IC Contact post for Mask or Menace

[dun_moch]

"You have reached Count Dooku. I regret that I am unavailable to answer your hail. Kindly leave a message, and I shall respond at the earliest opportunity."

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[dun_moch]

I will see you there shortly, then.

[Dooku actually shows up wearing his casual (by his standards) clothes rather than his standard cape or suit, the better to make this discreet. As he takes in the surroundings, he approves of Kaneki's taste in locations. This place is very low-profile.]

[ghoulking]

[ Kaneki is already inside sipping his coffee peacefully as he flips through the network. When he spots the man, he nods at him, calling him closer with a small friendly smile.

thank you for not bringing your cape along ]

Thank you for coming, Count. It has been quite the busy couple of days, hasn't it?

[dun_moch]

[You know you love his cape, Kaneki.]

Indeed it has. I'm pleased to see you are still unharmed after this terrible disaster.

[ghoulking]

[ rule number one: no capes ]

I am. But it's difficult to harm me. [ he smiles ] I'm glad you aren't either.

And I noticed you have been searching for an explanation of what happened. Prison search, correct?

[dun_moch]

Correct.

[Dooku hushes his voice dramatically, more out of habit than anything else. His investigation was no crime and no secret, but he still couldn't rule out the possibility of unfriendly ears.]

My allies and I made inquiries at the Maurtia Falls penitentiary. It's quite clear to me that the escape of those inmates was planned and co-ordinated... almost certainly by the same powers that plunged our cities into darkness.

[ghoulking]

[ Kaneki reaches for his cup to take a sip, while he hears the man in silent. ]

Besides the device found on the scene, was there any indication that the Russians were involved? [ kaneki knows about the german speaking perpetrators, and he also knows Liechtenstein uses german as their primary language, however he wants to focus on a known enemy for now. This was the first time German-speaking-people were involved, after all. ]

[dun_moch]

[Dooku does not order anything for the moment, preferring to steeple his fingers on the table while looking thoughtful.]

There was not. I also find myself wondering why the Russians would need a nullifier at a location with no imPorts, or how it could have been destroyed in this event.

It is possible someone is trying to frame our Soviet friends.

[It's just speculation at this point, but there is something about the nullifier's presence that doesn't sit entirely right with the Count's cunning, mistrustful mind. Every part of the blackout and breakout was precise and efficient, except for leaving behind that obvious clue. Rather suspicious, in Dooku's view.]

[ghoulking]

[ Leaving an evidence like that sure sounds idiotic for people who were able to hack and black-out the imPort network. That's the part that really bugs Kaneki because that network isn't that easy to poke.

So framing wouldn't be so weird. But why would they - assuming Liechtenstein is to blame. It's a Russia-ally, so if it was planned by this country, why would an ally risk getting Russia in more trouble than it is? Then again, Russia did a lot of things that would earn a much more violent response (like directly invading USA territory), but USA didn't directly attack them (instead they preferred to attack a russia-ally). If invasion didn't work, would releasing prisoners to attack imPorts be the stepping stone needed for actual retaliation? It sounds silly. ]

The person who posted to the network - they mentioned the prisoners were... strange. [ The whole hostility towards imPorts is understandable, but they still went after super-powered people which they couldn't be able to face so easily. Instead of escaping, they went after the people that could send them to jail with a snap of fingers. ] What did they mean by that?

[dun_moch]

[Dooku lifts a hand from the table to stroke his beard.]

A member of our team had the power to sense thoughts and feelings within an area. They were... unsettled by the intensity of the hatred that was linked to the inmates.

It is possible that the 417 had their hostility toward imPorts increased through some other means. Beyond their own rage and madness.

[ghoulking]

[ he nods softly ]

Did the government say anything about this? Or you didn't share your findings with them? [ Kaneki wouldn't blame them, honestly ]

[dun_moch]

[Dooku's lip curls.]

The government saw fit to obstruct our investigation in certain key areas. In return, it is possible that sharing our information may have... slipped my mind, let us say.

[Deny him access to surveillance videos, will you?]

In any event, I have heard nothing of the government's response to this attack. It would appear that once again, matters are being left in imPort hands to resolve.

[ghoulking]

As usual. [ nothing new there. imPorts had to save themselves, imPorts had to be the ones researching - just like the government likes, right? They don't have to do a thing, let the "heroes" do it for them. They are being used in the end, though the result certainly interests everyone.

kaneki sighs ]

Someone predicted this.

Well, not the prison break, but the blackout. [ and the network misfires and issues ]

[dun_moch]

[That gets a raised eyebrow from the Count. He leans forward.]

Is that so. And do you know who made this prediction, and how?

[His mind immediately goes to a precognitive imPort, like Raina. Dooku didn't pay attention to the stories about Ludwig in the news, considering such fringe ravings to be unworthy of his attention. His elitism blinds him sometimes.]

[ghoulking]

A man who calls himself Ludwig da Vinci. He is a conspiracy theorist, who thinks the government is spying on him and everyone and sending chemtrails to the air- [ Kaneki's tone gives away he finds this person pretty crazy and that was in fact one of the things he found out about him. ]

But one of his theories were blackouts and network misfires- all of that happened. So, no matter how crazy he is, someone tipped him off. [ because no, Ludwig can't predict shit. ]

[dun_moch]

Perhaps he is wiser than he first appears.

[Dooku's mistrust of government surveillance is both perpetual and, in his experience, entirely well-founded.]

Someone should speak to this 'da Vinci' and find out what he knows- and how. He could be the key to this mystery.

[ghoulking]

Already have.

[ that thing about Kaneki being a lot more pro-active now - yeah. It's showing again ]

I've met him, talked to him, and he isn't very wise, no. But he did get a tip from someone in Liechtenstein. [ OF ALL THE PLACES............. ] Which is a Russian ally, so we cannot go there.

[dun_moch]

Liechtenstein?

[It takes the Count a moment to recall the country. He has focused his research on learning about Earth's most powerful and important nations, and Liechtenstein is... well, itself.]

Perhaps a way can be found to enter their borders without Russian reprisal. This aggression against us cannot go unanswered.

[ghoulking]

It's in Europe, surrounded by Switzerland and Austria. And they speak German there. [ Dooku's friend did mention someone speaking that language, right? ]

But thanks to our nanites, we can not leave the country unnoticed, specially if we are travelling to a country allied to Russia. [ so yeah, they can't just do as they please ]

I was thinking of going to the government with this information. [ might as well, since there is nothing he can do with it. But the government might at least stop pretending to be completely oblivious ]

[dun_moch]

German. That language was overheard at the prison in Maurtia Falls- shortly before the convicts rose up.

[And if the speakers were agents of a Russian-allied country, then maybe there is greater significance to that nullifier than deception or sloppiness.]

As long as the nanites control our movements, it would appear you have no other option. But I am concerned with what the government will do with the information. Perhaps they will do nothing. Or they may take revenge, as they did in Debrecen last year.

[ghoulking]

[ Kaneki nods softly. ]

If they do react right away, it means they have information on how and why it happened. After all, they wouldn't retaliate without having information first. [ even when the Russians took over American cities and invaded USA soil, they only retaliated after they have LACKEY and information on it. ]

I do not think they'll share anything with us, but at least they reaction can tell us more than what we know now. [ since there is no other way to gather more information. Darlene really tried but it was impossible to go any further ]

[dun_moch]

[The Count frowns thoughtfully. He does not like being bottlenecked.]

You are correct. There is little else we can do, as long as we cannot leave the United States unnoticed...

Tell me, though. What course of action would you choose, if the nanites were not within us?

[ghoulking]

I'd go there myself. [ he doesn't even need to think too hard about it. Kaneki is pretty driven when he wants to find things. ]

[dun_moch]

I am sure that you would. And would your mission in Liechtenstein be simply to obtain answers to your questions? Or would you go there to identify the source of this threat... and eliminate it?

[ghoulking]

It'd depend on the exact source. [ he isn't going to destroy a whole country, if the Russians are behind it ]

If it's a relatively small group, like the Hornets, the plan would be to stop all of their operations and destroy all of their little hideout. [ kaneki leans back in his chair as he grabs his coffee once again to take a sip ] Allowing dangerous groups like that to run amok and do whatever they want isn't wise.

[dun_moch]

A sound plan.

[Dooku takes his own sip, looking appreciative- and not of the coffee. Kaneki is truly realizing the potential Dooku has always seen in him, now.]

And if the attack was the work of a larger group? Ordered by a particular government, perhaps?