Report #3270, Transcript Section #28
(Operation SANDMAN)
©1998 Shane Ivey

Keeper:
The elevator doors close after the last US Marshal enters with the prisoner's gurney.

Keeper:
They press the bottons for the roof, and the car begins to rise... Unknown to them, of course, Cabot is hiding atop it.

Keeper:
He had Lundquist on the phone, talking fast and quiet.

Cabot:
What are the lighting conditions within the elevator shaft?

Keeper:
Dark, but there is a little ambient light from daylight at the top of the shaft.

Keen:
How many floors are they travelling? Since I know electronics, it might be nice to stop the elevator... :)

Keeper:
They're going up five floors to the roof. Ordinarily it would be a quick trip.

Keen:
Darn. :)

Cabot:
Good, what is the prognosis for lifting the access panel enough to listen-in on those inside the elevator?

Keeper:
How much do you trust your Sneak skill? :-)

Keeper:
In other words, it would be pretty hard for most people, since you know the Marshals will be alert. But if you're very sly and careful you might pull it up enough.

Cabot:
A quick glance up - - is there clearance once the car stops at the roof level?

Keeper:
There are safety bars atop the car; it has a couple of feet of clearance.

Keeper:
It wouldn't be comfortable, but you could scrunch down enough to avoid getting squashed.

Cabot:
And what is the egress situation - any scuttle ladders to get me out of here if I'm spotted?

Keeper:
Yes, but it would be risky. You'd need to jump a couple of feet to a wall-mounted ladder between the elevator cars.

Cabot:
Fuck it - assuming Lundquist doesn't want me to start an inter-agency war, I'll just go along for the ride and sit tight.

Keeper:
Lundquist, you still have Cabot on the line.

Keeper:
Keen, you're standing with Lundquist at the elevator bank which the Marshals just departed.

Lundquist:
(Whispered) "Can you hear if they're saying anything, Cabot?"

Cabot:
I put my head down to the crease of the panel and see if I can make out any conversation within.

Keen:
I'll stick along with Mr. L, and try to hear what's being said over the phone.

Cabot:
"Stand by." I whisper.

Keeper:
You can't hear anything except vague voices, Cabot. The car is rumbling, vibrating, muffling any sounds from inside.

Lundquist:
Oh well.

Keeper:
The car passes the first couple of floors.

Cabot:
"Nah, shit." I whisper, "Hold your position and keep the line open until I get out of here."

Lundquist:
"Roger that."

Keeper:
The car passes the next floors. Cabot, the roof overhead looks like it's getting very close.

Cabot:
Do I see any way that I could mechanically halt the car from my position atop it?

Keeper:
There are emergency panels mounted at each floor, one elevator shaft over.

Keeper:
They're designed to allow full-stop of the system in case of fire or emergency. You'd need to hustle to climb over to it in time.

Cabot:
If I can jump to a nearer maintenance scaffolding (surrounding the shaft), I will. Otherwise I go for the nearest egress path.

Keeper:
As you reach the next floor you jump to the scaffolding. Your footing is terrible; you flop atop the safety bar, still outside the scaffold, and start to slip before catching yourself.

Cabot:
Oh-oh.

Keeper:
Your hands feel very sweaty, and greasy from the dust and grime atop the elevator car.

Keeper:
The car rises above you, drawing its loops of cables up below it as it goes.

Cabot:
I look for the nearest safe perch and move to it, if possible.

Cabot:
If I can a take my arm out of a jacket sleeve and wrap it around the safety bar to increase my purchase.

Keeper:
Good thing you're in good shape; you manage to climb back over the bars and into the scaffold. The maintenance panel is in the next landing over, past the elevator in between.

Keeper:
Past the elevator shaft and doors in between, that is.

Cabot:
I hold my position.

Keeper:
The elevator car rises above you to the top level and stops.

Keeper:
You feel a gust of hot wind from below as another car rises in another part of the shaft.

Keeper:
Lundquist, Keen, what are you doing?

Lundquist:
I press the button for the elevator. We ought to get up to the roof to get out of here too.

Keen:
I'll join him in punching buttons. :)

Keen:
(Like hell I'm taking the stairs. :P)

Lundquist:
After all, the more you press them, the faster the elevator gets here.

Keen:
Hehe. :)

Cabot:
"Lundquist, this plan is a no go. I'm on the service scaffold of the elevator shaft on the __th floor. See if you can get a car up to me."

Keeper:
It arrives in two minutes, spilling another patient on a gurney.

Lundquist:
"Roger that, we're coming up now." I do as Cabot asks.

Cabot:
I also tell him which car I'm nearest to.

Keeper:
Cabot, they bring their car up alongside your platform momentarily.

Lundquist:
"Uh, I got the car in shaft "B" here right now..."

Cabot:
I move over to it. "You guys alone?" I ask as I prepeare to lift the access hatch.

Lundquist:
"Yeah, come on in."

Keeper:
(Yep, they're alone)

Keen:
Keen helps him down from the ceiling.

Keeper:
A minute later, the car rises again toward the roof.

Cabot:
I move back in and begin to try to clean the grime off me as best as possible.

Lundquist:
"They must not clean up top there very much."

Cabot:
"Shit, what I wouldn't have given to have some of that high-tec snooping gear five minutes ago."

Cabot:
"So, what's your take. Those guy's legit, or what?

Keen:
"I'm curious why they stopped. Was it to drop off or pick up?"

Lundquist:
"Oh, I think this crew is legit... But as for who's pulling the strings at DoJ, that's another question entirely..."

Cabot:
"I'm not following you, Keen."

Lundquist:
"And I don't know... Something about the way they acted didn't sit quite right with me. I must have been doing this too long or something."

Keen:
(Keeper, I did read that line right, right? Their car stopped, then started up a minute later to the roof?

Keeper:
The car did stop once on the way up.

Cabot:
I unsafety my pistol as we make our way to the roof.

Lundquist:
Really? I missed that... We need to get to the roof, see what gives.

Keeper:
The elevator doors open when the car reaches the roof.

Keeper:
Outside you see the helicopter landing pad, eerily reminiscent of the bloody scene Lundquist left not long ago, if larger.

Keeper:
Your FBI copter is still there, and the US Marshals craft is on the landing nearby. You see perhaps six men standing around the gurney near the Marshals copter. Another four are near the elevators and stairs.

Lundquist:
I do a quick headcount of the Marshals. Are they all there? Are there any of them there that weren't there a minute ago?

Keeper:
It looks like all are there.

Lundquist:
And the suspect's gurney is where it should be?

Keeper:
Yes. It looks like they're transferring the life-support gear up to the helicopter before they move the stretcher itself.

Cabot:
What's the status of the patient/package? Still shrink-wrapped?

Keeper:
The patient's strapped down and surrounded.

Cabot:
I lean over to Lundquist, "Let this one go, man. It's time to go offensive, but not here. This battle's a loser."

Lundquist:
"I concur. This one doesn't gain us enough to justify doing anything."

Keeper:
A couple of the Marshals near the elevators watch you three with close eyes.

Cabot:
I head toward our chopper.

Keen:
I'll follow.

Lundquist:
"See you guys later. Have a good one." Keeping my hands in plain sight, I move casually across the pad towards our helo.

Keeper:
The FBI pilot nods to you and leans back to shout over the noise of the revving motors. "Where to?"

Keen:
Keen whispers to Lundquist and Cabot, "Let make sure our pilot stalls and checks over his preflight stuff so we can see them take off safely.

Lundquist:
"Back to the Breckenridge place. But let them go first." Motion to the other helo.

Cabot:
I re-safety my sidearm as I buckle in.

Cabot:
"You know, in retrospect, knowing what I know about the guy you dropped at that security firm, I'm not sure I'd want to be babysitting that dude in a helicopter."

Keeper:
The pilot nods and turns to watch the Marshals.

Lundquist:
"Yeah, good point."

Lundquist:
"Still, I don't think that guy had the same 'talents' the goons at Breckenridge did." (This quiet enough not to be overheard by the pilots over the engine noise)

Keen:
How far are they away from our course? Or can we tag along after them for awhile Keeper?

Keeper:
Minutes pass; they seem to take their time getting him safely aboard. But finally the last of them climbs in and they slam the doors shut; the other four signal "clear" from the landing pad.

Cabot:
"Then why the shrink-wrap. You don't think Jimbo has Ebola, do you?"

Keeper:
They're not quite in the air yet, Keen, but it's a good bet they won't be going in the same direction.

Lundquist:
"Maybe just better safe than sorry? Or maybe the doctors wanted the guy protected for his health."

Keeper:
At last, the Marshals' helicopter rises slowly into the air. Your pilot looks back. "Ready to fly?" he asks over the radio.

Cabot:
"Smells like shit to me. That's an awful lot of extra hassle just to medivac a man with gunshot wounds."

Lundquist:
"Well, he is in a coma..."

Keeper:
(Hey, they were BIG gunshot wounds...!) ;-)

Cabot:
"Yeah, but coma's aren't contagious. . ."

Lundquist:
"Yeah, pilot, let's go. Hey, can you turn to their radio frequency? I just want to listen in during the flight back, make sure nothing goes wrong."

Lundquist:
"Still, Cabot, maybe they're concerned that he'll get an infection. This New York air ain't that healthy."

Cabot:
"I still say this smells like shit."

Lundquist:
"You got that right."

Keen:
Keen will just scan the skyline, looking for some of those black helicopters he's heard of. :)

Cabot:
"I wonder how the other guys are doing?"

Keeper:
The pilot switches the radio band over. The helicopter revs harder for a minute before lurching up, swaying a little, and rising and turning over the building.

Keeper:
You hear nothing unusual from the Marshals' copter: "Roger, XM-58119 lifting off, cargo secured and all well. ETA destination DROP HORN one one eight minutes, over."

Keeper:
"Roger that , 58119, over and out."

Cabot:
"Hey, pilot. Pace them a couple miles, will ya?"

Lundquist:
"You guys have any thoughts as to what we should do next?"

Keeper:
"Will do," says the pilot. The helicopter leans after the Marshals' copter.

Keen:
"I dunno. I think this is strange too. Are you sure you don't want to just check if they get there ok? I'm still curious why they stopped on that floor too. Were they supposed to?"

Cabot:
"We need to find out the disposition of the rest of the team and their "package", then have a little pow-wow regarding future tactics. I'm here to provide security and some special "talents", but that's going to require altering your past MO a little."

Cabot:
Keeper: Can I identify the make of the copter we're tailing?

Keeper:
You can. It's a standard craft for the US Marshals to use.

Cabot:
Pilot: "What's their current airspeed? And what are the wind conditions?"

Cabot:
Keeper: I'm assuming that's an MH-60 Blackhawk?

Keeper:
The pilot calls back, "They're taking it slow and the weather's calm. It should be an easy flight."

Keeper:
(Blackhawk it is.)

Keeper:
Any last comments or thoughts, Lundquist?

Cabot:
I lean over to Lundquist, "We should be able to estimate to within a mile-or-so their destination if they don't alter course. Regardless, we'll have an idea mile-wise in any direction."

Lundquist:
"Good thinking. We can narrow it down to a pretty small circle."

Keen:
"I'm all for this. As long as we keep an eye on him for awhile, making sure he's safe, since he could turn out to be an asset."

Keeper:
After a minute the pilot calls back again: "The pilot up ahead there wants to know what we're doing."

Cabot:
"Tell him you're taking me to my original destination."

Lundquist has left the conversation.

Keeper:
The pilot calls, "And what would your original destination be, exactly?"

Keen:
Keen leans to Cabot. "Speak to this guy for me. You seem to know this helicopter stuff."

Cabot:
"Tell em' nonya. SAC Devereaux's been inconvenienced enough."

Keen:
Keen nods. "So, what lead from here?"

Cabot:
"Just go through the motions of putting down somewhere and then take us back."

Cabot:
To Keen, "Let's see how our friends are faring back at the war-zone." I dial-up our personnel there.

Keen:
Keen nods. "Alright."

Keeper:
The pilots in the cockpit look at each other. The pilot calls back, "Go through the motions? What's that supposed to mean? You sound like you're trying to spy on the Marshals service, for crying out loud."

Cabot:
"I was under the impression they paid you to fly this piece of shit, not dictate policy to field agents involved in an investigation."

Keen:
Keeper, just a quick question. I really don't remember how I heard this, but I thought the NSA could conduct espionage on american citizens on american soil as a drill, not really collecting information. Is that true? 'Cause then we might just pass this off as a drill.

Keeper:
I haven't heard anything about that, Keen. All I know is that the NSA is legally allowed to conduct internal counterespionage operations, which the CIA is officially prohibited from doing by its charter.

Cabot:
To pilot: "Are we simpatico?" (Threatening look).

Keen:
K.

Keen:
I think I heard about it after that movie 'Enemy of the State' came out. :P

Keeper:
The pilot looks back, pissed. "And I was under the impression that you hardcases just needed a ride to the hospital. How about I fly this 'piece of shit' back and drop your sorry carcass off and you can take the bus next time?"

Cabot:
"Please, your breaking my heart. Just do what I asked you and maybe, just maybe, you'll end up with another certificate of appreciation to wallpaper your bathroom with."

Keen:
Keen coughs alittle. "Gentlemen. Can we take a deep breath for 10 seconds?"

Keeper:
The pilot looks ahead and brings the helicopter down a bit, angling for an open lot to land in.

Cabot:
"Thank you."

Keeper:
The craft touches down and sits there, drawing stares from gawkers across the street.

Cabot:
To Keen, "Fucking pilots. Get the guys at TBC on the horn. See what their status is."

Cabot:
"Home, Jeeves." Chuckling. . .

Keen:
Keen sighs and nods, shrugging to the pilot and calling TBC.

Keeper:
Three minutes later, the aircraft lifts again and heads over the city toward the river and Manhattan.

Keeper:
Keen, you get Kelley ("MARLOWE") on the phone. "Yes," he answers crisply.

Keen:
"Hello, this is Mr. Keen, with the DoJ party. I was wondering how you gentlemen were doing on your end?"

Keen:
(Keen winks. Got it. :)

Keeper:
"We're sifting through it all. Rogers is talking to some of our suspects. The forensics crew is inspecting the corpse. What's left of it, anyway."

Keen:
"Excellent. I also want to say that we are appreciative of your help. Is Mrs. Wang available?"

Cabot:
"Ask them if they can get the "package" out okay."

Keeper:
"I'll get her," he says. There's a long pause.

Keeper:
Keen, you hear Wang's voice. "This is Agent Wang," she says.

Keen:
Keen nods to Cabot. "Ok."

Keen:
"Hello Mrs. Wang, this is Mr. Keen. I believe we met briefly. How is everything going? Investigation and movement?"

Cabot:
"Movement. . ." Cute. ;)

Keeper:
"I'm in our van now. We brought the corpse down to inspect it, but I don't know how much we'll find. It is deteriorating rapidly."

Keen:
"I'm afraid we won't be able to witness that, so is there any way to capture it on film, camera wise or video?"

Keeper:
"We're doing so. I'll have more for you in a few hours."

Keen:
"Excellent. Thank you for your help." He turns to Cabot, "Anything else you need to know?" He makes sure to fill Cabot in on everything.

Cabot:
"Hold it, hold it. Lund, you got any specific instructions for forensics?"

Keen:
Keen keeps Wang on the phone, holding.

Keeper:
Lundquist takes the phone and talks to Wang for a few minutes.

Keeper:
(And that's as specific as I'll get til he provides the details next time.) ;-)

Cabot:
No, I just want to make sure that we're not circumventing him in hi sabsence.

Keen:
Keen takes the phone back when Lund is done, looking suspiciously at Lund and secretly wiping the earpiece clean with a hankerchief when he is not looking. Can't trust those DoJ types to clean their ears.

Cabot:
Lol

Keeper:
Heh heh.

Keeper:
Kelley gets back on the horn. "All right. What's next?"

Cabot:
"Well, Mr. Keen, here's how I see it: this team is in deep-shit with multiple opponents at varying-degrees of high level. I don't think I've been made as an associate of them yet, but you probably have to anyone watching."

Cabot:
"Let's put this thing down near TBC and have you regroup with the team while I shadow you to see if I can make any tails on you. We need intel on the bad-guys here more than anything else. Putting a face on a few won't hurt."

Keen:
Keen nods to Cabot. "Right. Do you have any words for Kelley? Otherwise I think we should swing around and try to intercept Wang. I'd like to see whatever she has for us, and hopefully by the time we meet up she'll have anything new." He nods to Cabot's plan. "Good idea about the tails.

Cabot:
"Let me have the phone a second."

Keen:
Keen relays.

Keen:
Into his hands of course... :)

Cabot:
"Marlowe, Cabot. Can the team still exfiltrate okay. What about our dead?"

Keeper:
"Things are pretty smooth at the moment. There were plenty of body bags coming out. We just rerouted a couple to get Maddux and Borrow and young Jackson here out away from the others."

Keeper:
"Keep it at Kelley," he adds. "No code names in the field."

Cabot:
"Will Wang voluntarily release the "package" to us?" (Roger that, Keeper.)

Keeper:
"Anyway, we have the bodies here in Wang's van."

Keeper:
"Wang is on the right side. She'll follow our advice."

Keeper:
"What happened to the prisoner?"

Cabot:
"Allright, we're gonna send Keen back in to rendezvous with you. I'll shadow to pick up any tails. If I've got anything, I'll let you know and we'll take action from there. I've got a hotel room at the Hilton if your safe house is compromised. But we need to get together in quiet and regroup ASAP."

Cabot:
"The prisoner's a lost asset, someone above us beat us to the punch on him."

Keeper:
"Shit," he observes. "I'm not happy with these guys getting around our flank this easy. Not happy at all."

Cabot:
"Yeah, I'm thinking its time to work on turning the tables a bit. Increasing the heat, if you know what I mean."

Keeper:
"Sure. I just want a target that'll matter. Wasting a bunch of feds won't mean shit if they're just pawns."

Cabot:
"Good. Then if getting out of there in the forensic truck's a go, wait for Keen and move out. I have a feeling you'll have a nice target soon enough."

Keeper:
"No problem. I'm available. Rogers is going to be busy with interrogations. Danforth is checking their files and computers. We'll need Lundquist to interact with the other agencies in an official capacity."

Keeper:
"But I'll meet Keen and we can take it from there."

Cabot:
"Okay, stand-by. We're inbound and will be there shortly." I hang up. I look to Keen, "i hope you're as high-speed as they say you are with that spook-shit. You're getting ready to get your chance to showboat."

Keeper:
The helicopter flies over the East River again and across midtown Manhattan. After a few minutes in the air it circles over the Breckenridge building again. The pilot calls back, "You boys going back down by ladder, or should I put down someplace else?"

Cabot:
To pilot: "Put us down away from the perimeter of the incident. I don't want the press hounding us."

Keeper:
"Understood. Give me five." He makes some radio calls for landing permission. Then the aircraft flies to another building nearby, a block away.

Keeper:
Five minutes later, you're both bundling out.

Keen:
Keen adjusts his purple tie, and heads to his car, giving Cabot time to get to his and follow him from the parking lot.

Cabot:
To Keen: "You okay with this?"

Keen:
"Of course."

Keeper:
Where to?

Cabot:
As soon as I am out of view of the chopper, I remove the FBI jacket, cap and sunglasses again. Do I see any street vendors selling t-shirts or caps?

Cabot:
FYI: I think our cars are a ways down the street near the scene, right?

Keeper:
You see two of them as soon as you get back on the street. Nothing draws the unlicensed vendors like a crowd.

Keeper:
That's right.

Keen:
Keen simply waits till Cabot is ready to follow him. :) "Take as much time as you need for your face." He sits on the hood of his car and lights a cigarette.

Cabot:
Great, buy an "I Love NY" tee-shirt and a Yankees cap or something.

Keeper:
Both are just about crap for the $10 the guy is charging, but they definitely don't look like a fed's suit.

Keen:
Keen's suits never look official to begin with. :P

Keeper:
Agent Cooper you're not. ;-)

Cabot:
Okay, then I take the FBI jacket, turn it inside-out and tie it around my waist to hide my sidearm. I give Keen direction that will take him past my vehicle. "Once I get something from my vehicle, move in. Keep about a 150' ahead of me whenever you're outside of the building."

Cabot:
To be straight: NEITHER of us is at our vehicle yet, right?

Keeper:
Right.

Keen:
Oh, ok.

Keen:
Keen nods. "Sure. Want me to do anything along the way, like pick up fast food?"

Cabot:
"Move out, Keen. I've got your six. Any problems, I'll call you."

Cabot:
"Do whatcha like, kid."

Keen:
Keen okays and moves out, taking it at the speed that is certainly comfortable for Cabot to follow him. He ends up pulling through fast food to get a chicken burger, waiting in an exceptionally long line. When done he takes some crowded and not so crowded streets, all at comfortable speeds to be followed by Cabot.

Cabot thinks: When I get to my car I want to retrieve my binoculars.

Keeper:
Keen, you drive leisurely for a while. Cabot, you follow him, binoculars at the ready.

Cabot:
I check myself for tails.

Cabot:
Not literally.

Keeper:
You don't notice anybody out of the ordinary.

Cabot:
I then observe for anyone taking an unusual interest in Keen and his vehicle.

Keeper:
Keen drives for an hour; it's coming into rush hour now, and traffic moves slowly. There are lots of honking horns, many angry cabbies, thick smog. Some streets are partially blocked by road crews with flashing barricades, causing even more tension.

Cabot:
Keep my eyes peeled.

Keeper:
You drive the choked streets for another twenty minutes. Still, there's nothing.

Keen:
Keen, by this time assumes that Cabot would have called him if there was a problem, so heads for TBC.

Keeper:
You drive back without incident, though it remains slow going. The streets are still packed around the Breckenridge building.

Keeper:
You spy Wang's FBI forensics van in the same place as before. There are a couple of agents stationed outside it, standing watch.

Keen:
Keen will look for a empty parking space a short way away from the least populated spot in the perimeter.

Keeper:
You find one after a few minutes of hunting, Keen. It's not in direct sight of the forensics van, though.

Keen:
Keen shrugs and goes for a spot closer to the van then. :P

Keeper:
It takes a few more minutes; the only place you find is in a more active area.

Keen:
Keen goes for the more populated spot then, figuring it is a compromise to just be closer to our people.

Cabot:
As I see Keen pull in, I look for a spot, any spot.

Keeper:
You both park.

Cabot:
I move to mingle with the gawkers and keep an eye on Keen and the forensic van.

Keeper:
What about you, Keen?

Keen:
Keen weaves through the crowd, often times heading through it sideways and diagonally before he pops out at the police line, identifies himself, and heads to meet up with the others.

Cabot:
Scanning the incident with my binoculars (those nosy New Yawkers) I look for any other team members out in the open.

Keeper:
Cabot, Keen draws attention as he moves past the police lines and to the FBI van. Several gawkers watch him, and a news reporter shouts questions as he passes.

Keeper:
You don't see any others from the team out here, though.

Keen:
Keen turns his face away from any camera men and keeps one hand up as he passes them to signify no comment.

Keen:
Keen goes to the van?

Keeper:
Keen, you make it to the van. You don't recognize the agents standing guard outside it. One of them looks your way. "Yes?"

Keen:
"Hello, I'm looking for Mrs. Wang?"

Keeper:
He glances at the van. "Authorized personnel only."

Cabot:
I focus in on the gawkers in the crowd that showed interest just to get a basic make on them in the event they pop up later.

Keen:
Keen raises an eyebrow, and nods, looking for anyone on the scene that he knows. All the members are gone?

Keeper:
You memorize a few faces, Cabot. Most look mundane; not focused, not blank, just idly curious and irritable.

Keeper:
Keen, you don't recognize anyone outside the van. They may be inside it, though.

Cabot:
You never know. . .

Keen:
Keen addresses the guards. "Are you here on Mrs Wang's orders? If so, I would have clearance to this van."

Keeper:
"Do you have some ID?"

Keen:
Keen narrows his eyes. "Look, I'm tired of this. Who is your superior officer here?"

Keeper:
The agent frowns angrily. "Listen, genius, if you want in the van, I need some ID."

Keen:
Keen can't seem to get a straight answer from them about who placed them here, so he will keep asking till some results are made. "If I want in the goddamned van, I would have showed you my ID. Now I want to know who placed you here, and who you report to."

Cabot whispers to Keeper: I ring Kelley and tell him Keen is having some problems gaining access to the forensic van.

Keeper:
The agent isn't impressed. "No ID? What are you a reporter? Get on the other side of the line!" He points to the barricades.

Keen:
Keen grumbles and relents, flipping out his ID looking disgusted.

Cabot:
I focus on the agent that Keen is conversing with.

Keeper:
The van door opens a foot. Kelley looks down at the scene. "Smith," he calls. "Quit fooling around and get up here."

Keeper:
The agent looks up without looking at your ID. Kelley stares at Keen. "Well? Get up here! We have work to do."

Keen:
Keen nods and climbs into the van, making sure to bump the guard's shoulder with his own as he passes. :)

Keeper:
The guard gives a little as you nudge him. "Oh, that's sweet," he says, low and sarcastic. He adds something unintelligible as you climb up the stairs into the van.

Keen:
Keen closes the door behind him as he enters, surveying the scene and getting ready to see whatever decomposition Wang mentioned.

Keeper:
Wang and the other forensics agents are standing in a crowd around a well-lit table, apparently ignoring the rest of the trace evidence that was collected.

Keeper:
Kelley nods toward the table. "He's over there. Nothing much but a mess, now."

Keen:
Keen nods to Kelley and tries to get a peek around the crowd over over some shoulders.

Keeper:
The table was designed to handle autopsies, but there's hardly a recognizable corpse there, now. What you see is a jumble of ribcage and part of a skull, bones grey and brittle-looking, in a morass of noxious off-white slime, thick and gluey.

Keeper:
The forensics agents seem entranced. They don't notice your arrival. Wang has a small instrument over the skull, recording and measuring.

Keeper:
"Decomposition has accelerated again," she breathes. "The fluid has moved up into the cranial cavity."

Keeper:
Another agent has a rod-like mircroscope in the fluid at another end of the table. "Activity here is slowing. It's going inert."

Keen:
Keen holds his nose and tries to understand what is going on.

Keeper:
You're at a loss, Keen.

Keeper:
One of the other agents shakes her head. "Wild. Too wild. The inert sample's cellular structure has simplified further."

Keeper:
Wang looks up. "Who wants to bet money whether this stuff has DNA?"

Keeper:
A couple of the agents laugh nervously. Others just stare.

Keeper:
The skull sags as you watch.

Keeper:
Wang notices Keen standing at the edge of the group. "Welcome aboard," she says. "You missed most of the show."

Keen:
Keen nods. "I figured I might. Anyone want to summarize this scene in layman's terms? Looks like it's all gone to liquid..."

Keeper:
"Not quite liquid. Not quite solid, either. This stuff was worked into the decedent's musculature and bones. It's been devouring him ever since he died."

Keeper:
"Rough hypothesis? He had to eat a hell of a lot to have energy to feed this stuff. When he died, it kept feeding. Now it's just about out of food."

Keeper:
As you watch, Keen, the bones grow more brittle and grey, then they dissolve.

Keen:
"Ouch. Won't it keep looking for food elsewhere?"

Keeper:
"I don't know. It seems to be going inert. We haven't tested it with other tissue."

Keen:
"Ok. Well, are you going to make an attempt to keep it alive for study? Like giving more tissue?"

Keeper:
She nods. "We'll try that."

Keen:
Keen nods alittle. "Ok. I trust your decision because I figure you'd have the training to judge if you could do this safely."

Keeper:
She looks up again. "Safely? No way do I feel safe with this stuff. It shouldn't behave like this. Nothing behaves like this."

Keen:
Keen bites his lip alittle in thought. "Well, should you put it in some sort of container for suspension?"

Keen:
"Like one of those bubble things?"

Keeper:
She nods again. "We'll try to contain it after we finish here."

Cabot:
Okay. I'm back.

Keeper:
"Oh," she says.

Keen:
"Ok, good stuff."

Keen:
Keen hmms?

Keeper:
"We found this, as well." She leans over and lifts a sealed glass sample jar.

Keen:
Keen most certainly does not reach out for it, just looking inside.

Keeper:
Inside the jar, you see a small black cube.

Keeper:
It seems to glint vaguely.

Keen:
"Any ideas what it is?"

Keeper:
"This was inside the cranium; it looked like it was implanted within the brain. The... stuff... dissolved the flesh around it."

Cabot:
No unusual activity outside the van, right?

Keen:
"Ug. Gross. Do you know why it didn't dissolve this?"

Keeper:
Outside the van? The two FBI agents standing guard spent a minute cracking wise at Keen's expense. Otherwise it's quiet.

Cabot:
So long as no one's sticking stethoscopes up to the sides of it. . .

Keeper:
She says, "This isn't organic. It's an implant. See how it glints? Those are gold connectors. Neural connectors. The cube itself--I'm not sure. It's light, though, not heavy like circuitry."

Keen:
"Right. Umm, does this sort of stuff exist? Neural implants?"

Keeper:
"Sure. It's even hit the newspapers lately. But I don't think this is the things they got in US News and World Report."

Keen:
"Understood. Should I update Cabot now or later?

Keeper:
Wang shrugs. "That's up to you. I just work here."

Keen:
Keen nods. "Alright." He steps aside to Kelley, and asks how the upstairs office work is going?

Keeper:
"Slow," he says. "Danforth's combing their files, but it looks like they cleaned house pretty well. He says there are a good number of reports missing, for what that's worth."

Keen:
"If they cleaned up, was it because they knew we were comming, or was it the kind of last minute cleanup?"

Keeper:
"Danforth thinks it's both. A lot of the files were scrapped a month ago. A lot more were scrapped less than a week ago."

Keen:
"Ok. Any way you can determine how they were scrapped? Was it like burned, or just shredded or something?"

Keeper:
"The computer files were just deleted, along with network backups. Paper files have gaps in them. There's a report that refers back to an earlier date, and that date's not in the file. That sort of thing."

Keen:
"Right. Sounds like a real mess. I'm gonna call Cabot and keep him up to date."

Keeper:
He nods.

Keen:
Keen calls Cabot, and informs him when he's out of the crowd.

Cabot:
"Yeah," I answer.

Keen:
Keen runs through his account of the melting body and odd gooey stuffs, neural implants, and problems with the paperwork. "So, any suggestions on next steps?"