13069/Lost and found

Lost and found
Date of Scene:	26 October 2022
Location:	R and D Labs: Triskelion
Synopsis:	Things are going missing all over the Triskelion, and it's just the beginning of the investigation.
Cast of Characters:	Leopold Fitz, Natasha Romanoff, Daisy Johnson, Jemma Simmons

---

Leopold Fitz has posed:
Afternoon in the lab. With all that is going on, the R&D hub is, well, a hub of activity, if not an area of closer observation. It's running fully 24/7, with the lab techs dressed in lab coats and cotton gloves, depending upon which experiment they've been assigned to.

The underlying humm of the machines, the fans doing their able best to keep the equipment cool under the extended pressures placed upon them. It's an odd feeling, really; the labs aren't normally this busy, this well assigned in terms of workers. Blame it on the budgets, or it could be a silent nod from the Director himself, acknowledging the importance of the studies now occurring.

After the events of the past week(s), the power fluctuations are a little more well in hand. The plant operations personnel have been taken properly to task for not making certain that the generators work seamlessly. It won't happen again.

Early afternoon, then, the skies beyond are grey. It translates, of course, within the building proper, with people clutching their teas, their coffees and their hot chocolates just a little more tightly. While the mood of the Triskelion isn't //bad//, it is a touch depressed, thanks to the weather.

In the employee cafe, conversations are varied, from what they //could// be doing if they didn't work the weekend to what they will be doing on their next day off, at some unknown point of the not-necessarily-immediate future. All the complaints really hold very little traction, of course, because from the greatest to the smallest, wages are generous.

What does find an undercurrent of 'sameness' across the levels, however, is that things are going missing. Misplaced, perhaps? A mop here, a scraper there from Environmental; a screwdriver, hammer from Plant Ops.. all items that would easily be explained by someone coming in and borrowing it for a moment and forgotten to be returned.

It'd be able to be explained away if there wasn't also the feeling of something just out of reach, just out of view. It's a matter of 'see something out of the corner of one's eye', and when a look is given, there's nothing there. It IS October, however, and the nights are filled with things that go 'bump', and why shouldn't the Triskelion also partake of such things?

Unfortunately, no one department is untouched by the loss of items. Medical is missing a couple of otoscopes, which, while not horrible, it is an annoyance. Offices, the armory and the labs are also victims.

"What in..." Fitz begins his exclamation into the air, spinning around in a small circle as he does. He's got his mass spectrometer on the cart and powered up, but it's not working. His hands rise and fingers clasp behind his head as he looks around, seeing if he can't put his eye on the missing item. "Where--"

One of the lab techs is moving past on the outside of the glass wall, and Fitz is on the move, virtually leaping to cross the distance to the door. "Evan," he begins, "Have you seen-"

"No one's been in your lab, Dr Fitz. Not since.." not since the rock sang.

"Bloody hell..." is murmured as the engineer turns back around to look over the entirety of his lab once more.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
She's in R&D having dropped off some things taken from a melee over at a hospital. They're in rather poor shape so they've been sent in as a low priority analysis for someone down the chain to review. Likely without much to recover from it, data or mechanics, it's likely that a quick review will have them scrapped for parts for another project or simply recycled. The redhead hears over the sound of Fitz on the move and the yell.
    So that has her attention, and Natasha heads along in that direction with just a mild case of curiousity. She likely has a litlte bit of time before her next assignment.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"When I am back I want to know who got all the flash drives to disappear."

That's what Daisy tells the cybersecurity department before stepping out. Really. It's not like agents are lacking for money! Even entry-level ones. But hey, it's not like she hasn't done the same thing when she got taken in. Getting all the advantages she could out of Big Brother aka SHIELD wherever she could. But now .., time to go visit her favorite people, just a stop by the cafeteria to stock on some chocolates and there she is going upstairs...

At least until she hears the commotion? She joins in with Natasha. "What's up in there?" she asks her. She's the level seven. They are supposed to know everything!

Jemma Simmons has posed:
Nestled next to Fitz's laboratory, either accidently or intentionally (in other words, completely intentionally), Jemma's workspace frequently runs a fifty percent chance of being occupied. Either she is in or she is out on the field, having proven herself a capable field agent, which may be a surprise to some. At this particular moment in time, the good doctor is in. Before her, a tiny fragment of what appears to be a green mineral of some sort...perhaps a sliver from a gemstone, as she analyzes it with aid of her microscope. The monitors at her station are dark, however, as she instead regards her work tablet, close to her side. Nothing too out of the ordinary, at least for Jemma.

She does look up to regard Fitz in his state of confusion. "Did you misplace an item, too?" Yes, Jemma is aware of the rash of disappearing items, though she assumed that it was just a combination of stress with the workload coupled with the gloominess of the weather. "If you just take a moment, I am sure it will come back to you." Meaning where whatever the item is.

Of course...this is said without Jemma looking up from her task. Something must really have her attention to not engage in proper conversation.

A trend that continues as Jemma hears Daisy. There is a blind wave somewhere in the vicinity of Daisy's voice, should she see, before Jemma returns to her study.

Leopold Fitz has posed:
There are those moments when Fitz is near breakdown level, a pretty typical reaction when there is just so much to do, and so little time. There are deadlines on virtually everything he's got; whether it's externally or internally generated, it doesn't matter. With any preventable bump in the road that happens, it only means that his mood gets a "little bit" touchier.

Turning his entire body around, Fitz is looking at Jemma, his head canting as he huffs his annoyance, gesturing broadly at his equipment that has effectively 'failed to launch'. "Two of my quadrupole mass analyzers are gone." His voice rises as he asks what he considers to be the important part there, "Who would take it? An' only two of them? Like I'd not notice their absence?"

Natasha's wandering down the corridor towards the labs might see the Scotsman in all his annoyed glory. "Who--"

Another chuff of angry air escapes the engineer's lungs, but before he can turn his ire back on poor Evan, the tech is leaving, and quickly. "I want all the key entries logged for this room.."

Finally, it begins to sink in that Jemma's lost items as well, and his frown turns more into a scowl. "It's because we've got all those people tromping around in here lately. Those who really don't belong. I bet half of them are administrative an' have never, ever even looked at an oscilloscope, much less understand half of what goes on in here."

Security, he's looking at you!

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would glance over at Daisy and shrug her shoulders. The confirmation from Jemma of 'disappearing items' gets her full attentino. "You both are very focused and regulations don't permit borrowing of items from facilities without authorization." And there are no doubt no remote authorizations for eqiupment relocations that the two highly ranking members of R&D would be aware of. And given how studious the two were they would /know/ if something had been signed out from thier place.
    "Daisy, I'm going to review security sweeps and cameras." If it's some junior researcher there will be hell to pay and Natasha hasn't reminded anyone how scary she is in awhile. And she'll be nothing compared to Fitz or Simmons.
    Natasha goes over to a nearby console and goes to start to bring up security feeds from the lab areas.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"The question you really need to ask yourself is .., who would need a quadrupole analyzer, mmm?" honestly, Daisy has no idea what that thing does! Magic most likely. She smirks because she knows the kind of look Jemma will give her if she said a very SCIENTIFIC device is magical. Ah well, she gets amused easily this Daisy.

"Well guys, I got you some chocolate for your woes of disappearing analyzers. Not the best brand because SOMEONE apparently got away with all of them.." she sighs.

"It's like it's spooky season or something.." Or something. And uh-oh, Natasha is talking about reviewing camera feeds. She moves closer to FitzSimmons.

"You know, whoever did is gonna get their ass on fire with Nat on the job.." a slow nod. "Also, hello."

Jemma Simmons has posed:
Oh Jemma isn't *that* scary. Unless of course a colleague of hers decides to knowingly ignore medical orders. Then she can be a right witch.

Perfect for the present season.

Oh, Natasha is here, too. That warrants a look up from her microscope, after a quick entry into her tablet. "Hello there, Agent Romanoff." Did Jemma not know Nat was there before? Maybe not. "Yes, there does seem to be a series of disappearances. It did seem rather minor, at first. For instance, my Bluetooth headset seems to have gone missing. I had need of it after an unfortunate incident in which an over zealous person destroyed my external speaker due to radio wave interference emanating from the mineral specimen within Fitz's lab." Hey, the researcher likes to listen to music as she works.

It is noticeable that Jemma is purposely keeping at least a finger upon that tablet of hers. Precautions and all.

Leopold Fitz has posed:
"Me. I need one to determine low level mass scans. But to take two of the four.." Fitz long stares at Daisy the moment the words leave her mouth, and just like that, he's caught up explaining. Until, of course, he catches himself and shakes his head, adding, "Nevermind." There's a pause before he gestures, "Chocolate's fine." Even if it's not the 'good stuff'.

Natasha's idea to look at the feed and keyrecords gain a nod from Fitz, his hand waving in the air. "Yes, please. An' if you would, give me names so I can send nasty emails about entering secure labs." He'll write his MP!

He glances back to Jemma, his frown still fully in place, and not so silently fuming. "This isn't right. An' what happens if..." What? Damage? Fitz looks concerned, and he chimes in, "Did it get fixed yet? Tell me a work order's been put in." Wasn't he just yelling about people in the lab? "I'll, I'll hook it up m'self."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would go to review the records over and scan for a few moments as she would skim through them. Then play them back. Then do so from a different angle and switch to another camera. She would purse her lips in analysis as she would play back frame by frame. "We have a breach."
    She would go to tap a key, making a holo display of various camera angles from different feeds. There would be occasional quick 'blips' in them indicative of a small EMP going off to scramble them.
    "This.. Happened with the Avengers a year and a half ago. Something along these lines. I'm guessing they're hitting far more than just this lab. What can hte missing items be used for? We'll need to do a full inventory to locate everything else that is."

Daisy Johnson has posed:
Why was Daisy so relaxed? In reality she is sort of imagining it may be a prankster. Maybe it's Ava with her Ghost suit playing at Halloween or someone else that may be pulling one on everyone.

"Go ahead Fitz." she nudges the chocolate bars his way. Honestly, it seems like he needs that chocolate boost right about now considering how he's fuming all over the place. She leans on the counter next to Jemma, "But what are you saying about this mineral specimen? Radio interference?" she looks a bit confused, looking between FitzSimmons and then all the way over to Natasha when she says there was a breach.

"An actual breach?" A brow arches and she straightens up. "Enough to not set any alarms. Impressive." and scary too.

Jemma Simmons has posed:
A mild blink of surprise crosses over Jemma's features. Followed shortly by...concern? Fear, perhaps? After all, Jemma has some rather...specialized equipment that would involve a great deal of work to re-create. If that portable lab of hers was taken...

However, it is Daisy that breaks Jemma from that train of thought. "Oh, the stone or something that I believe you gave him. There is a similar sample at the Playground, yes? For no apparent reason, it started to, for lack of a better term, transmit. Strong enough to interfere with the local Top 40 radio station."

But...that lab. Jemma shifts her attention, those eyes drifting to where she keeps her tactical backpack. Hopefully the pack is still there...

Leopold Fitz has posed:
Fitz does take one of the chocolate bars, and unpeels the wrapper before breaking off a piece and eating it. "Thank you," though it's more still a grumbled mumble than an actual, real expression of appreciation. He's still working off his irate-ness. "I can't believe...

"Breach?" Fitz' attention does a 180, and he's staring in Natasha's direction as she pulls up information. "Whu-" he begins and ends, and setting the chocolate down on the table, he takes a step before pausing, and grabs the confection once more. Just in case. "Tha's not good." No alarms, no.. nothing?

"What did the Avengers do?" Though that information may take a fair bit of coaxing. He's met JARVIS maybe once?

Jemma's lab, he'd rebuild and give it to her for Christmas or a very early birthday present should it go missing. And probably update and upgrade some of its systems. (Maybe he'll do that for Christmas, regardless!)

"There's another piece of that rock?" He shakes his head; shouldn't be part of it all, couldn't be. Or could it?

"Now is when I really need those two bloody rods."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanoff would shake her head, "I'll have to review the logs, but this seems completley like one. If multiple items have vanished in a very high traffic area like here.. What if there are more penetrations in higher security but isolated areas where things might not be noticed?" This goes a good bit beyond games in her mind.
    "I'll recommend a possible audit to find what's missing if you don't think that will be too disruptive for research. But no matterw hat anything that can so easily bypass all our security.." She's going with 'worst case scenario' which may of course not apply.

Daisy Johnson has posed:
"I feel like the items are too random for it to have any specific meaning..." Daisy gives it a thought. She may not be the kind of genius FitzSimmons are, or have the savvy that Nat does but she can hold her own! So after taptapping at her lips she suggests, "It could be ..., maybe whoever is doing this can't really target the things they want just yet and are trying to find the right calibration to get to their target?" it's worrying for sure.

"I will have to check what I can find down at cybersecurity. There must be power surges from these EMPs somewhere. Maybe we can find a pattern." a beat, "And yea, there's another device. It was trying to communicate to the moon before. It sent my DNA up there, along with Kora's.." but she then adds, "But you will have to catch me up on the rock starting to sing later. It's time to investigate this."