Flat Packed Business (IC)

[Supercape]

GM

The women's bathroom was an even greater problem for the two suits, who looked at each other with the first signs of anxiety themselves as Carrie entered.

The bar was a mean place, for sure - at least, mean enough that two men in suits would probably get pounded all the way to the emergency room of the nearest hospital in a brawl. And entering the ladies' looked like a fine way to end up on the wrong side of one of them.

A little time passed...a slightly uncomfortable amount of time.

So, the next person to enter the Ladies was not a suit, but a young woman. Undernourished, underfed, and by most estimations, under-dressed too. She was a small young lady, probably legal age for the bar, but with that kind of hollow, tired look of an unfortunate upbringing and a life on the edge. Alcohol and cigarrettes were surely on her menu of drugs to use, and it looked quite likely that a few other less legal types might well be part of the buffet too.

"Hey, honey, you ok in there...." she croaked, stumbling in on heels that were far too high.

[Aoiroo]

Carrie was backed against the wall for a while, thinking, and a little stressed. She couldn't hide in there forever, but she couldn't fight them. At least not really fight them, they didn't need any comfirmation.

"These two suits followed me into the bar, I'm not sure who they are but they creep me the hell out."

She scratched the bridge of her nose, there was no denying the stress since it was genuine. She needed a way out, a way out that seemed realistically to the capabilities to a normal person,

"Is there like a backway out of here I could take?"

[Supercape]

GM

"Backdoor?" replied the woman, half laughing, half snorting. "Unless you can crawl out the window, honey, I doubt it. You can try creeping through the staff area, but I ain't never been through there..."

She paused briefly.

"Except that one time when Jose got me drunk and took me..." she stopped. "Never mind that honey. Those to stiffs back there, they gave me the green stuff to check up on you, but I didn't much like the look of 'em. Not our regular customers. Still, they paid me. So I guess I gotta go make up some story about you."

The woman lit up a cigarette, oblivious to the warnings this was a non-smoking lavatory. By the looks of it, nobody here paid that much mind anyway.

She offered her pack to Carrie.

"Want one, honey?"

[Aoiroo]

She thought about the situation, it didn't seem to be getting any easier. She let out a sigh,

"No thanks, just go distract them for a sec so I can slip out the front."

She glanced out at the door,

"I really don't want any trouble, but somehow it keeps finding me. I'm not even sure why they're here."

Which was true, she wasn't. She could only guess and speculate. She might have to fix that, but not at night when she was outnumbered. It didn't matter if she could take them, she wasn't supposed to be able too. But then again, she might not get another chance,

"You know what, scratch that, I'll go out with you, but you block them so they can't pull me out of the bar. As long as we're inside I doubt they'll try to pull anything."

She followed the woman outside to the place the men were sitting and promptly slid in next to them. She found the guy across from her and smiled politely even then though tone is tense,

"Okay, I am going to ask this once, and you guys get exactly one chance to get the answer right before I scream out cops in the middle of a mob bar and watch you guys get pumped full of lead. Why, are, you, following, me?"

She paused after each word to make sure they heard it correctly, but she kept her tone polite and even still.

[Supercape]

GM

"Okay, I am going to ask this once, and you guys get exactly one chance to get the answer right before I scream out cops in the middle of a mob bar and watch you guys get pumped full of lead. Why, are, you, following, me?"

The two men paused, impassive, and looked at each other.

"Following you?" smiled one. "Whatever do you mean, we are just here for a quiet...drink..." he said with a stone cold face and stone cold smile. "...of...low alcohol...beer..." he added, picking up his bottle and inspecting it.

The second chimed in with an equally measured voice.

"You can scream all you want, missy. Go make a scene, lets see what happens. See, we aren't even touching you, just minding our own business. "

The two men sat back, self-satisfied.

"Say, best keep some insurance, I guess..." said the first man again, bringing out a small and rather unobtrusive combination video / audio recorder he placed on the table with his hand over it.

"...just in case you get any silly idea's about accusing us..." he added, with a smile.

Leaning slightly closer, he said, in a lower voice, to Carrie.

"Don't try to fool us, missy, we know what we are doing. Professionals. "

[Aoiroo]

Carrie arched an eyebrow at the men,

"Professionals you say, professional what, you know what, nevermind I can guess. Problem solvers right, helping anybody who needs it for the right price? So, am I a problem then, because I have a problem with that."

She snatched the recorder and held it up to her mouth,

"On the record, my name is Caroline Wendle, and I want to be left alone."

She put the recorder back down almost as quickly it was still recording just fine.

[Supercape]

GM

"Professionals you say, professional what, you know what, nevermind I can guess. Problem solvers right, helping anybody who needs it for the right price? So, am I a problem then, because I have a problem with that."

The young woman's audacity took the two men by surprise.

"Easy there Miss" said one, taking back the recorder. "Just...take it easy. We get paid by the hour, so its no skin of our noses how long this takes. And if nothing else, we are patient. Hell, I've been standing on my feet for six hours watching paint dry in this job..."

He trailed off slightly before leaning closer with more focus. "...so I got all night with you. And the morning too, if it comes to that. Look, honey, maybe you are who you say you are. And to be honest, I think you are. But our employer thinks you are somebody else entirely, and wants proof. I cant say I like it, but there you go. We do what we do..."

[Aoiroo]

She palmed the memory card and slipped her hands under the table to slide it into her pocket all while she looked at the two men sideways,

"So, I'm stuck with you guys until the clock runs out then. Okay then, why don't you call your friends inside too. If you're getting paid to get to know me a little better, might as well be thorough about it. Lets start with names, you know mine, what about yours, I can't just call you mook one and mook two if we're going to be here all night now can I?"

She leaned back in her chair putting her hands behind her head,

"Also, that Oshima fellow gave you a discrensinary fund I bet, you think we can get some food."

[Supercape]

GM

The two men looked at each other.

"We couldn't possibly reveal the name of our client. You understand? Professional integrity!" replied the first man with a smile on his face. "But some food does sound good. Do you come here often?" he asked, snatching up a bar menu with and looking at it whilst keeping one eye peeled on Carrie.

The food was hardly haute cuisine - chips, burgers, hot dogs. The kind of food designed to soak up alcohol and keep a man (or woman) fueled for the night without tasting too bad. In other words, functional.

[Aoiroo]

Carrie smiled as she looked at the menu,

"Dispite mediocrity in some other areas, this bar actually has very excellant steak. The owners I've heard are particularly fond of steak, so they pretty much mastered cooking it, and they'll do whatever level you like. I particularly like mine well done, but they manage to keep it juicy in a good way. Also, they have good pasta too, but that's just a given really."

She waited while a tender came over to there table and asked for drink orders,

"Yeah, can I get a Cinderella,"

She glanced over at the two guys that were stalking her for pay,

"What do you guys want?"

[Supercape]

GM

The first agent paused, internally debating how much he could afford to relax.

"Hell, why not...lets have some beer as we are here..." he said, slumping back into his chair.

"This whole thing is a wild goose chase anyway, honey. We do what we are hired to do, but goddam... this is a crazy one. We have had some whacko stuff before, but this guy...hey, well, he pays the rent, eh?"

He and his companion took a modest sup of beer when they arrived, served by some scantily clad waitress who made the most of her assets. A detail that did not escape their roving eyes.

"Look, we still gotta do our job, lady, nothing personal, huh?"

[Aoiroo]

"Don't I know it,"

She waited as the waitress put the fruity smelling cocktail in front of her as she took a sip,

"Tough times, right now. Gotta take what you can get, well within reason. So with that reasoning, I say relaxing a little bit isn't too unreasonable. Can't run yourself into the ground on joke jobs like this anyway,"

She took a more relaxed posture as she put a hand over the arm rest,

"This guy you're working for, how stable did he seem to you guys anyway?"

[Supercape]

GM

"This guy you're working for, how stable did he seem to you guys anyway?"

The two men took a look at each other, and as one, took their beer to their mouths. This time they took a more liberal swig.

"I have to say, he looked...cranky. Sweating, pupils dilated, on the edge. Anxious, frightened. Man like that can do anything if he feels inclined to. I don't know what his beef is..."

He looked up right at Carrie.

"...say, what is his beef with you anyway? girlfriend? lover? I don't buy that load of bull he sold us. Told us you were a superhero and he wanted evidence. You look to skinny to be a cape. Must be some other reason? you blackmailing him?"

[Aoiroo]

"Seriously, no idea what his deal is, and I got to agee,"

She pulled up a skinny arm,

"There is like no muscle on this bad boy, I can't even give blood cause how little my pale butt weighs."

She leaned back as the waitress moved away from the table,

"Really, your guess is as good as mine compadre. Only reason I even know who we're talking about is cause he stalked me down before he hired you guys with some cock n bull story and gave me his card. I think the dude's just wasting money right now on what could be spent on a good therapist."

She sipped her cocktail in a conservative fashion, not that it mattered, it was non-alcoholic.

[Supercape]

GM

"Really, your guess is as good as mine compadre. Only reason I even know who we're talking about is cause he stalked me down before he hired you guys with some cock n bull story and gave me his card. I think the dude's just wasting money right now on what could be spent on a good therapist."

"The thought has crossed my mind" said the second man. "We could end up knee deep in horse manure if this is all some insanity stuff. Lawyers would have a field day..."

The first man scratched his head. "It smells bad, for sure..." he answered, taking another liberal swig of his beer. "And you know how those lawyers are when they get there teeth into stuff like this. Sharks. It's always us guys, the guys who actually do the work, the good guys, we get shafted by them. "

The second man just nodded his approval, lines of worry on his forehead, as he finished off his beer in a rather sorrowful state.

[Aoiroo]

"I'll drink to that,"

She took a large gulp of the rest of the cocktail as she waved up a hand,

"Nother round of beer for the gentleman and another Cinderella for me."

She leaned an elbow on the table,

"Systems flawed, but then again aren't they all. Saints go down in flames because a sinner flashes some green, it's the way of the world nowadays."

[Supercape]

GM

"Systems flawed, but then again aren't they all. Saints go down in flames because a sinner flashes some green, it's the way of the world nowadays."

The two suits started on their next round of drinks. They were relaxing a little, perhaps on the edge of intoxication without being fall down drunk. They were careful enough to avoid that. But the fine edge of their wits and caution had been, perhaps, dulled.

"Amen to that!" they replied, toasting Carrie's statement.

"Look..." said the first man. "You don't want us spying on you, and frankly, this deal smells rotten from where I am sitting. Our employer said to tail you until we got evidence. But the way I see it, its getting messy. He's not quite all there..." he explained, tapping his head. "And that means real messy. So, best thing to do is close the deal and get out before the lawyers get medieval on us. But we need some proof you aren't Silhoutte. Can you think of anything?"

[Aoiroo]

Carrie scratched her head a little bit, this was going to be messy,

"Huh, I'm not really sure. I mean, I really don't know very much about her expect that nobody is really very sure about what or who she is. There are like three million rumors about her, that she's a ninja, or a living shadow, I've heard some people say she's actually a ghost. Only real way would be you guys catching sight of her while I'm with you guys, which is like nearly impossible, I mean if it wasn't someone in this neighborhood would of killed her by now, almost everyone south of the theatre district hates her guts."

It was true, she was really just very hated by most of the Fens, she had busted up more prostitution and drug rings then she could count, not to mention mafia deals, illegal shipping, human traffiking, really she had lost count how many people wanted her out of the way. She scratched her chin,

"Maybe if I arranged something to lure her out, you guys could probably get some pictures. It wouldn't be pleasant for whoever is involved though, she only ever reveals herself to fight, and on these streets not many people last very long."

[Supercape]

GM

"Maybe if I arranged something to lure her out, you guys could probably get some pictures. It wouldn't be pleasant for whoever is involved though, she only ever reveals herself to fight, and on these streets not many people last very long."

The first suit considered it. "That sounds plausible as a plan" he agreed, nodding his head "picturing the two of you together, that should put him off the scent for good. Unless he is really insane..."

He furrowed his brow. "Which I suppose is a possibility, but if it turns out that way, we are screwed however the cards are played. And I guess we could turn the sharks on him then..."

After a few words with his patner and a little deliberation, both men nodded.

"Sounds good to us. A win-win, as the management say. As long as we get the photo. What did you have in mind? count us in..."

[Aoiroo]

She sat up and leaned forward,

"Okay, she's hard to find yeah, but Sil I've heard takes down muggers whenever she can find them. So, why don't we stage a mugging. Not with you guys, no offense muggers don't wear suits, you'd just record, but I know a friend of a friend who knows some tough looking guys. They aren't actually you know, bad guys but they can look intimidating and like they might try to hurt me. We drag out the thing for a little bit, she'll probably come around then you guys can get a picture. We'll have to do it in some back alley or something, but I think if you let me give my friend a call we can set this up tight."

[Supercape]

GM

The men nodded.

"That sounds as good a plan as any" the first suit conceded. "As long as we don't have to pay out the green stuff" added the somewhat fiscally aware second one, patting his wallet - to the agreement of the first.

"Photographing...now we got that covered" said the first man "high tech surveillance gear, lenses longer than your arm. Hell, we could be two blocks away and capture you in hi-res glory, if need be. And if there are some super hero types about, being two blocks away is no bad idea, no I think about it. "

He scratched his chin. "Make the call, and let us know where and when..."

[Aoiroo]

Carrie smiled and sat up as the food came.

"Alright, but lets not do this on an empty stomach then."

When the meal was done and paid for, Carrie walked out over to a pay phone making sure the guys kept a good distance. She pulled out some change and the notecard from her little portable rolodex. She held the phone to her ear and let it rang until she felt a pick up,

"Hey, haven't talked in a while, I need a favor, can't say my name specifically, got some friends around."

She wasn't sure they were listening, but the odd certain way to introduce herself. She just hoped Dragonfly recognized her voice.

[Fox]

"What? No - wait. Put that dow--put it down," came the rather distracted-sounding voice on the other end of the phone, though it didn't sound like it was being directed at Carrie. "Not over the--yes. Fine. Over there. Good, just don't break it. Can't build good help...."

Mara, standing in what would one day soon be her new business building, belatedly remembered that she had a phone to her ear and blinked. "Sorry. Busy. Don't have to say your name, know the voice - perfect memory. What did you need?"

[Aoiroo]

Carrie let out a breath of relief,

"Just glad answered,"

She tapped her finger on the side of the booth, she knew she'd been busy with her girlfriend and her company but she really couldn't pull this stunt on her own,

"I've got a situation, so some guy hired a bunch of PIs thinking I'm Silhouette. They're nice enough fellows, just had a meal together, but they need some kind of proof that I'm not to get this dude off my back. So I need Silhouette to make an appearance while I'm around so I can have proof. This needs to be something caught on video, doesn't even have to be very long, I'm thinking something like a stagged mugging or something like that. They're not going to be on the scene but they'll be watching and recording from a distance."

[Fox]

There was silence, for a bit, as Mara tried to decide whether or not she really wanted to know how this whole thing got started. In the end, she erred on the side of fewer headaches. "Could...arrange something? Maybe. Think I have security footage I could use to construct...mmh. Assuming it's short notice?"

She frowned, taking stock of what she actually had lying around at the moment. could fly back to warehouse - scavenge here, too? - salvage a drone for parts "How staged? Some things easier than others. What all do you need, how soon?"