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Post by Circe on Mar 7, 2020 11:50:15 GMT -6
"So do a lot of other users. Due to some of the restrictions and licensing requirements, many will admit to minor talents instead of something that might require more training." Xiaolian pointed out. Maria had promise, but was still very much an idealist when it came to the population that MCU tended to deal with. "I can't tell you how many times someone we brought in on one thing turned out to be capable of something else." Those were never fun, and especially considering the time when one officer put the wrong cuff's on someone.
The man had somehow bolted from custody, leading them on a chase across the city. He eventually got stopped by his own greed, but not before he had left a path of destruction in his wake.
"Also check for any outstanding warrants. That might give us an excuse to roll up on some of these guys."
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Post by demikara on Mar 7, 2020 12:01:24 GMT -6
"Yes ma'am." The other was definitely more experienced and it showed. Maria recounted what all she'd need to run across the database for mnetally, ticking them off on her fingers as she did so. She needed to cross reference the data base for unseen people living in the complex, check for licenses for prohibited magic, especially necromancy and blood magic, check for warrents, and check for any notable names in the community that lived there. That shouldn't take more than an hour, max. "I should be done within an hour, possibly 30 minutes, if the databases cooperate." She'd actually be consulting several different databases, but she could cross reference with the best of them.
"I'll come to you when I'm done."
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Post by Circe on Mar 9, 2020 18:27:05 GMT -6
The hour or so that Maria had requested to do her dig for information gave Xiaolian a chance to tend to other matters. That entailed finding somewhere private, and quiet to call Zhen back. Thirty seconds and a hurried thirty seconds at that wasn't going to cut it for what she needed, and that was to go back over the meeting she had had with O'Hara.
While she had read the wolf's fortune, there were still a lot of unanswered questions. Given the direction that the leaves indicated, there were often strings of fate yet unaccounted for that stood to change the course of everything. "There are forces at work the wolf does not understand." He had explained as they went over what Xiaolian had seen in both O'Hara's fortune and Tyrus's.
"I don't think the wolf understands anything Zhen... the idiot can barely tie his shoes." Xiaolian commented bluntly. His manners had been atrocious to say the least, and he had really given her no choice in the matter with the Warden. "I will not disagree, he is dangerous and does not understand that there is a price for what he plays with."
O'Hara had the mask, and it appeared that they had it on a reasonable suspicion enough to go talk to him about it too. All the information pointed towards it, all of Maria's data base dives and Xiaolian's glimpses said so. The only thing left was to approach the wolf, and hopefully let cooler head's prevail. "Be careful sister... he is dangerous." Zhen had said emphatically before she hung up.
"So, tell me what you've got." Xiaolian said once she found Maria again.
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Post by demikara on Mar 10, 2020 15:16:05 GMT -6
Maria grinned up at the lieutenant. "Plenty, including a layout of the apartments. "We have a warrant out for the arrest of two different occupants, for assault on both cases. No licenses for prohibited magic anywhere in the complex though." That had been a bust, but she had almost expected it to be. "The big thing is that the alpha, Mr. O'Hara, lives in the complex. The upper levels of the pack all live there too, but he's the only notable member of the unseen there." She turned back to her screen and clicked through a few windows. "We've have a few instances of suspected blood magic in the area, but nothing confirmed. I have a digital map of the cases though and a lot of them link to that area as well."
Not all, and not directly, but enough to be suspicious in general. A sweep was probably overdue, from the looks of it, but she knew perfectly well one wouldn't be done. Dallas was many things, but the officers here were not thorough. It had it's reputation for a reason.
"I think our next step is talking to Mr. O'Hara. We could also bring in the two we have warrants out for, I think."
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Post by Circe on Mar 10, 2020 15:43:05 GMT -6
"It's a start, and a damn good one at that." Xiaolian replied. The warrants could be easily processed by anyone other than the specialists, but if they felt the need or desire to tag along, there wasn't a rule against it. Although some of the officers might have felt that they would just be in the way. There was a distinct line of demarcation between the specialists and the regular officers, and it often resulted in hostility. Dallas had problems and not just ones that made life slightly difficult, many of the officers looked at the specialists with disdain, believing that they had sold out and abandoned their fellow officers for a cushy job as a desk jockey.
However, the fact that O'Hara lived at the epicenter of their problems only served to reinforce the idea that the wolf had lied through his teeth. There were strange dynamics in the Cedar Ridge pack, and Xiaolian didn't believe for a moment that it had begun with Tyrus Rahal; instead they were using it as a strawman, and a poor one at that. "Get your stuff together and let's go have a friendly little chat with O'Hara."
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Post by demikara on Mar 10, 2020 15:56:35 GMT -6
"Yes ma'am." It didn't take but a minute to arm herself and make certain her badge was clipped to her belt. Maria double checked she had a charm on her to ward away harm as well. They were super weak, all of them, but even a little bit helped and she was definitely that suspicious. The woman grabbed her bag and met up with Xiaolian. "Ready." Evidence bags and all. Though of course, her bag for scene processing would stay in the car. Unless they suddenly had a scene, but that was what going back to the car was for.
She got to ride shot gun, but didn't mind that versus driving. Unlike the sergeant, she could drive in Dallas traffic, and had been doing it all her life. But she'd still let someone else drive if that's what they wanted. It didn't take long for them to end up at the complex, and it felt like even less time to end up on the second floor in front of the alpha's listed address.
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Post by Circe on Mar 10, 2020 17:19:12 GMT -6
"Ready?" Xiaolian nodded to Maria as she reached up to knock on the apartment door. This could either go well or not at all, it would all depend on what happened when their suspect opened the door. She just hoped that they weren't going to have to call in for backup, given that while the local agency had been told that they would be serving a warrant, they hadn't exactly said what for.
The unseen were still fairly secretive, despite having announced themselves to the world at large, still preferred to keep their problems under the radar. While some would say any publicity is good publicity, there were those like Xiaolian who thought any at all was bad. They needed all the help they could get, especially with the rising hate crimes against the community. But, even then there was absolutely no promise that they would stop. All they could do was watch, wait, and offer help if possible.
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Post by demikara on Mar 10, 2020 17:26:51 GMT -6
"Ready." Maria confirmed. Hopefully this would go well. They were only there to talk after all, even if the alpha was definitely their prime suspect right now. Their only suspect really, so this better pan out and they better get something at least.
It was a minute before the door cracked open, the alpha saw who it was, shut it and undid the chain lock, then opened it again. "Lieutenant Boyuan. And...I don't believe we've met miss?"
"Specialist Maria Zhang." She corrected firmly. She wasn't here as a miss. She was here as a specialist and she had worked hard for that rank. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Alpha O'Hara." The nicety came from rote more than any actual feeling behind it.
"I'm sure. What can I do for MCU today, ladies?" He didn't sound impressed to have them there, and hadn't invited them in yet. He had no intent on inviting them in either. The alpha stepped out of his apartment and closed the door behind him to make that point very clear.
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Post by Circe on Mar 10, 2020 17:30:57 GMT -6
It was better than what Xiaolian had been expecting, at least the moon's phase was in their favor. They were just barely the other side of a full moon, so there would be less control that the wolf had over him. But they still needed to be careful. "Good afternoon Alpha O'Hara, we were wondering if you could answer a few questions for us?" She asked politely. "It's regarding the case we discussed a few weeks back." Xiaolian added helpfully.
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Post by demikara on Mar 10, 2020 17:37:57 GMT -6
"Of course. I'll do my best to answer any questions you may have." Right out here, where they couldn't see his apartment. "I'm afraid my place is a bit of a mess, but I'm sure this will do." It had better do, and his tone conveyed that perfectly. They weren't getting inside the apartment itself without a warrant and that was that. At least the tolerable one had come to discuss things with him. He didn't mind the lieutenant. She had manners and wasn't a damned vampire.
Both earned points in his book.
He'd judge the new girl on her own merit.
Maria hesitated a moment. "Are you sure we can't come in? I'm sure it's not the worst mess we've ever seen, sir." She also had a feeling that the mess wasn't why they weren't being allowed in the apartment, but knew better than to say that.
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Post by Circe on Mar 10, 2020 17:45:15 GMT -6
"Whichever you prefer, sir." Xiaolian replied politely. She would get answers to her questions on way or another, and hopefully without triggering a complete and total melt down from the alpha. He seemed to be balancing himself on a razor's edge these days, and it was likely all because of that mask.
"We've been getting some reports of petty crime and assaults here, would you happen to know anything about that?" She asked keeping her tone level, neutral and polite. But in the back of her mind was her brother's warning, had he seen something she hadn't? He had always been the better of the two of them at getting a clear picture, but Xiaolian was better at interpreting the whole.
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Post by demikara on Mar 10, 2020 18:53:24 GMT -6
"I'm sure, specialist. And I know there's been some complaints about assaults going up. I've spoken to my wolves and advised them to be careful until things calm down again." Though he was well aware they were the cause of most of the assaults. That much there was no denying either and he knew it. It was just as well that he really didn't care so long as they didn't assault each other too much. "Is there a reason the specialists are being called out for petty crime though? I was under the impression it was beneath you."
Maria bristled and bit her tongue on her first, second, and third response, before deciding to let Xiaolian handle the situation. This was ridiculous and he was definitely hiding something.
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Post by Circe on Mar 11, 2020 12:18:27 GMT -6
Xiaolian smiled politely at O'Hara, "I appreciate your concern alpha, but given that there is an increase in incidents centered around your area, we're were asked to come ride out with some of our regular officers." It was a lie and a half truth, which was how most of the unseen operated lately. It made some things more palatable than others, but not always.
"We're looking for Haris Avalos and Jimmie Prince, would you happen to know where they are? They're members of your pack after all." She continued. His reaction to them showing up at the door was all they needed to confirm their suspicions. "They're wanted on a warrant out of Dallas for assault."
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Post by demikara on Mar 11, 2020 15:05:28 GMT -6
"As far as I know, they're at home. I don't keep that close of a tab on my pack members." He said and offered a grim smile. "Haris lives on the floor above. Jimmie is just down the hall a few apartments." The building was big enough for multiple apartments per floor after all. "Who do you want me to grab first? And tell me why I shouldn't petition to handle this internally." He could always do so after all. Like policed like fairly well, though he had been giving people more a slap on the wrist than anything else, and was known for it.
So long as you didn't endanger the pack, the most you'd get was a slap on the wrist. And what endangered the pack and what didn't largely depended on his mood when the offense was brought to him.
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Post by Circe on Mar 11, 2020 15:52:07 GMT -6
Xiaolian continued to give O'Hara the same unflappable and polite smile. "Alpha O'Hara as I'm well sure that you know that the law states that if you fail to appear at your hearing you're in trouble." She would spell it out plainly for the man. "Can't exactly let this one go to internals, Mike." Xiaolian added nonchalantly. She tended to agree with some of the sentiments that the werepacks had been allowed to police themselves for too long. But there wasn't much she was willing to do outside the scope of one job, especially given that her other job discouraged interfering unless necessary.
"But your cooperation has been extremely valuable. Say... we managed to run some more of that info you gave us on the mask. Funny thing is that family didn't know anything about it and was more than happy to have us take a look around. You wouldn't know anything else about that would you? It's pretty important."
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