Light flickered across the chief's stony features, the only motion on his face as the security tape played out. The others sharing the room, Circe, Blink, Photon, took pains to look elsewhere. They'd lived it. No reason for a repeat performance. Warp, however, took the chance to catch up. He'd missed most of the action. After a couple of minutes of gore, he was rather glad he did.
Blink felt better, not good, but better. There was dull pressure behind her eyes, a faint ghost of the headache she'd had for the past hour. Nothing April could administer seemed to ease the affect, a fact that drove the woman into a near fit of frustration. Too much was happening she couldn't help. Blink could tell the stress was eating at her but wasn't sure how to deal with it.
She's under so much… and she knows more than she's told, I'm sure… Blink thought. Maybe I can help her relieve some stress later… wish I knew what was causing this headache, though…
The recording ended. Sighing the chief sat back, synthleather creaking as he adjusted in his seat and swivelled around to face the group. There was long pause before he began, voice low and heavy. "I'm fully willing to turn this over to the Meta Department's hands… this… crime is something beyond our capacity." It sounded like the words were being dragged from him, but he meant them. "My department is at your disposal."
Finally… Lee commented over the link. Thought they were going play politics on this thing all day.
Photon ignored the comment, but shared the sentiment.
"After that scene, what did you expect?" Blink muttered into the link.
Blink, Holly spoke to her alone, I tried to look into the words the nurse used. I can't find them. She sounded confused. Not in any linguistic database, no permutations, spelling variants or linguistic derivations. They do not exist.
"Nothing? What the hell could it mean, then? How about in mythological, or fantasy setup? Anything along those lines? And what about what it was saying in English? Anything that might relate to 'It comes'?" Blink wiped her brow, and leaned back against the wall.
Those search parameters are potentially infinite, or a number approaching it so closely the difference is moot. Holly actually sounded like she was sulking.
"Well, these things seem to be hive like, or something…maybe that would help?"Blink was confused, wondering what this had to do with her, and why it was happening.
I'll see, Blink. Holly replied.
"Thanks, Hol. I appreciate that." Blink said.
"Has any more information come up on this matter?" Warp asked.
The main benefit of the time had been that she'd been able to get her stomach back under control, without losing her lunch. "Chief, we need to know everything your people have been able to uncover, as soon as we can get it."
"That's an easy one. We haven't learned anything more than what I've told you so far," he spread his hands, a frustrated, helpless gesture that seemed out of character.
Damn. "When are the forensics reports due back? It looks like we'll have to go into the Sprawl, but I'd rather have something that might suggest somewhere we can start. Otherwise, we could walk around in there for a century or two and still not find anything."
"Our team is processing the finding right now. I'd expect results in the next few hours at the latest", the chief replied. "Initial reports indicate there was a lot of genetic trace material left behind. Most of it was quickly identified as belonging to the officers killed, but the rest…"
"The rest?" Photon prompted him.
"Our labs can't place it. Not in any files or databases in our link," the chief replied, "We running links with Cen-Am, The CS and Nippon but it's slow going. Their touchy about their information."
Warp frowned not knowing where else to go on the investigation. "Is the site of the attack still under police control?"
"We've still got it cordoned off. Not like it needs it, the locals won't come within a block."
"Still, let's keep it blocked off," Photon suggested. "At least until we get the chance to inspect it. Some of the powers we," she indicated her companions with a sweep of her hand, "have might be able to uncover something that the conventional sweep techniques would miss."
Blink moved next to April, putting an arm around her. "Any ideas, love? What ARE these things? How's your head, by the way? I saw you bang it back there."
April stiffened a bit at Blink's touch, then relaxed. "Nothing. I just don't know". Her voice was so pained, so hopeless. Blink hadn't heard her like this, ever. It was almost frightening.
"What's got you so strung out, love?" Blink asked. "You're beginning to worry me."
April caressed Blink's cheek, tried to smile but it came out more a sickly grimace. "Its just that… I've never felt so lost before."
"Hey, I'm still here. And I do understand that a little…. I'm really confused right now too." She smiled at April, taking her hand. Gratefully squeezing Blink's hand, April smiled.
"I'm here for you, love. NO matter what." She turned to look in April's eyes. "Understand?"
April leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "I do…"
"Shall we take a look and see if we can find anything that might help?" Warp suggested.
Von Schmiessen is going to be out of action for awhile. Dr. Morsham said over the link, noting that it was Photon's stray blast that saved his life. His meta ability to soak energy had still been active enough to take the blast. That little boost is most likely what kept him alive. There's a new Project member being processed right now. I think you're going to need all the hands you can get out there, so I want to hook him up with you. Morsham sounded concerned, this was nothing like she expected it would be. She wasn't one for surprises.
"Understood… we'll wait here until he arrives," Photon spoke into her com unit.
All things considered I think you'll be picking him up. He's being in the Metro Detention Main Complex. Morsham replied. You might know the name. He went by Black Scarab.
It was all Photon could do to keep the shock off her face. Black Scarab. She didn't have a face for the name but pure reputation was enough. A SouthAm drug Lord, he worked in the desert no man's land between Solcal and Brazilia. A nasty brutal thug… So he'd been caught at last and brought into the project. Wonderful, just wonderful.
"Assassins and thieves and druglords, oh my," Photon murmured, after recovering from the momentary shock. What? Murderers don't bother you, but drugs do?
"I can arrange an escort to the sight… unless you want to try going in quietly," the chief suggested.
"I think we'd probably better keep it quiet," Photon replied. "If the people we're after don't already know we're on the case, I'd like to keep it that way as long as possible." And that's a BIG if, these days.
"Hey, quiet is what I do best." Blink says. Black Scarab, huh? Oh boy… We get to replace the robot with the thug….I don't like the look of this… She frowned slightly.
Thieves… now I'm relegated back to common hold up men and people who show no skill or style in acquiring objects. Warp thought with a frown on his face.