John Action didn't particularly like days off...technically, he never had them. Even though his presence wasn't required at the precinct house and he was technically off duty, he always had to channel his energies into something practical. This morning, after breakfast, it was calisthenics.
"Hey, Action, how's it going? Giving that punch bag hell?"
Action stopped his workout and turned to see who it was who was talking to him. It turned out to be Spenser Lam: An old contact from his days pounding the San Myshuno beat. Spenser saw all, heard all, and knew what was happening on the street. He used to own a convenience store, until it got robbed, hit and firebombed too many times. Now he lives on his retirement fund, but he was still the man to seek out if you needed information or a favour.
"Hey, Spenser! How's the old neighbourhood?" asked Action.
"A lot quieter when you sent that mob packing" replied Spenser. "Still, you're not missing much these days...it's become an artist's haven and that just gives them the excuse to paint their horrible, brightly coloured scribbles all over the walls, the sidewalk, anything really. So how's life in the 'burbs? Suiting you well?"
"Well enough...at least I don't have to worry about my neighbours here..." said Action, looking around at all the houses and it was true: He was fortunate enough to be living around decent folk, some groovy, some square but all of them honest and good company. But one of them, one who was a good buddy, had lost his way a bit: Jeremy Saint. Action suspected he'd been brainwashed by his new employers, the Landgraabs, into hating him and another neighbour, Suzy Humphries. But based on new information Jeremy's girlfriend, Barbara, had given him he was hatching a plan. Maybe Spenser could help?
"Say, Spenser, do you still have contacts on the street? I need a few items; nothing that would get you into trouble."
"What do you need, Action?"
"Workmen's overalls, one with the name of an electrical company or something that like...you know, the kind electricians wear when they're fixing something for a client. I'll need a suitable hat to go with it, like a cap, and a fake I.D. badge."
"Fake I.D., Action? I thought you said this was not going to get me into trouble!"
"No, it's not like a driver's licence or passport. I mean a badge giving a false name, fake company, you know like a costume piece. I want a complete outfit that would make me look like an electrician going to a place to fix some wiring."
"I won't ask why you need it, but I'll look into it" replied Spenser. Action was going to elaborate on his plan a little more but he noticed Nancy Landgraab jogging past so he put his finger to his lips to hush Spenser.
"Appreciate it, Spenser. Let me know how you get on and...this is between us, OK?"
"You got a deal, Action"
Spenser not only delivered on the goods, he did so by that same evening. Action thought through his plan once more in his mind. Get in, have a nose around, get the evidence and...importantly...get out again.
THE NEXT DAY
Today was another day off for Action, but he had made such plans it was virtually a work day anyway. A lot of what he'd be doing would rely on his police training. He headed over to the central business district in order to go to one building in particular: The headquarters of The Landgraab Corporation.
Action was carrying a dark brown carpet bag. Inside were some of the things he would be needing for this adventure. The rest had been concealed by Spenser in a warehouse adjacent to the Landgraab building.
First, he snuck behind a large pile of crates, well out of view from the street outside and changed into workman's overalls.
Next he searched the top of a crate, as Spenser had instructed him, and found a toolbox and the fake I.D. Now, equipped, he was ready for the next part.
Getting into the Landgraab Corporation building entrance was easy. No one suspects just another tradesman, but what to look for when inside? Barbara mentioned an underground level that Jeremy could only barely remember, but where could that place be? He tried a few doors and found one heavy one locked. The one opposite it in the corridor was at least open. He began his investigation there.
"This place is just a cover!" muttered Action under his breath. "The real business is conducted elsewhere!"
He was no closer to finding out what was going on here than before, so he left the room and went searching for someone who could give at least a hint as to where he could find this underground room. Acting the part of the hopelessly lost and frustrated workman he collared a woman who was coming down the stairs and heading for the room he'd just left. He figured she might just work here.
"Hey, lady, I'm trying to find the buildings manager for this joint" he said, trying to sound unsophisticated.
"Just my luck!" Action replied, in character. "Yeah, I'm from Acme Electronics..." he said, waving the fake ID card past her so quickly she didn't have time to look at it properly. "...My boss got a call from your Mr Stevens about an electrical problem in your basement level. I've been sent to fix it."
"Basement level? We don't have a basement level" she replied.
"I got told the problem was in the basement level...Miss?"
"Loh...Anahi Loh"
"You have a lovely name, Anahi, and I'm sure you can sort out this little problem I have here. You see I can't go back to my boss and say 'there's no basement at the Landgraab Building so you must have got that wrong' because he hates being wrong and tends to get a little crazy if you suggest he is. So is there anywhere...anywhere... in this building where Mr Stevens might have meant 'basement'?"
"Well...erm..." she began to say.
"If I don't sort this problem out then the wiring might degrade even more and that'll cause more headaches, troubles and cost your bosses more money down the line. I just need to fix it, get back to my boss and then everyone's happy."
Miss Loh looked around, her gaze settling on the big, heavy locked door on the other side of the corridor. "Well, there's that room over there...I'm not sure what's in it; I've heard it contains the boiler, junction boxes and telephone cables. But it's always kept locked."
"That'll be it then" said Action. "Oh, you wouldn't happen to have a key to that room, would you?"
"I'm Mr Stevens' assistant; I can get one for you. Wait here."
"I'll come with you...that way you don't have to trouble yourself coming all the way back down here" he said with a smile. Just in case you get any smart ideas about checking up on whether I'm meant to be here or not with your bosses.
She duly went and got the key and Action made sure he paid attention to his surroundings, again trying to find something suspicious. No basement they say, yet Jeremy said there was...interesting.
Once he had the key in his possession he went to the big locked door. There was a closed circuit TV camera on the wall next to him. He pulled the cap down firmly to obscure his features from it.
Once through the door he could see what the room contained. Huge machinery, pipes, ducts, control panels and boilers. Some looked like the kind of machinery you'd expect in the maintenance room of a large office building but there were others that looked advanced in technology or would look more at home at Cape Canaveral.
On the far wall was an elevator. Action walked over to inspect it and discovered it only had one button on it...marked 'down". So there's no basement level, eh? Naturally, he pushed the button. The elevator doors opened and he carefully stepped in.
The doors shut and the elevator went down. Action was wondering what lay at the bottom, what was down there that even the everyday staff of Landgraab's didn't know? The doors slid open and he soon found out.
It was a large, dark room and mostly featureless. The lighting was along the walls in little recessed sconces. On the opposite wall to the elevator was a large projector screen flanked by two big stereo speakers. In the centre was a square, raised dais which contained a futuristic looking white chair in the shape of a hollowed out egg.
"What the hell...?" muttered Action as he stepped out of the elevator and into the room. He took a look around, trying to work out what this room was for. Geoffrey or Nancy's private movie viewing room, perhaps? He thought. Why only the one chair though?
Action walked over to the chair and sat in it. Its shape engulfed him but other than its unusual shape there wasn't anything suspicious about it. It faced the projector screen front and square on and if he had to guess, he surmised that the chair was so shaped so that the viewer couldn't be distracted by anything other than what was shown on that screen.
There were no buttons, no control panels or anything that would make the projector work from here, so Action figured that must be controlled from another room....but where? He didn't want to linger here much longer in case he was discovered so he made his way back up to the ground floor.
He had discovered something suspicious but what the significance of that room was still a mystery. He decided to continue his investigation and do some more digging. He figured that the secret room must have a control centre that fed whatever sounds and images to the projector screen. So he was looking for a room that had some kind of video feed that was connected to the projector. Well, he was disguised as an electronic repairman...
Heading upstairs to where the corporate offices were he stopped another company type, who seemed that bit more senior by the way she walked around and bossed some of the other staff around.
"Excuse me, ma'am" said Action to her.
"Yes, what is it?" came a stern reply from the woman.
"I'm from the Acme Electrical Repairs Company...Mr Steven's called me yesterday to fix an electrical problem you have here."
"Mr Stevens is off sick today"
"So I gather...shame, if he were here I wouldn't have to trouble you now. I traced the electrical fault..."
"Really? Well done but it's not my department..."
"Like I said, I don't want to trouble you but is there anyone who's responsible for the security cameras because that's where the fault is?"
"Security video footage is handled from computer room" she replied. "And access to there is restricted"
"Dang! You see, the fault is in the camera cables but not downstairs...it's more likely to be a fault at the point of origin. You couldn't quickly arrange it so I can have a quick inspection of the computer room to see if the fault's there?" said Action, tilting his head and looking the woman in the eyes in order to put her on the spot for a quick response.
"The machinery in there is highly sophisticated and delicate. It's beyond a mere electrician's area of expertise"
"I'm sure it is, but I won't be touching any computer tapes or punch cards...I just want to look at the wiring" he never blinked once whilst talking to her.
She didn't say anything at first as she thought about the problem. Biting her lip she eventually nodded assent.
"Thank you, Miss. Can you show me the room?" he asked.
The woman reluctantly let him into the room in question. Before him Action saw a computer console very much like the one they had down at the 13th Precinct HQ. It was state of the art, that was for sure.
Action put his toolbox on a nearby desk and crouched down on the floor, looking for the wall power socket the computer was attached to. He looked back to see the woman still looking at him with an air of disapproval.
"It's often at the socket that you'll find the problem." he said, as a way of pacifying her. He unscrewed the socket from the wall, looked at the wiring, pretended to fix some loose ones, dusted off the fuses and then popped the socket back into the wall.
Standing up, he looked for an on switch on the computer. "Just switching it on to see if everything's working again..." he said.
"NO! DON'T TOUCH!" protested the woman.
"Oops, sorry. I hope nothing's wrong..." he said, looking at the viewscreen of the computer. It showed 9 images from cameras situated around the building. The one at the top left showed the mysterious basement room. So that room is controlled from here...interesting. He thought.
He switched the console off, packed up his tools and shut the box. "Well, everything seems to be working again. Sorry to trouble you, ma'am. It was a routine fix...nothing to trouble your bosses about." He made his way out of the building, briskly, before that woman could call security.
He quickly stepped back into the warehouse, found where he stored his clothes and changed back.
He was getting hungry now and he spotted a café next door to the office block. He casually walked in and saw they served one of his favourite dishes; cannoli. "I'll get that and a cup of coffee, black" he said to the barista.
As he was about to take a seat, he heard a voice calling his name.
"Detective Action!"
Action looked around and saw Geoffrey Landgraab sitting at one of the outdoor tables. He was waving to Action and was dressed in his athletic gear. Action couldn't blank Landgraab so he took up the offer to sit next to him.
"This isn't your neighbourhood, Detective. Is there trouble in this part of town?" Landgraab asked.
"You tell me" Action replied.
"It's a peaceful, law abiding area. I doubt there's anything here you'd be interested in."
"My interests are many and varied"
"As are mine, Detective. However they do seem to come into contact from time to time."
"I investigate crimes, Landgraab. If your interests are in conflict with mine then that tells me you're up to no good."
"Please, call me Geoffrey...I feel we are beyond stiff formalities now. I didn't say our interests are in conflict; I said they came into contact and, believe me, there's no crime to investigate here."
"What about the attempted assassination of Lily Feng or the arson attack on Alan Cuffe?"
"I keep telling your department that has nothing to do with me or my company. You're barking up the wrong tree." said Landgraab, dismissing Action's question with a wave of his hand.
"Speaking of trees...what about the one in Foundry Cove? Your company seems very intent on buying up that area but more intent on preserving the tree. What's on the other side of it?"
Landgraab looked Action sternly in the eye. "So you know about the tree? Well, I have submitted the plans to City Hall about purchasing the area and the tree is special so we fully intend to protect it. Again, there's no crime."
"What's that area beyond the tree all about? Some kind of scientific experiment of yours?"
"That, Detective, is none of your business." Landgraab was getting agitated but he took a moment to calm down. He looked around and eventually started speaking again.
"Detective Action...Neither I, nor Nancy nor any of my employees had anything to do with those attacks. I mean, why would I want Lily Feng killed? She's important for my business plans. As for Alan Cuffe, he's an overgrown teenager more interested in ogling women than being an actual threat to my company. But I am very protective of my family and its achievements. Nancy comes from an old, distinguished Dutch trading family that settled here in the 1690s. Look at the Landgraab Building...built by her grandfather in the 1920s; the very first skyscraper in Sim City. Achievement, Detective, that is what defines the Landgraab family. Everything you see around you is because of that family. I won't let anything jeopardise that."
"You speak as an outsider looking in, Geoffrey." said Action, calmly. "I notice you don't call it 'your' family."
"Detective, I must congratulate you on your powers of observation. No, I am not the lineal descendant of the Landgraab family. I am a distant cousin at best, from one of the forgotten branches. But I was granted the opportunity by Nancy's father to be closer to the main line. He put me through college then I worked as the family lawyer before marrying his daughter and heir, Nancy. My Landgraab blood might be thinner, but I am bound to the name, to my wife and to my son and will not let petty trivialities and distractions get in the way of our business. And I will caution you and your nosey friend to keep out of it."
Action nodded and didn't speak at first. Then he leant over to Geoffrey and looked him in the eyes.
"Everything you tell me is a half-truth, Geoffrey. You didn't pull the trigger, but you know who did. You didn't plant the bomb, but you know who did. You know more about the land beyond the tree than you're telling me and the only reason you haven't bought up Foundry Cove is that Victor Feng is blocking you. And you're trying to manipulate a friend of mine to turn against me. And do you know how I know you're being dishonest with me?"
"How, Detective?" said Landgraab, smiling smugly at Action's clutching at straws.
"Because I know you don't have one son, like you claim, you have two." Action saw the smug grin vanish from Landgraab's face. "Your coffee's gone stale" he said, standing up, wiping his mouth with a napkin before throwing it at Landgraab. Action went back inside the cafe and bought another coffee. Yes, it was good to make Geoffrey Landgraab squirm but the job wasn't over yet: He had to get proof that Landgraab brainwashed Jeremy and find out what he knows about who tried to kill Lily Feng and Alan Cuffe and why.
Action sat back down to drink his coffee and consider what he'd learned today. He was in no doubt that Jeremy was brainwashed in that room he discovered. How did it work? Well, he'd have to investigate further. Was it the same method that wiped his memory of the case before Suzy and Barbara had brought more details to him? One thing was for sure; Landgraab was right...there was no evidence of him or Nancy committing any crimes. He watched Geoffrey up at the counter, complaining about the coffee. "Good...I've got him rattled" muttered Action.
It was time to burn off some excess energy, after two coffees and a rich cannoli, so it was back home to Willow Creek and hit the weights at the Burner's & Builder's gymnasium.
By coincidence, Jeremy Saint was also at the gym: Puffing furiously at what appeared to be an extremely strenuous work out. Action had noticed Jeremy had been pushing a keep fit regime lately; was it a side effect of the brainwashing, he thought?
Once he'd finished lifting weights, Action towelled himself off and walked over to speak with Jeremy. However, someone else had got to him first...
The lady's name was Lisa Richardson, a student from one of the city's colleges...Action forgot which one...and she had just moved into the area. She also liked to hit on all the men in the gym as well; the other day she tried it on with Brent Hecking only to incur the wrath of Brant when he caught her flirting with him.
"You sure are working up a lot of sweat" she said, suggestively. "Don't wear yourself out"
"I...*gasp*...won't...*gasp*....who are you again?" said Jeremy.
"I'm Lisa, and I'm free this evening if you are"
"He might have other plans, excuse me" said Action, walking over to them and facing Jeremy. "Yo, bro. Got a moment to talk?"
"What? Right now? I'm busy!" said an annoyed Jeremy.
"OK, when you're done with your run" replied Action.
"And hello there...I'm so sorry, I forgot your name" said Lisa to Action.
"It's John. I see you're settling in nicely" replied Action.
"All these handsome men in one place! It makes a girl's heart skip a beat"
"I'm sure it does" said Action, noticing how her leotard was low cut, revealing her cleavage. "But a word of advice...My man Jeremy here is taken: He's a got a girlfriend. So does another friend of mine, Travis, over there. And that guy you were talking to the other day...Brent? He's both taken and he's not your type."
"Oh, doesn't he like blondes?" said Lisa.
"Blonde men, maybe, but that guy with the beard who got cross with you? Brent and him are an item"
Lisa looked shocked and then giggled. "Now that makes sense. Although I did make Brent's mind wander."
"Lisa, in that leotard you could make any man's mind wander."
"So what about you, John, are you an item with someone?" she said, flirting some more.
"Not right now...but let's talk about this another time. I have important business to attend to but maybe I'll see you around here another day?"
Jeremy finished his run, grabbed a towel and approached Action. "So what's up, Action?"
"Got time for a drink? I've found some information out that I think you should hear" replied Action.
Jeremy nodded and both men hit the showers and got changed.
They walked next door to the bar but Jeremy was feeling agitated. "Look, Action, stop being mysterious for one moment and tell me what it is you want to talk with me about? I haven't got time for games..."
"This ain't no game, Jez, but someone's been playing you and you gotta know who" Action replied. "Here we are, let me get you a drink"
As it turned out Jeremy's girlfriend, Barbara, was in the bar as well. "Hey, Babs" said Action. "I'm glad you're here...keep your grumpy boyfriend in check while I tell him what I found out"
"You found something out? Was my information useful to you?" replied Barbara.
"Oh boy it certainly was!" said Action.
They got drinks and sat down at a table where Action spoke with the couple.
"Jeremy, when you went in for your last interview..." began Action. This annoyed Jeremy.
"Oh not that again! Everyone keeps asking me 'what happened during that interview?'...Look, I don't remember, OK?" Jeremy said, slamming his drink on the table.
"Yeah, and there's a reason why you don't remember: It was erased from your memory" replied Action. "and I can prove it!"
"What kind of crazy talk is that?" answered Jeremy.
"Jeremy, listen to Action...he's found something out!" said Barbara.
"You have a vague memory of being in a dark room...a room underneath the main Landgraab Corporation building, do you not?" said Action.
"Well, yeah, I guess...it was just a room, a bit dark...black walls and floor..." said Jeremy.
"Black walls with small lights embedded along them, a black metallic floor with a square raised platform in the middle and on top of that is a white chair, shaped like an egg."
Jeremy's gaze drifted off into the distance as a memory was stirred within the deep recesses of his mind.
"Yes....YES!" he eventually said. "A chair like a large egg, and you sat in it and it kind of envelops you. And...and...in front..." said Jeremy, struggling to remember more.
"A large projector screen with stereo speakers on either side of it." said Action.
"As a matter of fact...yes! I remember this room now!" said Jeremy.
"What was on the projector screen, Jeremy?" asked Barbara. "What did they show you?"
"I don't remember..." said Jeremy. "I'm struggling...."
"Was it a film that told you Nancy Landgraab was....?" asked Action.
"M-m-mother!" stammered Jeremy.
"I'm guessing so" said Action. "And that Geoffrey Landgraab is....?"
"The kindest, bravest, warmest most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life" said Jeremy, almost by command.
"Suzy Kent?"
"Is my enemy!"
"and me?"
"John Action is my enemy!" Jeremy looked around him for a moment looking confused, then he turned to Action once again. "What am I saying?"
"Things you've been brainwashed into saying! That room's purpose was to indoctrinate you. I even found the control room where they would have shown you a film...probably filled with propaganda techniques...that nestled in your brain and got you to behave against your natural instincts!"
"Oh my goodness!" exclaimed Barbara. "We all thought that Jeremy would infiltrate the Landgraab Corporation but instead they used him and messed with his mind! Oh my darling, I'll never forgive them for this!"
Jeremy looked shocked and his hands were shaking. "Oh my God, what have I done?" he said.
"Nothing to hurt us" Action tried to reassure him. "Don't worry, we'll get you help."
"I'm going to throw up!" said Jeremy and then he got up and ran upstairs to the bathrooms.
"Babs...stay by his side. Make sure he doesn't do anything harmful to himself" cautioned Action.
"Of course...excuse me" she replied.
Action went back to the bar to get another drink. He was relieved that, gradually, Jeremy was coming back to his senses. He probably needed to see a shrink or someone who could help him medically. He noticed out of the corner of his eye Dr Julia Epstein herself was at the Blue Velvet as well this evening. Well, that's a good co-incidence, Action thought.
"Yo...Jules. How's it hanging?" said Action to her.
"Hanging? What do you mean? Oh, is this some kind of local parlance, a bit of slang?" she replied, looking very serious.
"Yes, it's slang...it means, how are things? Listen up, sister, you've got to smarten up to the street lingo and get with the vibe!" Action replied.
"What? Anyway, in answer to your question I am fine. Not too busy, not too inactive" she said.
"Jeremy and Barbara might need some advice from you, if you could help them. Jeremy's not been well in himself...I can't say much more but just go and have a talk with them sometime, will you?"
"It is my duty as a Doctor to help" she replied. "Of course."
It had been a busy day for Action, but he was pleased at what he'd accomplished. One step closer to unravelling the big mystery of Sim City. Still, he wished he could get all his memory back...maybe that machine at Landgraab's messed with his brain?
He sat down at a table and a young woman at the one next to him nodded and smiled at him. She seemed vaguely familiar.
Action smiled back at her and said "Now I never forget a face but sometimes I struggle with names"
"I'm Jade...we've met a couple of times before" she replied.
"Of course. I remember now. I'd just moved to this part of town and on my first night here I was at this bar where I met you."
"You've got it in one!" she said, smiling warmly at him. "And you're called John, but most folks call you Action. And you're a cop as well."
"You remembered all that! Now the second time we met was...."
"Ugh! That was very much unpleasant. I'd had a messy break up with my boyfriend, this real jerk of a photographer from England...."
"Wait! I remember...he was hassling you on the street and I came to tell him to beat it. And then this punk attacked me so, yeah, I remember that time."
"I was impressed you kept your cool that day." She said.
"That's how I live my life" replied Action, with a nonchalant shrug. Then a thought occurred to him.
"This photographer you were dating....you said he was from England?"
"That's right. His name is Michael Hemmingstamp"
Then a lightbulb went on in Action's head. Michael Hemmingstamp...of course! The man who took the photos of Penny Pizzazz's fashion shoot, the man who might have seen who shot at Lily Feng, but who was out of the country. When they wiped Action's memory of the case, they neglected to wipe his initial encounter with Penny....only the parts that related to Leanne McGregor.
"This is going to sound strange, Jade, but would you know if Michael is back in Sim City?" he asked.
"Michael? Oh yes, he called me a week ago to see if I wanted to hook up for old time's sake but I told him no way! Look, Action, I don't want to talk about my horrible ex...can we move on?"
"Sure thing, I won't mention him again..." said Action. This evening....but I have to find this guy!
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