Tangled in Strings

[Truce]

Equipment: Mid-size car, First-Aid Kit (basic), Magical Tool, Smart Phone, Crime-Scene Kit, Body Bag, Ranged Stun Gun

The fact that they are meeting this detective at an apartment building has its benefits. For one there would be less questions about the civilian investigation volunteers that suddenly took an interest in the case. It simplifies matters, but it lacks professionalism, something Truce values. Either way, Truce pulls up in his Chevy Impala to the location, parking in an available spot along the curb and checking to make sure his car wouldn't be towed away.

Rubbing the ring on his finger, Truce considers what workings he ought to use tonight but settles on broadening his awareness. He performs the Mudras and intones the syllables of High Speech to fashion the knitted Imagos that he weaves into his pattern. Once most of them are set in place, he exits his vehicle, locks it, and waits for Star to arrive.

  Combined Grim Sight/Speak wDead, 3suxx(2P/1P)| Combined Third Eye/Sense Consciousness, 1sux(1P,0P)

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2016-05-06 09:52:38		Truce rolls 8 to cast combined rote (Sense Con+Third Eye) [WIT+Emp+Mind-2+HS] (10 Again)		6, 3, 3, 2, 5, 8, 7, 7		1 success
2016-05-06 09:52:08		Truce rolls 9 to cast combined rote (Grim Sight+Speak w/Dead) [WIT+Occ+Death-2+HS] (10 Again)		3, 4, 8, 4, 8, 3, 1, 2, 8		3 successes

[Star]

Aviator sunglasses.

Nothing says professionalism like a big ole set with dark reflective tint. Plus? Never know when you need to Robert Downey, Jr. Cue up the blue oxford and subdued Power Tie. Of course, the Magical!Van wasn't a generic domestic sedan, but, whatevs. This look screams Professional-With-Personal-Quirks-Who-Consults-Now.

Either that, or Avis had taken the other van and the bike was leaking oil like a British-made car.

"Man, is this guy undercover or..." If it weren't for the sunglasses, dubious eyes would be seen looking about. As it was, just the mop moved left to right as he hopped out of the van.

"Sup, yo. You ready? I brought a tape recorder. Oh, and trail mix."

Plus a bottle of water he brandished.

[Truce]

Truce greets Star with a smile and lifts his hand in a motionless wave as the recognizable van pulls up.

"Ready as ever," he answers. "I think this should be a simple matter of questions and answers. Good idea on the tape recorder." It would be easier than having to type everything down on his smart phone. "Though it is strange that the detective works from home rather than the bureau offices."

They know what they're there for, but there's always a chance the detective will surprise them. If there's nothing more to be said, Truce will lead the way to the front of the apartment building and will buzz the listing for Perrett.

[Star]

"Uh."

A lengthy pause is introduced, long enough for them to start heading up.

"Not if, like, he's been, you know." The 'S' word. "Suspended."

Cop Vacation. It's totally a thing.

"Let's just hope it's, ummmm. Like, for being too dialed in. Not letting go of this? And not, you know, for something else. Like, something bad. And here's to hoping that 'expecting you' doesn't mean we're getting mugged. That happens, you know. The last time I helped out Elle, that totally happened. I, like, got mugged."

Just sayin'.

[Truce]

"I hadn't thought of that." An austere quality overshadows Truce's expression as they let themselves into the complex. "Though July seemed to think that he had other cases keeping him overworked. It could've been a lie, I suppose. You and Nous were mugged? You'll have to tell me how that went sometime." It must have been a surprise for the mugger.

The city has its fair share of ne'er do wells. Truce shouldn't be surprised to hear of it. He wonders if he should bring up a Shielding now just in case. For some reason he can't sense the presence of consciousnesses in the building to anticipate an ambush. His Imago must have been poorly constructed, or the building empty, or the detective shielded somehow.

"Guess we'll just have to be careful," he adds as he searches for the door that marks Perrett's abode.

[Star]

"Yeah? I expected you to be fatter."

A toothy grin is offered below the mirrorshades. The words are clipped; precise, not abrupt. The sort of speech one might find in a professional... something... where sloppy legwork gets people dead. Like cops. Ditto for the friendly ribbing. See these eyes? Okay, no, but if the man could, he'd see another Professional.

"John said you were on this." A nod at the wall. It's also an affirmation. Everyone is who they're supposed to be. "At least he's right about something, right?"

"Pick up any patterns? Age, sex, religion, geography, the usual?"

Because Toby gets Right To The Point.

[Truce]

Truce sighs with a wan smile when Star doesn't miss a beat in his greeting. But then what did it matter how tall they were? Though the man already shows a blurred line between expectation and reality. The curse of being a Sleeper, trapped behind the illusions of the Fallen World. Perhaps they can give some solace to him through this case.

At the sight of the clutter, Truce can imagine for himself why the Detective may not be wanted at the bureau. The disorganization begins to creep over Truce like an itch and he fights the desire to begin straightening up the place. It's not that hard to keep things tidy, is it? You just organize the articles by date and use colored tags to categorize them. And there is no excuse for those dishes. It only takes a second to rinse them when you're done.

If anything the two civilian investigators are overdressed.

With the introductions unnecessary at this point, Truce follows the flow of the conversation by letting it flow unimpeded by his commentary. For now, Truce yields some of his attention to the wall map and notations, trying to detect his own patterns in the man's research.