SHARD: CounterIntel Investigation Pt.4 - Participants V, Jenkins [CONFIDENTIAL]

V: Boss. Positive sighting of our unsub target. Linked to a recent NCPD arrest and subsequent investigation of a crime scene.

Jenkins: You wouldn't have called me in on this if you didn't have more details. What do you have?

V: We've got a probable pattern of movement for our unsub out of this. Street scum by the name of Stefan confessed to working with a bunch of Scavs by bringing them idiots off the street looking for an XBD or a JoyToy and overloading their synapses or drugging them. His latest mark was a kid from Arasaka Academy. Name's Kaname Hayato, just about to turn 17.

V: Cross-referenced the confession with the follow-up by NCPD assisted by Edgerunners hired by one Regina Jones, former FTF Radio DJ & WNS Media. They found a blood-bath, no survivors... for the Scavs. Victims picked up off the street? They were all saved including the kid Stefan brought 'em a couple hours before.

V: Turns out the Scavs in this den had a side business. They scroll Virtus and XBDs of both their vics and their operations. Pretty fucked up snuff shit. Our boy was going to end up the star of their next masterpiece when the lights go out and our target is spotted briefly coming out of the shadows taking them out silently, one-by-one like some old-school Studio City action holo-vid hero or a damn horror movie monster. Makes some of our best Assassin corps & Elite Assault troops look green. We don't get a great shot because the kid's setup was forcible, meaning that we got a lot of static - and never a clear shot of her face, like she's got a scrambler. The Scav ripper name of "Spiderhead", though? He did get a momentary clear shot... It's her for sure.

Jenkins: And how, exactly, does this help us, V? You get one location and more intel on her abilities but no way to track her from this? I know you have more for me than "she's a one-woman hit-squad, both in netspace and realworld." One who keeps lugging around a fucking HMG like it's a beloved child's plaything!

V: That's the thing, boss. I did a little digging. Turns out our target has a whole series of XBDs featuring her, now. All from the victims' or survivors' sides, because the one allegedly from her point of view has to be fake. This was the first time we got something solid off one of her hits. We have a pattern of her going around targeting both Scavs around Watson/Kabuki & Wraith locations out in the Badlands, murdering them all - sometimes in creative fashion, rescuing any living vics, and even have her in a stolen Wraith car - though no way to identify it due to a lack of IFF, manufacturer marks, tracking or license-plate. Seems that the ride she uses isn't going to be easy to find using conventional methods, but it is distinctive. Hell, it's not even been repainted since her acquisition of it - we might ping her that way eventually.

V: Her hitting those targets means she's not on some kind of exclusive Anti-Arasaka contract, meaning we might be able to use our resources here in CounterIntel to draw her out with a fake contract if she's working with the Fixers, possibly lure her with info about a fake den.

None of our sources could get any of them to roll over on her, though. I'm going to talk to people on the ground, got an in with a Merc from Heywood who might know something and be willing to talk.

Jenkins: Finally. There's the excellence I expect from you, V. Fine, continue your investigation. Maybe keep an eye on this Stefan character - he works with Scavs so she may be following him for targets. I'll see if I can find someone who might be able to talk to the Kaname boy - I think my old buddy Mitsunashi in Legal has a daughter who goes to AA, and he might be able to let me know something. I'll also try checking in with a Fixer I know with ties to Militech, a separate investigation suggests he might be willing to jump ship for the right price. That or he might know a crew we can use to look for the c███ with some deniability.

V: I'm also going to look into a few other angles. See if she has a reason to have such a vendetta with Scavs. Maintaining that Super-Gemini ain't going to be cheap, so doing these missions for little to no reward must be a compulsion of some sort for her - one her probable Militech sponsors don't mind turning a blind eye to. Even moreso when the whole of Kabuki's still dealing with the aftermath of when the Maelstrom got their asses handed to them trying to take turf from the 'Claws. Gotta be at least one ripper who knows her somewhere.

Jenkins: You do that, and help me bring this bitch in and I'll see to it you get a nice bonus and a commendation on your next employee evaluation. I knew you could work your magic on this case for me. Maybe we won't need to go with my Plan B for dealing with Abernathy's meddling and gunning for this department if you can pull this off. I knew I could count on you, Victoria.

V put her Tablet down and rubbed her eyes to fend off the mother of all headaches coming her way. She hated when anyone used her real name. NO ONE got to call her that unless they were real close - not even Jackie dared. Oh well, duty calls. Just another typical 120 hour work week in the name of Arasaka for her! Times like these made her wonder if she shouldn't have gone the Edgerunner route instead, but hey - the perks were sweet at least. They'd be even sweeter if she managed to catch this bitch.

"I'm getting close, 'Motoko' - or whatever your real name is. We'll be meeting real soon..."