Bubblegum Crisis: Stage Three

Chapter 32

Over the next weeks, there were several arrests of powerful figures who had been named in Brian Mason's files. The delay in some cases was due to having to secure additional evidence to back up the files... but in many cases Mason had video and audio recordings of targets. He had been a very well prepared blackmailer.

Ironically, Reika Chang got a visit from the lead investigator, but only to let her know Mason had been keeping a file on her. He had been keeping track of her relationships with women, and had kept those records in case he needed leverage.

"That fucker," Reika uncharacteristically swore.

Naoko Asami nodded sympathetically. "We'd normally be looking into you too for Mason's murder, but your alibi holds up," she noted.

"Thank you," Reika nodded.

With a slight smile Naoko added over her shoulder, "We'll be checking if you hired someone to do it, of course."

"Lovely," Reika sighed.

Later that morning Reika asked Nene, "Why didn't someone tell me that I was mentioned in Mason's files?"

"Because there were tetrabytes of data there," Nene replied briskly, "we searched it, obviously, but concentrated on Sylia, Quincy and a few other topics."

"Okay, point," Reika conceded.

"And, admittedly, we screwed up. I probably should have searched all our names, just in case," Nene added with a sigh.

"Heh," Reika smiled. She added, "You guys kept a copy, right?"

"Yes, and I'm going through it again," Nene said, and made a face.

"Yeah?" Reika asked.

"Mason apparently had the hots for SYLIA," Nene grumbled, "I found a stalker file he put together. Yuck."

"Ick," Reika agreed. Though she was secretly kind of amused to see how indignant Nene was. It was kind of cute, really.

Nene continued, "And we're flushing out Genom too." She added, "Be ready, some of the fallout will land on your desk."

"Oh joy," Reika sighed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Congratulations, your fired," Sylia said briskly.

"WHAT?" Reiko Asagi, an older woman who headed up the marketing department for musical acts, blurted out.

"Trust me," Sylia added dryly as she pushed documents over, "we could be pressing charges over your embezzlement."

The woman looked visibly pale as she gazed at the documents.

"How...," Reiko asked.

"You were caught. We have enough proof to fire you," Sylia said briskly.

"I'll call my lawyer. I'll sue!" Reiko blurted.

"Go right ahead. If you want everything else that was dug up on you to be made public," Sylia casually shrugged.

"Everything else?" Reiko said warily.

"The young men you visited in hotels when you're out on company trips, without your husband," Sylia said dryly.

Reiko flinched.

"Security will escort you out," Sylia said, sighing as she sat back.

"Having fun?" Priss asked, looking in from the other room where she was monitoring things. In theory she could be back in Sylia's office fast enough to protect her from crazed employees... but she didn't like this set up at all.

"God no," Sylia sighed. "What's really annoying is several caught hints of what we were doing, cleared out their accounts and ran," she said.

"Ouch," Priss said. "Wasn't one of 'em my boss, too?" Priss asked.

"Yeah, the idiot who wanted to re-package you as bubblegum pop," Sylia sighed. "We had evidence he was forcing himself on starlets."

"Fucker," Priss scowled.

"Interested in a huge promotion?" Sylia asked teasingly.

"Oh HELL no," Priss said to her quickly. "Too much paperwork, and I'd probably go postal in less than a week."

"Yeah, let's avoid that," Sylia agreed.

Sylia's computer 'pinged' reminding them of her next appointment. "Good luck, boss," Priss said as she went next door to monitor.

"Thanks," Sylia sighed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Lisa Valante was returning to work, having survived the 'Boomer cure' procedure. She even pretty much looked the same, though she was going to have to regrow her hair. Now she was back at her desk, and had been handed a somewhat redacted version of the Mason files.

(Redacted regarding the stuff outside Genom, of course. She didn't need to know about Mason having leverage on the Mayor, police, and rival companies.)

"Okay, who the hell is 'Fargo?'" Lisa asked aloud.

Mason had several transaction records of dealing with the man. Apparently a Private Investigator. Well paid too, based on the files. This Fargo had helped obtain at least some of the info Mason would later use on his targets.

"Huh. Billing was through Genom's accounting department," Lisa mused, checking. There was a case number assigned to him. She accessed THAT, and started looking at whom, in the company, had paid him...

"You look perky," Nene Romanova noted as she entered her assistant's office.

"Found something interesting," Lisa agreed, "look at this."

"Print outs?" Nene took the papers.

"We both know the system isn't entirely secure," Lisa sighed.

"Fair enough," Nene looked over the papers, quickly figuring out the meaning. "Quincy and Mason were both hiring this guy?" she said.

"Yup. And no accounting for the work done, etc etc. Just flat payments," Lisa nodded.

"That's not entirely suspect," Nene noted. "Some consultants are paid like that." In fact Priss and Linna were paid in just such a fashion for bodyguarding Sylia...

"Hmm. True," Lisa conceded.

"Still, it's at least interesting," Nene agreed. "Do you think the ADP and regular police know about him?" she mused.

"Not that I'm aware of," Lisa said.

"Well, I know Officer Asami. You keep cross referencing, I'll give her a call," Nene ordered.

"Aye aye," Lisa waved.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Mason did WHAT," Linna blinked.

"Had a PI look into my past relationships, apparently for blackmail," Reika said as they took lunch together.

"That BASTARD," Linna scowled.

Reika shook her head, "Well, nothing came of it. Thankfully."

Linna sipped her tea, "I'm kind of astonished on how many people Mason had dirt on. Including firing offences."

"Sylia's let go over twenty people over this," Reika agreed. "Mostly executives on the same level Mason was on."

Linna just shook her head.

"About the only person he didn't have dirt on was Jeena Malso," Reika added. "I'm impressed, sort of."

"Or she sadly has no life," Linna teased.

"Don't be mean," Reika chided.

In another part of the building, Jeena Malso sneezed.

"Getting a cold, boss?" Yoko Grant, her new secretary, asked.

"No, someone must be talking about me," Jeena sighed. "You got the info from Ms Romanova?" she asked.

Yoko nodded, "We're looking into it..."

Back in the cafeteria Reika groaned softly. "What?" Linna asked curiously.

"Sylia let go Reiko Asagi today," she said, "we're in related departments, her workload is going to probably land on MY desk."

"That's why you get the big money, dear," Linna teased.

"Ha ha ha," Reika pouted.

To be continued...