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morbus
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Joined: 24 Jul 2004
Posts: 202
Location: Concord, NH

 		Alllriiighty, some updates.

So, earlier today, I tweeted @alexa_kircher informing her of the Starbucks location in the password-protected "Protected: Task Manager II" post on Daphne's blog. She replied that she'd go check it out (https://twitter.com/alexa_kircher/status/570580401799868418). Prior to this, I had asked around to see if someone could actually GO to that location in Cupertino, and I got a hit from an operative who lives nearby.

They reported that there were actually two Starbucks in the area, one inside a Target (a department store) and one at the Stevens Creek Blvd strip mall with an actual storefront. They figured that made more sense as a location, went there, and asked the barrister for Ingram Walters. As all deeply secret missions must inevitably face, the barrister had no clue what the operative was talking about. Using quick goat-thinking, our CI asked that the barrister write "Ingram" on the cup, in hopes that they'd call out Ingram over the PA when the order was ready. Alas, the plan was flummoxed as "Tall Flat White", their order, was called instead. Not giving up, the corkboard announcements next to the bathrooms were stringently checked for relevance, but the operator struck out there too.

Minutes after receiving this report, I received the following email from Alexa:

Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Subject: Finding Ing

Today I went with Gina and Dru to the Starbucks in Cupertino to find Ingram Walters. We walked in and the girl behind the counter asked if she could help us. We asked if she knew an Ingram Walters. She crinkled up her nose.

"No, can't say that name rings a bell."

"We were told to come here and ask for him."

"Hmmm...well, let me get my manager." She disappeared into the back for a few minutes and soon a man came out, wearing nice jeans and a tie. We assumed he was the manager.

"Why are you asking for this person? Did someone tell you he works here?"

"We were told to come to this Starbucks and ask for Ingram Walters. We're sorry to bother you. Maybe it was a mistake?"

"Maybe."

We started to walk away and he called out, "Wait!" We went back to the counter and he said, "Maybe I could take a message? In case he comes by?"

I looked at the manager in the eye, holding his gaze for a long moment, and said, "Sure."

I took out a piece of paper and wrote down my name and cell phone number, then shoved it across the counter to the manager. He smiled and said, "Alright then! Hopefully he'll get back to you soon."

After that strange encounter we decided to order drinks and sit outside. About fifteen minutes later a woman come by with a little dog on a leash. She said down at the table across from us and sat smiling at us for a few minutes before we acknowledged her.

"Can we help you?" I asked, turning my chair toward her.

"Ing sent me."

I practically jumped out of my chair. "What? Why?"

She smiled and put her sunglasses on top of her head. "Don't get me wrong, but Ing wouldn't be caught dead in a place like this. He is a very private person."

"So private that people pretend not to know him?"

She nodded. "You should feel lucky that the manager went so far as to take a message and call Ing. Most of the time you would have gotten nowhere."

"But we were told to come here."

She shrugged. "That doesn't matter."

I shook my head. "This whole thing is pretty confusing to me. I don't understand why we were asked to find him if he won't even meet with us and talk to us."

"I told you before, he's very private. But this should help you out. If anyone asks where to find Ing, tell them he works at Dusan Digital."

"I never heard of it," I said.

She smiled. "You wouldn't have. They are deep cover R&D."

This was right up Dru's alley. He leaned forward. "What are they working on?"

She stood up, picked up her purse and the dog leash, and before walking away said, "They're working on Search."

_________________
Since 1997: http://www.disobey.com/
Twitter: @morbusiff / IRC: Morbus / Skype: morbusiff

PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 9:04 pm
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morbus
Decorated


Joined: 24 Jul 2004
Posts: 202
Location: Concord, NH

 		Here's the next step, based on the email above:

Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Send an email to Daphne.


More specifically:

Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Tell Daphne (who "ask[ed] where to find Ing") that Ing works at Dusan Digital.


Upon doing so, I received back:

Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Congratulations, you have now become a Searcher in training and can begin orientation. Your first task is to pick a topic in which you will become an Expert.

The available topics are listed on this page:
http://www.thesearchbegins.com/help.html

Let me know your choice ASAP.

Welcome to the Search.

Best of Luck,

Daphne


I chose:

Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Film

_________________
Since 1997: http://www.disobey.com/
Twitter: @morbusiff / IRC: Morbus / Skype: morbusiff

PostPosted: Wed Feb 25, 2015 11:22 pm
Last edited by morbus on Thu Feb 26, 2015 10:07 am; edited 1 time in total
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Billy Brown
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Joined: 18 Dec 2004
Posts: 196

 		This looks really promising, I'm in! I've emailed Daphne asking if I can help so let's see what she has to say.

I keep getting an error when I try and access Alexa's site, though. Is anyone else having similar issues?

PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 9:51 am
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morbus
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Joined: 24 Jul 2004
Posts: 202
Location: Concord, NH
Billy Brown wrote:
I keep getting an error when I try and access Alexa's site, though. Is anyone else having similar issues?


I'm able to see the site fine, but the coding of it IS "weird":
  • Can't be printed properly
  • Can't be exported to PDF properly
  • Doesn't work with "take screenshot of the entire page" utilities, etc.

_________________
Since 1997: http://www.disobey.com/
Twitter: @morbusiff / IRC: Morbus / Skype: morbusiff

PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 10:38 am
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Billy Brown
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Joined: 18 Dec 2004
Posts: 196

 		So strange. I've tried accessing the site on different browsers but I keep getting a 'site took too long to resopnd' error. I've tried it on 3G on my phone too in case it's a quirk of the internet connection here but I've still had no luck.

I can access cached versions of the main pages via Google but that's no good for the Help page, as it's presumably been hidden from search engines.

Would you mind listing the available topics so I can reply to Daphne? Many thanks in advance!

PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 11:31 am
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morbus
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Joined: 24 Jul 2004
Posts: 202
Location: Concord, NH

 		Screenshot attached.
www.thesearchbegins.com-help.html.png
 Description   http://www.thesearchbegins.com/help.html
 Filesize   295.33KB
 Viewed   103 Time(s)

www.thesearchbegins.com-help.html.png
_________________
Since 1997: http://www.disobey.com/
Twitter: @morbusiff / IRC: Morbus / Skype: morbusiff

PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 11:37 am
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Billy Brown
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Joined: 18 Dec 2004
Posts: 196

 		Thank you!

PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:09 pm
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zerovin
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Joined: 23 Sep 2012
Posts: 162
Location: Australia

 		they all seem normal, and then theres vampires at the end of the list, it seems so out of left fieild, that i may actually choose it for the heck of it.

PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:13 pm
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Billy Brown
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Joined: 18 Dec 2004
Posts: 196

 		My first choice would have been Film but I've said I'm happy to go with Music if she'd like us to try and cover all bases between us.

PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:15 pm
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astrofig
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Joined: 28 Aug 2009
Posts: 165

 		Applied under Vampires. Let's see where this goes. Laughing

PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 1:14 pm
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morbus
Decorated


Joined: 24 Jul 2004
Posts: 202
Location: Concord, NH

 		New email from Alexa:

Spoiler (Rollover to View):
Thank you! The roster has now been added updated:

http://www.thesearchbegins.com/roster.html

You will receive your first Search task soon.

-Alexa


Soon-to-be out-of-date screenshot for Billy Brown.
www.thesearchbegins.com-roster.html.png
 Description   http://www.thesearchbegins.com/roster.html
 Filesize   265.33KB
 Viewed   96 Time(s)

www.thesearchbegins.com-roster.html.png
_________________
Since 1997: http://www.disobey.com/
Twitter: @morbusiff / IRC: Morbus / Skype: morbusiff

PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 1:24 pm
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Billy Brown
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Joined: 18 Dec 2004
Posts: 196

 		Thanks once again! Hopefully I'll be able to access the site from my home PC and it's just an issue with this machine. We'll see.

I should appear on the roster soon as I've just heard back from Alexa. I went for Film too as she said it was no issue if people double up on topics.

PostPosted: Thu Feb 26, 2015 1:48 pm
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zerovin
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Joined: 23 Sep 2012
Posts: 162
Location: Australia

 		I should be there soon as well, wonder what the first task in the vampire experties could be though.

PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 10:02 am
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astrofig
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Joined: 28 Aug 2009
Posts: 165
zerovin wrote:
I should be there soon as well, wonder what the first task in the vampire experties could be though.


I got an email back on that!

Welcome! As a Search Expert on Vampires you will be given a wide variety of tasks related to researching and disseminating information about vampires and vampire-related issues. This may or may not include: how to spot a vampire, how to speak to vampires, and how to incapacitate and kill vampires.

I will add you to the roster. How would you like to be listed in the site?

Thank you!​

So basically, looking up and spreading info on vampire-hunting. I'm curious to see how much latitude they give me for this---whether they'll let me come up with my own information, or if I'll be given prewritten things to spread.

PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 12:29 pm
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morbus
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Joined: 24 Jul 2004
Posts: 202
Location: Concord, NH

 		You should have a romance with a vampire.
_________________
Since 1997: http://www.disobey.com/
Twitter: @morbusiff / IRC: Morbus / Skype: morbusiff

PostPosted: Fri Feb 27, 2015 12:47 pm
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