Dawn's Surveillance

The Torthus-Cross Building

The Torthus-Cross building occupies the same block as the Enforcers' HQ. Until recently, the Enforcers were housed a couple of blocks east of the Torthus-Cross building. But a decision was made after construction wrapped up on the Torthus-Cross building to attach the Enforcers' HQ directly to the Torthus-Cross building. A decision that was undoubtedly influenced by the target put on Cross' back by the Children of Aite.

Enforcers' HQ is a single story building- in stark contrast to the 50 story building it's attached to- simple and grey in design with few identifiable markings outside of the large Enforcers insignia occupying the front of the building. The front entrance faces the street and large glass doors lead to a sterile, mostly undecorated lobby of stone tile and marble pillars. A second entrance is accessible from the side- a ramp that leads downward to a large, rolling door for vehicles, implying a lower level beneath the surface. A portion of the flat roof can often be seen sliding open to allow shuttles and gunships to take to the sky from what is sure to be some sort of staging area for their operations. Dawn's surveillance would make her privy to the fact that shuttles, gunships, and wheeled vehicles leave on a pretty regular schedule as shifts change. The occasional shuttle can also be seen landing on the roof of the Torthus-Cross building itself, but the height of the building allows little to be seen of the occupants of said shuttles. And unfortunately, given the internal connection between the two buildings, neither Cross nor the twins are ever spotted outside of the building by Dawn, able to freely move between the two buildings without ever needing to step foot outside.

But Dawn isn't the only one watching the building. A woman in her early-20s seems to be present nearby every day. All day. She moves from one place to the next. She spends her mornings in a cafe across the street, slowly nibbling at breakfast before moving down the block for lunch. She clearly doesn't have the same level of training as Dawn. While Dawn inconspicuously goes about her business, noting the comings and goings without drawing attention and disappearing into the foot traffic of Adrasteia, this woman gawks. She takes down notes in a datapad each time a vehicle arrives or departs. She gets self-conscious and looks around, nervously checking to make sure nobody has taken an interest in her. It's a wonder she hasn't been turned in to the Enforcers by now.

The Soul of the Waning Blossom

Back at The Blossom, there's been no shortage of action- the rowdy establishment has had its fair share of fights since Dawn's arrival. But there's also no shortage of information if one were to pay attention.

The Blossom remains a common hangout for Enforcers off the clock. Brix and his crew are recurring guests at the rundown establishment. As many are want to do, once the booze gets flowing, the lips get loose. There's the occasional murmurs of "Cross' freaks" or "Cross' pets" amongst Brix and the others. And it's not just the humans that seem to take issue with them. There's talk of them getting preferential treatment and having a worrying amount of pull with Cross. They seem to work as his personal guard. There's some definite tension and distrust towards said "freaks" as well as an underlying hint of.... fear?

Adrasteia In General

To that point, there seems to be some tension amongst the Enforcers in general. It seems that bringing together a bunch of criminals who once operated under separate banners hasn't been as smooth of a transition as Cross would like the public to believe. Sure, they're holding things together, but old rivalries die hard and there's been some rough sailing behind the scenes.

The general climate regarding Cross seems to be mixed- both amongst the general population of Adrasteia and the Enforcers. While most seem to think that what he has accomplished is universally good for the city, some question his methods. Others worry that it's only a matter of time before these tentative alliances forged through the Enforcers crumble and the powder keg that Cross has built explodes.

The fear brought on by the sporadic guerilla attacks from the Children of Aite adds an extra layer of tension to the city. Homemade PSAs play between televised broadcasts advising people to report suspicious behavior. Street level holographic displays remind civilians to alert authorities to any known Children of Aite activities. There's a balance that's attempting to be struck between ensuring the general public that the Enforcers are taking control of the situation while reminding them to be on the lookout.

But regardless of all of this, Adrasteia is undeniably in a better position than it has been in a long time. There's tension, fear, and worry among its citizens, sure. But there always was. So it's a subdued worry. A worry that's been dampened by a city that has long been submerged in open warfare. Open warfare that is finally a thing of the past and, despite the potential for Children of Aite lurking about? People feel safe enough to populate the streets without looking over their shoulders for once. Gangs no longer fight for control of territory or extort those residing within said territory. Buildings have been erected in place of those that fell due to neglect and gang warfare. Companies have opened stores and small businesses, brought to Adrasteia by Cross' connections and the credits he has pumped into the economy. It's far from perfect, but few can deny that the city has come a long way in the short time that Cross has been at the helm. It's hard to imagine just how much all of this has cost him.