At Your Door! (CoC 1990s, IC Thread)

[Xsesiv]

"I think you have it the wrong way round, sir," says Jatik. "I come into contact with thousands of people and we get hundreds of applications every month, and we pick the very most dedicated and able. I assure you that if you were to ask anyone here, they'd tell you they were on a mission, and if they personally get paid well for it, well, that's only a plus."

He comes back into his office and sits down behind his desk, indicating chairs for his guests.

"Now, here's my problem," he says. "For a number of years, Full Wilderness has been sponsoring research into natural science. Mostly, we look at insect ecology, energy budgets and symbiotic relationships. A symbiotic relationship," he explains, somewhat ponderously, "is simply one between two organisms by which both organisms benefit. The bottle-tailed squid, for example, has certain species of phosphorescent bacteria in its photophores, which generate the luminescence. In turn, they are fed by the squid. Likewise, there are bacteria in the human gut which aid in digestion."

"We do this to contribute to the pool of scientific knowledge needed to save the planet. I don't know how much you know about the ongoing crisis, but I can tell you that efforts to downplay it stem from scientific misinterpretation. That and the grossest economic motives. But every day lost cannot be regained, and that may prove our undoing in the end.

"Now, some of these researches into symbiosis have been done in conjunction with Dawn Biozyme, a corporation in the Samson suburbs. This last week, I got a call from one Doctor Peter Allen Tait, who said, and I quote, that my money was being "misused for the foulest purposes". When I looked him up, he was a microbiologist employed by D.B.Z.

"My guess was that they'd gene-spliced bacteria or insects without satisfying the formal procedures, so if they got turned loose, they could devastate earthly life. There are already new lifeforms lined up for patent and trademark.

"He didn't say what he was worried about, but he sent me this note by private courier."

Jatik opens a drawer, then leans over the table and exhibits a dot-matrix note.

The Note:

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Jatik clears his throat. "Dr. Tait disappeared about a week ago. The police found his car, which was damaged, in Seacliff Palisades Park, in a residential neighbourhood. They think he committed suicide, but they never found a body, so the file's still open; Detective Sergeant Jack Bolling is in charge of the case. Now, Tait's disappearance must be an important part of your investigation, but the affair is even stranger than you may be guessing." He presses an intercom switch and speaks a brief command, and two aides wheel in a dolly, with something large on top covered by a tarpaulin. He dismisses the aides."This arrived by messenger the day Tait disappeared. What is it? Where did it come from, and what could it possibly be for?"

He cannot resist a flourish as he whips the tarpaulin off, but his "Tah-dah" is flat and ominous. Under the tarpaulin is a clear plexiglass cylinder about a yard wide and a yard high, closed with double latches and stout hydraulic clamps. Inside it is a black thing. It flails pseudopods, and is covered in meaningless knobs and bumps and hollows, with no discernible front or back, though it does have two feet, each with two toes. With clicking and slurping noises, drool and pus seep from mouths and orifices placed without reason or rhyme, and a foul stench fills the air. As the tarp is removed, it slams itself fruitlessly against the side of the plexiglass nearest Jatik's visitors, squeaking fiercely, as he shakes his head. "It put one employee in the hospital. The teeth are razor-sharp. Tait somehow managed to drug it, and it arrived here limp in this cylinder. We thought it had died, but then it jumped our resident zoologist and bit off her thumb, and now she's suing us because we wouldn't kill it to get the thumb back."

[Dark Seeker]

Ron studies the note, curiosity building.

"It certainly sounds as if Dawn Biozyme got to him. But I fail to understand why you need our expertise for this."

And then Jatik brings in the creature, and he does. He takes two involuntary steps back before regaining his composure.

"Good Lord! What a monstrosity. I've... I've never seen anything like it."

He lets out a dry chuckle as Jatik describes the researcher's fate. "I suppose even company loyalty has its limits." But he turns serious as he examines the furious creature, oddly fascinated and repulsed by it in equal measure.

"How is it intelligence wise? Have you been able to communicate with it, or is it entirely feral?"

[Xsesiv]

"All it does is eat and scream," says Jatik, placing his finger against the plexiglass and watching the being gnash at it. He sighs. "It doesn't seem to realise this stuff's here. It doesn't sleep, it doesn't even breathe. If it's got any intelligence at all, which I doubt, it's definitely insane. I shudder to think what would happen if it got loose in a favourable environment."

[Henry the 57th]

James sits silently through the lecture, calmly observing and listening. But when the creature comes out... "God above! What is that thing?"

After he calms down a bit, he asks. "What exactly would you say would be a "favorable environment?" Furthermore, did you question the messenger on the origin of this package?"

[Xsesiv]

"If it's like normal earthly life, it'd most likely want somewhere warm and wet, but as you can see, it's not like anything earthly. It's out of my experience, so we can't tell where it'd feel at home, which just makes it risky. We didn't ask the messenger anything, the package came in a cardboard box, so we didn't really see any need to ask, and by the time we'd opened it the guy had gone. After we saw what was in it we held onto the box, though," says Jatik, and he speaks another command into the intercom. One of the aides returns with a reinforced cardboard box secured by yards and yards of strapping tape. The stamp on the box identifies it as sent by a storefront called Fax-'n'-Forms in Samson's suburbs (1143 Jefferson Road, Burdy, 95155), via the United Parcel Service.

[Henry the 57th]

"Did you receive any sort of communication along with this... thing? Has anyone ever sent you any from there before? Finally, why don't you kill it? It clearly isn't doing anything useful, dissection may yield valuable results, and as you said yourself, it represents a potential danger shold it get lose."

[Xsesiv]

"I only got that note and the phone call," says Jatik. "As for dissecting it, well, that's one of the reasons you're here. I'd like you to take it to Zymvotek laboratories before you start looking into Tait disappearing and whatever's going on at D.B.Z. We don't have the facilities here, and I clearly can't trust Dawn Biozyme anymore.

"In fact, I think that's everything I want you here to do: I'd like you to try to find out if these experiments are illegal. I'd like you to deliver this thing, then check up on the findings at Zymvotek from time to time; that should help with working out if the experiments are illegal. If they are, I want enough evidence to get them stopped. Tait clearly knew something, so I suggest going after him. Here's what we've found out about him." He pushes another note over the desk, then speaks into the intercom again. One of the aides, a chubby, pale man, well-dressed in an expensive suit and fine shoes, comes back in and replaces the tarp, then in comes Ms Novescu.

The Note:

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"This is Richard Slakes," says Jatik, in reference to the chubby man. "One of my assistants; one of my better ones, too. He's coming with you."

"Pleased to meet you," nods Slakes, in what sounds like a Brooklyn accent.

"The premium and retainer are already in your bank accounts, and now I have things to do, so I'll leave you in the capable hands of Ms. Novescu and Mr. Slakes," says Jatik, and retires. Slakes sits quietly on a chair in the corner, while Ms. Novescu opens negotiations.

"As well as the premium and retainer for the consultation, we're prepared to pay you steadily $5,000 a month or fraction thereof until Full Wilderness decides to conclude the investigation, and per-diem expenses to a maximum of $350, with bed and board paid at the Crocker, and a flight home paid for when the investigation is over," she says. "Do we have a deal, gentlemen?"

[Sduser]

As the creature came into view it was barely half a curse from Alex's lips before retreating behind one of his larger cohorts, the coward's stripes showing as his heart raced, barely peeking around his colleagues at the creature as conversation continued. Whatever that thing was it was a bastardization of even the things he researched.

Even as mention of the money came about and a new face was introduced, he was a bit too... Well, taken back by the monstrosity. Barely able to speak up to his friends, "Just... Keep me AWAY from that thing... And... I'm in."

[Dark Seeker]

"I'm in as well, provided you raise our expenses to $400 a day. We are after all dealing with a delicate situation here." Ron responds, the memory of that thing stuck in his head. He's not sure getting it tested is all that wise; scientists were an odd lot, and if it was indeed a new species the rush to publish papers and research it would have the risk of blowing this up into a national story. But Jatik's the boss, and if he trusts them to be competent, Ron has no real complaint.

[Henry the 57th]

"I second my friend's position here." James says, indicating Ron. "This may prove more expensive than you anticipate."

[Xsesiv]

"Done," says Ms. Novescu, shakes hands all round, then disappears out of the room.

"That's settled, then." Slakes claps his hands and wheels the tarp-covered dolly out of the room. "Follow me," and he wheels it over to the freight elevator.

Slakes, the creature and Full Wilderness' new employees take the elevator to the loading dock. Slakes wheels the dolly into the back of a white Full Wilderness delivery van backed up to the dock, and locks it firmly into position with load straps.

"So, who's driving?" asks Slakes. "I, eh, I don't drive. Never learned. I grew up in Manhattan. It was too expensive to keep a car and a garage. I'll direct, though," he smiles, and he clambers into the passenger seat. "I'm afraid the rest of you are going to have to sit on the seats in the cargo area with our little friend," he calls, looking at everyone in the wing mirror.

[Henry the 57th]

"I can drive." says James, a little too quickly. He doesn't relish the idea of being stuck with that thing for hours.

[Xsesiv]

Everyone piles into the van, the doors are closed, leaving the cargo area closed off, with only fixed windows in the rear doors, and the van takes off. It has an automatic transmission and a full fuel tank, and James soon finds that it's a fairly clumsy vehicle. While it's powerful enough, its high ceiling makes it top-heavy. Meanwhile, the passengers in the back, so as not to slide off the narrow seats, are having to hold onto straps fitted in lieu of seatbelts.

Slakes directs the van into traffic, heading northeast, and while there is a near-mishap caused by his not knowing which way the one-way streets run, he brings out a roadmap of the cities of California, quickly works it out, and soon the van is making good speed up a four-lane thoroughfare, two lanes each northeast and southwest, past dusty commercial offices and light industry.

He tears a bit of downtown San Diego out of the map, brings out a pen and scribbles two phone numbers onto it, then reaches over and pushes it into James' pocket. "My phone numbers," he says. "Work and home. I'm at work nine till five on weekdays and I sometimes do overtime on Saturdays. I'd rather you didn't call me at home, but if it can't be helped, it can't be helped." He smiles, but then looks serious again. "Mr. Jatik wants weekly reports: what you've found out, what you suspect and what you're going to do next. Don't worry, I'll make sure to make you look good," he winks. "See if I can't wangle you a bonus or two. And Full Wilderness has influence, too, so if you ever need the way smoothed, just give me a call."

He reaches into the glove box and withdraws a tin of peppermints, pops one into his mouth and then offers the tin around. "So, have you looked us up at all? Read any of Mr. Jatik's books?"

[Dark Seeker]

"I've read A Task Received. Well, part of it." Ron admits sheepishly. He thinks he got halfway through the book before his eyes glazed over. "And everyone knows a bit about Mr. Jatik. I believe I saw him on Oprah once. Truly an amazing life story."

The car hits a bump in the road, and Ronald nearly goes flying. He holds onto the strap even harder.

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Assuming Ron can respond from the back. Correct me if wrong.

[Xsesiv]

"Ah, that," says Slakes, turning around to chat. "I got put on the guiding council for critiquing that. Bit of a pointless honour, really. Everyone knows Mr. Jatik's in charge, it just means I get to go to a few more functions than everyone else. I told him that in that book he'd totally ignored the role of public-health measures in the population explosion. Then, when Hard Lessons came out, I told him that he'd essentially suggested that we shouldn't work to prevent famine or invest in infrastructure and in the end his ideas would leave behind only a few hundred thousand people. He said I was being very incisive but we weren't going to get political consensus otherwise, and anyway you can't analyse a policy."

He coughs. "Not that I don't admire him, you know, he's acheived a lot."

James is driving in the right-hand of the two northbound lanes. There is a sudden roaring noise from outside the van and two Harley-Davidsons with handlebars ending in spiked mace heads thunder up into the left-hand of the two lanes, parallel to the F.W. van.

Each of the Harleys is ridden by a biker wearing leathers, tattoos, a beard, sunglasses, imitation Iron Crosses, Confederate flag bandanas, dangling skull-and-crossbones earrings and so on. One biker is just massive, the other is veritably enormous. Behind each biker is a tough-looking young blonde woman of more average size and dressed less remarkably, but with a box about three inches wide by ten inches high by two feet long propped against her thigh.

While the two bikers manoeuvre into position, a black van with tinted windows in front of the F.W. van slows down, and another black van behind the F.W. van, also with tinted windows, picks up speed, between them trying to drive the F.W. van to a halt. At the same time, James notices an alleyway approaching leading to the right.

[Henry the 57th]

James thinks for a moment, then swerves somewhat towards one of the motorbikes, attempting to either force them swerve away or simply smash them aside.

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Drive: (1d100)[22] vs. 40

[Xsesiv]

The black vans, despite their best efforts, don't manage to cut James off. One biker, seeing the van approach, simply revs his engine up and pulls in front of the F.W. van: while powerful, the van is simply outmatched in agility by the bike. The second biker, the closer and larger of the two, does swerve aside, but then slams on the brakes and ends up behind the F.W. van, so that the F.W. van is being preceded and followed by bikes in the left lane and vans in the right.

More alarmingly, the two biker-women level their boxes at the van's tyres and the boxes jump and rattle in their hands, cracks and flashes emerging from each box.

"Jesus Christ!" yells Slakes, pressing his head against the headrest.

Both the F.W. van's right-hand tyres go, slowing it dramatically and causing it to swerve halfway into the right-hand lane. There, the F.W. van is rear-ended by the van behind it and crashes, in turn, into the van in front, and all three vans come to a halt.

Inside the back of the F.W. van, everyone is being thrown around. The tarp comes off the cylinder, Niels ends up tangled in the tarp, Alex lands eyeball-to-tentacle with the thing inside the container, and Ronald nearly lands on top of Alex. Mercifully, the cylinder remains firmly locked.

The bikers screech to a halt, then all jump off their bikes, and three men in black suits climb out of each van. Both biker-men have large revolvers, the biker-women hold their boxes, each of the six black-suited men brandish an automatic pistol. Everyone wears sunglasses.

"Out of the van, with your hands up!" shouts someone.

[Dark Seeker]

Ron is thrown for a loop by recent events. It was like something out of a spy movie.

He looks to Slake, hoping the man knows something. "Who the hell are these people?'

"What should we do?" he asks the others. "Anyone crazy enough to run us off the road and hold us at gunpoint likely can't be reasoned with. "

His hands reach for his gun, in case the group decides to fight its way out. He should be able to use the element of surprise to take down a few of them, at least.

[ocel]

Their misfortune, while unpleasant by any stretch of the imagination, had a surprisingly positive effect on Fairbanks. Of whom, had been too lost in thought over what happened earlier to contribute in any manner whatsoever. . For the impact from the crash, broke this seemingly endless train of thought, so that he may help in some manner or another. In this case, it would be to scan the passenger compartment, in case there were any hidden compartment. When done he advised his driver to. "If its the authorities then we'll have to spin it in a way that will get us a less severe sentence. Shouldn't be too much of a problem since our driver had a drink or two. Keep our firearms and presents hidden until we can verify if their whom they claim they are. If not then we'll share and share alike; especially with our secret weapon. "