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[centurian]

[ The whole thing was completely unbelievable, there was no doubt about that. Who would've thought that typing random numbers into your phone after a search for cough syrup would turn up an untraceable network filled with what looked like bunch of crazy people? At least, calling them "crazy" seemed like the most likely conclusion. It occurs to him that he really should be doing his job, but sheer curiosity kept him looking through the posts.

Besides, it could all be related to his assignment. Somehow (okay, that was maybe reaching just a little, but what exactly can a guy do?). So, he begins to type on his phone, not quite sure what sort of person will turn up. ]

So let me guess: This is all an elaborate viral advertising campaign for cough syrup, right?

[ Well crap. Sarcasm doesn't quite translate that well through text, now does it? Still, it seemed like the better option than broadcasting either his face or voice, where (to the right person) he might as well just say "FBI agent here! Ask me about my entire life". ]

Unless any of you have a better explanation. Because from where I'm sitting, cough syrup advertising still looks a lot more likely than "aliens" and "robots".

[ Still, as they always say, sometimes "the truth is stranger than fiction". ]

Comments

[espigeonage]

You're not the first person to hope so. [he's not unsympathetic. Moving on!] Also, I thought I recognized your voice. Hello! It's Julien.

video;

[centurian]

[ Wait.

...WHAT.

WHAT.

No seriously. WHAT. He immediately recognizes the guy as one of his sister's friends (and NOW he knows why one of those voices was familiar) and...

Well. Um... WELL.

He switches over to "video" himself, really REALLY weirded out. ]

Does my sister know about this?!

[ He really hops not because.

WHAT. ]

[espigeonage]

[Julien doesn't like putting his face on the network. It feels rude, but he sticks to audio, for now.]

I don't think so. I mean, I haven't asked or anything? But she seems the same as ever and I've never seen anything on this that made me think it could be hers.

[centurian]

[ Gerald will keep his on video for just a bit longer, feeling more and more weirded out by the minute. ]

On the bright side, you are someone who actually exists, so I haven't gone completely insane.

[ Unless... he's hallucinating him in which case...

...Just. Fuck. All of this. Seriously. ]

[espigeonage]

Hah. Not totally! Next time I see you I can totally confirm that it's me who talked about this and not some nefarious vocal chameleon, too, if you like.

audio;

[centurian]

[ Sighing, he switches back to audio. ]

I'd like to say I'm looking forward to it, but after hearing everything that's going on...

[ another sigh. ]

I can't say that I'm exactly thrilled that this is looking less and less like a delusion.

[espigeonage]

[He's not unsympathetic.]

No one's happy about it - no one with sense, anyway.

[centurian]

And then, to top it all off, we can't even trust most of the local police.

[ That he's going to have to work closely with. ]

It makes me wonder if there's any sort of upside here.

[espigeonage]

We really can't. The ones who aren't corrupt themselves report to ones who are, and all that.

Hmm... This would all be going on even if you didn't know and weren't networked. Like this you can contact us, at least, and maybe find someone who can help with whatever. There's a lot of people getting strange abilities, more exotic than mine.

[centurian]

You don't suppose anyone would have solid evidence on police corruption, do you?

[ Why his sister's friend would know this is anyone's guess, but the fact of the matter is... he wouldn't have expected him to turn up on this network in the first place. ]

[espigeonage]

That can be passed around? Better to ask someone with the police - we've got a networked person or two. Secondhand knowledge's better than third or fourth.

[centurian]

Yeah. One of them is actually a family friend.

[ Which is a weird coincidence. ]

From the sounds of it, everyone's got their hands tied. Still, there has to be something that we can do.

[espigeonage]

It's a small world, isn't it?

Mmm. We have to keep looking for chances at the least. I hate playing the reactions game, but...

[centurian]

...There's not much else you can do when your chief of police is perfectly fine with killing a kid for asking for help.

[ Another sigh. ]

I wish that I could say it was good talking to you again, but you know, circumstances being what they are and all that...

[espigeonage]

Well, I have this stealth thing... Like I move pretty much silently and I can be hard to notice. So sometimes that's useful. But it doesn't work so well indoors, and I can't see in the dark.

Yeah...

[centurian]

While I can't exactly say that I condone vigilante justice, I also can't help but feel we're given less and less of a choice.

[ There had to be some way to bring them down.

Legally. ]

[espigeonage]

That's how it seems, doesn't it? In the summer we got the word out that they were dumping goop into the reservoir and they stopped, and sweated a little, but they're still going strong. Throwing exposure on police and corporations never does as much as it should - not that we shouldn't collect what we can.

[centurian]

At least, I might be able to do something about that corporation.

[ a bitter laugh ]

And to think, I thought my time back in Locke City was going to be boring.

[espigeonage]

Oh yeah?

They dumped something in the water, we had a bombing and a sudden earthquake, and now gangs are running around with the cops looking the other way. I dread to imagine what you'd have called exciting!

[centurian]

[ He's going go out on a limb and assume that Julien won't be telling anyone the contents of their conversation. ]

I'm actually back in town specifically to investigate white collar crime.

[ Which, given everything else going on definitely struck him as a little boring. ]

[espigeonage]

Oh?

Oh! Huh.

Cool. So, you do have some power?

[centurian]

[ ... ]

...Does the investigative authority given to me by the government of the United States of America count?

[ Probably not. After all, he's a total rookie. ]

I'm still pretty new to all of this. I can't say I have that much sway.

[espigeonage]

Hah... well, I don't know! Sounds impressive. Maybe you're our key to kicking this upstairs somehow.

...but we know they've subverted some people at the military base, somehow. It's hard to say who else might listen to them.

[centurian]

That would be a lucky break.

[ hold on... ]

The military's involved in this?

[ Or was it just a small branch? There was a hell of a lot more corruption here than he would've liked hearing about, and probably even more that was being hidden from the Federal Government. ]

[espigeonage]

A little. I think. I just know that a few months back this weird black helicopter started sweeping around. It'd land at the base. We have someone there who tried looking into it, but apparently that's off limits and they got suspicious of him.

I think it might be too much to think that's not related.