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xp_logsA meeting is held on how how to deal with the sponsors of the bill.
"So, with Darcy still working on the politicians and Cara making sure the staff group has safely dispersed it's only us left to deal with the sponsors of these bills." Hope briefly summarized.
Doug was sitting next to her at the table while CJ was standing in front of yet another whiteboard. "I hope they gave you a whiteboard discount, Doug."
"I...may have used dear old Auntie Em's corporate account for it," Doug admitted. He hadn't been totally secretive about his association with Emma Frost, but he hadn't advertised it to the rest of the group, either. No sense in showing all your cards at once, even to the people you were working with.
"We'll all be using some sort of digital equivalent in the next few years anyway," CJ added absently, staring at the raw data that had been placed on the board. She couldn't use her powers on it, there was no one to 'profile' in numbers- which was half the reason she kept herself so focused on them throughout the group's efforts. "Mister Ramsey, would you let me know if you see anything here?" Finally she turned away from the board and handed off the marker like a baton before heading to the mini-fridge for a bottle of water- she was sure the fellow profiler would be able to read her as about ready to announce a plan, and that she <i>hated</i> public speaking.
"Technology still tends to mirror established practices, so my money's on a lot of large 'smart TV' type displays with dry erase marker-shaped styluses, at least in the near term. Y'know, like the monster-size version of an iPad or drawing tablet." Doug always enjoyed spitballing about technology trends. He had caught the tension off of CJ, so he figured it would be best to draw her out, lead the conversation while giving her a place to articulate her thoughts without being the focus. "So, we've got our first sponsor," he continued, putting up a PR shot taken from the man's political website. "Any smoking guns in his financials?"
"Nothing obvious. Looks all fairly clean cut." Hope frowned as she reviewed some numbers. "We could do some digging in the donors, but that does not make a smoking gun. What about his personal life, CJ?"
CJ hesitated, "Well...." She turned her back to the group and took a moment to compose herself. Even after she turned back to the team, she kept her eyes on the carpet, which was a lovely shade of greenish-bronze. "He likes prostitutes."
Hope met Doug's eyes. They had their smoking gun. "The ten thousand dollar escort ones or the somewhat more easier to find people?" That could make the difference in how to pursue this though.
CJ shut her eyes and tried to recall, "My sources indicated that he frequents the strip, and has made the acquaintance of many of it's...staff."
"Oh -really-." Doug's eyes twinkled. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Pinky?" he asked Hope in a deadpan voice.
"Attacking his virtue with his own vice." Hope repeated the basic concept she had known for quite while. "I'd say we have the potential for a juicy scandal on our hands, Brain. I just hope it's enough. How about sponsor number two?"
"Out of the city at the moment," CJ began. She quickly added, "In Boston...which may be good for us, or bad, depending on who he's meeting with there, and what they're discussing. I don't suppose, the Brain" CJ emphasized the title, her voice clearly intended to be condescending, "has a way to get eyes on him."
"Not on short notice, and not that I trust enough for something of this nature." And it would take time to get someone out there, time that would be better spent on the one they did have in town. Doug didn't let CJ's condescension get to him, he suspected it was a way to distract from her uneasiness at the topic.
"Would it be an idea to give the White Queen a message and ask if she could perhaps see to it that he is taken down." Hope suggested after a long pause. "It would be harsh, but it would allow us to focus on Delegate Taylor."
Doug nodded. "I have no problem with harsh, and neither does she." Besides, Emma had strong roots in Boston. "I'll give her a call," he said, pulling out his phone and stepping away.
"No, I can take care of that." Hope quickly interrupted him. "You need to prepare for your role as bait..."
Well, that was a bit new, Hope taking charge more. Doug grinned. "Yes, ma'am!"
***
Hope does some spying.
Her body had been safely left behind in a nearby rented hotel room and Hope quietly slipped through the buildings. Finally she settled on a roof where she had a good overview of the street, it's occupants lingering under the streetlamps.
Mentally she reviewed the information CJ had given her: make, color and most importantly the plate of Delegate Taylor's car. Hopefully he would get here this night, otherwise it could be a few long nights.
Delegate Taylor slowed his car as he pulled up to the curb, just like last night and the night before that. He didn't even look out of the window as his driver wound down his window and gestured towards the back of the car, didn't even look over as a body slipped into the seat next to him.
Hope perked up when she recognized the plate of the car. That was quite a bit of luck. She allowed herself to sink in the thick wall of the building she was using, letting only her head poke out as she kept even with the car, which was slowly driving towards a dark side street.
Glancing at his driver the delegate motion him to drive on, "Find us a dark alley nearby Jefferson and then," he peel a 20 dollar note form his wallet, "Go and get yourself a coffee for half an hour."
She easily passed into a nearby dumpster and she frowned as she saw the driver leaving. Glancing around her she moved closer, though she startled a little when a hand suddenly hit the window... a mottled blue and pink hand...
It didn't take long, it never took more than 15 minutes for Delegate Taylor to be done, but he always needed the extra 15 minutes to compose himself again. Composed enough so that he could return to work with no-one being the wiser. The mutant was kicked unceremoniously from the car, paid off and left to find his own way back, the sooner he did so the sooner out of sight and out of mind.
It were a long fifteen minutes to wait, Hope figuring she didn't need to enter the car to know what was going on. When the poor man left, she followed him for a few moments, to make sure that what she had seen was true. The man did have mottled blue and pink skin... and her assignment was done.
"So, with Darcy still working on the politicians and Cara making sure the staff group has safely dispersed it's only us left to deal with the sponsors of these bills." Hope briefly summarized.
Doug was sitting next to her at the table while CJ was standing in front of yet another whiteboard. "I hope they gave you a whiteboard discount, Doug."
"I...may have used dear old Auntie Em's corporate account for it," Doug admitted. He hadn't been totally secretive about his association with Emma Frost, but he hadn't advertised it to the rest of the group, either. No sense in showing all your cards at once, even to the people you were working with.
"We'll all be using some sort of digital equivalent in the next few years anyway," CJ added absently, staring at the raw data that had been placed on the board. She couldn't use her powers on it, there was no one to 'profile' in numbers- which was half the reason she kept herself so focused on them throughout the group's efforts. "Mister Ramsey, would you let me know if you see anything here?" Finally she turned away from the board and handed off the marker like a baton before heading to the mini-fridge for a bottle of water- she was sure the fellow profiler would be able to read her as about ready to announce a plan, and that she <i>hated</i> public speaking.
"Technology still tends to mirror established practices, so my money's on a lot of large 'smart TV' type displays with dry erase marker-shaped styluses, at least in the near term. Y'know, like the monster-size version of an iPad or drawing tablet." Doug always enjoyed spitballing about technology trends. He had caught the tension off of CJ, so he figured it would be best to draw her out, lead the conversation while giving her a place to articulate her thoughts without being the focus. "So, we've got our first sponsor," he continued, putting up a PR shot taken from the man's political website. "Any smoking guns in his financials?"
"Nothing obvious. Looks all fairly clean cut." Hope frowned as she reviewed some numbers. "We could do some digging in the donors, but that does not make a smoking gun. What about his personal life, CJ?"
CJ hesitated, "Well...." She turned her back to the group and took a moment to compose herself. Even after she turned back to the team, she kept her eyes on the carpet, which was a lovely shade of greenish-bronze. "He likes prostitutes."
Hope met Doug's eyes. They had their smoking gun. "The ten thousand dollar escort ones or the somewhat more easier to find people?" That could make the difference in how to pursue this though.
CJ shut her eyes and tried to recall, "My sources indicated that he frequents the strip, and has made the acquaintance of many of it's...staff."
"Oh -really-." Doug's eyes twinkled. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Pinky?" he asked Hope in a deadpan voice.
"Attacking his virtue with his own vice." Hope repeated the basic concept she had known for quite while. "I'd say we have the potential for a juicy scandal on our hands, Brain. I just hope it's enough. How about sponsor number two?"
"Out of the city at the moment," CJ began. She quickly added, "In Boston...which may be good for us, or bad, depending on who he's meeting with there, and what they're discussing. I don't suppose, the Brain" CJ emphasized the title, her voice clearly intended to be condescending, "has a way to get eyes on him."
"Not on short notice, and not that I trust enough for something of this nature." And it would take time to get someone out there, time that would be better spent on the one they did have in town. Doug didn't let CJ's condescension get to him, he suspected it was a way to distract from her uneasiness at the topic.
"Would it be an idea to give the White Queen a message and ask if she could perhaps see to it that he is taken down." Hope suggested after a long pause. "It would be harsh, but it would allow us to focus on Delegate Taylor."
Doug nodded. "I have no problem with harsh, and neither does she." Besides, Emma had strong roots in Boston. "I'll give her a call," he said, pulling out his phone and stepping away.
"No, I can take care of that." Hope quickly interrupted him. "You need to prepare for your role as bait..."
Well, that was a bit new, Hope taking charge more. Doug grinned. "Yes, ma'am!"
***
Hope does some spying.
Her body had been safely left behind in a nearby rented hotel room and Hope quietly slipped through the buildings. Finally she settled on a roof where she had a good overview of the street, it's occupants lingering under the streetlamps.
Mentally she reviewed the information CJ had given her: make, color and most importantly the plate of Delegate Taylor's car. Hopefully he would get here this night, otherwise it could be a few long nights.
Delegate Taylor slowed his car as he pulled up to the curb, just like last night and the night before that. He didn't even look out of the window as his driver wound down his window and gestured towards the back of the car, didn't even look over as a body slipped into the seat next to him.
Hope perked up when she recognized the plate of the car. That was quite a bit of luck. She allowed herself to sink in the thick wall of the building she was using, letting only her head poke out as she kept even with the car, which was slowly driving towards a dark side street.
Glancing at his driver the delegate motion him to drive on, "Find us a dark alley nearby Jefferson and then," he peel a 20 dollar note form his wallet, "Go and get yourself a coffee for half an hour."
She easily passed into a nearby dumpster and she frowned as she saw the driver leaving. Glancing around her she moved closer, though she startled a little when a hand suddenly hit the window... a mottled blue and pink hand...
It didn't take long, it never took more than 15 minutes for Delegate Taylor to be done, but he always needed the extra 15 minutes to compose himself again. Composed enough so that he could return to work with no-one being the wiser. The mutant was kicked unceremoniously from the car, paid off and left to find his own way back, the sooner he did so the sooner out of sight and out of mind.
It were a long fifteen minutes to wait, Hope figuring she didn't need to enter the car to know what was going on. When the poor man left, she followed him for a few moments, to make sure that what she had seen was true. The man did have mottled blue and pink skin... and her assignment was done.
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