@lazarus | video

[benhargreeves]

[ The video opens on Ben's face. He is looking particularly grim, filming in one of the rooms in the residential section. No greetings or build-up, he just cuts right to the chase, holding up a tiny device between forefinger and thumb. Visible is a tiny lens, and what looks like a small antennae to transmit. ]

PSA. There are surveillance cameras hidden in the lighting fixtures of the bedrooms. I found a creepy tunnel leading to a creepy lair where some fucking creep has been spying on us. Still trying to figure out who is behind it and what they want, but the feeds only show occupied rooms and no empty ones so it's not a coincidence, unfortunately.

[ Ben turns the frame to face the spot where the small camera had obviously been ripped out of an overhead light. From offscreen he says, voice clipped and angry: ]

Anyway. Wanted you guys to know. Hit me up if you need help ripping the suckers out. I'll post again when I know more.

Comments

[dothelokimotion]

[ ah. hero, out of touch, not one for plans. useful information, at least. ]

There's little point in ripping them out without looking at the control panel and finding out where they lead, correct? Otherwise, without any idea of how they came to be, you'd simply be performing a useless task.

1/2

[benhargreeves]

Was there a feed from your lab?

[ Ben can't remember; everything that happened in that tunnel is starting to be a bit of a blur. In a way, that's nice, but it means some of the details have slipped away. ]

I don't know what might be in the saved footage from my room, either.

[ A brief pause, then: ]

I'm seriously gonna try to keep it together and not freak out like earlier.
But like, apologies in advance if I'm kinda off or whatever.
This whole thing's fucking me up way way way more than I would've thought.

2/2

[benhargreeves]

Also do you know this '@ tricks' guy, he's saying he has info but refusing to share it and I can't tell if he's just a complete dick or if he's involved and maybe dangerous.

[benhargreeves]

Of course.
Obviously I have to be careful until I get a better sense of who might be involved.
But the only one who benefits if we don't share information and help each other is our enemies.

[ Then, because text also stops him from being able to tell if anyone else might be really handling this poorly, he adds: ]

I know how upsetting all of this is to find out so if you need anybody to talk to...

@lazarus | audio --> private

[benhargreeves]

Hey do you wanna maybe NOT announce specific plans for how we're gonna solve this clusterfuck on the public network? We don't know who might be involved and listening. Thanks.

[ Ugh. Okay. That was snippy and probably an overreaction. Ben pinches the bridge of his nose and tries to be a little more constructive. ]

Sorry. Kinda tense right now. But we really maybe should try to keep stuff on the dl, including which of us are working on catching this creep.

I take it you know Peter? He's already got a hard-drive of saved footage he's going over. I'll make sure to save any cameras I can in case they've got clues.

[ Shame, he was really looking forward to smashing the little motherfucker. ]

[sleepyhollowed]

[Oof.]

[Ben really doesn't look too good, and the way Kieran's brow furrows in concern points to how noticeable it is, and how much he doesn't want his friend to feel that way.]

[So he quickly shifts to a tiny smile, injecting some optimism into his tone.]

I-If you got the time, I wouldn't mind if ya came to help with the camera now.

[Because having something to do usually helps with sour moods, right?]

[abheirrant]

[Someone... offering to talk to him.]

That is usually my line, as clergy.

@lazarus | video --> private

[benhargreeves]

Thank you. I can actually send a list of public locations with cameras in them if you don't mind clearing them out. There's a lot to do and I could use the help. And can you save as much of the tech as possible? In case it helps us figure anything out about whoever did this.

[ Of course he's not ruling out the possibility Shepard might be involved because the list of people he considers absolutely in the clear on this one is very short and exclusive. But that doesn't mean he's going to turn down her offer. ]

When you say this kind of shit, do you mean uninstalling hardware or are you talking specifically someone's secretly spied on you before?

[ He wants to know, for Reasons. ]

[queenofthegirlscouts]

Send the list, and I'll see what I can find out from it. The infirmary doesn't need me right now, I can do this around helping anyone who turns up there.

[ Her smile at his question is small, wry, unamused. ]

Both. The former's more a normal, everyday thing, I admit.

[itsnotaonesie]

I didn't find any secret spy cameras in the lab, but all the public areas like this were already being monitored from the actual security stations. I think just for the time being at least we should leave stuff like that the way it is.

Bro don't even worry about it, I think a lot of us are gonna be off for a while.

That's Loki, he's from my universe. I really doubt that he would be involved with this whole spy camera thing at all, he hasn't been here long enough. I honestly don't know him well enough to know if he's actually got info or if he's just bullshitting, sorry. He is really smart though, so if we can get him in a... I guess cooperating mood somehow, that could probably be good for us.

[livingdeadgirl]

yeah
or it was back home anyway

[ ... Ah, she never did get back to him about what she's remembered, did she? Whoops. Well, they can discuss that more when he gets here, which he probably has by now. ]

[benhargreeves]

[ A few moments later, mildly chagrined, Ben contacts her again: ]

Actually, I've talked to some folks I'm working with - [ He doesn't mentions Peter's name, because that's not information that Shepard needs right now ] and maybe it's best to leave the public areas alone. I'm not a tech guy but I've been told, they were just hijacking the feed from the normal security stations? And it's better for safety to just... leave them.

[ Better for general safety? Maybe. Better for Ben's mental health? Super duper not actually.

Which is why he adds, a little unevenly: ]

But could you. Take out the one in the library, anyway. Just- as a favor to me. And, uh. After that, check a few of the unoccupied rooms. See if you can find any cameras in there. That'll tell us whether they are just switching stuff on when people arrive or - or installing it as they go.

[ He is pretty sure the latter would be impossible. No one can be that stealthy, to repeatedly sneak in past all the residents and put in new cameras. If that were the case.... Ben would be sure it was someone they would all recognize. Someone in their midst rather than a stranger.

And he is going to check some unoccupied rooms, himself, later. To confirm whether what Shepard tells him is the truth. No offense. ]

[benhargreeves]

[ Peter said to try to get Loki into a cooperating mood, so Ben took a moment to count to ten and now he is really Trying, in his best calm, rational, reasonable adult voice: ]

I mentioned before that I know exactly where they lead. There's a secret monitoring station where all the data was being transmitted. I'm working with people to figure out - from stuff we saw there, and from the hardware once it's been taken out - everything we can about these people. So we can fight back, rather than just roll over and accept this.

[dothelokimotion]

But you've also tipped your hand. Very openly.

I realize stealth is not the most, ah, heroic option. But if there is one monitoring station, there is more. And if they snuck them right under your noses, they can do so again. What you need is not simply who or where. You need to make them believe all is well. Otherwise they may simply cut and run, with no way of tracing them.

[benhargreeves]

Alright. I've got the time, it's no problem. I'll be there soon.

[ Ben tries to match Kieran's smile. He really does. But it's just not in him, right now.

That is obvious from his body language when he shows up to the ranch. He is hunched over, his hands deep in his pockets and his hood up, pulled down low over his forehead. Like he's trying to be as small as possible. Like he's hiding. Like he's just found out that someone's been recording him for months without him knowing it and now he doesn't want to be visible to anyone or anything, thanks.

He has a crowbar tucked under one arm, and gives Kieran a nod when he sees him. Not a hello or even a hey, just that up and down movement of his head. There is something in this quietness, and the solemnity of his face, that is not neutral. It is closed-off.

When he speaks, his voice is... small. ]

D'you have a ladder, somewhere, I could use?

[queenofthegirlscouts]

[ It's been a long, long time since Shepard's been considered 'general public', and she's finding that it is sitting super poorly on her. But the guy is cagey and the best thing here is not to push. Be patient. Build trust. He doesn't know her. Doesn't know her reputation. ]

Well... I guess if we get organised enough to need a security system, I can see the point of it.

[ Not that she likes it, and it's clear from her tone.]

And, yeah, sure thing. I'm doing the infirmary first, then library. Then the rest.

[ A careful pause, then: ]

You could meet me there, at the library. I'll share what I've found in the infirmary.

--> private

[benhargreeves]

Listen. I'm telling you this because Peter says he knows you and this shit isn't really your style, so you're probably not involved. But pretending no one had found that first station wasn't gonna be an option, for unavoidable reasons.

[ Peter... may have smashed some stuff inside it but Ben's not going to throw him under the bus like that. 'Cause he gets it. ]

The likelihood that there are already other stations has occurred to us, along with the probability that if they haven't got one already they'll just build one. This operation is way too extensive for them to just chicken out and ditch at the first sign of trouble.

[ He really has better things he could be doing than walking Loki through this but... Peter said he's smart and smart is useful, so. ]

And don't you think a good way for a few people to investigate under the radar is to have a few other people making a big racket to deflect attention?

[dothelokimotion]

[ loki rolls his eyes. he wonders why. except not really. ]

No. I think it is rather short-term, considering the lack of information we possess. These networks we use may not be secure either, for all we know.

What you may need is magic. Magic can counter basic technology such as those cameras. A strong illusion would throw off the scent easily.

[benhargreeves]

[ They got a priest here??? Wow, weird. ]

Well, even if you're usually the guy supporting everybody else, you're still allowed to need a little support yourself now and then.
My door's always open.

--> action

[benhargreeves]

[ Cool cool cool. Great, awesome, of course the public areas were already being monitored and Ben hadn't known that. He knows Peter is coming at this from a more rational place and he's probably right, but boy howdy, Ben's not going to want to leave his room or exist in general for a while. ]

Okay. If you say so.

I guess I'll try with this Loki guy. Even if he is pissing me off.

[ Handling difficult people isn't really his strong suit. He might have to tag Peter in at some point on this because even on his best day social stuff is hard for Ben and today is pretty far from being his best day.

A few moments later, Ben is knocking on the door to Peter's lab. He's got the cameras from his and Klaus's rooms tucked into the pouch of his hoodie, and he pulls them out, sets them on one of the tables before he approaches the monitor where Peter has the footage set up. He doesn't want to do this. All he wants is to run down to the library and pick up a book and shut everything out and pretend he is somewhere else for a while. But... he's here. ]

Hey.

--> action

[benhargreeves]

[ Ami's room isn't far, but Ben gives himself a few seconds once he gets to her door to compose himself, before he knocks. He's here to help her and reassure her and that isn't going to work if he seems too upset, himself. He can do this. He just needs to take everything that is awful and just shove it neatly away into a corner for a little while. He can do that. He has considerable practice.

When he knocks, and Ami opens, he says: ]

You're gonna have to remind me what scrying is because I can't remember and it's possible it means something different in my world, anyway. [ A moment later, he adds: ] Hi.

[benhargreeves]

[ Ben catches the discontent in her tone and adds: ]

If it were up to only me, I'd say rip them all out, but...

[ But he knows he's not thinking clearly on this. He's just going to have to trust in his friends, that they know the right thing to do. And he gets it - Shepard's insistence that the infirmary be surveillance-free, too. He isn't going to ask for an exception to be made for the place he spends most of his time, and then turn around and tell her she can't do the same. ]

Thank you.

[ When she asks to meet him, he hesitates. ]

I... might be a while.

[ He does appreciate Shepard's willingness to help, however, and so he can share a little bit, to explain that he's not just blowing her off and being unappreciative. ]

I'm going to be reviewing the footage that was saved from the feed of my bedroom for a little while. See if I can pick up any clues what sort of data they're trying to collect.

[benhargreeves]

[ Uch. Loki, congrats, you're now Ben's least favorite person he's encountered in this place. He has tried to be patient but it's a bad day and his tolerance for this back and forth is officially up. He should've handed it off to Peter before it got to this point but now he's too pissed to hold back. ]

You know what? I'm done, I don't care what Peter says. At least I'm trying to do something, instead of just sitting on my ass and making jokes and picking apart about how other people could be doing it better.

You think it's all so simple, and you're so much cleverer and sneakier and you could solve it all with magic? Fine. Why not fucking go do that and quit bothering me?

[superposition]

[ Probably good that it's not video, since Qubit gets scowling something fierce at the implication he doesn't know what he's doing. Of course he knows the network is insecure, what do you take him for?

But he bites his tongue (somewhat), keeping his tone professional. You only get one first impression, after all, and he needs to cultivate trust. ]

I do know him, we're already collaborating on the issue. Were you trying to keep his name out of it? Because if the culprit's been watching us for any length of time, they'd be more foolish not to assume he's involved.

Anyway, that was hardly specific. If you want to discuss this in person, the labs are clear of bugs, I've seen to that.

[ I mean. apart from his own security measures, but Qubit's the only one with access to those. ]

[livingdeadgirl]

[ No sooner has she opened the door than he starts rambling, and she responds at the end with a little puff of laughter. Extenuating circumstances aside, that was funny. ]

Hi to you too! Come on in.

[ She steps aside to let him into the room. It's just a standard double, nothing too special. Her bookbag is on the desk next to an assortment of index cards and a box of Sharpies, her bed is neatly made, and oh yeah there's a bunch of shit written on the walls.

Like. All over the walls. Every square inch of them, somehow, is covered in black writing, lines and lines of neatly printed letters, with no spaces, no clear beginning or endpoint. The letters are jumbled, but occasionally they happen to form the most viable syllable you could make from them:

t0ck.

Ami makes no reference to them, instead moving to stand under the light fixture. ]

Oh, and when I say scrying, I mean any kind of remote viewing that doesn't -