Weekly post: 5 xp
Heat Is On
[sblock=First offer] I gave this job to someone else and now they’ve disappeared too. I upped the pay as per the mortal danger clause. Down on the coast in a place called Surfside Beach four regular people and two runners have disappeared. All of their equipment, supplies, clothes, and vehicles were found, just no people. I need you to investigate their disappearance. As per their choice by law, the families involved have elected to hire Freelancers instead of the HPD to solve this mystery, so don’t count on cooperation from law enforcement. [/sblock]
The sea wall was built to keep out storm surges, and during rough weather waves still spill over the thirty foot concrete structure. There are stairways at regular intervals that lead to the top, and on pleasant days people will still sit out on the sand under the sun. Very few are brave enough to venture out into the water with razor tipped fish and ankle-biting shallow water sharks that environmental laws prevent the killing of, even in personal defense. Out in the distance of the warm Gulf of Mexico larger creatures can often be seen moving, protected by the same laws. Those that do swim with the fishes are advanced magicians that feel a kinship with the sea and its denizens. There are few boats and those belong to the naval defense. Air travel is too convenient to risk the waves.
Unlike the areas you have been frequenting lately, this street in Surfside has gaps in the skyscrapers with only a few intact and operational. The closest building in use is two blocks away. There are few vehicles passing by on the streets, and there is no foot traffic. The rest of Houston is like a black wall of buildings surrounding you, topped as always by the blinking lights of the drones and airships.
The building in front of you is deserted at night, and a twenty-foot tall steel bar fence surrounds it. There are three entrances to the fence that you can see and drones with flashing red lights are floating by the gates to warn everyone to keep out. More drones will be on top of the building. You know from experience that these drones record and report what they see.
Through her sedan’s audio system, Shatterframe says, “The family of four in the job details was found buried naked by one of the supports to this skyscraper. They were all stabbed to death and the wounds were so torn that the type of weapon could not be determined. The two runners I sent to investigate were thrown off the top of this skyscraper and died not too far from where we’re standing. They had no other wounds and the physics analysis confirmed that they were thrown off, and did not jump, from the roof. The family was only found after the bodies of the runners were, by HPD investigating the murder of the runners. The extended family of the buried people, the Billingtons, has elected to hire an execution squad, you three, to find and eliminate the murderers. HPD has confirmed that this situation is within the law. In this case the investigation of the HPD could help you since they already know who threw the runners off the top. One is a giant, Mandi Pinkins, and the other an elf, Grebeto Glitterface. They were seen tossing the runners by a passing delivery drone. Since there is no confirmation that Pinkins and Glitterface killed the buried people you will have to find proof or get a confession. As usual there was no grievance filed for the deaths of the runners, so the duo is off the hook for those killings. All of this happened yesterday. Pinkins and Glitterface could be anywhere in the city. You have a week before you will be replaced on this job, but on the bright side no one else can collect on Pinkins and Glitterface as long as you have this contract.”
You receive a copy of the job file including personal information for Pinkins and Glitterface. Pinkins is a brutish looking giant with a scraggly grey beard and a thin fringe of grey hair. Glitterface is a haggard looking elf with a cosmetic alteration that makes his face shine like glitter. He has thick curly black hair.
Required for pay: 1. Proof of who killed the Billington family 2. Proof of death of those responsible
[sblock=Active Search] Hawkeye: 21+16+83=120; Trollick: 16+28+78=122, Syd Vicious: 16+11+67=94 [/sblock]
As you are looking around and getting your bearings Hawkeye and Trollick notice a dark figure huddled in the shadows of one of the derelict skyscrapers. You can not see any details of this person and before you can do anything two HPD squad cars roll around either corner of the renovating skyscraper, flashing their red and blue lights to signify their authority.
Shatterframe says, “Keep your cool, chummers. The HPD never rolls in the open unless they’re doing legit biz.”
One woman gets out of the left squad car, her dark blue HPD uniform fitting snuggly over her frame. The has a small of calm condescension as she looks you over and says, “I’m Captain Towers, here to inform you that your contract has been recognized by Houston law enforcement. I am also here to warn you that you can only execute those that you have proof of. Anybody else and you answer to us. When you do have your legal limit, you can report fulfillment of your contract to me.”
“That’s strange, normally these things are done through the VR,” Shatterframe tells you.
Hawkeye and Trollick notice that under her professional demeanor, Captain Towers is nervous about something.
State intentions for proceeding
