Hello all. I started this story a long time ago but didn't know where to go with it. It's been a while, but I have decided to work on it again ,and improve on the first two chapters as I do so. Hope you enjoy! (9/27/14).
The Game
Greetings from the Master
"Mail just came," Lisbon announced. "And there's a letter addressed to us."
"As in all of us?" asked Cho curiously.
"To the team of Agent Lisbon," Lisbon quoted off the envelope.
"Oh, cute, it even has a butterfly sticker on the seal," Jane remarked with a smile as he snatched the envelope out of Lisbon's hand and tore it open, ignoring her irritated look. He unfolded the paper with a flourish and read the typed letter aloud:
Dear Agent Lisbon and her team,
It has been said that you and your colleagues are among the most qualified agents of the California Bureau of Investigation. Personally, I don't buy such high praise, but I am willing to allow you to prove me wrong. I have set up a little game which I think we will all enjoy. On the back of this letter is an address. If you go to this address, you will find the woman I killed. She was quite beautiful, and I was sorry to watch her die, but it had to be done. She wore a cross around her neck, so I sent her to a better place I suppose.
When you arrive, don't bother looking for forensic evidence, because you won't find any. What you will find, however, is a photograph of a young girl, accompanied by something else which you should find most intriguing. I would just tell you what it is but trust me, it will be much more exciting for you to find out on your own. The girl is currently under my supervision. Don't worry, she is being treated well enough...so far. To find her, all you have to do is follow the clues and solve the riddles I will leave for you. Hurry though, if you don't solve the riddles in time, she will die. If I'm being honest, I'd have to say its one of my more creative ideas. Better hurry, the clock's ticking, and soon everyone will know whether or not you're all as clever as they say you are.
Until next time,
The Master
Jane turned the letter over, and read out the address as a stunned silence overtook the rest of the team.
"It could just be a hoax," Van Pelt said shakily, though she didn't really believe her own words.
"I don't think so," said Lisbon, as she copied down the address into her phone's GPS program. "We'd better go check it out. Cho, you get that letter down to forensics. If this is real, I don't want to waste any time."
Cho picked up the letter with some gloves and hurried off, while the rest of the team headed for the potential crime scene. Lisbon called Wainwright on the way, quickly explaining the contents of the letter. She also put a medical examiner and emergency response team on stand-by.
They arrived at their destination around twenty minutes later. The address had lead them to an old abandoned warehouse. The words Morten's Drilling Co. could barely be made out on the side of the building with the help of the vehicles' headlights. Lisbon and Jane pulled up slowly, followed by Van Pelt and Rigsby. The team got out of their vehicles, and drew their guns. Even if there was nothing to be found, they didn't intend to leave anything to chance. "We don't know what we're going to find in there," said Lisbon, eyeing her team briefly before turning back towards the dilapidated building. "So keep your eyes open and ears peeled."
"You do know the killer isn't here, right?" Jane asked Lisbon.
"We can't know that for sure," the head agent said pointedly as her eyes scanned the surrounding area.
"He told us he didn't leave behind any forensic evidence," Jane reminded her. "If he went to all the trouble of cleaning up, why would he wait around for us to show up? Besides, he's much to excited about his little 'game' to put himself in such a risk."
Lisbon sighed. She knew Jane was probably right, but protocol was protocol.
And maybe a part of her was hoping they'd get lucky and find him there. She wasn't really looking forward to being forced to participate in the twisted little world he'd created.
"He could have an accomplice. We're clearing the area, we're following protocol." Without waiting for a response, or rather ignoring Jane's comment about how no one would be there because the letter suggested someone much too egotistical to have a partner, Lisbon motioned her team forward.
Within moments, the team was at the entrance to the warehouse. No one knew whether to be pleased or worried that the beams from their flashlights revealed an unlocked door. They opened the door cautiously and began sweeping the area. All was quiet, but one never knew what could be hiding in the shadows.
It didn't take long for the woman's body to be discovered, she was lying just a few meters into the building behind a large metal pillar. "Over here," Grace yelled to her team-mates, bending down slightly to examine the corpse. The woman was lying on her back, a gunshot wound to heart. Her left eye was bruised, and blood surrounded her petite form. There was a slight bulge in the pocket of her jeans, but she'd have to wait for forensics before she could touch the body. She waited as Rigsby and Lisbon finished clearing the building.
"It looks like she tried to fight back," Lisbon said, motioning to the bruise. "Van Pelt, bring Jane in. I want his take on this," she said as she dug her phone out of her pocket to call it in. She looked around the room as she talked on the phone, her trained eye looking for clues about the killer that would be invisible to a non-professional.
Grace returned with Jane just as Lisbon was finishing her phone conversation.
"Forensics is on its way, but what do you make of this?"
Jane studied the victim a moment. "Judging by the bruise and position of the body, I'd guess she was attacked by someone she knew."
"How do you know that?" Rigsby asked.
"Well, for starters, she came to an abandoned warehouse. The blood indicates she was killed on site. Clearly, no one's been selling drills here for a long time. So why come here unless it was to meet with someone in secret. Namely, her killer. Maybe this will tell us more," Jane said, as he reached into her pocket. He pulled out a small tape recorder, on which was taped a note that read 'Please listen to me.' "Aww, look," Jane smiled and pointed at the note. "How polite."
"Jane, what are you doing?" Lisbon scolded. "There could be finger prints on that!"
"Oh, relax. I already told you that you aren't going to find any DNA from the killer. He's not stupid enough to leave his fingerprints on something so obvious."
"Maybe they were in on it together," piped up Grace before Lisbon could scold Jane further, "But the deal went sour, and our suspect turned on her. But why would they be here in the first place?"
"Perhaps the suspect told us himself," Jane said, finger poised above the play button.
"Hopefully, forensics can help us find the clues to figure that out," Lisbon said, snatching the object out of Jane's hand. She ignored his gasp of protest, "I want forensics to dust the tape for fingerprints. At least you didn't have time to compromise that." She hurried over to meet them and explain the situation. The group wasted no time in processing the scene.
"Time of death?" asked Lisbon, eyeing the liver probe inserted into the victim.
"Based on my calculations, I'd say about twelve hours ago, give or take a few minutes for margin of error. Based on the bruise surrounding her eye and the relative swelling, I'd say her attacker knocked her out before he killed her. Brush burn marks on the backs of her shoes and the scuff marks on her shoes indicate she was dragged, and not too delicately. There are defensive wounds on her arms, and a gunshot wound to the heart seems to be the obvious cause of death, but I'll have to take her back to the lab to be sure. However based on the preliminary findings I'd say she struggled, was knocked out, dragged to this spot, shot, and left to die. We found this in tucked in the back of her shirt," the medical examiner finished her long explanation as she handed Lisbon a photograph of a young girl sitting between two adults at a picnic table. Lisbon guessed that they were her parents, but she'd find out soon enough.
Lisbon nodded. "Okay, thanks. Keep me posted."
Just the, the agent she'd handed the tape recorder to returned it to her. "Sorry. Whole thing was completely clean, and from what I was over hearing from the others, they're not having much luck finding anything either."
"Alright, keep looking," the brunette said dejectedly as she took it back, ignoring Jane's 'I told you so' expression. So far, things were playing out exactly as the ominous letter said they would. They just had to hope that a fragment of DNA was able to be found on the woman's clothing or body as a result of the struggle.
"What do you say we listen to this tape recorder now," Jane suggested somewhat impatiently.
Lisbon sighed, feeling more apprehensive by the minute as she pressed the small red arrow on the device. There was a moment of static, and then a voice that had clearly been electronically altered filled the room.
"Good day, Agents. It's so lovely to speak to you again. As you can see, my letter was telling you the truth. Absolutely no forensic evidence is to be found at this crime scene. Also, just as as I said, there is a photo of the girl. See, I am a someone that keeps my word, and keeping one's word is a very important part of this game. Liars and cheaters never prosper, as they say. The tape you are now listening to is crucial, as it explains the rules. Listen closely, Agents, as failure to comply with even one of these rules will result in this little girl's death. I'm sure none of us want that. So, without further ado, let's begin:
Rule number one: Each place I lead you to will have one or more riddles, or clues that will help you to find her. Your job, of course, is to find and solve these riddles and clues.
Rule number two: Any demands I make must be followed without question.
Rule number three: Agent Lisbon and her team are the only people are may participate in solving the riddles or clues. Forensic evidence may be processed by anyone, unless I say otherwise.
Rule number four: Failure to solve the riddles and clues in a reasonable amount of time will result in her immediate death.
Rule number five: When talking to me, you are to refer to me as Master.
And there you have it. I don't think I need to tell you what happens if you lose. Pretty simple, don't you think? Since you're new to the game, I've decided to be nice, and give you the first clue for free. Clock's ticking CBI, better think quickly. We wish you best of luck and hope you have a pleasant night."
Immediately after the voice stopped talking, the sound of someone playing the piano filled the air. The team exchanged bewildered glances as they listened to the notes, which lasted about one minute before stopping.
The team looked around at each other in bewildered silence.
"Well," Jane remarked, "He's certainly one of the most polite and well-mannered criminals we've come into contact with."
