Missing In Action

[Star]

Truce remembers the apartment.

A stop for food and drinks --because Angels are totally good hosts-- for them and the girls, then a pause at the door followed by the hurried kicking of something(s) into another room and they were finally inside. The desk made from door set on cinder blocks makes a great place to dump the notes and stuff, and the vittles go on the table.

"I'll text Avis." She probably remembers the apartment, too. Maybe not the article of clothing he'd just hidden from Truce though. "Turn on the TV, put it on ESPN."

White noise. He wandered over to a stack of sideways milk-crates doing duty as a bookcase and fished out a map and odd orange vinyl book. Ever seen a Key Map? Boom.

"So what'd you think?"

[Truce]

The Necromancer remembers the working he performed in this space, as well as the beer they shared over a discussion of politics. The television is a new addition to the space. Truce wonders if it too were found on the side of the street, a rescued relic given repairs and a second chance.

He turns it on and gives a cursory glance around for a remote. If he finds none then he'll just fiddle with the buttons for a while until he is able to find the sports station. Newscasters talk of some controversy about a coach being suspended from a university team in light of sexual assault allegations.

He sits on the large spool, raising his soft-spoken voice to carry over the sound of the television. "Too soon to say, perhaps. Perrett said they only made the connection about a month ago, yet from the lack of evidence I imagine that it's still not enough to issue a statement. Otherwise there more be more of a public outcry. I think the van should be our focus. We have at least a dozen locations where it was sighted. As for a motive for the kidnappings, it could still be mundane. It seems very organized though, how they've been able to stay out of sight. We could follow up on Michael's girlfriend too if we run out of other leads."

[Star]

"What if Avis can't get a line off that picture?"

It's a terrible picture. Bad enough not even a year, make, or model could be discerned. Like barely better than a picture of a shoebox.

"Don't get me wrong, that seems, like, the best. But Perrett said he couldn't even run it by DMV." The Angel studiously spoke to Truce but at the wall as the map was unfolded and slowly pinned up on it. Lotta holes, yo. That's what toothpaste is for. Well. Partly. Filling in apartment wall holes. "Okay."

A step backward.

"Okay, read me off the addresses...?"

OOC

Assuming the locations are re-pinned, are Int+Inv rolls appropriate, Matrixchild ?

[Star]

  5 Teamwork Rolls to support Truce

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2016-05-30 11:24:06		[05] Star rolls 5 to Int + Investigation Teamwork SECONDARY actor (10 Again)		5, 4, 8, 7, 2		1 success
2016-05-30 11:24:06		[04] Star rolls 5 to Int + Investigation Teamwork SECONDARY actor (10 Again)		6, 4, 2, 1, 3		failure
2016-05-30 11:24:06		[03] Star rolls 5 to Int + Investigation Teamwork SECONDARY actor (10 Again)		8, 10, 10, 8, 1, 8, 4		5 successes
2016-05-30 11:24:06		[02] Star rolls 5 to Int + Investigation Teamwork SECONDARY actor (10 Again)		9, 10, 6, 1, 4, 2		2 successes
2016-05-30 11:24:06		[01] Star rolls 5 to Int + Investigation Teamwork SECONDARY actor (10 Again)		3, 5, 10, 7, 7, 8		2 successes

[Truce]

  Investigating, 16suxx, 1hr

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2016-05-31 11:42:24		[05] Truce rolls 1 to forgotten investigation teamwork dice (10 Again)		2		failure
2016-05-31 11:42:02		[03] Truce rolls 5 to forgotten investigation teamwork dice (10 Again)		2, 10, 3, 2, 7, 3		1 success
2016-05-31 11:41:45		[02] Truce rolls 2 to forgotten investigation teamwork dice (10 Again)		8, 5		1 success
2016-05-31 11:41:30		[01] Truce rolls 2 to forgotten investigation teamwork dice (10 Again)		6, 9		1 success
2016-05-31 11:27:45		[06] Truce rolls 6 to INT+Inv Teamwork PRIMARY actor (10 Again)		10, 3, 2, 3, 8, 5, 9		3 successes
2016-05-31 11:27:45		[05] Truce rolls 6 to INT+Inv Teamwork PRIMARY actor (10 Again)		4, 4, 7, 8, 5, 4		1 success
2016-05-31 11:27:45		[04] Truce rolls 6 to INT+Inv Teamwork PRIMARY actor (10 Again)		8, 3, 9, 3, 10, 7, 10, 7		4 successes
2016-05-31 11:27:45		[03] Truce rolls 6 to INT+Inv Teamwork PRIMARY actor (10 Again)		6, 2, 7, 5, 5, 1		failure
2016-05-31 11:27:45		[02] Truce rolls 6 to INT+Inv Teamwork PRIMARY actor (10 Again)		9, 10, 8, 6, 5, 5, 2		3 successes
2016-05-31 11:27:45		[01] Truce rolls 6 to INT+Inv Teamwork PRIMARY actor (10 Again)		10, 1, 6, 2, 8, 3, 1		2 successes

Now that they don't have to worry about the presence of Sleepers like Perrett, the two Magi start to go over the gathered information with a fine-toothed comb. Directing Star with the list of addresses, they work to reconstruct their own map while Truce cross-references the addresses with other local business using his smart phone.

Truce leans over the desk, forgetting perhaps more than once that the door plank is not fastened to the cinderblocks and accidentally wobbling their work now and then. If there's more to be found in the pattern of abductions, perhaps they'll find it now. Or at least where they should search next.

[Truce]

"That...is strange," the Necromancer remarks as he turns his phone around to share his findings with Star. "These LA Fitness centers aren't part of the chain. And they've recently opened, if these Yelp reviews are any indication."

Could the fitness centers be behind the kidnappings? But who would have that kind of influence and resources to fund multiple business fronts bearing the false brand just to stage kidnappings? Unless...

"I wonder if these aren't kidnappings. Maybe these people stumbled upon the truth behind these businesses and were silenced. I think it warrants our attention at least."

It's too much of a coincidence and a huge lead in the investigation, hiding under everyone's noses.

[Avis]

There was a knock at the apartment door.

[Star]

Is Advil part of the Lie?

Something cranky and tired throbbed under the mop, behind dull eyes. Some Guardians were into this. Zoey? She'd probably have been jilled at painting names, dates, and addresses into a picture. Or Bishop. Totally Bishop. But who ever heard of an Angel accountant?

Or maybe it was The Other Thing.

A Conspiracy Theory isn't when it's fact, yo. And this? This could totally be a Labyrinth. Maybe not a Guardian's, but someone else's. A front to select people? Sounds familiar. Except, you know, the disappearing part. Unless the problem with GLO was that college kids aren't super healthy. Maybe they wanted healthy specimens to force-feed...

Conspiracy Theories.

"Yeah..."

He turned at the knock, and went to the door. Peeped the peephole. Opened the door a crack.

"Enter freeeeeeely and of your own-a will-a," he intoned, warbling it up and down, then stepped aside. Someone needs to practice their Deep Voice. "Blah bla-blah."

"There's, uh, food. And drinks. So. We, uh," a hand gestured at the map. It's pretty self explanatory. The only thing missing was a mock-up of an LA Fitness building made of Popsicle sticks (not a Bad Idea). "Anyway? It looks like these places might be bogus."

If Flidais is with Avis...

"Uh. Like, no dogs. I didn't pay the pet deposit? So, like, yeah."

Because Apartment Po-po.

[Truce]

"Hello, Councilors," says Truce at the arrival of the unremarkable-looking Warlock and his Cabalmate.

"Indeed. From what we've found, the LA Fitness locations do not appear to be affiliated with the franchise. While it's possibly a coincidence, I think it's suspicious enough to justify a closer look. That, and we managed to acquire the information you requested about the other victims."

"Were you able to find out anything from Ms. Brook about her missing daughter?" Truce asks hopefully.