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Recap:

Previously, you discovered that the Vice Administrator of GEC, Rebecca Shan, was a serial killer. Her husband, who you also suspected, turned out to be a child molester who killed mostly to continue his relationship with his wife.

On the orders of the VP, you tracked down the husband and wrested all this information from him before faking his death and handing him over to your underworld contacts.

With that out of the way, you conducted a short extermination from which you retrieved several live specimens, with the intention of selling them back to Crusty and Co.

Live damn you

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With a little manipulation, you’ve managed to get the van to autmatically follow the route of the Elevon as you drive back towards GEC HQ. You’re starting to have some interesting ideas about how to potentially utilize the Chaffeur app but you’re not quite sure the Illegal has the processing power to execute complex manuevers. Maybe if you upgraded it…

More immediately, you’re not looking forward to debriefing but luckily you’re going to take a little detour into a local restaurant where Crusty himself should be waiting for you.

The restaurant doesn’t look like much but you notice a slew of awards coatin the walls of the tiny vestibule. A waitress who is only debatably of working age, guides you to your table, where Crusty and Fang Lo are already waiting for you.

<Please sit, Vincent. You look like you’ve had a hard day. We’ve already ordered for you.>

You’re tempted to explain that you’ve already eaten today but it has been a few hours since that steak sandwich you had…

Choose a conversational topic to start with:

>this restaurant
>ask about Jeremy
>try to sell specimens
>ask about Fang Lo
>write-in

>>43829115
well just to start with?
>this restaurant

>>43829115
>ask about Fang Lo

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>>43829150
>>43829257

>going with first submission

<Nice of you to order for me and all but, uh, what did you order?>

Fang Lo and Crusty grin at one another and then at you, looking like sinister caricatures of themselves.

"Huo guo."

That... sounds familiar. But you can't recall exactly what it means right now. Maybe it's the head trauma or just forgetfulness.

<Well, this seems like a nice place...>

<It's excellent, we come here all the time.>

<Sometimes, you mean. And maybe less now. We wouldn't want the Gwai Lo to think he knows where to find us.>

The diminutive waitress returns, struggling under the load of three heavy plates. Fang Lo gets a nearly intact fish, Crusty has a bowl of noodles, and you have a bowl of steaming soup. The vapors sear your eyes and both Fang and Crusty look on eagerly to see your reaction to how it tastes.

>taste it now
>try and change the topic

>>43829340
>>taste it now
Ok time for a show, haha funny foreigner versus spicy food cage match.

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>>43829340
>>taste it now
Might regret using up this reaction image this early in the thread

>>43829368
>>43829496
>taste it now

You cautiously sift through the thick broth with an oversized spoon. Are they trying to take advantage of you with their spicy foreign foods?

Well, the jokes on them. Mama Esperanza had a mean way with the spices.

>Roll 3d6+3 to beat a 12

Rolled 5, 3, 7 + 3 = 18 (3d8 + 3)

>>43829533
We have +3 against spicy foods.

All this turkey captcha, how american.

Rolled 5, 3, 6 + 3 = 17 (3d6 + 3)

>>43829533

Rolled 1, 4, 1 + 3 = 9 (3d6 + 3)

>>43829533
God how did I mess that up.

Rolled 1, 6, 4 + 3 = 14 (3d6 + 3)

Rolled 3, 3, 2 + 3 = 11 (3d6 + 3)

>>43829533
Hoping for hilarious failure

>>43829544
>>43829561
>>43829562
>>43829577
>>43829585

>18,17,9
>Success!

As Fang and Crusty watch in amazement, you lift an entire pepper from the dish and gnaw on it in front of them, making eye contact all the while.

Then you call the waitress over.

<Take this back to the kitchen and tell your chef not to be such a discriminating prick. It needs more heat.>

She apologizes frantically and runs it back to the kitchen. Fang and Crusty look impressed.

<Where did you develop such a tolerance?>

<Home> you answer.

Crusty nods to Fang.

<I think he's ready.>

<Are you sure?>

<Make him the offer.>

<Vincent... we have recently begun to wonder how attached you really are to working for GEC, especially given your... current situation. Crusty has asked for and been given the authority to offfer you a place within our organization...>

The words hang in the air for a moment.

>Sure
>What about my leash?
>What would I be doing?
>How's the compensation?
>No. It's good working with you but no.
>write-in

>>43829690
>>What about my leash?
You did say there were branching upgrades coming.

Damn decisionmaking.

>>43829690
>>What about my leash?
Current situation with... Jeremy?

It is difficult finding a place to live with sonfu while commuting to work at megacorp without leading people right to him. Apparently.

I guess it depends on what Lopez says tonight.

>>43829723
>>43829775
Wait, add
>>write-in
"Situation? With all those guys attacking Tuesday?"

>>43829723
>>43829775
>>43829810

<What about the boss with her finger on my pop-pop button?>

<Assuming all goes well today during your debrief, we have finally managed to obtain a replacement surgeon after the loss of Doctor Tsaio who we believe is capable of operating on the device in your neck and ultimately removing it, though the process will be lengthy and not a little risky.>

Given the risks of your current predicament, you're not sure if this option is preferable or not....

>Ask about duties
>Ask about compensation
>Agree to work for them
>My situation?
>Turn them down
>write-in

>>43829835
>>My situation?

>>43829835
>>My situation?
Vince has been kinda too busy street racing to investigate just what that situation is.

>>43829835
>My situation?

>>43829857
>>43829971
>>43829991

<So what did you mean about my 'situation'. How would this extricate me from anything?>

Fang Lo practically leaps across the table, blood vessels bulging from the scar tissue below his collar.

<Are you dense? You explained your situation with Shan to me only a few hours ago!>

<Calm down man! You know perfectly well that Vincent is a little slow or maybe cautious, depending on how you look at it...>

"Gee, thanks Crusty."

"Anytime."

<But you do understand that having the bomb pulled from your neck would relieve you from any danger Mrs. Shan might threaten you with now that you've served her purposes, right?>

<I... think so.>

<Good.>

>ask about VTOL crash, explain that you thought they were talking about that... or your tail
>Ask about duties
>Ask about compensation
>Agree to work for them
>Turn them down
>write-in

>>43830008
>>ask about VTOL crash, explain that you thought they were talking about that... or your tail
They don't know about the tail yet.

It's a complication.

>>43830008
>Ask about duties

Wonder if this a better deal than being an Elite. I don't hate GEC particularly, just Mrs. Shan.

>>43830008
>Ask about duties
REMOVE SPECIMENS?

There's just so many of them everywhere.

We met a Lapras that knew Stun Spore Monday.

>>43830008
>>ask about VTOL crash, explain that you thought they were talking about that... or your tail
Dude needs to chill. Hey Simmons.

Wait, they don't know about the PROMOTIONS.

Shan was promoting Vince to Elite. Popping him would be suspicious... it's more like buying his silence.

Unless the Elite job is a death grinder. Do they even know about the Elite position?

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>43830035
>>43830029
>>43830084
>>43830097

Bonus points for realizing I accidentally cloned Lapras like when I swear I was just trying to plagiarize a nice plesiosaur crossed with a turtle.

Rolling for duties vs. VTOL crash.

>>43830166

<If I take this gig you're offering... what's the job like?>

<Not too different from what you're doing now to be honest. We're getting more and more reports of different creatures from around the country and the boss wants a specialist to help him catch them all. >

<For what purpose?>

<I dunno, maybe he'll train them to be his little minions.>

<In what, some kind of mutant gym?>

You all share a good laugh.

<No, he'll probably just have his eggheads dissect them. Everyone seems pretty interested in the recent epidemic of mutations and wants to capitalize on it. We're no different.>

<Of course, working for us might involve a bit more human extermination than you're done so far. If you're alright with that.>

>you never did explain to me what your organization is anyway
>is your leader that guy I met that one time...
>ask about compensation
>join them
>refuse
>write-in

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>>43830301
>some kind of mutant gym?>

>you never did explain to me what your organization is anyway
Funny, the promotion at Silph Co involves more human-exterminating too, just like Team Rocket here.

>>43830301
>>you never did explain to me what your organization is anyway

>>43830370
>>43830421

<Somehow I feel killing is going to be inevitable, no matter what path I take for career advancement.>

<Don't be so hard on yourself. Just look at us, we're well adjusted.>

The badly scarred peasant and largely toothless old man do their best impression of "well-adjusted" people. It's not very convincing and you decide to change gears slightly.

<You never did tell me what your organization is called.>

Crusty emits a harsh laugh.

<You haven't figured it out yet? Well, perhaps you could think of us as... the Remnant.>

<Remnant of what?>

>roll 3d6-1 to help Vince put the pieces together

Feel free to give your own answers, though Vince won't guess correctly unless you pass this roll.

Rolled 1, 3, 3 - 1 = 6 (3d6 - 1)

>>43830519

Rolled 3, 5, 5 - 1 = 12 (3d6 - 1)

>>43830519
The Chinese army remnants?

Rolled 5, 7, 8 - 1 = 19 (3d8 - 1)

>>43830519
Right, trying to restore actual government to Hong Kong instead of Megacorp-ocracy.

Rolled 3, 2, 2 - 1 = 6 (3d6 - 1)

>>43830519
dammit

>>43830608
>>43830581
>>43830609

>6,12... wait a second.

>>43830636

>6,12,6

Uh, gimme a minute to rewrite.

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>>43830581
>>43830608
>>43830609
>>43830636
>>43830799
>failure!

<Remnant of whatever you are, it doesn’t matter to me. What matters to me is what you’re offering.>

<We know what a businessman you are, Vincent. We would compensate you well for risking yourself, no string attached. Two grand a week and to sweeten the pot…>

Crusty snaps his fingers and the waitress reappears from the kitchen, lugging a heavy case inlaid with ornate golden designs.

The restaurant is empty aside from you, Crusty, and Fang so Crusty has no problem with revealing the contents to you right here. The case restraints click and the cover hits the table with a bang, rattling all the dishes.

<This will be yours, free. If you turn us down, then the deal goes forward as we arranged previously.>

>join them
>refuse
>write-in

>>43830920

That was quite the failure by the way.

>>43830940
So what's in the case? Coke?

>>43830920
Are they the remnants of Chiang Kai Shek's faction? Maybe the last party members of the Communist party? ARE THEY THE LAST DESCENDANTS OF THE CHINESE EMPEROR?

>>43830920
Is this like Pulp Fiction, we don't even know what's in it?

>write-in
Can we put off a decision until tomorrow?

Gotta find out where we lie with Shan, Lopez, the trial, the shadowruns, and consider whether you can juggle resolving your tail issue, and whether you'll ever get to race in the Street Prix. What day is the Prix?

>>43830963
>>43830999
>>43831011

Sorry anons, I thought you would recognize the flamethrower you ordered from the picture.

>Two grand a week
That's less than half what the "210 grand per annum" the GEC Elite program offers.

>>43830920
>>refuse
Polite as all fuck though.

>>43831011
>>43831097

>put off
>refuse

I'll let you guys consider a little more and remind you the the circumstances which first led you into contact with this faction may bear a little examination.

>>43831173
>may bear a little examination.

We thwarted a robbery of their drug business upstairs from a nightclub/robot whorehouse. (A robbery by who. Also there were tons of other subversive agents in the club.)

Weren't allowed to leave until making a visit to Giovanni to debrief.

And, of course, we needed their help to rescue Jeremy. Whose living situation is really precarious unless Vince goes underground completely as Gangster Dad.

>>43831173
>tfw we still don't know what that African-American patriot had in the box

>>43831173
Mention Mrs Shan actually made Vince an offer for double their pay rate.

But ultimately they know Vince needs them so he can't Dealmaster too hard.
>join them

>>43831097
Think of sonfu, sleepy. >>43831233

>>43831251

You guys really did lose the scent of that one, eh?

>>43831233
>>43831297


So, put off, refuse, or join?

I really don't want to roll for this, seeing as it's very important. So I'll make it a final destination. Reply only with the number of your choice in the next 10 minutes.

1-Refuse
2-Join
3-Try and put off

>>43831335
2

>>43831335
3

>>43831335
2

>>43831335
3

Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>43831385
>>43831388
>>43831460
>>43831477

I was just about to roll for it-

Nevermind, we'll go with put it off. It's the closest to a "compromise".

>>43831495

<I'm sorry, your offer is a good one but I need time to think.>

<I should have know...> mutters Fang and Crusty elbows him in the ribs, hard.

<Alright, the offer stands though. Throw in with us and the F-75 is free and your leash gone.>

<We should be talking business. I have a van full of mutarats with some kind of mite infestation. You interested?>

<Sure.>

>try to upsell the product
>setlle for the usual prices
>write in

>>43831567
>>settle for the usual prices
Should probably not lay about

>>43831567
>>settle for the usual prices


Also I wonder if they did this guy.

>>41554961
>Most of the wanted posters are for petty criminals, people who aren't stupid enough to get caught right away by the Scyths and not important enough for them to follow up on them either. The rewards for them are tiny, usually under $500. You do note, to your mild revulsion, that there's also a $1000 dollar reward for the successful capture of an "indentured employee" of MedCorp's named Chris Mathies who must have found some way to slip his leash. He's a youngish Caucasian guy with short cropped blond hair and a clean shaven face, though you imagine he's grown a beard and dyed everything by now.

Wait that reminds me after debrief Vince not only has to go to Shan's place he has to make an appointment at MedCorp about his nose.

>>43831607
>>43831660


With an extra two grand and change in your pocket and a stomach full of free hot pot, you're feeling pretty good. You still have to deal with the insane child murdering hyena bitch but at least you've got cash.

Parking the Elevon at GEC, you change out of your hazmat suit and prepare to give your presentation to the VP.

What do you want to bring with you?

Pick from the following:

>her daughter, awake
>he daughter, asleep
>your "trophies" from Mr. Shan
>leave daughter or trophies in the car

>>43831754
Reminder the little girl is dead as all fuck if we give her up to pedo mc gee

>>43831782
Is not. They can't make their own kid disappear and get away with it like they can strangers.

>>43831754
>>he daughter, asleep
They'll want the trophies at home, not at corporate HQ.

Also being asleep assures her that the daughter saw none of the killing of dad--the nominal reason for tranking her--nor that daughter blabbed anything to Vince.

Of course the cover story for employees in the hallway is gonna be hilarious.

>>43829115
>You’re starting to have some interesting ideas about how to potentially utilize the Chaffeur app but you’re not quite sure the Illegal has the processing power to execute complex manuevers. Maybe if you upgraded it…

It needs MORE POWER?

It never was described what its power ranking was, assumed it had the power level of the iMorph's CPU, since it mimicked its appearance.

>>43831831
>he honestly thinks this

>>43831754
>>he daughter, asleep
Vince is dead as fuck if he don't give her back

>>43831754
>>her daughter, asleep

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>>43831915
What are they gonna do, blame some Puerto Rican guy?

...Oh, shit.

>>43831886

It is strongly upgradeable but yes, the iMorph has more power for demanding functions like driving any better than a basic driverless AI

>>43831831
>>43831915
>>43831919

>daughter, asleep

You toss the girl over your shoulder and head straight up to Shan's office. The elevator hums slightly as you head upwards and that noise and the child's soft breathing are your only company in that tiny box.

When you enter Shan's office she turns almost immediately to greet you, wide-eyed.

"Vince! You brought back my little girl!"

She takes the child from you and holds her tight, stroking her hair before laying her to rest in a nearby chair.

"I take it you gave her something to help her sleep? That's very sweet of you."

"I try to be considerate."

"Well, speaking of considerations, I don't suppose you brought any evidence of my husbands... finale?"

You bring out your phone and replay his death on the surface of her desk for her, something she watches with rapt attention.

"And what did you do with his body?"

"Fed it to the rats I was assigned to exterminate. Then I burned the rats. There's nothing left of him except a few... trophies I took. You can have them DNA matched if you like, they're down in my car."

"Excellent, be a dear and just drop them off with the lab techs when you head downstairs..."

"Now Vince, you've done such a lovely job of this, I'm sure you'll be happy to know your recompense is on its way. In fact, it'll arrive on Monday, flown in from Australia."

"My recompense?"

She smiles.

"The elite we're bringing in to evaluate you. He's the best of the best, I made sure of it. Additionally, I'd like to reextend my offer of hospitality tonight. Perhaps you'd like to join my reunited clan for dinner?"

>Sure
>Maybe tomorrow
>Actually, I've got plans tonight

>>43832169
>>Sure
Time for more house of lies.

>>43832210
more like getting invited to join in on her weird shit
or getting axed

>>43832169
>Actually, I've got plans tonight

>>43832169
>>Sure
Then let's upgrade our new and wonderful toy. And also fix Vince's nose.

>>43832263
Shan already knows Vince wouldn't be into it, since he tattled on the house-husband and assumed she was innocent.

We have to maintain the ruse that we trust her innocence completely and are a complete moron.

>>43832169
>>Sure

In fact, offer to cook, Vince, since Shan lost a house-husband.

In fact insist on it. Can't trust the food doesn't have a micro-dose in it if Shan doesn't eat it first.

...Will we ever find out what Xi did with the extra microdose that QM forgot about?

>>43832210
>>43832263
>>43832278
>>43832282
>>43832308
>>43832352

Boy, >>43829496 really did blow their load early.

>>43832364

One of the few things I didn't forget about, it's still out there.

>Sure

"Sure, I don't have anything going on tonight and I do love spending time with a happy family."

You put on your most moral and upstanding expression and it seems to pass muster because she starts asking about what you'd like to eat.

>>43832364

You insist on doing the cooking yourself and offer to make empanadas for her and the children, an offer she admits is irresistible. She actually seems fairly aroused by your presence which makes you uncomfortable enough to back out as soon as you're able to work out the details of the little domestic supper you appear to have volunteered for.

Heading down a few floors, you debrief with Devlinson who is... are those tears?


>You alright, boss?
>(Pretend you don't notice)
>try and make a joke out of the situation
>write-in

>>43832447
>>You alright, boss?
It's the PROMOTIONS, isn't it.

>>43832447
>>You alright, boss?
Tears of...corporate paternal pride?

Losing his employeefu.

>>43832447
>>You alright, boss?

Devilson is an alright guy.

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>>43832485
>>43832541
>>43832628

>you alright

"Is uh, everything okay Dev?"

"Huh?," Devlinson sniffles. "Oh, Vince. I'm sorry, this is really unprofessional of me..."

"Don't be such a lady, Dev. What's wrong?"

"Nothing, really. Nothing. I was just thinking about your promotion and-"

"You were crying about losing me?"

"What? No, I'm getting a fat bonus for your performance actually. it's just that the whole affair brought back some... memories. You know how it is, when one thought leads to another."

Indeed you do.

He wipes his face with his grimy hands and tries to regain his composure somewhat.

"Ahhh. So. How did the rats go? I didn't get a callback from the clients..."

>they were overjoyed, no idea why they didn't call you
>I accidentally put them to sleep
>they fell asleep on their own before I finished the job but everything went smoothly
>write-in

>>43832263
We can have the Illegal give us a fake phone call we can pretend is an emergency to get the fuck out of there after dinner if we get a read on Mrs Shan and don't like the vibe we're picking up.

>>43832447
>>You alright, boss?

>>43832688
>>I accidentally put them to sleep
Sorry boss

>>43832688
Oh, right, those are Devlinson's friends. He'll find out in the morning anyway.

>>I accidentally put them to sleep

I mean, the trank grenades have way more range than they seemed to.

>>43832688
>I accidentally put them to sleep
>really need to tell people to clear out before I do my thing in the future

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>>43832785

They're more than a little OP and one of the things I've genuinely thought about retconning.

>>43832748
>>43832785
>>43832812

"So... I cleared out the infestation just fine, pretty regular muta-rats so I tranked 'em and burned 'em. There was just one minor issue that came up..."

"A minor issue?" Devlinson immediately presses you.

"I used some trank grenades from Pete. Kind of ended up knocking out the clients in the process."

"Jesus Vince, do you have any idea what kind of weird dreams those tranks give you?"

"Not really..."

"I tried 'em once. In small doses. I saw... things..."

Devlinson gets a faraway look in his eyes.

"Anyway, it's no biggie. They probably won't remember any of this tomorrow. You ready for your final assignment with me in the morning?"

>Our final assignment with you?
>Sure are!
>I am, but I'm going to miss you Devlinson.
>write-in

>>43832976
>>Our final assignment with you?
By the by what kinda things? Purely from a scientific curiosity of course.

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>>43832976
>>I am, but I'm going to miss you Devlinson.
So on Monday we answer to the 'strayan elite.

>>43832976
>myese
what.


>I am, but I'm going to miss you Devlinson.

>>43833001
>>43833015
>>43833116

"I was born ready. But I'm going to miss you Devlinson. You've been a good boss."

"And you've been a good employee, Vince. I've only known you for two weeks but - *sniff* - you're the greatest success story I've ever had."

He stands up, knocking a sheaf of miscellaneous papers to the floor. Is he going to, oh god, he is.

HRK.

The embrace crushes most of the air out of you.

"I just wish I had a little more time to milk you for my average quarterly employee performance numbers, Vince. We could have really had something together."

"...thanks. If you could let go now.."

"Oh, sorry."

And like that, the debriefing is over.

You head down to the parking garage and get the cooler from your car. It ways a ton but you lug it back to the elevator and carry it through the lab decon process before handing it over to the first lab employee you can find.

While you're down here, want to wave down Clarissa?

>yes
>no

>>43833295
>>yes
I know you have lots of exposition pre-written, from termite queen to Jeremy, right?

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>>43833295
>"I just wish I had a little more time to milk you for my average quarterly employee performance numbers, Vince. We could have really had something together."

>yes
From bossfu to sciencefu.

>>43833335

I was definitely supposed to, wasn't I.

:|

Nice quads by the way.

>>43833359

Writing right along.

>>43833295
>>yes
Shes the one who we drugged yeah?

>>43833295
>>yes

>>43833405
...No, they provided the drugs, and thought that they would only be used to visit Jeremy unofficially.

Not for escape of multiple specimens.

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>>43833405

No, she gave you the drug to use.

>>43833382

You track down Clarissa, who happens to be in the middle of dissecting some sort of absurdly ornamented beetle.

"Vincent." she says, acknowledging you without looking up from her work.

"Hey... Nice bug you've got there."

"Yup. We're trying to figure out what all the stuff on its back is. We thought it was fungal but it turns out it's a natural growth."

"So what brings you down here?"

>I was wondering if you could... discretely share some information with me on some of the specimens I've brought in
>I'd like to get my hands on one of those termite queens, for reasons
>Has the investigation finally cooled off?
>Write-in

>>43833441
>I was wondering if you could... discretely share some information with me on some of the specimens I've brought in

>>43833441
>>I was wondering if you could... discretely share some information with me on some of the specimens I've brought in
Also what the fuck IS that?

>>43833472
Copyright Gernot Kunz, 2011, obviously.

>>43833441
>>I was wondering if you could... discretely share some information with me on some of the specimens I've brought in
After we go through giant bats, mantises, Jeremy and termites, it segues right back into the new pet queen.

>>43833488
I think thats the guy who took the photo.

>>43833472

Treehopper. Thats one of the less crazy ones.

Short delay on this update, got a phonecall.

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>>43833521
I was mocking you. This is my mocking face.

http://treehoppers.insectmuseum.org/public/site/treehoppers/home/gallery

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>>43833609

Not posting best treehopper.

>>43833566

Okay, writing.

>>43833609
Wait a second. Are you mocking me now?

>>43833464
>>43833472
>>43833509

"Well, I had a teeny tiny favor to ask."

"It better not break any more rules this time."

"Just a tiny one."

"Ugh."

"I'd like access to internal GEC files on some of the specimens I've brought in."

"No."

"I'll pay you."

"How much?"

"$50 a pop."

"No."

"$100?"

"No."

"$200. Final offer."

"No."

"How much then?"

"$500 per file. And I can only get you one at a time. I need to go through a whole process to get that stuff decrypted"

>Negotiate for a lower price (write in how much and roll 3d6+2)
>Accept price, name a file
>Nevermind, lets talk about a termite queen.
>Nevermind, what happened to the investigation?
>Cya
>Write-in

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Rolled 2, 6, 4 + 2 = 14 (3d6 + 2)

>>43833740
>>43833748
>trip


>Accept price, name a file

Okay, the Yu file then if we only get one today.

...does she know how to feed and house the termites? I didn't think we'd go for official files here and figured they'd just chat.

>>43833748
>>Nevermind, what happened to the investigation?

>>43833748
>>Accept price, name a file
Those adorable termites.

>>43833812
>>43833830
>>43833842

Sometimes I wonder if a troll could do a convincing impersonation of me if I just permanently dropped the trip.

Anyway, writing for paying the troll toll and then asking about the termite queen.

>>43833878
We'll have to get a termite habitat with plenty of headroom for the colony's weird roof growths.

>>43833878
>>43833842
>>43833830
>>43833812

"Fine, $500. I need the file on Yu."

"Me?"

"No, Yu. The Bugboy?"

"Oh. Yeah, I can get that for you. We actually recently did some tests exposing ... well. We managed to recreate his symptoms."

"On a human?!"

"...On a muta-rat actually. It took some modification but we managed to pull it off."

"Jesus, you better make sure that thing doesn't get loose."

"Oh, we're being careful. Anyway, I'll get that file to you by tomorrow morning. Just meet me in the lunchroom."

"fine. Pay you now or later?"

"Now."

You slide the cash into her pocket as discretely as possible.

"Oh, and Vince? I have to ask you to do a favor for me."

"A favor? I thought we were in a business relationship now?"

She scowls at you.

"Follow me to the Control Lab, I need you to take something from there."

You follow dutifully and are surprised when she hands you a huge styrofoam crate.

"In here is one of the Queens you brought back from Vice Administrator Shan's house. It has already birthed a new colony but I need you to take it... Home with you."

"I have a file on it, but basically I want to run some tests outside the lab."

She gives you a USB stick, ostensibly containing the information on the Queen.

"Please, keep it alive."

>Obviously I'll keep it alive
>Do I get anything out of this?
>What kind of experiment are you hoping to run?
>write-in

>>43832976
I did notice three out of four specimens this week were resistant or immune to all toxins, including tranks.

>>43834051
>>Do I get anything out of this?
You know I shouldnt have to pay for info if I do this for you.

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>>43834051
>We managed to recreate his symptoms."
Well so much for having a monopoly on breeding a giant mantis army.

What will happen with two competing controllers in the field?

>What kind of experiment are you hoping to run?

>>43834136
>What will happen with two competing controllers in the field?
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5YaihAtnC4

And tactics/strategy.

>>43834051
>>Do I get anything out of this?
Well, the file, probably.

Also does the bugboy file explain the deal with Brother Michael. Why would it inspire a fear response if it was flagging him to be eaten.

>>43834224

So as not to keep you in suspense:

He was literally just terrified and infection had not progressed beyond initial contamination. Though he eventually would have developed into a full-blown case (with a 1 in 5 chance of turning out as a controller) he was instead merely marked him for consumption, as Brother Christopher was due to be.

>>43834136
If you were part of the test where you were to be injected with praying mantis DNA I have some good news and bad news the bad news is those tests are delayed indefinitely the good news we have a much better test fighting an army of mantis men pic of a rifle and follow the yellow line you'll know when the test starts

>>43834051
>>Obviously I'll keep it alive
OP is kill

>>43834084
>>43834136
>>43834224

"And what am I getting in return for this favor?"
"Another favor, somewhere down the road. You can count on it."

Honestly, you'd prefer something a little more tangible but having someone on the inside of GEC's lab isn't something you want to trample.

"Keep the crate somewhere cool until you load up the instructions on how to keep it happy. Once you've set that up, give me a call."

Clarissa hastily scrawls out her number and hands it to you.

"Don't fuck this up, Vince."
"I won't. Probably."
"Don't!"

She storms off, leaving you with the styrofoam crate in your arms. Something inside is shuffling around...

You put it down and look through a small clear portal at the contens. The termite queen is waggling it's legs on the bottom of it's comically oversized and chubby body as the colony moves it around inside the crate. It seems to be staring at you with glassy black eyes. Hmm.

A little later and you're putting it in the passenger seat of the Elevon. you turn the radio on and it plays.... cheerful steel drum music?

>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c9vR6ZGmlI

It's very relaxing somehow and makes you think of cruising along the coast somewhere in the SAN.

Gained:

>termite queen and colony
>termite file
>Invite to Shan's house

You still have a few hours before you have to be at Shan's, so there's time to carry out your plan. You turn the key in the ignition of the Elevon and roll out onto the street, the red tracking indicator blinking in the center of a GPS map on your Illegal.

>End Thread

Okay they didn't just GIVE UP on surveilling vince. The trait is still there.

So what are they doing now if they aren't tailing.

>>43834650

I'm going to archive and stick around to take questions, you guys did quite a lot in this rather short thread despite the lack of action. Color me impressed.

Also, soundcloud next week. Scout's honor.

>>43834650
>your plan
The nebulously stated, to be voted upon, plans?

It's cuz you still need to write the termite file, don't you.

That's also why Clarissa is so slow to get the files, not until tomorrow.

>>43834713

Yeah, I was a lazy shit. I have the information but it's not in "canon" form yet. I can answer questions about Jeremy if you have them though.

I could tell you some details about the termite too, but I kind of want to force that reveal into the next thread.

And the "plan" related to the tracker you forgot you put into Mr. Shan ;)

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>>43834753
Ah yes, the plan. Our diabolical plan. Question the plan at your peril.

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>>43834869

>>43834753
Sonic frequencies? Do the human infectees respond to control? Do they just have impulses when undirected?

They seem to deliberately evade vivisection by dying in a cloud of spores upon capture or loss of consciousness. They don't sleep?

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>>43834887
You have just the reaction image for every occasion somehow.

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>>43834934
Tumblr, /wsg/, and a helping of downthemall.

>>43834894

No sonic frequencies involved, though there is some pheromone synthesis that allows the sending of complex "messages" to insects. Human infectees do not respond to control, non-controller infectees desire primarily to create feeding fodder for the purpose of infecting more roaches and insects (this is what was going to happen to Brother Christopher and why the infectees mutilated Zheng before the Mantises started eating him, as their spores make fresh meat especially attractive.) They do not sleep, they are essentially zombies. You have encountered at least one other controller type infectee but she is no longer alive.

Daily reminder that racing quest is waiting in the wings and I'm kind of dying to run it.

>>43834991
what good are fresh controllers if they don't have non-brain-damaged impulses again?

>>43835109

Controllers aren't damaged at all, aside from their loss of vision and their desire to seek dark, damp places that are far from human contact.

It is hypothesized in the file that this is one of the reasons the original designers may have abandoned/discarded the project, as it keeps controllers from spreading the infection rapidly among fellow humans.

Only non-controller infectees are zombie-like.

The ratio of non-controllers to controllers is about 5:1

>>43835184

Should also note:

Original designers did not realize the extent of the pheromone control as controllers were only intended as vectors.

>>43835184
Are eye-exploding spores supposed to mark the now useless infectee for consumption, or whatever attacked it? Are food-marking spores different from normal spores, what marks the difference between foodmarking and spreading.

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>>43835184

>>43201977
>The two humanoids on the bottom floor finish with whatever they were working on and move back to start prowling like the other.

If that bitch am perfectly sane and rational, why were they mutilating Zheng with their brother infectee?

>>43835263

Both.

In both controllers and non-controllers, most of the fruiting bodies are in the lungs. In non-controllers, these fruiting bodies produce mainly spores that mark for consumption and as such they are much less infectious overall (you still wouldn't want to be exposed but you could probably overcome any infection with some half decent anti-fungals). The eye explosions basically signal that the non-controller is "done" and it becomes highly attractive to members of the Blattidia family, who it will contaminate if they feed upon it.

The roaches, along with the controllers, were always meant to be the main vectors of contamination. They're difficult to eradicate completely but the fungus is very dependent on non-controller assistance for spreading to new roach populations and growing existing ones.

>>43835386

I'm not certain but I think that post may be out of context or simply been easy to misread. One of the two humans doing the mutilation went upstairs, leaving one non-controller on that first floor (the doc who nearly nailed you with his eyes). The other humanoid was still in the lobby while they were doing that mutilation.

Or at least that's what I remember intending. That was a confusing scene to write.

Here is a chunk from my notes way back in thread one that sort of summarize what I've already said here.

Yu's fungus has a symbiotic relationship with cockroaches, which it uses to spread. Most of the time infected individuals become highly aggressive and immune to pain. Almost all of their natural mind is obliterated by the fungus and replaced by a driving urge to kill others by splitting them open. Once this is done, the infected deposits a load of spores which attract nearby roaches to feed on the deceased and ingest them. Infected roaches spread the fungus via contaminated feces and upon death, at which point a fungal load is dispersed into the nearby air and lingers for approximately two days. They gain a swarm-like mentality and use their contaminated feces to build insulated hives.

[1/2]

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>>43835390
>most of the fruiting bodies are in the lungs
>most
The rest being behind the eyes I guess.

Hopefully no roaches escaped the purifying flames.

>>43835486
[2/2]

Approximately one in five of the infected will become carriers, avoiding most of the negative aspects of infection like personality and intelligence obliteration. The original hope of the group that created the fungus was that these individuals would walk unseen amongst the larger population to spread the infection to new populations but the problems with this were three-fold. One, infected carriers still suffered some obvious negative impacts on their bodies. Their eyes cloud over with fungal growth and their breathing is eventually hampered by spore build-up in the lungs, making them easy to spot. Two, the fungus still has some impact on brain function and have an uncontrollable urge to seek places which are dark and moist. While this has the useful aspect of tending to bring them into contact with roach populations, it also causes them to self-isolate, limiting the effective spread of infection.

Finally, the fungus causes a symbiotic relationship between the carrier and infected cockroaches, who rely on the carrier to help create infected individuals that generate their food supply. Out of appreciation for this or, perhaps as the result of some pheromone that the carrier emits, there are generally a few roaches on the carriers body at any given time and they will alert the otherwise blind carrier to nearby persons and threats using their antennae.

I decided a long time ago not to apply the two day lingering thing because damn if that wouldn't have fucked up everything.

>>43835486
>easy to misread. One of the two humans doing the mutilation went upstairs,
Right yeah. It was ambiguous.
>There's a back door here but the humanoids are now moving actively around the floor. One moves upstairs...

It only said "the humanoids," which could be all of the three. Could be read as the wandering solitary one going upstairs.

>>43835502
>not to apply the two day lingering thing
Ha, yeah.

And it looks like from the veterinarian field study the infection taking hold takes about 12 hours, since they were still sane enough in the morning when calling Crusty.

Unless that phone call was a trick.

Jeremy has killer range on attracting mantises. Was he locked into "i'm in peril" panic pheromones after losing consciousness?

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>>43835527

Yeah, definitely my bad then. I don't have a ton of IRL GMing experience and I think it shows when I have to describe tricky tactical situations.

Which sucks, cuz exterminator quest is all about tricky situations.

On the bright side, I have a certain IRL locale in mind for Friday's assignment, which should be fun.

We are also archived, which is something I forgot to mention:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?searchall=exterminator+quest

Vote or don't, these last few threads are all slowly moving the pieces into place for the next "week" of exterminator, not to mention the rapidly approaching weekend, which should be full of testifying and racing. And you really should get back to your apartment, if only to pick up your clothes.

>>43835621

Yes. He was.

The phonecall was quite authentic. No one even knew Jeremy was there.

>>43835641

this is me. I don't know why but I have to keep manually reentering my trip all of a sudden.

>>43835666
Well, the Doc knew, and he was the one who made the phone call.

...Man, if only Vince had bought flash drives before the vet incident, he could have duplicated all the data on the secretary's phone and narrowed down who was the single survivor on staff.

>>43835641
So how many days has it been since we've seen Amanda?

>>43835811
My money is on the secretary we just walked in the room and fired

>>43835824

Well I haven't finished the exterminator quest timeline yet, you left her house yesterday morning, pissed her off, went on a crazy street racing adventure without ever coming home, woke back up in a van, and did everything you did today.

So getting close to two days. Hopefully the booze you took is *really* good.

>roll a d100 for booze quality if you like

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>>43835824
Literally yesterday.

>>43835852
The definition of "survivor" is "someone who is still alive," not someone Vince riddled with bullets. The mysterious survivor has never been seen except on thermal imaging, but their identity could be determined by process of elimination by comparing who was on shift and who Vince successfully euthanized.

>>43829340
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_pot#Mainland_China

>>43836409

I'm not sure what you're trying to tell me or if the post is even intended for me.

It has been a very long time since I had hot pot though.

>>43835502
Oh right, I guess if the spores break down over time that explains why Jeremy's mask wouldn't need cleaning or replacing regularly due to spore buildup.

Once again, the day is saved, thanks to... entropy and decay.

>>43836458
No, just there as a reference.

Next time, phone upgrades. An app for penetra-vision?

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>>43836533
>cleaning the mask

Genuinely never occurred to me.

It's times like this when I miss having sperg friends to run my ideas past.

>>43836550

Sort of answered that in the ask.fm. I've scheduled a reminder to research it but I think it is very likely. More a question of how much penetration you'll get.

Heh, penetration.

>>43836569
You misplaced them?

Maybe tonight, 4chan can be your sperg friend.

>>43836628

Unemployment and dropping out of college to get a shitty certification will lose them and all the rest of your friends.

But you're right, anons are always there when I need my dose of sperg.