2014.04.15 - Allegations and Complications

Rogue had to take a day or so off for some Shenanigans. If any of the X-Factor folk ever watch the news they might have seen her in an amateur cell phone video of Rogue waving along with a group of refugee kids going to Genosha on a freighter. So now Rogue is a little sun burnt, and crabby.

But there are several reasons why she's crabby. The most important reason is when she returned back to the current X-Factor case has gotten more complicated.

She called for Daimon and Jamie to discuss the current case. Rogue was sitting at the main desk at the office, loudly tapping her fingers at the surface while she waited.

Daimon had some details that he had only shared with one other person. The information was rather damning and rather unpleasant. He didn't understand why he was so hesitant to just spit it all out. Preferably in front of the entire company, that's how he usually did this sort of thing.

Rogue had suggested to him that maybe he considered people here friends but he could only scoff at that. He's never had any real friends before, so why would he think of these people as such.

But as he walked through the door of X-Factor Investigations he got nervous. Not because of what could happen, but rather because he knew what he had to do. He wasn't going to do any mock Noir narration today. He wasn't going to play devil's advocate. He was going to tell them what he knew and hope that he was wrong.

Hey when the hot babe calls for a meeting, you have to show up. It's one of those rules dang it. So Jamie enters the office and sees Rogue behind his desk. He quickly falls into his joker mode, cause well he really is nervous, not being sure why he was called here. "Did we get married or something?" He nods at the name plate, one that simply just says Madrox on it.

Well okay joke out now, Jamie walks over to his bar, and well pours himself a drink. Sure he'll need this one. "So uhm, what's up? I know we lost some people, but they just needed to take a break for a while. They can come back at any time."

Rogue probably should have given the boss his boss chair but hey, she called this meeting and was feeling bossy so here she sat. Rogue was even dressed today in her green and white superhero number. Either this means business or she's been multitasking.

She gave a small polite smile to both of the gentlemen, "This aint about that, it's about the case. Please close the door behind you, Daimon."

She rose from her seat and crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked down at the vanilla envelope in front of her, "Ah went to visit the sister and well..."

She opened the envelope and slid it towards her co-workers on the desk, "She's dead too. We need to get this wrapped up with...no more interruptions."

She clenched her hand into a fist, if she didn't take time off maybe she could have talked to the girl first and stopped it.

Daimon closed the door and had a rather somber look on his face. Whatever was going on, it wasn't good. Hearing the sister was dead didn't help things. It only meant he had to confront this now.

"And it's worse than that actually. I enter a dream state and entered the perceptions of the killer. Wasn't that hard, however it is has no magical protection," Daimon said coldly, flatly, "Jamie. I really hate to ask something like this but. Did you know the victims at all? In a way other than professionally."

Jamie goes a little pale at well both the comment about the sister being dead, and Daimon's question. He takes a rather large gulp of his drink before starting to answer. "What do we know about the sister's death? Anything? Do we know the cops who were investigating, maybe we can get some information from them?" Okay now he has to go to business mode.

But sadly there is still Daimon's question to answer, "Aside from the one visit to the office, I didn't know the first victim. And I have never met this sister that I know off. But then again not sure what she looks like so for all I know I ran into her when I was getting a cup of coffee one day. Why?"

"Got the red tape, but they were willing to cooperate somewhat once Ah explained our company was privately hired." Regardless of all this bad news she did smirk, "Not to mention what Ah was able to lift from one of them."

She opened the folder to another page, a picture of the victim before the incident and her ransacked apartment, "Same as before, all closed door but the place was trashed. Strangled again."

Her eyes looked back and forth between the two, nervous herself.

Daimon frowned, that made it worse if his suspicions were true. If it was a grudge or a bad relationship that would be one thing. He could understand that. It would suck, but it would be understandable.

Instead though this was purely psychopathic if it was true, "Jamie, while I was looking through the eyes of the killer... he can duplicate. Unfortunately he was wearing gloves and a mask, but that's how he did it. He created a duplicate through his finger in the crack of the window."

Daimon sighed and said, "Here's the problem, boss. I don't know anyone else who can do this except some two bit criminal named Billy Numerous and he's in jail right now."

Well this is just really not good, "Uhm..." Okay he really isn't sure what to say now. So he finishes his drink and just goes over to get himself another one, stalling this for a moment. "It's possible there are others with my powers out there. I will have to go to friend and see if he can confirm that." Hey maybe Charles can help him shed some light on this one.

"However there are those that are able to copy powers. It could have easily been one of them who managed to copy me and used my abilities for this." Hey have to find a way to take the blame off of him, "I'm not a killer, I wouldn't have been able to do this to her." Or well he would have shot her or something not strangled them that's just way to intimate of a way to kill a person.

"Or it's me." Rogue quirked a brow and sat back into Jamie's chair with a sigh. She rested her elebows onto the surface and looked through the folder again. Rogue left the page on victim after the deed was done and ran her finger along the edge as she contemplated, "We need to act faster. Ah wasted time and look at the mess we're in now."

At most times like this Rogue would ask for a stiff drink, but it really didn't seem like it would help right now, "Jamie, 'Sug sometimes yer dupes get a little...weird. Different somehow."

She got an idea and looked to the two, "What if Ah touched him? Sure, Ah'll get his powers too but maybe Ah could pick up somethin' in his memories or absolve him or...otherwise. It's quicker than flying in a telepath."

Daimon gestured and his trident appeared in a small gout of hellfire and in his grip, "If you think it's wise Rogue, and if Jamie consents to it. Though if Jamie or some crazy dupe of his did this, he might not even remember it on a conscious level."

The trident was here because if this did go down, Daimon was going to be ready for any sort of violence. It focused his spell work and meant he could react quicker

"They do get strange. There is a problem with that idea though Rogue. I don't remember killing anyone. You are free to touch me if you want and prove that." Problem is if it is a dupe, they are in a way their own person now, so Jamie can't access their memories. Cut off from him, and doing all the stuff under their own power.

He sighs for a moment, "It's possible it's one of the dupes I sent out into the world to learn things for me. The longer they are away from me, and the farther they go, well they get cut off from me. So I don't know what they know until I reabsorb them." And well if a dupe did this, he doesn't want to reabsorb him.

At the main office of X-Factor investigations something fishy was going on. Rogue, Daimon, and Jamie were having a meeting to discuss the recent findings for the current investigation.

Rogue was approaching Jamie with a glove slid off as Daimon looked ready for action with his trident. Jamie perhaps looked a little green, holding onto his glass of booze for dear life.

Rogue looked into Jamie's eyes, "I don't know what's gonna happen Jamie but Ah've got to try."

She reached out to touch at his cheek.

Man she could have at least given him a kiss if she's going to take his memories and powers. Or she could have let him sit down. Cause shortly after the contact is made, well Jamie just collapses to the ground. The drink he was holding dropping to the ground as well. But hey this has at least proved Jamie's innocence in a way. There is no memory of the killings. And the only knowledge he has of the murders has come from the police reports and what Rogue just told him.

Every good detective required coffee and donuts, simply because it was to keep them pepped up for those long nights of researching. So when Doug comes back, it is armed with Krispy Kremes and a tray of coffee cups. "Hey guys, I'm back. Ready for a night of..."

His voice trails off as he eyes Rogue and Jamie. No he hasn't noticed Daimon yet, when he says mildly, "Um... if I'm interrupting something, I can come back later."

Rogue slammed into her own fist to make a duplicate, who stepped over to Doug and widened her eyes, "Don't panic. The boss is passed out but it's all under control. Ooh coffee."

Rogue number one helps up Jamie into the chair and curses to herself as she picks up the glass pieces, "Well that was pointless. He doesn't really know anything."

Quickly and somewhat motor mouthy Rogue number two quickly catches up Doug, and shows over the police report folder of the second victim, the first's sister, who died with similar circumstances.

Daimon frowned. Normally he'd have so much more to say about their being two Rogue's walking around, but he's pretty somber at the moment, "Well then were back to square one, but at least we know we aren't working for the murderer now."

He held his hand out and the trident he was holding seemed to fold in on itself and into his very body. He looked over at Doug and said, "Hey there Dougie. You don't happen to know any one else who can duplicate themselves do you?"

"No problem, Rogue," Doug responds, as he offers the coffee cup about, before seating himself and looking over the police report folder. "Hmmmm...."

Looking up at Daimon, then Jamie, he frowns. "Sure... there was that villain called Multiplex, and then that Chinese superhero called Collective Man. We could always check into their whereabouts. But there's other ways - shrinking, teleporters... and besides, we're getting sidetracked. If these cases are connected, then we just need to find what they have in common. Let's see..."

First I gotta apologize have been distracted by a lot of RL stuff lately so that has kinda slowed down the plot. You two were investigating two different things but wanted to send an email to see if you want to do a scene or just have me @mail you the info that you would have discovered. Then we can do something where hopefully the team gets together to talk about the discoveries.

Rogue number two came over to Rogue number one and fixed a flyaway that she hadn't noticed yet, and then put on her own hood so they might be able to tell each of them apart. Sure Rogue could absorb her but where's the fun in that? "The connection between the victims is that they are sisters. But other than that, something at work was making her nervous."

Rogue leaned up against the desk, "Daimon, is there a way we could talk to one of the deceased?"

Daimon shook his head, "Not getting me there, Dougie. We know it's a duplicator. I went into a divination trance and saw through his eyes. It wasn't teleportation, shrinking, anything. It was a man, about Jamie's size, who can create and reabsorb duplicates of himself."

Daimon looked at Rogue and grimaced for a moment, "In theory. But it never goes well. There's a reason must people claiming to talk to the dead are full of shit. Real spirits of dead people don't like being dragged around to talk. The ones in heaven are pissed to be in the pain of our world. The ones in hell don't ever want to go back. If you could talk to the dead all the time, you'd go insane."

The real Jamie coughs a little and starts to wake up, "So was it me?" Hey that's all he has the energy to ask right now. Of course he could be distracted by the fact that there are two Rogues now. Why didn't they do this one sooner?

"Well great then that's two ideas that's not workin' hey!" The hooded Rogue was taking her coffee to the bar and making it more irish. Apparently this was the alcoholic Rogue. She shrugged and took a sip and asked, "Doug, language is in everything. The marks on the girls necks, does this look like it was done out of passion? The second room was trashed. Can you get something out of that? Good coffee by the way."

The normal Rogue placed a hand on Jamie's shoulder and spoke quietly, "Don't think so hun. You okay?"

"Sisters, yes. Are there people they have met in common who could have possibly done this...?" Doug muses, as he reaches out a hand. "Tap in and let's find out, two sets of eyes are probably better for this. Not too much, though... I'd like to at least be semi-conscious. From looking at it, though... I wouldn't say it was out of a crime of passion. Deliberately executed, wouldn't you think?"

Daimon gets an odd expression on his face and says, "Um, are we sure we want both you and Jamie dancing around in Anna Marie's head? I know she doesn't like the clutter all that much and she already seems a bit... distracted."

To someone who could read his slight amount of body language the Son of Satan is feeling... jealousy? That can't be right can it?

"Besides, there's only so much that can be learned from the language of it all isn't there. At some point we need to stop spinning the wheels. We need a real lead."

He shakes his head a bit frustrated, fire seems to be smoldering from his chest brand, "I'm sick of all these damn deadends." Though his body language is revealing more relief than anything, glad that Jamie isn't the killer.

Jamie clears his throat, "So it's a duplicator. There is something else I have to point out. It could be one of my dupes you know, one I haven't reabsorbed. I have completely lost track of all the ones I have sent out there to learn things for me."

He pauses after that one, "Okay, so maybe we should look at what's different between the crime scenes. Second one was ransacked, right? So they were looking for something, it's possible that whoever did this found out the first victim passed on some information to the sister." See he's back now and has full capabilities of all his facilities now!

Well, Daimon's jealously really wasn't Doug's concern, though he does at least acknowledge it with a glance towards Rogue and a cant of his head. Business first, pleasure later. Still, he did bring up a good point. "Well, if Rogue can handle multiple bodies, then all she has to do is let one stay in charge of that body and another dealing with another body... that should help keep things balanced... she's probably sorting it out by now. Hey Rogue... just... point out who has what body."

After that, he considers Jamie's thoughts. "Maybe. Phone records, computer records...?"

Shifting to the 'net, Doug starts searching.

Rogue number two sauntered over to Daimon and hung onto his arm, "So what are you doing later?"

Rogue number one widened her eyes and quickly absorbed the second one, careful to catch the coffee cup and place it aside. This wasn't the time to act like a drunken frat girl, even if she did have good ideas. She touched at the side of her head, memories. Jamie had so many due to his dupes. And Rogue had so many due to her history and ouch.

She plopped down onto the other chair and touched a hand to her forehead, "Yeah no kidding. But Ah'd need to touch Jamie again as soon as we're ready to investigate both. Ah don't absorb powers for a long time. And ow, Jamie props on keeping all of this in yer noggin'. You keep all the dupes busy."

Daimon couldn't help but laugh when Rouge 2: Electric Boogaloo started to blatantly hit on him. When she disappeared he helped make sure the coffee got caught and then looked at Rogue with a devilish smile and said, "Never too busy for one of our late night 'talks.'"

But truth be told he was more interested in getting this murder solved, "I could try entering another trance. As long shot as it could be... maybe it was a different murderer this time. Or maybe I can get a sense of what the killer was looking for at the very least."

Gotta love magic, takes all the hardness out of detective work.

"Man where is the fun in that. But give it a try if you think it'll work, Daimon." Jamie thinks some more after that, "Doug focus on Emails and phone records. Those would probably be the ones the killer may have been able to trace."

He smirks at Rogue, "Want some Advil? I keep it around for when I reabsorb the dupes. Want to know the real killer? I can never remember which one was really me, and which experiences were a dupe doing them. They have just gotten so muddled in my head these days."

"Right, boss," Doug replies, as he starts combing through the email and phone records, what he can legally. It really wasn't too much of a chore to cross-examine, see when the last contact for both sisters were, and who were the last few people to be in touch...

Rogue smiled at Daimon but mouthed silently, "Shut up!" Like that moment wasn't embarrassing enough.

She looked over to Jamie and nodded, "Actually yeah that would do just nicely. Sometimes it's a real jumble. Like sometimes I'll marathon a TV show or whatever, and then that gets confused into my own memories-and that's nowhere near the topic at hand."

Rogue got back to her feet and ran her fingers through her hair, "We need to speed up this investigation before someone else dies. Point me to anyone who we can get more information form and Ah'll touch em, plus you know no lies."

"I need to return to my Necromanteion so I can enter the Dreaming," Daimon says with a smirk, "Well I could do it hear but I need to be naked so I doubt the boys would like that all that much. Anna Marie on the other hand..."

He trails off before adding back in, "Once I know something, I'll call the boss."

He looks over to Rouge and does the hand singal for "call me" before he disappears in a gout of hellfire! Doesn't even scorch the floor.

"I have my own lead to follow up on." Basically visit Xavier and see if he can track down all of Jamie's dupes. If anyone can do it it's him dang it. "But I will be in touch with you if I can find something."

"Doug, can you get a list of people who have similair powers to mine that we know of? We can have Rogue start investigating them to see if there is anyway it could have been one of those." As for what Doug is looking at, well the best friend is the only common phone call between the two victims. Someone could have very well been lying when they talked to Rogue.

"Aye aye boss. Not a problem. Hey Rogue... see what you can turn up when you talk to the best friend on both, they're the only common phone call for both of them. Maybe someone connected to all of them might be related to this case..." Doug calls out, as he fishes a donuts out, and then starts to munch. They could be here all night...