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Episode 1.4: Briefing and Fact Finding
Topic Started: Jul 3 2011, 02:09 AM (18,118 Views)
Captain Jeremiah Hutchins
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Hutch
11/17/10

"I sent in my resignation, so I'm heading out."

Hutch nodded. He got the notice right before getting to Bradford's door.

"I saw that," he said soberly. They solved the case, but they had casualties. Reese. Cole. Jelani. Yangtree. Cooper. Lily.

Lily...

He closed his eyes and exhaled. He couldn't stop thinking about her. Hell, right now, she could be dead and he just didn't know it. He felt like a failure. He hardly felt like a person worthy to Captain the Constable.

"I'm going back over to the Medical Center, take another crack at Bradford on my way."

"He wouldn't answer any questions, I've got a couple more wearing on my mind."


"Another crack? He's confessed. Am I missing something? What kind of questions?"

Hutch was worried that he was forgetting something else. Something else that could make him feel even more useless and incompetant.
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Skye MacKenzie
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"Mac"
11/17/10

Mac wanted to respond to Cooper's comments about the fishing, but Hutch's interruption made that very difficult. For a while, she was tempted to snap at Hutch, but it hadn't been his fault, so Mac bit her lip before her first retort could spill out.

Hutch wrote:
"Need any help?"


Cooper swept out shortly afterwards, leaving Hutch and Mac alone for a bit. She had seen the look on his face and hated to add to whatever troubles he was having, but she also didn't want to put off the inevitable. If she'd had time, she would have waited for a good opportunity, but with this case wrapped up, she had run out of time. Planting a blandly neutral expression on her face, she began.

“Captain, I know this isn't a good time, but I should tell you I've been offered a command position of my own. I haven't given them my answer yet, but I think I will take them up on it. I'm sorry, but I didn't want to wait too long before telling you. I'll write up my formal resignation for you once I get back to Constable.

“I do want you to know that it has been a pleasure working with you. I've gained considerable experience here and I value that and your wisdom.

“I'd stay on Constable; you have a good crew. But I'd be a fool to turn down my own command. I hope you understand.”
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Captain Jeremiah Hutchins
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Hutch
11/17/10

“I'd stay on Constable; you have a good crew. But I'd be a fool to turn down my own command. I hope you understand.”

Hutch kept his head down as he cataloged some items and didn't rush to answer. When he did, he didn't bother to look at her. He was more afraid that she would see the same thing in him that he saw in her.

"I've been expecting this," he said as he put another bagged piece in a box. "I know what it is like when you lose someone as close as Jelani. It has the tendency to turn you about. Sometimes it will take years to get past.

"I don't think I could stay on a ship that reminds me so much of what happened,"
Hutch continued. He wondered what he was going to do if he called in and found that Lily was dead. That he had failed her. Could he stay? Would he see her everywhere like he is sure Mac did with Jelani? "And a command of your own? That just makes things easier. Don't it?"

He stood up and walked over to Mac.

"You are a fine officer, Skye MacKenzie," he said as he looked her directly in the eyes. "Having you here on the Constable was a pleasure, if there is anything you need from me, just call."

He snorted a bit.

"I'd say I could give you some pointers, but it's not like I have done anything that was point-worthy," he said as he turned and looked out the window. "But you know what I mean."

His mood sobered even more and he just stood there, lost in his thoughts.
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Cooper Mandrake
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11/18/10

"Another crack? He's confessed. Am I missing something? What kind of questions?"

"Well..." I looked over the boss. My ear piece was telling me the butcher was out for some medical attention anyway. "Keep me appriased."

"Uh right Captain." I looked around, we seemed to be about finished. "ready to head to the ship then, I need to pack up."
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Captain Jeremiah Hutchins
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Hutch
11/21/10

Mac and Hutch finished up the evidence gathering and headed back to the ship. Hutch's heart was pounding and he was lost in his own world on the way. He was afraid to comm in and ask about Lily. But he decided it would be best just to go there, even if it was to look at her beautiful face for the last time.

To his relief, he saw her laying there on a bed. She looked awfully pale, but she was still unconcious. But she was still most definitely alive. He felt the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders. But at the same time, a sense of dread filled him. He set himself up for a world of pain.

But Hutch stood transfixed by her bed, watching her. Eva had closed all the places where The Butcher had cut her and she was now receiving extra blood and iron supplements. Evenly with a ghostly white pallor, she was still so beautiful. He remembered the day he met her.

He was going from the Docks to Uptown and happened to go through the Red Light District. And then he saw her. Sitting on the steps of her hovel in Midtown with a red miniskirt on, legs longer than long and wearing a sheer button up white shirt that left nearly nothing imagination. Their eyes locked and the next thing he knew, he was in her bed having the best sex he had in his entire life. Then he found himself back there the next week and then the next and the next...

“How’s she doing?” Hutch asked flatly, he was subconsciously distancing himself. Trying to act like he didn’t care about her; like she didn’t mean anything to him.

“Better,” Eva said as she checked Lily’s vitals. “She’ll pull through. Her vitals are still weaker than normal, but the blood and iron will correct that soon enough.”

Hutch nodded, but again showed no emotion. If you knew why he did this, you would understand, but no one knew about his family. No one.

Except Lily Kincaid.

He had told her everything. She was safe. He wasn’t supposed to feel anything for a lowly whore. But he did. And the thought that he could lose someone else he cared about scared him.

“What did he do to her?”

“Looks like he bled her. Made a slice where it would bleed a lot and when it began to clot, he would do another one. Both wrists, thighs examples. Just nicked the femoral artery. Just a bit, not enough to bleed out rapidly, but enough to make things precarious. He knew what he was doing.

“The strangling looks to be just for fun. To watch her turn pale and blue before she was ready to die. Like a preview of watching the light fade from her eyes. And he did it over and over. She’s also lucky in the fact that he didn’t break her hyoid bone. If he did that, she’d probably be dead.”


Hutch nodded again.

“Call me when she wakes,” he said coldly. “I have paperwork to do.”

And he left the infirmary.
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Cooper Mandrake
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11/22/10

I never made it to the Med Center, I checked in before I got there and the local security front man informed me Butcher Bradford was getting a little tender loving first aid and would not be immediataly available. I diverted to Constable, headed straight for my bunk, found Rachel. "out you go kiddo, I'm moving on so unless you can get the Captain to hire you on as ... ." I got her dressed and headed out the door, pressed some cash in her hand, a goodly sum being it was all the money I'd gathered as Collector. And I handed her a freeline ticket, good for anywhere in the verse, a standard sort of thing Feds hand out to witnesses that need to get lost.

"So, get the hell off this world, or go stand up to Inkspot and let him know the Collector left you as his heir. Up to you."


- - -
I packed up and headed to see how the last victims were.

Hutch was just coming out,
"What's the low-down Captain?"
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Rex Yangtree
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11/22/10

Rex came from here.

Yangtree finally got his head cleared enough to sit up on the infirmary bed. He looked over at Lily, then at his own wires and tubes. After pulling them off the slid off the bed and looked for his clothes. After realizing just how he'd got where he was... "Hey, clothes nurse.... I'm checking out."

A little woozy, seeing Lily in much worse shape, or at least he thought she was; it didn't help, but he had no inclination of staying.. "where the hell am I?"
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Andrew Williams
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AKA Panther
11/26/10

When Andrew saw the Constable come into view through the front windshield, he felt for a moment as if he might actually be sick. Maybe it was from his initial plans he had been so desperately looking forward to were now exterminated. Maybe it was simply from exhaustion. After all, the past few hours had been nothing but a constant rush to cover his tracks.

As the cab drew closer, Andrew began to feel worse. His hands clammed up, his throat seemed to tighten, and his stomach turned. What was he going to tell Adria? What about Hutch? What was he going to do? The driver seemed to notice in the review his state. He asked if he was okay... Andrew didn't answer.

"Pull over right up here!"

Andrew got out. The air felt cleaner outside the car. It made him feel a little better. He stared up at the Constable, his skin still cold and sweaty. He took a deep breath and pressed on.
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Rachel
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11/28/10

Rachel was glad to see Cooper when he came back to his bunk. She was waiting for him. Ready to offer up her body to him in thanks for everything he had done to make the District safe again. Well safer anyway. She was disappointed in his reaction though.

"Out you go kiddo, I'm moving on so unless you can get the Captain to hire you on as ..."

Cooper helped her dress hastily, making her wince a couple of times, then pressed all the coin he had collected during his tenure in her hand, which was a hefty amount. Her eyes widened.

"So, get the hell off this world, or go stand up to Inkspot and let him know the Collector left you as his heir. Up to you."

"I ain't stupid, Cooper," she stated. "I know what needs to be done with this coin."

She kissed him softly.

"Thank you," she said. "Both you and your crew for making sure that Butcher never bothers the District again. Still can't believe it was Silas Bradford."

She smiled.

"And if you ever need some sexin', feel free to stop by to see me. It'll be a freebie."

With that, she left the Constable and went back to her hovel, amazed that the place had already been cleaned spic and span. She put an outfit in keeping for the night's business and headed off to Cabaret Royale. She found the Boss and Ink sitting at their regular table.

"You hear the news? That Silas Bradford was the Butcher?" she asked. "And... I have a business proposition for you."
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Ink
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11/28/10

"You hear the news? That Silas Bradford was the Butcher?"

The Boss nodded, indicating he knew.

"He'll get what is coming quick enough, I am sure," he said dismissively.

"And... I have a business proposition for you."

Ink looked up sharply.

"You?" he questioned harshly. "You have come here to bother the Boss with a business proposition?"

He stood up and moved behind her, putting her in danger of only seeing one of them. She knew she would have to keep her eyes on the Boss if she wanted this to work, but she didn't like not knowing what Ink was up to, especially when his arm snaked around her neck.

"Listen here, little saobi," he snarled into her ear. "We have overlooked a myriad of things in your route while the Butcher was being taken care of. One of which was your doing the Collector, not once, but twice. Once disrespecting him by pleasuring him in the street. How do you think that looked to the other girls? The other Collectors? Even the customers?"

He tightened his hold around her neck and kept talking.

"It made it look like he was getting freebies, which I am sure he was. It also made him look unprofessional. Who would take a Collector seriously, especially in that route, when he was doing his girls in the street when anyone could see? You're lucky that Bradford didn't get wind of it or he could have changed things up a little, perhaps tried to slice you up again. And the Customers? They would be thinking that perhaps they could get a cheaper price out of a girl in that area. After all, their new Collector was openly partaking in your services."

Rachel let out a strangled breath.

"I just thought I would make him happy. Give myself a leg up, you know."

"Is there a reason why I shouldn't kill you right here?" Ink asked her. "After all, you are behind quota. All of you girls are. I would like to kill that pig Cooper for not sending the Boss his cut. Or maybe he didn't collect anything and all you girls were pocketing the Boss' cut into your own pockets. Perhaps I should kill you to set an example for all the girls."

Ink laughed coldly as the blood drained from Rachel's face.

During this time, the Boss held a slightly amused look on his face. He liked to watch Ink in action.
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The Boss
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11/28/10

"Is there a reason why I shouldn't kill you right here? After all, you are behind quota. All of you girls are. I would like to kill that pig Cooper for not sending the Boss his cut. Or maybe he didn't collect anything and all you girls were pocketing the Boss' cut into your own pockets. Perhaps I should kill you to set an example for all the girls."

The Boss laughed and motioned to Ink to let go of her. To Rachel's relief, he let go of her, but continued to stand behind her, probably ready to snap her neck at any moment.

"What is this proposition you speak of?" he asked. "I am quite intrigued."

Rachel's heart was still pounding, but she found her voice.

"I can get you your cut back," she said, her voice wavering a little. "But I would like to move up. I want... I request..."

She stammered and thought quickly about her next words.

"I want Jana's flat. I'd like to move up. I can do the work. I do a good business. You could count on me for a solid take."

She stood straight, hoping the brashness of her proposal didn't get her killed. Then she was put off center by the fact that Ink was now trailing a finger down her side, lightly touching the edges of her body.

"What do you s-say?"

The Boss looked her over intently, studying her "goods" from a business point of view.

"It may work," he said to her after a bit. "Do you know of anything she might need to learn, Ink?"

At this point, Ink was leering at her.

"Perhaps a few things," Ink responded. "I can put her in Jana's flat if she can get the coin back."

Rachel breathed a sigh of relief and took the coin out of her purse and placed it on the table. The Boss eyeballed it and knew it was more than enough.

"Get her moved, Ink," the Boss said.

Rachel smiled. She felt victorious.

"I will Boss," he answered as he gripped her arm tightly. "But I will be spending a couple of days with her first. Just to make sure she is up to snuff. If that pleases you, that is."

Rachel's eyes widened in shock and fear.

"No... Please..."

"Go ahead. I trust you. Just don't damage her permanently," he warned. "And get a new Collector mah shong."

"As you command," Ink said as he began to lead Rachel away to his playroom. "Scream and I'll kill you as soon as we get there, dong ma?"

Rachel nodded slowly.

"Just remember, you wanted this," he whispered as they started up the stairs. "You didn't think you could sashay yourself in her making demands of the Boss and get away with it did you?"

Tears streamed down Rachel's face, but she didn't make a sound.

"Consider the girls on your route warned," he informed her. "And this will only hurt for a while..."

The Boss smiled again as he watched Ink take the girl away. She'd be OK. Ink knew how to have his fun without much of a fuss from the girl. He turned to the bartender.

"Tell Monkey that I want to see him," he said. "The Cabaret's security video needs fixed again."
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Adria Stark
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11/29/10

Adria turned when the door to her room opened. She started to smile when she saw Andrew, but it faded when she saw he looked like he was about to be ill. She moved her bags from the bed to the floor and walked over to Andrew. Putting an arm around his waist, she guided him to the bed and made him sit. "What's wrong?" she asked, half concerned and half suspicious. "You look like you're about to throw up or pass out...or both."
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Captain Jeremiah Hutchins
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Hutch
11/29/10

I need to take a break, Hutch thought to himself.

He was supposed to be working on paperwork, but he hadn't gotten much further than filling in his name, the ship and the case number. His mind was elsewhere, but he didn't want to think about it. Deciding to take a walk, Hutch wandered aimlessly about the ship, but deep in the back of his mind, he knew where he'd end up.

The Infirmary.

As he peeked around the corner, not truly trying to stay hidden, but subconsciously doing just that, he didn't get away from Eva.

"Your whore is fine Hutch," she said.

"Don't have to say it like that," he retorted. "She does have a name."

Eva rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I can cite a couple dozen different names for what she does."

Hutch was starting to feel his blood boil, but shoved it down.

"Fuck you Eva," he told her as his eyes fell on Lily's still unconscious form.

"You wish, but you couldn't pay me enough," Eva growled as she shoved by him on the way to the galley.

And then she was gone and he didn't get more of an update.

Stupid, he thought.

Then he saw Akira on the other end of the room, getting acquainted with the place. Hutch waved her over.

I hope she didn't see any of that, he wished.

But most wishes didn't some true.
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Dr. Akira Wells
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11/29/10

Akira and Eva came from here.

Akira may have been across the room, but she was certainly not deaf. She could tell already that she didn't like Eva at all, simply because her attitude was horrendous. Akira may not have approved of companionship or prostitution, but at least she had respect for people. This woman was completely disrespectful and it was amazing that she was even allowed to be a doctor. Sure one could get the education, but one had to have a bedside manner that was at least tolerable. She looked over towards Hutch and smiled kindly.

"Don't worry, Lily will certainly be fine. She may need some psychological counseling if you ask me, but that's entirely up to her if she decides to take it." She glanced over at the poor woman, who had suffered so much in the recent event and she hoped that the woman hadn't heard what Eva had said. "I'm surprised at how long Ms. Eva has lasted around here. If she were in a hospital she would have been fired for improper behavior." A sigh left her lips as she checked Lily's vitals, just in case.

It was nothing against Eva, but it seemed like her personal feelings might get in the way of her duty to the people she cared for, So Akira had secretly kept an eye on the woman just in case. "Oh I'm sorry, we haven't been properly introduced. Dr. Akira Wells." Akira stuck her hand out for him to shake, letting the subject drop. She didn't know what the relationship between this man and Lily was, but then again it was none of her business.
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Andrew Williams
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AKA Panther
11/29/10

Andrew sat at the edge of the bed, silent. He stared at the floor, feeling a little better having Adria's presence now with him. Though the relief would only last so long. He was going to have to lie to her. There was no way he could tell her the truth... For many reasons. It took a long time for him to force himself to look at her. When he did, he still couldn't bring up the words. Not only did he not know what to say, but the fact that he was highly disappointed that they were no longer going to be able to run off together anytime soon brought a deeper toll on him. She too, seemed excited. All the more reason he did not want to tell her it wasn't happening.

"Have you packed?" he spoke dimly.
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