That's right, it's another Gil Irving case. Get ready for more mystery, suspense, and crazy humour as Gil tackles another strange investigation, this time with a new police unit and wackier investigative techniques. As well, there are people from TOS canon and TOTD that we didn't touch on too much appearing here, along with several OC's of other writers serving as officers in Gil's unit. Get ready for this wild ride!
Namco owns Tales of Symphonia. Mandrakefunnyjuice owns Robert (Bob) Ross. Poet Bucky owns Cabalina and Fil Ashton. Fenrir of the Shadows owns Azul Kharlan.
"Happy birthday Lloyd!" a group of people exclaimed as a blindfold was peeled off of the spiky-haired teen's face. Lloyd's eyes soaked in the sight as his friends were all seated before him, several presents and a large birthday cake front and centre on the dining room table. The contagious smiles on all their faces couldn't help but bring one onto Lloyd's own as he took a seat at the table's end, admiring the fantastic sight.
"Wow, you guys, that's amazing. I don't know what to say," Lloyd responded, stuttering in shock. It was the first time since his sixth birthday where he had everyone around. All the years in between, there were rarely, if ever large-scale celebrations like this mainly because of his father's undercover work. Now, to see his father bring all his close friends together for this birthday, the one to mark the beginning of his final high school year, it truly meant something to him. "Thank you so much, seriously."
"Why don't you open some presents first?" Colette suggested cheerfully. Lloyd looked into her eyes and smiled, knowing that she must have put a lot of heart into her choice, given the way they wanted to push their blossoming relationship forward.
"Alright, let's see what you gave me?" Lloyd replied, taking the small box with Colette's name on it. It was wrapped in pink paper with a yellow knot on top. Lloyd had a goofy smile on his face, his eyes alternating between Colette and the box as he pulled on the string, curious like a child in finding out what was inside.
The crowd inched forward as Lloyd reached into the box, his tentacle-like digits wrapping around a small, furry object. Lloyd's brows furrowed anxiously as he brought it out in one flourish motion. When it reached daylight, Lloyd couldn't help but beam. "Colette, where did you find such a neat figure?" he asked, showing the stuffed animal.
Colette smiled sheepishly. "I got it over the net," she explained, showing Lloyd a description she printed from the website, "Flanoir sells these snow hares that are almost like a lucky charm to those who carry them. I thought, with this being our last year, we ought to get them, so I ordered them the day we got back from our trip. A couple of weeks later and here they are." She stuck her hand into her pants pocket and pulled out one identical to Lloyd's. "There's one for me as well, so now we're really a pair."
Lloyd's hand crept up to his mouth, covering the lower half of his face as he swelled with emotion. Colette truly wanted this to prove their bond, and there was no way he would forget this. "Thanks Colette, I'm truly touched," he responded. The two leaned forward and pulled each other into a tight embrace.
"Hey, you've got to unwrap my present next," Genis called excitedly as Lloyd and Colette released each other. The young half-elf shoved a small silver box into Lloyd, pointing eagerly at it. "There's a surprise inside, make sure you see it."
Lloyd chuckled, taking the box into his arms. "What's so special about this?" he asked as Genis, just like Colette, stuffed a hand into his pocket.
Lloyd finally opened the box, and it was a brand new digital camera, with all the latest accessories for taking action and stills, far and near shots. Lloyd toyed with the piece of technology in his hands. "Thank you, this is really nice. I didn't expect you to be technological, since you're so into mana spells. What gave you this idea?" he asked.
Genis revealed an object from his pocket. "Grandma expanded our cell phone plan and got me a new cell phone. It's got text messaging, web browsing, and a camera too," he described, typing on the keypad, "But while I was checking it out, I decided to get you a camera. I even tested out both cameras, and I have pictures of the same object. Let's see which one looks better to you." Genis pointed to an envelope in the box.
Lloyd pulled out the envelope. It wasn't even sealed shut, and Lloyd pulled out the contents with relative ease. However, the two photographs inside made him cringe out of surprise but also of déjà vu. There was a dark, shadowy circular object front and centre on each one, and it didn't take Lloyd too long to figure out what it was. "Genis, it's your belly button," he uttered apprehensively, "Any reason why you chose that?"
Genis lifted his shirt, exposing the bowl-shaped depression to everyone. "You can't have a birthday without mentioning your first birthmark," he retorted defiantly, sticking a finger into the hold-like item and wiggling it a few times.
The crowd chuckled, laughing at Genis' action. Just then, Gil clapped his hands and returned their attention back to the table. "We still have a cake to cut," he told everyone, "Let's try and eat it before the wax melt onto the frosting, shall we?"
The crowd cheered as Lloyd leaned forward and blew out the candles to his cake. Gil pulled out a knife for his son as the teen sliced into the layers, serving each person a piece before grabbing one for himself. They all laughed and joked, enjoying this final weekend before school and work resumed. After a summer filled with adventure and suspense, they were all back into the working mindset, ready for a truly normal year.
By the time they all had their fills, darkness completely descended upon the neighbourhood. Lloyd was about to lead the guests out when Gil barged in, phone still in hand. "Lloyd, there's actually one more present for you, and it's just been delivered to our house," he announced, "When you lead the guests out, please open the garage door."
Lloyd cocked his eyebrow as he led the guests to the door leading to the garage. The dark silhouette of Gil's Audi V8 loomed in the same spot it had been in for years. Gil had not changed his car for a decade, after having bought this silver vehicle over a decade ago. Now, the A8 had replaced the V8, and Gil might just be the last man in Iselia to drive this car, yet he still refused to exchange it. But knowing the memories present in that car, including those from his undercover work, Lloyd could see how it was justified.
Nevertheless, Lloyd obeyed his father and slapped the switch. The garage door steadily creaked open, slowly revealing a set of wheels on the ground. The headlights were next, followed by the hood, the windshield, and the roof. Lloyd covered his mouth in awe. "Dad, are you serious?" he gasped, the other hand on his forehead.
Gil nodded, leaning on his crutches and grinning at his son. "Forcystus blew up your last car when he wanted to demonstrate the power of ancient mana, so I thought I'd get you a new one with that tax-free bonus I earned as a mole," he answered, gesturing at the new MINI Cooper on the driveway, "In case you're wondering, it is a hybrid. I heard from Colette and Genis that you wanted something that saves gas, so here it is."
Lloyd was overcome with emotion, stuttering and choking on his words. "Wow, what can I say?" he blubbered, tears forming on the corner of his eyes, "This is simply amazing, thank you so much, Dad!" he exclaimed, giving Gil a hug.
Gil adjusted his crutches and wrapped his arms around Lloyd as well. "But you have to promise me, alright?" he replied, whispering into Lloyd's ear, "Promise me you will turn it around this year, and get yourself into a university or college, got it?"
"I'll do everything I can, Dad," Lloyd murmured, still holding onto his father, with the group soaking in the touching scene, "I'll do everything I can."
"Alright class, take your seats. I'm glad you all had fun over the summer break, but let's focus on our studies again," a short lady with curly, auburn hair and glasses called to the students assembling in the room. Colette and Lloyd marched in together, with the blonde guiding them to two seats close to the front and adjacent to each other. Normally, social studies was a class Lloyd Irving dreaded. But ever since he found out about events from the Reunification onward, he developed quite an interest in it. It didn't hurt that the leader of the Reunification group was also his namesake. Add on the renewed attitude to do better academically, and Lloyd was truly reborn.
Lloyd and Colette directed their attention to the teacher as she introduced a new student. "She's recently switched schools, and will be attending grade twelve this year. She will be taking social studies with us. Please give a welcome to Chocolat."
The class looked on as a teenager with features nearly identical to her name stood before them. She had chocolate-brown eyes, similarly coloured shoulder-length hair, and wore matching yellow-brown sports jacket and track pants. She observed the class with a neutral expression, her pose timid. However, to those sitting at the front, like Lloyd and Colette, there was also something about her showing a stronger, firmer side, telling the class that anyone who dared to question her might get a more passionate response.
"Chocolat, please take a seat. There's one just behind the front row," the teacher instructed the new student, motioning just behind Lloyd and Colette. "Now, let me take attendance first, and then I'll move on to discussing our first project."
The class groaned, frustrated that they might be hit with a project on their first day of classes. The teacher ignored the mumblings and moved to the front table. Lifting a folder off the desk, she flipped to the front page and called out names. "First on my list, Colette Brunel?"
"Present," Colette called, waving her hand. As the teacher moved on to other names, the blonde turned around and tried to know the new student a bit better, greeting her with a big smile and asking, "So where were you before coming here?"
Chocolat shied away, refusing to look at Colette. She slouched over on her desk, her head at level with the notebook she brought out seconds earlier. "I transferred here from another school," she muttered, avoiding eye contact and keeping her volume low.
"What was your old school like? Did you enjoy there?" Colette continued asking, leaning her head closer even as the teacher continued the roll call, "Lloyd and I have been going to school together since grade one, and we really enjoy the places we went."
"I just don't want to talk about that, so could you knock it off?" Chocolat snapped at Colette, whipping her head up at her. Brown pools of frustration pierced through the blonde as the new student glared forward, "It's none of your business anyway."
"Lloyd Irving?" the teacher called, lifting her head up. Her eyes scanned right in the direction of the teenage couple, causing Lloyd and Colette to turn back to the front. Behind them, Chocolat continued to sulk and ignore everyone surrounding her.
"I'm here," Lloyd replied, raising his hand. The teacher marked a check next to his name, and soldiered on. When her attention was back to the list, Lloyd turned back and this time, it was him who shot daggers at Chocolat. "You didn't have to raise your voice at Colette. She was just curious, you know!" Lloyd whispered harshly.
Chocolat returned the stare before abruptly burying her face in her arms. Lloyd could only look on in confusion and irritation as the new student became increasingly disagreeable to them. And as they continued to observe Chocolat's every move, they didn't even notice the teacher put away the attendance list. "Alright, so just to start our new grade off, I want to have the class get into groups to do a project on a topic from last year, but try approaching it from a different perspective."
She picked up a felt pen and scribbled on the white board, prompting the class to mimic her. Papers being taken out of binders sounded like leaves rustling as the teacher explained, "As we all know, different perspectives lead to different biases. While you learned one set of ideas in grade eleven, they may be challenged or changed in grade twelve, or when in university, if you pursue it that far. This is the theory of knowledge, and to test our theory of knowledge, I'll group the class into groups of two or three people to take a subject learned last year, and apply a new dimension to it. Since this is your first project, I'm grouping you based on a topic of your choosing, is that fair?"
While Lloyd was getting introduced to his new class, Gil was back at the police station meeting his new staff. Despite still being in a cast, he insisted that he be present for the introduction to the new unit, and wanted to meet each and every single person. As the officers filed into the conference room, Noishe and Gil observed them from the Major Crimes captain's office. "You think you can work well with these guys?" Noishe asked.
Gil smiled. It was so much like his superior, the legendary Protozoan that finally evolved into its final stage, to worry about working well. Aside from the late police chief Marshall, Noishe was the only person to know of Gil's identity as a mole. While the chief was a mentor-like figure, Noishe had been the worrywart best friend, always encouraging but saying and doing things that showed more concern than was originally needed. But still, without Noishe, Gil probably wouldn't get through all his missions. "Once you're done with the announcements, we'll see what happens then," he replied, "Shall we?"
Noishe led the way, exiting his doors in a flourish. He held it open for Gil to clop through on his crutches, and just in time for him to see a familiar face. While Noishe went straight to the conference room, a short young woman with pink hair and still eyes approached. Unlike when they first met, this time she had a smile on her face. "Officer Combatir, I never knew you'd be assigned to this unit," Gil greeted the new officer.
Presea smiled back, happy to see the person who would be in charge. A month ago, the two were on opposite sides of the law, Gil being the undercover cop while Presea was the one Cruxis sent into the police with a Cruxis Crystal. Now, with her completely healed and internal affairs clearing her of wrongdoing, she was prepared to make a brand new start. "It's something new for me, I guess," she responded meekly, "I wanted some time away from SIU, after all the terrible things I did behind their backs there. Since you have a new unit involving plain-clothes, and I have some experience in that, I thought I should apply for it. Lo and behold, I'm here, and I'm ready to take on anything."
"Well, it's great to have you on our side again," Gil replied happily, placing a hand on her shoulder. The two slowly moved into the conference room, where Noishe and the other officers waited patiently for them. Presea calmly took a seat at the large table while Gil stood at the front, slightly behind Noishe.
Seeing the crowd was quiet, the former Protozoan introduced the unit. "My name is Arthur Noishe and I'm the captain of this new unit. Recent events with gangs and other difficult cases made it impossible for regular, uniformed police officers to deal with. My usual unit, Major Crimes, deals with any large-scale crimes, and my co-administrator, Captain Eric Burton's unit, SIU, deals with crimes of an irregular nature. But there isn't one unit or team that coordinates both sides and incorporates both the investigative and the special skills together. That's why two years ago Captain Burton and I collaborated on designing this new team, and went to the city with a proposal. This is the result."
Noishe gestured at the people seated before him. There were three people so far, but each had something about them that showed how unique this small but supposedly effective team would be. "I thought we should have an 'icebreaker' activity just to know each other a bit better," Noishe suggested, "Let's go around the table in order and have each person tell us a bit about themselves. Let's start here." Noishe pointed at an officer seated on the right side.
Gil followed Noishe's finger, which pointed at Presea. The petite officer cleared her throat and began. "My name's Presea Combatir, and I was with SIU earlier. I was actually directly involved with the Cruxis case, but now that I'm here, I'm going to do everything in my power to help this unit work. I believe that roles like moles, such as the ones I played when I was still with SIU, shouldn't be seen as a negative, but as an asset in solving irregular crimes, and I'm more than willing to contribute my part. Thank you."
Noishe nodded, satisfied with Presea's determination. To Gil, it seemed like Presea was intent on using this unit as her way of repaying the police for her actions. It might be a strange way to redeem herself, but knowing her expertise in communication technologies and undercover tactics, Gil was more than willing to have her on the team. Just as he thought about this, Noishe pointed to the next officer. "Let's hear from you."
Gil's eyes landed on an elf seated behind Presea. He seemed so young, but Gil guessed that it was likely because of an elf's natural longevity, as he heard that some elves could live to five hundred. The elf slowly tilted his head at the front, his unruly red-brown hair waving slightly across his face and nearly covered one eye. The uncovered eye was a strange ocean-blue colour, conveying an unusual combination of his youth and his experience. One look at his moderately, but not imposing, muscular build and his slightly freckled face and forearms and Gil immediately recognized him. He was in the honour guard during Marshall's funeral, he thought, he was among those who fired the salute shots.
Just then, the elf spoke in a clear voice. "My name is Azul Kharlan and I'm from Heimdall. My parents were both in the police force over there, and I actually served in the Heimdall force for a few decades before moving. Yes, I am over a hundred, nearing a hundred thirty to be exact, but that's around twenty five in human years," he explained, "I hope to bring experience in working with other races to the unit, as I've seen firsthand the isolationist-reformist rivalry that nearly tore Heimdall apart. I hope to incorporate all races in law enforcement, and have their support from the community."
Noishe nodded. "Again, we couldn't stress enough, community involvement is very important to all police units. So to have Officer Kharlan with us, bringing his wide range of experience in dealing with race relations, I think that's really important," he agreed, affirming Azul's point, "And let's move on, shall we? Next person," Noishe stated, going across the table.
This time, it was a female officer with hazel eyes and brown hair tied into a ponytail. She had on a bust of determination and enthusiasm as she rushed to showcase herself. "My name is Cabalina Ashton, although my family usually calls me Lin. When I was a cadet, I strived at being a sharpshooter, and usually like going to the shooting range for target practice. I have experience in several firearms, and I'm willing to demonstrate to you what they're like," she described, staunchly sticking to her favourite topic, "Other than that, I hope to bring more flare to our unit, and give us the recognition we deserve."
Gil cocked an eyebrow at the trigger happy officer, his eyes trying to side stare into Noishe, who did his best to contain either a sigh of exasperation or a laugh in seeing her unorthodox introduction. "Well, it's good to have those striving for the best here," Noishe half-snorted, "I'm sure we'll find that enthusiasm really handy in the future."
The other two officers stared at Cabalina, not sure what to make of her. Azul's arms were crossed across his developing pectoral muscles while Presea cupped her chin, letting a couple of fingers line across her mouth. I'd prefer it if she saves some of her enthusiasm for the cases rather than spending her energy yakking about her guns, she thought to herself, wondering how this overly outgoing colleague would match with her.
"Well, I think that's pretty good for everyone, but somehow I think we're missing someone," Noishe concluded, rubbing his hands together. Gil looked on with interest as the police captain picked up a folder on the table, flipping through each profile. Whoever this missing person was, they were intent of finding out about this unexcused absence.
Noishe finally stopped at the final page, where a picture of a familiar looking man stared back at them. The information stated that he was thirty years old, of relatively good standing in the academy, but his track record in the force was less than spectacular. In fact, had it not been for the first two years in Major Crimes, Gil was surprised that he stuck around for eight years in the force. "Does anyone know where Robert Ross is?" Noishe asked, looking up at the rest of the unit, who stared back at him in bewilderment.
The silence was shattered when the door burst open, revealing a man resembling anything but an elite police officer. He had unruly brown curly hair and wore in a plaid shirt with only its left side tucked in. Matching that were a puffy vest, tattered blue jeans, and brown hiking shoes that made him seem more like a fisherman. One look at the pot-belly and the five o'clock shadow on his face and Gil was truly disgusted. Scrunching up his face, he asked, "Are you Robert Ross?"
"Yes, that's me. Nice to meet you," the stranger replied, sticking out his hand. Gil and Noishe immediately leaned back, pointing at the sticky substance still stuck on his hand. "Oh, this is frosting from the donut I had earlier. Forgot to clean it, silly me, just give me a moment," Robert stated. He then prompted to lifting his hand to his face and licked each finger one by one. From the table, the other officers stared in horror.
"Well, Officer Ross, this is your new unit, and they are your new colleagues." Noishe gestured to the other officers, all of whom lifted hands, arms, and even jackets to shield themselves from the revolting sight before them. Seeing the situation, Noishe tried to change the subject. "Why don't you tell them a bit about yourself?"
"Well, I've never been offered the spotlight before, so thanks," Robert answered, albeit somewhat sarcastically. He leaned his chubby frame in front of Gil and Noishe, screening the two superior officers as he blasted his autobiography to the crowd, "I've been in the force for eight years, most of them in the Major Crimes Unit with Captain Arthur Noishe. I consider myself the guy bringing the donuts, and if the others aren't done with them completely, I become the guy mopping up the box. I also like to tell jokes over the police radios, especially when I'm not in a police chase. And lastly, I'm a pro when it comes to pranking rookies. So if you're a rookie, then watch out!"
Noishe glanced at the others, who had their eyebrows twitching. Beside him, he could hear Gil's breathing intensify as the former mole tried everything in his power to keep his cool. "Robert, were you perhaps stuck in traffic today, causing you to be late?" Noishe asked in a friendly tone, trying to avoid a fistfight on the unit's inaugural day.
"Come on, Captain! You know you don't have to be that formal with me. Next time, just Bob is fine," Robert replied, slapping Noishe's shoulder hard. The former Protozoan staggered forward as the professional slacker told the audience, "My dog was feeling ill last night, and I had to accompany it to the vet this morning. One thing led to another, and in the midst of all that I remembered I had to come. I wanted to buy you donuts too, but I guessed I ate them all before I got here. So, I'm glad I made it on time, but I have to go now. Sorry to be a ditcher and I promise I'll stay longer next time. Bye!"
And just as unexpectedly as he came in, Robert Ross blew out the room, leaving the door wide open with only the ventilation circling the air being felt in the room. The other officers looked on, not sure what to say as Noishe slowly tilted his head back and forth between the door and the table. "Well, any questions?" he said with a weak smile.
"In our tutorial section, we will run a simulation activity where the most basic theories of analysis are used to discuss the overall history of the Reunification and the following years," Raine explained, glancing at the class of mostly freshmen before her. The eager undergraduates stared back with a mixed bag of expressions, hoping to know their TA's expectations better, especially knowing Raine's enthusiasm could go wild.
Raine picked up the class roster for this tutorial section. As the course's head TA, she administered tutorial assignments and processed all grades for Frank. She was keen on leading by example and making this simulation exercise as successful as possible, at least in the sections that she was in charge of. "Class attendance is an expectation, as you should discuss the issues with your classmates," she told everyone sternly, "I will take attendance every week, and any absences will be noted and discussed with Frank."
Raine grabbed the file folder and flipped to the front page. Glancing at the class roster, she listed off the first name. "First person is Fil Ashton. Are you here?"
"I'm here!" A lanky arm shot up from the centre. Raine looked up to see a young man with brown, mane-like hair staring back at her. There was a mischievous twinkle in his dark brown eyes, almost like inside this university freshman was a fun-loving child.
The energetic look put a smile on Raine's face as she checked off his name. In an attempt to make the atmosphere friendlier, she asked, "Are you a history major? Do you have any experience in observing and analyzing historical events like this?"
"No, I'm a veterinary science major, to be exact. I only took this course because I wanted a social science option," he stated sheepishly, feeling worrisome of what his TA, who was overly passionate about history, would think, "But I have a good reason, though. I feel that as a veterinary science major, I already have a basic grasp at being observant. I know it sounds weird, but watching animal health and using that to diagnose symptoms requires good analytical skills. And I hope I can apply these skills in a different setting."
Raine mulled Fil's words over. She never thought about critical history analysis outside of history and archaeology. True, she did some critical analysis when she helped Gil's undercover work, and did apply observational skills in the Altamira cases, but she never expanded her horizon into an entirely different field like veterinary science. Even so, she kept an open mind, and accepted this intriguing student. "I'm glad to see people apply the knowledge in such wide ranges, so good on you," she complimented Fil.
With a slight smile on his face, Fil looked around awkwardly, realizing that he inadvertently made himself the centre of attention. He could see Raine turn her attention back to her folder and call out the next name. "Kate Aubrey?"
From the back of the room, a young lady with aquamarine hair and wearing round glasses stuck up her hand. She was a total contrast to Fil. The young man was energetic and eager to learn, but she was meek and quiet, trying to keep to herself. She huddled her shoulders and half-buried her head in her notes, hoping Raine wouldn't notice.
But the silver-haired half-elf wasn't about to be denied. Asking her the same question as she did with Fil, Raine probed the student from the front. "What do you expect to get from this course?" Her eyes aimed straight at the back corner, intent on breaking Kate out of her self-created shell.
Kate held her ground, refusing to look too far out and staying relatively protected in her corner. "I'm just interested in our past, a bit of history here and there, that's all," she replied timidly, her volume barely loud enough to break through the ventilation fan.
Raine frowned, unsatisfied with the response. For a supposed history fan, Kate was being awfully hard to reach out to. Trying a different approach, she reached into her mana instincts and gauged the green-haired student. Even with little mana using experience, it was a natural ability of elves and half-elves to be able to detect a person's mana structure, and a quick scan through Kate's revealed that she was, like Raine and a few others in the room, a half-elf. Capitalizing on this, she decided to press forward.
"There's no shame in trying to know more of our past, since so much of that hinges on how people relate to one another," Raine began slowly, her eyes never leaving Kate, "For example, I, along with several others in our class, am a half-elf. I'm really into how this supposedly shunned race, deemed inferior by its ancestors and a threat even past Reunification, managed to work its way up to respectability. I'm sure this is something everyone, including you, find worthy of studying, correct?" she asked.
The initiative had the opposite effect, as Kate withdrew deeper into her clothing and notebook. "Oh believe me, if you only knew," the students closest to her could hear her mutter. Kate refused to even look around, causing many around her to cock their eyebrows, giving confused yet irritated looks at the disagreeable half-elf. How could anyone in the class open discussions with a ridiculous being like this?
But Raine chose to get back in character and be an astute observer. She focused back onto the sheet and checking Kate's name off, all the while mulling over the last few words uttered by the half-elf student. It wasn't unusual to see half-elves being more subdued and restraining themselves in class discussion, but to see someone completely withdrawn like that was downright odd. I better keep an eye on her, Raine thought. With that, she returned to the task at hand and listed off another name.
"Tell me again, why are we stuck with her?" Lloyd demanded as he trudged to the school parking lot with Colette. It was a rather interesting first day, with many new topics in their grade twelve courses. Lloyd approached all with a renewed interest, hoping to follow through on his word to do well enough in them to propel him into university. In his mind, this was the only way to show his father his gratitude and repay him for all the things he did the last decade, both as a mole and as an absent parent.
But it was the social studies class that truly cut Lloyd's legs from under him. After the class submitted their topics of interest, the teacher grouped them according to their choices. Lloyd and Colette both wrote down their number one choice as the role of the Chosen after Reunification, and unfortunately the person with the closest topic was Chocolat, who picked the attempts to reform the Church of Martel as her theme. Seeing how Chocolat was pretty much by herself, the teacher decided to put the three in one group, having them do a combined project. "I specifically asked for groups of two or three, not going solo," she ordered, "This way, nobody is at a disadvantage."
And so went the rest of the day, with Chocolat hounding them throughout lunch hour and just before Lloyd departed. Chocolat caught him at his locker, and reminded him and Colette again to do their part in the project, scrutinizing them nonstop. "I want nothing short of an A, so if you guys slack off, you're going to get it!" she threatened.
"How does anyone get that disagreeable?" Lloyd groaned as he unlocked his new hybrid MINI Cooper, "We barely got to know her and she's already needling us with how we're going to mess things up. Talk about starting off on the wrong foot!"
Colette shrugged, keeping a smile stretched across her face. "Look on the bright side," she suggested, giving her boyfriend's shoulder a pat, "With her determined outlook, it might just give us more incentive to work harder. She's probably going to make sure that she does her part, so that means we'll have to do ours just to catch up."
Lloyd was about to respond when a familiar voice interrupted them. "Hey, if it isn't the mystery hunters from Altamira, fancy seeing you guys here!"
Lloyd and Colette turned around to see a short, teenage girl behind them. She had brown, somewhat spiky hair, wore a dark green tank top, dark shorts ending at her knees, and a blue bandana on her neck. One look at her smile and they recognized her instantly. "You're that horse rider we met in Altamira," Lloyd exclaimed, "So you live in Iselia?"
The teenager shrugged. "I moved here last week, and I'm now living near the northern outskirts of town," she explained, "I have a barn in my place, and in case you're wondering, my wonderful quarter horse Indy is living with me. Indy, my family, and I are still just getting used to our surroundings, so feel free to drop by if you have the time."
"That's close to where we are, since we're pretty much in the north edge of the city," Colette replied. While Iselia did grow throughout history, most of the expansion was due west and east. The southern edge of the city neared a desert, where access to basic necessities was unviable, while the north was a preserved forest due to its historical significance to the Reunification hero, Lloyd's namesake. Therefore, the community that Lloyd and Colette lived in had been near the outskirts of the city for as long as they remembered, with very little expansion around them. "Of course we'll come by. I'm sure Genis would love to as well, since he seemed to get along with your horse."
And just as his name was mentioned, Genis came into view. Upon seeing his horse rider friend standing with Lloyd and Colette, he immediately bounded over. "How's it going, belly button fanatic? So you're attending this school now?" he shouted.
The girl smiled and nodded, happy to see her biggest fan again. "Yup, looks like we'll be seeing a lot of each other from now. Put her there, belly button boy!"
The two slapped hands, happily greeting each other. "So you're in what, grade eight now?" the rider asked, "I heard you're an honour roll student, so how did you find your courses? And how's your belly button taking to being covered all day, now you're back in school with a dress code?" she asked, a finger shooting forward for Genis' gut.
Genis tucked his stomach in at the last second, causing the hand to fall just short. "I'm good, most of my courses seem pretty easy, but I'm in no hurry to skip a grade. It's been offered to me before, but I wanted to keep going like this, just to let me enjoy things while they last. Besides, I get to meet and hang out with fantastic people like Lloyd, Colette, and you. What grade are you attending this year, and how well did you clean your belly button?" Genis retorted, as it was his turn to jab out a finger at his companion.
This time, the girl sidestepped the attack, leaning dangerously close to Colette, who nearly tripped over and dropped all her books on the ground. Meanwhile, Lloyd could only shake his head as he opened the MINI Cooper doors. "I'll give you guys a ride home, if you want," he offered, "That also includes you." He pointed at the horse rider.
The rider nodded, pulling her backpack up and entering the small car. "My name is Bucky, by the way. I'm in grade eleven this year, so one grade below you and Colette, and three above Genis," she described, scooting to the right behind the passenger seat where Colette was. Genis then took the left back seat, directly behind the driver.
Lloyd turned the ignition, causing the MINI Cooper to hum to life. Unlike his old car, this hybrid vehicle was much quieter, making the ride more enjoyable for everyone. "Just a warning," Lloyd cautioned, turning back to face his passengers, "I'm still getting used to this vehicle, so please don't disturb me too much, and that means no poking belly buttons from you both in the back. Got it?" he glared at the two fanatics.
Genis and Bucky glanced at each other, defiant and mischievous looks on their faces as Lloyd pulled the car out of the parking lot. Genis and Bucky then proceeded to inch the hands in the centre closer to each other, all the while snaking the hands near the car doors under their shirts and onto their abdomens. They both placed a finger into their respective belly buttons; Genis with the deep crater while Bucky had a shallower one, guarding them defensively as they eyed each other for the best time to strike.
"Tell me why I'm stuck with him," Gil groaned in frustration as he flopped onto a chair at Noishe's office. His first day as staff sergeant didn't go as well as he hoped for, especially with Robert Ross showing up and then giving everyone attitude. Now that all the officers had gone home, he hoped to settle this issue with Noishe.
"Be more positive, Gil. It's not all bad," Noishe responded sympathetically, "I had him in my unit for six years, so you tell me how I felt seeing his degradation."
Gil lifted an eyelid lazily, eyeing Noishe suspiciously. "What do you mean by degradation? Was he actually a star cadet, if so then in which lifetime?" he asked.
Noishe smiled. "He was actually a cadet in the academy just after he moved to Iselia, graduating in excellent standing at age twenty-two. He was born in Meltokio and grew up in Luin, but didn't gain a passion for law enforcement until eighteen. Originally, we hired him for Major Crimes because of his great academic standing, and we saw him as the perfect replacement for you after you became a mole two years before his arrival," the captain explained, "And when he was first here, he was really impressive."
Gil chuckled. He had always wondered about his position in Major Crimes ever since he left. To hear that another star cadet like him was hired, he was truly honoured by the treatment. But that only intrigued him more, as Gil wondered how this so-called rookie of the year became a first round bust. "So what happened next?" he inquired.
Noishe shrugged. "I can't say for sure, but I think it was a combination of factors that did it," he replied, his face stoic in deep thought, "There was too much pressure for him to replace you, and tie that with having cases that he couldn't solve, he just took it really hard. He started slacking off, and his colleagues lost patience. I got so many complaints about him over the next six years that I finally got rid of him two years ago."
"But he's still here though," Gil responded, cupping his chin. The room was silent as the two veteran policemen conveyed on this issue. "So obviously you had a change of heart, or he's got enough connections in high places to keep him alive. And given that you waited six years before booting him, I say you have some hope for him too, right?"
Noishe nodded. "Call me stubborn, but I really felt he could be a good cop again," he explained, flipping through Robert's personal file, "I know with the right influence, we can make it work again. That's why when they sent him back to me, and when you agreed to be the staff sergeant, I really wanted to give him another chance. After all, you are his predecessor in Major Crimes, so I'm sure letting his idol inspire him might work."
Gil couldn't help but chuckle at the twinkle in Noishe's eye. It reminded him of the days when Gil was still undercover, wanting to give in and get out of the business altogether. But Noishe insisted that he stayed, telling him every time who he fought for, and why he had to fight. With only Anna and Lloyd on his mind, Gil persevered through the years, advanced their causes and conquered Cruxis. And now, with another challenge at hand, also involving Noishe, Gil just couldn't say no. "I'll say what I can do to get Bob more proactive in our cases. Speaking of which, do we have one?" he asked.
Noishe closed Robert's file folder and opened a new one. "This is what I call a 'semi-cold' case, linking to a past investigation but we believe it's still operational, but just not in the same context as before. You do recall about ten years back, Triet police asked us for help in cracking a swindling and embezzlement operation, right?" he asked.
Gil's hand covered the lower half of his face, his fingers scratching against the famous goatee as he mulled the details over. "It was that one involving the guy who thought he was some fortune teller, right? And that he could help small businesses make fortunes with his so-called divine and heavenly skills?" he recalled, his eyes clamped shut in thought. It was the last case he followed before going undercover. Even as he wasn't actively involved, he tried to keep up to date with it as often as possible.
Noishe nodded. "We were about break through when Cruxis murdered your wife, diverting our attention away from there. With you undercover, we didn't pay much attention to it again. But two years later, when a larger operation involving several gangs surfaced, we went back to Triet with Robert Ross as your replacement," he explained.
"And he didn't get it done either, and the gang goes free again," Gil concluded, "So now you believe they've surfaced in Iselia, and we should follow up on them?"
Noishe showed Gil the file, flipping it across the desk to let the man on crutches get a better look. "We believe they also made lucrative deals with drugs, especially those that influence the mind, like amphetamine. And with recent disappearances of teenage girls, only to reappear before their parents dazed and moody, it seemed like prostitution may be involved too." Noishe leaned back on his chair, clasping his hands in thought, "I know you have to get your cast removed tomorrow, so I can take the morning briefing and lead the team to a supposed hideout later on. Would you please join us?"
"So this is the building, and like I said in the briefing this morning, it is rather old and run-down," Noishe explained as the team assembled across the street in one of the city's oldest neighbourhoods. As per the plan, Noishe was intent on entering the Beltline area, just south of the downtown core, to scour for suspicious gathering places. This old concrete building, with cracks on the side and a few boarded up windows, had been identified as an area of interest, and that was why Noishe brought the team down here.
"Presea, take the front entrance and work up each floor, making sure each room on your side is covered. Cabalina, do the same thing with the back side. Azul, look at the surrounding areas for escape routes or hiding places where loot or people may have been in. I'll interview the neighbouring businesses to see if they've noticed anything in the last few days," Noishe instructed, listing off the tasks one by one, "Let's get moving."
As the team split up, Noishe approached the first business nonchalantly. With his hands in his pockets, he casually picked up a magazine from the shelf, taking quick peeks at the store manager, who was too busy attending to some customers to notice him. The former Protozoan was about to turn into the store when his cell phone rang, the shrill call echoing through the store. Dropping the magazine, Noishe whipped the phone from his pocket, eyeing the caller ID and greeted the caller. "Hello, Gil? What's going on?"
"Captain Noishe, they just removed my cast but ended up putting me in a leg brace. I'm on my way to you as quickly as I can. How are things on your end?" Gil asked.
"I'm with the team scouring the neighbourhood, but you know who didn't show up again," Noishe responded, looking around the block, "When can you…"
Noishe's voice trailed off, leaving Gil demanding answers on the other side as the police captain edged away from the bookstore and towards the building of interest. There was a chubby figure wandering around the block, and it took Noishe mere seconds to recognize the individual as Robert Ross. "Speak of the devil, he just showed up. Gil, can I call you back?" he slapped the phone shut and hurried his way down the street.
Robert turned just in time and saw Noishe. "Captain, I went to the unit and saw no one. The secretary said you'd be here, so I thought I'd help out," he informed Noishe, "Are they upstairs? Let me take a look," he offered, ready to step through the door.
Linebacker Noishe lunged for the quarterback Robert, clinging onto him and refusing to let him proceed even an inch. "Don't blow it! They're covering the surrounding areas for clues, and those guys upstairs will suspect something if they know we're police. Just lay low and interview people with me for now!" he hissed.
But Robert wriggled free from the former Protozoan's grasp, pulling open the metal gate and stepping into the dark stairwell. "Relax, I've been around the force for a little while, so how could they possibly know my cover?" he replied, his voice echoing through the tunnel-like stairway. Noishe could only look on as Robert became engulfed by the darkness, hoping every second that he didn't do something to mess this up.
Robert trudged up the stairs, humming in a relaxed tone and glancing around the walls indifferently. There were doors near and around him, going down each dark abyss hallway. Apart from his footsteps, the only sound emanating was the dripping from leaky pipes. Just then, he heard two voices coming towards him. He lifted his head and saw two men in their early thirties approach. They were about to go down the stairs when they saw Robert, halting completely and eyeing him suspiciously. Trying to strike up a conversation, Robert struck a pose and smiled. "Peace," he greeted, sticking up two fingers.
The two chuckled as Robert grinned along. "There's great stuff in that hallway," one man said, pointing to Robert's right, "Room three-oh-eight, just say Bosco sent you,"
"And when you're there, make sure you ask for the youngest one. I swear, she's the bomb!" the other man giggled, slapping Robert's shoulder as they headed down.
Robert smiled and nodded, following their directions into the room of interest. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door, waiting patiently before it opened with a creaking sound, revealing a young man with dark hair spiked into a semi-Mohawk. "Moscow sent me here. No, Costco did," Robert stuttered, trying to remember the name, "Wait, I know now, Bosco sent me." Robert finally spat out the name, snapping his finger.
The man nodded, allowing him in like Robert had just uttered the password. As he led the heavyset man through the main room, Robert requested for the youngest one. "He told me she was the mom. No, the bomb!" he exclaimed, naughtily waving his finger.
The man led him into a small, dimly lit room. "Give me one minute," he stated, closing the door behind him, allowing Robert to look at the surroundings. There was a small bed, with a coat rack and small cupboard nearby. The blinds were completely down and a bathroom was in the corner. Robert sat down on the bed, the mattress squeaking in opposition to his weight. "What are these guys doing?" he mumbled to himself.
Just then, the door opened, revealing the man with a young lady. "You want the youngest one, right? Well, here she is," he declared, pushing the female figure in.
Robert's eyes bugged as the girl stood before him. She had brown shoulder-length hair, brown eyes, and wore a yellow-brown sports jacket and track pants. Robert gulped as he realized when they said the youngest one, they weren't kidding. This girl looked no older than sixteen, maybe still in high school. "Aren't you a bit too young to try attracting an old fart like me?" he asked nervously, scooting against the backboard of the bed.
And yes, that was Poet Bucky being a belly button fanatic with Genis (she's not as fanatical in real life, but belly buttons still get her attention nonetheless). What do you think of the OC's so far? It's a challenge for me, as I'm basically writing with one hand tied, since I'm incorporating these characters that I have no control over. Please give me some concrete comments, thanks!