Broken Home, Broken Job

Percival Angwin was seated at his desk, accompanied by his colleague Nelson Undefined, who also served as an IA investigator. Percival Angwin appeared to be examining a document related to Jay Black, an employee of the Merchant company. "There seems to be a potential substance issue, indicating addiction," Percival remarked while studying the file with intent. Meanwhile, Nelson Undefined was seen leisurely puffing a cigar and remarked, "We will address this matter with Jay once he arrives for questioning." After placing the file on the table, Percival witnesses the door swinging open with a loud slam as Jay makes his entrance. With a sly remark, Jay greets them, saying, "What's up IA rats?" Percival quickly responds, "We are unaware of what you're referring to." Dismissive, Jay retorts, "Yeah, yeah, that's the typical response from all of you rats. Let's just conclude this." Percival seizes the case file, effortlessly unveiling its contents. "According to reports, there was an incident involving you and your wife - a domestic confrontation, as it suggests. This allegedly occurred soon after your return to work, alongside allegations of fraudulent acts and resorting to violence when confronted."

Jay, unable to contain himself, interjects. "Hold on, hold on. There was no domestic confrontation between my wife and me. It was merely a simple argument centered around our financial difficulties."

Percival promptly responds, his tone composed. "So, you agree that you are facing financial challenges?"

Jay scoffs in response. "Perhaps? But even if I am, what actions would you take? Have a good laugh, jot it down in your case file, and employ it to secure a promotion?" Percival gazes at him with a stern look, proceeding to grasp his pen and jot down a few lines in his notepad. "Kindly elaborate on the allegations of fraudulent activities," Jay responds with a perplexed expression, tinged with a hint of amusement. "Fraud? I merely proposed charging an additional fee for the product I was selling. How does that fall under the purview of fraud? Perhaps you should consult a dictionary?" Nelson, interrupting him, asserts, "You deceitfully claimed its value was higher than it actually was." Jay leans back and retorts, "So what? Every merchant employs such tactics. None adhere to your impractical internal trading doctrine."

"Who disclosed my actions? Was it Adam Peter? I should educate him on the consequences." Percival intervenes, stating, "That will no longer be tolerated. Any further acts of violence committed by you will result in a suspension, and all your earnings from working within the company will be forfeited." Jay interrupts, questioning, "I believed you two were merely senior Merchants conducting an interview with me. Are you implying that you possess such authority? Are you confessing to being part of the Internal Affairs department?" Both IA agents, Percival and Jay, exchange baffled glances. Percival breaks the silence, asserting, "We are utterly clueless about the matter you are referring to. If any additional accusations are leveled against us, we will involve our superior and take measures to have you suspended. You are free to leave now." Without uttering a word, Jay swiftly stands up, forcefully shutting the door behind him as he departs.

Jay proceeds briskly towards his office, displaying determination in his stride. Upon reaching his desk, he instinctively reaches into his drawer and retrieves his firearm. Frustrated, he mumbles under his breath, "That informant will face the consequences of his actions." Concealing the pistol in his pocket, Jay exits his office ready to handle the situation. Jay would enter his car and after a short drive, he reached what appeared to be an unfamiliar residential property. Without any hesitation, he forcefully entered the premises, startling a woman who seemed to be in her middle age. The sight of a gun caused her to scream while Jay, without causing any harm, discharged a warning shot near her foot. Firmly, he commanded her to assume a kneeling position. Jay then forcefully pulled her hair back and inquired, "Your informant husband betrayed me. Where might he be currently on duty?" Overwhelmed with fear, the woman sobbed but managed to share, "On a break, most likely at Pitch cafe." In a swift motion, Jay ruthlessly ended her life with a gunshot to the back of her head before promptly making his exit. In a state of panic, he would hastily make his way to his car and swiftly enter. Urgently, he would drive towards the Pitch Cafe.

Upon reaching the destination, he parks his car at a reasonable distance from the cafe. His eyes keenly searching, he spots the target, the snitch, seated at a table, casually savoring a cup of coffee. Squinting, he takes aim, firing four shots. One of the bullets finds its mark, striking Adam's arm, causing him to scream out in pain and seek shelter as the windows shatter under the impact of the bullets.

Reacting swiftly, Jay Black swiftly retreats to his car and promptly leaves the scene by driving away.

In the meantime, Percival and Nelson Undefined walked down a corridor to interview Jay's associates. With their hands tucked in their pockets, they aimed to avoid any casual interactions with merchants. Suddenly, a female merchant obstructed their path and locked eyes with them. She inquired, "You're both IA agents, correct?" The two IA agents regarded her with puzzlement. "We have no idea what you're referring to," Percival replied, as they attempted to continue their stride. However, she persistently blocked their way and boldly stated, "I heard you were conducting an investigation on Jay Black. Perhaps I can offer you both an enjoyable time if you... refrain from pressing charges against him." Percival and Nelson exchanged glances but promptly dismissed her attempt at bribery, choosing to carry on without any further engagement. The two IA Agents enter Jay Blacks and his partners' office before approaching one of them. "Are you Gabe Peter?" Percival inquires, looking directly at him. Gabe confirms, "Yes, that's me."

Percival acknowledges with a nod, "We both serve as Head Merchants. We are here to inquire about the current situation of one of your partners. Would you be willing to accompany us for questioning?" Gabe hesitates slightly but ultimately agrees, saying, "Sure thing."

As they enter the office, Percival courteously pulls out a chair for Gabe before taking a seat alongside Nelson. "My apologies for the abrupt interruption, but your partners have been engaging in rather questionable activities," Percival says. Understandingly, Gabe nods in agreement. Clearing his throat, Nelson proceeds with his inquiry, "Jay Black was recently reported for engaging in fraudulent and violent acts against several customers this morning. Were you present during the incident?" Gabe responds, "Indeed, I was in attendance. Jay Black fabricated false claims about the item he was trading—an alleged time-traveling crystal ball—when in reality, it was just an ordinary object. One of our customers, who happened to be a former merchant, quickly detected the deception and confronted Jay about it. Reacting aggressively, Jay forcibly pushed the customer to the floor and landed a punch on him." Percival acknowledged by nodding and inquired, "Can you tell me how many times he struck him?" Gabe pondered for a moment and replied, "Around three times, give or take. After that, he hastily walked away." Percival nodded again and proceeded to ask, "Is Jay frequently engaged in such unethical behavior when collaborating with others?" While making notes, Percival posed the question. Gabe responded, "Absolutely. He consistently lies about almost everything and often resorts to shortcuts that violate the Codex." Nelson, while puffing a cigar, interjected, "Well, considering this case, we will temporarily suspend your association with Jay. You will be reassigned to another office while we conduct an investigation."

Gabe looks almost shocked for a second, but rapidly hides it. "Of course, Understandable." Nelson nods at the door "You may leave,"

Gabe acknowledged by nodding and exited the office, only to encounter Izzy Black, a Junior Merchant, just around the corner. Izzy interjected, "I overheard your entire conversation. Can you enlighten me about why the Head Merchants are interrogating you?" Gabe gazed at her with curiosity and asked, "Why were you eavesdropping?" Without waiting for a response, he proceeded to clarify, "Actually, those individuals are not Head Merchants, but rather from Internal Affairs." Izzy fixes him with an intense glare, saying, "You were aware that they were Internal Affairs, and yet you still willingly disclosed what Jay did?!"

Gabe responds in a hushed but firm tone, "Listen, Izzy. If they were to discover that I was covering for Jay, it wouldn't just be him who faces the consequences when he's caught."

Izzy lets out a frustrated sigh. "Fine, you make a valid point."

Walking alongside her down the corridor, Gabe warns, "My association with Jay has been suspended. I have no doubt that they will soon want to question you as well."

Meanwhile, Jay Black found himself in the comfort of his private office. He decided to disassemble the gun that he had previously used to attack Adam, with the intention of melting it afterwards. Utilizing an obscure artifact from his personal collection, which had managed to evade the knowledge of the Internal Affairs, Jay quickly concealed the said artifact. After completing this task, he settled down at his desk, momentarily entering a trance-like state as he gazed off into the distance.

Suddenly, a knock could be heard on his door, indicating the arrival of his esteemed colleague, Carl Night, who held a senior position within the merchant hierarchy. Carl respectfully poked his head inside the office and began, "I apologize for the interruption, Jay, but the 2 Head Merchants are requesting your presence in their office." Jay responded with a forced smile and a nod, assuring Carl, "I will join them shortly."

Once Carl withdrew and closed the door, Jay yells slightly "Fuck!" He promptly stood up, composed himself, and tidied his appearance. In addition, he spritzed himself with a dash of deodorant, ensuring a fresh scent before heading out.

He walks into the office, letting out a sigh. "Why do you keep calling me back here? Starting to believe you have a thing for me," Jay remarks casually as he takes a seat. Percival looks at him intently and says, "Adam was recently assaulted." Jay glances over, responding, "Really? Are you implying that I'm behind it? Just so you know, I haven't had a firearm in my possession during my time with the Merchants." Percival narrows his eyes and questions, "But how did you know it was a firearm assault?" Jay's heart skips a beat, realizing he's almost exposed, he stammers, "Well, was it a shooting?" Percival nods, confirming, "Yes, it was." Jay scoffs, "It was just a lucky guess. It couldn't have been me. I haven't owned a firearm in years."

Nelson inquires, "In terms of operations, what equipment do you usually rely on?" Jay casually responds, "Typically, I am allocated a temporary firearm." Jay nonchalantly shrugs while Nelson acknowledges with a slight nod. Ahead of further discussion, Nelson asks, "After being interrogated earlier, where were you?" Jay explains, "I took a drive to clear my mind." Nelson jots down some notes on his notepad and concludes, "You are at liberty to go, but be aware that this won't be the last time you are summoned here."

Jay nods and walks out of the office, intending to return to his own workspace. He sits down and ponders until around 2 AM, then leaves his office to approach his previous workplace. Sean Brown, a late-night working merchant, is present there and notices Jay's arrival. Sean greets him, saying, "Oh, hello Jay." Jay nods in acknowledgment and promptly asks, "Where is Gabe?" Sean glances over and responds, "Oh, he was reassigned elsewhere by the Head Merchants, I believe." Jay nods, but a few seconds later, his eyes widen as he comes to a profound realization. Swiftly, he punches Sean and retrieves a pistol from his pocket, aiming it at Sean's head. He demands, "What office was he reassigned to, Sean?" Trembling, Sean answers, "O-office 414!" Jay nods and quickly throws down the pistol, proceeding to speedwalk towards the mentioned office.

While passing by, Jay noticed a man dressed in a stylish black suit, casually leaning against a wall and engrossed in his phone. Jay had no idea that this person was actually an undercover Internal Affairs agent named Carl Stone. Unbeknownst to him, Carl discreetly observed Jay as he walked down the hallway. After Jay had moved quite a distance, Carl decided to tail him. Eventually, Jay arrived at the offices and barged in, swiftly seizing one of the firearms belonging to the Merchants. With a serious yet hushed tone, he commanded everyone to be silent and get on their knees. Jay fired a warning shot near one of the individuals' feet. Meanwhile, Carl swiftly reached for his radio and broadcasted, "Jay is currently an active shooter, we have an opportunity to apprehend him now."

In a covert operation, Percival Angwin, Nelson Undefined, Cecil Lane, and Ace Stanley, all fellow IA agents, stealthily made their way towards the entrance of the office. They aimed to intervene before Jay could cause harm. As one force, they stormed into the room, pointing their weapons at Jay. Confused, Jay scanned his surroundings and exclaimed, "I knew you were all IA, you traitors!" Fearing the consequences, Jay dropped the firearm and obeyed Percival's order to get on his knees.