(no subject)

[frostythehitman]

WHO: James, Li-Na, Derek, Zee, and anyone else!
WHERE: Zee's office, then Derek's apartment
WHEN: late on 2/5 through 2/12
WHAT: just a bit of light kidnapping!
WARNINGS: none yet


[ Come February 6th, Zee's office is empty and locked. Which is pretty odd, considering he said he'd be available from now on.

Anyone interested in investigating further, though, may find a few clues near his office to look into. Like security footage on the street, or a discarded cup of coffee that didn't quite make it to a trash can.

Are you up for the challenge of finding out where Zee Carlisle has gone to?

Please make new toplevels on this log and mark the date when they're supposed to take place, please! ]

Comments

2/5: plotting with Li-Na, James, and Derek

[frostythehitman]

[ Originally, Li-Na had suggested finding some time to meet with Zee and talk some sense into him. Which he assumed was code for "get him out by force." Which is why he's now called this meeting of the three of them to discuss exactly how, by force, they'll be getting him out. ]

[invocate]

[James is definitely going to have to clarify the intent of this meeting, because Li-Na is still back on page 'we should talk to Zee and tell him how concerned we are for his safety' and not page 'grand theft Zee.']

I really can't believe he'd stay anywhere near Retrospec after what Vanderweele did to the rest of them. You're right, James. His sense of self-preservation is extremely low.

[oh, and Li-Na brought coffee and muffins to this meeting. can't plot on an empty stomach. enjoy boys.]

[blondferret]

[Derek's taking a sip of his coffee (thank you Li-Na) and nods at Li-Na's comment.]

It's like as if he doesn't realize that going into that lions den, he's gonna die again.

[Derek is feeling extra mischievous this month and is also itching to use more spells. So, if he can, he'll gone along with whatever crazy idea James has. Though he's not entirely sure why Li-Na is here. Isn't she a goody two shoes?]

[frostythehitman]

[ James, meanwhile, has been emboldened by the latest goings-on in town. He's not normally so bold as to lead a group effort, but, well, here he is now.

He leans over the table, almost conspiratorially. ]

That's why we're gonna get him out of there ourselves. By force, if necessary.

[invocate]

[Li-Na is more or less used to how James reacts to things, so somehow she's not surprised when he suggests they should just force Zee to go along with... wait...]

Wait. Are you saying we should kidnap Zee?

[Because it sounds like James just said they should kidnap Zee.]

[blondferret]

[Derek smirks.]

It's not like kidnapping him would be hard.

[frostythehitman]

It's not kidnapping, it's rescuing.

[ He raises an eyebrow at Derek's cockiness. ]

Yeah? What makes you so sure?

[invocate]

[Li-Na is not sure Zee will see it that way...]

I don't think it'll be easy just because he got murdered once, Derek. If anything that'll put him more on guard.

[blondferret]

[Derek points his himself.]

Hello, wizard. Magic! Like to see him fend off my full-body bind curse.

late 2/5: the actual kidnapping with Li-Na, James, Derek, and Zee

[frostythehitman]

[ Now that their plan is set and ready to go, they're all standing outside the front door to Zee's office. James puts a hand on the doorknob, but doesn't turn it quite yet. Instead, he turns to look at Li-Na and Derek for one last confirmation that they're ready. ]

[invocate]

[Li-Na looks down at the latte in her hand. Just a nice, simple, vanilla latte.. with a little something extra mixed in. She doesn't like taking this approach, but if Zee is going to insist on behaving recklessly, then they need to protect him.

She hopes the accompanying vanilla cupcake from The Confectionary softens the blow a little.

Taking a deep breath, she knocks on the door of Zee's office.]

Zee? It's Li-Na.

[blondferret]

[Derek holds back in the shadows until he's needed. Let Li-Na doing her thing. His wand is wrapped around his wand, ready to move Zee, when they were ready.]

[recollecters]

[Meanwhile, there's Zee. Meanwhile there's Zee who's 100% unaware that he's being conspired against and after his last conversation with Li-Na he was sort of expecting this. There's a crash from somewhere behind the door and a soft "damnit" as something's kicked over, but nevertheless he'll approach from the other side and open the door.]

Hey. [Well. That's a start, and his eyes are trained moreso on the coffee and Li-Na, though they shift to James who's still in front of the door. Derek, having ducked away, goes unnoticed for the moment.] You're here late, aren't you?

[frostythehitman]

[ James shrugs, trying to keep things light and nonchalant. ]

I just got off work. And we all figured, why wait any longer to drop by? It's only the first time we're seeing you in the flesh since you died.

[invocate]

We were talking, and we realized we wanted to visit you. So... here we are.

[Li-Na holds up the cup of coffee and the box containing the cupcake, giving Zee a smile.]

I did promise you a latte. For your birthday. Sorry it's late.

[Most people wouldn't think Li-Na capable of artifice. But like Lenalee before her, Li-Na is able to mask her true feelings with a smile.]

[blondferret]

[From the shadows Derek can only imagine what kind of smile Li-Na is pulling. Probably one that is innocent and sweet looking. Derek is just gonna silently wonder what Li-Na'a face would look like if you pissed her off and she gets back at you by offering you a cupcake laced with... who knows what...

Still, he hopes Zee takes the bait and chugs down that coffee and eats the cupcake. FALL FOR IT ZEE!]

[recollecters]

[...yeah, they had talked about it, hadn't they? Zee pauses for a moment, looking both Li-Na and James over. If it were anyone else, he might have been even more suspicious, but...they have his trust.]

...sorry I'm late. [There's a grin, and he steps aside so they can enter the office if they want while also holding a hand out to take the cup of coffee.] Come in then. And ignore the mess.

[Because when they look past him they'll see stacks and stacks of cardboard boxes and papers and books.]

[frostythehitman]

[ Stop trusting shady people, Zee!! How many times do we have to teach you this lesson, old man.

James steps in and looks around. Man, how much stuff does Zee even have? He really does intend to stay and work with Retrospec long-term even with Vanderweele fully infiltrating it, huh.

As he motions for the coffee, James tries to give Li-Na a glance. He kind of doesn't want to drug Zee until they know for sure if he's gonna come easy or not. But it's not like he can say anything out loud about it now. It's all up to Li-Na to decide.

In the meantime, he's just gonna...keep trying to sound chill and calm and totally not like he's in the middle of executing a kidnapping. ]

So you're really moving into this new office? You're actually gonna stay with Retrospec even after Vanderweele wormed his way in and messed with everyone?

2/6 - Investigation begins

[megatechbody]

[Mariko is not one for being paranoid but once she hits the third knock on Zee's door, it's hard to stifle her discomfort. Idly she thinks of who to call about this - Togusa is immediately off of the list considering how much she's been bitching about the cyberbrain. Tatsuo is out for that reason too.

With a sigh she looks around again, taking in details as she tries not to think about the one phone call she could make.]

[blessmefather]

I don't think he's in.

[ Matt was just arriving and tapping around the corner with his cane. Hello Mari. They're cool in this version of reality or at least try to be for Tatsuo's sake, right? He hopes so, Tatsuo's talk about the other life without marriage and Molly and the extended Murdock family makes him wonder about most of his relationships. It's easy to lose track of who remembers what. ]

I don't hear anyone in there.

[megatechbody]

[Her heartbeat speeds for a moment, partly in surprise - though another dial-up doesn't help things either. Instead she tries to breathe through the discomfort without sighing. But it's Matt and at least she can trust him with weirdness.]

Just hoping against hope, is all. What are you here for?

[blessmefather]

I was hoping to talk to Zee one on one but I guess I chose the wrong time to stop by.

[ Are they supposed to make appointments to talk? Matt run his fingers over his watch. ]

Awfully late for a lunch break.

[megatechbody]

Yeah, no kidding. If I were the suspicious type, I'd guess he was trying to dodge u--

[Despite her best effort, the 's' in 'us' ends up a pained hiss. Under the shallow and her heartbeat, there's an odd electric whine that cuts off just as her breathing starts to even back out.

Under her breath, she grumbles - partly forgetting who she's with.]

We need him and I can't put him through a window - even if it'll make me feel better.

[blessmefather]

[ Zee could be avoiding face to face meetings. Matt is about to suggest when she hisses and a sound he'd expect to hear from an appliance or wall seems to come from somewhere inside her. She has a device in her pocket? Or an implant. Matt attempts to reason his head during the split second he inhales, about to ask her how she's feeling. Her grumble makes no more sense. ]

Mari?

[ He tilts his head, frowing in concern. ]

[megatechbody]

Huh?

[Her tone is hard to read, the frustration and disorientation mingling as the ringing stops. And now Matt is focused on her and she chooses to huff her discomfort.]

Y-yeah. Yeah. I'm fine, I just...

[She's used to the lie 'I'm fine', 'It's fine.' but if anyone knows what this feels like besides Togusa, it's probably Matt.]

I have a new piece of tech...in my head... and the feedback from it is getting to me.