((Collab with Antonia - [@Estylwen]))

The silent alarm had been off for about an hour, and the Commissioner’s irritation had somewhat diffused. The fiasco of the Lodestar cutting a deal through that zoom call still left a bitter taste in her mouth. But, she did it for the future of Nocturnia. No one cared about [i]how[/i] you got results, they just cared [i]about[/i] those results.

She was soon notified that two crates had been left in the back alley of the prison tower.  Officers and a bomb squad inspected them for any explosives or foul play first. Then, when they were satisfied, the crates were brought inside. Antonia herself went down to the evidence room where they were being kept.

Cracking open the crates revealed they did, in fact, contain some kind of glowy drug. The shipment receipt was also with the crates, to her good fortune. It would be the first concrete evidence they'd have on that damn cocky Vincent.

[b]”Pass this to forensics, see if they can get a read off it.”[/b] She said, handing a vial to one of her officers. Then, staring at the shipment receipt in her hand, she flipped out her phone and dialed Leon.

[color=b20000][b]”Hey, did I catch you at a good time? I got a development in your case.”[/b][/color]

[color=0054a6][b]”Good is relative in the city, Ma’am, but I’m not currently being shot at. What have you got?,”[/b][/color] Leon responded.

[b][color=b20000]”We got evidence Vincent was shipping, and possibly manufacturing, a new type of drug. It's enough to bring him in for questioning, and maybe we can slap him with a search warrant too.”[/color][/b]

[color=0054a6][b]”Search warrant is better than questioning. A guy like Vincenzo wouldn’t be worth our trouble if a little questioning got what we needed… this line is about as secure as we can get it, right?,”[/b][/color]

[b][color=b20000]”The signal is scrambled off the cell towers - you can go ahead with your thoughts, Detective MacAoidh.”[/color][/b]

[color=0054a6][b]”The file mentioned the Irish Pint. Guy after my own heart,”[/b][/color] Leon chuckled, but took the chance to look around and make sure no one was close enough to eavesdrop, [color=0054a6][b]“if we can do the questioning here, it’ll put him on the other side of Gold Rim from that operation. We can hold him for what… an hour with even slim cause for questioning? Throw in a bit of red tape, maybe some last minute road work, I can probably keep him on this side of the city for about three hours. Enough time for a good search and maybe some cybercrime investigation. Even if we can’t get enough to tie him to anything, get me some reasonable cause on a lieutenant and I can persuade them to do the right thing.”[/b][/color]

Leon could practically hear the impressed smile coloring Antonia's voice. [b][color=b20000]”It's a sound plan, Detective. I'll prepare my team here. You just let me know when you have ‘The Boss' nice and comfortable, and we will make our move.”[/color][/b]

[color=0054a6][b]”I can send you a local contractor to help with the search if needed, good guy. His consulting fee is stupidly overpriced, but he has a talent for finding hidden places,” [/b][/color] Leon offered.

Antonia was already on the move, making a beeline out of the evidence room to the floor where her men worked. [b][color=b20000]”Consulting fees are no issue. Send him over; I'm not taking any chances with Vincent.”[/color][/b]

[hr]

Leon ended the call, taking a breath before dialing a different number.

"Shaw Agency, how can I help you Captain," Walter answered, the smugness in his tone practically broadcasting how often they had had the kind of conversation he was expecting. It was always something with Nocturnia PD, and his gyft gave him the ability to corner the market on private investigations. Post criminal clean up, of course. 

"Usual kind of job, usual fee, but I need you to drop whatever small time assignment you have figuring out where grandma's secret liquor cabinet is and handle this asap. I'll send you the address, but you'll be working with my boss this time," Leon said, "so don't be a smartass and watch your back during the job. These guys don't know you like I do."

"Shit, you know skipping the sarcasm is extra, right?," Walter said, his voice sounding like he was thinking it over even as he reached for his concealed carry holster and sidearm. Leon had never tried to screw him over, but that didn't mean all of Nocturnia PD was on the up and up. Hell, Leon had proven that himself with that little purge he had done among his own unit over the years.

"Uh huh, tell you what, I'll take one favor off the tab you owe me for not questioning where some of your sudden influxes of wealth come from," Leon said, well aware that Walter sometimes used his gyft to find forgotten treasures in abandoned areas of the city or for private citizens.

"Two favors, I'll have to be extra nice since your boss is quite the Lady," Walter said, "this a body armor kind of situation."

"Could be. Better to have it and not need it, than need it -"

"And not have it, yeah yeah," Walter said, "send me the address and whatever information I'll need to make contact."

[hr]

Leon had gathered eight of his best officers in the large armoury of the Burberry branch of Nocturnia PD, purposefully driving out anyone else that was in the area and posting another officer near the door in case of eavesdroppers. When the target was so well placed, every precaution he could think of would only help his situation and that included controlling information and personnel that would be in critical areas. 

"Jobs simple today, ladies and gentlemen," Leon began, "should be a simple pick up and escort back here to the station, but the target has their own connections to some allegedly very well armed and trigger happy types of individuals. Where we're going is a melting pot of criminals, it's very likely you'll see a dozen or so other faces that are on our pick up lists, but for tonight, only one guy matters."

"You know the drill for this kind of target. All cell phones are to be left here at the station. Radio communications only. Arm up with SWAT gear, but everyone except me and two of you will hold at the vehicles. We go in there too heavy and some idiot will open fire out of being nervous and I'd rather everyone was able to go home tonight. Full faceshields on every officer except myself. I don't give a damn if he knows who I am. Challenge Phrase and Password will be given en route to the target," he said, "it's unknown if the target has a gyft, so we treat them like they're a fragging bomb threat until proof is given otherwise. Target will be escorted at all times by no less than three personnel."

"To be clear, all we are looking to do is escort this gentleman to the precinct here for questioning. We have reason to believe the target is involved in illegal drug trade and possibly other enterprises," Leon said, "treat this as a show of force. The target is to be afforded the niceties allowed to them exactly permitted by the law and nothing further. He wants a cup of water, get it from the purified filters in the break room, not the water fountain outside. He wants a lawyer? I want that lawyer's valid photo ID, business license, and license to practice all proven to be legitimate before they even get a glance at each other. He wants to know the charges? Read from the goddamned handbook the exact legal definition of possession of illegal substances."

There were looks cast between the officers, but each of them had worked with Leon enough to know there was always a reason for his orders and that Leon himself would go down before he tried to burn any of them for following those orders.

"Luke, Chloe, you're on point with me for the target. David and Jeffrey are the first back ups. Check your equipment, and be ready, but under no circumstances save intervening to save a uniformed ass are you to discharge that firearm. Simon, you're heading up part two of the assignment. Here," he said, giving Simon a sealed envelope, "open it after we get the target to the station. Questions? Let's move."


[hr]
((Collab with Vincenzo -[@Estylwen]))
(Laterdale)

Vincent was enjoying a smoke at the Laterdale Jazz Bar. The lights were dimmed down low, and he sat in one of the VIP booths near the stage, surrounded by a few of his best men. There was mainly gossip around the table as his men sipped drinks and spoke low under the serendipitous notes of the trombone and cello. 

Everyone was on a high note. The cake had been accepted, they had the delightful Iron Rose in their pocket, as well as Mother Goose and the Omakase. 

Nothing could rain on their parade that day.

The cruisers pulled up to the front of the Bar, lights active but with no sirens. Leon knew the instant they were seen word would get passed around. He had no issue with letting the cockroaches run, but the critical part of the job was to make sure Vincenzo was brought in for questioning. Per his orders, five officers stepped out of the vehicles and started to create a cordon of open space in front of the bar. Leon himself stepped out, weapons holstered but still very present on his gear as he walked deliberately to the front of the bar.

A bouncer, likely in the direct employ of Vincenzo stepped into his path and put a hand up, about to launch into some protest of the Captain entering the bar.

"Nocturnia Police business, tell the Boss I'm just looking for a chat and get out of my way while you do it or I'll have you towed to the cells for interfering with an investigation. If the owner of this establishment has a problem with how many officers I have on site, tell their lawyers to contact our legal department. I think you'll find if anything I'm traveling light compared to what I could bring," Leon said, walking right past the guard. Behind him, Luke and Chloe fell into step a few paces back, their weapons holstered and their visors down over their faces.