Quest Earth: UFO Defense

[Fezzes]

[2] I'll deal with the security system.
+ Gain skill in Repair: Electrical

 

[Husky_Khan]

Spoiler: Results

[2] I'll deal with the security system.
+ Gain skill in Repair: Electrical

As you got out your toolkit, Conklin produced his Lockpick Gun and deftly slotted it into the mechanical lock. You had seen your partner Jimmy Woo use actual lockpicks by hand before and he did so with an exceptional deftness but this was the first time you had seen a lockpick gun put to use. It made a few small, soft whirring sounds as the locking mechanism was tumbled into place in a process that seemed to take a bit longer then Jimmy doing it by hand. Either way though, the door was open in less then a minute.

[1] "You know my partner can do that by hand just as quickly."
+ Gain Loyalty: Jimmy Woo
- Lose Favor: CIA
[2] "Neat gadget. Does it require any specialized training?"
+ Acquire: Lockpick Gun
- Lose Favor: CIA
[3] Proceed with the mission.

Alexander cracked the door open ever so slightly, noticing they were in an entryway but the insides of the apartment were dark. He did take a glance and see alongside the frame of the door, just inside, was a security panel. "Looks like a motion sensor. Move slow," Conklin said, giving you a likely unneeded reminder as he deftly stepped aside and you stepped in, also slowly opening the door just enough to lean in half of your body and go to work unscrewing the security panel.

It looked like it was a standard security system connected to local police and fire services that worked off of motion detection in the major rooms of the apartment. Shorting the wires and bypassing the alarm however didn't take too long though and soon you gave the all clear.

"Good. we won't have to be crawling behind furniture with rolls of electrical tape the whole time," Conklin said, sounding almost autobiographical for a moment there. He already had his camera out as the two of you proceeded into the apartment, the short entryway leading into a larger living room. With the boot covers, gloves and hooded masks, neither of you were leaving much traces as the two of you spread about the living room. "Remember no lights that can be seen from the windows," Conklin then added sagely as he turned on a low level flashlight and immediately opened up the closest slowly. He began rifling through the handful of jackets and their pockets, then did the same with the shoes.

On the way over here, Conklin showed you a basic floorplan of the apartment he had acquired. Besides closet space, there are five main rooms you can begin searching through.

[1] First check the living room. Under and behind furniture. Check the television and media center, see what he's been watching, or has in his media library including movies and books.
> Use Investigation skill
[2] First check the bathroom. Especially see if anything is hidden in the toilet, false bathroom riles in the wall or floor, under the sink or if there is anything of interest in his medicine cabinet.
> Use Investigation skill
[3] First check the bedroom. Carefully sift through his nightstand and cabinets and closet space there.
> Use Investigation skill
[4] First check the study. See if you can access his computer and/or safe and filing cabinet and see if he has any personal records or correspondence or items relating to the Black Dragon or other activities.
> Use Investigation skill
[5] First check the Kitchen. Could be hiding places in the cabinets, behind appliances, and just because it has happened before, lets make sure there's nothing creepy in the refrigerator or freezer...
> Use Investigation skill

*** In some cases, fully investigating areas or options might not be possible by yourself due to your own personal lack of ability/skill that maybe relevant to the mission.

 

[Blasterbot]

[2] "Neat gadget. Does it require any specialized training?"
+ Acquire: Lockpick Gun
- Lose Favor: CIA
[4] First check the study. See if you can access his computer and/or safe and filing cabinet and see if he has any personal records or correspondence or items relating to the Black Dragon or other activities.
> Use Investigation skill

 

[Grav]

[3] Proceed with the mission.
[4] First check the study. See if you can access his computer and/or safe and filing cabinet and see if he has any personal records or correspondence or items relating to the Black Dragon or other activities.
> Use Investigation skill

 

[Fezzes]

[1] "You know my partner can do that by hand just as quickly."
+ Gain Loyalty: Jimmy Woo
- Lose Favor: CIA
[4] First check the study. See if you can access his computer and/or safe and filing cabinet and see if he has any personal records or correspondence or items relating to the Black Dragon or other activities.
> Use Investigation skill

 

[Blasterbot]

[1] "You know my partner can do that by hand just as quickly."
+ Gain Loyalty: Jimmy Woo
- Lose Favor: CIA
[4] First check the study. See if you can access his computer and/or safe and filing cabinet and see if he has any personal records or correspondence or items relating to the Black Dragon or other activities.
> Use Investigation skill
disregard previous vote

 

[Husky_Khan]

Spoiler: Results

[1] "You know my partner can do that by hand just as quickly."
+ Gain Loyalty: Jimmy Woo
- Lose Favor: CIA
[4] First check the study. See if you can access his computer and/or safe and filing cabinet and see if he has any personal records or correspondence or items relating to the Black Dragon or other activities.
> Use Investigation skill

As you proceed through the apartment, you notice it's fairly well furnished, if spartanly so. All of the furniture seems to be brand new or at least gently used as you pass through the living room and proceed down a foyer style hallway. The door to the bathroom is wide open revealing a simple shower and tub with a drawn curtain, and a standard toilet, sink and medicine cabinet with nothing standing out as you walk by. Just past the bathroom is what appears to be a study or computer room. Just as your about to enter the room you can hear Conklin calling out to you.

"Guy has an ID. State Drivers License. Kenneth J. Brak. Born July 15th, 1958. Six foot four, two hundred forty pounds. Weird this didn't show up in the database search before I contacted you guys," Conklin said. "Must've changed the name just enough," he muttered, perhaps more to himself out of curiosity. "Didn't bring it with him either. It's in a spare billfold in one of his jacket pockets."

[1] Ask Conklin to search the bathroom.
[2] Ask Conklin to search the bedroom.
[3] Ask Conklin to search the kitchen.
[4] Ask Conklin to plant a wiretap in the phone line.

There's a single office chair here, also in fairly decent condition, along with a relatively expensive looking desktop computer on one of those large computer desks with a half dozen shelves or drawers in it. Also there was a tall filing cabinet in the room, a paper shredder mounted over a wastebin and some sort of combination exercise machine that was dedicated towards strength training. Unlike everything else, that did not look gently used. There was also a small personal safe in the corner of the room, stuck on the floor.

With a gloved hand, you spin the mouse and see the CRT monitor slowly hum to life as the desktop computers tower fans start to hum to life, the computer itself apparently being in some sort of sleep mode previously. Sitting at the computer, you frown a bit as you realize there is a password prompt coming up on the Windows screen.

[1] He's a meathead. Let's try "Password"... then "Secret."
> Use Computer Use Skill (0)
[2] "Conklin. Can you try to bypass this for me?"
[3] See if you can login as a Guest.
[4] Use Ken's Birthday as a password.
> Use Behaviorialism Skill (3)

 

[Grav]

[4] Ask Conklin to plant a wiretap in the phone line.
[4] Use Ken's Birthday as a password.
> Use Behaviorialism Skill (3)

 

[Blasterbot]

[4] Ask Conklin to plant a wiretap in the phone line.
[4] Use Ken's Birthday as a password.
> Use Behaviorialism Skill (3)

 

[Husky_Khan]

Spoiler: Results

[4] Ask Conklin to plant a wiretap in the phone line.
[4] Use Ken's Birthday as a password.
> Use Behaviorialism Skill (3)

"Conklin, wanna tap the phone, I'm accessing the computer," you say, calling out to him.

"Already on it," Conklin called back. "Need help with that computer?" he then asked a second later, still addressing you from the living room where the phone was.

You were already punching in the numbers '71558' on a hunch. He just didn't seem like the kind of guy who gave much thought to computer security as much as more physical hobbies and a birthday was a decent guess as any. "No I got it," you replied a moment later as a desktop screen full of icons greeted you. An immediate scan of the icons showed normal applications including many of the demo programs that probably came with the computer itself along with a browser and an ISP provided e-mail service.

The internet browsing history was in the open. Mostly news websites, fitness and nutrition forums and firearms blogs and websites. No accounts on any of them. Just browsing as a guest. His e-mails were archived, and not password protected but almost all of them were free subscription services to news websites, firearm newsletters and newsletters from similar ceremonial magic themed journals like the ones you both had common subscriptions in. Not a single personal message in all of it.

It was just then that your phone buzzed with a text message. It was from Jimmy.

---

Ken was at the Black Dragon dojo. He's leaving now. Maybe thirty minutes from your location if he doesn't stop.

---

It was late in the day, he'd return home sooner or later. Just meant they had a time limit.

Everything else on the computer was pretty boring. Most of the features didn't seem to even be accessed, even the office software. Not even a single document written up. There were picture folders, again with guns and the names of them in the file titles. They all seemed to be saved from the internet.

"Taps in," Conklin then said, approaching the office doorway. "If he uses the landline, we'll hear both sides of the conversation." He nodded to the computer. "We need to lift anything from that computer? I got a hard disk."

[1] Tell Conklin what you've seen on his computer so far and see if he thinks any of it is consequential enough to save.
[2] Accept the hard disk to copy the e-mails, browsing history and picture folders as best as you can with the time you have left while you both search the rest of the house.

"Ken Brac might only be thirty minutes out, we'll have to move fast or be very thorough with what we check," you then tell Conklin who simply nods in agreement and then eyes that safe. You meanwhile rise up and start checking on the shredder, lifting it up only to see a few inches of shredded paper... all of it looks to be junk mail with Ken's name on it. The file cabinet meanwhile... is literally empty except for tabbed manila folders of his magazine subscriptions and other media.

"Your partner isn't here, want me to give that safe a try? Combination locks aren't my forte but I can give it a... whirl," he said, actually dropping a pun in the middle of the serious moment.

[1] Welcome Conklin to try and get the safe open.
> Conklin: Lockpicking Skill (Unknown)
[2] Attempt to open the safe yourself.
> Use Lockpicking Skill (0)

"When I'm done here, what would you like me to do?" Conklin then asked.

[1] Ask Conklin to search the bathroom.
[2] Ask Conklin to search the bedroom.
[3] Ask Conklin to search the kitchen.
[4] Ask Conklin to search the living room.

Meanwhile you will...

[1] Check out the filing cabinet to see if anything is hidden there or in the magazines.
[2] Begin searching the bedroom.
[3] Begin searching the bathroom.
[4] Begin searching the kitchen.
[5] Begin searching the living room.

It wasn't until a moment later that you received another text from the Marshals, it was Lucy again. They were still at the truckyard but hadn't turned anything else up. They were asking for direction.

[1] Ask them to 'intercept' and 'delay' Ken Brac from arriving back at his apartment while still maintaining cover.
+ Gain influence with the US Marshal Service
+ Gain skill Savoir Faire
[2] Ask them to check in with the local Sheriffs Department and followup with that 'incident' at the Gym.
+ Gain influence with the US Marshal Service
+ Gain skill Politics
[3] Ask them to set up surveillance of the Auto Body Shop where Greg said the vanload of weapons is transferred.
+ Gain influence with the US Marshal Service
+ Gain skill Surveillance
[4] Ask them to check out the OCP offices, they might be interested in learning about subcontractors grifting weapons.
+ Gain influence with OCP
+ Gain favor with OCP

 

[Grav]

[1] Tell Conklin what you've seen on his computer so far and see if he thinks any of it is consequential enough to save.
[1] Welcome Conklin to try and get the safe open.
> Conklin: Lockpicking Skill (Unknown)
[4] Ask Conklin to search the living room.
[2] Begin searching the bedroom.
[1] Ask them to 'intercept' and 'delay' Ken Brac from arriving back at his apartment while still maintaining cover.
+ Gain influence with the US Marshal Service
+ Gain skill Savoir Faire

 

[Fezzes]

[1] Tell Conklin what you've seen on his computer so far and see if he thinks any of it is consequential enough to save.
[1] Welcome Conklin to try and get the safe open.
> Conklin: Lockpicking Skill (Unknown)
[3] Ask Conklin to search the kitchen.
[2] Begin searching the bedroom.
[1] Ask them to 'intercept' and 'delay' Ken Brac from arriving back at his apartment while still maintaining cover.
+ Gain influence with the US Marshal Service
+ Gain skill Savoir Faire

I'm hesitant about risking tipping him off with the Marshals, but Savoir Faire, being adaptable and clever, is fairly important. I'm tossing up on either upgrading Savoir Faire or getting Politics, because Politics is gonna be a crucial skill for leading a group and managing favours and influence.

 

[Blasterbot]

[1] Tell Conklin what you've seen on his computer so far and see if he thinks any of it is consequential enough to save.
[1] Welcome Conklin to try and get the safe open.
> Conklin: Lockpicking Skill (Unknown)
[4] Ask Conklin to search the living room.
[2] Begin searching the bedroom.
[1] Ask them to 'intercept' and 'delay' Ken Brac from arriving back at his apartment while still maintaining cover.
+ Gain influence with the US Marshal Service
+ Gain skill Savoir Faire

 

[Husky_Khan]

Spoiler: Results

[1] Tell Conklin what you've seen on his computer so far and see if he thinks any of it is consequential enough to save.
[1] Welcome Conklin to try and get the safe open.
> Conklin: Lockpicking Skill (Unknown)
[4] Ask Conklin to search the living room.
[2] Begin searching the bedroom.
[1] Ask them to 'intercept' and 'delay' Ken Brac from arriving back at his apartment while still maintaining cover.
+ Gain influence with the US Marshal Service
+ Gain skill Savoir Faire

"Doesn't sound like much. I'll make a copy of the pictures I think. Might be useful for cross reference with whatever they've allegedly been grifting from the OCP guys," Conklin then said, sliding into the seat as soon as you rose up. He slid in a hard disk into the drive and clicked and copied the picture folders onto the disc as the loading bar appeared on the screen. "We'll just let that run for a bit," he said twirling around as you nodded to the safe.

"Sure thing," Conklin then said.

"I'll check the bedroom. You want to hit the living room after this?" you then asked, checking your phone. "Ken's on the movie. We got thirty minutes max," you then tell him as the older Agent grunts slightly as he crouches beside the safe and nodded in acknowledgement.

"We should leave five minutes before then. Give us a buffer," Conklin then said before putting an ear to the safe.

Nodding as you check your phone again, you exit the office, bypassing the bathroom once again as you walk through the edge of the living room and passing through the kitchen/dining room, head into the bedroom. The furniture here is also quite modern though you curiously note the king sized bed has no headboard. The bed is made quite neatly and you can see store bought paintings and framed pictures of desert landscapes decorating the walls. There's a nightstand on either side of the bed and a linen cabinet on the far wall whose doors were wide open. The bedsheets themselves seemed to have creased foldlines as you realize the pillows are still fluffed, laying atop the fixed bedsheets.

You immediately move to the linen closet, its a tall free standing wooden cabinet and slide your gloved hands across the wood before gently tilting it forward, only to find a wall behind it. One of the nightstands has a lamp on it as you approach and open up the stand drawers. There's a sewing kit and several stress balls rolling around. In the second drawer of this nightstand is a clean and neatly folded rain poncho, some leather work gloves and two pairs of sunglasses. Casually you remove both shelves and peek inside, finding nothing before walking around the foot of the bed to the other nightstand.

On top of it is a box of tissues completely full and within the two shelves are random trinkets and flyers, baubles and keychains randomly picked up it seems over time. The second drawer contains several paperback books. Mass market bestsellers. Half of them look extremely well used, with bargain store stickers on them or pristine near mint condition. The closet has a sliding door and is deep enough to step into. It's located on the far side of the bedroom, adjacent to the neighboring apartment and as you slide the door open you notice nothing too atypical. Lots of tee shirts, some athletic ones. All long sleeved. Khakis. Jeans. All cut and sized for a large, athletic male. Various sneakers lined up and a few distinct pairs of boots.

You have some audio bugs you realize...

[1] Plant an audio bug at the head of the bed, tucked under the mattress pad.
[2] Plant an audio bug within a crevice of the lamp.
[3] Plant an audio bug within the tongue of the most well worn shoe.
[4] Plant an audio bug within the cuff of the sleeve of one of the long sleeved office shirts.
[5] Plant an audio bug on the deepmost edge of one of the pillows.
[6] Don't plant an audio bug.

"Shit!" you hear Conklin curse under breath from the other room under breath. You're somewhat surprised you can hear him through the interior wall separating you from study so clearly.

[1] Say nothing.
[2] Encourage him to move on from the safe. Times a wasting.

The closet looks boring. For a moment you wonder why there are no socks or undergarments but then spot a plastic shelving unit tucked into the side of the closet loaded with both. You slide it open and find nothing amiss. He even has a few pairs of black formal socks.

[1] Time to check the bed.
[2] Keep searching the perimeter of the bedroom.
[3] Move on to the Kitchen/Dining Room.
[4] Move onto the Bathroom.

 

[Grav]

[2] Plant an audio bug within a crevice of the lamp.
[2] Encourage him to move on from the safe. Times a wasting.
[1] Time to check the bed.

 

[Fezzes]

[2] Plant an audio bug within a crevice of the lamp.
[1] Say nothing.
[1] Time to check the bed.

 

[Blasterbot]

[2] Plant an audio bug within a crevice of the lamp.
[1] Say nothing.
[1] Time to check the bed.

 

[Husky_Khan]

Spoiler: Results

[2] Plant an audio bug within a crevice of the lamp.
[1] Say nothing.
[1] Time to check the bed.

Planting an audio bug in the crevice of the lamp, you turn it on just to make sure it won't case a shadow or reveal it's location in any other manner before turning the lamp back off. Then, twirling about, you turn to the well made bed. You take a mental photograph, knowing you'll have to remake it just to leave minimal evidence of your passing.

[1] Take a picture of the bed for reference just to make sure.
[2] Rely on Memory
+ Gain skill: Awareness

Pulling back the bedsheets as they were loosely but neatly laid over the mattress you notice that there is no fitted sheet, just the mattress pad over a foam mattress as if he sleeps directly on the mattress pad itself... or uses the top bedsheets and sleeps without cover. But the bedsheets still have those deeply creased foldlines despite having been spread over the bed. You have to actually take care to pull back the bedsheets onto the creased foldlines just to make sure you don't leave any distinctly new creases on the bedsheet itself.

Underneath one of the pillows you notice a pair of large headphones with a cord attached and jacked into a Discman portable CD player. Cracking it open is a commercial compilation CD with various soft or light orchestra style classical music and instrumentation. Unlike everything else, both the headphones and even the lettering on the Discman CD player looks somewhat faded.

"Aha!" Conklin then called out from the office. Apparently he had finally opened the safe.

[1] Play the CD in the Discman
[2] Use your flashlight and see if you can check for hair samples to analyze in the bedsheets or mattress pad.
[3] Lift the foam mattress and check between the mattress and box spring/frame.

As you continue searching the bedroom, Conklin apparently heads out of the office and talks to you from the end of the hallway.

"I found a pistol in the safe along with a velvet lined strong box with at least fifty gold coins in it. All featureless and smooth. Also sleeping pills, prescription grade but no paperwork. Left it open if you want to check it out," Conklin said before he went about checking the living room.

It was then you got another text from Jimmy.

---

Looks like the girls will be intercepting Ken ten minutes away from your position. Will keep you informed!

---

Thirty seconds later your phone buzzed again.

---

I mean ladies.

---

Fifteen minutes left then. At this rate you might have time to check two or three more things if the Marshal ladies aren't able to slow him down.

 

[Grav]

[1] Take a picture of the bed for reference just to make sure.
[3] Lift the foam mattress and check between the mattress and box spring/frame.

 

[Fezzes]

[1] Take a picture of the bed for reference just to make sure.
Dude's pretty freaky to be keeping his socks rolled in a plastic wrap. I wouldn't be surprised if he freaks about a small difference to his bed.
[2] Use your flashlight and see if you can check for hair samples to analyze in the bedsheets or mattress pad.
What's option 1 even for? The lulz?