"Looks like," Elliott smiled a sardonic smile. He twisted his body to put on the overcoat as he walked. What was he even doing, working with a cop? He drew the word out in his mind, coooop. He didn't know the victim, shouldn't care, but for the life of him, he didn't want any more people getting hurt for zero reason.

Consciences are pesky things in a criminal type. He'd always avoided killing needlessly, really, killing at all. In his line of work, there were consequences. It was easier to work around the issue and find nonlethal alternatives. Murders bad for business. Sloppy. Unless your business is murder. This conscience thing wasn't a recent development. Setting off bombs for Ragnarok was. So was his malaise.

He'd think on the whole issue later. Conscience or not, they had a criminal to catch. "I almost feel like I need a domino mask or something." Elliott muttered wryly, then stopped and took a look at himself in a car mirror. They'd just stepped out onto the street. In his overcoat and hat, he fit a certain appearance and he really hadn't intended the look. "I suppose Dick Tracy or Phil Marlow will have to do..."

He blinked, then looked to Linely. "Not that I'm advocating vigilantes or detectives detecting without detective licenses, mind." He explained self-consciously. "Just a joke. I found this hat and suddenly realized I look like a hard dick- er, detective." Not dick, the archaic word for detective. He could avoid archaic phrasing. His cheeks flushed brown. He needed to change the subject. He whipped out the card with the information, and looked it over. "I'll help you if you'll have me. But you should probably take lead. Being that you're the actual person with actual authority to actually do any actual good. Yeah?" Clear as mud.

The initial plan had been to hold onto the info so he could become involved in this and help. But that seemed incredibly crappy. If Linely wasn't kicking him out outright, he could man up and extend some of his own trust.

So Ellis had agreed to help then. That was going to mean more paperwork, but regardless he was now involved, if only to keep the fact that the cops had been bribing a criminal to get information...they didn't need that kind of publicity, especially in the MRC. Ratty was known to be bad news by lots of the departments, and the Department for Public Health in particular didn't approve of his activities.

Linely couldn't help but smile as the Alien mutant started to give reference to retro detective shows. He tried to avoid watching them, he'd wind up shouting at the screen about procedure "To be honest, a detective show with an E.T crossover wouldn't be hard to imagine given how the media are..." probably with some heavy-handed message about mutant acceptance that doesn't actually tackle the subject properly. At least it would beat the all-star cartoon with Winnie the Pooh telling people to say no to drugs, in itself a pretty trippy experience.

"Don't worry. We have plenty of costumed vigilantes around in NYC, or had you not seen the X-Men running about the place?" Linely quipped. "It's actually kinda nice to have a mutant to work with that isn't as flashy." The X Men were nothing if not flashy, if they weren't controlling waters, creating vast swathes of ice, directing light in a glorious fashion or turning into thin air, it was almost as if they weren't around at all. They did good work, but boy did it make undercover stuff difficult.

"And of course, I'll take the lead on this. I'll probably have enough paperwork to deal with as it is without having a civillian making decisions for us. You have an idea of where we're supposed to meet this dealer?" It was obvious that Ellis had underground connections, so it was probably best that he was the face of such interactions, since the last time Linely had encountered an "M" dealer, the interrogation had been very much OFF the record.

E.T. Crossover? He'd seen the movie. All he could think of was ET phone precinct. ET dial 911. An amusing thought, really, though he was taller and more handsome than the little brown alien. He shook his head and laughed.

"I thought they already had detective alien crossover shows. You're telling me Benedict Cumberbatch isn't an alien? Color me shocked." Or Sherlocked. He wouldn't have known the show if not for someone watching it at the mansion during his brief stay there... man but that man had a unique face.

The man's joke had obviously eased his embarrassment. The followup comment about vigilantes and X-men made Elliott scratch his head.

Should he get a costume? With his distinctive look, any criminal that wanted to ID him wouldn't need to look hard. Though actually finding him would be s different matter... the officers comment about less flash cut costume change thoughts short.

Linely finished talking and Elliott held up a hand. "Far be it for me to assume to insert myself into your paperwork process. Heaven forbid. That's all you." He smiled inwardly. No, he didn't want to do any paperwork.

He needed to answer the man about dealers though. Elliott looked at the card, then passed it to Linely. While he could make calls and learn, the detectives own resources would be better and far less incriminating.

"And to answer your question, Maybe." Elliott said. "But lets see what you can figure out from the name."