World of Darkness World of Darkness: Attrition - Topanga Tidings [Fin]

[SalmonMax]

Ariel takes the new papers but doesn't look at them yet. Instead she focuses on Adrian, trying to keep her temper.

"I get the trust issues, Adrian, but here's the thing. We are responsible for this. Not you. Not some hacker. Us. That means we have to account for everyone who's had access to the data. We're like CDC, get it? This is an outbreak. If we do anything -less- than everything we can, then WE fucked up. So no, I don't see any way around it. We need to make sure there's no copies of any of this. We need to make sure your hacker's clean. If it helps your conscience, we'll warn him about the guys who are probably tracking him down right now too. Maybe if he skips town he'll live through this."

"So what do you say?"

[z-Amber Wren]

As Ariel handled Adrian - which is fine with Amber, as if she had to deal with him too much, he was going to end up fitting in a pint-size tupperware - Amber turned to Declan. Cupping a hand around her lips, she mouthed, Morgan and then pointed to the video. Amber wasn't sure what the mage's limits were, but she was sure her resources were broader than the werewolves.

She wasn't good at investigation. She was really glad that Ariel was here, and she brushed the back of her hand along her pseudo-packmates thigh as a gesture of self-comfort. She was nervous having Sarah around, and hated that vampires were involved in something that the People should be policing alone.

[Adrian Moss]

Adrian looked torn, though not physically apart yet. He gave Ariel a brief look that was, well, questioning.

He knew what he wanted to say. Something like 'Actually, I DON'T know what the deal is, Ariel. No one has told me how any part of this works from your side, only that its bad and that I've had to pony up everything I've discovered to date - and I've been happy to do so,' but that wouldn't get him anywhere with this crowd.

The Leech looks down.

"I know this is bad. Its like our Traditions. Okay. I'll go with you to see him. How is that?"

[Owns-The-Night]

Declan knew enough about intel-gathering to be able to follow Ariel's points, and he nodded in agreement as she laid down the law regarding the hacker.

"Too bad about the secrecy, but shit happens. If this hacker is in danger, he won't give a damn about his secret identity if the cavalry's able to save him." He said in his low voice. "We need to make sure he's okay, and we need to know that he doesn't have a copy of the data. If you like, you can check it out with one of us riding shotgun. I understand wanting to protect your source: it's good intel procedure. But if that source might be a liability or in trouble, we need to do something."

He caught Amber's communication and nodded, tossing her a wink and a hint of a smile. He had thought of Morgan initially, but he was still in two minds about her involvement. One mentally scarring trauma a month was enough: if this one went bad too, she might even... He didn't follow that train of thought to the end, but he resolved that he would at least tell her about it, in case she knew something or could help in a "not-being-in-the-line-of-fire" way. And the truth was, he wanted to tell her in case he dropped off the map and so she wouldn't worry.

He brushed past Amber in a friendly fashion, placing a hand on her shoulder, then Ariel's as he went out to the kitchen. Filling two bowls with the last of the stew, he brought it back in and offered it to them. "Friend made it." He murmured to them as he passed, with a smile. "It's the dinner of champions."

[SalmonMax]

"That'd be fine," Ariel says as she glances over at Amber's touch and gives her a smile. She senses it's the best she's going to get from him and really, it was plenty. There was nothing that needed to be done or said there that Adrian hadn't already seen.

"How soon can you set up a meeting?"

She accepts the stew from Declan with a nod. "Thanks."

[Adrian Moss]

"I know were the guy lives. We can go there right now. I'll call him on the way ... or would you rather that I drive?"

He reaches for the shotgun then stops himself.

"I'm reaching for the shotgun now," he annouces to the room then picks it up. He tucks it under one arm, turns to Ariel and says,

"Why don't I call him once we are at his place - incase he decides to bolt?"

[Sarah Dead-Wolf]

The scent of venison stew wafting into the room was pure nostalgia for Sarah. One of the few positive side effects for the "poor cousins" of the Wren clan was that there was never, ever a shortage of venison in the freezers, and hearty stew had warmed her throughout long New England winters as she did drudge work of various sorts.

She gazed with wistful longing and sadness at the heavenly concoction as Declan passed out the bowls to the living members of their little conspiracy. For the first time in a long time, she regretted being unable to eat.

Tearing her eyes away from their dinner, Sarah spoke to her cousins - literal and figurative - once more. "Meanwhile, who will be coming with me to the morgue? Should be someone with a good nose to see if there's still a scent of the killer, I'd think. It's a twenty-four hour operation, so we can probably use the I-take-classes-all-day-and-have-this-project-due-in-the-morning excuse if need be, but it would help if I had a chance to check out schedules on the campus first so I can name an actual class number and stuff if I have to."

[Owns-The-Night]

"I'll come with you to the morgue, then go to the last attack site from there." Declan nods to Sarah, then looks over at Ariel. "You're going along with Adrian, then?" To Amber: "What're you up for doin'? Ariel could probably do with a tag-along."

"Whatever we decide, it can wait a couple of nights for us to move on." Declan looked at his quasi-packmates meaningfully. "We have some things to discuss right now, I reckon."

[z-Amber Wren]

"I'm with Ariel, then," Amber said. None of this was her forte, but she'd pitch in where she could. And it meant she didn't have to do this with Sarah.

[SalmonMax]

Ariel nods and stands closer to Amber to show solidarity.

"I think we should take care of this hacker first, Dec. It may be nothing, but if we wait a day or two then go find he's already dead, we'll be kicking ourselves for not going right away. Far as I can tell he's the only other person at risk here, so the rest of the investigation can wait until we've had our talk."

[Owns-The-Night]

"Agreed." Declan nodded to the Elodoth. "Take Adrian, go and make sure the hacker is clean and clear. Make sure you're not tailed going there or back."

He looked over at Sarah. "Go do what you need to do. Let me know when you're ready for a sensitive nose to tag along."

He stretched slightly and moved to the window. "I'm going to head to the last attack site, sniff around and get a scent." He looked over at Ariel and Amber. "Meet somewhere later for that talk?"

[Sarah Dead-Wolf]

Sarah didn't salute, but her body language did something close to it; snapping to alertness and purpose, she said, "I'll get on that right now," and headed for the door.

[z-Amber Wren]

Amber nodded at Declan. "Sure thing," she said. "I'm ready to chat when you are." Sarah's response to Declan was ignored, though surely the Uratha had seen it. Standing, she looked down at Ariel and Adrian. "We doin' this?"

[SalmonMax]

"Yeah," Ariel replied, giving Adrian a friendly swat on the shoulder.

"My car's out front. Dec, thanks for the stew. It was really good."

She nods at Dec, acknowledging his desire for a talk, and heads out to the yard...putting the empty bowl in the sink and running some water into it on her way there.

Once the others have joined her, she asks Adrian, "Okay, where're we headed?"

[Adrian Moss]

The swat on the shoulders seemed to surprise Adrian and earned her a shy smile from the nervous Leech.

Once they were outside, he responded to Ariel's question.

"Reiber Terrace Residence Hall. Room 313. I ... I guess I call him once we are in the Hall. Oh, and I'll need to sneak in first to get past the looked doors then I'll double back and get the doors for you, if that's okay."

[Owns-The-Night]

Declan paces for a few moments in the empty apartment, listening to the others leave. Silence fell, and the Blood Talon smiled faintly as he shrugged out of his clothing. A rustle, a faint organic whisper that was strange, but not unpleasant, and a large dark-furred wolf slipped out of the back door and bounded away into the night.