By: Freelance Investigative Reporter
A fiery blast tore through a sunny Saturday afternoon in Hathian, shaking the city’s west end and drawing crowds of onlookers to watch the FDH battle flames to save their station.
This reporter was on the scene, which seemed to have been caused by a delivery truck slamming into the front of the building. The explosive crash and intense fire that followed killed the unidentified driver of the truck, injured both civilians and firefighters and caused significant damage to the firehouse’s vehicle bays and equipment, including at least two trucks inside.
As the city’s Fire Chief Trevor Pentewyn noted, “It’s carnage in the building… People are injured…” One truck remained undamaged and ultimately extinguished the flames. The accident is currently under investigation.
Accident or Act of Terrorism?
Though dark tyre streaks on the pavement speak of the driver’s potential attempt to slow down as they took the left turn off of the bridge, there are always good reasons to consider whether this may not have been an accident. There is, after all, no shortage of potential suspects.
Many in the crowd recalled the recent assault on Chief Pentewyn by terrorists belonging to the notorious Bones gang, who threatened death if he didn’t resign his position. This paper covered that story not long ago and Pentewyn was resolute not to concede to their demands. Was this an attempt to make good on the threats to unseat him?



The Hathian Police Department was notably absent from the scene despite radio calls by firefighters for their assistance that could be heard by onlookers, many of whom were asking where were the police?
The lack of crowd control added to the chaos and potentially allowed for evidence to be tainted. A lone officer arrived after the flames has been extinguished and while the HPD are sometimes known to collude with gangs and some of those are well known for employing explosives… Was this the latest volley in the sometimes-contentious relationship between the HPD and FDH, a story also covered extensively in this paper? (Although perhaps like in the past, this may have been resolved? – Ed)

Seen in the crowd was known Yuugen leader Tori Yamato. Chief Pentewyn is quoted as saying:
“….we just witnessed Tori Yamato on the scene looking really smug… Naturally that concerns me because she has bombed us once before.”
Pentewyn had made a routine inspection of Yamato’s Hathian Motors in recent days and rumours swirl about the Fire Chief being threatened over code violations that could potentially shut the business down. Was this known bomber to blame?
The white delivery truck at the center of the carnage could be seen through the flames, a license plate dangling from the rear bumper that looked familiar to this reporter. Reviewing photos from the past few months, I realized I’d photographed the truck before in connection with my investigation of the enigmatic Vipers crime family. The organization has been known to employ explosives, most recently in the car bombing of HPD Captain Julian Heckler. Known Vipers Murphy Daughtery, Rosannah Rose-Nakayamari, and Annika Jacmenkovich were spotted at the scene by onlookers. Could any of the above-named suspects have contracted with the Vipers to make this hit?

Snakes in the Grass
My investigation of the Vipers organization began months ago when word leaked from the HPD that evidence seized in a raid of the Pawn Shop and the oft rumoured home of the snakes turned up at a local murder scene. The question at the start of my research was about HPD corruption and collusion with local gangs, but a closer look at the white delivery truck in the center of the carnage may provide a glimpse into how deep that burrow goes.
Surveillance at the Pawn Shop recorded the daily flow of products to and from the building with little to distinguish the legal ones from any potentially illegal ones. The white delivery truck that exploded after careening into the fire station bears the same license plates as one that’s been seen making deliveries to the Pawn Shop. Notably, it was photographed there in recent weeks being received by the shop’s assistant manager, self-described ‘arms dealer’, and known Vipers member Annika Jacmenkovich.
The delivery truck was followed back to the Port of Laveau as well as a local airfield, hinting that the Vipers’ reach seems to extend beyond that deceptively quiet town. Few locals would speak to me and even the promise of cash couldn’t pull information, proving the tenaciousness of the loyalties surrounding the Vipers criminal enterprise that is sometimes referred to as “the Family.” What is well known is that the organization has access to explosives as well as the ill-fated delivery truck, and their services are for sale at the right price point. Follow the money…
I’d just like to commend my staff for their excellent work here. As we all know the gang landscape changes in Hathian on a regular basis (although the Rejects remain around and have something to say about that which I will be getting onto soon…) so with these Vipers now the rebranded Koga, there is always a mark to be made and was this theirs? – Ed




