Gemini Killer Strikes Psion City

[Abby Peterson]

Important prior knowledge is Here and Here.

Detective Collins is a good cop and I told her that if she spotted anything that looked like the old Gemini killings, to let me know. So she blows into town ready to take my damn head off, with this in hand. It's from the Psion City paper, day after the Saints and Sinner's Ball.

Gemini Killer Makes Garden Debut - Republic official slain in targeted hit
Psion City - The New Year was rung in last night with a three-corpse killing spree. The first body was discovered late last night in an alley just off of Carapace Boulevard. So far two local witnesses reported hearing gunshots, but no one saw the perpetrator.
The Daily Tribune has been asked not to report specific details of the murders at this time, but former Citizens have confirmed that the modus operandi of this kind of hit has strong parallels to a known hit-man and serial killer from the City Versus Itself known as the Gemini Killer.
"I'd never thought we were going to see the Gemini's wet work here in Psion," said Garden Precinct Police Chief Furman. Witnesses with any information regarding the killing are encouraged to contact the Garden Precinct Police Department. Who knows when the Gemini will strike again?

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According to Collins, the death count was at 10 murders when she left Psion City a month ago and legged it down here after us for more answers. I told her what I could and kept my distance as Jimmy told her some more personal things.

I was studying the pattern of Ochiti's and my visions of being black-bagged and all signs point to Jimmy's old partner, Jane. I heard tell there was a divination run about her - who ended up doing it and what came out of that?

Before anyone says, "She died", a lot of folks seem to get here from dying, so she could have been here for a long time (or not much time at all; that's metaphysics for you).

Duo and I took a look at some things, and I'll lay them out here, but I'm still on her trail.

• We can't verify if she has a new partner without checking the forensics.
• She's back to contract killing, so she likely has the pinions for anything that strikes her fancy.
• She's very off script, so behavior predictions and profiles are going to be off base. Plus, on my last read of the Gemini data, she was the unstable half of the pair, behavior-wise. So drastic changes wouldn't be out of character.
• The most likely set of victims is Ochiti, Cassie, Aubergine and myself and a Soldier of Fortune is helpful on those four until we get her off of the board. So far, I think all four of us are covered until this next gather.
• The connector is Jimmy - her coming this way and paying attention to these victims has to do with him. Theory: The possibility of his having a connection to a woman may register as her being replaced.

Despite the weirdness of this pre-crime stuff, I think that I'm close to finding her. If I end up with two holes in me, good guess is that I found her (but I think Trecut has that handled for a bit).

[Abby Peterson]

Collins sent me a letter that was short and clear. Jane's headed down here, almost assuredly on Jimmy's trail. Honestly, from the rest of the profile, I think she still cares about him, but that's going to be the emotional fuel for this whole problem, so I don't know what good it actually does us.

Here's what we know from her previous criminal profiles and all new data from her current crimes in The Garden:

• She might have a partner with her to replace Jimmy or she might still be people shy after he betrayed her. It all depends on if her behavior patterns require a partner or not.
• She has learned new tricks for combat since arriving here.
• She doesn't want Jimmy dead, but she wants him to suffer.
• She might engage with the company of local mercenaries (not Cujo) and other killers for hire while in the area.
• She'll start by watching and looking for opportunities, analyzing and studying her targets (and possibly beacon as a whole).
• She will be at the Limelight at some point to get a lay of the land and because it is a place to get news on CvI arrivals/settlers. (It's one of the only places we can actually post a watch out for her.)
• Cassie and Aubergine are tied for most likely targets - Aubergine because it'll hurt Jimmy the most and Cassie because she's important to him and but would still be considered a soft target (Aubergine throws fire, Cassie does not). If Cassie is the target, she'll likely make it a sneak job like Jimmy does and jump her on the road while she's traveling for her diplomacy. (It is possible she might incapacitate or kill a guard.)
• I would be the next likely target, and most likely struck while I am focused on my notes, or during a vision (when all the sharp-eyed in the world doesn't do shit for me). Or she may engage poison or other stealth means.
• Ochiti is the last of the four hypothesized targets, as she is very fast and skilled with her weapon, making her difficult to keep a bead on with another gun. However, she does have Jane's knife (which could change the odds).
• Her response when she arrives is difficult to nail down. I had a vision once of a woman (her I assume) seeing Jimmy talking to a woman through a window and then Jane turned and left angrily. Depending on what she sees through that window, she could either go into a rage and start pulling triggers immediately, or she'll start planning it like one of her contract jobs. Death by "a thousand cuts", as it were. She will very likely feel like she's been replaced.
• She isn't likely to screw around with our projects protecting the region if it means we'll die before we can suffer. In a very twisted way, I am positive she might actually come to our aid if saving Jimmy or her target meant she was not robbed of her revenge plan and confrontation with him.
• She doesn't have the patience for any long kidnapping - if she doesn't just kill the target, she'll grab them and use them as bait for Jimmy, possible killing them after getting him close.
• We could try to use Jimmy or a target a Baith for her, but she is observant, clever and would have to see him as very happy without her to push her emotionally to fall for it. She is just as likely to use the bait plan against us.
• This a very tactical enemy, skilled in stealth and possibly espionage.
• She can be disrupted by our Espionage by working to stop her access to pinions, payment or area contract killings in the Crossroads.
• Even though she doesn't plan to kill him, she may work to ruin his life by roping Jimmy into her crimes with false evidence left or leave anonymous tips against him with the authorities. In that case, Diplomats and Academics would both be needed. One to talk to the authorities and one to prove the frame-up job.

Yeah. Great.