Jurisdiction is Somebody Else's Problem

[Fractured]

Frank takes the new agent Simmons on a tour of the town as promised. There's the Capitol building and the classy bars, clubs, and cigar lounges which housed the backrooms that government got done in this town. Frank laughs as he explains how recently there were real, live snakes in one. That might not be the definition of irony, but that's funny. Oh, and don't forget the fetish clubs right down the street, one of which had burnt to the ground.

On the other side of the river, they drove through block after block of rundown apartments while Rizzo explained which ring of this Inferno each gang had claimed. Back on the other side, there's the place where that lady ate her baby...a strip club that had burnt to the ground, and a church...the skating rink where a couple people bit it in a driveby...a thoroughly shitty dive bar, right next to the worst comedy club north of LA, I mean, really, you should see this big guy that's always there, just the worst...the Wells Fargo Center, where the boys who were courting the Capitol laid their feet...Sac U's campus, always a popular spot for visiting serial killers...and just north, McClellan Air Force Base. Frank passes the exit, choosing to drive around it instead and get a feel for the place.

"So, you weren't in town back then, but this base lost several crates of small arms recenlty, along with a bunch of corpses. So, you tell me, Simmons. How do you get these things off an Air Force Base?" Rizzo grinned over at the new agent, wondering if he would reach the same conclusion as Frank.

[GB82]

Tim listened as the older agent described the various sights around the city, all of which confirmed his theory that Frank was an old Sacramento Cop and probably a real PO-lice as the real pros called themselves sometimes. He certainly knew the city, not the tourist crap like where the Capitol was and the facts about Tower bridge, but the living, breathing pulse of the city, the who's whats wheres whens whys of the streets, alleys and clubs. The Special Agent made mental notes about the locations Frank mentioned and the various incidents that happened within. Then they hit the Air Force base and Frank asked a question that Tim felt the old man already knew the answer to.

"Almost every single military heist I've heard of has been an inside job, security is too good and the equipment too hard to move off base for any civilian group to pull off without a lot of inside help. But crates of small arms and bodies is just dumb, maybe a good cover if there was a real break in and something serious got stolen and they can't hide it and need a cover story. Hell maybe there was no break in at all, maybe their was some accident and the Air Force wants to cover it up for some reason but they still have to account for what was destroyed by the incident. Blame it on a break in and then dog the case."

[Fractured]

Rizzo nods and smiles. "Yep. In house job, almost guaranteed. Exactly why the brass won't want us stickin' our civilian noses in, though, where do you think those guns ended up? On our streets," he says through gritted teeth, taking it personal. "Which is why we aren't gonna bother with the brass," Frank says, smiling again. "Keep an eye out for any bars we pass for Warren to work later. The young'uns don't drink on base, what'd be the point? No pretty little skirts to show off their shiny uniforms to, heh." The old bastard has a sip of coffee, remembering how much Marge had liked his. "So I figured you and I would check out the VFW," he says. "Maybe we'll find some ol' soldiers that used to serve there, use the PX there, know what's goin on'. Old people love to gossip," Rizzo laughs. "Unless you got a better plan?"

[GB82]

The younger agent thought for a moment before speaking. "Talking to former Airmen sounds like a good plan, even if we don't get anything concrete we might be able to get an idea of how the base works and that is necessary for any real investigation. The Agent Provocateur angle with Warren could get some us great info about the inner workings of the base as well, if she's open to the idea." He smiles for a second "I might even be willing to take one for the team if there are any cute Airwomen, Uncle Sam's nieces need love too."

Back to being serious, well Tim wasn't completely joking about allowing cute Air Force females to play with his joy stick, he turned to Frank. "Let's see what is going on at the VFW."

[Fractured]

"Good," Frank nods, pulling into a convenience store parking lot. "Need a refill," he says, shaking his coffee cup. "Get us an address for the closest to the base. You got one a'them internet-phones, right? Damn useful devices, if you're okay with having your brains and sperm scrambled by microwaves." Rizzo laughs wryly, puts the car in park, and heads inside for another java transfusion.

[GB82]

Tim had to laugh at the old guy, Frank certainly had a way with words and sharp set of wits that had not been dulled by aged. He passed two dollars to his fellow agent and spoke "Can you grab me a coke while you're in there? I'll break out my Blackberry and find us the nearest VFW location, don't worry I will make sure to hold it near the head on my shoulders. If anything gets scrambled at least it'll be least important of the two."

Tim turns on the phone as Frank is walking into the store and searches for the VFW branch closest to the Air Force Base.

Question

Do I need to roll investigation or is just assumed I can find it with the magic of google?

[Jmiland1]

Finding the VFW branch is a simple use of Google-Fu; no roll. However! Please give me a Wits + Composure roll.

[Fractured]

3 sux

In case I was supposed to roll, too

2010-10-28 23:05:36 rizzo rolls 7 to wits3+comp4 (10 Again) 8, 9, 7, 8, 5, 3, 4 3 successes

[GB82]

1 SUX

2010-10-28 23:27:40
Tim Simmons rolls 6 to wits ( 3 ) + Comp (3) (10 Again)
4, 5, 5, 2, 10, 2, 1
1 success

[Jmiland1]

A bell rings overhead as Rizzo enters the Chevron station; the store is empty except for a disinterested Hispanic male behind the counter. He looks up as Frank enters and gives him a nod before his eyes wander listlessly around the store. Frank gets a moment to scan the headlines on the newspaper rack by the door--Agreement Reached On Budget But Trouble Still Looms, says the Sacramento Bee--but more importantly, he can use it as cover to confirm his suspicions:

A late-model white sedan slows as it passes the store; Rizzo can see the driver's head to look at his car, but can't make out any of the stranger's details. The car's profile looks like a Pontiac of some sort, maybe a Bonneville. Rizzo isn't entirely sure, but now that he's seen it here he is sure that the car's been following them for at least half an hour. As Frank watches, the car accelerates and heads down the road, out of sight.


Simmons is working with his Blackberry, searching for any nearby VFW locations, when he hears a car start to pull into the lot behind them. The white sedan slows, tires crunching on loose macadam, then moves back up to a cruising speed and takes off. Must have not liked the gas prices.

Just north of the AFB there's a chapter of the VFW on U Street. Closer to downtown, there is one on Stockton Boulevard, and yet another about fifty blocks south on that same road. Looks like Simmons and Rizzo are spoiled for choice when it comes to veterans and possible scuttlebutt.

The info found, Simmons glances around while waiting for his partner and his Coke. By chance he notices a Denny's down the street--not so special on its own, but that may be the white sedan turning into it now. May be: the streets aren't exactly empty, after all, and white cars are nothing special. Simmons wouldn't even notice it, except for the odd synchronicity of the car having almost stopped here.