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Tangled Currents - Rose

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Irn0rchid

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« Reply #15 on: <04-18-16/0942:43> »
"Well that's hard to tell until I get a better idea of the situation," she says before having some more tea. "How about this, if it turns out I think there's a need for more or a specific risk, I'll contact you to authorize the expenditure?

Mercy Merchant

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« Reply #16 on: <04-18-16/1016:07> »
Ni Ni watches you carefully then nods.  I will send you a private commcode that you can use to contact someone who will have the authority to make the necessary transactions.  I am glad that you are coming in on this, Rachel.  It is Rachel, correct?  Or would you prefer that I call you by a different name?"
"Speech"  *Thought*  <Matrix>

Irn0rchid

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« Reply #17 on: <04-18-16/1126:32> »
"Good..I don't expect to need it, but it's hard to know what you don't know, you know?" Rose chuckles slightly at herself. "As for names, Rachael is fine between us, but I'd appreciate you using Iron Orchid with anyone who doesn't need to know my real name." Finishing her tea, Rose asks, "So who is this person you want information on?"

Mercy Merchant

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« Reply #18 on: <04-18-16/1131:50> »
"His name is Howard Townsend.  I have provided you with his name and address.  I expect that you will provide me with everything else that you can find out in a week.  We will have a meeting then and we will decide if more time needs to be invested in this.  Thank you for coming by Miss Orchid.  I do hope that we will have a long working relationship."  The woman stands and the man is back at your elbow as if by magic.  He motions for you to follow him and takes you back to the street, where he bids you to have a nice evening.
"Speech"  *Thought*  <Matrix>

Irn0rchid

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« Reply #19 on: <04-18-16/1210:50> »
Once back on the street Rose instructs the car to circle back around to where she got out and tells the CU^3 to keep watching for 10 minutes then proceed back to the car. While walking to the pickup spot, she shoots a message to Robin: <<Hey, can you do a quick search on a guy by the name of Howard Townsend? Lives here at *address*. Might be some money in it for us!>> Arriving at the pickup she waits for the car to show up and then gets into the back seat again. "Drive slowly by *address* and then head back home," she instructs the vehicle. Once the CU^3 docks back with the car she quickly scans through the footage to see if there were any interesting comings and goings while she was in the meeting and then gets ready to check out Howard's neighborhood and do a quick assessment of the security of his home.

Mercy Merchant

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« Reply #20 on: <04-19-16/0009:35> »
The answer back from Robin is almost immediate.  >>On it, girlfriend.  Does this mean you will be out for dinner?<<

The drone's feed is nothing special that you can tell.  It appears that no one was particularly interested in you coming or going from the antique store, but it might be hard to tell in the crowd of people on the street.  The address you have is on Queen Anne's Hill.  Once the ritziest part of all of Seattle, most of it has deteriorated to something less.  Many of the famous families that used to own exclusive residences on The Hill have taken up residence in the luxury hotels that dot the Downtown landscape.  But there is an oasis or two of luxury still to be found there and such is the area where you are taken.  The homes are huge and sit on lots that surely could be made into several multi-family apartment complexes.  The streets are broad and tree-lined and high walls provide a modicum of privacy to the wealthy who reside behind them.  Number 1476 Wild Acre Drive is one such home.  A drive by shows three cameras mounted in the trees inside the wall that follow the motion of your vehicle and three more that seem to be in fixed positions.  The gate at the driveway appears to be solid and the quick view you get as you pass shows a vast manicured lawn and at least two men walking about that seem to sentries.
"Speech"  *Thought*  <Matrix>

Irn0rchid

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« Reply #21 on: <04-19-16/0036:46> »
Rose fires off a response to Robin before getting into the car:   <<Naw, I just need to make one stop and then I'll be on my way back. Do you want me to pick something up?>>

Unsurprised by the lack of anything interesting seem by the drone, she's nevertheless pleased by the way things are going. "This seems to be a pretty straightforward job, hopefully it turns out to be what it seems," she thinks to herself as she watches the property values go up outside the window. Noting the multiple cameras, as well as security guards, she wrinkles her nose, "Well... Maybe not that straightforward... "

Once she gets a few blocks away from the house she launches one of the Noizquitos with instructions to go offline and overfly the house to record video of the compound layout from above before returning to the car. "No reason to get fancy tonight. Let's see what Robin comes up with then I can devise a plan of attack." She then continues back to the Everett house with a stop to pick up whatever Robin wants along the way.

Mercy Merchant

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« Reply #22 on: <04-19-16/0225:27> »
Robin chuckles.  >>You could stop and get something from that Chinese place we like.  Peking Wok.  Get me some of their sweet and sour chicken and steamed rice.  I know it is mostly soy, but it tastes pretty good, right?  And we have not had anything from there for at least a week.  Say hello to Chan for me?<<  She drops off to begin doing some research for you.  The drive-by does indeed seem a bit formidable and the overflight by the drone does nothing to dispel that notion.  When the drone returns and you get a chance to view its feed, you see four men working on the lawn and a fancy garden in the rear of the house, but you also count three pairs of men walking around the well manicured lawn that do not seem particularly interested in what is growing there.  The quick flight also picks out several cameras mounted on the eaves of the house and pointing out to the exterior.

When you arrive home with the food, you find Robin almost dancing from foot to foot as she asks.  "What are you getting into?  Do you have any idea who this guy is?  Besides being rich and about seventy so almost ready to kack off at any moment, the guy is a fragging lawyer.  And get this, it is said that his only client is the boss of the Seattle Yak-fucking-kuza.  And let me have that food.  I am starving."  Robin takes the boxes and puts the food on paper plates, setting the table using the plastic ware provided by the noodle shop with your order.  "You going to spill or what?"
"Speech"  *Thought*  <Matrix>

Irn0rchid

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« Reply #23 on: <04-19-16/1210:54> »
Rose directs the Americar to stop by Peking Wok on the way home. Submitting her order online for the sweet and sour 'chicken', some egg rolls, and the pepper 'beef' she groans when the host notifies her it's going to take longer than normal today due to it being a busy night. Mentally shrugging, she has the car stop when it arrives anyway and she gets out figuring that gives her plenty of time to harass, err... say hello, to Chan for Robin. Entering the building, she sees that it is indeed packed, "No wonder the kitchen is running slow! Walking up to the counter she sees Chan sweating through the window to the kitchen. "Hey Chan! Robin wants to know why you're being so slow?"

She finally gets the food and heads back out the car and then back to the house. Finding Robin being so antsy, she hands her the food and waves her to the table. "Sit and I'll tell you!" Once they're established at the table with their dinner, Rose lays out the basic idea to Robin: "One of Gouwei's contacts wants information on that Townsend guy but wants plausible deniability should he find out about it, so that's where I come in. I've got a week to 'find out all I can' on the guy, which is pretty vague." Sending an annotated birds-eye view of the grounds to Robin's 'link she continues, "See, security is pretty heavy. Lots of cameras, lots of guards, lots of space. I need to really go through this footage to find the best way to approach it. Will also have to check out his office, which is unlikely to be any softer from what you found." Grimacing, "If he's really the personal lawyer for the Yakuza, I definitely should have asked for more money..."

[spoiler]Security Design: 8d6t5 4[/spoiler]

Mercy Merchant

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« Reply #24 on: <04-20-16/0029:47> »
Robin laughs.  "So how serious are you going to go in on this?  You have already found out lots of stuff.  Let me see if I can grab something from the matrix.  And don't try to swipe my soychicken.  I know how many pieces I have left."  She sits back in her chair and zones out of the meat world and into the matrix, leaving you to go over the security that you saw.  Digging into your knowledge of security systems and design, your initial look does not leave a lot to be hopeful about.  But it was just one scan, and a quick one at that.
"Speech"  *Thought*  <Matrix>

Irn0rchid

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« Reply #25 on: <04-20-16/0105:23> »
"Hurm... how deep *do* I want to go? This is basically a favor, but I'm getting paid for it and it could result in more jobs down the line. Coming back with just information found online, regardless of details, probably isn't going to impress her much." Rose continues eating while she ponders what Robin said, "I think I need to at least make a serious effort to do some physical eavesdropping in order to honestly say I did a good job. I'll wait and see what Robin comes up with and then come up with a plan." Resolved on a path forward, she finishes her food (and a piece of 'chicken', just to try it) and waits for Robin to return.

Mercy Merchant

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« Reply #26 on: <04-20-16/0201:45> »
Robin's limp body shivers a bit as the decker slips out of VR and back to the meat world.  She shakes her head and says, "God.  Sometimes I just hate to come back, you know?  The trix can be just so different to those that can move in it.  OK.  I did not get much, but enough to know this is not a easy in and back out sort of thing.  The place is like a fortress.  It is its own fragging host, for drek's sake."  She smiles at you.  "But hosts are made to be broken into.  Can I bring Jaxxo in on part of this?  He has busted a lot of hosts and might have some ideas and he is pretty cheap."  You remember Jaxxo as a waifish twenty-something who has a crush on you.  "Hey, you took one of my chicken pieces.  Some pal you are."
"Speech"  *Thought*  <Matrix>

Irn0rchid

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« Reply #27 on: <04-20-16/0813:54> »
"Did you see anything about where he works? Or is the house so stacked because that's his office too?" Considering Jaxxo, Rose grimaces a little bit inside. She's never sure how to talk to him since he's so... earnest. "As for Jaxxo, cheap or no I'm not sure there's enough headroom on this deal to bring in more people. Let's see how it goes and you can maybe bring him in later if we have to?" Grinning, "Some friend you are for not offering me any!"

Mercy Merchant

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« Reply #28 on: <04-20-16/1044:17> »
"No, he has an office in one of those swanky office buildings.  "Howard Townsend Associates" is the name of the place, but I could not find the names of any associates.  He is married, but the rumor rags say that the wife and he have a pretty open relationship.  His is more public, while she takes her lovers more quietly.  Part of that could be because they are all women."  She giggles, "Hey, that could be your way in.  According to the pics I have seen, the guy prefers the large chested sort of babe who does not mind exposing a good bit of herself in public.  You could let yourself be seduced by either him or the wife and taken home."  Robin finishes off her food, saying, "There, see?  Problem solved.  And you owe me a piece of chicken."
"Speech"  *Thought*  <Matrix>

Irn0rchid

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« Reply #29 on: <04-20-16/1107:40> »
"Well if they go out frequently, meeting one of them in person could provide some options one way or another. If the security doesn't pay as much attention to the wife, I might be able to use her to gain access to the house or even the office." Thinking to herself for a few moments, she finally continues, "How about this, you see if you can find anything about their schedules for the next few days and I'll try and set up some physical surveillance and we'll see if any opportunities present themselves?" "Although I think I'm going to need to see about spending some of that expense money already if I'm going to have a decent chance at this. Will have to see if Tiny can help me out tomorrow." Waving dismissively at Robin's empty plate she responds, "It wasn't even chicken, so I owe you nothing!"