(Echelon) Taking Up the Reins

[Derek Menzies]

After consolidating the information, Derek sits back in his chair and considers his next step. Eric is certainly a lead, though not anything like the individuals that Lina was having them investigate.

Cummings, dead. Alten on high alert. Echelon is well-mobilized with well-established connections. It isn't something you can brute force your way through. Derek is subtle and so his investigations will follow suit.

Serenity Marques he knew to be a Head of Accounting at Echelon. A low-level like Eric might have the means to get to her and the information she possessed. But he tries not to lose sight on the true goals of breaking down Echelon. The key pieces were Arnoud Geissen, the money, and Shura Zhenya, the sword and shield. A bishop and a rook. Eric could get Derek to Marques. Marques might get him to Arnoud.

It seems very indirect the more he thinks about it. But Echelon is likely bracing themselves against retaliation after the Alten ambush. And there was nothing more he could squeeze from his contacts. Eric would be off their radar. Hopefully...

Derek crafts a message for Eric, making sure to send it through virtual proxies to avoid it being traced back to him.

Mayor. You are close to the truth. They have eyes and ears everywhere. But we can help each other to expose them. Meet me at Mill Street Pier at <date and time> if you want to learn more.

- FearAnonNaki

A bit of Matrix and Deepthroat for flavor. Hopefully Eric would take the bait. Unless Eric was the bait. But nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Once sent, Derek sends a text message to Patience , his Deputy.

Meet me at the Nox. I have an assignment for you.

He then begins drafting a letter for the Prince to drop off at her office before gathering up his equipment and then leaving for the Nox himself.

Shall we transition within this thread or should I make another?

[Patience]

It does not take long for Derek to receive Patience’s answer:

I will be there.

[Derek Menzies]

Some time later, at the Nox

Equipment: Knife, Smart Phone, Athletic Shoes, Laptop, Wifi Sniffer, Keystroke Logger, Handcuffs, Voice Disguiser, Bugs, Bug Sweeper, Wiretap, Hidden Camera, Tracking Device, Lock Picks, Electronics Kit, Compact Car

The Reeve's Office has not changed much, even though Patience may never have had an opportunity to see it when it was under Lina Moretti's care. Two walls were covered in blackboards containing various information on hunter threats and profiles on individuals associated with Echelon along with various dates and shorthand data. A rolling whiteboard sits off to the side with more of the same. In the corner is a filing cabinet and oak desk. Opposite that is a worn black leatherette couch and a side table. The foosball table and posters are nowhere to be seen.

A backpack is open on the floor next to the desk while his laptop sits open atop it. A steel carrying case with foam lining is open on the side table displaying several small electronics. Derek himself is seated in front of his laptop, typing away at something.

When Patience does arrive, Derek snaps to attention, his Beast reeling from the predator's taint and ghastly presence of the Haunt's curse. But he calms quickly, the Man reminding him of the trust placed in his newfound Deputy. The Beast, however, does not forget the pain of each blow his body sustained from her.

"Thank you for coming, Deputy," he begins and spins the laptop around. It displays some information within a text document with several other windows open behind it.

"Please, have a seat. I'd like to brief you on the Echelon threat. After that I would like to hear any questions you have and then brief you on the task I have in mind."

He waits for her acknowledgement before beginning.

[Patience]

After attempting—unsuccessfully—to hunt, Patience arrives at the Nox with a large duffel bag. At the foot of the stairs, she examines the space where court is usually held. Empty of the Domain’s inhabitants, its grandeur is much reduced. This makes Patience glad, to see the place so humbled. Not that you could tell from the look on her horrible face.

She deposits her bag behind the coat check with a heavy, metallic thud. It is filled with the tools of her trade. But Patience is unsure whether she is permitted to carry them in this place and therefore sides with caution in this instance.

A few moments later, Patience strides into the Reeve’s office. Dead eyes linger for a moment on the blackboards as she silences the Thing Inside. It wants nothing more than to finish what was started beneath the highway. To rend the lesser Beast limb from limb.

Patience will not allow that.

Finally, she turns to face the Reeve, unbuttoning her coat (not the grey coat she wore at their last meeting, this one is black though very similar). Beneath, she is wearing black jeans, a black shirt. Black boots. Her hair is in a tight bun. Her skin looks grey in this light.

”Blessed evening to you, Reeve Mitnick.”

She sits, as requested.

“Tell me.”

  failed feeding roll

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2019-09-20 10:04:20		Patience rolls 3 to Feeding roll Str+Sub (10 Again)		3, 1, 7		failure

Equipment: 2 Bowie Knives, Generic Break Action Shotgun and ammunition, flak jacket, reinforced clothing, cell phone. The weapons and flak jacket are left in the duffel bag at the coat check.

[Derek Menzies]

Derek continues, sticking to the relevant facts.

"Echelon is a privately held real estate company, founded in 2014 after a merger between two publicly traded companies and one private company. I presume the one acquired the others in some kind of takeover. Ever since then they've been buying, leasing, and selling property all over the United States. But in particular they've been buying up a large amount of property in several major cities. Sioux Falls, St. Louis, Phoenix, Camden, and most recently Sacramento. Specifically Rosemont Mather."

"They erected a construction site there that has been going on since January. And they're expecting to complete construction in the coming months. Based on reports they've been digging deep beneath the foundation, bringing in reinforced concrete and rewriting local legislation so everything is kept legal. The police, city hall, unions, even local street gangs have been paid off so that the construction is handled smoothly and secretly."

"The company is financed by offshore accounts and shell companies. But their main source of financial influence is through Merchants National Bank, a highly secure institution. And their primary backer is a notorious and shadowy figure, Arnoud Giessen, known to have brought many businesses to ruin. We've acquired one of his account numbers but it's useless without the password."

"In addition to Giessen, we've been investigating a number of persons of interest. Jeff Cummings, a facilities manager, found dead at a stripclub after ingesting a chemical agent that is highly toxic to Kine and Kindred alike. Seems Echelon was investing heavily in the development of chemical weaponry through a research team at UC Davis. They've also been making an effort at securing experimental firearms that are particularly deadly to our kind."

"Back in June the previous Sheriff and I were investigating a woman in their business development department, one Erika Alten. Seems the Sheriff's cover was blown and we ended up ambushed by Echelon's hitmen. That incident and all others have been completely wiped from the public eye though they are aware of our investigations."

"So I'm hoping to be more careful with our remaining leads. The Herald and Keeper are following up on the toxin while the Prince herself will be utilizing her connections to acquire more information. Meantime, I'm looking into the money. That leads me to the task I have in mind for you."

"Any questions so far?"

[Patience]

Patience sits stiffly upright across from the Reeve, her bulging eyes fixed on his face as he speaks. She is silent and deathly still throughout Derek’s monologue.

Until he mentions the chemical agent. At that moment, her left eye twitches.

It twitches again when he speaks about the ambush.

The Reeve clearly has her attention.

“No.” She answers the question tersely.

Then, softening a bit: “Please continue.”

[Derek Menzies]

Derek nods and does so.

"After looking into the incident with Alten I came across a low-level employee of Echelon. An accountant who likely works under another person of interest, a head accountant, Serenity Marques. If we can get to her I believe we may have an opportunity to expose Giessen. This low-level employee is one, Eric Mathison. A conspiracy nut who believes in a shadowy world government pulling strings in the commercial sector. I believe he's joined Echelon to learn their secrets and bring them down from within."

"I plan to meet with Eric and try to get him to help me. If things go well he can get me to Marques and in turn Giessen. While I'm doing that I want you to go to Mathison's house and search the place. Make it look like a burglary. He's likely paranoid so he may have some security. But what I'm counting on is that he thinks that people are out to get him and that helping me is the only way to save him. And you may even find something of use there too."

"Questions on what is expected of you and why? Or suggestions of your own?" he asks curiously.

[Patience]

While Derek speaks, Patience heals another of her wounds. She’s retained them since their last encounter as a reminder. She finds the fact of healing herself here, now, somewhat poetic.

It’s not a bad plan, working on this low level accountant. Getting him to flip on his boss and moving up the chain.

The supposed burglary is nice touch as well. Still, the thought of it paints an ugly frown on Patience’s deathly visage. It disappears after a moment.

I am no thief. Even if the burglary is fake, it is still beneath her station.

But pride has no place here. Even if the Beast sends tentacles of indignant rage throughout her body. She is a Deputy of the Domain. And this is her Reeve.

”Is there anything in particular you would like me to look for? To take?”

A beat. “I can’t carry anything large. I do not have a car.”

[Derek Menzies]

“A hard drive to any computer he may have. Any folders or physical files he may have, particularly on Echelon. Maybe an ID badge. If you need a car you can take mine.”

He pulls out his keys and sets them on the desk as a gesture to offer them.

“I brought some surveillance equipment but we may not need it. I’ve already have plenty of information on him and I’d rather save it for someone higher up. You let me know what you find or if you run into trouble. You can run this solo or request assistance from Domain residents outside of Officers.”

He scribbled something down on a piece of paper. “This is the address and the date I except to meet him at the Mill Street Pier. If he doesn’t show I’ll message you to regroup and we’ll just head to his address together.”