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Detective Ryan stands outside the CEO's office and his eyes wander to the guards standing by the big doors. Nants, something he never could quite get used to their appearance. No one ever did, thus why so few people ever went that route. Same process as the Morphs. But instead of taking the form of an animal they stay human. Unfortunately, there is a bit of an uncanny valley effect. It's clear that there are differences in physiology. Some features are just slightly enough off to make them look somewhat inhuman. Morphs get around that in that they look like an animal and any distinction is easily explained away as the them looking like something inhuman anyway. But in some regards he can't exactly blame them. Sometimes just being human isn't enough, not when trying to protect someone against a Morph. And Nants do have the full legal rights of any other human. There are no such things as a synthetic Nant. Though the fact that they would hire Nants isn't that surprising to him. A company that has built its entire business model on giving people any of the genetic alterations they want so long as it is within the bounds of the law would be immoral if they weren't willing to hire those same people to some capacity. It would simply be far too bad for business. What does surprise him is that he was able to get this meeting so quickly and without any real resistance from the FBI. It might be because they're making another attack but they know that the case he's working on has nothing to do with Black Industries and yet they had no issue with him scheduling this meeting from his desk.

The Nants don't really seem to move, which strikes him as somewhat strange and it makes them look even more inhuman. Morphs still move around when standing still. It's natural for just about any creature to be constantly moving around at least a little bit as their eyes wander or shift their weight. These two Nants are standing perfectly still, almost to the extent of looking more like dolls than anything. But whenever he stands up to move around their heads move to regard him for a moment before going back to their more neutral state. Eventually the door opens up and the CEO Daphne Black steps out and approaches him.

"I'm grateful for you to agree to meeting with me," Detective Ryan says as he offers his hand to shake.

"It's no trouble," she says before gently squeezing his hand and then letting go. "Always willing to help out law enforcement. Come into my office and we can have a talk in a more private setting since you said you wanted to talk about something that may be seen as somewhat sensitive."

"I know it's rude, but are those two okay?" Detective Ryan asks once they've gotten into her office and the door has been closed.

"Don't mind that. They're probably taking a nap," she shrugs. "It's one of the modifications that those two asked for specifically. They wanted to be able to do their job and not actually have to be alert. With the threats from various terrorist groups I've been forced to have permanent bodyguards around me at all times. Those two have taken on the job and took the conversion of their genetic material as part of their initial signing bonus. It was their choice, I did not even have it initially listed in their contracts. But I hate to be candid, but guarding me can be somewhat boring of a task on most days. So, they had requested an option to be able to be at the ready and reactive to guard me at any moment while not being awake. So, when they're just perfectly still it's because they're asleep. Their brains stop sending all of the signals to their limbs. If something moves within a certain radius they're woken up and can choose to react or hit that mental switch to go back to sleep. I'm a bit of a workaholic. I'm here very early and don't go to bed until rather late. And that can be hard on people who aren't morning people. And both modified humans and morphs need just as much sleep as everyone else. So they show up, stand by my door and take a nap. In a few hours they'll be much more animated. Anyway, can I get you something to drink?" she asks, moving over to the side where she has a small liquor cabinet.

"Just water will be fine," Detective Ryan says as he takes a seat in front of her desk. To be polite he makes sure not to glance at any of the papers currently on her desk and instead faces her. "I'm just trying to figure out what all was meant by something that I've heard recently. Had to do with the girl we had apprehended that had jumped out of a window of the hospital."

"Oh, I had heard of that event. I have some friends at the hospital and they were talking about the strangest occurrence they'd seen in a long time. I hope she's doing well enough," she says while grabbing a glass and filling it with water from a decanter. "Hope you don't mind I give you the more expensive water. Our plumbing's on the fritz today. Maintenance will see to it in a few hours but for now the tap is a slight pink color and I'd consider it poor hospitality to offer you that."

"That's fine. Anyway, I saw her at the courthouse the other day. She seems to be mostly fine. Still has a bit of a limp. But when I tried asking her about why she jumped she made mention of fearing something called the Black."

She arrives and puts the glass in front of him before heading back over to sit in her chair at her desk, pushing aside most of the papers so that he can have her full attention. "So she's afraid of my corporation?"

"I don't know? I had asked around a bit and it doesn't seem to be something to be directly related to Black industries," Detective Ryan says, taking a sip of the water to be polite, "as it does for something that is converting normal Morphs into Synthetics. That they call it the Black because it turns their blood black. And I was coming here to get a more informed person's opinion on the matter on whether or not something like that is actually happening or if it's all just superstition."

Once she's seen him take a sip of his water she begins, placing her hands on her desk and staring at him simply, "Oh, we're most certainly doing that. It's not a superstitious belief they have. It's for the best really."

"Wait, you are?" Detective Ryan asks, taken completely aback by the rather candid confession being given to him.

"Yes. We've had our researchers work on a way to convert the ordinary Morphs to blacks for a couple of years now. And it's not like we're doing anything illegal either. Conversions are a perfectly legal practice in this country and in others. I'm sure as a police officer you are aware of the 'No Blood Defense,' right? Well if we are injecting something into them that also qualifies. But that's kind of the reason why we're doing it. The laws regarding Morphs are very unfavorable for them. They have so few rights its infuriating. Did you know that on average thirty-five percent of all morphs will get attacked at least once a month? Assaults like that are so common with them that most of the time the cops won't even bother coming out. It'd be a waste of their gas. Most people know not to draw blood and if no blood is shown there's no point in ever arresting them, at most they'd only get a small slap on the wrist. I've heard there are even groups of people who as a way of having fun go around to various Morph neighborhoods and attack the people there. On top of that one in six female Morphs are raped each year. And that's each year, not their lifetime. You don't even want to know how high that statistic ends up going. And this from a bunch of people who are no better or worse than you or I just trying to get on with their lives. Society holds Morphs as to be less than human and can be treated as trash with little recourse. I am trying to accomplish real change, to make their lives better, but at the same time there's only so much I can do. One can only push so hard against stone at one time. People are slow to change and Morphs are still relatively new. There is still far too much stigma to overcome. And it's the Morphs that get to suffer for the vanities of man. We are of a far more progressive mindset."

"And that justifies what you're doing to them?"

"In a sense, yes. Right now there are Morphs out there that the only things they truly get to feel in their lives is fear and pain. Of always having to look around every corner in fear that there may be someone that is just about to lay into them. Or rob them, or worse. And for the time being I simply cannot do anything to stop their unfortunate circumstances. I cannot stop the predator from hunting them down and baring themselves against those who are so much more unfortunate and less privileged than they. But what I can do is ease them of their suffering. As a Black they will not feel any pain. They will still be attacked as before, but it won't bother them anymore. And they'll keep all of their memories and skills, they'll just no longer care about what happens to them. And the synthetics are easier to repair and maintain than their old body. And we don't do this against everyone, that would be excessive. Not all Morphs need the extra benefits of being converted into a synthetic. Many are able to get on in their lives relatively unscathed. They might still get into a fight now and then but they can live a mostly happy life. There is no need to convert those. The ones we give this gift to are only those that we have determined are at greatest risk to being regularly attacked or worse. The ones that don't have a support structure. Those are the ones we target."

"It seems very strange that you're just telling me all this up front," Detective Ryan says.

"Oh, that's very simple. It's because everything we are doing is perfectly legal. There is no reason to hide what we're doing with a cop. Eventually, I'm sure there'll be lawsuits and reparations will have to be made to the individuals that we forced this procedure on. But beyond that there are no repercussions to be had. It's that pesky terrorist group that is in the wrong here. Here we are, helping those who are simply unfortunate souls that we are providing a service to take away their pain. And that bunch of thugs just decide they get to be judge, jury and executioner and kill the person rather than let us make their lives so much more tolerable."

Detective Ryan is somewhat taken back by the candor of her statement. "I would imagine they think they're doing what's best for their own people."

"And I'm sure they do. I'm sure they believe in that filth that has been poisoning their minds from that leader of theirs. Did you know I once actually donated to their group?"

"No, I did not."

"I half regret it now. But I supported them a small bit, only a few grand. Granted this was when their motives were pure. When they first started out they were little more than a sort of neighborhood watch. I actually approved of what they did. Everyone was on their side. Even the cops would often just sort of look the other way when they stepped just a bit too far over the line. They weren't doing anything all that illegal, just trying to make life better for their own kind by way of protests and bullying away anyone who tried to cause trouble. But that terrorist decided to bring in his thugs and co-opt their entire movement. Turned them violent. Made it so that simple protests and bullying tactics weren't enough, they needed destruction and blood to pay for destruction and blood. And that's all they are right now. A group of violent animals who manipulate people into doing their dirty work for them, all under the guise of saying that they're doing it for the best interest of all of their kind. All the while doing everything in their power to try and vilify the people who are doing nothing more than to actually try and help and make their lives much more manageable. For they don't kill humans. That's how they get away with not being officially called a terrorist organization. They attack, destroy and sabotage all the time. But they don't actually kill anyone except the ones we're trying to save."

The conversation is interrupted by a peeping of the desk's intercom. She raises up one hand for a moment and then pushes on the button, "Ma'am, you have a call from Line 1. It sounds important."

Daphne sighs, "Very well," she turns towards Detective Ryan. "As much as I would very much prefer to explain my position to you far more fully, duty calls. Did you need anything more or is that enough?" She asks. Detective Ryan shrugs and nods slightly. "Well, if you need any more information on the matter, you know where to find me. I'll let you see yourself out. But as a courtesy, do please finish off your glass of water first. It'd be a shame to waste it."

Without really thinking on it Detective Ryan nods and downs the remainder of his glass in one go and puts it back down. He chooses not to say anything at this point, not having any idea on what he could say without getting himself into massive trouble. He then exits the room and closes the door, hearing her pick up the phone and begin talking to someone on the other side. The two Nants turn to regard him as he leaves, but then go back to their neutral position. As he leaves the building he wonders just how big this thing is that she was so blatant about doing something so unethical, even if legal and more importantly if it'd be safe to go and tell his partner any of this. It would explain, though, why the FBI had no problems with him contacting her. If everything she was doing is legal, so long as he doesn't try and make it go public there is nothing the FBI need to do. And if he did try, there'd be more than enough information to make it simply look like he was siding with the terrorists and arrest him for such. In this regard, it's probably best to keep his partner out of the loop in this regard, at least for now. Hopefully, he isn't having as troubling a day.

To be perfectly honest, Detective Matthews isn't entirely sure he understands the point of the FBI's latest course of action. Trying to rush in with troops certainly didn't work last time and he doesn't know why they think this time it will. Last time they thought that they were going to catch the Underground completely by surprise and failed to accomplish anything other than embarrassment and rallying the people to the side of the Morphs. And this time the only real change is that they're going in without any time for the Underground to learn of this new attack. That and they have been authorized far more force in dealing with the crowd. The last time it was deemed they failed because they let the citizens maneuver them around. But he will watch the feed that they are giving the precinct and hope things go far better and more importantly far more peacefully. If they think that they can apprehend them without them having prior notice then all the better and things can go back to normal, though he highly doubts it.

Unfortunately, even as things begin, they aren't looking all that good. As soon as the FBI cars arrive into the city there are people coming out of the buildings to try and threw cantrips across the roads, forcing them to go out onto the streets. But then again, they don't really have much need to use the roads right now. Morphs don't rely on cars as much as humans do. Many have them, but especially with their treatment outside of Vitraan, most will choose to simply walk to and from where they want to go inside the city and use cars only for longer stretches. And as the FBI steps out of their vehicles to proceed on foot the Morphs form up into a line to try and oppose them all. The FBI tries pushing their way through, going with standard tactics of gas grenades and whatnot to the same effect as last time. The Morphs this time seem to be completely adamant about keeping the government officials out of the city.

The Agents use rubber bullets at first, but even that doesn't seem to be working that much. One might go down but the others will help them stand back up and get into the line, pushing back against the agents trying to breach the city. The tactics done so far only really allow the agents to go like five feet of progress at a time. Eventually, they may be able to fully breach and wear things down. But they'd also only have so much ammunition, while the Morphs are merely standing against them through sheer tenacity. And it's clear that the ones running the show are getting more and more angry at the lack of progress and eventually the call is made. They're going to switch to live rounds. At first only one does it and fires at a single Morph, aiming more to send an example that they should back off. It wasn't aimed to be lethal, only serious. But it doesn't send the right message.

Detective Matthews is shocked at what is unfolding before him. He had expected so much more of law enforcement and yet as things currently stand, this was little short of open warfare. The moment the FBI opened fire and downed the first Morph the mob descended on the FBI, forcing them back and away from Vitraan. More guns are raised and then fired and two more Morphs fall but then the mob has reached the officers. The federal agents have by far the better technology at their disposal but the Morphs have the superior numbers, not to mention the fact that they are naturally stronger and tougher. He sees a bear lift up one of the agents that had killed one of the Morphs and throws him a good ten feet through the window display of a building. The scene unfolding devolves from just one side protesting against the other into an all-out riot, with the FBI as the focal point of all their anger. This thing is getting extremely bloody very fast and Matthews has no idea how to really process what is going on. It's like a battle unfolding before his very eyes. The FBI don't seem to be making any efforts any more in trying to just get past the Morphs standing in their way. Now it's all just a matter of one side trying to kill the other. And Morphs go about grabbing weapons off any of the agents they grab and start firing back.

But despite all of that, for every FBI agent that gets taken down, two Morphs are shot down. But that won't really matter when the Morphs outnumber the agents by so wide a margin. And to make things even worse he can see that the gunshots are not causing the Morphs in the city to go and hide but rather to instead come out in droves to express their own anger. Many throwing rocks and other objects, though none of them showing up with a gun of their own. And it's clear to Detective Matthews that this is an unwinnable situation for the FBI. The only way they'll be able to continue their mission to try and take out the Underground would be to kill off everyone in the city, all on national television. He knows the Underground was waiting for such a moment. Given how they manipulated things last time there's no chance it being any other way. He's certain they'll flood the net with the video of these federal agents slaughtering the morphs for having done no crime but stood in their way. But for the time being there is the other very simple fact that must eventually be realized. The humans are only able to do as much as they are because their guns have bullets and they have other supplies. And these will eventually run out. With the mob in almost a full riot at this point there's no chance of getting any additional resources. The federal agents are eventually forced to retreat, the Morphs keeping all of their weapons. And as they run at first quite a few of the Morphs chase to hunt them down and more fully end the fight, but device is thrown from somewhere off-screen that creates a hologram of a giant U. Something that big would be draining through its batteries very quick. But without being able to see who threw the device, he has no clue whether it was someone working with the Underground or a part of them directly. But on seeing the hologram, all of the remaining Morphs stop and shout. In fact all of the rioting seems to almost immediately stop.

"Twice now, the government have launched an unlawful assault on our citizens. And twice now they have been forced to retreat. And will there be any consequences for their actions? Of course not. Will Black Industries even blink at these lives lost in their ventures? Of course not. Let that be a lesson to all. If you value your freedom as a Morph, the government is not going to have your back. They would rather you die than allow the one group that has proven to actually care. And this should also be taken as a warning to the government and Black Industries. You have attacked us twice and been pushed back twice. And as you can see, we will no longer simply let you come to take our lives."

And with that, the hologram ends and every one of the Morphs still alive go about limping off back into the city.