IC - 25 - Paperwork - Everyone

[Silver Priest]

1d100

Simon is quite convinced none of this matters, and is ready to interview Zero.

[Philulhu]

Psychology (30%) 1d100 We’re good at this, aren’t we?!

Kris studied Dagenham for a long moment, then sat back in the chair. ”For your sake, I hope you’re telling the truth. If I find out you’ve held anything back, then it will go badly for you,” he said. He glanced at Simon and Jocelyn, noting that they were finished with their questions and, for the benefit of the tape, he said, ”Interview suspended. Don’t go anywhere, Phil. We’re going to have a chat with Johnny and then we might have some further questions.”

He stood and held the door open for the others to leave the room. Asking one of the custody team to get Dagenham a drink, he lead the way to his office. ”I think we need to just check who Anton and Waggers are before we talk to Johnny again. Not that we know if they’re the ones who he was hiding from.”

He sat at his desk and logged into the PNC, inputting the names they had been given and searching for any matches.

Computer Use (65%) 1d100

[Silver Priest]

"I strongly suspect this is a misdirection Johnny offered. He's working for Balfour and no doubt was plotting something for him, so the best outcome would still be to convince him to tell us what he knows. But if you wish to look into his old acquaintances be my guest. Worse comes to worse, we can use it for leverage against him." Simon shrugs, apparently unbothered by that. The psychologist had grown obsessed with breaking this case open and figuring out how Balfour had created all his smoke and mirrors, and he was willing to break a few eggs if needed to come to that realization.

[Mr. Handy]

"I think so too," says Jocelyn. "We do have him dead to rights on the gun we found in the church, which we've tied directly to him. We've got the mobile phone as well, which was in a similar hiding spot. We should ask him about the people whose numbers are on it."

[Mephistophilis]

Kris searches the PNC for Anton and Waggers. Anton Hayman is easy enough to find, rap sheet as long as your arm, drug dealing, robbery, firearms offences, interpersonal violence, gang activity, he's a promising lead alright. Or at least he would be if he hadn't been shot dead in a gang-related feud back in 2002.

Waggers is another matter. There's no mention of 'Waggers' in any files he can find. There's a few people with 'Wager' and 'Wagger' as surnames but no one with any criminal record or even around Lewisham which is where the Ghetto Boys gang seem to have operated. He can't even find many recent mentions of the gang and the entries there are suggest it is splintering due to infighting and the conviction of several leaders.

[Philulhu]

Kris relayed the information he had found, that Anton was dead and there was no trace of ‘Waggers’, whoever he was.

”That doesn’t take us much further forward, does it?” he sighed, tapping his fingers on the desk in frustration. “So what now? Interview Zero and see if he coughs up anything about who he was hiding from?”

[Mr. Handy]

"I have an idea," says Jocelyn. "You're going to like this one, Simon. You should talk to him first, by yourself, while Kris and I observe unseen. We'll be ready to intervene if he tries anything. You can pretend to be a true believer in Balfour and the Passover Angel and try to get him to open up to you. If it doesn't work, we can fall back on a regular interview."

[Silver Priest]

Simon considers.

"It may work, though it's difficult to say. We did stop him after all, and I did taunt him a bit. There may be no real risk to attempting it, but I have my doubts if it will get us anything. Zero's familiar with the police and your bag of tricks, as it were. I doubt he'd let anything slip when he likely knows very well everything he's saying is being recorded.

"Personally I favour a more direct and aggressive approach, but if you think it's worth trying to gain his confidence first I suppose I can give it a go." He looks towards Kris to hear his input.

[Philulhu]

”You may taunt him a second time,” replied Kris, with a deadpan look on his face.

[Silver Priest]

"I wouldn't be so crash as to taunt him," Simon straightens up. "More exploit his vulnerabilities. His mother still loves him and I'm willing to bet beneath the tough exterior there's a little boy that hates disappointing mummy. We press into that and we may get something from him. The downside of course is that I have no plan B, so if he really is enough of a zealot to be unconcerned about his own mother we may hit a deadend. But I am generally rather adapt at understanding what makes the human mind tick, as I believe you both understand by now."

[Mephistophilis]

Kris arranges for Johnny Zero to be taken to an interview room. He leaves him there by himself for a few minutes and then leads Simon in and exits the room. Simon is sitting face to face with Johnny. He looks relaxed, he's smiling broadly, and lounging in his chair. He's a short man, broad and muscled. Tattoos down his arms and up his neck. There's a glint in his eye, a manic edge to him, one Simon associates with madness.

[Mr. Handy]

Can Simon have an earpiece so that we can talk to him without Johnny knowing?

[Silver Priest]

Simon walks in the room, all smiles.

"Good day Mr. Zero. Not been a good day for you, has it?" He takes a seat across from him. "But you seem in good spirits. I suppose that makes sense, you believe the end of days to be at hand. I suppose you think you'll be saved, or some such. It's a logical view I suppose, at least in keeping with your belief system. Reverend Balfour entrusted you with some sort of special mission after all, didn't he? So you must be fairly high up in his trusted inner circle. And though he has publicly disavowed your actions, I believe we both know that's a cover for something.

"Now I am not an expert on your faith, but it does seem to be all rather Old Testament to me. Fire and brimstone, that sort of unpleasantness. A God who is quite to anger, even when His faithful fail to act in accordance with His will." He gestures around them. "Speaking plainly, you've failed Johnny. Balfour may be able to forgive you, he seems like a good bloke, but I'd be more concerned about the fate of your immortal soul." Having offered his opening, he examines the man to see if he's seeded any doubt or worry in him by using his own faith against him.

1d100

[Mephistophilis]

Initially, Johnny Zero simply replies 'No comment' to Simon's opening gambit. Then when Simon talks about a special mission he leans forward to say something, but simply adds, 'I ain't saying nuthing without my brief.' He sits back again smiling, Simon can see he isn't particularly intimidated or concerned by the demonstration that he knows something about Johnny's involvement with the church.

However, when Simon starts talking about him having failed the church, and God, Johnny's face darkens. 'Something better is coming. A new world. God's world. And you will be judged...' he sweeps his arm across the room, gesturing at the one-way mirror where Kris and Jocelyn stand watching, 'All of you.' It is obvious to Simon that Johnny doesn't like this line of argument, that it unsettles him somehow. Maybe he has some doubts about his mission or his faith.

For Simon to have an earpiece for communication with Kris and Jocelyn, one of you needs to roll Luck. Otherwise they can hear what is going on but will need to enter the room to talk to Simon.

[Mr. Handy]

Unfortunately, the police had no earpieces available, so Jocelyn just observes silently.

Luck roll (44% stat) to have an earpiece:
d%

[Silver Priest]

Well, that was a surprise, but maybe it should not have been. Even Balfour seemed conflicted, if that dream Simon had had was any indication. Though dreams were of course largely nonsense, Simon assumed it was some sort of subconscious tell. Personally he pegged the reverend as a true believer, zealous but genuinely believing the massive toll whatever attack he was planning was a necessary evil to bring about a better world. The most dangerous sort of zealot, in his estimation. Evidently Johnny shared some doubt of his own-- he could work with that.

"All of us? Fine for men like Anton and Waggers I suppose, though from what we've been able to determine Anton is dead and 'Waggers' may well have joined him. And I certainly don't think myself or the officers are high in your esteem. But what about your mate Dagenham? He did not strike me as a believer, but he's claiming he helped you out because of your old ties. Personally I believe him. It does seem a bit ruthless to leave him to be judged without offering him a chance at salvation, especially after he helped you hide out. Tell me, is he a first born, Johnny?"

He leans forward once again, face curious. "Or for that matter, what about your mother? From what the others told me she's a lovely woman, one who obviously still loves you. Believes their is good in you. Is she one of the ones who will have to die for this new world of yours to come to fruition? I'm sure Reverend Balfour has preached that God will bring about paradise. I would ask yourself what kind of paradise requires so many to die, starting with a little girl? But you already have wondered that, haven't you?"

[Philulhu]

Do we know anything else about Johnny’s mother that Simon might use as a lever?

[Mephistophilis]

Johnny just shrugs at the mention of Anton and Waggers, they clearly aren't names that get a reaction out of him and he leans back in his chair. When Simon talks about Dagenham, Johnny raises an eyebrow and looks more comfortable again, amused even. 'I don't give a shit about Phil' he laughs.

Then Simon starts talking about Johnny's mother. It is clear from the moment the words come out of his mouth that Johnny does not want to hear it, he flinches and stands up, leaning on the table between him and Simon, placing his considerable weight onto his bulging sinewy, forearms. 'You shut yur fucking mouth. You talk about my mum one more time an...'

[Silver Priest]

A mama's boy. Of course, how predictable.

Simon was many things, a coward often among them, but there were times he was capable of something approaching bravery. Achieving a breakthrough in his interrogation was one of the things he was willing to be brave for, so as he did with Balfour, he pushes forward, damn the consequences.

"You know what's going to happen to the nonbelievers, Johnny. Your god is vengeful; it doesn't matter how good or evil a person is, they're all going to be punished for their lack of faith, in eternal agony and torment. Hurting me won't change that fact, and you know it. Are you still so eager to bring about this paradise?"

[Mephistophilis]

Simon roll Psychoanalysis.