ACCESSING CURRENT FEEDS...
DATE: AUGUST 14th 2014
PRECISE LOCATION: STEINER PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL
FAC MAIN APLH SC 1 - 16:15:23
On the largest screen in the control room, Samaritan had cued up a news report coming from the Supreme Court in Washington DC. Outside the infamous pillars and gigantic building was a horde of Newscasters and their cameramen, and vans bearing every news-channel logo in the country. For this would be a day long remembered by every self-respecting US citizen.
"We're coming to you live from the Supreme Court in Washington DC. It's a shocking revelation today as a court of five elected officials; Judges, Senators and members of Congress all passed a verdict on the matter of Lars Hugo Rasmussen. The media giant that has been the cause of many controversial topics this month" The brunette newscaster from Channel 26 spoke into the camera.
The feed was being transmitted to one of the command rooms in the Steiner Asylum, where a group of ranking Samaritan agents watched the event unfold. Murrow folded his arms as Thorndyke and Martine stood opposite each other and facing the screen. It pulsed the daytime light into the dark room as the blouse and blazer-wearing reporter continued.
"In a twist of fate, Mr Rasmussen pled the 5th during his testimony and was lifted of all charges - and granted diplomatic immunity by the court on account of his relationship with the Danish Prime Minister - Anders Olander" The reporter maintained. Back in the Steiner, the semi-circle of figures all had different reactions, no doubt that Samaritan had fixed this entire thing to help sway the vote, and get Rasmussen out free. But that wasn't the entire story, as the Danish media kingpin was soon under investigation by the FBI for his seven-billion dollar embezzlement scandal.
Murrow then bowed his head in thought. Since the appearance of Gabriel Hayward, Rasmussen purpose as 'Public Asset' should have already been rebuked. He wasn't one to question the ways and plans if the ASI though, as he simply remained quiet and watched the screen for updates.
Thorndyke stroked his chin while humming, clearly in two minds about the issue. Meanwhile, Martine remained stoic as no more threats to the supreme system's survival had come up, so she was left with nothing to do but wait. Slowly, Murrow pulled himself away from the screen and went back to one of the rows of analysts, checking on their progress with finding Team Machine.
They had been after the same seven targets for nearly three months now, and they still had found nothing. Now they had resorted to analysing and checking over phone calls and Samaritan's voice-recognition software. But that left thousands, perhaps millions of potential matches, and more than a million people to sort through, but for Samaritan tasks like that would take nanoseconds. Martine stepped away from the screen at the front of the room, giving Thorndyke an understanding nod.
She was dressed in a knee-length black satin dress, sleeveless and hugging her frame, she wore shiny stilettos and a silver necklace of arrow-like pendants. Her sunny-blonde hair was fixed into the same bun that it always was, and her makeup was minimal and dark. Stalking behind the analysts, she leant down behind one of them and placed her hand on the desk - watching the scrolling names and locations of phone calls going on every second of every minute. Each worker typed as they wore a fitting headset and microphone.
Martine could still hear the news broadcast going on in front of her as she leant on the technician's desk. "Since the testimony Mr Rasmussen's defence attorney came out with evidence claiming that Stephen Kladivo - a former employee of Rasmussen's and a department manager at the technology company known as Rylatech - Spoofed the transfer in an attempt to frame his former employer" The newscaster reported.
Looking to one of the screens at the side of the room, Martine saw the flashing faces of Team Machine. She had been trying to commit each face to memory, in case she saw them on the street while out on patrol or a mission for Samaritan. Once hearing Greer converse with Mr Flint about using and applying 'human intelligence' methods in the field, that way more Operatives would have the powers of Samaritan with all the human functions that the ASI lacked. But already Samaritan had been using 'God Mode' with Martine and Zachary; who turned out to be the most willing of the AI's servants to try it.
She had remembered their names too (but Lambert had claimed that they could be using complex aliases and other forms of communication) the main four were easy to spot, and took up the top positions on Samaritan's blacklist. Their hobbled and morally-compromised leader was known as Finch, and his brutish helper monkey was Reese. Accompanied by Martine's own soon-to-be quarrel Sameen Shaw and the elusive and devilish 'Root' and her three technically gifted aides. Lambert had a rivalry with one of them; a boy called Casey. In the past, Jeremy had been dispatched to capture him but failed, a mistake Greer still holds him accountable for.
"But many are calling this story a hoax, as Kladivo was arrested yesterday and so far the Police have found no evidence relating to him as the culprit" The female newscaster continued. Samaritan then flickered the image of the news-feed into white pixels as the screen expanded back to the normal highway camera broadcast, feeding the live images of the freeway into the control room. Thorndyke tutted "Unbelievable. Ever since McCourt these politicians are growing ever more brazen, perhaps we should task Garrison again?" He recommended.
Samaritan had already shown it's hand once by manipulating this event and getting Rasmussen off without a hitch, and with further immunity to any legal or judicial action. Strangely, Martine wondered if Rasmussen even knew what had happened to him; he sure as hell wasn't a proxy like Garrison, he was something else. Martine knew about the general silent disdain for him among the Assets, he contributed nothing but money and wealth which Samaritan could already achieve tenfold if it really wanted.
As the analyst to the left of Martine changed his computer screen to a thinner interface, it appeared (according to the screen) that the relevant number program was still operational. Despite all her efforts in the past to attack the ISA, it appeared that Samaritan was keeping up a good face and working with them regardless, as a fleet of terrorist-related names and numbers were shipped off to the ISA HQ at the Pentagon. She watched as the white and black lines containing camera feeds and GPS locations brought up profiles of foreign individuals and branded them as guilty until proven innocent. But that was exactly what Samaritan did.
The beauty (as Greer described it) was unfiltered knowledge, unfettered information, no guess work, no numbers to sort through. Decima had taken the government feeds from the NSA and CIA, and provided the answers to all of Control's questions. All with the promise of deniability, which was soon quietly stripped away when Greer requested that the Executive Decima Board be shut down; so that Samaritan could run itself instead of being held to a council. In the first thirty minutes after the ASI came online, at least four thousand people were killed by Decima Soldiers and Police across the world, and in the first hour, Samaritan began collecting it's 'rational agents' which began with the most loyal and strongest of Decima.
Martine was lucky enough to be apart of that group. Zachary, Drake, Kersey and Cinder all joined her; with Lambert acting as their liaison to Greer and his AI superior. On the day that Samaritan was activated from the Steiner, Martine was away, but she soon learned the truth of this new ruler.
Murrow had gone away from the checking the analyst and was conferring with Thorndyke about any possible threats to eliminate. For now, Rasmussen was a member of the team, so most Assets could put aside their dreams of blasting a suppressed bullet through his face. He was still a billionaire and had better tasks to accomplish for Samaritan than watch some blurry screens all day.
Leaning back from the monitor she watched, Martine saw the largest screen change from a camera feed of a domestic street to a map of the area, and then zoom out from the feeds of New York and cross the Atlantic Ocean, going quickly towards Africa. Murrow turned away from Thorndyke's low-voiced chattering and looked equally curious. Zooming in closer, the ASI honed in on South Africa, and then Johannesburg. Switching to a specific location, Samaritan showed the inside of what looked like an operating room under construction, with one familiar Asset identification reticle.
ACCESSING ALTERNATE FEEDS...
ACCESSING SECURE FACILITY...
LOCATION: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
PRECISE LOCATION: 9 MAIN STREET, MEREDALE, JOHANNESBURG 2091
OR562 S - 23:24:51
ASSET / / 401
ASSET / / 573
"Wow...I mean - this is incredible. I feel like Greer has been talking about this forever and now...here it is. An architectural feat" Stewart declared as he surveyed the empty room, he didn't just mention the room itself, but his sweeping statement encompassed the entire underground holding facility that Samaritan had constructed.
A few days after Samaritan was given life and Greer had handed control over to the ASI the program had been focusing on many smaller projects to help keeps it's hold over the world as solid as possible; this base was one of the projects. Stewart was a 30-something promising medical student and former nurse from Washington State, with large spectacles and a bulging head, he wore a plain white long-sleeved shirt and formal patterned sweater as he strolled around the testing chamber.
Accompanied by the dark-suited Lambert, the Englishman walked slowly behind as he felt the curves in the blacked-out windowsill. Freshly shaved and with razor-cut hair, Lambert swung his body back around to see Stewart admiring the ceiling. "Truly...Herculean" He gushed, staring into the lights above them and then viewing a map of the entire web of corridors and rooms on the nearest table.
"This is...this is-" He stammered, pacing the room with the schematics in his hands. Lambert stood and remained in the doorway, a hand propped against the frame, he raised his head slightly "Impressive?" Jeremy suggested.
"Yeah! Yeah...I can work with this" Stewart said with slight hesitation as Lambert cleared his throat. Sensing the pause, the Englishman known to Samaritan as 'ASSET / / 401' walked further into the empty operating room. Stewart glanced elsewhere while his enforcing escort surveyed the two-way mirror at the back of the room. Going back to the plans that he held, Stewart saw a system of dense catacombs built underneath a prison complex, truly an amazing disguise to hold all of Samaritan's own quarries and new recruits (wether willing or unwilling)
Above them would be at least four floor of heavily guarded detention centre, and a fantastic cover for any covert operation that Samaritan planned to run. "It's not exactly what I pictured, but it has possibilities; even unfinished...some of the VR hardware's maintenance and proper ventilation are the main hurdles, but with a series of bypass generators and the right equipment I'm sure I could achieve-" Stewart rambled until Jeremy stepped forward aggressively, silencing him into submission.
"Not until it is finished" Lambert made expertly clear. Nodding, Stewart understood his terms. They had to wait for the entire construction to be cleared before any procedures or projects could begin. Agreeing with him, Stewart stuttered before speaking "Oh - of course, we only want to do it if it's done right" He declared.
But strangely, Jeremy was quiet, he simply huffed and fiddled with the top-knot of his tie, straightening it as Stewart backed away, slipping the paper blueprints into a black folder. "Alright...I'm gonna go to the command room at hallway-six and...okay" He left swiftly after. Walking towards the doors in his informal loafers, Stewart accidentally ran into a emerald-eyed man, middle-aged and balding, he looked akin to Lambert, but with a more mellow and sinister edge. "Oh, hello" Stewart expressed kindly as he shuffled past the man.
"Are you happy with your new playground?" Arquette asked with a sarcastic tone, leering around to Stewart as he passed the doorway.
"Yes, I think it will do nicely" Stewart praised the empty operating room and it's roomy state and airing nature on his way out, astutely ambling down the corridor awkwardly.
Arquette was one of Zachary's thugs, and sent by the wall of a bodyguard himself to oversee security at the Johannesburg Facility. While Lambert was entrusted with command, it was Arquette that would help keep the Assets in and everyone else out. He wore a dark grey uniform like a business-suit, but with a buttoned-up collar and jet-black tie.
He arrived with a group of other middleman-like enforcers, people not as high as Greer's position and not as low as Samaritan's basic soldiers. Arquette and a man called Steele (Or 'ASSET / / 3152') were in charge of the placement and application of the multiple Assets around the foreign medical facility. Initially described as a state-of-the-art torture and interrogation centre, Samaritan had changed it's description to a medical and indoctrination headquarters. Using the South African penitentiary as a front to help ship in medical supplies, fresh clothes and weapons, the Warden of the prison made a quick alliance with Greer if it meant keeping his job.
Tracing the outline of the table with his finger, Arquette turned back around to inform his friend and colleague of the current developments "He's out - no defence, and Lars Rasmussen walks free" Arquette stated. Mellowing out, Lambert stalked the room one more time, and adjusted the silver cuff-links on his shirt. Continuing to update him, Arquette glanced at the man opposite him - up and down once - then he took a breath "Senator Garrison did his part, exactly like we told him too, but many in the ranks are sceptical of his intentions" Arquette alluded.
"Greer? Who's intentions?" Lambert asked for some clarity, and Arquette was more than happy to provide the answers as the ceiling lights flickered slightly underneath them. "Rasmussen. After the Goa embezzlement scandal Greer tells me that Samaritan is...reconsidering it's public assets position. He's too much trouble than he's worth" Arquette divulged. Folding his arms and leaning on the side of the table, Jeremy crossed his feet as he thought and adjusted his watch.
But what could they do with him? Rasmussen controlled an empire of a business, hundreds of enforcers and a huge public image; he couldn't disappear from the face of the earth without causing a fuss like the most of their targets. His disappearance after such a massive uproar and global upset would make an even bigger mess, as the IOB and the CIA-SAD would be hunting any leads and it could perhaps lead them to the remnants of Decima, or even the Steiner Asylum. "Then what do we do with him?" Lambert thought aloud.
Arquette scoffed "For the moment; nothing. But we have Samaritan's confidence, and something far more valuable" He was right, ever since Gabriel Hayward, Samaritan had been using its longest serving Assets and entrusting them with the safety of it's projects. But if Samaritan wanted to remove Rasmussen it would need to set up someone in his place first.
Buttoning up his blazer, Lambert crossed the room and muttered loud enough for Arquette to here him "We'll need a plan - we can't just leave it to The Correction" He said honestly.
"Samaritan framed this Rylatech Manager; Kladivo. But he won't plead guilty, not in a thousand years, soon enough he'll become a target too" Arquette said hypothetically. Moving down the hallway on other business, Jeremy cast his voice down the hallway "If Kladivo does end up with a target on his back - make sure you send Martine"
"Martine? Rousseau?" Arquette questioned loudly and arrogantly. Lambert was becoming quite fond of the young woman, her spirit and wit, and the loyalty inside her.
"She's a gifted woman, and The Hague doesn't produce slackers" He declared.
ACCESSING ARCHIVED FEEDS...
DATE: SEPTEMBER 28th 2004
LOCATION: The Hague, HOLLAND, NETHERLANDS
PRECISE LOCATION: THE HAGUE MARRIOTT HOTEL
BALKON CAM ACHT - 09:19:41
Opening the door into the premier suite, a dark-clothed Decima Scout and enforcer entered the drab and empty room. No suitcases, no clothes or bags, the television hadn't even been turned on. The Scout walked up the balcony doors and was let through by a pale and hulking figure. On the balcony were three men, all nearly identical, dressed in matching funeral-suits with long ties, one sat on a metal chair while the other two stood.
The Scout spoke officially "We've set up a perimeter around the park, and Mr Holloway has sent specific instructions not to interfere until his man has-"
The most brazen of the three men (the one that sat on the chair) tutted under his breath, and silenced the scout "They'll be no more instructions from Mr Holloway; we're here under orders from the Director of Operations himself" Drake disciplined.
As beside him, the stoic and calm Bryant held a large camera, zooming into the park to watch their target; a twenty-something brunette woman. Currently employed by the U.N. and the focus of Holloway's recruitment scheme, the three men were dispatched secretly by Greer to seal the woman's fate. Holding a flip-phone, the gigantic Zachary lingered at the edge of the balcony while mumbling in a low growl. Drake got back to his work; sharpening a gleaming serrated hunting dagger which he worked on just outside his lap.
Three of Greer's most trusted, Bryant was one of Lambert's men, and Drake and Zachary were operatives from the Director of Operations's personal guard. Stepping back from the balcony's edge, Zachary slipped the phone into his pocket and watched the outline of the park alongside the ever-calm Bryant. They had been tailing a drop-off by one of Holloway's fixers, meant to push the woman in question to her next destination. Decima's secret contact called 'D-CRYPT' had been handling communication. But Greer decided that a more personal touch was needed.
The plan of Decima's recruiter was more than complicated, but his fixer was hired by the usual monicker of 'Parnassus' a black-hat hacker that has a ring of informants and DarkNet contacts. He was hired to give her everything she needed to leave The Netherlands and never return; a whole new life. Something she'd need in the coming months, as long as Holloway's plan panned out.
With some digging, they had found the woman's phone number from the U.N.'s records, so it was easy to send a message once the drop-off was done. Their Scout (A constantly bereaved man called Schaffer) excused himself from the balcony, and stood in the apartment with the rest of the squadron. Comprised of at least seven other soldiers assigned to Decima's security division. The incoming breeze of fresh air was warm, as beams of sunlight glowed on Bryant's dark skin, he recoiled his head from the glare of the camera's lens "She's received the package, and Holloway's CI has fled the scene" He reported.
Zachary advised him to wait, carefully inputting numbers into his phone. Drake wiped down the sides of his blade as he watched. Drake was a physically fit man of twenty-nine, he had a stocky upper-body and attuned reflexes, the traits befitting of a former Navy Seal and a combat specialist. Bryant was clearly ex-military too, but more refined. Watching from behind his camera lens, Bryant huffed "What's this girl's name again?" He asked, pulling his head away to look at Zachary.
"Martine - that's how she prefers to be addressed anyway...her real name is-" Zachary was cut off by Bryant's phone buzzing and shaking on the metal table next to Drake. Raising his eyebrows sarcastically, Drake leant towards the phone and picked it up. Seeing the name 'Lambert' he passed it over to Bryant who took it with a stern and yet welcoming inflection. Stepping back into the apartment, he left the advanced Nikon camera on the table.
Greer's bodyguard had finished on his phone and his thumb hovered over of the buttons. Gesturing the camera, Drake took the hint. Zachary wasn't someone you'd easily disobey, even with an indirect order. He snatched the camera from the table and jogged over to the side of the balcony and leaned over, pressing the viewing lens to his eye, he saw a smartly-dressed cinnamon-brown haired woman. She wore a slim fitting blue shirt, black denim jeans, some unworn black ankle boots, a thin grey lace scarf that hung low around her neck and a padded leather jacket. "She's our mark?" Drake said, doubting it heavily, but alas Zachary made a noise indicating he was correct.
KAMER VIJFENTWINTIG CAMERA TWEE - 09:20:59
Pacing up and down next to the clean and untouched bed, Bryant held the phone to his ear and made a noise of assurance. "We have Holloway's recruit in our sights, Mr Lambert. You can inform the Operations Director that we are on schedule" He appeased.
Lambert's voice was clean and crisp, young and spritely "Splendid. I captured the Newport girl in Colorado just as requested, and we've handed her over to Greer's Warden at Rikers Island" Jeremy recounted proudly. Surrounded by the main muscle of Decima, Bryant was forced to make unwanted eye-contact with clone-like men. A group of unfeeling and faceless drones, all wearing sharply tailored clothes and bald heads, the leader of which was a Decima Supervisor called Callahan.
Newport was the designated hacker of a particular terrorist cell that Decima had been manipulating. Led by a madman known as 'Venator' the misguided group had fled from one mass-murdering dictator to the other. Now they once again took orders from 'Parnassus' and were tasked with taking out the figureheads of Decima Technologies itself. An impossible task as the Decima Board created the entire scenario on Holloway's request; to lead in the manipulation of his latest mark - a highly promising U.N. Criminal Investigator.
"The information that Holloway's CI gave her will take her to Newport, then she's in prime position for phase two" Bryant said with a harsh growl. Holloway's scheme had several moving parts - too many for Bryant's taste. One if those parts involved the manipulation and destruction of emotion and leaving all that the recruit lived behind. After hours and hours of research, it became apparent that this woman had no family, only one known fiancé that still lived in New York; the place of her birth.
"It'll be difficult to cover up an attempt on her fiancé's life, even if it is to prove a point" Bryant continued, airing his grievance to his superior. All of this was the recruiter's idea, and it was the soldier's hands that had to get dirty because of it.
On the other side if the static-ridden phone, Lambert chuckled to himself, as he bustled through what sounded like a busy street or station. Simply, Decima's Chief of Staff had one recommendation. "It's easy, use Parnassus to hire a second-rate Hitman, and make sure that the boyfriend meets with an unfortunate...car accident, from which he will not recover" Lambert said morbidly.
BALKON CAM ACHT - 09:22:16
Back outside on the balcony, the wind had slowed down as Drake surveilled the recruitment's target. Still waiting with a phone in his hand, Zachary seemed like he was waiting for something as the target walked around the park with a package in her hand. Looking with a squint to the outline of the park, Zachary checked for any cameras around on lampposts or near ponds. As the glass-door slid open again and Bryant joined them, he fiddled with Drake's prized knife that lay in it's sheath on the table.
Drake checked her position again as Zachary asked him too. She had cleared the next lamppost after receiving the package and was moving West, towards a large stream leading to a lake-like pond. "There's our window" Zachary muttered, thumbing his keypad at once. Observing the actions of the woman below on the concrete, it took a few minutes before she reached for her phone and at the same time, Zachary turned around to answer a call. It wasn't the same as what went on in the park that Drake watched, it was clear that Zachary was reporting to someone while the woman read a SMS message.
In a sudden burst of rage, the woman's polite and dumbed-down attitude changed into one of anger as she looked at the phone and hurled it in one throw towards the pond. It went inside the water with a splash as Drake's mouth opened slightly. As she strutted away, he could barely watch the rest of the woman's actions as she walked into the distance.
"Yes, Sir. She's received the message; loud and clear I assume...of course Mr Greer, I'll see to it that she finds her way to us...perhaps using some of Holloway's older recruits?" Zachary suggested, to a chuckle masked in static from across the phone.
ACCESSING CURRENT FEEDS...
DATE: AUGUST 14th 2014
PRECISE LOCATION: STEINER PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL
FAC MAIN APLH SC 07 - 22:55:12
ASSET / / 029
ASSET / / 434
ASSET / / 1561
ASSET / / 1599
ASSET / / 580
Samaritan catalogued a gathering of it's Assets from one of the technician's screens at the side of the control room back at the Steiner. Around the largest screen, a troop of loyal soldiers to Samaritan had gathered to stand on security duty as the Primary Asset and Admin was set to return with a guest. Someone from the FBI would be arriving shortly on Greer's recommendation. Hoping to allow Samaritan the access to the WHO and the NHC's data. While the NSA feeds could be granted from Fort Meade with a few calls from Senator Garrison, the health and well-being of the American population wouldn't be pilfered as easily, even by an ASI.
So as a bored Martine stood on ceremony alongside a line of other operatives, she held a emotionless and forward-facing glare as she stood at the shoulder of Murrow, who was designated the spokesperson for the Assets as Mr Flint was dealing with business in Shanghai. At Murrow's right shoulder was Barrett, and then Kersey and Sykes has also been assigned to join them. Wearing their bests suits (even Martine had hers freshly pressed) they lined up in front of the main doors to the command centre as all the analysts had been removed from their stations.
Hearing commotion, Murrow straightened up as Martine did the same. Bringing her maroon red lips together, she held her head high as her blonde bun of hair was as taught as a bowstring at the back of her head, dragging back other other fibre on her scalp. Kersey adjusted his watch-band as the doors swung open. It was Greer indeed, wearing a pinstripe blazer and matching tie, he ambled towards the Agents as they all bowed immediately and simultaneously. "Welcome back, Mr Greer" Murrow announced.
Behind Greer was a sharp-faced man, clean and smart with pointy ears and curving lips. With silver hair much like Samaritan's Admin; he had a file under his arm and carried a briefcase in his hand. While being escorted by two other Assets - strongmen in black shirts with sidearms at their hips - they were quickly dismissed to the background by Greer's waving hand.
"May I introduce FBI Special Agent LeRoux, he's come to check on our...progress" Greer phrased oddly while Sykes raised an instinctive eyebrow. Putting his briefcase down carefully on a table where the analysts would have worked, LeRoux took a breath. "So this is it, huh? God's eye...big brother...it's beautiful" He complimented, looking straight past the row of Assets and fixating on Samaritan's main wall-mounted monitor and projection screen.
LeRoux put his hands into his pockets as he shuffled towards the screen, watching a domestic feed from a weather monitoring camera, he was obviously marvelling at the processing speeds and interface of the AI. Soon enough (and like with everyone who saw Samaritan in the flesh) the questions began "How does it operate? Who controls it?" LeRoux started with. "It controls itself. But know this; Samaritan cannot be bought. It cannot be bribed, it will never sleep with it's Secretary or raise the price of petrol, it's decisions are based on pure logic. Now that's a leader deserving of our vote" Greer preached.
Impressed, LeRoux inspected the Assets. "Are these a squad of your Agents?" He asked next, to which Greer made a noise of denial, quickly informing the middle-aged man that these were - in fact- Samaritan's Agents. Once again complimenting the system, LeRoux arched his back when meeting Martine as his tongue touched the tip of his top lip. "And you are?" LeRoux questioned, as she was the only female selected for the display.
Martine kept her northern American accent, trying to purge the Bronx New Yorker inside of her "Martine Rousseau; Squad leader and high-level Operative" She said firmly. "Is that so..." LeRoux mumbled, moving on over to shake Barrett's hand and give a businessman's nod to Murrow. His hair glistened from the main screen's light as he went back to Greer's side. Removing the file from under his arm, LeRoux pulled out a thin document, and passed it over to Samaritan's Admin.
Sealed with a classified FBI and SEC sticker and stamp, the docket was well-received by Greer, who smiled warmly. Watching as the wall-mounted viewing-screen changed to a opulent mansion, Martine sensed what this would be about before Greer or his new FBI traitor-friend could say a word. This was the house of Lars Rasmussen, a figure of much contention and recent controversy.
As Samaritan watched the cameras from from the outside gate, Greer read up and down the paper before humming. Due to Samaritan's recent distrust of it's 'Public Asset' an ulterior motive was to secure any information from the global intelligence community. Since Rasmussen had scrubbed his family and history, the evidence of his origins was almost unknown, apart from his place of birth. So in exchange for Samaritan's wisdom, LeRoux had been asked to collect any relevant information on the media tycoon.
LeRoux admitted to finding this in an office of one of his fired colleagues, it was brief, but it was all that they had for now. "An official SEC fatality report; on a Investigative officer called Douglas Rasmussen"
To that - Greer gives his trademark chuckling breath. Barrett snickered as his boss replied "A relation perhaps?" surmised Greer.
Showing him the rest of the file, LeRoux went further into detail "He was arrested following a short-sale on Tritak Energy, and later killed by mysterious circumstances...I thought their could be a connection possibly leading to Zenith-Media Corp" He let the man opposite know.
Thinking on the matter, Greer folded the file back up and put it onto the table. He suddenly eyed Murrow with deadly conviction. "Leave us" He commanded. Murrow did as he was told immediately, taking Barrett and Kersey with him - with Martine and Sykes following behind. Stepping forward further towards the centre screen, LeRoux heard the last of Samaritan's soldiers leave the room as the door slammed shut. Now alone with the seventy-four year old and an all-powerful AI, he watched in awe as the camera-feed showed on the screen faded to white pixels and the thin black bars moved out of frame. Then a red triangle and black line appeared in the sea of white.
Speaking openly, Greer addressed the screen "How should we proceed?" He began simply. On the other side of the screen and watching through a small implanted webcam - Samaritan recognised it's faithful Admin - but not the man next to him. Scrolling through a short profile of a ranking FBI Agent, Samaritan efficiently opened a box for his details, and highlighted some key factors for his recruitment to itself.
RECRUIT
NAME: LEROUX, MARTIN
OUTLIER TRAITS
-130 IQ
-BLOOD TYPE: O POSITIVE
-FBI SPECIAL AGENT
-PROPENSITY FOR VIOLENCE
EVALUATING_
Keeping the file active and hovering next to his observation reticle, Samaritan's screen showed a line of straight text after a few milliseconds of consideration.
CONDUCT_FURTHER_INVESTIGATION
Greer pursed his lips outwards "Then I wonder if our...fine media baron has become more of problem than an asset, and one that needs to be eliminated" He proposed. Samaritan's three little dots blinked in succession, then produced an answer.
NOT_YET
He took that as the final word on the matter, brushing his blazer down a little. LeRoux watched with smiling arrogance as the interface's blinking dots cycled with Greer asked a strange and cryptic question - at least it was cryptic to LeRoux himself. "And what about Mr Finch and his friends?" He wondered patiently.
INVESTIGATION_ONGOING
"Well...we'll have to keep trying" Greer assured the system. Turning back to the FBI mole, the elderly man produced a small envelope. Black and expertly sealed, Greer held it out towards LeRoux. "Should you ever find yourself needing us again, we have friends in very high places" He said subtly. In response, LeRoux took the envelope slowly and with a breath of realisation.
Inside the envelope was a new selection of payment cards, a new name and profile, clean credit cards, a new job and assignment from Samaritan. Of course he could remain in his current position, but it was hard pressed among the ranks of the Assets to find someone who wasn't once part of a intelligence community or army division. Thanking Greer for the opportunity, LeRoux eyed the small webcam on top of the massive wall-mounted screen as he stepped away, and followed the Admin out of the room.
Just before he left, Samaritan's UI produced a strange mechanical sound as a bar of red and white text flashed up above Martin LeRoux's head. Buffering for a few seconds, it made the sound of confirmation as the bar stuck above his circular identification reticle and followed him wherever he went.
ASSET / / 810