12053/Digging Up The Past: Schwizer Is Not Happy

Digging Up The Past: Schwizer Is Not Happy
Date of Scene:	21 August 2020
Location:	The home of Nils Schwizer
Synopsis:	Microchip calls Schwizer with a warning
Cast of Characters:	Phantasm (Drago), Punisher
Tinyplot:	Digging Up The Past

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Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Schwizer is not a happy man. And to be honest, he probably wouldn't be considered one from the outsider persepctive. It takes a bit of drive to get to where he is work wise. A lot of sacrifice. A lot of avoiding temptation and... oh yes there was. So, happy is kind of a foreign term. But standards adjust and at peace became his new happy.

But, by Schwizer standards, he is not a happy man. All that work. All the care that was put in for all those years. All that in jeopardy because he couldn't shut up.

He's at home. Door locked and bolted. Just him quietly sitting in a sofa, blankly looking at the TV. He's not really focusing on it. Because while he's at home physically relaxing, mentally he isn't.

Punisher has posed:
Or he would be looking at the television, if the power didn't go out right around that point.

Then, his private cell phone rings. It's an unknown number.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Bzzpt.

With the exodus of the power, the agent's coherency picks up as his mind rejoins his body on location. Posture shifting upwards Schwizer is fully awake now as he sees his private cellphone. Perhaps it's because of his encounter late in July that bled into early August but, the timing of the phone call right as the power goes out is... suspect.

A bit wary, he doesn't answer immediately, grabbing his work phone to give it a shake, triggering the camera light to turn on, bathing the room in white LED light. He glances around cautiously, making sure there's no one in the room with him before he goes grabbing for the private phone.

Punisher has posed:
There's no one he can see. The private phone just keeps ringing that unknown number. If the agent had a voice mail cut off, it's been disabled.

Ring. Ring.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
It's a mild comfort to not see anyone present. Schwizer glares accusingly to the phone in hand as it rings beyond the point it normally would but he gives in, flipping the phone open and bringing it to his ear. "What?"

The agent remains on his feet, glancing around as he listens, slowly moving towards his firearm just in case. Worst thing if he's wrong? He just looks freaking silly to no one in particular. If he's right? He's probably going to need it.

Punisher has posed:
"Hello, Agent Schwizer. You can call me Microchip." The masked voice begins. "I'm the Punisher's partner. We need to talk. Are you free?"

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nils lip curls upwards momentarily as his eyes narrow. God damn it. Sometimes he hates it when he's right. "Depends on what type of 'free' you're talking about." Schwizer mutters, "But I'm guessing you're not going to take 'No' for an answer."

He switches the phone over to his other ear as he picks up his gun. Which, is not as comforting as one would think given the circumstances, but it's better than being unarmed. "I take it you're the one to thank for the power outage?"

Punisher has posed:
"Well, if you're not, I can call back. But we do need to talk. You don't have a lot of time before the next phase of his operation starts." Microchip offers, "This is a courtesy call that he's allowing, since he wanted to give you a show of good faith towards your cooperation."

There's a moments pause, "And yes, that was me. I wanted to be sure I had your attention, and that I cut off any security."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
While Microchip did give an answer to his question earlier, a few words prior to that did speak out to his conciousness. Practically screaming. "Next phase?" He repeats, "Wha- I KNOW you guys got to Moretti." Oh God the meeting regarding that was NOT fun. "What else is there?!"

Punisher has posed:
"He's going after the syndicates next." Microchip replied. "If you haven't figured out by now that the Punisher doesn't play favorites, you're not very good at keeping up."

Microchip, it seems, is ignoring Schwizer's implied accusation. But then, this is the Punisher's partner, of course he knows. Microchip probably helps to make the TOOLS for those sessions.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Microchip is treated to a string of low curse words, each flowing into the next forming a new compound obscenity. If he was around to hear it, George Carlin may have been proud. Or perhaps he would have felt the need to bring up his lecture on how there's only need for seven of them. But the usage is alebeit creative as it also detailed the what and where answers in regards to a something.

Schwizer is not happy. "-Do you realize how much WORK we put into this?!"

Oh God. How many decades?

Punisher has posed:
"Schwizer. Operations like this killed his family. He doesn't care. He never will. As far as he's concerned, people like you and Drago do more harm than good letting these people run around, poisoning the world with our own laws, and I agree with him." Microchip explains, even with the masked voice, Schwizer can hear the lack of sympathy. "If you care to, look up Samantha Reyes. She was the DA at the time for the local area. Operations exactly like these got them killed."

There's a sigh, "Put it this way, he considers even reaching out to you like this a major risk, but since he originally thought you were dirty and couldn't confirm that either way, this is his way of showing he doesn't want to kill innocents. This is him giving you a couple days to subtly get your people out of the line. We have one condition for this; Drago is to remain in the dark. It has to look authentic."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
"If you kn-" Schwizer starts to snap back before he pauses, shaking his head. No. Not giving them more. He's not going to jus-

The hand around the phone clenches. Fine. Get as much information as possible out of this. "So, you're asking for us to pull out but leave one of our guys out there with NO backup?"

Punisher has posed:
"If you have information that will make this operation easier for yours and for him, this is the time to give it up. Playing your cards close to the chest will only serve to get people killed in this one." Microchips tone 'hardens' under the voice mask, "We could have not given you any warning at ALL and just went in, hoping that our intel collection was good enough to track who the real criminals were. The Punisher is pragmatic enough that when I persuaded him to give you a chance, he didn't fight it."

Then, he chuckles, "actually, we're planning on faking his death. You pulling him out would look way too suspicious. The rest of your people can disappear without too much of an issue... but Drago is the big boss. If he goes missing, it won't look authentic."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
As part of the plan is revealed. Nils exhales, blinking in surprise to the length. Had he been holding his breath? The gun lowers as he goes quiet, thinking over his options. Is there a way to recover the operation? Maybe. He'd be surprised if other divisions haven't taken one out of their playbook by now. Yes, they're SUPPOSED to work together post 9/11 but... habits die hard.

"...You do realize if you do this you might trigger a power vaccuum."

Punisher has posed:
"Chaos is easier to wage war in. Organized syndicates have security and heirarchy. Lots of little factions are easier to pick off." Another chuckle, "at least, until they put aside their differences to try to kill US."

There's a brief pause, "Make no mistake, though, this is a war for him. It always will be. I know people don't understand him that well, but he really is a soldier and a general in a global war."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Schwizer shakes his head to the unseen speaker in disagreement. Chaos kills more innocents than the organized does. That's not to say that his team's approach couldn't have done better but- That's where the line about hindsight comes into play.

Considering who this other person represents, that's a dangerous topic to dance around.

He shakes his head again. "If Drago dies..." He pauses, trying to find the right words, but oddly failing. "...just don't get him killed."

Punisher has posed:
"He'd sooner kill himself than allow Drago to die. I can promise you that much." Microchip assures the man, "he's an asshole, but he's EXTREMELY stubborn about his code. The only person who could ever talk him out of this war died years ago."

Another pause, "For what it's worth, Schwitzer, I understand we're undoing a lot of plans here, but I mean it when the Punisher doesn't care. He does this so people like Drago don't NEED to do what they do."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Yeah and like he told Punisher before, the apologies are not worth much. But. That's kind of a losing topic isn't it? God this sucks and there's a lot they're asking for that he can't deliver on. Not won't. Can't.

Schwizer sighs. "Can't make guarantees everyone's going to comply," he grants, "but I'll relay the warning."

Punisher has posed:
"That's all we can ask for. If people refuse to get out of the Punisher's way, that's really on them, they made their choice." Microchip cuts off the link then.

Back at the Armory, Microchip sits back in the tactical room, before he keys the commlink. "He got the message, Frank. Thanks for seeing the sense of it."

On a rooftop somewhere in Gotham, Frank was staking out the movements of a trio of gangsters with an electronic monocular, and merely grunted in reply.