Good Corporate Citizens I (Prime Software)

[danzilla3 5018]

"What do you mean you lost it?"

John Wilder was not the type of man who raised his voice when he was angry. He didn't smash holes in walls, or beat up on his subordinates, or indulge in any kind of theatrics when something pissed him off. But if he were the kind to indulge in such things he would have leveled buildings, such was the rage that he felt right now. Jannik Steinhauser, CEO of Prime Software, was smart enough to realize how incensed the Governor was, despite the mans lack of visual reaction. Somehow the fact that John wasn't blowing up made things even worse.

"Well, it isn't lost exactly," Jannik replied cautiously, "I believe the more appropriate term would be... stolen."

"So let me see if I have this straight," John began, "Your company developed this, Masterkey, a device capable of finding and exploiting undetected flaws in software in real time. Then you managed to have this incredibly dangerous piece of hardware stolen out from under your nose. Now it's loose in a city that depends on computers for just about every facet of its existence, and you're only telling me now, two days after the fact?"

Jannik blanched, "I... well... we wanted to attempt to resolve the situation ourselves..."

"I see."

The room was deathly silent for a few moments before John got up and walked around his desk to approach Jannik. Every primal instinct the CEO had was screaming at him to flee, but his legs felt like lead. Only inches away, John stopped and regarded the man. Then he smiled and clapped Jannik on the shoulders.

"Here's what we're going to do. I am going to help you fix this situation. Your role in that help, is to give the fixer I bring in whatever he needs to get the job done, Resources, cars, weapons, money, whatever he needs, you will provide it. And when this is all over, you will pay his fee, plus a generous bonus. Do I make myself clear?"

Jannik's mouth worked for a moment before he stuttered out, "Of course Mr. Wilder."

"Good man. Now get lost."

The CEO hurried out of the room as John returned to his desk. Paging his secretary, he gave one simple instruction. 

"Please call Kelsey Bateman and tell him the governor needs to speak with him ASAP."

@Nessuno

[Nessuno 70]

"It feels like it's been forever, Wilder. I figured you'd found someone to replace me."

A man of average height and build stood comfortably before the governor's desk with his arms crossed all-too casually. A scuffed brown briefcase hung from his right hand, complimenting the fitted black suit he wore. His features were handsome, but not remarkable enough to pick out of a crowd. He liked it that way.

"Hurt feelings aside," he joked, "Two days is a long time. If your thief stole it to sell, they've already found a fence and cashed out, or passed it on to whoever hired them. If they wanted it for personal use... chances are, damage has already been done. A lot of it."

His eyes roved out past the governor and through the windows behind him into the endless cityscape beyond, already thinking, planning.

"I can find your rat, John. You know that much. Tell me what you know, tell me who might know more. You remember the drill."

As he finished speaking he finally sat in the chair opposite to Wilder, cracking open the briefcase he'd entered with. From it he pulled out a yellow notepad and a red pen. For all the benefits of technology, Bateman thought, it had too many vulnerabilities to trust. He crossed his legs and sat the pad in his lap, ready to receive whatever information the governor had.

@danzilla3

Edited July 1, 2020 by Nessuno

[danzilla3 5018]

"It's been quite some time since I needed someone who could work within the law," John acknowledged, "Though now that I've gone legit, I suspect I'll be needing your services much more frequently."

In the recent past, John had made use of Bateman as a sort of private detective when his usual method of hunting down enemies would attract too much attention. Though the fixer had likely known what was in store for those he tracked, but never asked questions. When he'd heard that Bateman had made his way to New Everrun, the governor had made it a point to put him on retainer. This would be the mans first formal mission in service of New Everrun.

"As for leads, we have a few," John pushed a few buttons on his computer and sent an email to Bateman's personal assistant, "Our best bet would seem to be the security team in charge of the lab. The room only has one entrance, and all personnel are searched upon arrival and at departure. It seems unlikely that one of the researchers could smuggle it out without help. Unfortunately, no one of the scientists stand out as suspicious. The security team however..."

John pressed another button and a picture of a man in his late thirties, with a patchy beard and sunken eyes popped up.

"Thiago Zaragoza, age 38, works the day shift. According to his boss, he has a known gambling problem, and was acting strangely on the day the Masterkey went missing. His apartment address is in the dossier."

The Governor leaned forward, "I'll keep sweating the company for more leads. You do your thing, but keep it quiet, yeah?"

@Nessuno

 

[Nessuno 70]

Bateman scribbled on his pad before reaching over to take the dossier. New Everrun was proving to be quite the lucrative hub for business. Best to keep his record spiffy.

"Hired thugs and property theft. Goes together like bread and cream. Now, quiet I can do..." he clicked his pen and sat forward a little, his icy blue eyes suddenly striking through the veil of civility. "Do you care for Mr. Zaragoza's well-being? Sometimes these types like to bite their tongue and play tough, if you know what I mean. Might need to get a little... messy."

He slid the dossier into his briefcase along with his pen and pad. Working for Wilder was always an entertaining affair.

@danzilla3

 

[danzilla3 5018]

Questions like that were the reason that John and Bateman got along so well. Both of them were willing to get their hands dirty to achieve their goals, but also professional enough to acquiesce to the preferences of their employer. It had been a long time since the governor had answered to anyone but himself (and his wife) but when he was just starting out he had prided himself on customer satisfaction. Bateman was the same way; but seemingly without John's ambition; though he hoped he was wrong on that point. He needed someone to help manage the more discreet aspects of governance, and Kelsey was the perfect fit.

"Do what you must to get the information, but I would prefer to avoid unnecessary bodies. However..."

John reached into a drawer in his desk and produced a card that he slid across the table to Kelsey.

"Oftentimes I've found that a little incentive goes a long way toward loosening tight lips."

@Nessuno

Edited August 6, 2020 by danzilla3

[Nessuno 70]

"I always liked your forward-thinking, Wilder. Tends to make my job much less... troubling."

He reached for the card, picking it up and turning it over in his hand exactly twice before slipping it into his pocketbook. With this little exchange, the contract was writ. Bateman stood and extended his hand to seal it with a shake.

This particular job had the makings of an "easy day at work", as Bateman would put it. A rat compelled by debt, a malleable and affectable motivation, in need of some attitude corrections. Nothing he hadn't accomplished in the past... yet, oddly, he felt as though he was at a precipice. His intuition was other-worldly at times, and right now it was as if he was plunging headfirst into dark and stormy waters that were deeper than they appeared. 

No matter. He brushed the growing fog out of his mind and looked forward, to the task at hand. There was work to be done.

@danzilla3

[danzilla3 5018]

Jack stood and shook Bateman's hand.

"I know I don't need to tell you to keep this quiet."

Almost on cue, his computer dinged to let him know that he had received a new message. Jannik had apparently turned up another possible avenue of investigation to explore. It was a wonder what could be accomplished when people were properly motivated.

"A new lead just turned up," he informed Bateman, "If you can't find Zaragoza at his apartment, he's know to frequent a local bar; The Trojan. Good luck!"

@Nessuno

[Nessuno 70]

"The Trojan? Seen it on the street a few times. Seedy place." he mused, straightening his jacket. "I'll keep in touch, Jack. Next time you hear from me might be with package in hand." 

Bateman turned and left, his stride as confident as ever- yet at the same time, so painfully ordinary. Z's apartment would be the first hunting ground to look in to. Even if he isn't home, staking out the premises and perhaps even closer inspection would be sure to reveal plenty about the man and his habits.

He'd tracked plenty of cutthroats, thieves, and undesirables in his time; enough to make this just another job- but he couldn't shake the feeling that this thread would take him deeper into the belly of New Everrun than he cared to be.

Jack's wallet had better be deep enough to afford it.

[danzilla3 5018]

Zaragoza's apartment was right on the edge of the Entertainment District; which was where the cheaper, seedier establishments tended to set up shop. The deeper one went into the district, the higher end things became; with the classiest places in the center. But even the sketchier neighborhoods in New Everrun tended to be nicer than most other cities in Lagrimosa. Sentinels patrolled the upper and lower class areas alike; keeping the streets safe for tourists and visiting businessmen. 

The Shade Tree apartment complex was a five story affair that looked thoroughly unimpressive from the outside. Nevertheless, there was a security guard behind a desk in the lobby, checking the ID of everyone who came in. 

@Nessuno

Edited August 28, 2020 by danzilla3