[locked to new hires] [video] clues

[ownperson]

Alright, locking this because if the guys in the other rooms are being anything like us there's messes we don't need the corps seeing us fuckin' making, or worse, but whatever, point is:

[ South holds up a colour printout of all the current Hires faces, with all the teens and younger circled, but numerous others' faces crossed through with Xs:

Guts
Kevin Armstrong
Breq Mianaai
Ronald McDonald
Alia
Dan Sagittarius
Agent Washington
Agent New York
Agent South Dakota
Sarah Kerrigan
Aiden Price
Lavernius Tucker
Carolina
Agent North Dakota
Nora Valkyree
Sam Winchester
Brandon Saint John
Rune Saint John
Garviel Loken
Mackenzie Haynes
Rogue ]

We found a fuckin' doozy. Gonna guess the crosses mean we specifically weren't what this thing was fuckin' looking for in a target for copying.

Like we said earlier, we also found Santa's sack in the shower like the thing was trying to wash it out and a whole lot of candy it probably dumped from it. The closet in here was missing a medium uniform and the locks in here are all fucked, but like... carefully fucked. And... that's it? [ she looks over at Kerrigan as if to confirm, then back at the camera ] So far, anyway.

What the fuck's everyone else found? Assuming we haven't been the only team actually getting shit done.

Comments

video;

[bothbarrels]

It's very concerning to see your face and your sister's face with Xs over them.

locked to North

[zerg_rush]

Hey, I don't want to make this public and you're the only one stuck in the dorms I've talked to much.

[Maybe being an anti-social gremlin all this time was a bad idea, Kerrigan.]

I think our impostor is one of the people who isn't circled or crossed out, but obviously I don't want to float that idea where they can see it. Maybe round up some of the Xs and asking questions?

[ownperson]

Oh don't be a baby, this is like, the one case where that probably means we're not in total deep shit.

video | locked

[zerg_rush]

We also found a dirty sponge [Kerrigan holds up a monster-goo-covered kitchen sponge, pinching it at a corner] but no sign of where it was used. Anybody else got this gunk smeared around?

[Her voice has the indistinct quality of someone talking with something in their mouth. In her case, a peppermint candy stolen liberated from Santa's stash.]

[notvulcan]

Yes. We found it on a thank you note in one of the drawers.

[fuckingaqua]

Yeah, we got a whole dirtied-up jacuzzi so far.

[ Tucker uploads a couple of pictures to go with that. As advertised, they have a hot tub full of black water and clumps of various material, some of which seems to be hair. ]

I can tell you the hair's pretty long and this room fucking reeks.

video; locked

[notvulcan]

We found a key that had been hidden, as well as a yellow sweater, a tie, and a Santa hat that had been shoved into the armoire. We tried the key in the file cabinets in the room but it didn't fit.

There was also a thank you note with that black stuff on it, made out to Gretchen.

[hallelujahjunction]

There's a technician named Gretchen in the department that does...I don't know, something to do with pulling people and objects from other worlds. Whatever department picked us up. Lends credence to the theory that this thing was brought in, maybe by accident, and that it ain't actually made of Stuff.

[But, naturally, nothing conclusive.]

[ownperson]

Sure looks like this thing is just dumping the fuckin' clothes and shit it used after it's done pretending to be someone.

video | locked

[valkywhee]

I am totally cute enough to be kid-friendly!

video | locked

[zerofield]

Assuming the x's are possible impersonation targets that have been ruled out - which of course, they may not be at all - it's entirely possible you were ruled out for reasons that have nothing to do with your cuteness.

[xrater]

We found a room in shocking need of a deep cleansing and some freshly drunken alcohol, that's about it. We're digging through the garbage now, but I doubt we'll find anything of use.

[Locked to those on the List]

As if I couldn't open a briefcase. But I'm assuming that anyone not on the list up above is still potentially a Babadon't, so I don't want to alert them to anything more than I don't need to.

We also found a password. We're going to try it on the laptop. In case that doesn't work, it's J04g*Promotion!. If it doesn't work, I'll just go in and break it open myself. In either case, assuming the owner is still alive, I'll likely be able to identify him once I get back to a safe place to check the user passwords on my game servers.

locked to new hires

[passifloraincarnata]

[Setsuna grabs hold of the comm in one hand, angling it down on the flowerbeds, just to keep a clear record.]

No natural blight can kill lilacs and roses alone without killing the flowers around them too. But lilacs are innocence in the language of flowers, and roses symbolize love. A monster that preys on both, and thrives as their opposite, can easily make the floral representatives of such delicate emotions wilt in its presence. Such is exactly what's happened here, I'm afraid.

[If anyone - like Kokichi, perhaps - ever doubted she's a real deal magical girl, a speech like that rolling off her tongue as naturally delivered and completely committed as it was should dispel all doubt. No normal person makes declarative monologues that sound like that. She stands up, brushing dirt off her knees.]

There's nothing else here.

locked to new hires

[trialbyliar]

[Well. That's an interesting list right there. And he has some thoughts. Oh so casually:]

Huh. I wonder what that list would look like if you took out all the people who got cleared to leave.

[xrater]

That likely wouldn't lead to much. The creature's been trapped in the dorms while the people cleared to leave were... cleared. It couldn't know in advance who'd be out here.

[TEXT] Locked to South and Sam

[myagents]

[Price isn't sure who the magical girl is, he barely knows Setsuna herself (aka they texted twice) so of course he couldn't recognize her in any way, doesn't know if she's a minor or even what her name is so he won't address her, but he has noticed something about the groups regarding the names.]

Among those of us who were cleared to go search, I see that Michael Burnham who is in our group hasn't been crossed out. She has been updating you on our findings, so far, and Sam and I can confirm the information, but we should probably watch her more closely in light of this. We are not completely sure if the Xs mean we have been excluded by the shapeshifter, but we shall plan accordingly, just in case. Suggestions are always welcome.

Thank you for your update, Agent South.

[ownperson]

[ Ugh, of course Price had to come in with a helpful observation. She takes note of it, but she doesn't actually respond and just leaves him on read instead. ]

video;

[fuckingaqua]

Well, apart from the hot tub of horror and whatever else gets turned up, it looks like we got a to-do list. Because why wouldn't a shapeshifter keep being a total fucking nerd on top of killing people? Just makes sense.

[ And shown, free of charge, is a to-do list made of pieced-together torn up paper, with words obscured because something seems to have been spilled across it. It reads: ]

To-Do ████ 12.10.2020
- ████ laundry
- select first targets
- investigate potential costumes
- ████ ████ ████
- ████ janitor schedule
- ████ ████ and ████ in garden
- change rooms

[ Let no one say he didn't do his due diligence at least this one time. ]

Re: video;

[fromfryingpantofire]

This thing has been here a lot longer than we realized. Which means Jorgmund either DIDN'T realize or, once again, have been keeping things to themselves instead of sharing information until they absolutely have to.

Bets on it being the latter?

Re: video;

[ownperson]

First the fucking printout targets list, now this. What the fuck kind of monster has a fucking written to-do list?

[fromfryingpantofire]

We've found something else in our room.

[Sam's comm shifts to show the black on the floor. It's been partly washed away (the floor is still shiny and wet), exposing some blonde hair. Some of it still has the roots attached and the roots are bloody.]

Given the freshness of this, I think we have a good clue what we may be looking for.

[71lines]

That gives us, what, three people who aren't locked off? Adora, Brainiac 5, or Robbie?

So, what now? We set all three down and run blood tests or something? Start a fire and see who flinches?

[valkywhee]

Hey, somebody remember to bring back that candy, okay?

[p r i o r i t i e s]

[trialbyliar]

[Here's Kokichi, who appears to already have a lollipop in his mouth.]

Too late! Our little magical girl friend brought it all to me as tribute! At least someone has some sense around here.

[And to prove his point – since people love to accuse him of lying for some reason – he reaches offscreen and, with a crinkling sound, pulls out a generous handful of candy, a few pieces slipping from the overflowing pile and clatter to the ground as he does so.]

video, locked, cw: gross monster procreation

[parannoyed]

We didn't find anyone but we did find this.

[He points the camera at crushed bulbs and what are clearly squished monster embryos, now dissolving in clear bleach quickly staining black.]

We crushed them and then poured some bleach just to be safe.

[Except the fizzing then erupts in a cloud of smokey black noxious gas.]

[Wash quickly backs away.]

Uh, thaaat's not good. Guts, maybe you and I should...

Should clear...

[And whump. He goes down. His comm falling out of his hand and landing on an odd angle as he goes down. It's still recording.]

[Good job not carrying the blue team brain cell, Wash.]

[He'll be fine later, but right now, zzz.]

[xrater]

[Watchers will, at least, get to witness the glorious sight of Alia straight up chucking Wash through the door, sending him soaring out into the hall before she grabs Guts and escorts him out as well.]

video; locked

[ragefeathers]

Hey, uh. Found this weird printed out email crumpled up in an office here. Take a look.

[ She shows off a picture of the print-out in question:

Hey, sorry for the delay

Since you asked, so, this is the part of Chandler's email that I think was a little aggressive.

"Either way, you're wasting time and resources even proposing investigating the K collective. We have more important threats to prioritize than a benign cult, and your emphasis on them is starting to make me worried about how satisfying your home life must be. Regarding the Other K, she honestly should never have been promoted beyond fetching coffee and holding pipettes. Your concerns about her getting into The Array are overblown and aggravating, especially as she lacks the necessary security clearances."

Like, how satisfying my home life is? At least I have a home life and don't sleep on my desk like that dick. Does this count as sexual harassment? Should I take this to Lindsey in HR?

See you tomorrow afternoon for the team-building seminar. ]