17048/Sewell's Office

Sewell's Office
Date of Scene:	06 February 2024
Location:	Gotham University
Synopsis:	Osprey, Damian Wayne, and Talia al Ghul investigate Shaw Sewell, a doctoral student and part of the vitamin project at GOtham U -- and in charge of the group of college students that all had traces of Fear toxin in their system -- including Phoebe Beacon. They find Shaw is in possession of knowledge he shouldn't have about Phoebe's past -- but Phillip Cupp does.
Cast of Characters:	Phoebe Beacon, Damian Wayne, Talia al Ghul, Austin Reese

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Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    GOTHAM UNIVERSITY -- AROUND 1 AM

    The Psych Department building was reopened after the Broken Glass incident, and had even welcomed class and visitors back in after inspection cleared all the windows being in good and working order -- and shatter proof windows ordered.

    A few students mill about in the late night, working through their questions about Math and Philosophy and what parties were the best over the weekend.

    Sewell's office -- where Phoebe had been going for her meetings par her voluntary psych sessions that she credited for her better mood -- was on the third floor. ROof access was on the fifth floor, and main door and fire door access were on the first and second floors respectively (up a little concrete stairs outside, that the 'Doom Preacher' had been trying to convince Gothamites on the university grounds to repent).

    The night is cold and clear.

Damian Wayne has posed:
Damian Wayne technically attends classes at the school, he has a schedule and everything. But most of his classes are on-line, to limit his time on campus. But, this was one of those times where he needed to be present. He had blended in with a group of students that were talking about upcoming parties, using the low light to his advantage to hide his identity.

As soon as he had a chance, though, he slipped into a stairwell, and made his way up to the third floor. Entering the hallway, his first glance is for alarm sensors, and if any are found, he starts to make his way through to avoid them and to the door.

Reaching into his coat pocket, he slips out a lockpick set to squat down to start to jimmy the lock open.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul has taken it upon herself to look into things that the b***ard of a man was after. Her methods of getting into the office in this late hour? Rather simple. All she had done was nab a janitor's keycard, acquired an outfit over from one of the work rooms, and then mdae her way in posing as late night maintenance and cleaning staff. Going over towards the room wearing the setup of someone doing late night check-ins. If there had been any security present, she would just go on an explanation routine of complaints about the Dean and the windows letting in too much cold air in the winter. Some sealant and insulation spray at hand, ready to do as minimal a job as possible to 'correct' said issue of upper management that needed something done for an office they barely even used.
    Heading up to said office, occasionally glancing over at the wall for cameras.

Austin Reese has posed:
Austin Reese is a normal student at Gotham U. He's on the football team. But this night, he wasn't here for school, he was here to try to get information from this Sewell. He had been suspicious since Phoebe and the others just /happened/ to get dosed with Fear Gas when he /happened/ to be out of the office. He doesn't believe in coincidences.

He had entered from the roof, silently moving through a maintenence area, and into the air vents, creeping through them as he makes his way towards the office, quietly creeping along, <"I'm in the vents, moving towards the office. Let me know if anyone starts showing up or poking around besides us..">

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    The door yields to Damian Wayne, having hid among student and gotten up to the stairwell, to the third floor -- kept dark. There are sensors, of course, over the records room and the computer room, but the regular offices? No, nothing over the door there. At least not anything official looking.

    Talia would make her way through with no trouble -- people tend to ignore cleaning staff after all. It's a perfect disguise for someone who doesn't want to be noticed. Although another staffer had ventured that the windows that got shattered and then weirdly put back together tended to work much better at keeping the cold air out. Nice job Joan Wright!

    Ausprey doesn't run into much trouble in the vents, not at first. The closer he gets though, there is some evidence of tampering -- squares cut out of the bottom, with enough room to put a hand in -- or an object.

    Sewell's office is 'tidyish'. Typical post-grad shoved into a closet with an escape window. Shelves of books -- some by notable psychologists like Hugo Strange and Jonathan Crane -- line the shelves between pinned insects. A praying mantis with its wings splayed out is in a shadowboxed frame. Butterflies and moths from around the world. A Taxidermied Fruit Bat marked Rousettus aegyptiacus is in a wide frame, partially hidden by a book titled 'THE PERFECT MACHINE - Repairing the Psyche of Young Adults'.

    There are stacks of folders in a milk crate above the filing cabinet, which is locked.

Damian Wayne has posed:
*CLICK!*

Penlight into his mouth, Damian opens the door, slipping inside and closes the door, before locking it behind him. As it flashes out, the young man takes in the decor with a brief frown before he is immediately glancing at the stack of folders in the milk crate. The books are noticed, drawing a disgusted look from the young detective.

Before he heads over to the file cabinet to start on that lock, he takes out a small, plain USB and sticks it in the drive of the office computer. It may be on the lock screen but as the USB flashes, it's already running a decoder to try to forcebreak the password to unlock it.

While that's doing it's thing, he starts to work on the lock of the file cabinet.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
In the level of late night staff, was anyone gonig to put in more than the bare minimum necessary to do thier job? To be working past midnight in Gotham, in the winter. No one was going to be putting that much effort into things. So it's relatively simple for Talia to keep on working through the area, even as she goes to head towards the door of the office after having made sure to chek the area for security cameras.. And then a quick sweep as well to make sure there weren't any other alerts present. Magical wards, runes, technological ones.. She goes to look over her shoulder while going to fiddle over a brush used to apply sealant putting her hands while going to check over.
    She comes along with Damian while she would just let out a soft sigh over a thim.. Then go to pass along over the utility keys to him - of course, in the few seconds it took her to get one out he'd probbaly already gotten the lock open as she would move to glance about the place. Charming.
    She goes to give a quick glance over the taxidermied things to see if there was anything unusual about them. Then going to quickly scan the walls and the shelves for any signs of a cached compartment. And after a thought checking the desk and the air vents.

Austin Reese has posed:
In the vents, Osprey stops as he spots the cut-outs. That's definitely out of place. Sliding down a bit closer, he slides his hand down into the cut out, feeling around with his hands to try and see if he can find something hidden in there. When he hears the door downstairs open up, he nods a bit to himself. If Damian has made it inside, he might be able to make it into the records room without triggering any of those sensors.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    Many of the butterflies and other insects are Middle and Far Eastern species. Sewell must have studied abroad for quite some time to collect them, though how they made it back to the States can raise questions -- bats especially are hard to get in. And was its presence here, an Egyptian bat, purely coincidence?

    There do not appear to be any alerts, physical, magical, or otherwise, in the office as Talia checks the room over.

    THe computer opens to its lock screen, yes, and the thumb drive begins to work around it, cracking the passwords and forcing access into Gotham University's secure systems.

    The filing cabinet has a much simpler lock, and pops open with the smell of something sour attached to it.

    The opening in the vent pops off, the duct tape (appropriately used for the ductwork) flaps a little bit, and leads into a ceiling tiled area, which the sounds of a computer chugging away at processes can be heard, along with someone likely beginning to riffle through the paperwork.

    The files in the filing cabinet are codified, with student ID's and initials -- GH, KT, and PBW all have sticky notes sticking out of them.

Damian Wayne has posed:
"Talia, if you're not finding much, can you keep an eye out for Sewell?" Damian suggests, as he notices the flagged files. Lifting the file in front of it to turn to mark the place, he starts first, really, with the only file that matters - PBW.

And he remains on task. "Anyway, if you do see him, use your... feminine wiles..." Really, he had to say that? Ugh. "To distract him and maybe give us a heads up."

Because he just noticed Osprey. "Here." He hands the PBW file to Austin. "Look through this. If it goes sideways, get that file out of here."

He turns his attention back to the computer and takes a seat. "Okay, Oracle." he murmurs, "You're a beautiful genius once again." Time to access the computer files and start pulling anything he can find on the vitamin project that Phoebe is talking about.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
It's not like the customs officials are going to care that much if you're rich and have a good pedigree when it comes to smuggling. Talia goes to glance over at the bat thoughtfully. It stands out amongst the other things by travel abroad. All things Middle Eastern. Talia goes thoughtful for just a few moments as she glances them over.. Then goes to ever so carefully take out a small set of tweezers and goes towards the fruit bat, intent on moving to take it apart to check the interior. Then do the same for each of the other things on display to look for anything that stands out about them. The man's collectionc ame from a specific area.. There might be more to it than that.
    After all, a man casual enough to display illegal things in front of everyone might also have something within them to further the 'hiding in plain sight' method. She goes to gently take them apart bit by bit, looking for anything that stands out. Whether that be magical or something nonstandard to it's physiology. Presuming she didn't find anything in them that stood out to her, she would move to slowly put them back together again and then gingerly slide them back over to place without so much as an antennae untethered.

Austin Reese has posed:
Austin drops down into the room proper, "I've got it, let me take a look." He says, as he picks up the file, and opens it up, starting to read through it, "Lets see what kind of notes he's been keeping on her." He murmers to himself, "Somebody's been tampering in the vents too. Might be hiding something in there." He notes, starting to read through the documents he's been keeping on Phoebe. Maybe it really is harmless, but he's learned not to believe in coincidences at this point.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
     TikTikTik...wrrrrrrrr.... the files are opened up. The same coding practice is here, student ID's and initials to connect them. There are over eight hundred files. Notes that the vitamins are being shipped to Arkham, to some Jouvie Halls and homes for combative patients. Moods have improved, the combativeness has eased off. Generally everyone seems happier in the process. The vitamins -- almost universally fat-soluble vitamins in high dosages -- entered the human testing with a group of distressed students with a variety of concerns, many of them having lost parents to violence and participated in harmful activities to themselves and others. Phoebe was a late addition -- her dosages only started being recorded in August, a few months after starting to see Sewell as part of her required therapy sessions for a psychology course.

    The mounted insects all appear to be in good order. The mounted bat is intimidating, with its mouth open, but it's harmless to humans in life, just as it is in death. There doesn't seem to be anything at all awry with the taxidermied mounts.

    Phoebe's file details that she is a nineteen year old college sophomore who is tentatively diagnosed with a variety of anxiety disorders due to a history of abandonment, criminal tresspassing, kidnapping and imprisonment. Self-harm, overwariness and constant movement. Noted that she was adopted by a British national who was in the country illegally -- the adoption was annulled right before her 18th birthday when she was formally adopted by Bruce Wayne.

Damian Wayne has posed:
As Damian looks over the files, he checks the addresses of where they are being shipped to. And on one of the files, he makes a small, minor change. The shipping address is changed from one of the smaller shipments from the Juvenile Center they were going to to an unmarked lock box.

The plan is to get a hold of the pills and then test them once he has his hands on it. "I'm setting the USB to copy all of his data. Mother, grab it when it's done."

There's too many people here, and no way to explain what happened if the good doctor returns. "Osprey, I'm turning it over to you."

And with that, he heads to the door, before glancing up to see if there are any cameras within, and if so, pointing them out before he slips out the door, so that it can be closed behind him.

Austin Reese has posed:
There's a few moments as Austin reads through the files where the look on his face changes from concerned to furious. After reading through the whole thing, he quickly puts the folder away behind his back, under the jacket, "He knows stuff he shouldn't. This is evidence he's been digging up dirt on her there's no way he should have access to. But I know somebody who does, and likes to open his stupid fat mouth."

When Damian mentions letting him take over, he nods, "Yeah. Get out of here. I'll go back out the way I came in."

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    1:30 AM

    The files copy over. A VPN is set up to run in the background to give continuous information as files are updated. The USB key flashes from red to yellow with a little bat symbol on it.

    It's early in the morning, but the elevator dings. The lights come on in the hallway, and a thin, blonde man holding a big cup of coffee steps out, and yawns.

    He presses a button. Something in the office beeps with a locator tile.

    It's Sewell!

Damian Wayne has posed:
Showtime.

Pulling up his collar high and pulling the beanie down on his head, Damian starts down the hallway, staggering and stumbling a little. As he does do, he is singing loudly, drunkeningly as he bumps into the hallway.

It's the Gotham University Alma Mata.

And just as he reaches the chorus, he /firmly/ smackes into Sewell, his hand moving to knock the coffee up into his face. Stumbling back so that his back is to the professor, he gasps. "Ah! Crap! You got Joe on your Junk! Ahahahaha!" he laughs, taking a swig from a flask to dirty his breath and waves at him. "Want some? Best I can do for knocking out yer coffee! Wait! Come sing with me! Oooooooooooooh, GOTHAM U, YOUR HALLOWED HALLS...."

That should be enough warning for the others.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Nothing in them. Talia takes the time to carefully put them back together after having taken a few small samples on the tweezers just to err on the safe side later to look into. Carefully moving them bcak to where they were, she would frown over thoughtfully. "All right." It looks like they have more leads to follow here. "I'll lock up after you leave." She would quip.
    Then there's the sound of someone coming up, and she goes to lightly shift out of the office, going to hopefully silently close the door after they had gotten out. Then she's moving forwards, over with the brush to work on her job of applying putty to the windows.

Austin Reese has posed:
The loud singing out in the hallway is more than enough warning. Osprey quickly closes up the filing cabinet, and then nods to Talia, "Just try not to kill him yet." He says, with a faint smile, before he jumps up and gets back up into the vent, closing the panel he had opened up behind him.

He was about to leave, but he stops, and lays down near the vent, to listen in on Sewell once he comes into the office. Maybe he can get just a little more intel before they leave.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    SPLASH!

    "OH GOD My coffee --" Sewell gasps as his coffee is splashed up into his face, and all over his jacket.

    Sewell steams.

    "No. No thank you. Do you need help finding your way back to your dorm?" Sewell asks, his lips going quite fin as he takes a deep and calming breath, his back turned to his office as Talia makes her way out, the singing covering up the sounds of the filing cabinet closing.

    "You're drunk in the psychology building. That's normally reserved for post-graduate students."

Damian Wayne has posed:
As they're turned, Damian makes sure that he sees his mother exit as he doesn't look up at Sewell, but... he snickers. "Are... are you asking me if you wanna go back to my place~?" he drawls with a hiccup. "Will I get a better grade?"

A small swaying stumble and suddenly he horks. "Oh gawd, gonna be gross sick!"

And he's stumbling backwards and into the stairwell.

If Sewell follows to look for him?

No trace. Because Damian has grapple lined and headed out through the overhead skylight.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia glances over her shoulder at Sewell. Memorizing his face, his patterns. She goes up to the window and works at applying the paste. As she goes past Sewell, a hand flips up to try and very lightly put a homing beacon on him and a very small recorder. Hopefully unnoticed and if it did work for a few days, at least, passing along his location and general conversations to Oracle. Perhaps enough to get some sort of a pattern on him that they could backtrack on for followup. Of course, that required the small bug to work first and for the battery to last that long. And even for there to be anything useful from it.
    Hopefully, however, there might be something of it that the Oracle-Net could use to add to their data routines to figure out another angle to go after the man from. Some of the putty gets stuck on the front of her jumpsuit, as she moves to take her opposite hand there to flick it off towards the ground.

Austin Reese has posed:
Osprey waits. He is more than happy to lay in the vent. It's cold, and uncomfortable, but this is about Phoebe. At least the cold in the vent will help him keep his cool once he locks eyes on this guy. With what he'd read in the notes, he knew he at least had enough to beat more information out of the guy. But he knows better than to blow the investigation for a beating, no matter how deserved.

Phoebe Beacon has posed:
    "Uh... no, no you're fine. I'm not that..." Sewell looks up, and the student is gone. "... way."

    His eyes narrow, and he turns, and goes into his office. He turns the key, and steps in to find most things comfortably the way they were. He steps over to his desk, and pulls out his phone.

    Sigh.

    "Three missed calls. Phil can go right to Hell. I'm not doing this for him." he mutters out loud, and then rubs his face.

    He reaches up, and takes the book The Perfect Machine off the shelf, and tucks it into his bag as well, before he turns off the lights, and goes to make an exit. "... that student looked familiar... is he in one of my groups?" he questions again -- and then turned to walk back out.