December 25, 8:05 am
Once Kelso got there, they finished breakfast quickly in order to get out to the scene. Athena, Simon, Ema and Halblicht would be the ones going– Apollo had been intended to join them, but Kelso had received a text a few minutes prior that said he’d meet them at the site later.
Athena had tipped back the rest of her coffee, swallowing it at the same time she swallowed her tumultuous emotions.
She wasn’t surprised Apollo wouldn’t be going with them– it was the investigation of the Cosmos center all over again, after all. All she knew was they had to dredge up whatever clues they could get.
Kelso seemed in good spirits today, waving them out towards the parking lot with one hand shoved in her pockets.
“We’re getting a ride from the pack’s top subordinate,” she was saying as Athena numbly followed along “Hope nobody minds having to wait a few minutes. My car’s battery fizzled out.”
“How unfortunate for you,” Simon murmured. Athena noticed that he was keeping less of a strict and sharp eye on Halblicht than yesterday– though now Taka was riding on the detective’s shoulder.
Halblicht stroked his chin as they headed outside. “Was is bad luck or did something happen?”
“Things just don’t seem to be going my way, sirs.” Kelso sighed, her hand reaching up to readjust the sunglasses in her hair again. “I hit a bump and it just wouldn’t start.”
Athena trailed alongside Simon, her head tilting to the side. “…that sounds bad. I could take a look for you if you’d like.”
“She’s better with machines than you might expect,” Simon drawled.
They arrived at the hotel parking lot, and there was a woman waiting there for them in the small sea of cars, standing alongside Ema who had apparently arrived first.
“Nah, it’s a rental.” Kelso waved her hand “and we’re running late…see? Sheila’s already here.”
Athena looked over Kelso’s shoulder at the pair by the car, curiously taking them in.
‘Sheila’ was a beautiful and striking woman clad in a fur-ruffed black coat hanging over a deep wine-red dress Her hair was pale white, and pulled back into a thick ponytail over one shoulder, the strands framing vivid red eyes and a sharp-toothed smile with ruler straight precision.
She looked up at the sound of Kelso’s voice, and took a moment to study them in return.
“Well, well.” she purred in a low and playful tone. “About time you brought the rest of the pack, cub.”
Kelso snapped a salute “sorry ma’am. Was running a few minutes behind.”
Halblicht saluted too. “I hope you don’t mind, but what’s all this pack business I’m hearing? If you wouldn’t mind my curiosity.”
Sheila leaned forward, looking Halblicht over with her piercing stare.
And then she started to giggle.
“Pffff….look at you lot!” she laughed out loud, and Athena could see her wolf-like eyeteeth catch the light before she clapped her hand over her face.
“A Tv detective, Lady Edutainment, and a Modern Day Samurai. It’s like the setup to a joke!” Her shoulders shook for a long, solid moment as her laughter muffled between her clenched fingers.
Athena glanced at Simon with a flushed grimace, sweating bullets as she asked “…do I really look like Lady Edutainment?”
“Snrk!” Sheila managed to wrench her hand free and thrust it out towards Halblicht. “I’m Sheila Ash…Lang’s second in command. Nice to meet you.”
Her expression stilled into the perpetually amused but tightly composed expression she’d worn before they’d given her a laughing fit, as she hovered her hand near him expectantly.
“Agent Lang refers to himself and his subordinates as his pack, Detective. It helps him feel connected to them. Like they’re family. A pack.”
December 25, 8:15 am
Bobby shook Sheila’s hand with firm, enthusiastic confidence.
“Like a pack, you say! Well that must help with team unity!” he grinned broadly, while internally, Robert let the crack about their mode of dress pass– but not without some small amount of irritation
There’s something off about this woman, Bobby.
You think so?
I have an intuition. You keep things going. I’ll be thinking.
Bobby didn’t mind taking the forefront at all.
Simon, he noticed, had crossed his arms. “An interesting perspective– pack behavior. As for your remarks about how we dress, I really don’t think that you get to remark on what’s strange, Sheila-dono.”
“It does wonders.” Sheila shook his hand. Robert noticed that her grip was firm and calloused where the grip of a pistol would lay. ”Agent Lang used to hold investigations with over a hundred agents at his command, and even then, he always called each one by name. Even if his pack’s smaller now, we’re all treated with dignity.”
Athena nervously messed with her long coat, fidgeting with the lapels in Bobby’s peripheral vision. As Sheila let Bobby’s hand go, she turned to Simon fully.
“I suppose I don’t, samurai.” She grinned wide enough to show her sharpened teeth. “But what are clothes, but an outward expression? The image of what you’d like the world to see as ‘you’, hm? And I think I like what I see.”
“Yes ma’am!” Kelso saluted again with a bounce of her ponytail, before she started fidgeting with the bullet between her fingers again.
“Well, at least you like what you see,” Simon drawled. Bobby could tell that, like Robert, Simon was feeling deeply suspicious of this woman. “I have no doubt we’ll be the most pleasant thing viewed on this enterprise, given that we’re visiting a crime scene. Shall we?”
Sheila opened the door of a large SUV, gesturing for them to get inside. “Kelso, take the rear. You. detective. Up front with me.”
Athena was staring at her with that pensive look she sometimes got on her face when she was listening to emotions hidden in the words. Even so, she smiled and clapped her hands together a moment later “alright, Miss Ash.”
“The crime scene won’t be pretty,” Sheila hummed, “but I’ve seen uglier.”
They had the clustered black skyscrapers of the city at their backs soon after, and were driving down the winding, multi-lane highway for a while. Halblicht up front next to Sheila, and the rest– Simon, Athena, Ema, and Kelso, seated in back.
The conversation had been light so far, and Bobby didn’t mind chatting at all. As they were turning off the highway onto a long stretch of more local road, he heard Robert nagging at the back of his mind.
She’s the agent.
What?
The agent that Badd was talking about. Calisto Yew. Shih-Nah. Who went missing from prison.
What??
Bobby realized the internal conversation had shaken him so badly he had missed whatever the woman had said last.
He caught her dark red eye staring sidelong at him, half at the road and half on him as she snorted back another laugh.
“Careful wandering the mind’s passages, detective. I hear some people never come back. Did you hear me?”
He pushed up his glasses embarrassedly. “I’m afraid I didn’t, Agent Shield. I had my mind elsewhere.”
“Do forgive him for his inattention, Agent, the poor half wit has to conserve his brain power,” Simon snickered from the back of the car.
And that had her laughing again, slapping her hand on the wheel as she broke down into another fit of giggles.
“I’ll…snrk…I’ll do my best to forgive the poor man, then! Last thing I want is for smoke to start coming out of his ears!”
Athena leaned forward enough to pat Halblicht on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, Mr. Halblicht. I think it means they like you.”
Kelso had gone quiet, leaning on her elbow as she watched the town roll past, only the clinking of the bullet against her rings as she flicked it back and forth proving that she hadn’t simply fallen asleep.
Sheila composed herself with audible breaths, as if she had to physically stop the laughter with everything she had.
“As I was saying…no case is ever fun when you’ve got fire involved. Only makes things harder for everyone…which I suppose is why spies love it so much.”
“I suppose that is exactly why spies love it so much. A very unjust power it has to erase evidence like that,” Bobby agreed. He had flushed a little at the teasing, but smiled. “And don’t worry, Athena, even a half wit like me picked up on that.”
You’re sure she’s the agent? Her?
Without question.
December 25, 8:35 am
When they approached the scene, Athena could already see that the twisted wreck was still smoking there, off to the side of the lonely stretch of highway. Interpol had cordoned off the area, and Agent Ash pulled the SUV off at the side of the road just before the police tape and orange cones.
“As you can see, the boys kept it nice and safe for us while your plane came in. Ever since we found it, it’s been on guard. Nothing in…or out.” Agent Ash said as Kelso slipped out into the open air with a stretch and a yawn.
Athena followed her out, biting her lip at the smell of smoke in the air.
It turned her stomach, the very thought of dying in a wreck like this sending a pinprick of fear up her spine.
“That’s pretty impressive, ma’am. I’d expect nothing less from Interpol though.”
Simon straightened the edges of his jinbaori as he got out and stood beside her, looking the area over.He whistled, and Taka screamed, taking off from Halblicht’s shoulder and circling over the area.
“It stinks,” Simon complained.
“That’d be the sweet smell of burning flesh and motor oil.” Sheila folded her arms.
“Makes for a hell of a wake up call…” Kelso grimaced with a quickening flick of the bullet.
Athena tried to swallow the bile. No matter how often she saw corpses during an investigation…it always took her back to her mother’s body laying in a pool of blood in the Robotic’s Lab.
With the biggest smile she could muster, she pointed. “then let’s wake up and smell the evidence! N…Not literally.”
Ema Skye slunk from the car “don’t. Some of the fumes from the car are likely to be toxic. Also don’t touch anything until I’ve fingerprinted it to hell and back.”
“Toxic?” Halblicht grimaced and held his nose. “Wonderful. But it’s for justice, so we’ll do what we must!”
“Indeed,” Simon drawled with a grimace. “Let’s get to work.”
And so, while Ema busied herself taking prints, and the interpol agents hung back to discuss their own matters, Athena went to the familiar work of investigating the scene– albeit with very different company than usual.
Athena brought up Widget– not for the emotional matrix, but for her AR notes document.
Carefully, she started a new folder while she eased her way towards the car “…let’s see what we can find, boys.”
The first, and most obvious detail was the cars themselves. One car was turned sharply sideways, its front end facing the right railing of the highway. The second car had collided with it at speed in a head on collision with the first car’s passenger side.
“Nasty accident,” Bobby murmured, leaning forward as he looked at it.
“Very nasty…” Athena went to the first car, and peered through the window “…you think it was driven off the road? Or…”
“Mm, interesting question.” Simon stepped backwards and knelt down, pointing at the road. “Look at the tire marks here, both of you.”
As Athena looked, what she saw was black tire marks that swerved sharply, and suddenly. The first car had turned sideways deliberately, perhaps.
“…actually, it looks like this was deliberate.” Athena pointed. “see? It’s like they were trying to cause a crash…or had no choice.”
Halblicht looked down at it with his hands behind his back. “They could have been trying to avoid hitting something that appeared in front of them suddenly.”
“Do you think that was the case, Half Bright?”
“No sir.” He shook his head. “I think the first car deliberately initiated the crash.”
“That’s what I’m thinking too, Detective.” Athena nodded as she made the note in Widget’s system. She leaned in, “can I open the door? I wanna get a closer look at the front seat.”
“Ema’s going to want prints,” Simon shrugged. “See what you can observe without opening it first and we’ll get permission after she’s finished.”
Athena nodded, before she leaned as close as she could to look at the window, and through it into the seats. “The last thing I wanna do is leave prints on the crime scene.”
The heat of the fire had shattered the glass of the windows and windshield, giving her a comparatively clear view into the burned out husk of a vehicle. There were… remains… in the front seat. It would have been too generous to call it a body.
“This must be…one of the agents?” she murmured “They’ve verified them, right? He’s been burnt to a crisp.”
“They said they haven’t run dental yet, Ms. Cykes,” Halblicht corrected her. “So there’s no way of knowing.”
Simon came near and overshadowed her, peering in. “Do we know if the agents were in one car, or two?”
“Ah, yeah that’s right… She tilted her head to the side, shimmying to inspect the windshield, and the front of the corpse in the seat.
“I dunno…I dunno if we know for sure. Maybe we should ask Sheila.”
Bobby saluted. “I’ll go ask, Ms. Cykes! Try not to break the whole case while I’m gone!”
As he chuckled and trotted off toward the interpol agents, Simon grimaced and shook his head.
“This is surreal,” he murmured.
Athena laughed quietly to herself with a nod .“it is, isn’t it Simon? Absolutely surreal.”
“It’s almost like none of the last week ever happened,” he said, and she watched him run his fingers over the edges of his coat, a wave of twisted nerves wafting off him in her senses. “Except sometimes when he gets quiet.”
“Yeah…” the nerves bounced through her, triggering and bringing her own to the surface as she gave him a tentative smile.
“It’s like the world skipped back to the way it was before…everything. Only now the part of him that’s Robert…comes to the forefront more often. I..I’m thinking it’s a sign he’s getting a little more comfortable.”
“It may well be,” he said. He glanced over his shoulder at where Halblicht was talking with the agents, and Athena felt his swell of mixed emotions again. For a moment he looked like he was going to say something to her, and then he shook his head. “For now we should focus on the crime in front of us.”
“It’s probably for the best…” Athena turned her attention back to the corpse through the windshield before she added. “But Simon? You can talk to me about anything…I promise you I won’t judge, yeah?”
She felt a wave of embarrassment from him, but nodded, and adjusted his cuffs. “We’ll talk, Athena– later.”
It was probably for the best, because Halblicht was already on the way back and gave them a jaunty salute.
“Ready to report, sirs!”
Simon rolled his eyes. “Get it over with!”
Halblicht winced, and rubbed the back of his neck. “Unfortunately, we don’t have that information. Kelso didn’t leave the lobby of the airport fast enough to see how they left, but she and Agent Ash agreed that usually the agents would be in one car.”
“So that means one of these cars is …an extra?” Athena frowned, as she looked through the front seat. “…there’s only one body in here though.”
“Indeed,” Simon nodded. “How about we have a look at the other car. Something is amiss.”
December 25, 8:15 am
After the others left with the Agent, Trucy and Pearl had the buffet practically to themselves.
“Well….I guess they’re off on their big important murder investigation!” she murmured to Pearl under her breath. “…meaning we’ve got the run of the buffet till the hotel kicks us out.”
“Huh?” Pearl looked up from where she’d been staring at her plate. “Oooh Oh yeah we do! I want another donut.”
Trucy rustled her hair with a grin as she stood. “I’ll get you another donut okay? I’m getting myself one anyway…but when I get back, you wanna tell me what’s on your mind? You look like you’re gonna get lost in the ketchup.”
She giggled embarrassedly. “Alright, Trucy, thanks. Um, for the donut. Not for the comment about ketchup.”
Trucy stuck her tongue out playfully, before she wandered back to the table with a worried frown on her lips.
Ever since they came in here Pearl had been acting weird, which usually meant something was bothering her.
She glanced over her shoulder at her with a worried bite of her lip, as she loaded her plate with donuts. As she looked back, Pearl was staring down at her plate again, idly moving her fork without actually eating anything.
It was perhaps the biggest sign that something wasn’t just weird, but wrong. Trucy took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and lifted the plate with a bright smile.
It was a magician’s job to bring people smiles…especially the smiles of the people they loved.
She slid back next to Pearl with a cheerful question of “guess what?”
“What?” Pearl chirped, looking up and painting on a big smile that Trucy could tell was forced.
Trucy held the plate of donuts towards her–before she waved her hand over it and worked the magic of ‘distraction and slight of hand’– leaving it seemingly empty for Pearl’s eyes.
“I got you some donuts, but it looks like the faeries were hungry!” she huffed “…but I can bring them back~”
Pearl gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. “oh nooo! Hungry fairies! Bring them back, please?” She giggled along with Trucy’s trick and she could tell it was more genuine.
Trucy grinned, and waved her hand towards Pearl– and pulled one of the donuts out from ‘behind her ear’
One turned into the whole pile with a shift of perspective and quick fingers.
“There! Magical Girl Trucy saved breakfast!” She plopped down next to her, and pushed the plate her way “did I make you smile?”
Pearl was smiling widely and she nodded. “You always do, Trucy! You know I love your magic! Sorry if I made you think I needed cheering up, though.”
“You seemed kinda lost in your own head, Pearly.” She picked up a donut and offered it to her with a nervous edge to her smile. “…did something happen?”
“Kind of? I’m not really sure…” She accepted the donut, taking a small, thoughtful bite out of it. “I’m worried I might have somehow been wrong about Apollo…”
Trucy’s mind went back to the confrontation in the room the other night, grimacing at the memory of Apollo’s too-tight hold on her shoulders and the pained desperation in his voice.
“…no, I think you’re 100% right, Pearly…but what’s got you doubting?”
She nibbled at her donut for a moment, and finally said thoughtfully. “It’s really not common to see ghosts attached to people, you know? Even for a spirit medium. I’m wondering if I’m confused, because… I saw another one today.”
“W…” Trucy’s eyes widened “what?? Really? Who?”
“That guy who was sitting at the table with Mr. Blackquill and Miss Athena.” She bit her lip thoughtfully. “See why I’m worried?”
“I…I can see why you might be, yeah!” Trucy puffed her cheeks in thought. “…that’s weird as heck. But…maybe it’s one of those things? Maybe like calls to like…and you’re more likely to see possessed guys in clusters?”
“I guess?” she didn’t sound convinced. “I might think that more if I like, knew who that guy even was. I just walked into breakfast and boom, random possessed guy? He must be with Interpol or something right?”
“I dunno, he seemed kinda chummy with Prosecutor Blackquill and Athena.” Trucy rubbed her neck before she snagged a donut and took a bite.
“Maybe we could ask Athena about him?” Pearl asked thoughtfully. “Mr. Blackquill’s a little um…”
“Terrifying? Yeah I’d say. He’s like a big huge stormcloud…but when I was being held hostage by his sister, she kept going on about how he’s a big ol’ softie.”
Pearl giggled and leaned on her hands. “I bet! But still, we know Athena a little better– or you do at least, right?”
“Oh yeah, she’s been bumming around the office long enough.” Trucy grinned at Pearl. “a good boss has to know her employees, right? So let’s try cornering her about our mystery m…men? If he’s possessed?”
Pearl nodded. “If you don’t mind, let’s talk to her when she gets back…”