June 21st 1921
It is early morning and William and his assigned team of five plain closed agents. Along with another four uniformed cops, the office became a temporary headquarters. Heading to the cars waiting in a column on the side of the street.
Will was rather calm as he got into one of the lead vehicles on the front side. The car pulls away from the curb seconds after the door opens. The drive allows him to reflect on his strange calmness with a tinge of numbness. A fact that he wasn’t sure about was because of the relatively mundane nature of this assignment, though he was unsure. As he had known for a long time that such a feeling was dangerous. Knowing that there is no such thing as a mundane assignment. A fact that he has had months to accept. Leaving the second option as the only viable conclusion. That being the whirlwind that is Lucia Belladras and her eccentric and slightly enigmatic behavior. Struck again in the form of a dramatic statement.
About the new Bureau of Supernatural affairs which Lucia was just put in charge of. Something that he had trouble believing until he saw the copy of the executive order.
That and the transformation that was going on, with him technically in a new job. That of Special agent and acting Deputy Director. That is until D.C. sends someone to take up the role. At least according to Lucia. Which, Will tends to take with a grain of salt. As he rarely takes his eccentric but strangely charismatic and certainly competent boss. Though the process has left him emotionally overwhelmed the process
Either way, Will puts his thoughts on hold as the Apartment comes into view. It's a rather shabby three-story brick building that while seemingly new. Seems to have been poorly maintained. In his opinion, the opinion looks like an eyesore. The convoy parking in a small lot in front of it. The agents then split up into two teams. One heading to find a master's key from the landlord. While the other moves to secure the entrance to the apartment. Will is going with the former team, due to his status as the highest-ranking agent present.
With him are two of the police officers and another agent. Who follows behind him? As they walk inside the property. Which only happened when they were let in by a rather sketchy man. Who turned out to be one of the maintenance workers. Who begrudgingly agreed to take the group to see the owner. Though the man-made Will’s skin crawl. As the man looked rather filthy, with unkempt greasy hair and a crooked smile. With several rather rotten teeth. His attire was just as shabby, with it being an old and worn brown jacket, adorned with equally worn patches. Alongside an equally worn set of jeans. With the entire set of clothes covered in grease and dirt. Though the putrid smell was the worst aspect. Will trailed behind the man, trying to avoid puking from the man's odor.
Eventually, the man brought them to an office, seemingly the landlord. Which the worker pointed at, harshly mumbling the words, “Landlords office.” Before the man slinks away from them. Mumbling some incoherent words, which Will failed to understand.
Though he quickly turned his attention to the still-closed door, which he knocked on. Receiving a rather annoyed, come in. Which he did, opening the door and walking inside. Instantly spotting the landlord, a middle-aged man, with a rather comfortable sweater. Wearing an ugly sneer. Whether it was from being disturbed in general by the police. Will wasn’t sure, though it mattered little in the grand scheme of things.
Though thankfully one of the police officers would handle the talking, as Will still didn’t have a credible identity he could claim to be. Without raising more questions about his employment.
The landlord, Howard Hayes, scowled didn’t leave as he harshly asked, “What can I do for you?”
The officer stepped forward, unfazed at the rude tone, “We are here to search the room of one of your tenets. George Dow, which we do have a warrant on hand.” At the mention of the name, Hayes's eyes narrow, then shifting to a drawer in his desk. Setting off alarm bells in Wills's head. Causing him to shift his hands, closer to his service pistol.
“Mr. Dow was shot dead by police in an apparent attack on police. We believe that there may be evidence in his room. So we request that you unlock his room. It was answering a few questions about him and your experience with him.” Though by this point will note that the landlord isn’t listening, Instead he is itching a draw open, which exposes the handle to a revolver. Which causes Will to vault over the desk without warning. Slamming the draw closed, crushing Hayes hand. While punching him in the face, knocking him out cold.
Leaving the cop in the room shocked, giving Will a questioning look, to which Will responded by pulling the revolver from the draw. The officer quickly made the connection, shifting his expression into one of thank. As he mutters a quick thanks and lets out a shaky breath.
Will meanwhile turns to one of the cops outside the room, “Get the man cuffed. As well as make a call to get someone over here to bring him to the station. He seems to know something, as he tried to pull a gun on us.” Will finishes before adding on, “Also stay on guard with the other staff and residents. As the man that brought us here seemed off.”
With the cops taking care of the call and the unconscious landlord, while the B.O.S.Agents, as Will liked to call them. Kept security by watching down the hallways that led to the office.
While Will waited until the unconscious Hayes was dragged out of the room. To start a quick search of the office. Starting with the wooden desk that Howes was sitting behind. Which was found to mostly have nothing of interest with it mainly containing office supplies. A bottle of sketchy, questionably safe liquor. With the occasional file on the apartment. Which Will did put on top of the glance. Along with what appears to be the set of master keys.
That was until he reached the bottom left draw, which seemed a bit odd in comparison to the other draw. Which he reopened to confirm his suspicions.
He then emptied the suspect drawer of everything. Mainly extra office supplies are kept in boxes. Until it was empty, and he checked the bottom. Soon realizing it was a false one, meaning revealing the presence of a secret compartment. So Will took out a pocket knife attached to his belt, Which he used to pry open the floor, doing so rather quickly. Revealing a stack of papers with a medium-sized medal key on top of the stack of paper. With another handgun sitting next to it. This one being an old Mauser pistol.
Moving the pistol on top of the desk next to the revolver. Will pulls out the stack of papers. Which Will skimmed through the papers. Finding a set of correspondence between Hayes and a man named Martin Vance. From Will's brief reading, it seemed as if he was Hayes's superior, with the letter containing orders concerning a property that is apparently out of town and several vague references on it. There is also a letter about Blair, talking about his disappearance. With it asking for Hayes to inquire about Blair's fate, and then act accordingly. With a warning to prevent the police from discovering what Will implies, is the underground structures. Though the most concerning letter is a letter about storing weapons in the basement to enable operations and support separate groups. Along with lots of weapons and their arrival. Which is alarming and something that needs to be checked. Along with a feeling of dread, wondering what else is going on in this building. As most of the letters were vague and ambiguous in their instructions.
Though as that was going on there was a scuffle heard upstairs. With a gunshot was heard several seconds later. Which caused Will to jump upwards, shoving the papers on the desk. Before ordering the cops present to lock down the room. Calling the BOSA agents to follow him. As they rush to the nearest stairs, sprinting upwards. Crashing through the door, then taking a right-hand turn. Then after another right turn, down the hall, they reach the incident. Where several tenants were being pinned down. With him then noticing the dead body of the maintenance worker. With a visible gunshot wound, on his head. With a Luger near the man's hand, quickly gaining his attention. As the pieces quickly went together. Though Will was still slightly confused at the tenant's role in that. Who were strangely quiet and unfazed at the dead body, less than ten feet from them.
Though that can wait until later as Will has the men escorted downstairs to join Hayes in a trip to the police Station. While William has the entire hotel searched. Which requires more manpower which arrives 30 minutes later. That includes a forensics team, to document the death of the maintenance worker.
During the wait, William goes around searching the apartment with a few agents. Turning up nothing illegal, though there are several suspicious books and are a few letters between Hayes and Moors. It is most inconspicuous. Though there are several mentions to a shared connection between them. There is nothing definitive and nothing to give insight into what they are referring to.
Leading Will concludes that Moore's room has been a bust. Though there is one other spot which is the basement, Which sure enough, after heading downstairs, a small stash of weapons are found. Mainly old bolt action rifles and revolvers and a decent amount of ammo. All of it was confiscated, along with a lot of evidence from all across the apartment complex, which ended up being a treasure trove of information in unexpected ways.
