Diamond's City
Detective Tales
Chapter .I.
'Death marches across the plains of the living.
Holding in one arm a tome of the dead and in the other his executioner, his Scythe.
It walks slowly, patient, wise, and imminent.
It'll soon be near you.
And when the time is right,
It'll end you...'
It was a rainy day. 24th of september, 2293, when a woman entered the gates of our city, seeking the aid of our very well known detective, Nick Valentine.
Accompanied by the local peace keepers, she made her way through the little shops and stalls of, probably, the most fascinating post-war city in the commonwealth.
'We're gonna take a left here, then right into a small alley. So, don't panic, I won't harm you.', began the man that escorted her to Valentine's office.
The woman nodded her head, in response.
'Good.', replied the guard.
...
'Valentine, we had a deal !', shouted a man, as the woman and security guard entered the detective's establishment.
He was fat, fair haired and stood up after he punched the table, clenching his teeth.
'Listen, I have not agreed to your deal. That was hearsay, you didn't knew who did it-'
'I knew ! He-'
'You knew shit ! If you'd known, why come to me ?'
'Beca-'
'Because you wanted to be sure... Right ? Well, I told you he didn't do it. And that I'll keep looking.', Nick interrupted, standing up from his chair. 'He didn't do it, Vic, he just didn't do it...'. he paused, looking at the man on the other side of the desk. 'I'll keep looking into it, Vic. And I'll find her. You came to me, now, I ask you to trust me. I'll solve this.'.
'All right, Valentine. Keep me informed.', said the man, grabbing his fedora from the detective's desk.
'I will.', responded Nick.
Then Vic, turned towards the door. The two, moved aside so he could open it and leave.
Nick then, focused his attention towards the woman. 'Nick Valentine. Private Investigator. What can I help you with, miss ?'
When she stepped forward into the light emitted by the damp lightbulb. Nick noticed certain marks around her ankles and neck and a cut near her left eye. He also noticed that under her clothes, she had bandages around her abdomen. And who knows what else.
'Please, take a seat.', he continued, sitting as well.
When the woman approached and sat across the desk, Nick noticed fresh wounds on her left hand, around her knuckles. And blood under her finger nails. She quickly hid them, by making a fist, and covering her left hand with her right one.
Her green eyes looked straight into Nick's, without any intention of looking away, it seemed.
'Well, go on. Tell him what you told me.', continued the guard.'
When she tried to speak, her voice made an odd squeak.
'Ellie, give her some water.', said Nick. Ellie, quickly grabbed a glass and poured some water in it, then placed it on the desk in front of the woman.
She grabbed the glass in her hands, drinking it as if she had not even one drop of water for days.
Ellie took the glass and refilled it. The woman drained that one too. Her hands trembled while she drank it.
'Thank you...', she spoke softly. 'My name is Ashley Arnolds, I'm a friend of the cleaner. And I was a-', she entered a state of shock, convulsion. Fell down with the chair in which she sat.
'Valentine, do something !', said the guard. Who rushed to catch her as she fell. Now he was near her, holding her hand.
'I can't do anything for her anymore. Her heart is going to stop any time now. Did she carry anything with her ? A bag, a backpack, or a satchel ?'
'So, we're to watch her die ?', asked the guard.
'Larry, did she have anything with her ?'
'A backpack, it's at the gate.', he answered, while Nick, walked to the door. 'Where are you going ?'.
'To get that backpack. You stay here with Ellie.'
'Right...', replied the guard, looking at the woman, who just after Nick closed the door, stopped shaking. 'She's...gone. Dammit.'
'Her condition was very poor, who knows when she last had any sleep, food or water.', said Ellie. 'Don't touch her or move anything near her. And wait until Nick comes back.'.
'Has something like this happened before ?', asked Larry.
'No. But, I trust Nick.', she said, grabbing a stack of files and placing them in a drawer of Nick's desk.
...
Nick hurried, towards the gate, bolting out of the alley, and past the market, towards the stairs.
'Hey, Valentine, a bird chirped to me about a case-'
'Not now, Piper !', he interrupted, hurrying up the stairs. Piper frowned and followed the synth.
'Monroe.'
'Ah, Nick, how are you ?'
'Fine. The woman that entered the city this morning, she had a backpack. Give it to me.'
'Sure. Here it is.'. Monroe, gave Nick the backpack, which he opened, inside he found documents. And a holotape, with the letters 'A.R.K', written on with a marker.
'Hey...', Piper said as she was leaning on the wall, near the stairs, breathing heavily. 'You're pretty quick for a piece of two hundred years old scrap metal. Hoh, what's in that rugged rucksack ?', she approached Nick. 'What ? You won't tell me ?'
'I think you answered your own question.', responded Nick, heading back to his office.
'I'll find out ! Nothing stays hidden if I want it to be found !'.
'See you later, Wright.', continued Valentine, walking up the stairs.
'Wright ! You call me like that when you're annoyed !', she said, following Nick.
'Yes, you annoy me.'
'Oh, Nick, that...doesn't hurt, actually. People called me worse.', Piper replied, now catching up to Nick.
'Look, kid. Why don't you drop this ? Go home and write about whatever is it that you write nowadays. What about that ?
'I will. After you answer a couple of questions.'
'Later, is five alright ? I'm kinda busy right now.'
'Fine.', she answered. 'But, I'm a bit curious about that rucksack, what's up with it ?'
'I'll tell you at five !', insisted Nick.
'Fine, don't get all moody with me...', replied Piper unsatisfied. She then stopped following him when he passed her home.
...
The door of Valentine's Detective Agency, opened with a screech.
'Nick.', began Ellie. 'Have you found anything ?'.
'I did...', he replied, as he sat the backpack on a cabinet, then leaned near his client, searching for clues.
'So ? What is it ?', asked Larry, now kneeling next to Valentine.
'I need you to get out.', said Nick, looking at him.
'What ? Why ?'.
'There is nothing you can do, or help me with at this moment. Don't take it the wrong way. I'll handle it from here on out. Thank you for bringing her here.'
'But, she's dead. There is no case...'.
'You misunderstood the whole thing, kid. That's why she asked for me. Now let me do my job.', said Nick. While Larry, got up.
'Will you tell me if you find something ?', asked Larry, before heading towards the door.
'I will.', answered Valentine. The guard nodded and walked out the door.
Ellie looked at Nick, and smiled.
'What ?'
'You won't tell him, why lie ?', she said.
'Because sometimes one lie is better than a thousand truths.'.