Ben was startled by Tom's laughter. He gave Tom and Krys a quizzical look and responded to Tom's wink by raising one eyebrow. "Do you people even know this girl?" He turned his attention to Jack. "Or was this just a way to get info out of me for some story?"

Krystal was about to mentally answer Tom but Ben had spoken up. "Ex'Cuse me?!" she jumped up with the energy worth of any reality TV drama-mama and shoved a stack of papers off his desk. "My friend's gone! Jack had to make sure her bird didn't starve. He's a afraid of my cat! Before you go accusing this man of using my friend's excuse for story you better check-" she wasn't sure who, but someone was physically calming her down.

Once seated Krystal pulled out a pack of cigarettes and started to fish out her lighter, "I'm sorry. It's been a screwed up week."

Tom let go of Krystal, with a simple: "Krys, dear? I don't think you can smoke here." Then he turned to face Ben: "You shouldn't go around impugning the motives of people you don't know. Some of them may take it... Poorly."

Tom's pupils became vertical as he stared at Ben in the eye: "My friend, who I can guarantee would never have used Lix of her own free will, just died, and it seems she tested positive to Lix. This means either somebody gave it to her without her consent, and killed her, or she tested positive because of her... Family history. I would very much like to know which is which. So: could you please help us?"
This message was last edited by the player at 05:33, Wed 06 Aug 2014.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Ben rapidly exclaimed. "I didn't mean... um... you can't smoke... nevermind, it's fine." Krystal's outburst had clearly flustered him. He took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead. "I'm going to get into so much trouble for this," he muttered to himself. He looked at Tom and nodded appreciatively when Tom managed to calm Krystal down.

He avoided eye contact with all of them and tried to stick to less emotional, scientific facts. "A lot of Lix babies died or had serious problems. There were some that survived the lengthy, brutal detox period and didn't exhibit any immediate issues but, nobody knew what the long term effects might be. There's just a lot about Lix we still don't know. It's more alchemy than chemistry. We can recognize a pattern of common elements that we can identify as Lix but, that's just the natural elements. There's obviously paranormal ingredients that we've never been able to identify. The complete formula was a closely guarded secret by alchemists. Of course every alchemist that was ever questioned denied any knowledge of how to make it."

His brow furrowed as he paused to think for a moment. "I honestly don't know if the drug remains in a Lix baby's system years after they've been exposed. However, what I found in your friend was an altered formula. It's definitely Lix but, it's different from what we've seen before, which suggests that it's new."

"I can't tell you how the drug was administered. It could have been ingested, injected... I just don't know. The Lix isn't the direct cause of her death. It's the catalyst. Lix was designed to be a boosting agent. It could improve eyesight or intelligence to supernatural levels but, only temporarily. In the case of your friend, it 'boosted' the drugs the hospital gave her, causing an overdose of those meds, even though they gave her safe doses."

Zoey was surprised at the strong reactions suddenly being shouted across the room, she reached for Krystal but quickly remembered she was probably of little comfort. She stood aside silently and listened closely to Ben. She furrowed her brow slightly as she spoke again, "Wait, what are you saying?" she turned to her friends. "What is he saying? Someone did this to me on purpose? I was, like, poisoned? I didn't feel any different...when could they have done it?..." her words trailed off as she began mentally recalling her last several days.

Jack was fuming mad at the implication that this meeting was simply a ruse to glean information.  But he tried to remain calm.  Bludgeoning the nighttime 'corpus collector' was not going to be productive.  Besides, Krystal and Tom had that department well under control.

"So, let me see if I got this right.  Lix is, at its core, an enhancer.  If someone has a predisposition to something, it might bring that talent out of them, at least for a short while.  And it could enhance something else, like the medications Zoey was administered, essentially causing an overdose-like situation."  Jack sumized.  "I wonder if something similar could have happened to that girl Ashley.  Everyone we spoke to said she barely had anything to drink, but the hospital listed her death as alcohol poisoning."

Tom pulled on his ear as he collected his thoughts: "It fits... This isn't quite the old Lix, though... I think somebody may have reworked it it to act specifically as a catalyst for poison. It's clever, if you think about it: the symptoms will vary from victim to victim, making it harder or even impossible to find them all, and each victim will require a specific type of medical care, which will probably fail anyway because the Lix will reinforce it to the point where the cure becomes a poison itself. Even magic healing is impaired: cast neutralize poison? Fine, that works... But the Lix is not the poison, so the spell does not neutralize it, then you eat a banana and die of radiation poisoning or something."

He turned slightly to look at Zoey: {I'm sorry dear, but yes, I think somebody wanted you dead. Maybe it had something to do with your other job...}
This message was last edited by the player at 05:50, Fri 08 Aug 2014.

"Ashley? You mean the girl from Tabú?" Ben looked surprised. "You think she was drugged?" He tapped on his keyboard and called up some other files. "I didn't work on her case. The cause of death is listed as alcohol poisoning. If she had this new form of Lix, they would've missed it. We still have some blood and tissue stored. I can run some more tests." Ben frowned as he switched back and forth between different documents on the computer screen. "Do you know for a fact that your niece was born addicted to Lix?"

Jack shook his head.  "No, I don't know for a fact.  My sister was all kinds of screwed up and ran away from home when I was young.  It would not surprise me if she was mixed up with Lix or a whole cocktail of drugs.  I didn't know Zoey existed until a couple of years ago when she found me.  But Zoey grew up in the foster care system.  If she was addicted to Lix, the system would have a record of that. It shouldn't be too hard for you to track that information down."

"Call it part of your investigation into the circumstances of her death.  I'm sure some bean counter or politician would love to know the long term effects of Lix if she was born addicted." Jack suggested.  "But you said this seems like a new twist on that formula.  So, even if she was born addicted, who ever did this probably wouldn't know that.  She had to have it given to her recently somehow."

Jack pondered a moment and was struck with a thought.  "You said she could have gotten the Lix through ingestion or she could have been injected with it.  Could someone possibly use a tattoo needle?  Mix the Lix with the ink?  She hadn't been to a doctor as far as I know, but she did just get a tattoo."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:22, Sat 09 Aug 2014.

"I don't know if Lix remains active years after exposure but, evidence of past addiction can be seen in the brain." Ben tapped on his keyboard and studied the screen. "A brain biopsy was performed by the coroner but, the results aren't listed here. He may not have gotten around to filing it yet." Ben gave the group an apologetic look. "We've been kind of swamped lately."

He returned his attention to the computer screen. "Your niece was an organ donor so, the hospital should have done a biopsy as well. It's standard with organ donation. They don't accept organs if there is evidence of past Lix addiction. It may not be a problem but, there's just so much about the drug that remains unknown. Hospitals prefer to play it safe." Ben called up a new document on the screen. "There it is. A biopsy was performed at the hospital by a Dr. Karen Rowe. There was no evidence of past Lix exposure." Ben shrugged. "Maybe your niece's exposure wasn't that severe."



"I don't know. Maybe." Ben thought for a moment. "We didn't have any reason to run tests on the tattooed skin. I could do that, if you want. It would mean exhuming the body."

Jack rolled his eyes and reflexively steadied his head movement with his hand. "Oh jeez! We just managed to bury her. I want to lay her to rest."  Jack was shaken at the decision laid before him.

After a moment wrestling with his turmoil of thoughts, Jack spoke in measured tones.  "I believe, if there is Lix in the tattoo, this may be the only way to catch the person responsible.  Do what you have to to run your tests.  Just be respectful."

Jack looked skyward. "Zoey, please forgive me, but I have to know."

Zoey smirked slightly as Jack spoke to the ceiling,"Trust me, I forgive you. My body has nothing to do with me being 'at rest' apparently." she looked at Ben and then back at the group. "I may not know a lot about all this medical jargon but I can guarantee something's weird about this. I don't think it had any lasting effects but I assure you I had a significant amount of Lix in my system when I was born...it is why I was never adopted. By the time they were done with all their tests and procedures, I was too old for anyone to want me." She looked down as she thought a moment, this was all stuff she rarely talked about. Zoey quickly regained focus and looked back up, "My point is, I had enough Lix to show up back then, then I think it'd be enough to show up now"

"Any chance we can look at Ashley's report? Did she have a tattoo or piercings arou-" Krystal stopped realizing that being too specific would be telling. "Around, a few weeks old? If they both had recent ink then that might be the next place to look into."

Ben gave Jack a nod. "I'll get you some paperwork before you leave to authorize everything." Turning to Krystal, he said, "Yeah, let me call up the report. Ashley Miller, right? There are some pictures in the file of a tattoo around her naval and one on her ankle. She was cremated so, I can't test the tattoos. I'm not sure if testing the ashes would do any good. I've got no idea how recent either of the tattoos are."

"I'd like a look at the images of the tattoos,"  Jack said.  "Sometimes an artist will have a style or a flare that is uniquely them."

Jack turned to Tom.  "Maybe you could talk to the sister.  She may remember that you were there when Ashley collapsed and that you tried to help.  We need to find out when and where did Ashley get her tattoos.  She may be more forthcoming with information to you than with a nosey reporter."

Back to the assistant coroner, Jack said, "Thanks Ben, for all your help.  I know a guy that, lets just say he hears of things that happen on the streets.  I'll talk to him.  If there is word on the street about Lix making a comeback, he will hear about it.  I will let you know if we find out anything that could link the two girl's deaths.  We may be able to, not only identify this as a homicide, but hopefully ID the killer as well."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:13, Sun 17 Aug 2014.

The poverty-stricken housing projects known as Cabrini–Green were constructed at the meeting point of Chicago's two wealthiest neighborhoods, Lincoln Park and the Gold Coast. After World War II the cash-strapped city began withdrawing crucial services like police patrols, transit services, and routine building maintenance. Lawns were paved over to save on maintenance, failed lights were left for months, and apartments damaged by fire were simply boarded up instead of rehabilitated and reoccupied. The balconies were fenced in to prevent residents from emptying garbage cans into the yard, and from falling or being thrown to their deaths. This created the appearance of a large prison tier or animal cages. Later phases of the housing development were built on extremely tight budgets and suffered from maintenance problems due to the low quality of construction. The local police and the city gave up on the area. Crime and gang violence were rampant.


About the only thing that changed over the years, was the ethnicity of Cabrini–Green's residents. In the beginning, the population was Swedish, then Irish, and eventually Sicilian. By the 1960's the population was predominately black. Poverty was the one thing they all had in common. In the 1990's, the city started experiencing another culture shift which triggered another change in Cabrini–Green's population. As the city's poor abandoned the projects, a paranormal population moved in and took over. Cabrini–Green became home for paras that didn't fit in well with the rest of Chicagoans. Many of them had an appearance that could never pass for human. The city wasn't ready to accept them. Finding jobs and housing was an impossible task. They faced harassment and discrimination at every turn, and no one in the city would do anything to help them. Others found it too hard to live by the rules of human society. They gravitated to Cabrini–Green, where they could make their own rules.


Boarded-up windows, burned-out areas of the facade, and pavement instead of green space -- all in the name of economizing on maintenance -- created an atmosphere of neglect and decay. The corridors of the buildings were littered with trash and the walls covered with graffiti. Elevators were broken and useless. Some apartments had their front doors torn from their hinges. The doors were simply leaned against the openings. Rat and cockroach infestations were commonplace. Basic utilities, such as water and electricity, often malfunctioned and were left unrepaired. Specific "gangs" controlled individual buildings, and residents were pressured to ally with those gangs in order to protect themselves from escalating violence. The city abandoned the area and didn't care what happened within Cabrini–Green, as long as it stayed in Cabrini–Green. The police avoided the area, leaving residents on their own.

There is no such thing as Death,
There is only Change

Walking Dead ~ Linkin Park

Jack wasn't a frequent visitor to Cabrini–Green but, he was recognized by most of the residents. Jack worked for the Independent News Service, an online news outlet that was known for fair treatment of paras. That got him a bit of a free pass to walk around Cabrini–Green with minimal harassment.

A handful of kids were hanging out by the street when Jack pulled up. They watched Jack and his companions warily as they got out of the car. A boy of about fourteen walked over puffing on a cigarette. He didn't say a word as he held his hand out to Jack, waiting for the customary bribe to make sure nobody messed with Jack's car.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:27, Fri 05 Sept 2014.

Jack reached for his wallet and withdrew a twenty dollar bill. He stepped up to the kid, looked him straight in the eye as if to say, 'I see you and you see me' as an unspoken contract.  Then he handed him the bill and nodded his head toward Krystal. "With me.  Gonna see Bogie."  The deal complete, Jack led the way through the gate and into a part of Chicago that Chicago would like to forget it had.

"You know, I have never been overseas, never had the desire to be a war correspondent.  This place at times can be just like being in Afghanistan or Iraq.  I remember driving past this place when I was young.  It was like the air itself lost its flavor. It felt stale, deathlike.  One of the biggest insults you could give a kid in the schoolyard was to wish their daddy lost their job and they would have to move to Cabrini-Green.  Gave me nightmares."

The place was alive with constant activity.  People moved back and forth in that 'fast-walking, not looking at you 'cause I have business' manor that is a Chicago trademark.  Others hung out in small groups or roamed in packs, watching the movement of others.  It was not unlike a pack of hyenas on the hunt.  Looking for signs of weakness, indications that would make them their next target for harassment. "My contact is a couple of building in.  Try to not look around too much and whatever you do, don't stare at anyone!  I have some rapport here, but only a little," Jack warned.

Jack and his entourage got a few curious looks as they made their way through the grounds and building but, nobody stopped them. Jack led them down a dank hallway toward an open door in the middle. Voices could be heard coming from inside.

"That's not the price we agreed on"

"Dude, that's all I've got."

As the group approached the door, they could see two twenty-something men inside. One had dark hair over pale skin while the other was sporting a green and yellow mohawk.

The dark-haired man sighed. "I can give you half."

"Is that... will that be enough?" The mohawk guy responded.

The dark-haired man shrugged. "I guess you'll find out."

"Come on man, can't you cut me a break, just this once?" Mohawk pleaded.

The dark-haired man shook his head. "Look, I've got expenses too. It's like you guys think eye of newt grows on trees or something."

"Ok, ok." Mohawk man handed over a roll of bills and the dark-haired man gave him a small bottle of an indistinct liquid in exchange.

"A little goes a long way," the dark-haired man said. "If you're careful, it should be enough."

The mohawk man smiled. "Thanks Z-man!"

"Do NOT call me that!" the dark-haired man snapped.

"Dude, it's cuz your name is Zed, not because of... your condition."

"Just go." The dark-haired man pointed at the door, and noticed for the first time that there were people standing there. "Hey Jack." He tilted his head sideways as he saw that Jack wasn't alone. "And friends." His eyes stopped on Krystal, and he quickly ran his hand through his hair in an attempt to make it neater.

The mohawk man pushed past the group at the door as he made a hasty exit. He tried to avoid eye contact with them, but as he got closer, it was clear that his eyes looked inhuman.

"Hey there, Bogie.  I would have thought wool of bat would be harder to come by.  Are you scamming that guy on your price?" Jack said with mirth in his eyes.  "Not that I care. Not one bit.  Sorry to intrude, but you know me."

Jack turned to his companions and said, "Allow me to introduce some friends of mine. This it Krystal and Tom.  Krystal and Tom, this is my buddy Bogie.  My ears and eyes to the street and under the street."

"Krystal," Bogie said the name like he was trying to memorize it. "And Tom?" It seemed to take a moment for the second name to sink in. Bogie looked around, and then noticed the feline in Krystal's arms. "Tom is the cat? You named your cat Tom," he smirked. "That's original." His tone was a bit sarcastic, until his gaze moved from the cat back to Krystal. A big smile crossed his face. "And totally adorable, really!" He tried to seem sincere. "I mean, it's cute. I uh... I like cats." He sounded as if he was trying to convince himself as much as anyone else. "They're... nice. Better than dogs." He tentatively reached his hand out and awkwardly petted Tom's head. "Dogs don't like me too much."

Bogie was pale but, it wasn't the washed-out complexion of a vampire who hadn't fed. There was a grayish tone to his skin with dark veins visible on his neck. He was dressed in ripped jeans and a faded t-shirt. The apartment was small with just a chair and a love-seat that looked like they'd been found next to a dumpster. The place was mostly clean, with the exception of some clothing on the floor that Bogie tried to kick under the chair. The only thing on the coffee table was a couple of newspapers opened to the comics and a half-finished crossword puzzle. Along one wall was an old record player next to some wooden crates filled with vinyl records.

The rest of Jack's words must have finally registered. "Wait, what? Scamming?" Bogie shook his head at Jack. "Come on, Jack. You know me. I don't cheat people." He returned his attention to Krystal. "I don't rip people off." Bogie spoke firmly, as if it was important that she know that, then he looked at Jack again. "As for your eyes under the street - jeez Jack, you make me sound like a sewer rat." Bogie turned toward Krystal again. "I don't hang out in the sewers."

{Nice to meet you Zed. I like humans, myself, so I guess that makes us even. Although... You are more of a para than a human, now, aren't you?} Tom's mental voice sounded amused: most paranaturals were able to tell that Tom wasn't quite a normal cat, but he hadn't had much experience with zombies. Either they didn't have the basic supernatural senses that were common to most paras, or Zed had been too absorbed by Krystal to notice. He suspected that the latter case would have been true either way.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 18:26, Fri 19 Sept 2014.

Krystal rolled her eyes and nodded at the irony of Tom's name. "Trust me, I tried to  tell him that when he picked the name. Now, if it were my cat, I'd go with Macavity." She immediately started to hum the Broadway number that matched said name.

"Don't rip people off. Don't hang out in sewers." Krystal pointed and winked to signal she got the message loud and clear in as mocking a way as she could. "Actually, I wouldn't care about that too much if you could get something like... oh... Phoenix Ash. Maybe a Griffin Feather."

Tom looked at Krys, then at Zed: {This name was given to my by a very sweet little girl who passed away before you kids were even born. It's been my name for longer than your lifetimes combined. I am not about to change it for something trendier.}
This message was last updated by the player at 07:08, Sat 20 Sept 2014.

Krystal gave a shrug, "I had a girlfriend with a magical disguise and two names, I still say a title doesn't define who you are. Neither does a face technically."