meadowlarklogs | (no subject)

WHO: NPC detective (Riko Satou), Heine Rammsteiner, Hei, and Jake Muller
WHERE: New Amsterdam's 12th Precinct Jail
WHEN: January 3rd
WHAT: Arrests and interrogations. No motive, still murder, etc.
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Loss of autonomy, consent, references to nonconsensual surgery. Any additional warnings will be added.

[ It isn't difficult for the officers to bring in the three men, what with two of them doing exactly as they're hold with little argument. The weird part is that two of them just don't exist. It was clear as day to the officers when they first encountered them. It's even clearer now that they're sitting inside of the station waiting for processing. There are no fingerprints on record, and no damn clue as to who they are or where they came from. The third man – Heine – isn't unique in any way. There is no record on him. But the other two? It's strange. Impossible.

Murder is a hefty charge, but it's hard to charge someone who doesn't exist. It's especially hard to investigate a murder when someone doesn't have a life to look at. Motives. Anything like that.

Riko's assignment on this is a headache. To say the least.

It's time to question the men involved. See what happened. Figure it out.

So much weird ... everything has happened lately. This is just one big steaming crap to add to it all.

They give it a few hours before they start the interrogations. They make sure the two men don't exist. Scour records. Do facial recognition over and over. But nada. Nothing. Hell, they don't even come up on anything recently in the city. It's strange.

By then, the drugs would have worn off for Hei and Jake. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

(una, huh? well, there's only so many things that acronym could mean.)

Why would the government be interested in a junkie from the underground? (a quirk of an eyebrow.) I'm sorry, detective, but it sounds like you're questioning the wrong Tak. I'm the one who — allegedly — killed a man.

Tell me, Tak. Ever heard of a guy with a neural implant replacement? Least of all a guy who shows up with another guy like him? This isn't some small fry deal because you punched a little hard. This is big. So. Tell me.

I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't "show up" with anyone.

(he looks away.)

I'm going to need a lawyer.

Oh, you showed up for us. Caught a whole lotta eyes with that. [ Murder. A double ... manslaughter? A double accidental manslaughter? She's seen a lot of things in her life, but no, she won't buy their stories. ]

Ethically, I'm glad to give you a lawyer. But technicality means that I can't even book you until I've got your real identity. As far as the books go, you don't exist. Lawyers aren't keen on presenting invisible men.

Then I suppose we'll be seeing a lot of one another in the near future, while you find the crew who stole my name. (it's a bullshit time grab and they both know it.) How long it takes... isn't a concern for me.

(his tongue darts out to dampen dry lips.)

Can't be this department's first case of this. When people get desperate, they take what they can. Sell it on the black market.

Yeah? Why don't you tell me how that happens? [ She presses on as if he never asked for a lawyer. Riko's determined to get ... something. Anything. ]

I don't know, I'm a fighter not an identity thief.

(hei taps the inside of his arm, where the needle marks lay scattered over skin.)

My only business with the black market.

Well, let's try this. What if it is my first case like this? [ There are instances where people have wiped and reset, but it's risky to go any other way. Not impossible. She checked them over to make sure it wasn't possible – in this particular case. It's hard to be that far along in feeling better and not run into this, especially if he claims to be a fighter in the rings.

Cops can see everything. Living a life avoiding them? It's almost impossible. ]

You and I both know this isn't common. 'Specially since I implied that instead of hitting reset, you literally hit reset.

Edited 2019-01-10 07:20 (UTC)

(almost.)

Then I'm sorry to be the first, considering I don't know what happened either... I woke up and everything was gone.

One person saw me on that guy in that alley, so where is he?

Edited 2019-01-10 07:21 (UTC)

Why does that matter right now? [ The same song, the same dance. Riko has a bad feeling about all of this. ]

He just happened to be there to watch?

(he twists his wrists in their cuffs, wishing they were looser.) He could've been one of guys who did this to me.

Which is it? Did someone do something to you or did you do it yourself? [ Her tone is more even here. More direct. The longer these talks go on, the more someone reaches. Tries to send someone on a detour.

Riko's used to it. ]

Do you have all of this recorded? You should probably make sure that you do, detective, because you haven't been listening. Rewind a little and review the statement I gave: (here he leans in, but not to intimidate.

to show her.

his hand rests on the back of his, he turns his head, and his palm runs up shorn hair where the implant scar looks scragged, mildly infected, and flaky with dry blood — where he himself attempted to remove it. but he's sure as hell not telling her that.)

I was partying. I got fucked up. I don't know what happened after that. What seemed plausible to me is that someone stole my implant to take my winnings and I want my money back. So, (releasing himself to settle onto his elbows in a shallow dip over his handcuffs,) do you think that albino guy in the other room could've done this to me? He was there when I woke up.

I'm not reviewing anything because your story is a whole lotta bull. [ Show her the cut all he wants, she knows how these things go. They're a standard in society. ]

You really think one long night of tripping is enough for you to get up and walk around with the next day? And that someone would even bother to cut your implant out, put a new one in, and sew you up? Really? You think that's what a bunch of guys high off their asses get up to because they want to steal a few dollars? Come on. Plausibility here, Tak. You've already exited that arena a long time ago.

Yeah, (the first response, throat tight,) I do. That's what I think.

(he needs a fucking drink.)

I take whatever gets me by and I get up the next morning like everyone else. This time... I don't know. I don't even know what day it is.

Nice. We'll see if what's in you matches up. [ It won't. It will be strange and confusing and fucked up and nothing the cops have ever seen before. Because of course it won't be. ]

I think it's time for you to head to where you'll be sleeping for a while. Guess it's time for us to see how you do without whatever it is you take every day to get by.

[ Riko stands up, pushing her chair in. The door opens behind her, and two men come in to prepare to move him out for his blood and urine tests. ]

I'd do anything for a— (wait.) Riko, you're smart. You're going to find out who did this to me, right? You're going to catch them?

(he's separated from the table, his handcuffs are refitted, and he's hooked at the arms with two men larger than himself. time to get poked and prodded some more. not his idea of a perfect sunday.

calls back into the interrogation room, just before the door closes:)

I'm still a citizen. Even if I can't prove it, you can't either...!

[ Still insisting that it was done to him. Still.

Riko puts her head on the table for some time. Lets herself breathe. And then she stands up to go make a record out of this. Two John Does, in a world where terminology like that isn't needed anymore. She knows a call will be put in to the UNA. They'll have to take over this case, and they probably won't give a damn if there's a chance of more instances like this.

Her hopes aren't very high.

But even with the call to the UNA, the odd part is that they don't come running. They should. They should.

Not that Riko will tell the anonymous men this. ]