2019.05.18: Siren Cosmetics

Siren Cosmetics
A lead from the Wyrm Gym sends the Legend's Guardians pack to check out a local Siren Cosmetics office.
Players	Dragomir, Ryla, Lleutrim, and Wazi as ST.
Location	Somewhere in Prospect.
Spheres	Gaian Garou

It is Saturday evening, not quite 6pm, and the city of Prospect is abuzz with life and traffic as the first hints of night life begin. The moon is full and the air cool, not quite warm, the sun hidden behind grey clouds above.

The address for the local branch of Siren Cosmetics takes the pack to the outer, eastern edge of Prospect to a land of strip malls and neighborhoods, moving away from the bay toward the mountains. It is almost suburbia, but not quite.

The small office building holding Siren Cosmetics stands alone at one end of a strip mall, with a 24/7 gym, a Dunkin Donuts, and a few small restaurants sharing the same lot. According to the pack's information, Siren Cosmetics' business hours are a strict 9am to 3pm, Monday through Friday.

Ryla arrives as she does, stepping out of her vehicle. She parks a block down and walks up, eyes open and looking around the parking lot, waiting to see the rest of her pack. She scans the businesses, and activity, trying to get a read on the situation.

There is no rumble of a motorcycle. Donnachaidh has parked the Softail (rather than his nice bike) along the street of the residentual area right behind the mall. He takes his time to saunter up through the trees and then pauses to check out the locations of all of the security cameras, if any, that he can locate. Thin black leather motorcycle gloves are still on his hands and he has a biker's neoprene lower facial cover to keep the bugs out of his teeth. It covers his beard and makes the lower half of his face look like a grinning skull. How sweet. His gaze roams to locate the rest of his packmates as they arrive - but he doesn't step out into the open yet.

Big moon, big trouble. Dragomir has made his way to the location to see what's going on. The man is wearing a stylish black suit and a silver button down shirt left half open. His hair has been slicked back and his goatee trimmed. He is carrying what appears to be a gym bag over his shoulder as he walks down the street. The man's intense blue eyes scans the area attentively, scoping out this and that as he goes.

Arriving solo to the scene is a loose dog, padding quietly along the sidewalk to the strip mall. Waziyata moves easily and quietly in her breed form, the gift of Dove disguising her nature from casual observers. Her tail wags a little as she moves along the cool pavement, ears up and alert. A few of the gym-goers give her nervous looks.

The office is closed, with frosted glass preventing an easy view of the interior, except for the entry office which is lit up, an empty security or courtesy desk in plain view with computer monitors before the glass doubledoor bearing the Siren Cosmetics logo.

Cameras are easy to spot, several on the outside of the building, covering all walls, and one plainly visible inside, pointed directly down at the entry door. There is no evidence of security personnel inside the front office at this hour, but a security car cruises lazily through the strip mall's parking lot.

Ryla clicks in her heels as she spies Wazi. She is checking out the parking lot though, watching movement and looking for an pattern with the security car, or who is parking where for what.

The area is calm and quiet, with the only disturbance being the presence of the Garou themselves and the Curse. Cars pass the strip mall on the street, occasionally pulling in or out of the parking lot for their passengers to visit the restaurants or gym.

The Gym is full of treadmills and stationary bikes, with other equipment toward the back and dozens of people using the facilities. A little chinese restaurant and mexican restaurant are nearly side by side, with Siren Cosmetics bringing up the outer edge. A dozen other small businesses line the opposite end of the strip mall, most of them closed on weekends or after five.

Waziyata meanders along the sidewalk, moving up toward the chinese restaurant, tail wagging slowly. She pauses a moment to offer a begging, doggy grin to a couple that hesitates, staring at her. After a moment they continue on their way, and the dog continues on her own way, no treat obtained.

As she moves past the restaraunt, her nose drops to the ground and the dog begins snuffling about, moving now toward the Siren Cosmetics offices. Not in a beeline, but a zigzag along the pavement, as though looking for dropped food.

As it happens, Lleu has a fence between himself and the back of the mall so he has to boost himself up and get over it. He's dropped down on the mall side and takes a look around. He uses the mind link to let his packmates know what he sees and waits to find out if they want him to start disabling cameras or stay back. There is a back door and Lleu studies it from his vantage, not yet having stepped out to cross the alley in back. He is quiet, relaxed and patient as he listens for minklink updates on what the others are doing or finding out.

Waziyata continues to slowly meander along the sidewalk toward the office building, sniffing along the pavement. After a few more moments she turns and settles against the wall of the cinese restaurant, not quite to Siren Cosmetics, and settles in to watch the pedestrians with the air of a lazy stray dog. Nothing interesting to see here, just a dog lazing in the late afternoon.

The security car continues to cruise lazily along the perimeter of the parking lot, lights flashing silent yellow, a cheesy fake badge on either door. The driver is focused on piloting the vehicle as a group of young women cross quickly in front of the car. The man riding shotgun looks idly over the parking lot and locks eyes with Dragomir. He blinks, sitting up a little in alarm before he scowls at the massive Russian and settles back into his chair, nudging the driver.

Once he's disabled the security camera that has a view of the back alley, Lleutrim walks on out to cross over to the dumpster. A gloved hand reaches out to slide the side door open on the opposite side of the alley camera and the former Marine climbs up into it. Whee! The door is left open slightly to admit light. Donnachaidh starts the lovely job of sorting through their trash to see if he can find things related to the Cosmetics office.

Dragomir catches sight of the car, and passenger and nods his head. A spread of a brutal grin on his face before he crosses the street to make his way towards the gym. He takes the bag off his shoulder and starts to carry it at his side instead with one of those half-gloved hands of his.

Ryla walks on out of the parking lot by the street, striding down the sidewalk just like she owns it, she continues passed the buildings until she spots a place to quickly duck in and around the back of the building. It will take her a bit, but eventually she will begin to approach where Lleu is.

The men in the security car watch Dragomir as he makes his way across to the gym, and the car swings around to follow slowly and cruise past the front of that building, the man in the passenger seat watching as the Russian gets himself situatated inside. They're too distracted to notice Ryla slipping away around the corner.

Waziyata yawns widely in her spot on the sidewalk out front, ears swiveling as she monitors the area, waiting patiently. Some of her attention is on the security car cruising after Dragomir, but she isn't alarmed.

As Lleutrim digs through the dumpster out back, it doesn't take long to hate the job. Strange, sticky fluids seep from some of the bags, insects and roaches skitter about in the darkness, and the predominant smell is putrid, rotting food. His fingers dip into slimy, gross, wet substances and discarded food trash multiple times before be starts finding anything that might be promising. Loose paper in a thin plastic garbage sack, partially soiled by spilled coffee, and bearing a Siren Cosmetics corporate header. Some sort of corporate memo, perhaps?

Yeah, he /knew/ he'd be dumpster diving so he can deal with cleaning up his hands afterwards. For now the former Marine h as certainly smelled worse. Lleu stays focused on what he's doing though he keeps an ear and an eye out for things going on outside of the dumpster. Very softly he says to himself, "Bingo. Here's one." That bag with the papers in it is lifted and set on top of other trash, then torn open. The Galliard takes a moment to remove a package of wet wipes from a jacket pocket and uses one to clean his hands and fingers off enough that he may handle the papers without mucking them up. His pale grey eyes start skimming text, using the light spilling in through the partly open side door. A glance up to send a thought Ryla's direction.

Dragomir heads into the gym, stopping at the counter to get his temporary membership and sign the paperwork he needs to. He turns his head to keep eye contact with the guys in the cruiser occasionally - keeping the attention on himself. He takes a moment to look around the gym, taking note of the people there with a flare of his nostrils.

Ryla finds a place to keep out of the way, and down until Lleu is ready to disable the cameras again. She begins preparing herself to open the door with her gift.

The documents are mostly unimportant-seeming memos and emails that have been printed out, at first glance. Dress code (strictly "elegant professional", with guidelines more suited to fashion models than office workers), a request for office supplies, a list of candidates for a vacant receptionist position, nothing especially damning or interesting, though there are more papers to dig through. Another bag beneath that one holds shredded papers, likely a better source if much more difficult to dig through.

Waziyata yawns again, before climbing back to her feet and beginning to meander around the backside of the buildings, padding past the chinese restaurant once more and rounding the corner out of sight with the sudden purpose of a dog on the move.

Lleutrim grabs both bags, both the one he was looking through as well as the one with the shredded papers. He spends a moment to disable the camera again and uses the mind link to let Ryla know that it's down again. He then steps out and stashes both bags behind the dumpster where he can grab them on his way back out later. Another wet wipe to clean his hands and once he sees Ryla, he gives her a nod. The Galliard looks at the back door and concentrates on the alarm inside...

Ryla waits for Lleu to do his thing. Getting the first nod, and then watching for the second one, she is ready for her turn. As soon as it is clear, she calls upon those spirits that taught her how to open things and focusing using her hand as a focal point she hears the pop! Door is open!

As Ryla moves up to make use of her gift, the lock of the door clicks. But the door stays shut, with no obvious latch or handle to open it.

Waziyata rounds the corner and steps into the alleyway, padding quietly to the other two, ears perking up as she nears. She chuffs softly, looking between the two homids and the closed door.

Lleutrim puts a hand out to stop Ryla when she finds the door is still closed and they have to pry it open. He whispers low, "Wait." He steps back and climbs up the side of the dumpster and reaches up to see how securely the camera is attached, then he strikes it /hard/ as he can to bust the thing right off and rip out the wiring! It's not the sort of thing that's usually hooked up to trigger the security alarm unless this is an unusual situation. At least they won't have to worry about it on the way back out!

After dealing with that, Lleu hops back down and blows out a breath. His hand probably aches, "OK, alarm again..." As he thinks about disabling that damn alarm again, Lleu's fingers and hands change so that he has long claws to set into the crack of the door to see if he can pry it open now it's unlocked...

The door is peeled open with moderate difficulty, even with Lleutrim's shapechanged claws. He drags it open and the darkened room beyond is revealed - a windowless, back storage room lined with box-covered shelves and what appears to be chest freezers or refrigerators along the walls. Waziyata hangs nearby, ears perked up as she looks past the two into the building.

Ryla waits for that door to be drup open, and peeks her head in. Looking to Wazi and Lleu, she nods and then takes a step inside. Being the smaller of them all she moves low and quiet.

Lleutrim waits and watches while Ryla steps in. Once she does, he waits to see if Waziyata is joining them before he'll close the door - because the alarm he's suspended won't last and it'll soon be active once more. He's got just enough gnosis left to open it again on their way out. Then he'll step past Ryla to flip on the light switch in the storage room if she hasn't already. Lleu whispers low, "Let's have a look and see what's in here, shall we?"

Waziyata steps into the room after Ryla and Lleutrim, ears still up and alert as she prowls along the short aisle of shelves. The room itself is only about eight feet by ten feet, but filled with boxes and freezers. The Ahroun makes her way to the far door and turns to look toward Ryla and Lleutrim once more, ears perking up with a sudden thought. <<Cameras here?>>

The freezers are all held shut with padlocks, and to answer the wolf's question, a more careful examination of the room doesn't reveal any security cameras in here. The boxes in the shelves appear to be hundreds upon hundreds of stored files, each with a subject name attached, in alphabetical order. Most subjects seem, at a glance, to be women though there are occasional men's names mixed in.

Ryla looks around, noting names as she sees them. The Freezers though - those have most of her attention. She whispers, "Why would they need all of these freezers? For cosmetics?" She is puzzled and looks over them to figure out if she can figure a way to open it with out breaking anything.

"I don't see any cameras in here. Try using your gift you used on the door to open these freezers while I look through these files?" Lleu also whispers, putting words to action. "You'd think they'd keep these files on a computer, not in bulky paper copies." So he pulls one out and has a look at what sort of information they are recording.

Ryla uses her gift as suggested and gets the padlock open. "No dead bodies... no dead bodies..." She slowly opens it up after popping the padlock and removing it. She peers in, holding her breath wondering what is behind door number 1!

Waziyata remains by the door deeper into the building, listening, watching, scenting the air. On guard.

As Lleutrim shuffles through the files, he finds much of the information blacked out. Each file contains a headshot of the 'subject', a project code name, and a status: Rejected, with all other details blacked out. Some files are significantly thicker than others, and each box seems to contain subjects from the same project code names. The first box is 'Project: Pink'.

Meanwhile, as Ryla opens the first freezer, she finds neatly stored lab supplies, glass jars and plastic packages, each labeled neatly. A bit of digging reveals that much of this freezer seems to be holding tissue samples from human subjects, carefully preserved.

Dragomir was standing at the counter, looking over a pamphlet and discussing membership with one of the trainers. He turns his head just faintly, catching something that alerts is predatory instincts. A low faint growl emits from his lips, and he turns to look towards the trainer and says, "You just aren't extreme enough for me." And he turns to start walking outside. The door is thrown open and he starts making his way out in an intercept course towards the cruiser as it rounds the corner and starts making its way back towards Siren Cosmetics now. The bag is tossed lightly to the side, and the man extends his half-gloved hands outwards as he walks into the street.

The security cruiser turns and starts toward Siren Cosmetics at a slightly increased speed, the man in the passenger seat speaking urgently to the driver. The two are focused on their target, the passenger lifting a radio transceiver to his face and speaking into it next. Neither seems to be paying any mind to Dragomir as the car moves at the speed of an average jogger across the parking lot.

Inside the storage room, Waziyata watches as Lleutrim begins to dig frantically through boxes, turning each aside with only a glance - several sample files from each box showing only "Rejected" with redaction lines. Project Pink shows up in several more boxes, followed by Project Aurora, then Project Tulip.

Waziyata growls softly, turning about in place, stepping away from the door deeper into the facility and moving to the center of the room, attention split between both doors as she waits on her packmates. She doesn't waste her breath speaking physically.

Ryla moves over then to see the fridge. Her gift working well tonight, as she pops another padlock and takes ahold of the door and slowly opens it next. Looking for more samples, although being a fridge and not a freezer she is expecting something else.

Indeed, Lleu is looking through the files but trying not to disrupt things too much. Moving as quickly as he may, he growls, "These are all the rejects. I'm not finding anything current." He keeps looking and sighs, "See what's in the fridge, then we better get the hell out of here. Maybe we can come back again later." Frustration is in his whisper, "We need a Glasswalker who could hack their computers, damn it."

Inside the refrigerator, Ryla discovers an assortment of liquid samples. Blood, urine, less savory bodily fluids and excretions, and another array of chemicals. Perhaps more interesting, a sealed pastel pink cardboard box with the Siren Cosmetics logo stamped on the side is at the bottom, right in front. Beneath the corporate logo is a stylized "Entice" in red feminine script reminiscent of lipstick.

Outside, as Dragomir steps blindly out into the street ahead of the security car, there is a squeal of brakes and a shouted curse as the slow-moving car bumps gently into him. It's enough to stagger a man, at best, probably not even enough to leave a real bruise, but a definite impact. The two security men sit for a moment as if in shock, then the car is thrown into park and both doors open. The driver climbs out with a call for Dragomir, "Sir! You alright?" The passenger runs for Siren Cosmetics, radio still in hand.

Waziyata remains where she is, shifting her weight impatiently from foot to foot, glancing from door to door as she waits for the two homids. After a few moments she turns and pads quietly over to the fire exit door, growling quietly.

Dragomir is struck by the car, and goes sprawling backwards and falls over. One half-gloved hand goes to his leg and he growls out in 'pain'. "Ahh, mother fucker! You fucking hit me!" He lifts his head back, and intense blue eyes scan the man who checks on him. Then also the man who has taken off bolting. "Where the fuck do you think you're going!.. get back here." He turns and staggers to get up, gripping his leg. "Mother fucking renta-cop, pieces of shit.. do you have any idea how much this suit costs?. " he reaches up a hand into the face of the one that's asking him if he's alright, snapping his calloused fingers right before his eyes and says, "What's your names.. and badge numbers. I'll have your asses for running me over and running like bitches."

Finally, as Lleu is ready to give up and run for the exit, he opens yet another box and finds something new. This box is full of files labeled "Status: Candidate" for "Project: Dark Star". Many details are still blacked out, but the sections labeled "Biography" and "Affiliation" are visible, with additional pages beneath the cover sheet.

For her part, Waziyata takes up position beside the fire exit, again growling softly as she braces herself. She hesitates a moment, glancing back to her packmates and chuffs quietly. <<Camera outside. What do we do?>>

Ryla grabs the product and shuts the door to the fridge. She replaces the lock and makes sure the other one is done as well. She looks to see if there is a bag or box she can dump it in to conceal the pretty pick box. Looking to the others she questions with her eyes how they want to exit.

The rent-a-cop with Dragomir blanches at the man's outburst, lifting his hands in a staying gesture, "Whoa man, whoa, whoa. We didn't even hit you that hart. You're gonna be okay, alright? It's gonna be fine, dude. Sir. You can have all that, but, let me check you over. Okay? I've got first aid training."

The other reaches the Siren Cosmetics office front and charges to the corner, rounding it for the alleyway. Meanwhile, gym patrons are gathering in a nervous huddle, watching the pissed off crazy rich man and the security guard.

"Grab the box and whatever you think is most useful to help us investigate what they are up to here." That to Ryla's question. Lleu suddenly stops his searching through the files, "Bingo. I'm ready to go." That entire file box is going with him, "The door alarm may be loud but we already set one off. Let's go!" He may need that last bit of gnosis before they are out this yet.

Dragomir looks like he's starting to calm down, nodding his head when the man offers medical training. "Alright.. alright.. it just hurts.." then he steps towards the man, creating a blindspot between him and the crowd gathering behind him. He takes the inside of the man's wrist and brings his hand up hard into Dragomir's face - making it look like the man just punched him. Dragomir staggers backwards and grips his face with his other hand. "Ah! I'll give you my wallet! You psycho!.. stop hitting me!" Half staggering backwards and call towards the gym-rats, "Help!"

The guard begins to relax as well, when Dragomir seems to be calming down. He leans, reaching toward the giant Russian and falls directly into the trap, clenching his hand into a fist and grunting in surprise as his own fist is slammed into the bigger man's face against his will. He gapes down at Dragomir a moment, then scowls and glances toward the crowd, then Siren Cosmetics, "Son of a bitch," he mutters. Then he's taking a step back and away from Dragomir, eyeing him warily, hand moving for the radio on his belt. "Just stay down, man. Stay right where you are, alright?"

The crowd is eating up the drama, multiple people watching wide-eyed and an excited energy moving through the little crowd. "Holy shit, what'd that guy do?" One voice asks. Another adds, "Aren't these guys supposed to just call the real cops for trouble?"

Inside the building, Waziyata glances from Lleutrim to Ryla, then snorts softly and looks toward the nearest rejected box. A split second later, it bursts into flames. Then the wolf glances to Lleu and growl-groans quietly, even as the fire alarm shrills loudly and the sprinkler system bursts to life. Then, she turns and throws herself bodily at the fire escape door, slamming her side against its release bar and knocking it open for her to land in the alleyway outside.

Outside, the sound of the fire alarm is shockingly sudden as it bursts to life at the Siren Cosmetics building, drawing much of the crowd's attention to it even as the security guard speaks into his radio, calm and quiet: "Distraction. Request backup. Suspected Code Whiskey." Then he's scowling at Dragomir again, "Just stay down there, man. Don't make any more trouble, yeah?

Ryla will get near the door and wait for the others to exit with her. The pick box in hand, wrapped up in whatever she could find. Then Wazi bursts through the door and thus Ryla scampers out with her. She looks both directions to see who if anyone is out there.

A classic move for Lleutrim's benefit. There on the ground, seemingly prone.. When the fire alarm goes off, Dragomir' brings his foot around swiftly and kicks out the man's shin hard enough to take him off his feet. Then he rather suddenly gets up in the confusion, and walks towards the alleyway he tossed his bag. He reaches down to snag his bag and continues to walk with purpose.. and without even the slightest of a limp.

He's ready for trouble - Dragomir said he'd delay a response but the nearly silent alarm has been going for longer than he likes. Lleutrim bursts out the back along with the others. While they aren't worrying about adding the fire alarm to the mix, the Galliard does fire off his last parting shot of using his Jam Technology gift to deactivate the alley camera. At least no one is going to have footage to review to visually identify them! Lleu runs for the fence and if Ryla needs the help, he'll boost her up to climb it before he does. Wazi can turn her dog trick to slip away but Ryla might need a ride, fast. Donnachaidh's motorcycle is just on the other side of the line of trees...

Waziyata turns and charges toward the front end of the alleyway ahead of her two packmates, leaving them to deal with scaling the fence or following after her. It is the side most likely to have people rounding it to investigate the alarm and, sure enough, she barrels directly into the security guard just as he is rounding the corner. A massive dog hurls herself into him with a vicious barking, tumbling him to the ground with a shout of alarm. The dog stays upon the man, snapping and snarling in his face until she's sure her packmates have made it over the fence, then she is charging away from him into the parking lot and through the crowd of lookie-lous.

Out front, there is confusion and panic and anger as Dragomir's guard goes down from the sucker kick, then fails to catch the Russian. Within a minute or so, there is the sound of fire truck sirens approaching as the group slips away.

Ryla takes the help from Lleu over the fence and takes off with him to his bike. She'll follow his lead and direction to get out of Dodge and back to the hangar with the pack to regroup. Not letting go, she keeps that special package in hand.