Every once in a while you get thrown a curve ball.

That's what my adoptive father used to say whenever life dealt him something unexpected. Like a curve ball it can go one way or the other depending on who was throwing and of course who was catching. In this instance I guess I was the catcher.

A shower, a shave, a change of clothes and a twenty minute car ride after my meeting with Jordan, I found myself walking into Caprica City Police's Precinct 27 with little or no clue about how I was going to proceed with this one. Low Key he said. Just what the frak does that mean exactly? Coming from Jordan Duram that particular instruction seemed somewhat hypocritical. He was a man who was anything but low key in the way he went about his business. He was as subtle as a nuclear warhead and on occasion just as friendly.

The main reception of the precinct was flooded with people. It didn't take too much of my investigative skills to quickly realize that they were almost all reporters, some mainstream while others were freelance, all trying to scoop that big story; just why is Baxter Sarno dead?

The poor Desk Sergeant rubbed his temple as he repeated the words, "A statement will be made in due course!" over and over again each time with greater ferocity. "Now will you please get back unless you have any genuine Police business."

The head of the crowd dispersed as a result of the Desk Sergeant's persistence but this only left a vacuum that was quickly filled by those at the rear and soon a fresh wave of questions were hurled at the poor middle aged man. I knew that if I went up to him and just flashed my badge I too would get swamped by them the only difference being I didn't have a desk to hide behind. Therefore I kept my ID in my jacket as I fought my way forwards.

"Yes?" sighed the Sergeant through a bushy grey moustache.

"I have an appointment," I replied rather cryptically knowing there were at least twenty sets of ears within range.

"With whom exactly?" grumbled the Desk Sergeant. Of course in reality I didn't have an appointment and so I repeated what I said while lifting my jacket up just enough for the Sergeant to see my G.D.D. shield hanging underneath and just long enough for him to recognize it. "You'd better come around."

The Desk Sergeant opened the small door beside the desk to let me behind. He had clearly understood my desire not to create anymore of a scene than was already taking place in the Precinct and in his own way I think he was thankful about it although he didn't show it. Once we were away from prying eyes I announced myself properly and allowed the Desk Sergeant to fully inspect my I.D.

"Alright Agent Bowman," he said. "What can I do for you?"

"I understand that a Lieutenant Galanos is heading up the investigation into Baxter Sarno's murder?"

The Desk Sergeant's eyebrows lifted upwards in surprise. It was not yet public knowledge that Sarno had been poisoned and even within the Precinct only a few knew about that particular detail.

"Yes he is," confirmed the Sergeant but nothing more than that which if I was honest irritated me a little. I was sick to death of the rivalry between the Caprica City Police and the G.D.D. Even when I was a cop in Delphi we saw the G.D.D. as an asset rather than a burden – ok there were one or two of them who were so up their own rears we could probably roll them out the door but they were the exception. Here it was a whole new story and quite a surprising one for me.

"Can I see him?" I asked after a rather short and impolite silence had followed the Sergeant's confirmation.

"He's very busy at the moment," he explained subtly hinting for me to go away unless I did genuinely have an appointment. I wouldn't be deterred so easily.

"Could you at least ask him for me?"

The Sergeant made a not-so-subtle huffing noise as he turned around and reached for a phone that sat perched on the wall near the door we had walked in through. He quickly dialed a number and waited for a response.

"Yes sir…I have an Agent Bowman from the G.D.D. here wanting to speak to you about Baxter Sarno…No sir." There was suddenly a long pause on the Sergeant's side of the conversation and I could just about make out the faint sound of a voice speaking quite loudly on the other side. Eventually it calmed down and the Sergeant finished with, "Yes sir." He hung up the telephone handset and turned back to me. "You're in luck. He says you can have five minutes."

A rather sarcastic voice whispered in my head, I feel honoured.

The Sergeant grabbed a young officer who just happened to be passing in the adjacent corridor and instructed him to take me to Galanos' office before he returned to his desk to once more do battle with the crowd. It was a short walk through the open plan offices to a glassed off area that the officer pointed at indicating it was Galanos' private office.

Through the glass I could see a man in his late forties with a finely shaved head and an impressive physique. He was clearly a man who took good care of himself and as I approached his door I felt his beady eyes fall upon me and they were not welcoming.

"Come in!" he instructed clearly before I even had a chance to knock. In a primal interpretation of this seemingly insignificant act he was signifying his dominance in this environment. I've spent most of my career around people like him so I know how to handle them. It's all a question of give and take.

"Jack Bowman, G.D.D." I announced stepping slowly into his office not wanting him to think I was simply barging in and taking over. Strictly speaking I had no right to since this wasn't a G.D.D. investigation - yet. I was simply being…Low Key.

"What!" grumbled Galanos. "No badge?"

"You want to see my badge, sure, no problem," I said to him as I took it out of my jacket for him to inspect. I knew that he didn't really care. He knew his Desk Sergeant would have confirmed my identity before I even stepped foot through the door at reception. This was simply another act of him imposing his authority. "Satisfied?"

"Alright." Galanos leaned back into his tall leather chair as he looked at me. "So what can I do for you Agent Bowman? I wasn't expecting a call from the Global Defense Department."

"I'm here on a strictly observatory basis," I replied knowing it was now time for me to make my move. "May I sit down?"

"Be my guest," he replied the atmosphere still remaining hostile. At that point in time he had little respect for me and the feeling was mutual. Now I would need to establish the foundation with which to build on. I took the seat in front of his desk and sat down. Galanos remained motionless as he continued to watch me sizing up everything I was doing even if he didn't know he was doing so. It's one of those natural things.

"As I said I'm here on an observatory basis only," I told him as neutrally as I could.

"Regarding Sarno's death?"

"I was lead to believe it was a murder. Scorpion Lilly poisoning I believe?"

"You're obviously well informed?" he phrased as a question.

"Well we like to keep our eye on certain things that might later involve us. It makes it easier when the call is made."

"But nobody has called you yet so I ask you Agent Bowman, why are you here today?"

"There are elements within the G.D.D. who feel that Baxter Sarno's murder may be linked to organized crime rings here on Caprica. There is also the possibility of a political motive. Either way the case would fall under our jurisdiction."

"I see so you're here doing the groundwork is that it?"

"Exactly," I replied. "I'm not here to get in your way and I won't be hanging about your office either."

"You'll just keep your foot in the door," he said, a metaphor I liked and couldn't help but raise a smile to. "Since you have no official authority at this point why then should I cooperate at all? Hmm, what's in it for me?"

"The resources of the G.D.D." I announced as If I was offering him the contents of the vault in the Bank of Libran. "I know how restricted your intelligence network is outside of your own district. That's why you've been having such a hard time building cases against suspected members of groups like the Hal'la'tha. With the G.D.D.'s computer network I'm sure we could smooth over your investigation if this is as we suspect a result of Sarno's involvement with organized crime."

"How do I know you will have my department's interests at heart and not just your own?"

"You set the terms?" I suggested knowing it would play right into my hands if he thought he was the one calling the shots. It seemed to work as I watched his bottom lip curve up over his top one as he liked the sound of what I was saying.

A silence filled the room broken only by the ticking of a small analogue clock positioned on his desk between me and him. As Galanos continued to just sit there pondering my offer for what now felt like hours the ticking seemed to get louder until it felt like there was a Woodpecker sitting on my shoulder chipping out a hole into the side of my skull. Finally he did something that broke the sound of the clock. He reached into the top drawer of his desk and produced a small Digital Storage Device, or D.S.D., which he proceeded to place into the side of the computer that sat on his desk. He accessed his files and began to transfer data onto the D.S.D.

"I take it you're accepting my offer?" I asked as politely and without a hint of arrogance in order to maintain the illusion that he was in total control.

"My terms!" he growled. "Here's the deal; you don't do anything without an I-SAY-SO from me. If I want any information from you and the G.D.D., I get it with no ifs or buts. In turn I will keep you informed of any developments we make on this end. Agreed?"

"Absolutely," I said feeling quite pleased with myself for this had gone better than I thought. "That's all I want." The computer bleeped that it was finished transferring the data to the D.S.D. and Galanos removed it before handing it over to me. I placed the small device no bigger than a cigarette lighter into my shirt pocket before standing up to shake his hand and thank him. "I'm glad we could be professional about this."

"Me too," he said but in a vague fashion as I noticed he was looking over my shoulder out through the glass of his office. Seeing that I was picking up on that he was distracted by something he quickly added, "Uh, why don't you show yourself out. As I'm sure you can guess I'm pretty busy here today."

"Of course," I said before turning to leave. As I turned my back to him I saw what it was he was looking at. The same officer who had escorted me in was fast approaching the office once more with yet another visitor in this instance a rather glum looking girl aged about eighteen with long dark hair and a pale expression pasted on her face.

I held the office door open as the officer stepped inside but before he could say anything, Galanos waved the girl to come in. I looked at her as she passed by me. There was an almost tangible negative energy flowing around her that seemed to infect everything that passed nearby. She looked rather nervously at me for only a split second before looking back at Galanos who took on a more compassionate persona at the sight of her as opposed to the territorial bulldog he was with me.

Perhaps it's his daughter?

Not thinking this had any relevance to my visit I once again nodded my appreciation to Galanos and left.

I walked across the car park to where my car was waiting. As I approached my black Scorpia Sedan I took out my phone from inside my jacket and went through the menu screen until Jordan Duram's number appeared. Before I pressed the button for it to begin dialing I took a quick look around to see who was in earshot. This was not a conscious act but rather it was more out of habit for there are ears everywhere and one careless word could make its way into the news before the call is even over.

"Hey Jack!" announced the voice after the dial tone rang three times in my ear. "What have you got?"

I leaned with my back against my parked car as I replied, "I've just spoken to the officer in charge of the investigation into Sarno's death. He's reluctant to cooperate fully until he has to submit to our authority but I've managed to strike a deal that at least gets us a look in. He's turned over everything he's got so far so I'm heading home to take a look at it."

"Well how did you manage that?" he asked bemused.

"I have my ways," I said. "Oh by the way I may need a blank check for a few things over the next couple of days?"

"A blank check for what?"

"Well If I knew that I wouldn't need a blank check now would I?"

"Guess not," mumbled Jordan who was always irritated by things that weren't neat and tidy amongst his subordinates; another hypocritical facet of his personality since he himself was known for creating a mess every now and again.

"I'm going to go through what I got from the Caprica City Police and I'll call you later."

"Alright, I'll be waiting for it," he said and with that he hung up.