6. Video. Laptop.

[flamberge]

[Hello Network! Guess who's face pops up after like a month of being MIA? Yup, it's good old Mr Locke, now wearing spiffy new glasses. Behind him, a bit of his fancypants living room can be seen. He stares at the screen momentarily, clearly hesitating, before finally opening his mouth. Boy does he have a lot to say.]

As of Monday this week, my memories of the Network and everything associated with it returned. Nearly a month of unawareness has made me realize how necessary it is to divulge certain information. Not only do you all deserve to hear it, but certain details may prevent unnecessary problems on the chance my memory fails again in the future.

[He takes a breath. Okay, time to do this.]

First of all, in regards to myself: Richard Locke is an alias I go by. My real name is Karl Aurion. I am a Deputy Superintendent on the Locke City PD and have been on the force for 18 years with an additional 3 years served in Boston. To affirm that this information is not another practical joke, here is my badge [said badge gets whipped out and held up for a good while before being set aside] and several individuals here can confirm this information, as well. For those unfamiliar with police hierarchy, my rank is the 6th highest position on the force. I will state for the record that my position does not gain me special favor with Sherman, Edwards or anyone else.

[This is a nice segue into topic two. The seriousness falters briefly before he continues.]

Which leads to the second matter: Miki Kaoru and his death. Unlike the media and the police department claim, Miki was not a victim of gang violence and obviously not of terrorists. The culprit behind his death had been another police officer. That officer had given Miki chase for reasons unknown to myself. Upon noticing the chase, I followed. When I arrived on the scene, Miki was cornered and the officer had his gun raised. I attempted to interfere but to no avail. The officer incapacitated me before killing Miki. [a sigh] I apologize for my own elusiveness on both this matter and everything associated with the drug bust on the high school.

In regards to the bust itself, I admit to being the one behind it. I had been stationed at the high school since last year to help bring this bust to fruition, among other less noble reasons; however any Network arrests were done without my knowledge. I had not assumed my investigation would be used to bring in suspected individuals and I take full responsibility for this oversight. Though it may be difficult to believe, I did not provide my superiors with any information pertaining to the Network or those associated with it, nor do I intend to do so long as I can help it. I, unfortunately, could not help it during the past several weeks and was more than willing to take note of suspicious behavior. This is why I ask for caution when approaching me in person as I can potentially end up endangering lives should this occur again.

[He actually looks apologetic at this. Any seriousness, however, is interrupted by a teeny kitten suddenly popping up on screen, jumping up on Karl's head and plopping itself down for a nap in its new favorite bed. A brief, if somewhat exasperated glance gets spared up at it before the seriousness returns full force at the laptop]

Finally, during the last month, I managed to speak with both Edwards and Sherman, gaining the latter's trust enough to be given details of his investigation and offered modification. [a heavy pause] I accepted this offer a week after my memory of the Network was lost.

The modification process as I experienced it went as follows. It was done at a farmhouse outside of town. A robot greeted me and informed me to lay down on some sort of an operating table. Then, by use of an [insert a very unsure pause] old fashioned, pink perfume bottle, it rendered me unconscious. By the time I awoke, the procedure had been completed. I was handed a pamphlet and a... mint before being sent on my way. Here is the pamphlet in question.

[The front and back of this flower sticker monstrosity get held up to the screen for a few moments before being set back down.]

I have not experienced any significant side effects and can provide further details on the modification if asked. Should there be any other questions about any of this, they will be responded to... honestly.

Comments

[Text]

[lightsoflife]

I assume Lyall knew of this after his arrest?

[That would explain the slip in his post following the incident, something Naomi had noted but kept to herself. If she has any feelings on Richard/Karl's revelations, Naomi's keeping those to herself too, for the moment.]

[Video]

[flamberge]

He learned of my involvement with the police and drug bust when I managed to get him released while I informed him of the modifications on Monday.

[Honest Karl is being honest. Although, if it comes down to it, he will defend Lyall in all this. The man had done nothing wrong.]

[Text]

[lightsoflife]

That lines up. Thank you.

Can you please give more detail about the modifications?

[Video]

[flamberge]

Are there any details in particular you wish to hear or just everything that I know?

[Text]

[lightsoflife]

Anything.

[Video]

[flamberge]

The procedure took place inside an operating room of sorts or, at the very least, there had been an operating table. No human or no-robotic entities were present before or after the modification process. I had not seen what tools were used.

As for the results of the modification itself, it gave me the ability to see clearly at night and lull people to sleep by staring at them. The need for blinking decreased to permit for this to occur more easily. No major side-effects have occurred as of yet.

[lightsoflife]

I trust you'll keep us informed on any further changes?

[flamberge]

Naturally. I do not plan on keeping such information secret, not any longer.

[lightsoflife]

Good.

Perhaps it's time to revisit the idea of a secret handshake of sorts? A code phrase, or anything that would identify somebody as an active member of this network. It could prevent some of the danger inherent in the situation you were in recently.

[flamberge]

Perhaps, but the difficulty lies with people adhering to that system and remembering to use it. I will, however, come up with something to at least prevent myself from potentially harming any of you in the future.

[lightsoflife]

You have a point. Do you have any other ideas at the moment?

[flamberge]

Writing myself a note and asking other officers to check frequently whether or not my memories are in tact have been the only ones I've come up with.

[lightsoflife]

How many other officers are there at the moment?

[flamberge]

Several.

[lightsoflife]

So the chance that all of them will cease to remember isn't likely to happen soon, unless there were some way to induce it in all the police force.

[Naomi is a tiny bit paranoid sometimes.]

[flamberge]

All of them not remembering is very unlikely and, as to my knowledge, the police does not yet have any means to erase memories.

[lightsoflife]

Yet. In the scenario that they find such a way, however, I don't think we'd have time to take precautions before it happens. Just a thought, of course, but we do have to be careful.

[flamberge]

No, you're right. Caution can only be a good idea, but the question is how would we exert in a scenario where we'd potentially be made to forget before any warning could be given.

[lightsoflife]

That's why the institution of a code phrase would have been useful, but you do have a point about its adoption.

[flamberge]

If nothing else, smaller parties can have code words amidst themselves. It may not incorporate everyone, but those involved would be ones willing to use that code.

[lightsoflife]

That might work. Send it out to people in different stations, and you decrease the chances that all of them forget at once.

[flamberge]

Exactly. Small groups in various locations would be the best strategy for that reason.

[lightsoflife]

It couldn't hurt to start preparing a system like that, even individually or among those of us in sensitive positions. Although I doubt you're many people's favorite person right now.

[flamberge]

No, probably not. Once public opinion turns from hate to mere dislike, I'll pose this suggestion then.

[lightsoflife]

Sounds like that could take a while.