Coffee Shop Meet-up

JP with Your Name Here, Mdman, Jaxx, Trustno1 and Cindy

The gray van with the, mostly blacked out windows, pulled into a parking spot. Alyssa was still getting used to this vehicle. It was bigger and different than her last van but it handled so amazingly.

Both the hacker and Max got out of the van. It was early afternoon, this local coffee shop was empty except for the severs.

Alyssa said to Max, "I think we're the first ones here. And I think this might belong to one of the organizations."

She was correct on both accounts. Her order was sugar and caffeine ladened large caramel mocha Frappuccino with extra whipped cream. She waited on Max to get his drink the two took a seat at the long table in the back.

Gary? Who the hell named a place Gary? Someone named Gary as well, that's the only option. So it was another trip, a couple hours in a cab and she was there. *Gary*, Jesus Christ.

She'd read over the files of what happened and where they were being dropped off, but not everything fit quite well, the files left a lot to be desired. She accepted it and walked into the bar, ordering a black coffee and sitting in front of Alyssa, looking at Max and whistling. "Tall guy, isn't he?" She chuckled, stretching. "You two must be Alyssa Wilson and Max Powers, of the Illuminati, right?" She took a sip of her coffee, judging by her expression, it wasn't good coffee.

"Marina Del Río, a pleasure." She extended her hand at Alyssa, then Max when he made it to their table. "How much do you know about what's going on here? My files... They left much to be desired.”

Agent Powers looked around then approached the person at the counter and said, "Hit me with a double venti, organic chocolate brownie caramel Frappuccino, extra hot with one inch of foam... [zooms in to his lips] non-fat. Oh and three cinnamon rolls." he then paid his bill and listened to the new lady named Marina. He replied, "Hey.”

Choi had driven to Gary, Indiana in his new Veloster. He wanted to see what it could do opened up on the interstate.

As soon as he had received Alyssa’s text, he texted back: Looking forward to working again! Then, he texted Eun-Ji and Sung: See you there!.

The trip, normally thirty hours, Choi drove in twenty-five. Arriving at the accommodations, he texted Alyssa: Just checked in. Need some tea.

Alyssa shook Marina's hand. "Its nice to meet you, Marina. I'm waiting to hear from the others"

Right then Choi's message came through. She texted back that they were meeting with the Council's agent, and gave the address, at the end Alyssa added. I bet this coffee shop has tea.

Turning her attention back to Marina. "That was one of the Dragons, he just arrived. Anyway, I don't think I have much more information than you but lets compare notes. Something happened in an old theater, a woman was working there..." Scrolling on her phone. "A Sarah Simmons but it seems like no one knows for sure what happened to her.”

Agent Powers nodded to the conversation as he checked his messages on the phone while the women were talking. Then the coffees were ready and he picked them up before bringing them back to the table and sat down. He then sipped his hot coffee and munched on his cinnamon rolls as Alyssa and Marina compared notes.

Marina chuckled and nodded at Max, then kept her conversation with Alyssa. "Yeah, that's pretty much what I had too. Not much to go with, but at least we have a place to look in." She forced herself to take another sip of her awful coffee and stretched her neck.

"So, if what I have is right, it's three Illuminati, two Dragon and a surprise two Templars, yeah? Counting me, it sounds like a lot of people for one missing girl..." She put her hand to her chin, thinking for a bit. "There's got to be something more. Something we haven't been told. This is a two person job, maybe even a solo job. Why are there so many people on it?”

"Three Dragons. Who did you not get information on?" Alyssa was suddenly wondering if one of the greens weren't coming. Alyssa bit her lip, then sipped her coffee. " When isn't there more to it?" The hacker quipped. "Probably some end of the world stuff." After the last mission that wasn't a joke.

A laugh. "I was working on memory, sometimes people slip off." An amused shrug. "It only adds to my point, though."

She sighed, and thought for a bit longer. "The problem's not whether or not it's something bigger than immediately obvious, the question is why don't they tell us?" She sighed and leaned back. "I hate end of the world stuff, it always gets emotional by the end.”

Agent Powers was replying to his father's messages as he heard Marina speak. He didn't even realize he was talking as he replied, "You get used to it." Then he finished his message, took a sip of coffee and ate a cinnamon roll before washing it down with more coffee. He then began playing a combat action game on his phone.

Choi dragged himself into the meeting area. He was somewhat disheveled, as he had just driven twenty-five hours straight.

He ordered a chai, then walked back to the threesome. “Hey, Little Hacker! Powers! What we got? Who’s this?”

"Yeong, this is Marina Del Rio." Motioning to the woman across from her. "Marina this is Yeong Choi."

She smiled at the Dragon, "Its good to see again. What we got is this, a woman named Sarah Simmons was working on an old theater. I would assume restoration of some kind. She disappeared. However, we've all been called in so there must be more to it.”

“A disappearance?” Choi queried, brows raised.

His chai arrived and he took a sip, wrinkling his nose. “Americans don’t know chai,” he said.

“A disappearance could mean anything. A kidnapping. Human trafficking. Maybe someone didn’t like her last restoration. Doesn’t make sense.”

"I highly doubt we would be called in, if that's what was suspected." Alyssa shrugged. "They didn't give us much to go with. And of course we don't, most of us call it Chai Tea." She agreed with the man.

Choi looked at Marina. “So now we got to deal with four Illuminati?” he probed in a joking manner, “Unless…is she replacing Sartre?”

"Council of Venice." Alyssa explained, and sipped more of her coffee.

Choi raised a brow at this. “So, the Council is involved? This must be big.”

Agent Powers greeted Choi and quietly listened to the others talk as he drank coffee and ate his snacks. Then he replied, "Well the last kidnapping we dealt with was intense. Perhaps they are related?" he then took a big bite.

Choi raised a brow again at Powers. “Do you ever stop eating? You should weigh five hundred pounds by now!”

Marina chuckled. "It's a pleasure, Choi." She smiled. "The Council is worried about the stability of a group as varied as this, mixing factions together is all fun, but eventually, there needs to be a responsible adult in the room." She grinned, winking.

"But yeah, if we've all been called in, this must be more than meets the eye. A lot more." She sighed. "Alyssa, you're the all seeing eye, aren't you? What do we know about Miss Simmons?”

"We'll hopefully know more after we investigate the theater, but we should wait on the others. I didn't have time before but I'll do a deep dive tonight on the place, as well " Alyssa then responded to Marina. "I didn't have to do a deep dive yet, as we had to drive here from NY. However, I do have my tech running dives on her. I should have results soon.”

Agent Powers smirked at Choi and swallowed his food then he replied, "It takes a lot of calories to operate these muscles. It takes more when I am in combat.”

“When I think of the Council of Venice,” Choi mused, “I think of stuff shirts. People with sticks up their asses. Not you.”

He then grinned, “At least I know we’ll have some info soon. The Little Hacker here is good at what she does.”

Agent Powers nodded with Choi as he replied, "She is smarter than most people I have met. Oh by the way I can get better coffee and snacks delivered for tonight so text me what you want me to order and our drop off point for supplies. I can even get real Chai tea and coffee Choi. My dad has a hand in logistics." Max then began making a list on his phone.

"We should, mostly be all at the same hotel. There aren't many here, or at least many that aren't complete dives. So, texted everyone the address of the best one I could find." Alyssa explained. "It'll also make it easier to strategize.” She then smiled at the two men, "Thanks for the compliments."

“You know me,” Choi said with a wink, “I say things the way they are. And, I did take your recommendation. Not much of a hotel, but it will do. You may need to update your database on me, though. I now dwell in the United States. I came to the conclusion that monastery life isn’t for me“

Marina laughed. "You haven't met many field agents then, Carmen Preda would scare you out of your wits." She chuckled.

"So. We wait for the team to regroup while Wilson's techie finds us some info on our missing friend. Then, I suggest we check both her home and the place where she went missing. We're a big group, splitting up shouldn't be a problem." She smiled. "Sound good?”

Alyssa grinned at Choi, "Or maybe I already know. You liking your new place?" Then to Marina, "Sounds like a plan.” She turned to Choi, "I got a new van, though no choice of my own. So, we now have The Mystery Machine II."

Ahead of you, you hear two men arguing on the street. "Dammit Robert, I quit, I knew someone was going to get hurt in there. I don't care about opening night. There's been no word on Sarah's condition. That place is haunted. They can try and fix-it up all they want, but I'm not going back in there.”