[IC] Sudden Payback (Session 1)

Marv winces at Max's closing, "Oof, kid. You've gotta learn how to keep your cards a bit closer to your chest. You sure you can trust that guy? Corruption's kinda like a fungus in that it spreads out and eats into anything rubbing too close."

"Bridgewater is good people and he tries to make sure I keep my nose clean. I know he'd have my back if I ended up in a fire fight. Doing the right thing is why he's not out in the field anymore and sitting in the motor pool." Max explains and gets ready to go.

"If you say so, kid. I trust you so that's enough for me."

Getting your hands on Hank's brother's Caddie is easy enough: Just a short walk from the gym to his brother's apartment, where the car is parked in the subbasement garage. "Mildred" sputters a bit when Hank turns the key, but she starts. Moving aside empty McDonald's bags and Mountain Dew cans, you all find places to sit as you emerge onto the streets of the business district.

The receipt from Harry's Holiday Haven lists the address as nearby, only about six or seven blocks from the One-Two. The storefront is weathered but bright, with a poster advertising buy-one-get-one-free Halloween costumes. As you enter, the bell on the door rings, and a bored-looking teenager barely looks up from her phone. "Hey."

Marv pats Mildred on the hood when they find her in the garage. "Mmm, what a beaut." He smiles at Hank as he joins the group piling into the car. "If they don't have a Lance mask, I'm gonna get a gorilla mask." He laughs, "The furrier the better! What about you guys?"

"Hello Miss, we're looking for your most colorful masks preferably in gradient tones of hue." Max states with a ball of fast food takeout bags and crushed cans under his arm.

"That's a bright idea, Marv. Find yourself a Lance mask, I bet they'll invite you right in. Sounds like a good, if painful, way to get a front row seat for whatever they're up to."

When they arrive, Hank walks through the aisles, pulling out costumes as he walks by. "Speaking of furry, I look pretty good in a sasquatch mask. Got the build for it, y'know... but I guess the kid's got the right idea. The goons had bright colors, so that's the way I'll go. Maybe this fancy piece of work." Hank picks up a Luchador mask and holds it up to his face.

"I think I found mine, miss. And I wonder, did you happen to see a group of guys come in here a few days ago? Martial artists, group of 7 or 8, picked out bright-colored masks kinda like these?"

The mask selection is woeful at the moment as if someone's picked over everything. With the exception of the Luchador mask, there's a Nixon, a Carter, an Elmo, a wolfman, and several characters from Yo-Gabba-Gabba.

The girl looks over at Hank's question. "Um... I only work weekends."

Red judges each mask carefully, once or twice reaching for one before pulling her hand away with a slight headshake. Finally she settles on a Yo-gabba-gabba mask, the pink one. "I vaguely recall this show, probably strike fear in my enemies like the Nixon one but eh' I'll manage."

Overhearing the clerk conversation she chimes in. "Do you know who was working? It would be a great help."

Max looks around for a fireman's costume and grabs the Wolfman mask.

"Anything interesting happen on the weekends lately?" Max asks after making a selection.

Marv wanders among the racks and snatches the Elmo mask, rubbing the fuzz under his fingers. "Wasn't quite what I was thinking, but it'll do."

The girl finally puts the phone down and looks at you. "Uh... It's the off season, so weekends are slow. This job sucks. Why all these questions? Who are you people?"

"Miss do you know who Laser Legs Loretta is? From what we've heard and pieced together someone bought masks here before the assault on the mayor and some gym or boxing ring. Not really sure what they were trying to do maybe a kidnapping on live stream or an elaborate crude prank of mooning cameras, throwing beer bottles, and yelling obscenities. Regardless we wanted to see if there's anything newsworthy to let her know... doing the leg work I guess. You seem to be up on Social Media so maybe if say you review security tapes or find out anything from other employees that were working yesterday we happen to overhear we can steer Ms. Loretta at you since you have your hand on the pulse of the streets and the situation here... Unless you want to be mysterious and be like an inside informant from the shadows... Regardless... you could be trending..." Max states occasionally glancing at the others.

Max keeps talking and no one is stopping him.

I haven't talked this much about half truths since I tried Aftershock and Dr Pepper and almost got caught... he thinks to himself.