The Last Equation

[Silver Priest]

"Damn it, you were in OUTLOOK? Okay, find the name of the motel and do not leave. I have to send a team to debrief you. Make sure you're not a threat to the organization. For all we know you could still be mindcontroled, or implanted with a trigger. We need to rule those things out before we can send either of you out on active duty again."

"The threat from the Equation seems to have stooped. We tracked down and dealt with everyone who had contact with it, and there have been no further outbreaks. Once we determine that you're not compromized you'll both be free to head home. If anyone asks, you were both on an important assignment. ."

[HoneyDog]

Nik relays this information to Vanessa. “It looks like we’re in the clear then, as far as the equation goes.”

He sits down on the bed. “I’d sure like to get my hands on those OUTLOOK creeps some time. Especially that psycho Yrjo.”

[Mr. Handy]

"Yeah," says Vanessa. "Even if we don't, his Parkinson's will get him sooner or later. The problem is the damage he can cause in the meantime. At least we learned a lot of information. We'll share it when we're debriefed, and McRay sounds like he's already heard of them, so he may know some things about them too. Then we'll see what we can do next." She looks around the room for stationery or anything else that may have the motel's name, perhaps a towel.

OOC,Search roll (54% skill) searching the motel room: [dice]0[/dice]

[HoneyDog]

"I'll go find the reception" Nik says. He checks his gun before he leaves the room.

[Silver Priest]

Vanessa does not find much in the motel that looks out of place. There is a rather suspicious stain on her mattress that she cannot identify. She's not sure she wants to.

The motel name is discovered, and the agents figure out they're only fifteen minutes from Alliance, the town Michael Wei had first committed his killing spree. A few hours later there's a knock on their door, and three people enter. All of them are sharply dressed and give off the impressions of being government. The first is a middle aged man with a slight limp. He is followed by a younger man who is strikingly attractive, but whose eyes seem off somehow. The last of the group is a 30 something woman. She is plain and petite, but something about her movements suggests she is not accustomed to wasting even a single one. She stand silently in the corner and observes as the first man begins to speak.

"My team and I are with the group. We're sort of internal affairs, you could say. All we need to know is exactly what happened and if you are still under the effects of OUTLOOK conditioning. Let's begin."

The next few hours are intense interrogation. Both Nik and Vanessa have been in interrogations before, but being on the other side it becomes apparent it is stressful. At times the interrogation feels more like they are captives and enemies than fellow agents. Both agents are also separated and questioned individually, and made to answer the same questions more than once. The lead questioner grows more and more hostile as he continues as well.

Finally, just when it seems like things may not end well for them, the man nods, as if satisfied.

"Okay, you're both clear. I'll make the report. If you experience missing time or loss of control in the future, contact your cell leader immediately. You're free to go." Without another word he leaves. The younger man gives a mean smile before heading out as well. The woman continue to stare at them both. Then she shakes her head, mutters something under her breath, and leaves as well.

Both are free to go. This mission it would seem was finally over.

***

The agents are able to integrate themselves back into their private lives with only a minimum amount of friction. Amazingly, both of their partners seemed to accept their sudden absence rather quickly. It soon becomes clear why; apparently both agents had called their significant other and reported that work was taking them out of town for a few days. Neither Nik or Vanessa can tell if it was another actor or actually them under the mental conditioning of OUTLOOK, but it gave them cover, while McRay took care of their absence at work.

Speaking of work, the news was still reporting on the Wei case, and specifically the connection he had with FBI agent Sarah Comox, the woman who had murdered chief investigator Canor and his family. Apparently letters had been discovered linking them together in some love affair, and they were already being referred to as a new Bonnie and Clyde. For the next few months the tabloids would go wild with stories about their relationship, and the popular conspiracy show Phenomen-X would declare their crimes as having a masonic connection. There would be a few stories refuting the theory that the two had been lovers, but no one really paid attention to them. And while the numbers were shown, both agents were relieved to see that they were the edited version.

As for everyone else on the math geeks list, simple research would find that everyone on the list died within the next week. None of the cases seemed connected or to have garnered much suspicion. Vanessa does discover that the Tumlinsons, the family she had been accused of killing while in OUTLOOK custody did in fact end up dead in a home invasion. And no suspect had been arrested as of yet. Even more interestingly, the killings had taken place during her time in OUTLOOK...

ooc,Feel free to post any final thoughts or actions. I'll try to get up an ooc debriefing along with san rewards later tonight.

[HoneyDog]

Nik wants vengeance for himself and the victims of the equation. He tries to find out from McRay more about what DG knows about OUTLOOK, and what if anything can be done about them.

[Mr. Handy]

Vanessa also wants to find out everything DG knows about OUTLOOK with a view to doing something about them, though she gathers that there's a sort of informal truce between the two organizations. However, their recent abduction may put that truce in question. She is just as certain now that she didn't kill the Tumlinsons as she was during the simulation.

[Silver Priest]

McRay explains that little can be done about OUTLOOK or Majestic as a whole. "We need to pick our battles,and waging a civil war inside the US government only serves the things we really fight against. Our resources are already stretched. But your mission was useful. We have Majestic figures admitting to testing a virus on American citizens. From what we know, not everyone within the organization is in favor of such policies. Hopefully a time can come where we can swing enough of the leadership against the current agenda."

"But rest assured, if that day comes and Yrjo is hung out to dry? I'll let you take first crack at him."

[HoneyDog]

Nik sighs. He thought it might be a situation like this.

"Appreciate it, boss" he tells McRay.

[Mr. Handy]

"Thanks," says Vanessa. "Maybe one of these days he can be our 'guest.'"