Dust ‘liked’ most here. If things went badly, at least they could say he died..doing something, he supposed.
“…Dust. It’s alright. Agent Lin is not our enemy.”
The warrior gestured with both hands open, revealing the small vials of potion in his palm incidentally. He didn’t feel like giving him a non-answer like ‘I don’t know’ was going to help, especially since he lacked the clearance to tell him anything. No, the thing he would speak would be the truth, and then, perhaps, if Agent Lin was allowed, he could say as he would.
He’d simply wait until Dust had calmed down to discuss his other thoughts, which were that these were for him. It was the least important of their problems right now. He simply followed up with his most honest and direct somber expression, which appeared all the more ghoulish with his half-glasglow smile.
“I think we are all looking for answers”.
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Post by MP on Nov 13, 2020 18:49:12 GMT -6
[Simon]
Agent Ruiz tapped her pen thoughtfully against her teeth, already half turned toward the door.
"I do. But I'm not the boss. And this event thing makes it complicated." Another thoughtful pause. "You can relax. Whatever this thing is, it didn't start on Halloween, and no one else we know of was affected. Don't get paranoid, okay?"
She fished around in her coat pocket and held out a card.
"I know we work in the same building and all, but we gotta keep this sensitive. If you think of any more details, any changes in the last six weeks, don't come to my desk. You call me here, okay? In the meantime, let's keep this thing private. If people ask for Telmore, just play innocent. You're cute enough."
[Cassius, Faolan, and Koji]
"Koji -" Sohl said nervously. He could feel the tension rising as well as anyone else. "I'm sure they wouldn't lie. It's probably just..." He trailed off, unable to think of an explanation. It was a strange situation.
Lin had stopped short at the glare, eyes flickering instinctively to Cassius and Faolan, as if for help. Nora would have jumped in on his behalf right away, or Todd to smooth things over. Even Telmore usually intervened, in his quiet way. But his fireteam wasn't here to speak for him. A long, snakelike tongue flickered out to test the air - another nervous tic.
The reptile's shoulders visibly relaxed when Cassius stepped out. In the reprieve, Lin steadied himself with a nervous yawn, exposing rows of crushing teeth. This was his job, and he didn't burn, unlike the officer. Koji didn't look like he liked Cassius any better than Lin, and the reptile's concern finally trumped his nerves.
Lin patted Cassius' shoulder gratefully. Then, lifting the officer by the waist with one massive hand, he gently moved him to the side and out of Koji's line of sight.
Aaron is the security breach, he signed. He's been in questioning all morning and isn't allowed contact with active cases. I'm here at his request.
The massive creature hunched lower, eye to eye with the Genasi. It was rare for Lin to meet another's eyes, much less in answer to a direct challenge. But beneath his anxiety, there was also a dull sense of indignation. The bristle to his mane, and an extra inch of snaggletoothed fang, suggested how much Koji's words had stung.
He is my friend too. And I need your help to determine whether something's happened to him. Please return to your room, for privacy, and we can handle questions there.
[Sara]
"I examined him personally. And that was after they'd cleared me."
Todd's voice was earnest, his hands upheld in a steadying gesture. He decided to omit the fact that, without regular psychic readings to backcheck, a single reading was little help. This was hard enough as it was.
"The blood tests, the psychic and etheric readings, the polygraphs - they all checked out, and as far as we can tell, he's fine. But it's not that simple." There was a faint catch on the last word. Todd's voice, in that brief moment, had a pinched, unhappy quality. "We need more tests. More experts. Right now, it's only Telmore that we know of, and it's recent. This would have happened in the last six weeks or so. So if they ask you to - to look at him," he amended the words. "I need you to think within that time frame, and I need you to play it cool, alright?"
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Post by qhostqrowls on Nov 13, 2020 21:28:27 GMT -6
Faolan watched Lin sign with a dawning sense of shock. Security breach? Questioning? What did they think Aaron had done? Concern for the agent and anxiety at the rising tension flared. The situation could easily go south if Koji didn't want to cooperate - he'd always been polite and calm during their encounters, but he had a reputation for a reason.
"Koji, I think it's best we follow Agent Lin's instructions and go back to your room." Faolan added on gently. "I'm sure he'll be able to explain in greater detail."
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Post by tsukikoko on Nov 13, 2020 21:55:57 GMT -6
Again in that muffled, faraway manner, Sara found herself thinking that Todd should have known better. That to tell an upset person to calm down was like waving a red rag at a bull. Everything he said, every word of explanation - time frames, tests, what they expected of her - fell into the ringing cacophony of her mind to join the buzzing fray.
Only Telmore, that they knew of.
Only Telmore.
why
Then there were the previous statements, rearing up again. That Koji was suspect, the talk of asking for a psychic check. Red tinted the edges of the shifter's vision as a rising, maternal protectiveness threatened to overwhelm her sense. She felt her voice rising, erupting from a well deep inside herself that she'd be fighting to keep down, fed by all the recent stressors and negativity.
There was only so far a person could be pushed.
"Why aye, ah bet yer all fuckin' want more tests, like." She stepped away from the wall, striding forward and gesticulating with choppy, aggressive hand movements. Her tail lashed. An already broad accent deepened ever further. "Eeee man woman man, after arl ower Koji's done fer us, ter mack shewer 'e's trustworthy, the bloody shite way 'e was treated, like, 'an now ya gannin' te mention psychics?!. Yer haf any soddin' idea 'ow many times 'e said no, like? Or why? D'yer knar just what it'd do ter 'im, ter 'af someone in 'is 'ead again? It'd destroy 'im. It wasn't even so much Todd, as the people above and behind him, calling the shots. She knew how much having a psychic even mentioned would hurt him, but what Sara really worried about was how likely Koji would be to accept, if it meant Aaron would be aided... and then how badly it could affect his mental wellbeing in the aftermath. But Todd was the one in her firing line and with the roiling fury inside, she seemed unable to stop herself. "Christ a-fuckin'-live, 'e was dyin' an' still brought us a warnin', like. An' 'is actions are still suspect? Eeee, man, if any o' yer even thinks of gannin' near me son with that psychic bollocks, there'll be hell on mind!"
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