[SgtBoomCloud]

The table that the trio of investigators found their troll friend was perfect: quiet and off in the corner, away from prying eyes and ears.  As they arrived, Ktestov looked up and waved them over. Food and drink were already served, the troll making picks based on how he saw each eat before...appetizers mostly, carnivorous for himself and Slobbertooth, and a bowl of laesse for bnc.  As they sat down, the big guy folded his hands together on the table in front of him.

"Glad returned in one piece.  Slob, there is story for hole in chest yes?  Father of girlfriend find you?". He cracked a short smile before growing serious.  "Business.  Met with KE detective, agreed to give info in exchanging for report on incident details.  As we suspect, SS death professional job.  Three shots with pistol, likely from car.  No witnesses approach KE.  More still..". He took a breath, turning to bnc.  "SS link secured in KE system, could not get permission, apologies.  But definitely professional job...all devices in 50 meters of hit went offline at time of incident."

Guessing by your looks, you find good info yeah?"

[SquirrelDude]

"We found out that he likes rubber ducks, high-end military equipment, and flechette rounds." Slobbertooth said patting his chest.

"Oh, and we found a book full of comm codes. So there's that."

[SquirrelDude]

Slobbertooth looked over at Torrent and bnc.

"So where do you two think we should go from here."

[Sabato Kuroi]

Torrent made himself comfortable and scanned the table for any dangerous food.His intolerance to gluten was annoying but at least he could enjoy meat.

He was about to enjoy his first bite when Slobbertooth adressed him. 

"It seems dear old Spice was well connected.The book is filled with the names of  fences and dealers.One name stood out: Lung Feng, a restaurant owner,recently got on Scary Spice's bad side. Maybe we should investigate further."

[Jack_Spade]

Krestov's commlink took this dramatic appropriate moment to buzz with a short message from the detective:
<<Just got another report back from toxicology: Although there was nothing in the blood of the corpse beside some day old nova coke, the spilled coffee contained a Laes derivative. Pretty potent - tox guesses a memory loss of up to 24 hours. Also, someone drank from the paper cup that was not the victim. DNA is inconclusive - the techs guess it's some kind of highly illegal gene-treatment for fast deteriorating dead cells.>>

[Volker]

bnc smiles as she sees her favourite Indian dish. Normal yoghurt, mueslied yoghurt and Greek yoghurt get boring over time. Thus, Indian yoghurt is an awesome change. She gives Krestov a thankful kiss on the cheek before she attacks the lassie, although her passion for eating is still very limited. She stretches out, thinks for a moment, then raises her voice.

I assume that Krestov shares this information. If not, I'll edit the post.

"As I see it, we have two leads from now on. Three, if you want me to kill myself.
"The first lead is the most obvious. We found this notebook, and we should try and find out whether there is a direct connection between Lung Feng and Scary Salsa.
"The second lead is the place where he got killed. Maybe I can find a trace in some of the gear they blocked during the incident. Maybe they missed something. Maybe we find traces. At least, we can try. That is, I can try.
"Three, the suicidal one ... I try to enter KE's system and extract what info they have. Best case, we find what info they have. Regular case, I'm as dead as I should long have been after what I do to my body. Worst case, we're all dead."

As she looks into the group, Krestov's 'link buzzes and her huge bodyguard shares his information about the Laes derivative. She turns to Krestov. "We found Laes at the brothel. Loads of laes. Which coffee are we talking of? How did the Spicey get it? Where was he, when did it happen? Also, what exactly did he refer to when he talked of this gene-treatment? The second person who drank from the cup or the laes itself?"

[SgtBoomCloud]

Krestov shifted a bit as his gears turned at the pace they normally do for him, eyes half-shut as he fiddled about with the pieces of this puzzle.  "Is correct on two leads we having, yes.  If Lung Feng double-crossing Spice, then chance Feng is suspect very likely.  Worth checking.  As for location, I approve of bnc check, but advising caution.  Gut is telling me that this was no quick dirty revenge killing..."  Heaving a sigh, he sat up.

"Likely found coffee at Stuffer Shack he was killed outside of.  The fact that other dna found on it telling me killer or someone involved there as well.  Gene treatment...I know little, but enough knowing it was for other person, and very expensive tool for assassin type."  His voice grew quiet...quiet for him at least.  "The widespread hacking, the fact Spice was more chrome than myself, the expensive gene tools, they telling me one thing: someone put lot of cred into making Spice dead.  Krestov advising caution, yeah?"

[SquirrelDude]

Slobbertooth patted the troll on the back while taking a sip of his soykaf. "Don't worry Krestov, they won't put nearly as much money into killing us. We're cheap."

[Volker]

bnc frowns. "There's yet another lead, then. We found a box of laes in the brothel. Laes is usually a knockout drug with a side effect of deleting a person's memory. The stuff he drank, however, is a derivative. Like a modification, if you want to put it like that. Fry thing, doesn't knock you out, but still wipes out your memory. You can call me blond n00b cub if the one missing dose in the box we secured is not the named derivative.

"This tells us one thing: Either Scary Spice knew that he was going to take it or at least to prepare it - or someone else used his room in the brothel.

"So, here is my working hypothesis: Scary Spice was a professional. He contained more chrome than our van, and maybe the gene modification was supposed to make him stronger still, that is, tougher. Someone hired him to do something dirty and he agreed under the condition that he wipe out his memory after the deed. And so he did, but his Johnson hat a plan B ready and made sure, there is no way SS would talk to anyone about anything anymore.

"I'm not sure, though. I know it's far-fetched. Just to make sure there is no misunderstanding: Scary Spice came out of the stuffer shack. In his coffee, there was this laes derivative. The same derivative was found in his system. Another person, too, drank from the same coffee. Shortly after that, SS was geeked. Right?

"Maybe the personnal at the shack cam remeber something, too. I suggest we move."

[SgtBoomCloud]

Krestov gave a nod at bnc's suggestion, finishing his meal and paying for it while waiting for the others to do the same.  He was quiet for some time until they got into the van, his voice booming out a bit as he realized something.

"Spice never took laes.  Would have been found in his system, and was not, just novacoke.  Meaning coffee was not Spice's...went into Stuffer Shack with killer, or at least lure..."  He clutched his head as he tried to think.  "Hrmph...assassin with laes perfect...no memory of killing, total denying.  Killer was someone close, likely Lung Feng or..."  He paused, eyes flicking up.  "Long shot...Sunkid."  He shook his head at his own notion.

"Too many unknowns.  Maybe following leads help."

[Volker]

"It was not in his system? How can a autopsy find something that was not in his body?
"Anyway, that changes matters. We should check those two places anyway. I vote for the place of the murder first. Any other voices?"

[Sabato Kuroi]

"Just a thought.He had merchandise at the brothel he needed to push.Maybe he met one of his fences at Stuffer Shack.But it couldn't have been Lung Feng.He did not  trust that fragger.So...Sunkid maybe?Let's assume that Spice knew about the laes.Let's also assume he was the one to put it in the coffee.And finally let's assume the one who drank from it did so before Spice was geeked.Isn't Sunkid old? Orcs live fast and burn out fast, right?Maybe the old orc is under treatment."

Torrent's eyes suddenly widen


"Wait a minute!It was Sunkid!He did say Spice wanted to meet him for breakfast, tell him about a secure place to move the stuff! Now that's why he can't remember shit!"


After posting Torrent's theory I went back and read Sunkid's story! Haha, It actually matches his story

[SquirrelDude]

"Oh drek."

"You're telling me the only person who would know where the stash is, is the person who hired us to find it, and he doesn't know because he's willfully made himself an amnesiac?"

[Jack_Spade]

The conversation was again interrupted - this time by torrents commlink. The icon displayed matched Moma Chau's place.
The caller - a gorgeous looking girl in her mid twenties, blond hair, blue eyes and with just a touch to much makeup became visible. Without waiting for a reply she began:
"Scary, where the hell are you? Why didn't you give me your new number? I had to log into the house system to get your code. Tiffany said you brought some friends with you. You know you don't have to hide anyone from me. You know that I like to share.
Oh, also someone broke into your room after you left. Benny tried to catch him, but it was some kind of Chinese wizard couple. They totally cleaned out your stuff."

[SgtBoomCloud]

Krestov stared silently as the pieces started to fit together...  so our employer may have been witness...as good as it is for us anyway.. Clearing his throat, he thought harder before speaking up.  "Laes has no agent to reversing effects, I'm assuming.  Hm...oh.". He was thumbing through the book and had come across the shadow clinic appointment.

"This entry...is no right.  Spice not having density and synaptic boosters to checking on.  Has reflex and skill wires instead. Perhaps clinic third place in our list to check?". Any further speculation got interrupted by Torrent's comcall, the troll attempting to listen in with a brow raised.