Open ACME Retro

[Nace Bilby]

Some of the other teachers had gone to inquire after Kidman, so Ennai went to Nace kneeling to scratch Goliath, who was coping astonishingly well with the gunshots. "May I?" she asked smiling hopefully, hand already partially extended. Zack finished taking his shots. "Star Wars fans are we?" She stood up, and looked over at Zack, cocking an eyebrow. "That's all good and well, but if you've any intentions of passing my class I suggest you start toeing the Trekkie line. Brown-nosing will take you miles with me."

She stood back watching Nace shoot with the contented pleasure that one gets when watching a master at their trade.

Nace watched as the brunette approached, and asked to scratch Goliath. The puppy coped well with the gunshots since he had been raised around law enforcement training since birth.

"Sure." Nace said.

Goliath let Ennai scratch him and started licking her hand, panting and looking cute with his tongue hanging out.

At her query, as Goliath reared up on his hindpaws, his forepaws on Ennai's wrist to lick the woman's face, Nace replied, "Yes, I do believe myself and Mr. Monaghan here are fans of Star Wars."

He listened to her Trekkie line and laughed, "Advertising on flattery are we? I have watched my share of Star Trek too. Mostly I'm a Deep Space Nine and The Next Generation fan...incidentally I enjoy Babylon 5 quite a bit oddly enough."

And he overheard Ennai and Ivy's chat about the dolls. The JDs were having a real mission. He hoped they wouldn't have to use anything he had taught them on booby trap recognition. However he did expect the worst...

 

[Joe Kerr]

Whilst the remainder of the firearms lesson had been going on, Joseph had been using his time judiciously to go through the details of the mission that the JDs would be leaving for momentarily.

Something about the case irked him, and given his day job that was never a good thing.

I hope they're ready; They're so young and eager, like a group of young lions ready for the first hunt. Guess that's why we're here, to make sure they don't bite off more than they can chew.

He was broken out of his revelry by the ongoing conversation a few feet away from him.

"Is there a reason our transport is still fired up?"

Tick tock.

"I believe," Ennai said seriously, "that it means that it's time for your real field trip to finally begin."

Walking over, he called out in full teacher mode.

"Calling all Junior Detectives, you have 1 minute to assemble together in front of the shooting range."

Then in a lighter tone he added,

"I believe Mr Devineaux has a little surprise for all of you."

 

[Chase]

Chase Devineaux accessed at his communicator to send information to the junior detectives. Along with necessary background build, the case files included location, primary and secondary objectives.

"If you look at your communicators, you'll find a new case waiting for you," he opened with an example on his own screen, "This is a live assignment. Nine very rare Japanese Edo-period Kokeshi dolls were stolen from a private collection in Hokkaido seven days ago. At 5 a.m. this morning, International Crimes marked a location 21-miles south of here as a rendezvous safehouse the thief or thieves may have stayed. It's suspected that they left the area three nights back, but Chief needs evidence collected and we're the closest team to the location.

"The instructors are here to help," Chase continued, hinting to the friendly faces around him, "but this is a field case, so it will count as experience.

"We're going to go ahead and make our way there, if you have questions, ask en route."

---
Case details:
What: 9 stolen Japanese Edo-era Kokeshi wooden dolls
Who: Unknown and at large
Where: Suspected safehouse: Abandoned bunker
When: suspects left 2-3 days ago
Primary objective: Evidence collection
Secondary objective: Find enough evidence to pinpoint the suspect(s)' next location

 

[Agent Z]

Zack didn't have as much experience as the other Junior Detectives, like Ivy or Lee so this was a big chance to prove his worth on the field.

The instructors were good chaperons, and it wasn't long before all the detectives split into helicopters to get to the site 21 miles away. While @Chase Devineaux told them to ask any questions enroute, Zack could only think about how Instructor @Ennai could possibly be a Trekkie. Really.

There was a sort of fearless Klingon tone about her...

"Why would anyone steal Kokeshi dolls?" He wondered aloud to his fellow detectives, "I mean, that's gotta be hard to sell right?"

 

[Jason West]

Before leaving, Jason placed the rifles in their respective cases and then slipped the combat loaded magazines into the pistols and placed them back into their holsters. Jason quickly loaded up all the spare ammunition and placed it in his bag so that in the event things went sideways in a hurry, he knew he had everything he would need to protect everyone. Jason still wasn't solid on everything to do with the case, but he did have a weird feeling that the heist wasn't just about some dolls.

After slinging his backpack on over his shoulders and gathering the rifle cases, Jason hurried over to the waiting helo and stowed the weapons. He quickly jumped in and took an open seat, curious to see who else would be joining him in the helo. This would only be a short hop from the training area to the site.

"I certainly hope we're going to be making a stop back here before heading back to the Accolade. I'm gonna need to collect all the surveillance equipment and most importantly my laptop. Hopefully this communicator has a note-taking application on it." Jason thought to himself as he began to tap on the screen to look for a notebook application. "Well, I guess I'm gonna have to write one for it and see if we can implement it into all communicators." Jason thought as he began to wonder about a more permanent employment position with ACME.

 

[Ennai]

Ennai was making arrangements on her cell for clean up and pick up when Zack asked a question that made her look up and genuinely smile for the first time in ages.

"Why would anyone steal Kokeshi dolls?" He wondered aloud to his fellow detectives, "I mean, that's gotta be hard to sell right?"

"That," Ennai beamed, "is an excellent question."
She looked at him curiously.
"They wouldn't be that hard to sell if you already have an established relationship with a good fence. But you're right. Stolen art is particularly fussy to sell. They would hardly be worth the hassle when you consider the return. So why indeed would someone go through the trouble of stealing something that has no black market resale value when risk assessment is factored in?" she asked, steadily awaiting an answer. She was addressing Zack mainly because she felt it was important for him to start following through on his own questions as a detective, but her posture indicated that it was a question that was open to anyone to answer.

 

[Joe Kerr]

"Why would anyone steal Kokeshi dolls?"
"I mean, that's gotta be hard to sell right?"

"...So why indeed would someone go through the trouble of stealing something that has no black market resale value when risk assessment is factored in?"

Joseph had heard the conversation the question raised by Zack and was about to answer when his fellow instructor had beaten him to it.
In truth, Joseph was impressed with Zack; the question was a valid one and a smart one at that.

To be a good detective requires more than just agility and weapons proficiency, it requires critical thinking and creativity too; one should never take facts at face value. Rather, one should always strive to question everything rather than assume.

The fact that Zack was already starting to ask the right questions was a promising start; maybe with the right prods these JDs would become a fine crop of detectives indeed.

"Zack, let me counter your question with another question: Why does a thief steal?"

A mischievous smile appeared on Joseph's face as he continued.

"Consider this question an assignment from me. Please forward this to all your fellow junior detectives; You have the duration of the journey to our destination to gather your thoughts. I expect an answer to this question from each of you when we land."

 

[Ivy]

ACME had purchased about a dozen custom six-seater AGUSTA A109Es late last year, and it was these same helicopters there were going to take them from the training grounds to the crime scene. One was to be flown by Eugene Grovington, and the other by herself.

As Ivy started the systems check, Zack and the instructors could be heard dissecting the possible motives, and she took note to answer Joe Kerr's question.

She had clocked enough hours to feel at home in the cockpit--a twenty mile flight was nothing--but was surprised when Chase Devineaux opened the opposite door and climbed in.

Ivy looked at the briefing again, but didn't say anything. Questioning a higher ranking agent just wasn't going to happen.

As they took off he surprised her again by breaking the silence, "Aviation is an odd choice."

"Excuse me?"

"For you, Agent Monaghan. Most field detectives take the basic course. From your file, it looks like you choose to specialize."

She wasn't sure if he was asking her to elaborate, "I'm not planning stay a pilot. I just like having the means to chase down criminals with everything at my disposal."

"Except for firearms?"

She was quickly realizing that this was longest conversation she's ever had with Director Devineaux, and somehow he seemed to know a lot more about her than expected. Maybe it was a special agent trait to read into everyone.

"I'm... working on that," Ivy finally replied.

She saw him nod from her peripheral vision and her heart sank slightly. Silence meant she wouldn't hear any confirmation if that was the right answer.

The abandoned bunker was located in a mining town, and the GPS indicated for her to land on a patch of clear land close by. She saw the helicopter piloted by Eugene smoothly plant itself on the dessert ground, its rotors slowing then stopping. Ivy waited for the dust to clear enough for her own landing just yards away.

'We're here." She relayed over the radio to her passengers.

[fieldset=Written With:][with]1[/with][/fieldset]

 

[Julie Justice]

Considering the fact that Julie Justice had never actually fired a gun prior today, she thought she had done well. She had to have someone show her how to load and unload a gun, and for he that part was much more difficult than the shooting. In a weird way...she almost liked the shooting...and now she wished she had asked her mother... or her uncle... or one of her cousins to show her how a long time ago. She practiced with @Jason West's modified Glock, and the Kriss Vector the most, and she thought she was pretty good with those. She wanted to try a few of the rifles, and bigger guns...but she was a little intimidated because they were so big...and she was kind of short...And even though it was good to know how to use many different types of weapons like @Joe Kerr had said, @Jason West had also said that accuracy was also important, so she hoped that she could come back and try and master the other weapons at some point. She unloaded the guns she had been using, and was finishing up, when @Chase had come in with the details of this crime, and what they were looking for.

Julie went over to join the conversation with Zack (@Agent Z) and their instructors Ennai and @Joe Kerr. She said,"Well...if these items are worth a lot of money...anyone could steal them...a man...or a woman. And since they are Japanese...it could be that the thief is Japanese or Asian..and is interested in it for that reason. Or because it is rare...and considered "hard to steal." Or because it is a type of doll..the thief could be a woman...or the thief could at least be working for a woman." (*Julie thought to herself* "We are training to be ACME agents. Could these thieves be working for Carmen Sandiego? !! Or is this crime being committed by Carmen, herself? !!)

Julie was ready to leave the shooting range.

 

[Jason West]

After the exceptional ride provided by @Ivy, Jason jumped out and quickly retrieved the GAP-10 case and slung it over himself in a cross-body style carry and then followed it up with his backpack. As Jason walked over to meet with the rest of the group, he couldn't help but think of the question @Joe Kerr had asked the Junior Detectives and was curious to hear the responses from all of the Junior Detectives.

During the flight, Jason had formulated his own answer to @Joe Kerr's question. The answer Jason had formulated was that that a thief steals for one of a multitude of reasons. They could be motivated by the thrill or even motivated by the object itself. Jason almost felt like the question was a trick question based on the fact that the answer could vary from thief to thief.

 

[Julie Justice]

Julie ran out of the shooting range, and and got on the custom six-seater AUGUSTA 109 E, just in time. She hoped noone would notice that she was a little late. Then she noticed that Chase Devineaux was sitting up front with @Ivy. Oh...great...One of the few times she was late...probably the one time when it was the most important to be on time...and there was the Director of ACME...sitting right there!! Suddenly...she felt like a kid in school...that had just been scolded by a teacher...or sent to the principal's office or something. Then she remembered...she was the kind of kid who was almost never scolded by a teacher...and she was NEVER sent to the principal's office...unless a teacher had sent her there on an errand!! LOL!! Julie couldn't really hear what Chase and Ivy were talking about, but she could watch their body language, and it seemed that in this conversation, at least...that Ivy felt the same way that she did right now.

Julie looked out the window. Even though it was a short flight, the scenery was really beautiful. Julie was starting to like the desert. Although she was starting to miss grass...and trees...They made things a little cooler, anyway.

Julie thought about @Joe Kerr's question, and she still thought her answer was good. The most obvious reason that a thief would take something is because it is worth a lot of money. If it isn't worth a lot of money, then it it is valuable for some other reason; either because it is considered significant, either culturally...or for sentimental reasons...or maybe because it was well-guarded...and stealing it was a challenge. And also, because it was a type of doll...the thief could be a woman...or the thief could at least be working for a woman. Which is kind of why Julie thought they might be chasing Carmen Sandiego herself...or someone in Carmen's gang, at least.

And thinking about Joe Kerr's question made Julie think more about Joe Kerr, himself. She liked him very much. But she still didn't know that much about him. Obviously, Chase Devineaux and whoever else made these kind of decisions thought that he had some kind of skills that they wanted at ACME. And certainly, he didn't seem really dangerous. But he seemed to have an understanding of criminal behavior and criminal motives that made Julie wonder if he had been on the wrong side of law enforcement...She had the feeling that maybe he was a reformed criminal...who wasn't quite so "reformed" after all. But he was an instructor here, after all. And until she had more evidence that he had really done something wrong, she wasn't going to tell anyone what she thought.

Even though it wasn't a really long flight...and Ivy had done an excellent job as a pilot, Julie was happy when they landed. She got out and joined her fellow Junior Detectives and instructors.

 

[Nace Bilby]

Nace, for his part, followed the ages old ritual he had whenever he was going on a tasking of any sort. He would always cross himself before getting onto the aircraft or vehicle.

Then he checked his kit. First the Browning Hi Power 9mm pistol, checking for a round in the chamber and all his magazines were loaded. Then the same for the Saiga .308, the modified semi-automatic that he had recently converted to be a semi-automatic designated marksman rifle with a 16" barrel, pistol grip, checking to see that he had the right assortment of 10 and 20 round magazines for it.

Finally he checked his toolkit, in a bag on the left side of his vest. It had all of his kit for bomb disposal duties. He didn't think a shipment of Kokeshi dolls would have booby traps near them, but he was prepared in either case...