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Currently the moon is in the waxing Crescent Moon phase (28% full).

*ring ring ring*

Natalie picks up after the third ring, mere seconds before it would flip over to voice mail. There's a mechanical whine in the background, as of a flywheel coming to a stop as she says, "This is Natalie."

"Hi Natalie, this is Matthew. I got your message and was returning the call. Is it an okay time?"

"Matthew," she repeats blankly. "...Sorry, not placing the name?"

"Oh, sorry. Matthew Kapalski, family of Alicia."

Another hesitation, and then, "Oh. Yes, sorry. Her cousin in the 'Force. I've been meaning to hook up with you, but the message never seemed to get passed along. But I hear you've got some information for me?"

"Yeah, sorry about that. I've had a lot of work to do lately, and am just rather new to this whole thing. I got a whole scoop full of things for you, where do you want to start?"

"First of all, you know about dancing, right? Most of this stuff isn't safe to pass along on an open channel - and before you argue with me, trust me. I know. Nothing is secure."

There is a moment of long silence. "Would it be better to meet in person then?"

"Only you know the information you hold," the Walker replies. "If you don't think you can tell me what I need safely, then yes, we ought to meet. You know my location, right?"

There is the faintest cracking in his voice then, "Yes, I believe so. I could be there shortly if your urgency requires it?"

Natalie sighs, a 'give me patience' sort of sound. "Again - I don't know what information you've got, Matthew. So I don't know how urgent it is. All I know is that you're Alicia's cousin, you're a boy in blue, and you have some information on a little field trip I took." A pause, and she says, "Can you be here in... fifteen minutes? I'll be on the porch."

"Yeah. I'll be there. I'm driving a blue Blazer." He waits for her end of the conversation to finish up before hanging up and getting en route.

Natalie just repeats, "Blue blazer. Right." *click*

---

The truck comes just as promised, and no more than fifteen minutes has passed since they hung up. The door opens and out steps one Matthew Kapalski. He's wearing dark jeans and a dark green sweater, looking casual and tidy, but nervous. He walks in that practiced routine that most law enforcement folks learn early on, like one approaching a house with a domestic disturbance.

Natalie's waiting, as promised, leaning on the porch railing with her hands folded in front of her. As the Blazer pulls up she straightens, wordless except for an exchange of names before escorting the kin inside. "--So what do you have for me?" she asks as soon as the door's closed behind them.

Standing at a non-remarkable height of 5'9", this broad shouldered man carries himself with a steadied confidence. He seems well fit and in shape, but not overly defined in the musculature department. His clothes are kept neat and tidy, and he is often seen in jeans, shirts/sweaters and boots.

He has light brown hair that looks like it was probably blond as a child, but has been hardened by age into something darker. It's kept cut at a medium length; long enough that no show of scalp can be seen, but short enough that it retains some form of tidiness after removing a hat. His eyes are blue-grey and set above a nose that is just a hint larger than it should be perhaps. Where his nose lacks, his smile makes up for it; a broad, genuine smile gives way to 'nice teeth', and is often accompanied by a hearty chortle. It's the kind of smile that can be contagious, and that may just be the whole point of it anyway.

Matthew looks around with practiced caution, suggesting he may not be as comfortable as he'd like here. "Well, I can tell you how their patterns have changed and what the rumors have. I can also tell you they are buying out at least one shop on their silver. The coroner reports came back as death by sharp instrument, but the more detailed and more classified version of that says tooth and claw. It's definitely a flagged case at this point. The Brothers are murmuring werewolf, which the force finds laughable."

Natalie scowls and folds her right arm over her belly - her left braces her weight behind her on a four-foot half-wall. "Flagged," she repeats flatly. "Can't you... unflag it? We don't need any more attention drawn to this thing." No comment on the silver.

Matthew clears his throat a little as he stands near the entrance way. "It's a little bit beyond that point I'm afraid. When you have such unusual findings, it's not something that just gets thrown into the processed file. I know they are trying to keep noses out of those reports from the coroners office. The precinct wants to keep this cool and quiet I think- but at the same time they're curious. As for the gang, it's like they're preparing for war. They've moved and taken up residence in another apartment unit further west. The unit itself is south of Bridge on 13th." He shifts his weight a bit, his gaze very consciously avoiding prolonged contact with the female he speaks with.

Natalie drops him a little nod. "I know where it is. I've done some scouting of it already - it's in Havoc's territory. What else do you have for me?"

Unsure what to do with his hands, he ends up folding them behind his back like a soldier at ease. "There's one examiner on this case, I don't have his name- I can try for it, but he is the one pushing on these oddities. The official reports are coming out pretty dry and bland. Outside of that, you should know that the East Side Mafia is still pretty engaged with these guys. I told Alicia it wouldn't so bad an idea to purposefully leave behind something that might point fingers in their, or another sources direction. The force would be happy to jump on something more concrete that tales of monsters and mayhem."

Natalie continues to watch him, unaware or uncaring of the effect she's having. "Yeah? That's the best news I've heard so far. All right." She falls quiet for a few moments, considering both him and his news. "I assume you've told Alicia all this? Information I've already passed along up the chain, but the more people who know it, the better: their current hidey-hole, south of Bridge, has got civilians in it. Lots of them. Only about three of the apartments have targets in them. There are lots of guards, and they have lots of silver. There's also a couple of... funky people. My source didn't know what they were, but they're not related to me and you, and not related to him. They're also not the living dead. There's always people on guard 24/7, and there's boogeys on the flipside, too."

Most of this hits Matthew like a large frying pan. He gives a faint nod to signal he has heard her, but doesn't seem able to instantly accept it all as truth. "I've kept Alicia as much in the loop as I can get my nose into. Anything else I find out, I'll pass to her and leave a call in with you." He shifts again, "If there is anything you need me to do, let me know. I've told Alicia it'd be best for me to not be around when this goes down though. So if you have advanced warning, that'd be helpful."

Natalie can only shrug and offer him a rueful half-smile. "I'll do what I can. I'm not going to be in charge of this one. I don't know who will. But I'll make sure there's as much of a head's-up as possible. What we really need from you is just what you've been doing -- give us an in to the force we can trust. It'd be nice if you could help cover this up, but don't stick your neck out."

Matthew lets out a short sigh, "I wish I could, but it's a pretty large scale disturbance. You manage to point it off to another more logical direction, and it'd cool down fast enough. Stuff between gangs is nothing new to anyone." He glances then to the door. "If you need anything else, or something specific comes up, just holler. I should get going though, unless there's anything else you need?"

Natalie shakes her head at him, straightening from her lazy lean on the wall. "No. Thank you, Matthew. If you learn anything else, let me know, of course.'

Matthew gives one last nod, his lips parting to speak before he stops with uncertainty. As he turns to head for the door, manners rules out. "It was good to meet you finally, hopefully under better circumstances next time." His hand grasps the door and he begins to head out.

"We'll have to meet for coffee or something," Nat agrees, relenting from her brusque, 'business-only' manner. "Oh! Before you go. Couple questions - have you been sniffed?"

Matthew pauses at the doorway, "Pardon? What does that mean?" he asks curiously, "I don't think so?"

Natalie's face closes down; she scowls -- not at the man, but decidedly in his direction. "Well, hell. All right. The rest'll have to wait. I'll get more information to you later."

Matthew frowns, "Is there something wrong?" He seems poised between the decision of making sure everything is alright, and just taking off at her word they'll talk more later.

Natalie shakes her head tightly at him. "No. Nothing's wrong." Which is a polite fiction. "Nice meeting you, Matthew." And that was a definite dismissal.

With just another quick nod, the kin moves out of the doorway and heads back down towards the comforts of his truck.

Natalie lets him go, not even escorting him as far as the door.

[End of log]