Janusz had gotten changed into what he considered casual wear. He was walking down the hallway towards the main room when his phone buzzed.
Opening up his messages Janusz held his phone in silence for a few seconds before making his response.
‘Janusz.’
It was the only thing he wrote before pocketing his phone and leaving. As he was waking up the stairs again, towards the door, Tamara yelled out.
“Where are you going?”
“Out to see a friend.”
“Oh. Will you be back tonight?”
“Maybe.” He paused. “Goodnight.”
He left the home, lifting up his hood and bandana. Janusz paused, looking around the crowded streets for a moment or two, then turning right and proceeding down to the fighting ring that Kovrov ran. He’d no clue if he’d actually see Kovrov there. He didn’t really care, either way.
The fighting ring wasn’t far. It was a bit closer to the lower levels, but just enough so you could stay out of radar of the patrols of the enforcement around here. Of course they came around sometimes, Jan was living proof of that. But rarely did they ever care what the ring did, unless some wanted criminal was hiding out here.
It was a busy place.
'Alexa' She sent the message back. So he hadn't put his phone back into the pocket dimension, good. A slight smirk tugged on her lips and rested there as she waited for news on his location. She wasn't going to go to where he was, but it would be nice to know his whereabouts. Especially given how dangerous he had the potential to be. It would take a moment or two, but it would come soon enough. Her people were effect after all.
That's my husks name. she added on as an afterthought. It was probably smart to put some reason behind the name.
Janusz took a seat at the busy fight club. He was by the sidelines, looking out to the fenced arena. Rarely did the ring use real humans. No, they preferred robots around here. Sometimes they were bots that looked like humans, other times they were more animal like. It was interesting on what the humans would do for entertainment, what they would throw their money at sometimes…Jan glanced as someone; speak of the devil; threw some cash right at the ring. The opponents were two machines. One on wheels, the other quadruped. He could see their controllers on either side.
Jan never paid too much attention to the fights, unless something came of interest. He’d almost figured the same for this match..but something caught his eyes. His sight, cleared up for the time being, caught the symbol. Deluge Networks. A name he hadn’t heard in years. Jan had thought they’d went bankrupt. Apparently, he was wrong. The symbol was a silver triangle, half red half yellow dot in centre.
The match was over in under 30 seconds, when the quadruped DN bot fried the systems of the wheeled one with an electric charge. Janusz watched them take out both of the robots..watched to see if he saw the uniform of the Deluge Networks personnel, but nothing showed up. Maybe someone had gotten ahold of one of their machines? Not many people knew about DN, after all. All aside from the enforcement which had ran a case against DN a few years ago.
Janusz made a note to do some research whenever he got the chance. He leaned back in his seat.
Alexa finally got word of Janusz whereabouts. He was at Kovrov's fighting ring. Kovrov wasn't within her gang area exactly, but he and she did business on occasion. He paid her a small fee once a month and she didn't send people to burn the building down. It really wasn't that large of a fee anyway compared to what the thing made on a daily basis.
She twirled the pen in her hand as she thought through her next actions. What was an Eldritch doing in a fighting ring anyway? That was for bots and idiotic humans who thought they could beat robots in entertainment purposes. Though she would admit that the blood in a human fight was always enjoyable to see.
Janusz stood up after some time, and decided to leave. He had no more business here. Now, his interested were turned to Deluge Networks. What had they done in the past, exactly?
They came close to uncovering the Eldritch, that’s what. Although they referred to the Eldritch under a different name; one that Janusz had yet to uncover, he knew their goals were not pretty. That’s why Janusz had done his best to uncover as much as information as he could about them. What he couldn’t find, he made. A case against the Networks, to take them down.
Apparently, that didn’t work so well if DN was back.he wasn’t sure to what extent, but he wasn’t going to wait until it was too late.
Janusz went back down the street, unsure of his next destination. Not back to Tamara’s place for sure, not that he had a problem with the human, it was just he needed something. Information. Janusz decided the next best option would be the police HQ, a tall building on the upper— no, top levels of the city. The main HQ that is.
He made his way over.
Alexa hummed a little as she heard that Janusz was coming up to the upper levels, or at least appeared to be. What could he be doing coming up here? Did he see something in the arena? Maybe she should get a list of the contenders for tonight and the bots they were using. Perhaps… Alexa hoped to god it didn't involve that company. Nothing happened in the city that she didn't know about (except for another Eldritch apparently), but news of Deluge Networks' work came to her far too late. At the very least the police seemed to take them down before Alexa had to get her hands dirty.
(Sorry for lack of response, had some family stuff)
The HQ was quite big and towering. Stairs, elevators, offices, all sorts of rooms. Janusz hadn’t seen all of them, yet he’d been working here for some time.
His appearance had gone unnoticed aside from the occasional questions, often regarding wether or not he worked here (to which he had shown his badge in answer of). The walk wasn’t far, just obtain one of the many computers the headquarters had at disposal, and proceed to bring up some records.
From what he could see, DN was indeed back, just under ‘apparent’ new leadership. Weirdly enough no matter where Janusz attempted to look he wasn’t able to obtain much aside from the leader being the child of the former leader, which arose some suspicion within his mind. He brought up his phone and proceeded to look up the location of some of the facilities for DN, to which he noted that DN had significantly less ownership of space than before. It was probably only recently that they appeared. He made sure to slide the locations onto his phone for later use, perhaps to check it out later.
Once he was finished, Janusz left the HQ having no business here. So apparently he would probably be heading back ‘home’, given the fact there wasn’t much for him to do at this hour, and the fact he had no calls for work.
Janusz proceeded out, presumably back to Tamara’s.
(You're fine!)
Alexa had finally gotten the competitors from the arena and, damn it. She had to do something about this. Then word finally got to her about Janusz's whereabouts of him going to the police HQ. So he was a policeman, heh that would be fun to deal with. She technically was a lawyer so he would hopefully get used to being on both sides of the docket. Speaking of him, she pulled out her phone and shot a message out to him. She had debated having someone grab him but figured it would be better if he came to her of his own volition.
Need to speak with you. Come to Law's Law Firm in the upper levels. About, oh, 5 blocks to the left of where you are currently. When you get there ask for the boss, She was grinning and biting her lip as she added on, Oh and if you don't, I'll just have someone pick you up got it? Good.
Janusz glanced at his phone, stilling for a moment as he read the message. He looked up to the air for a second or two, then back down to the message displayed on his phone.
Where I am currently…
Janusz looked over, then took one final glance at his phone, making sure he remembered the directions. Once satisfied, he proceeded onwards with the directions he was given in the message. He’d rather not have someone sent for him. Pocketing his phone, Janusz moved at an even pace.
It wasn’t long before he arrived at the place. Law's Law Firm. He wasn’t going back now. Janusz entered the building, calling out, “I’m here for the boss.”
One of the secretaries stood up upon hearing Janusz's request. She had been notified that there was someone coming to see the boss but wasn't aware as to what this man looked like. However, she wasn't deterred and stepped up to the man, "Follow me, sir."
She turned and began walking back to the boss's office. She really hoped Ms. Law didn't get mad for bringing her the wrong person.
Janusz followed the secretary in silence, fixing his bandana as he walked. He wasn’t quite sure what Alexa wanted to speak to him about, only that she had called for him and he responded. Janusz made sure to study where he was walking, remembering the layout of this place, or at least the portion he was walking in.
The secretary led him around a good portion in an almost circular pattern before reaching a set of dark wood doors. She knocked a few times before a little light on the side lit up and then the secretary opened up the door.
Alexa was sitting on top of her desk rather than behind it swinging her legs as she smiled seeing Janusz, "Come on in. We've got a lot to talk about."
Janusz looked at Alexa upon the doors opening. He entered the room shortly after without a word. He observed the room as he entered, finally stopping in front of her desk.
“What is it, then?” He asked, keeping his tone even.
Alexa waved her hand and the secretary closed the door behind Janusz. She stopped swinging her legs, "I noticed you were at Kovrov's fighting ring, so surely you saw the DN bot? You know what DN is right? And how much of a threat it can be if they're back right?"
Janusz nodded. “I was there, and I did…notice them. Not any people, just their fighting bot.” He leaned back slightly, folding his arms. “I’m quite aware of the threat they can pose as well.” He had also gained some additional information, the fact that they were under new leadership still stood. But he’d wait to reveal that if asked in relation.
"Okay, so we're on the same page then," Alexa leaned back on her desk. She kept studying him for a few moments, before continuing on, "I also know that you went to the police station. You work there right? Don't answer that it's rhetorical, but you have to have information on the new DN. Mind sharing it with your new boss?"
Boss..?
There’s brief, visible detestation in his eyes for a moment or two, hard to notice. But Janusz remembers the deal and all, and he keeps his words from coming out.
What words do come out are the ones Alexa asked for, though. The information.
“I know that they’re under new leadership. It’s the child of the previous leader. You know, the leader of the previous DN. Claims to be different, too. Different than before. They claim to manufacture bots. Different types of robots.” He states his findings. “They probably only resurfaced recently. Within the past few months. Their territory; turf, whatever you want to call it is a lot smaller. They still have a lot of warehouses and factories, though. Most of their stuff is outside of the city as well.” He adds.
Boss… Might not have been the best word to use, but it was the word almost everyone here called her. So why should he be an exception? Though maybe she should explain her reasoning as to why she used that specific title with her fellow Eldritch at some point. Not now though, now she had something else to focus on.
She gave a slight nod at the information he gave to her and let out a hum of contemplation. So it was the son of the old DN leader that had taken over, most of their claims were probably false, though maybe held some truth to them. Though the fact that most of their factories and warehouses were outside of the city was bothersome, "I highly doubt he's that much different, especially if he's the old leader's kid. Same thing goes for the bots. At least they have to start from the ground up, so we have time to make a plan."
“Plan?” Janusz questions. “I typically just go straight in,” he speaks with a tad bit of smugness in his tone. For a moment there, it’s not Janusz speaking, it’s Shiondun. No, Janusz was different from Shiondun, he has to remind himself.
After a few seconds, he speaks again. “But that’s true. They’ll have to start from the ground up. I can see if I can plant a few things against DN to get the law enforcement’s attention on them again.”
"Oh if I was in my usual form I wouldn't need a plan. But I have appearances to keep up and so a plan is necessary," Alexa replied feeling Tazha slip through a little bit. She often found the two interchangeable even if she was supposed to be Alexa. She let out a slight sigh as she leaned on her hand, "That would be quite nice if you could do that. I can pick up the case as well so we have players in all departments."
“Yes, I can do that. I’ll just have to figure what to exactly say.” Regrettably, Janusz was also used to following orders. Well. He took what he was given, and spun it around to suit his needs. Thinking of something from scratch would be a bit more difficult. This would probably take him some time. Perhaps he could go out and stakeout the warehouse. He’d read that the closest DN warehouses were by the shipyard.
“Alright. Do you have any basis of a plan?” He asks.
"I don't have one yet," Alexa responded letting out a sigh and leaned back on her desk. She was trying to think on the fly and it was great that she didn't have all the pieces she wanted. Most of them were there yes, but she enjoyed having all her pawns for her to play around with. Her hand began to tap on the desk as she thought, "But I'll come up with something soon. As for coming up with something to tell the police? You could always mention that they were at the fighting ring. Remember? That's technically illegal."
“Yeah,” he glances off to the side, “but police don’t usually bother with stuff as minor as that. Maybe a few minor investigations, but nothing worth noting. I’m looking for something big, something that might get some of my guys down there.” He gestures to himself.
“A.K.A., something pretty illegal and maybe even corrupt. I’ll probably think of something at some point.” He doesn’t clarify what ‘his guys’ are, only that they’re probably in his branch of the enforcement.
Alexa nodded along and figured he was pretty high up in the police if it required some major crime for him to get involved. She hummed for a moment as she thought, “Could we possibly get them for patent infringement? They’re claiming they’re a new company right? But what if they were using illegal patents? Just throwing that thought out there.”
After a few moments of thought, Janusz nodded. “Yeah, I can see if I can get them for a few of those. In the meantime, I think I’ll try to think of something alongside it.” He folds his arms.
“So, what now?”
