ic The Alternative Revenue Job IC

[olopi]

It had been quite the night. After the meeting, Cass had quickly called in a few favours. Sure, it was really late at night, but those kinds of favours usually went both ways, and Cass had done a fair few midnight favours lately. So, when he finally returned home at 4 AM, it was a quick nap, and soon after he was up again.

Wearing a green polo and beige pants, perhaps a size too small, Bonfire had entered the store a few minutes before the agreed upon meeting time, and gotten his usual fill of strong coffee, to hopefully last him through the day. He had been sitting at the far end of the shop, quietly reading up a few more things on thermos-engineering. If it had to be engineering, it would at least be something he could bluff his way through.

Then, as the time of the meeting moved closer, he got up, and walked towards the counter again, to order another coffee. Something not quite as strong this time. He paid up, and then walked, towards the table that had been agreed upon, taking a chair from another table and sitting down. He spoke up just a second, sounding a bit more active than the evening before.

“I’m up far too early. Thanks for deciding on a place full of coffee. “

[Heritage]

"Got it." Casey hung up the prepaid phone, stuffed it in the pocket of her Comets jacket, and took a deep breath before looking over at Crow, her partner on this leg of the mission. "Okay, let's go." They stepped out of the alley and started walking towards Philips Cleaning & Landscaping, the somewhat sketchy janitorial service picked by Terrifica for their cover. 

 

Concerned about showing up on camera, the blonde heroine decided to go brunette, borrowing a dark brown wig in a layered shag style and a pair of brown contacts from her mentor. Last night she watched several YouTube tutorials on wigs and make-up, and her super-speed allowed her to experiment a bit this morning until she got the look just right. Jeans, cowboy boots and a Kenny Chesney t-shirt completed the look.

 

Doing her best to looked bored as she chewed her gum, she idly chatted with Crow as they approached the door. "So this Thanksgiving, my parents are saying we might try something different; visting my Aunt Cindy up in Minnesota. She's never had the family over, but it should be fun."

Edited September 4, 2016 by Heritage

[Quinn]

Morgan was a bit uncomfortable going civvies in this one, but at least he could keep his gloves on for the first part of the job. And if all else failed, he had the ring. Benefits of planning ahead, you have the gadgets you need when you need them!

 

As it stood, he toddled forward in a black button-up shirt and slacks. It was a...sizeable dichotomy...from the fearsome figure Miracle Girl had seen perched in the rafters - honestly, he was shorter than his stature would have suggested. Somewhat mussed black hair, stubble, very fine and sharp facial features; honestly, if he had a bit of those bird people in his blood, it wouldn't have surprised her! Moreso when he spoke without that eerie rasp - just a quiet, ordinary young man's baritone; albeit with a touch of a Boston brogue. "Sounds like a fine way to spend a holiday. When was the last time you went up there?"

 

He'd pondered asking about how Claremont was going, but now seemed hardly the time or place.

[Heritage]

Good, it seemed like Crow had picked upon on what she was trying to do; it was always a liitle nerve-wracking the first time you worked with a new partner as you tried to feel out each other's style, especially the first time you're actually 'in the field' together.

 

Casey reached the door and held it open for the young mystic, continuing their conversation as they headed into Philips. "Uh, let me think...two years? No, three; we flew out for Uncle Stan's funeral in St. Paul. Actually, I think that's the last time I saw Aunt Cindy; she's mostly been trying to be there for her in-laws, you know?"

[EternalPhoenix]

GM

Crow and Miracle Girl walked into barely organized chaos. Even as they stepped through the front door, a Hispanic boy who couldn’t have been older than 16 if he was that squirted past them and inside. The front was simple enough. A small waiting room and a receptionist’s desk. However, it was unoccupied and from the looks of it, had been for some time. To the left was a doorway, above which stated Employees Only. There was no door, and on the other side of the door frame that very same boy was being apathetically chewed out by a Caucasian man who couldn’t have been a full decade older. As the two got fully into the building, he saw them there and shooed away the boy. “If you’re here for a job, congratulations, you’re hired. I’m Mr. Pine, the interim day shift supervisor. Changing room is over there.” He pointed off to his left, out of sight. “Keys, supplies, and vans are on the other side. Don’t steal anything. Don’t have sex on the clock or on company property. And if you’re going to get high, do it after you change and leave. I’ll get the paperwork while you change, and you can fill it out during the day.” He spoke to the two heroes just as apathetically as he did to the boy. His entire posture indicated almost absolute indifference to everything under the sun. But there was a slight spark of life to his next statement. “If you’re clients…run. Run now. Don’t come back. We’re bad at our jobs and some of us steal.” He sighed heavily, and his apathy resettled around him like a cloak. “But if you need money and want legal work, welcome aboard.”

[EternalPhoenix]

PC

Terrifica smirked at Bombshell’s comment. “Well, if anyone asks later who was sitting here, most will only remember the hair and the eyes. Standing out can be just as much of a deception as blending in. But look at me, lecturing you on misdirection tactics.” She took a sip of her tea as Bonfire joined then, and crossed her legs under the table. “Simple deduction. It’s early. Most people like caffeine when they wake up in the morning. And the free wifi, well…” She smirked a little more. “That’s just a bonus.” Of course she was going to piggyback off of it, using her laptop to link to her suit, which would then be doing all the work. “Since we’re all here…allow me to play professor for a while. The job you’re applying for is entry level, but it does have some specialist knowledge to it.” She started going into relatively light technical details, just enough that Bonfire could sound like he’s been to a proper technical university. Like just up the road at HIT.

[alderwitch]

Bombshell gave a casual, one shouldered shrug - even the gesture utterly unlike the posture and poise she generally presented as her public persona. "There's a great many ways to lie," she said simply, waiting for Terrifica to finish her mini-lecture. She finished her chai before setting the cup down. Once Terrifica seemed to pause she leaned forward towards Bonfire. 

 

"There are many, many different sorts of tricks to keeping someone's attention away from what you're doing with your hands. Unless you happen to be particularly dextrous, I suggest misdirection." She pointed out, her tone matter of fact. "People's attention is easily drawn. They'll look to movement naturally, so one of the oldest tricks is to knock something over with your non-dominant hand."

 

Using the empty cup for her example, the thief brushed it casually with her arm sending it tipping. "Oh, excuse me. I'm so sorry, just nerves," she offered, clearly ad libbing for what role the man might take. When Talya sat back in her chair, the thumb drive was neatly stuck into the usb port on the back of Terrifica's laptop. "Like so. The trick is to keep your movements fluid and natural and if you fumble; if it won't be clean, bide your time. Rushing leads to sloppy mistakes, especially when doing a lift."

[olopi]

Bonfire listened to all the advice, nodded and took it in, and processed it. He had no idea how much of it would come to use, but knowing all these things would come in handy, if not in this mission then later. He leaned in, so the volume could be kept at a reasonable level. The trick with the cup was interesting, something he’d have to practice. Probably not something to casually pull off, but it showed that Bombshell had the experience they claimed she had. The instructions continued, and as the two women took a quick pause, Bonfire spoke, quietly, so others in the store would not overhear too many things. Doing this in a public location had its drawbacks.

 

“Okay, so just so we’ve talked about this again. How exactly does this stick work? Do I just plug it in and it executes things itself, or do I have to activate something? Also, does it require a special PC, or just any? And, I assume this isn’t the case, but just so I don’t screw it up, I don’t have to keep it plugged in for a certain amount of time, right? “

 

Afterwards, he leaned back again, taking a quick glance at his phone, probably to check the time, before his attention went towards the others again. He waited for a response, while going through what he’d just learned in his head again. This just made him remember why he’d never bothered to even try working on an engineering-related field. Photography was a lot more fun.

Edited September 8, 2016 by olopi

[Heritage]

For several seconds, Casey could not find the words to speak; how the heck did a company this poorly run stay open? Was it a front for drug dealers or something? But then she quickly regained her composure and pulled a business card out of her hip pocket (it was from a dry cleaners in Bayview), squinted down at it, then flashed her most dazzling smile at Mr. Pine as she waved and noisily chewed her gum.

 

"Oh yeah, hi! I'm Case and this is Russell. The agency sent us over." She pointed towards the back of the store. "We change back here?"

Edited September 11, 2016 by Heritage

[Quinn]

...he kind of wanted to fetch a boot up Casey's arse for that joke. He really, really did. As it stood, he just gave the Longshoreman's Surly Glare Number Two and stuffed his hands in his pockets, following up with the Longshoreman's Surly Grunt Number Eleven. Acknowledgement crossed with early morning disgruntlement crossed with work disgust with a piquant note of 'I have not had coffee, pester me and die.'

 

Working the Boston docks as a teenager for pocket money, lent you a very odd education in the variations of the blue collar working man's communication methods.

[EternalPhoenix]

PC

Terrifica watched Bombshell’s lesson very carefully. It was basic stuff, but performed by a master. There was always something new to learn. As such, she had to mentally replay her memories of the past several seconds to realize what Bonfire had said. It didn’t take long. It just seemed like she took a moment longer than normal to reply. She leaned in as well. “All you need to do is find an unoccupied office and plug it in to the hard drive. The receptionist’s computer won’t do. That is connected to the regular internet, but not the company intranet. It has to be a computer further in, and not a laptop. Those are mostly likely belong to employees and not the company and thus aren’t on the company intranet. A desktop is what I need. After you plug it in, I’ll need a few minutes to disable security. After that, I’ll brick the USB and it won’t matter what happens to it. I suggest you incinerate it so your fingerprints aren’t found. It would be strange if you wore gloves, after all.”

[EternalPhoenix]

GM

Mr. Pine pointed again. “Over there.” His eyes came a bit more alive as he looked Casey up and down appreciatively. “Should have something close enough to your sizes in there. We’ve got shirts, coveralls, and baseball caps. They’re all a part of the uniform, so grab one and get changed. Time is money, or so Mr. Philips says.” The small Hispanic boy squirted past the three of them once again and in the direction of where Mr. Pine said the keys, supplies, and vans were. Pine barely gave the kid a second glance. “You need something else? Because that’s it.”

[Heritage]

Yuck. Sadly, Casey was getting used to skeezy guys checking her out, but that didn't mean she had to like it. But she kept her distaste off her face, nodded and smiled again. "Okay, thanks!" 

 

She dutifully went in and found the appropriate uniform in her size; most days, she used her super-speed to dress in the blink of an eye, but to maintain her cover, she'd have to do so at normal speed, which had never made her more uncomfortable than today.

 

That guy better not be a creeper!

 

 

[Quinn]

Task done there, but Morgan took a moment as they passed by. The second said skeezy guy took his eyes off Casey - he found himself staring into Morgan's. Gold-flecked, fairly ordinary, if it wasn't for that calm stare. That very, very special calm stare. The sort of stare that promised knives. And blood. And screaming. Oh so very much screaming.

 

Basically the thing he does with his eyes that scares people. Sometimes he didn't even need to talk!

 

He flicked his eyes towards the locker room door, then back to the man - and shook his head very, very slowly. A slight head incline - as if asking 'understood?'

[olopi]

Bonfire listened, making sure to mentally write down everything. This was important, and this time “FIRE” wasn’t a viable backup plan. He took out the USB once more, holding it in his hand. A bit of smoke released from his hand, rising upwards, and covering the USB, leaving nothing in the capnokinetic’s hand. He turned around to look at his two colleagues, before suddenly having the stick again in his hand again. He nodded slightly as he spoke up once more, still quiet, so other customers at the Starbase could not listen in easily.

 

“Got it. This should work, I’ve got a plan. I’ll head out now, gonna see if I can’t be a bit early and get it all set up already. Then, you just have to get it running once the other prereqs are set up. I’ll be on the comms if you need me.”

 

He was about to step away, as he suddenly realized something and returned to the speaking position he’d been at before.

 

“Wait, I can already get this plugged in before the rest is down, right? Or would that also activate things? I’m assuming it’s only the execution of the program that triggers everything?”

 

 

Edited September 21, 2016 by olopi

[EternalPhoenix]

GM

Pine looked into the eyes of terror…and hella blinked. Of course, he wouldn’t follow…Case, he thought it was. There’s laws against peeping, you know. Not to mention his own personal code of ethics, not that he called it that. He spun around and stalked back to his office. Who did this Russell think Pine was? God, you just couldn’t get away with appreciating a good body anymore. It just wasn’t right. He was a good looking guy. The ladies usually melted when they saw his cheekbones and warm brown eyes. Tch, whatever. Plenty of fish, and all that. Well, there was one more shot. When he gave them the paperwork.

[EternalPhoenix]

PC

Terrifica got out of her chair to order more tea, as she’d run out. On the way, she whispered close to Bombshell’s ear. “I’m not certain how long you need to get set up, but we’re about finished here if you need to start early.” Then she was around the table and next to Bonfire. “Don’t use it until it’s needed, please. An unknown USB could easily be noticed and reported. That and I can’t just leave internal security shutdown forever. Someone would notice that, too.” She paused for effect. “The whole idea is to do everything right on time so that we get in and out without being noticed until long after we are gone.” Terrifica did not say anything else, because people had feelings that could be hurt. Tact was key in certain situations, after all. She stepped up to the counter and requested more tea.

[Heritage]

Casey got dressed as quickly as she could at normal speed, leaving her jeans and T-shirt in the locker; she never expected to see them again (she bought everything at one of outlet malls in Delaware), so she blew Kenny a kiss before closing her locker, pulling down the brim of her Philips C&L cap, and sauntering back out into the front office, still chewing her gum.

 

"You got something for me to sign?"

 

She made a vague pen-waving gesture with her hand.

Edited October 8, 2016 by Heritage

[Quinn]

Morgan changed equally fast - uniform replacing kit, duffel bag thrown over shoulder, and out he went. He wasn't quite as fancy as Casey, but when he pulled his hat brim down low, the term 'ominous' may have applied. Quiet and spooky, that was Mr. Russell. Best kind of employee, right?

 

He mimed the same pen gesture, without saying a word. Poker faced.

[olopi]

Huh, everything had to happen at the right time. That made Cass’ plans a lot more difficult, hd have to rely on plain old luck and subterfuge, there was no easy road here. It would make it more difficult, but Cass was fine with that, he saw it as a nice challenge to see how far that part of his powerset had come.

 

Bonfire stepped away from the table for real this time, twirling the USB in his hand. He pocketed it immediately afterwards, looking at the two women and whispering towards them. “Okay. You know how to reach me. Now, to make a proper exit.” He raised the volume of his voice, speaking in such a way everybody in the store was able to hear him just fine, but the fact that was the intention was still hidden enough. “Okay, I’ll get back to you on that. Will take some time though, I’ve got an important interview coming up. I’ll send you the messages afterwards.”

 

And with that, he walked off, moving towards the building for the interview. On the way, he took a quick detour, changing his appearance back towards something more human. He’d borrowed some brown hair dye from a friend thanks to a 5 AM call, and also shaved. The man walking down the street did not share many things with Cass Bauer, even his pupils in a different colour to usual. Red was just a bit too unusual, and when he was dealing with big corporations, Cass preferred to take an additional step.

 

He stood in front of the entrance of Daystrom Industries, stepping into the building, and walking towards the reception. He moved confidently, he was here for a job interview after all. “Greetings. I’ve got an interview scheduled in a few minutes, could you point me in the right direction?”

Edited October 12, 2016 by olopi