[b]York:[/b]

“Yeah, the problem is it’s bad.” York snickers and takes a sip from a flask filled with not-even-God-knows, “You’re our best investigator, but if we could make an investigative journalist out of you that’d be mint. Doesn’t even have to be site-ready, but it’d help if you could at least explain what you’ve got without it coming down to creepy-intense declarations.”

He just sounds jealous (he does not sound jealous). 

It’s more of a bakery than a cafe. Industrial, stainless steel with black vinyl padded surfaces, lots of steam and humidity and the sizzle of a deep fryer going. It’s definitely not York’s scene, it’s- Well. It’s a cop shop. 

It [i]is[/i] a cop shop. Most of them aren’t in uniform, but they’re absolutely awful at not acting like cops. They tend to be broad, have main-character syndrome, and they have this particular way of ordering where they’re very polite and friendly about their order, but in this way that makes it clear you should be grateful about how friendly they’re being. Like the serving girl owes them for acting like functional adults. 

Yeah, okay.

York slides a tablet across. “Most of the side contributors we get are academics and researchers who want a wider audience for their research, get some help making it a bit more saleable. Great work, but not [i]omerta[/i] material. I made a short list for you to pick from.”

There’s one profile on it. A quick scroll confirms it. York winks.

“I said it was a short list. Jezebel recommended them - you ever met Jezebl? She’s in the background of the money shot where our girl suplex’d that dipship chief of police.” York does not give a fuck when a cop squints at him for this, and continues ingesting contraband.

This I can tell you; They’re a semi-popular police auditor video documentarian, which is to say they’re professional arrest bait for a camera. It’s their schtick to act completely legally and take an illegal arrest with dignity and grace. The content’s a little too dry and procedural - they’re aftermarket popular, they get great views in other people’s highlight reel compilations. 

What else is true about them, though? What are your first impressions?

[b]Juan:[/b]

Part of his whole motivation here is that this is something he can do to make his mum be less distant. It’s going to take him a little while to handle what it means that this isn’t the reason - she just… is. 

Euna’s the reason this one’s solvable as fast as it is, that you can skim this at all. The majority of these cases are about negotiating the extension-of-lease terms from property sales. That whole thing about property on Aevum being locked in for 20 years and then renegotiated? If a property was bought cheap with those locked-in terms, had its area gentrified, how much value is there in extending that lease another 5 years on its slum-price terms? 

That’s what the common factor here is. Don’t read any of the justifications, the processes, the people involved, the properties. They’re all different. What they share here is the outcome, and the [i]outcome[/i] is how many times Costa-Silva found ways to justify extending - or sometimes outright resetting - the date-of-renewal terms on those extant leases. 

It is at least billions of dollars worth of fraud here then, missing tax revenue in the pockets of property developers. Which is kind of funny, because Costa-Silva was elevated to the Supreme Court because of her law-and-order bonafides, her reputation for being incorruptible when dealing with street level organized crime. 

And that put her in serious danger. Which was probably when she started needing the money, and people like Sir Barrera. Don’t feel too sympathetic for her though - her means long ago exceeded her living. 

“But what does that mean?” Juan asks. Then, with a pout. “Who even cares?” 

He was probably hoping for something a little sexier than federal lease extensions. 


[b]Team Bondi:[/b]

Well and truly on their way has to mean having the stage and props all packed, but still on the property - there's a security check to get [i]out[/i] too, and Luis was given orders to stall you. 

“I don’t like that.” Bondi keeps her voice low and cups a hand over her mouth. She leans forward so she’s  ear level - she’s too much taller even sitting down. “If we all came in together, we all leave together. Don’t you want to make sure Green’s okay, too?" Then, nervously; "Is this that Lorenzo guy hasn’t come back yet?” 

Over her shoulder, Luis is looking to see where you’ve all gotten off to. He’s about to spot your luggage, so you have a few moments. Bondi is whispering low enough that he wouldn't get any snatches of conversation coming up behind her. 

This could just be a speedbump to getting out - It's not like Luis even knows what he's even meant to be detaining you [i]for[/i].