The cells beneath the Silvermane Guard headquarters really could use some updating, Sampo thinks as he waits in one of them.
He'd been dragged in here on some minor, petty charges that he's about ninety-nine percent sure he'll be able to wriggle his way out of, and even if he can't? He'll be able to flirt his way out of, once Dunn's not on guard duty anymore. Dunn is an unfortunate brick wall of solid heterosexuality that seems to be laser-focused on a certain Landau sibling-- granted, Sampo can't fault him too much for that, considering his own proclivities, but still. It's a deep annoyance that his attempts at flirting his way out of jail are met with a human brick wall of obliviousness.
Ugh. He isn't even good for getting information out of, because he's just as close-lipped about that as he is about a certain captain of the guard. What did Sampo do to deserve conditions like this?
He has no idea of what's going on a few floors above him, in the office of a certain intelligence officer.
"And that's the situation as it stands," Pela says, handing the briefing file over to Gepard. "I've already taken the liberty of finding a partner for you, and the assignment has been approved by the Supreme Guardian. Let's go meet with him."
Surely she means another member of the guard or another intelligence officer, right?
Surely that's what she means—or so Gepard had assumed, skimming the file that's been handed to him as he walks after Pela down the stone hallways of the headquarters.
Espionage is normally not his forte, his face attracting far too much attention when the necessity in such missions is to lay low. But there's no one else who had his capabilities in the guards and who has knowledge of the Underworld that he's acquired from the Oleg and the Wildfire. Hence his easy response to the Supreme Guardian's request, even if Bronya had insisted that he need not accept if it's too complicated. Gepard sees it as a learning opportunity, if not a way to hone his skills even further.
Their footsteps echo as they descend further into the headquarters, and it's only then that Gepard realizes that he's being led not to one of the offices or rooms but to the cells below. Does this mean his partner is one of the jail cell officers?
Perhaps someone who knows the Underworld better than him?
"Pela, where are we—"
The tiny Intelligence Officer leads him to one of the cells at the very end of the hallway, gesturing at Gepard. His blue eyes narrow, taking note of the person behind bars ... and the person guarding him.
While Gepard and Pela were making their way down the hall towards his little cell, Sampo was busy trying to distract Dunn with his outrageous flirting-- oh, Captain Dunn, I'm sure it would be fine if you let me just stretch my legs a little, what could I possibly do against a big, strong man like you?-- while trying to wriggle a hidden lockpick out of his glove with his hands cuffed behind his back. It's a more difficult task than he would've liked; the pick probably shifted around in the scuffle during his capture, leaving it in a more complicated position.
Then-- a familiar voice, echoing down the stone hall. Sampo leans against the bars of his cell and cranes his head to look as far as he can down it. He's rewarded in a short time with the appearance of Gepard Landau, accompanied by that little intelligence officer.
Apparently, he needs Dunn for something? Well, good, he can take this man away and replace him with someone more susceptible to Sampo's wiles.
"No, not Dunn," Pela replies, a little annoyance working its way into her tone. She wasn't even gesturing at Dunn! "Sampo Koski, by the authority of the Supreme Guardian, your expertise is required for a mission of great importance. Upon the successful completion of this mission, I have been given leave to offer you a full and unconditional pardon for all offenses currently on your record, including those for which you have not formally been charged."
It takes a second for all of that to sink into Sampo's brain. A full and unconditional pardon, every little petty crime and misdemeanor that Gepard's been on his ass for just... wiped clean, in one fell swoop. Gone, like it never happened. He goes from criminal to upstanding citizen in an instant. It's almost too good to be true, except that it comes attached to some mysterious mission that he's needed for.
"Well, color me interested, but what's Captain Landau doing here?" he says, once his brain catches up again.
It also takes Gepard a full minute to absorb all of that, turning to the dark-haired female with a look of disbelief on his face. He's usually not one to question the decisions and choices of the Supreme Guardian; he's a soldier, after all, he's not supposed to ask any questions and simply obey what orders are given to him. But isn't this beyond all sorts of logic?
"Unconditional pardon?"
What? Considering the amount of grief he's given him and the entire city? For someone to have his slate wiped clean, Gepard feels conflicted about this.
His gaze flickers from Pela to Sampo, looking like the Solwarm Festival has come early, his mouth pulling to a thin line. Then again, knowing him for so long, he's certain that that pardon is going to last for too long.
"... Don't get too excited just yet, Koski. The mission might entail you to fight in the frontlines of Belobog along with the other guards."
Who knows, Gepard, maybe this pardon will be the push that Sampo needs to turn a new leaf, become a new man. Maybe he'll sever his ties with the criminal underworld and become an entirely legitimate businessman, an upstanding citizen that pays his taxes.
And if he believes that, Sampo has a bridge to sell him.
Regardless, the resurrection of his good name-- at least in the eyes of the law-- is a temptation that he can't really pass up, even if it involves something dangerous. And, anyway, no risk, no reward.
"Come on, Captain, fighting at the front lines isn't my expertise. I leave that to brave men like you."
Brave and stupid men, but that's a thought that Sampo isn't going to say in front of Gepard.
"What we need you for, Koski, are your connections in the Underworld," Pela says, soldiering on as though neither Sampo nor Gepard had commented. "We have become aware of a large number of disappearances that have occurred in the Underworld. Originally, it had seemed as though they had no connection to each other, but further inquiries have concluded that there may be a common element. We need to find out what's happened to these people and why it's gotten worse since reunification, and we can't just send in the Silvermane Guard to investigate. If we increase the Guard presence, the perpetrators will likely go to ground."
"Well, that explains what you want with ol' Sampo," he says. "And I might know a few places to start asking around about this kind of thing, but this is a little past what I usually get involved with. You're looking into dangerous people, Miss Sergeyevna!"
"Very. And we do know that some of the people who have gone missing were looking into the disappearances of their family members and loved ones," Pela says. "It would be irresponsible to send you on such a risky mission by yourself, which is why I intend to send Gepard with you, and the Supreme Guardian agrees."
Gepard and someone who knows the ins and outs of the Underworld's darkest.
That had been the Supreme Guardian's plan when they concluded their meeting regarding this operation, and Gepard was in agreement. Things have changed beneath Everwinter since Madam Cocolia's mandate of isolating the underground city, and what Gepard had known years ago has already shifted, transformed with the passage of time as the Underworld adjusted to the Supreme Guardian's orders. And so, they needed someone familiar with the area, someone he had thought would be from Wildfire.
Pela obviously had other plans, other thoughts. The captain now wondered if those thoughts had changed the moment she's heard of Sampo's capture. Because of course, this conman would know where to start asking around, and she may have come to that conclusion as well.
Gepard folds his arms across his chest, his gaze returning to Pela.
"If we ask Oleg, he may be able to find us a more forthright individual to assist us in this mission, Pela. Given Koski's proclivities and past history, what's to say he won't sell our mission's information to the group we're chasing after?"
Sampo is a criminal, a known con-man, and it would make sense for him to be running in some of the same circles as these traffickers; a member of Wildfire would have to come up with a whole new identity, go undercover to avoid being found out for who they are. There's less risk of suspicion if the person that you're using is a criminal informant rather than an undercover law enforcer.
"Having Koski spares us from having to make a new alias for a member of Wildfire, and less chances of someone finding out about it," Pela says. "And I have reason to believe that he won't want to sell us out."
"Sell you out? Me? I'm hurt you'd even suggest it! I have standards, you know," Sampo replies in protest; Gepard's suspicion could mean his get-out-of-jail free card disappears into thin air, and there are a few things on the old criminal record that he'd really rather disappeared instead.
"When Wildfire first began looking into the matter, they ran into a lot of roadblocks, information-wise," the intelligence officer continues, and Sampo immediately decides that he doesn't like how this conversation is going. "But they started receiving tips and information from an anonymous source that proved critical to their investigation. This didn't come up in our meeting, Gepard, but Seele asked me to look into the anonymous source, and I was able to track down their identity."
Ah. Yes, Sampo really doesn't like where this has gone. No good deed goes unpunished, apparently.
"You were already helping the investigation, Koski. This is your opportunity to do more than just leave a few tips. Besides, if Koski did try to sell us out," And this is much more for Gepard's sake than Sampo's, as he's already well aware of what she's about to mention, "what do you think would happen when they realize that he's the reason that Wildfire is onto them in the first place?"
"You are good at your job, Miss Sergeyevna," he says a little weakly. He hates getting caught like this; where did he slip up? He's always careful when it comes to intel. "Got me coming and going."
If he were the type to roll his eyes, Gepard would've done so already at that protest. Instead, he simply sighs under his breath as if dealing with a headache that he's somehow seen coming from a mile away; typical of Koski to make claims he can't meet at all just to get his hide out of a hole he's dug personally.
But it's Pela's next words that interest the captain more, his attention once more shifting to the smaller female.
And really, this entire conversation only proves one thing: Pela is the worst person to become one's enemy. The amount of information she's able to dig up and analyze on her own, proverbially piece together like a jigsaw puzzle that none of the other Intelligence Officers can do—it's a stroke of luck that she works for the Silvermane Guards.
"Well, then," Gepard remarks with a smirk. "Perhaps Koski will finally experience what it's like to be left behind in a precarious situation. They do say that what you give out will always return to you."
Not that he would intentionally do that, not if they're really to work together. But for once, they have a leash around his neck that's unlikely to disappear now.
"Let's see if his standards measure up to what he claims."
Sampo hates the idea of anyone having a leash around his neck, even more hates the idea of someone from the Silvermane guard holding the other end of it. Gepard has a criminal record-sized list of reasons to want to use it against Sampo Koski, and the only thing that's going to keep him from using it arbitrarily is his own well-developed sense of honor and righteousness.
Even so, there isn't much difference between a leash and a noose. It's all just a rope around your neck that's long enough to be hanged by.
"You've got me by the throat," he says, and-- ah, finally got those handcuffs off. Doesn't do him much good at the moment, but it's at least more comfortable to get them off of his wrists. The cuffs themselves go into one of his pockets, as has every pair of cuffs that he's ever picked his way out of, because who knows when they might be useful? With hands freed, he rubs a little at the marks on his wrists where the metal dug into his skin.
"Even if I was lying about having standards-- which I'm not!-- you've got collateral on me. Sampo Koski is at your service."
"Good, but-- wasn't he handcuffed?" Pela turns to look at Gepard for clarification, as the resident Sampo expert.
Wow, calling him the resident Sampo expert. Pela, what?
The question stops Gepard for a brief moment before he turns towards Dunn, his eyes narrowing. Almost immediately, the other Silvermane officer quickly gestures at another guard down the hallway who tells them that yes, he was handcuffed. He was definitely handcuffed when they brought him here and he was handcuffed up until Pela and Gepard showed up.
But whether he remained handcuffed is another question entirely, as the act is almost always only an option for someone like Sampo. It's a good thing, then, that they've gotten there before he had the chance to escape.
Gepard steps up to the cell, holding a hand out between the bars. Don't force him to get inside that jail cell and manhandle him.
"Hand over the cuffs, Koski. You're not keeping those under my watch."
Sampo looks at Gepard's outstretched hand and laughs.
"Come on, Captain, what's a pair of handcuffs or six between friends? I've still got at least two of yours that I haven't pawned yet."
Pela's nose scrunches up in annoyance; there's some mental math going on in her brain, and she's clearly not liking the numbers that are coming out.
"Gepard, is this why the equipment budget keeps going up? The number of guardsmen requesting replacement handcuffs has gone up a hundred and twenty percent in the past three months!"
"You really want them back, Captain? I mean, you already know that I'm not going to run. I've agreed to help you with your problem, and you can't expect me to do what I do best with my hands behind my back! I'm good, but I'm better if I have my hands free."
Pela, please. Does it look like he's been giving away these cuffs for free?
Gepard looks unrelenting for a moment before he withdraws his hand, his expression turning flat at the wink. So he's not surrendering the cuffs. Very well, he has other ways to pry it off him—or at least, make sure he's leashed the entire time during the mission.
"Dunn, I want you to fetch my sister from her workshop. Last I heard, she was working on a collar that delivers a lightning shock with the press of a button."
Because why wouldn't Serval modify something mundane into something strange while imbuing it with her own power? He tries his best not to question his older sister's interests, but in this case, her expertise is needed. Surely, she'd lend a hand, wouldn't she? It's for the well-being of Belobog, after all.
Excuse him, maybe ol' Sampo's ears are going bad, did he just hear Gepard tell Dunn to go fetch Serval and a shock collar? There's a lot to unpack there, but Sampo would really just rather throw out the whole damn suitcase.
"Hey, now, I didn't know you were into that kind of thing, Captain," he says with a nervous laugh, backing away from the cell door and also the captain who's threatening him with electric shock. "I don't think our relationship is at the point where you can start bringing in your sister's experimental torture devices, we haven't even picked out a safe word yet."
"Has she tested it yet? You don't want to damage him during the mission," Pela says, as though any of this is a normal thing to talk about.
"I don't think that's the point here," Sampo interjects, only to be shushed by Pela.
Oh, is that worry in his eyes? Apprehension? Fear?
Gepard's blue gaze flickers at Sampo after his outburst, the gesture almost offhanded considering his attention is turned to Dunn and Pela. It's not the first time he's seen him so uncertain, his flight response better than anyone he's met in Belobog. But this idea certainly has placed the fear of Aeons in the man, for once. Not a bad thing, he thinks, given the pain he's brought to him and the rest of the guards.
"We'll ask her when she gets here. And if it's not yet tested ..."
Once more, he looks at Sampo, his expression turning mild as he studies him. He honestly should've just given up the cuffs, Gepard might have been kinder to him if he did. "We have a willing test subject here."
Normally, Sampo would have said that he isn't afraid, he just has a healthy sense of self-preservation, but right now? Yeah, he's pretty fucking terrified of whatever horrible contraption Serval might have built that involves shocking somebody in the neck. Why was she even making something like that? Sampo doesn't want to know what she does at night with people who aren't Dunn.
"Not willing! I didn't agree to any of this!"
Sampo can't back away any further; he's up against the wall.
"Aha, this is all very funny, Geppie, didn't know you had a sense of humor, but that's enough, right? We've had our laugh at ol' Sampo's expense, you really got me there, but we're done now?"
On a normal day, Gepard might have called him out on it. Possibly make things worse by reacting the way he would if Serval was the one who teasingly called him that. But he'll currently let it pass since it's clear he's made his sentiments about Sampo and this mission very much known. The look on the other man's face is enough for him for now.
Instead he holds his hand out again to him, an expectant look on his face.
"Handcuffs and the lock pick you used to uncuff yourself."
Not that Sampo returning those items would deter him from bringing Serval's shock collar. But of course, that's mostly for good measure and to ensure he keeps to the mission the entire time, something that he intends to keep mum about.
Wow, Gepard's really strong-arming him today. On another day, one with less threat of mad science bodily harm, Sampo might have thought it rather attractive of the good captain to be so forceful, but today? It's been a bit of a bad day for Sampo Koski, he's not into this right now.
So he pulls the cuffs out of his pocket with a small flourish and deposits it into the captain's outstretched hand, and then-- noticeably reluctantly, he's got a very nice set of lockpicks and it's really a shame to lose one like this-- puts the lockpick in his hand, too.
"I don't suppose you'd consider giving that back to me sometime? It might be useful, since we're in the espionage business now. For espionage things."
Hardly unreasonable to think that they might need to get past a locked door while on this whole mission, and it's better to quietly open it than, say, bash it in. That's why you need a man like Sampo, with his many and varied talents, some more legal than others.
No one's ever into being strongarmed, and yet, Sampo has been asking it since time immemorial.
Gepard hands the cuffs back to Dunn, who quickly stows them somewhere inaccessible, somewhere Sampo won't be able to get his hands on. The lockpick, however, is slipped into Gepard's jacket pocket, tucked under fabric and armor. It might come into use later, as Sampo had implied, but not in the conman's hands. Who knows how it could be used against him?
"I'll consider it."
Also known as "don't bet on seeing it again".
His attention returns to Pela, giving her a slight nod. "Make sure he's briefed on the mission proper. Oleg will be waiting for us in Goethe Grand Hotel with the disguises tomorrow, though I don't suppose Koski will need one."
He's aware of his antics by now. He can't hide the fact that he can hide in plain sight.
Alas. Sampo will just have to rely on all the other lockpicks that he owns-- but he really did like that one, it fit very nicely in his glove and was just perfect for getting out of those pesky handcuffs. And he doesn't believe that I'll consider it at all, not when it was coming out of Gepard Landau's mouth.
"Don't worry," Pela says. She's got more files in her arms, undoubtedly more information to get Sampo caught up on before he can be an effective member of this mission. And there he is, an entirely captive audience. "He'll be ready by tomorrow."
The next day, Pela makes her way to the Goethe Grant with someone in tow-- someone who looked entirely, almost boringly normal. A man that seemed as though he could blend into any crowd without any particularly identifiable features, nothing that stands out, nothing unusual. So commonplace that the eye almost just drifts over him as though he isn't even there. The human equivalent of a beige wall.
Sampo Koski, in one of his more utilitarian disguises. He has all sorts of disguises for all sorts of occasions, but this one in particular is good for reconnaissance; invisible without being hidden. He's in civilian clothes right now, the same as anybody on the street might wear, but swap that out for a servant's uniform and he'd be invisible in any high society household, or a guard's uniform and he'd easily pass for the new recruit that just got signed up. The right forgettable face and the right uniform, and no one even thinks to question you.
Gepard almost didn't recognize him, his brows furrowing at the sight of the man walking alongside Pela. Not that he himself is in his uniform, having exchanged it for civilian clothes as well for the mission. But his face certainly still stands out, so much so that Oleg had to fetch him a cap to hide that blond hair, blue eyes and very aristocratic face.
Still, a member of Wildfire? No, not when Oleg is with him; the man would've told him if someone from the group was recruited into the mission. So there's only one person in his mind that it could be.
"Koski?"
Pela shakes her head and puts a finger on her lips, gesturing for them to go inside the Goethe Grand. Oleg and the others have prepared rooms for them, Gertie more than happy and willing to work with Wildfire as per usual.
It's only after they've ensconced themselves in one of the rooms does Gepard turn to study Sampo's disguise. Not bad, but—
"... No wonder the guards have challenges looking for him."
Gepard's idea of a disguise is adorable-- barely more than just changing his clothes and putting on a cap, and Sampo would've bet his last credit that someone else had to give him the hat. There's something about Gepard's features that are just distinguishable, that particular combination of golden blonde hair and icy blue eyes and delicate, patrician features. It screams Landau from half a mile away. And Gepard clearly doesn't have the kind of skills that Sampo does, the ability to use a little makeup and a good wig to make his entire face look like someone else's, to erase the identifiable features of Sampo Koski for as long as he decides that he needs to be a different person. To change his voice and affect and stance to fit that new disguise.
Gepard Landau is still Gepard Landau even if you put him in street clothes and toss a cap on his head.
The good captain studies him a bit, really takes in all of the changes that Sampo made to his appearance. Sampo stays still and lets him look his fill, take in the eyes that are now brown rather than green, his mousy brown hair that's a little on the shaggy side, like he's gone a month or two past when he should get a cut; the seamlessly applied makeup that makes his cheeks look a little more gaunt and changes the shape of his jawline.
He ruins the disguise with one very Sampo Koski-esque wink to the good captain. He can't resist.
"I'll take that as a compliment," he says. If he wanted to remain unseen by the Silvermane Guard, he generally could do so. Being able to have a different face whenever you want it is a valuable skill. "So, Geppie, do I pass muster?"
Since Gepard had been so skeptical about his inclusion on this mission in the first place, he ought to get the man's approval, right?
Look, it's not his fault. He really isn't meant for any espionage mission; that's not what the Landau family stands for, after all.
"It'll do."
He returns the wink with an eye roll, Sampo's entire disguise falling apart just from that one action. They really need to talk about resisting the urge to horse around later on. For now, Oleg provides them with more information about the group they're chasing after. It seems that they've colluded prior with Scott to run their operations in the Fight Club, but were chased out by Luka.
One would think that that would be the end of it, but despite many investigations done, none of the missing individuals resurfaced and the group seems to have disappeared altogether. There's a possibility, even that they may have retreated up to the Overworld when the restrictions in place were removed.
"Do we know where they're hiding now in the Underworld? Surely, they have a base of operations somewhere if all the disappearances are happening here."
Moving from the Underworld to the Overworld when the borders opened again would be a sound business decision for a group like this; a whole new market is now available to them, full of people with very deep pockets and far too much free time. The Underworld is small potatoes when compared to that, and it's the perfect time for a very enterprising person to take advantage of the situation.
Infrastructure in the Underworld is too disjointed to ever have a full census of the people who live there, and the Overworld hasn't had access long enough to get a full count organized and successfully implemented. The citizens underground are desperate for a way to lift themselves out of over a decade of poverty. That makes it very easy for someone to disappear down below and for no one to even realize they're gone, and even if they did show up in the Overworld-- living or not-- there are no records to identify them by. Find the vulnerable, take them somewhere unfamiliar so that even if they did manage to get away, they don't know where to go or who can help them. No money, no paperwork. Vastly exploitable.
"They aren't operating out of Boulder Town proper, but they must be close," Pela says. "Most of the victims that we know of are from there. We have some confirmed disappearances from the Vagrant Camp, but they aren't the majority."
"Wildfire has already searched through Rivet Town and found no traces of them," Oleg adds.
Sampo leans against the wall while they talk, just... absorbing. Thinking. If he were a man with even fewer morals than he already has, how would he make money off of abject suffering? Kidnapping is a noisy business, so it makes sense to remove the victims to a location well away from anyone who would help them. That rules out Boulder Town-- too many people, too much Wildfire presence. You wouldn't want to go out too close to the Robot Settlement either, not when Svarog's there to keep track of things. He's insular, but he doesn't suffer anything that would be a threat. That leaves--
"You won't find anything in Rivet Town if you send anyone from Wildfire in," he says, his head tipped back to rest against the wall, looking up towards the ceiling. Not really looking at the ceiling, it's just somewhere to point his eyes while he thinks. "I'd bet my last credit they've already got at least one person in your group, probably more. By the time you set foot in Rivet, they're all looo-ong gone."
That's what he would do-- have a few people in Wildfire as an early warning system. Any time Wildfire plans on getting too close, a little birdie sings and they pack everything up and disappear before any of Nat's people can even catch a glimpse. Make sure it's more than just one guy-- two's good, three's better, so long as they work well together-- so that even if one person gets caught or has suspicion thrown on them, there's a backup already in place.
"If I were running this racket, Rivet's the place I would pick. It's close enough to Boulder that you have access to your supply. It's already been cleared out and not a lot of people go up there, and the ones that do are usually going alone. The monsters are just even more reason for no one to go poking around too much. And if you want to get back to the surface, you don't have to go back to Boulder Town. There are ways."
Gepard has been listening to Sampo's insight on the matter despite his gaze being trained intently on the map of the Underworld in front of him. There's nothing wrong or stupid about what he said; in fact, it's very smart, a glance into the mind of someone who operates in the shadow. If he had doubts about Pela's decisions yesterday, then he's slowly warming up to it now.
Boulder Town is indeed full of Wildfire members with Oleg and Natasha's men crawling in every nook and cranny of the area. Of course, this group will not operate in a place where they can be caught very easily. Rivet Town, on the other hand ...
"I've never been to Rivet Town before," he admits to Oleg, his frown deepening. That place had been sealed off for a while now since the Fragmentum has invaded its streets. "We'll need someone to go there and see what's going on."
But also, without alarming those on the inside. Which means they can't have someone from Wildfire check it out.
"Koski, are you familiar with the streets in Rivet Town?"
While Oleg isn't pleased by Sampo's assessment about the integrity of Wildfire-- no one would be happy to hear that their organization had been infiltrated by outside agents-- it's the only logical reason why they could go searching for these smugglers time and time again and keep coming up empty handed. He has to accept it, even if he doesn't like it. It'll be a difficult thing, trying to locate the infiltrators and purge them from Wildfire, but it'll be necessary for this whole operation to continue without interference. Oleg will have his work cut out for him.
The good captain, as one might expect, has no experience with Rivet Town; hardly surprising considering that the Underworld had been cut off from him for over a decade and Rivet Town has been abandoned for years besides. Additionally, he's difficult to disguise because of those distinguished Landau features and his own inability to be anybody but Gepard Landau, Silvermane Guard Captain. Man... what a terrible partner to have for an infiltration. Not subtle at all.
So he can't say he's surprised at what Gepard asks of him. He sees where this is going, and it's not... It's not the wrong thing to do, necessarily. Is it what Sampo really wants to do? Not really, it's asking him to go into enemy territory as a forward scout, trying to locate their base of operations. Something like that is a risky proposition, and getting caught means one of two things: either Sampo disappears and meets the same fate as all those other victims, or they kill him outright to keep him silent.
Sampo likes being alive and free, as most people do.
He looks sidelong at Gepard for a moment, out of the corner of his eye-- then smiles, all light and easy.
"Of course I do, your ol' friend Sampo's been all over. Thinking of sending me in, Captain?"
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
for def - Like 007 but without the Bond girl
He'd been dragged in here on some minor, petty charges that he's about ninety-nine percent sure he'll be able to wriggle his way out of, and even if he can't? He'll be able to flirt his way out of, once Dunn's not on guard duty anymore. Dunn is an unfortunate brick wall of solid heterosexuality that seems to be laser-focused on a certain Landau sibling-- granted, Sampo can't fault him too much for that, considering his own proclivities, but still. It's a deep annoyance that his attempts at flirting his way out of jail are met with a human brick wall of obliviousness.
Ugh. He isn't even good for getting information out of, because he's just as close-lipped about that as he is about a certain captain of the guard. What did Sampo do to deserve conditions like this?
He has no idea of what's going on a few floors above him, in the office of a certain intelligence officer.
"And that's the situation as it stands," Pela says, handing the briefing file over to Gepard. "I've already taken the liberty of finding a partner for you, and the assignment has been approved by the Supreme Guardian. Let's go meet with him."
Surely she means another member of the guard or another intelligence officer, right?
no subject
Espionage is normally not his forte, his face attracting far too much attention when the necessity in such missions is to lay low. But there's no one else who had his capabilities in the guards and who has knowledge of the Underworld that he's acquired from the Oleg and the Wildfire. Hence his easy response to the Supreme Guardian's request, even if Bronya had insisted that he need not accept if it's too complicated. Gepard sees it as a learning opportunity, if not a way to hone his skills even further.
Their footsteps echo as they descend further into the headquarters, and it's only then that Gepard realizes that he's being led not to one of the offices or rooms but to the cells below. Does this mean his partner is one of the jail cell officers?
Perhaps someone who knows the Underworld better than him?
"Pela, where are we—"
The tiny Intelligence Officer leads him to one of the cells at the very end of the hallway, gesturing at Gepard. His blue eyes narrow, taking note of the person behind bars ... and the person guarding him.
"Is it Dunn?"
Because she can't be pointing at Sampo Koski.
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Then-- a familiar voice, echoing down the stone hall. Sampo leans against the bars of his cell and cranes his head to look as far as he can down it. He's rewarded in a short time with the appearance of Gepard Landau, accompanied by that little intelligence officer.
Apparently, he needs Dunn for something? Well, good, he can take this man away and replace him with someone more susceptible to Sampo's wiles.
"No, not Dunn," Pela replies, a little annoyance working its way into her tone. She wasn't even gesturing at Dunn! "Sampo Koski, by the authority of the Supreme Guardian, your expertise is required for a mission of great importance. Upon the successful completion of this mission, I have been given leave to offer you a full and unconditional pardon for all offenses currently on your record, including those for which you have not formally been charged."
It takes a second for all of that to sink into Sampo's brain. A full and unconditional pardon, every little petty crime and misdemeanor that Gepard's been on his ass for just... wiped clean, in one fell swoop. Gone, like it never happened. He goes from criminal to upstanding citizen in an instant. It's almost too good to be true, except that it comes attached to some mysterious mission that he's needed for.
"Well, color me interested, but what's Captain Landau doing here?" he says, once his brain catches up again.
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"Unconditional pardon?"
What? Considering the amount of grief he's given him and the entire city? For someone to have his slate wiped clean, Gepard feels conflicted about this.
His gaze flickers from Pela to Sampo, looking like the Solwarm Festival has come early, his mouth pulling to a thin line. Then again, knowing him for so long, he's certain that that pardon is going to last for too long.
"... Don't get too excited just yet, Koski. The mission might entail you to fight in the frontlines of Belobog along with the other guards."
No, it doesn't.
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And if he believes that, Sampo has a bridge to sell him.
Regardless, the resurrection of his good name-- at least in the eyes of the law-- is a temptation that he can't really pass up, even if it involves something dangerous. And, anyway, no risk, no reward.
"Come on, Captain, fighting at the front lines isn't my expertise. I leave that to brave men like you."
Brave and stupid men, but that's a thought that Sampo isn't going to say in front of Gepard.
"What we need you for, Koski, are your connections in the Underworld," Pela says, soldiering on as though neither Sampo nor Gepard had commented. "We have become aware of a large number of disappearances that have occurred in the Underworld. Originally, it had seemed as though they had no connection to each other, but further inquiries have concluded that there may be a common element. We need to find out what's happened to these people and why it's gotten worse since reunification, and we can't just send in the Silvermane Guard to investigate. If we increase the Guard presence, the perpetrators will likely go to ground."
"Well, that explains what you want with ol' Sampo," he says. "And I might know a few places to start asking around about this kind of thing, but this is a little past what I usually get involved with. You're looking into dangerous people, Miss Sergeyevna!"
"Very. And we do know that some of the people who have gone missing were looking into the disappearances of their family members and loved ones," Pela says. "It would be irresponsible to send you on such a risky mission by yourself, which is why I intend to send Gepard with you, and the Supreme Guardian agrees."
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That had been the Supreme Guardian's plan when they concluded their meeting regarding this operation, and Gepard was in agreement. Things have changed beneath Everwinter since Madam Cocolia's mandate of isolating the underground city, and what Gepard had known years ago has already shifted, transformed with the passage of time as the Underworld adjusted to the Supreme Guardian's orders. And so, they needed someone familiar with the area, someone he had thought would be from Wildfire.
Pela obviously had other plans, other thoughts. The captain now wondered if those thoughts had changed the moment she's heard of Sampo's capture. Because of course, this conman would know where to start asking around, and she may have come to that conclusion as well.
Gepard folds his arms across his chest, his gaze returning to Pela.
"If we ask Oleg, he may be able to find us a more forthright individual to assist us in this mission, Pela. Given Koski's proclivities and past history, what's to say he won't sell our mission's information to the group we're chasing after?"
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"Having Koski spares us from having to make a new alias for a member of Wildfire, and less chances of someone finding out about it," Pela says. "And I have reason to believe that he won't want to sell us out."
"Sell you out? Me? I'm hurt you'd even suggest it! I have standards, you know," Sampo replies in protest; Gepard's suspicion could mean his get-out-of-jail free card disappears into thin air, and there are a few things on the old criminal record that he'd really rather disappeared instead.
"When Wildfire first began looking into the matter, they ran into a lot of roadblocks, information-wise," the intelligence officer continues, and Sampo immediately decides that he doesn't like how this conversation is going. "But they started receiving tips and information from an anonymous source that proved critical to their investigation. This didn't come up in our meeting, Gepard, but Seele asked me to look into the anonymous source, and I was able to track down their identity."
Ah. Yes, Sampo really doesn't like where this has gone. No good deed goes unpunished, apparently.
"You were already helping the investigation, Koski. This is your opportunity to do more than just leave a few tips. Besides, if Koski did try to sell us out," And this is much more for Gepard's sake than Sampo's, as he's already well aware of what she's about to mention, "what do you think would happen when they realize that he's the reason that Wildfire is onto them in the first place?"
"You are good at your job, Miss Sergeyevna," he says a little weakly. He hates getting caught like this; where did he slip up? He's always careful when it comes to intel. "Got me coming and going."
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But it's Pela's next words that interest the captain more, his attention once more shifting to the smaller female.
And really, this entire conversation only proves one thing: Pela is the worst person to become one's enemy. The amount of information she's able to dig up and analyze on her own, proverbially piece together like a jigsaw puzzle that none of the other Intelligence Officers can do—it's a stroke of luck that she works for the Silvermane Guards.
"Well, then," Gepard remarks with a smirk. "Perhaps Koski will finally experience what it's like to be left behind in a precarious situation. They do say that what you give out will always return to you."
Not that he would intentionally do that, not if they're really to work together. But for once, they have a leash around his neck that's unlikely to disappear now.
"Let's see if his standards measure up to what he claims."
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Even so, there isn't much difference between a leash and a noose. It's all just a rope around your neck that's long enough to be hanged by.
"You've got me by the throat," he says, and-- ah, finally got those handcuffs off. Doesn't do him much good at the moment, but it's at least more comfortable to get them off of his wrists. The cuffs themselves go into one of his pockets, as has every pair of cuffs that he's ever picked his way out of, because who knows when they might be useful? With hands freed, he rubs a little at the marks on his wrists where the metal dug into his skin.
"Even if I was lying about having standards-- which I'm not!-- you've got collateral on me. Sampo Koski is at your service."
"Good, but-- wasn't he handcuffed?" Pela turns to look at Gepard for clarification, as the resident Sampo expert.
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The question stops Gepard for a brief moment before he turns towards Dunn, his eyes narrowing. Almost immediately, the other Silvermane officer quickly gestures at another guard down the hallway who tells them that yes, he was handcuffed. He was definitely handcuffed when they brought him here and he was handcuffed up until Pela and Gepard showed up.
But whether he remained handcuffed is another question entirely, as the act is almost always only an option for someone like Sampo. It's a good thing, then, that they've gotten there before he had the chance to escape.
Gepard steps up to the cell, holding a hand out between the bars. Don't force him to get inside that jail cell and manhandle him.
"Hand over the cuffs, Koski. You're not keeping those under my watch."
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"Come on, Captain, what's a pair of handcuffs or six between friends? I've still got at least two of yours that I haven't pawned yet."
Pela's nose scrunches up in annoyance; there's some mental math going on in her brain, and she's clearly not liking the numbers that are coming out.
"Gepard, is this why the equipment budget keeps going up? The number of guardsmen requesting replacement handcuffs has gone up a hundred and twenty percent in the past three months!"
"You really want them back, Captain? I mean, you already know that I'm not going to run. I've agreed to help you with your problem, and you can't expect me to do what I do best with my hands behind my back! I'm good, but I'm better if I have my hands free."
He winks. Take that as you will, Gepard.
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Gepard looks unrelenting for a moment before he withdraws his hand, his expression turning flat at the wink. So he's not surrendering the cuffs. Very well, he has other ways to pry it off him—or at least, make sure he's leashed the entire time during the mission.
"Dunn, I want you to fetch my sister from her workshop. Last I heard, she was working on a collar that delivers a lightning shock with the press of a button."
Because why wouldn't Serval modify something mundane into something strange while imbuing it with her own power? He tries his best not to question his older sister's interests, but in this case, her expertise is needed. Surely, she'd lend a hand, wouldn't she? It's for the well-being of Belobog, after all.
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Excuse him, maybe ol' Sampo's ears are going bad, did he just hear Gepard tell Dunn to go fetch Serval and a shock collar? There's a lot to unpack there, but Sampo would really just rather throw out the whole damn suitcase.
"Hey, now, I didn't know you were into that kind of thing, Captain," he says with a nervous laugh, backing away from the cell door and also the captain who's threatening him with electric shock. "I don't think our relationship is at the point where you can start bringing in your sister's experimental torture devices, we haven't even picked out a safe word yet."
"Has she tested it yet? You don't want to damage him during the mission," Pela says, as though any of this is a normal thing to talk about.
"I don't think that's the point here," Sampo interjects, only to be shushed by Pela.
"Quiet, Koski, this doesn't involve you."
"I feel very involved!"
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Gepard's blue gaze flickers at Sampo after his outburst, the gesture almost offhanded considering his attention is turned to Dunn and Pela. It's not the first time he's seen him so uncertain, his flight response better than anyone he's met in Belobog. But this idea certainly has placed the fear of Aeons in the man, for once. Not a bad thing, he thinks, given the pain he's brought to him and the rest of the guards.
"We'll ask her when she gets here. And if it's not yet tested ..."
Once more, he looks at Sampo, his expression turning mild as he studies him. He honestly should've just given up the cuffs, Gepard might have been kinder to him if he did. "We have a willing test subject here."
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"Not willing! I didn't agree to any of this!"
Sampo can't back away any further; he's up against the wall.
"Aha, this is all very funny, Geppie, didn't know you had a sense of humor, but that's enough, right? We've had our laugh at ol' Sampo's expense, you really got me there, but we're done now?"
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On a normal day, Gepard might have called him out on it. Possibly make things worse by reacting the way he would if Serval was the one who teasingly called him that. But he'll currently let it pass since it's clear he's made his sentiments about Sampo and this mission very much known. The look on the other man's face is enough for him for now.
Instead he holds his hand out again to him, an expectant look on his face.
"Handcuffs and the lock pick you used to uncuff yourself."
Not that Sampo returning those items would deter him from bringing Serval's shock collar. But of course, that's mostly for good measure and to ensure he keeps to the mission the entire time, something that he intends to keep mum about.
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So he pulls the cuffs out of his pocket with a small flourish and deposits it into the captain's outstretched hand, and then-- noticeably reluctantly, he's got a very nice set of lockpicks and it's really a shame to lose one like this-- puts the lockpick in his hand, too.
"I don't suppose you'd consider giving that back to me sometime? It might be useful, since we're in the espionage business now. For espionage things."
Hardly unreasonable to think that they might need to get past a locked door while on this whole mission, and it's better to quietly open it than, say, bash it in. That's why you need a man like Sampo, with his many and varied talents, some more legal than others.
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Gepard hands the cuffs back to Dunn, who quickly stows them somewhere inaccessible, somewhere Sampo won't be able to get his hands on. The lockpick, however, is slipped into Gepard's jacket pocket, tucked under fabric and armor. It might come into use later, as Sampo had implied, but not in the conman's hands. Who knows how it could be used against him?
"I'll consider it."
Also known as "don't bet on seeing it again".
His attention returns to Pela, giving her a slight nod. "Make sure he's briefed on the mission proper. Oleg will be waiting for us in Goethe Grand Hotel with the disguises tomorrow, though I don't suppose Koski will need one."
He's aware of his antics by now. He can't hide the fact that he can hide in plain sight.
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"Don't worry," Pela says. She's got more files in her arms, undoubtedly more information to get Sampo caught up on before he can be an effective member of this mission. And there he is, an entirely captive audience. "He'll be ready by tomorrow."
The next day, Pela makes her way to the Goethe Grant with someone in tow-- someone who looked entirely, almost boringly normal. A man that seemed as though he could blend into any crowd without any particularly identifiable features, nothing that stands out, nothing unusual. So commonplace that the eye almost just drifts over him as though he isn't even there. The human equivalent of a beige wall.
Sampo Koski, in one of his more utilitarian disguises. He has all sorts of disguises for all sorts of occasions, but this one in particular is good for reconnaissance; invisible without being hidden. He's in civilian clothes right now, the same as anybody on the street might wear, but swap that out for a servant's uniform and he'd be invisible in any high society household, or a guard's uniform and he'd easily pass for the new recruit that just got signed up. The right forgettable face and the right uniform, and no one even thinks to question you.
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Still, a member of Wildfire? No, not when Oleg is with him; the man would've told him if someone from the group was recruited into the mission. So there's only one person in his mind that it could be.
"Koski?"
Pela shakes her head and puts a finger on her lips, gesturing for them to go inside the Goethe Grand. Oleg and the others have prepared rooms for them, Gertie more than happy and willing to work with Wildfire as per usual.
It's only after they've ensconced themselves in one of the rooms does Gepard turn to study Sampo's disguise. Not bad, but—
"... No wonder the guards have challenges looking for him."
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Gepard Landau is still Gepard Landau even if you put him in street clothes and toss a cap on his head.
The good captain studies him a bit, really takes in all of the changes that Sampo made to his appearance. Sampo stays still and lets him look his fill, take in the eyes that are now brown rather than green, his mousy brown hair that's a little on the shaggy side, like he's gone a month or two past when he should get a cut; the seamlessly applied makeup that makes his cheeks look a little more gaunt and changes the shape of his jawline.
He ruins the disguise with one very Sampo Koski-esque wink to the good captain. He can't resist.
"I'll take that as a compliment," he says. If he wanted to remain unseen by the Silvermane Guard, he generally could do so. Being able to have a different face whenever you want it is a valuable skill. "So, Geppie, do I pass muster?"
Since Gepard had been so skeptical about his inclusion on this mission in the first place, he ought to get the man's approval, right?
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"It'll do."
He returns the wink with an eye roll, Sampo's entire disguise falling apart just from that one action. They really need to talk about resisting the urge to horse around later on. For now, Oleg provides them with more information about the group they're chasing after. It seems that they've colluded prior with Scott to run their operations in the Fight Club, but were chased out by Luka.
One would think that that would be the end of it, but despite many investigations done, none of the missing individuals resurfaced and the group seems to have disappeared altogether. There's a possibility, even that they may have retreated up to the Overworld when the restrictions in place were removed.
"Do we know where they're hiding now in the Underworld? Surely, they have a base of operations somewhere if all the disappearances are happening here."
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Infrastructure in the Underworld is too disjointed to ever have a full census of the people who live there, and the Overworld hasn't had access long enough to get a full count organized and successfully implemented. The citizens underground are desperate for a way to lift themselves out of over a decade of poverty. That makes it very easy for someone to disappear down below and for no one to even realize they're gone, and even if they did show up in the Overworld-- living or not-- there are no records to identify them by. Find the vulnerable, take them somewhere unfamiliar so that even if they did manage to get away, they don't know where to go or who can help them. No money, no paperwork. Vastly exploitable.
"They aren't operating out of Boulder Town proper, but they must be close," Pela says. "Most of the victims that we know of are from there. We have some confirmed disappearances from the Vagrant Camp, but they aren't the majority."
"Wildfire has already searched through Rivet Town and found no traces of them," Oleg adds.
Sampo leans against the wall while they talk, just... absorbing. Thinking. If he were a man with even fewer morals than he already has, how would he make money off of abject suffering? Kidnapping is a noisy business, so it makes sense to remove the victims to a location well away from anyone who would help them. That rules out Boulder Town-- too many people, too much Wildfire presence. You wouldn't want to go out too close to the Robot Settlement either, not when Svarog's there to keep track of things. He's insular, but he doesn't suffer anything that would be a threat. That leaves--
"You won't find anything in Rivet Town if you send anyone from Wildfire in," he says, his head tipped back to rest against the wall, looking up towards the ceiling. Not really looking at the ceiling, it's just somewhere to point his eyes while he thinks. "I'd bet my last credit they've already got at least one person in your group, probably more. By the time you set foot in Rivet, they're all looo-ong gone."
That's what he would do-- have a few people in Wildfire as an early warning system. Any time Wildfire plans on getting too close, a little birdie sings and they pack everything up and disappear before any of Nat's people can even catch a glimpse. Make sure it's more than just one guy-- two's good, three's better, so long as they work well together-- so that even if one person gets caught or has suspicion thrown on them, there's a backup already in place.
"If I were running this racket, Rivet's the place I would pick. It's close enough to Boulder that you have access to your supply. It's already been cleared out and not a lot of people go up there, and the ones that do are usually going alone. The monsters are just even more reason for no one to go poking around too much. And if you want to get back to the surface, you don't have to go back to Boulder Town. There are ways."
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Gepard has been listening to Sampo's insight on the matter despite his gaze being trained intently on the map of the Underworld in front of him. There's nothing wrong or stupid about what he said; in fact, it's very smart, a glance into the mind of someone who operates in the shadow. If he had doubts about Pela's decisions yesterday, then he's slowly warming up to it now.
Boulder Town is indeed full of Wildfire members with Oleg and Natasha's men crawling in every nook and cranny of the area. Of course, this group will not operate in a place where they can be caught very easily. Rivet Town, on the other hand ...
"I've never been to Rivet Town before," he admits to Oleg, his frown deepening. That place had been sealed off for a while now since the Fragmentum has invaded its streets. "We'll need someone to go there and see what's going on."
But also, without alarming those on the inside. Which means they can't have someone from Wildfire check it out.
"Koski, are you familiar with the streets in Rivet Town?"
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The good captain, as one might expect, has no experience with Rivet Town; hardly surprising considering that the Underworld had been cut off from him for over a decade and Rivet Town has been abandoned for years besides. Additionally, he's difficult to disguise because of those distinguished Landau features and his own inability to be anybody but Gepard Landau, Silvermane Guard Captain. Man... what a terrible partner to have for an infiltration. Not subtle at all.
So he can't say he's surprised at what Gepard asks of him. He sees where this is going, and it's not... It's not the wrong thing to do, necessarily. Is it what Sampo really wants to do? Not really, it's asking him to go into enemy territory as a forward scout, trying to locate their base of operations. Something like that is a risky proposition, and getting caught means one of two things: either Sampo disappears and meets the same fate as all those other victims, or they kill him outright to keep him silent.
Sampo likes being alive and free, as most people do.
He looks sidelong at Gepard for a moment, out of the corner of his eye-- then smiles, all light and easy.
"Of course I do, your ol' friend Sampo's been all over. Thinking of sending me in, Captain?"
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