Chapter 2
"This place has a strong unpleasant smell," Lightning commented. "Or shall I say 'scandalous' to match your highly educated standard choice of words?"
Both Hope and Lightning had made it to the crime scene. Although once they had arrived, everything related to the crime were ensconce with markings and block by the public. Anyone who isn't related to the administration isn't prohibited to be near the scene for at least 100 feet.
"I would prefer 'stench' or 'reek' for my personal vocabulary list," Hope answered truthfully. "I never liked words or tasks that are too complicated or tedious to solve with. Agent Lightning, just because I have graduated from an outstanding college and earned myself a Ph.D doesn't make me a narrow-minded or an intolerable person."
"If you say you don't like anything complicating, why did you decide to become an anthropologist when the job work is always done with great observance and complicating matters?
"I always took a great interest in science ever since I was a kid," Hope said. "I can bet every person dreamed of becoming a paleontologist when they were little."
"Why didn't you?"
"Although finding and observing fossils from dinosaurs seem very interesting, I am the kind of person who wants to be more helpful and useful to the current temporal. I like to focus on what is happening right now than of the past. You know, just keep pushing forward and learning new experiences that is to the future."
"Hmm, I guess I can relate to that."
"What about you?" Hope asked.
"What?"
"You joining the agency and working for the Eden Institution, what is your backstory?"
"I have quite the life is all I am going to say right now."
"Hey…"
"Just examine the body. We don't have all day and you totally don't want to see Dr. Lynn angry at you, especially on your first day." After what Lightning said, Hope began to examine the victim's remains that are near the pond.
"Judging by the victim's skull, the forehead is more vertical and the weight is quite light," Hope analyzed. "The bony mass is quite thin and the vault is flat, Hope also stated as he was moving his gloved fingers at the back of the skull. "That clearly indicates that it is female, and she was about in her early to mid-twenties.
"Okay so now we found the sex and age of the victim here. We can take the remains back the lab to be further looked at and I can deliver the skull to Serah to identify the person."
"Here you go," Hope moved the stench fleshy skull to her, "Enjoy." He said humorously.
Oh god. I guess I will just ask him to hand that over to one of the field investigators to give it to my sister. Lightning thought. Or maybe... wait he has to do something before that. "You need to take it back to the lab to have Lynn examine the flesh on the body and that includes the skull. And after, you will need to clear and clean the skull and then I'll give it to Miss Farron.
"Your sister."
"Correct." She finally said and left the scene, apparently done with her work of writing everything that she needed down.
Hope just stared at her as she walked away with a amazed look on his face. She just got me again.
"Lightning, pull your gun out and be on guard," Thayan commanded as he made his way to the room with unknown certainties.
Lightning pulled out her gun and pressed her back on the side of the wall that is between the wooden tattered door. "Okay so you are charging right in or should I?"
"Me, you stand behind and make sure this offender doesn't get away. He is going to pay for what he has done."
"Thayan, wait!"
Agent Thayan is Lightning's all trusted partner and he's a very highly trained agent who worked for the authorities for 5 years. Brunette and blues eyes, shaped as almonds, looked directly at the door.
Thayan charged right in and without any given warning or clue, the offender attacked straight on, and Thayan tried to dodge the knife, but it stabbed him directly in the abdomen. Thayan yelled in completed pain.
With hearing that, Lightning came right in a knocked the guy away from Thayan and shot him instantly to his death. After that, she sighed in relief, but it didn't last all that long. Thayan was close to drawing out his last breath….
"Thayan, no," Lightning panicked. She pulled out her communicator and frantically yelled, "Agent down, we need help! Agent Thayan is severely hurt!"
Thayan called out to his partner as he began to cough out a lot of blood "Lightning," he kept on making short constant hemming sounds that were so discomforting to Lightning's ears. "I am sorry…
"Thayan, keep your eyes open. You must keep your eyes open, please."
"I'm sorry."
"Help is on the way."
Lightning was crouching down, holding Thayan and with the knife already remove; she pressed her hand close to the wound, trying to not let any more blood flow out.
"I love you,"
"Thayan..."
"I always did. And I will always…
He then stopped and his eyes stared straight at her with no more signs of movement in them. He was gone. Thayan was dead.
Lightning just recalled a memory there. That was two years ago. Why would she think of that just now? Lightning was sitting in her office chair, working on some paperwork. Hope had given the skull to Serah (cleaned efficiently) and Serah handed Lightning the construction of the face of the victim.
"Roxanett Crane, lives just the outside of the Westside of Eden. She was just 23 years old. Just graduated from graduate school and was on her way to start post-graduate school . Stop, I can't feel anything to a victim. I can't feel or show sympathy or kindness to anyone. Not after Thayan…
Lightning, truthfully never had fallen for Thayan. He was nice, kind and loving to her, which she always knew that he liked her or had a crush on her and everything, but when he admits his love for her, it drew her completely off guard. She never gave him a chance, not like she wanted to. She wanted to be just partners and at least friends outside work. The fact that he told her the seconds before his death, that's what truly scarred her. And she still felt guilty about it.
"I might have fallen for you… but I was so stubborn." Lightning whispered as she looked at the outside of her window. "I am so sorry. Please forgive me."
Her door knocked and she turned her head to the door. It was Hope.
"Come in." Lightning said.
"We need to go and talk to the victim's parents."
"Right."
Lightning got up and put all her senses and guard up. This is time for the real world. No more imagining or going down memory lane.
"Are you okay?" Hope asked as he could see in her face that has some lingering of sadness or misery that she was trying to surpass.
"I am fine," Lightning stated. "Here are some of the information of the victim's family, friends and workers. She worked part-time in a bakery."
"We have to break the news to her family."
Lightning never like this part of the job. Discovering that your loved one is dead, it will break anyone's heart to a thousand pieces. She needs to tell them still even if it will hurt them; they deserve to know. "Right."
