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Post by dtspurrier on Oct 7, 2021 21:56:49 GMT
Hour-man thinks for a moment and he has some changes of clothing from his vacation. He will don some civilian attire. He does ask, " so what is our cover story. I am not a federal agent just a chemist at a medical company and of course mysteryman. "
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Post by Adminenkainen on Oct 7, 2021 22:25:17 GMT
"That depends, Mr. Chemist," Doris says. "We could try to get answers at the factory, or we could do some library-visiting. West Virginia University is a depository library; they'll have SEC* filings for Airworks we can request, and we can check newspaper records too, without needing an elaborate cover story. If we go straight to Airworks...let's see. They know about me, but you could be FBI, here to cover the investigation from another angle. So any preference?"
((*SEC = U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission))
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Post by dtspurrier on Oct 7, 2021 22:28:48 GMT
Hourman says, " the research is fine. If we go with the FBI ruse you can say I work in the science division."
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Post by Adminenkainen on Oct 8, 2021 15:28:13 GMT
April 18, 1940 Morgantown, West Virginia
Rex feels the irony that he's back here now, where he was before this whole adventure started. He had not spent any time in the campus library while visiting West Virginia University, and was certainly making up for it now.
The librarian on duty was a plain-jane girl with thick round glasses and her hair in a tight bun. Doris was polite, but slightly intimidating to her while asking to see American Airworks' financial statement disclosures.
"We don't have those here," the librarian said, "but if you're willing to pay to expedite delivery, we can have them sent here from the Division of Corporation Finance in Washington tomorrow."
"We are," Doris responded. "And we'd love to see your newspaper archives, particularly if you have any newspapers from the Beckley area."
"Not a problem; we have five," the librarian said.
"Excellent. Well, let's dig into reading..." Doris said to Rex.
In fact, they spent the entire afternoon pouring through those papers, going back 11 months.
They learn the company president is a man named Jim Jay, hailed as a local hero for bringing so many jobs to rural West Virginia when he could have built AAW in Maryland 3 years ago. Jim has been in and out of hospital for an undisclosed illness, which seems to throw the community into worry mode each time.
They definitely got the impression that AAW was hurting for contracts 10 months ago, until a new investor joined the company and was quickly named Vice President of Production. Roland Norman is openly political and a big stumper for FDR, insisting that FDR should run for an unprecedented third term.
A juicy tidbit they encounter is that factory manager Gary Peirce has a criminal record for a not fully disclosed domestic disturbance with his wife.
"Well?" Doris asks while they are taking a break later. "Do you think there's any good suspects there?"
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Post by dtspurrier on Oct 8, 2021 22:13:19 GMT
Rex thinks, " well the VP requesting FDR to run for a third term is not exactly traditional. Then again FDR has done some really great things. The domestic dispute was in the paper which means he might have a temper but I don't think he is the criminal mastermind type. The president, Jim jay with undisclosed illness is a little suspicious. He may been involved with this " black magic" stuff which could explain his condition. If we can get an address on both of them we could pay them a visit. We can check the phone book or call the operator to get a phone number and also their address. Does the paper indicate if the VP and president have an office at the plant or where their corporate office is?"
(OOC did the hanger have any administrative buildings? Is there a photo of the JIm Jay and Roland and does it match the man in the cave he met)
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Post by Adminenkainen on Oct 9, 2021 16:00:08 GMT
Doris knows that only Gary Peirce has an office at the factory. There was an off-site office for administration back in Beckley that the president and vice-president might be reached at. Both of them have unlisted phone numbers, though Gary Peirce has a listed home phone number. There are no photos of either men in the newspapers.
"Well..." Doris said, "I'm about to go powder my nose. When I get back, tell me what you think we should do next. Visit the corporate office? Visit the factory? Contact Mr. Peirce privately? Or stay here and wait for more information to get here tomorrow?"
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Post by dtspurrier on Oct 11, 2021 21:16:26 GMT
Rex thinks and decides, " lets go visit Mr Pierce and then the factory. The research information will come tomorrow." Rex makes sure the library can get the information and pay the charge or fee for the service
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Post by Adminenkainen on Oct 12, 2021 0:39:11 GMT
The librarian explained, after taking the service fee (of 50 cents), "once the information comes, I can answer specific questions you have from it over the phone, but I won't be able to read off the whole thing to you."
It was 8 o'clock that night when they returned to the American Air Works factory. Luckily, Gary Peirce hadn't left for the day yet and they were shown to his office.
"You're lucky you caught me," Gary said ((agreeing with the Editor)). "You're both with those government investigators? I can give you three minutes of my time and then I'm heading home for the day."
"Of course," Doris said very pleasantly. She sat demurely in the seat in front of Gary's desk, leaving Rex to stand. "We won't take up too much of your time and only have a few questions. Did you wish to go first?" she asked Rex.
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Post by dtspurrier on Oct 12, 2021 22:13:54 GMT
Rex comments, " well Gary there was a security breach last night and Roger, the plant foreman, called to ask for an evacuation. He managed to get some of the employees out but not all is there a reason why?" Rex waits for the response and sees if he can recognize the voice that Gary was calling
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Post by Adminenkainen on Oct 13, 2021 17:24:04 GMT
"There's no secret to that," Gary Peirce said, in a very much like the one Rex heard talking to Roger on the phone that night. "This is a factory. We make things here. If things don't get made, nobody gets paid. We did take steps to ensure the security of the skeleton crew that continued working, calling in more security, but as you're surely aware there was no attack on the facility as we were warned, nor has there been one since."
"What can you tell us about the abandoned hangar on the north side of the grounds," Doris asked next, "away from all the others? Why are there underground bunkers underneath it?"
"Our first contract as a company was a military contract, but as a condition of the contract the Army wanted to us to lease them some of our land, including a hangar, because, as they said, the nature of the contract was sensitive and they wanted to be on hand to supervise. I would guess they built the bunkers to house their personnel on site. But after six months they terminated our contract and left."
Doris continued. "Have you seen the bunkers under the hangar?"
"Personally? No, I've never had cause to go look."
"Did you know there were caves under the bunkers?"
"No! But...that kind of makes sense why the Army decided not to use the bunkers. You wouldn't want your men sleeping above a sinkhole."
Doris looked to Rex to see if he had more follow-up questions.
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Post by dtspurrier on Oct 15, 2021 21:28:36 GMT
During the question and answers to Doris questions Hour-man listens to see if he can detect if the man is lying to them.
Rex asks, " so security has not reported any strange events in the caves? Also can we have access to go look? Whom from the military contacted you to cancel this? Did the military say why?"
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Post by Adminenkainen on Oct 16, 2021 15:31:40 GMT
Rex noticed no obvious tells in Gary's speech and mannerisms.
"Our security has been watching the hangar and no one has gone in or out since two nights ago," Gary answered. "You can go check the hangar if you like. No, they did not say why they canceled the contract, but it was an amicable arrangement since they paid a generous early termination fee. I cannot reveal who contacted me, as it might reveal something of the nature of the contract which, as I mentioned, is sensitive information."
"Well, thank you for your time, Mr. Peirce," Doris said. She stood and offered him her gloved hand. She then glanced at Rex to see if he had any last questions before they left.
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Post by dtspurrier on Oct 17, 2021 15:58:57 GMT
Rex says. " if we can think of anything else we will contact you. Thank you for your time." After shaking hands we leave
Outside of the office rex says, " Doris in the pit there were several tunnels that lead off from there. This might lead to the caves he was speaking off. This could be how these guys may have been exiting and entering?"
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Post by Adminenkainen on Oct 17, 2021 17:24:30 GMT
Doris nodded and spoke more about this once they were outside the building. "I was thinking about that too just now. If the head cultist is from inside the company, like you suspect, he can't live in those bunkers forever. And if the hangar is being watched, then there has to be a 'back door,' or in this case, maybe a cave entrance. We need to tell the others."
Later that day, Doris and Rex compared notes with Zatara, the Sandman, and Bart (Shiera was still out).
"I can confirm what Gary Peirce told you," Bart said. "No one or no thing went in or out of that hangar all day."
"We're still waiting on my gas gun components and Zatara's new spells to arrive," the Sandman said through his near-ever-present mask, "but if we can find a cave entrance, maybe we should order some spelunking gear first?"
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Post by Adminenkainen on Oct 18, 2021 16:29:55 GMT
"We need to be sure we need spelunking gear first," Bart countered. "Some of us need to go searching for this alleged cave entrance and see if we can find one."
"Do we have volunteers?" Doris asked.
Bart raised his hand and glanced at Rex to see if he would.
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