Could he feel like a bigger douchebag now?
If she had hit him, at least that wouldn't seem so bad. But to see Lili act so…passive…it just wasn't her.
Landing in front of the police station, Raz scowled at red brick building. Maybe it wasn't fate who wanted him and Lili apart. Maybe somebody killed Reynolds just so they can play a sick joke on Raz. Yeah…that's a good reason…
Agent Sheppard and the copper badge Psychonaut from the kitchen greeted him. Actually, Copper (coincidentally enough, that is his name) greeted him and Sheppard nodded to him indifferently. Raz knew she didn't like him. As long as she did her job and not outwardly insult him, he'll let this act of disrespect slide. He didn't care at the moment. "So, what was Reynolds' last written words?"
"Please follow me to the lab, Sir," Copper said to him. "I think it's best you see it for yourself."
Raz followed them to a clean white room in the back of the station. There, he saw Reynolds' note book sitting on a black light, still slightly stained by the ink. Copper picked up on particular page and gave it to Raz. "This is the last thing Reynolds wrote."
The Dark Man.
Raz frowned. Flipped the page over and saw nothing else. "That's it? What does it mean?"
"We don't know," Sheppard finally spoke. "We were hoping you did. Both you and Reynolds were gold badges; maybe it's something only gold carriers know."
Raz ignores the subtle insult. "…It doesn't say a dark man, it says the dark man. It's…a name, it's a title. Of whom…I don't know."
"Well, the other pages in Reynolds' notebook don't help," Sheppard sighed. "It says things like, buy milk, or call Jenny."
Raz mulls this over. "Is there anything like this from Drawn's file?"
Sheppard shook her head. "Nothing."
Something about this isn't right. This can't be just a random killing. Only an idiot would dare go after a Psychonaut. Especially one of such high caliber. "Does this police station have a mind phone?"
Copper pointed to a door. "In there, sir."
"Thanks."
A mind phone, as it's called, is a video phone used and operated only by the Psychonauts. The badges the agents use, act as a phone card to dial headquarters.
Raz closed the door behind him and took off his badge. He shoved it in the little slot and a second later the screen in front of him blinks on. A woman with purple hair greets him.
"State name and badge number."
"Aquato, Razputin. Badge: 669021."
"Welcome Agent Aquato. How may I help you?"
"I need any information regarding a psychic that goes by the name or title, The Dark Man."
The woman taps away on her computer. "I'm sorry Agent. You are not authorized for these files."
Raz was taken back. "Not authorized? I am a gold Agent. How can I not be authorized?"
"I'm sorry Agent, but only a platinum Agent is allowed to access the files. Is there anything else you want me to get?"
Raz shook his head. "No, that'll be all." He mumbled.
The woman nodded politely and then the screen went black. Raz removed his badge, frowning deeply.
A platinum Agent? Only a handful of Agents held that honor. What did that mean? Was the Dark Man so powerful only the platinum Agents can handle them? Or was there something in that information so classified, nobody less than President was allowed to see it?
Who could get him the needed information?
Milla Vodello…no, she's gold.
Sasha Nein? If Raz could find him. The man's a recluse.
Ford Cruller? Once again, if Raz could find him. Last he heard Agent Cruller went walking around Whispering Rock and nobody saw him again. The kids claimed he was eaten by one of the psychic bears.
Raz walked out of the mind phone room. "When's Reynolds' funeral?"
"This Saturday." Copper informed him.
"Since Robert Reynold's was a former Psychonaut, all non-active Psychonauts are required to go. I'll see you guys on Saturday."
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Donna jumped when the door to the room burst opened. An angry, red faced Lili stormed in and the door slammed behind her. She threw her purse down on the bed, undid her braid, grabbed a pillow and screamed into it.
Donna cautiously asked, "You okay?"
Lili pulled the pillow away, now smeared with her makeup. "Fine," She hissed.
Not wanting to know (nor caring enough to) Donna flipped over and fell back asleep.
It hurt. It hurt bad. But what did she expect after all? For them to go on a wonderful, romantic date and then suddenly they'd fall in love like two sick puppies? How stupid is she? How stupid is she? She knew this was going to happen. It happened when she was eleven and now it's happening again.
Against her better judgment she said yes. Going against all her experience she found herself attractive to a Psychonaut. She had a better chance dating an astronaut. It's no damn wonder it took Milla and Sasha forever to marry. They didn't have the time.
Lili fell back on her bed, clutching the stained pillow to her chest. She blinked back the tears that stung her eyes.
When Lili was seventeen, she broke up with her long time boyfriend Benjamin Verne. He kept pressuring her to sleep with him. She never did and to this day, she can proudly say she's a virgin.
She didn't cry because it seemed all Benjamin wanted was her body. No, she cried because she realized she didn't love him. That she spent so much time with him, introduced him to her father, meet his family, only to find out she didn't love him. She was this close to sleeping with him. She thought she loved him.
Her feelings for Raz are different. Because in her heart she knew this feeling and she had enough experience to tell the difference. And as the memory of a little boy rose up and goose bumps appeared on her flesh, Lili knew this as the truth.
She loved Raz. She always has.
Oh god, how can she be so stupid?
Her little red cell phone rang. Lili took a glance at it, hoping it was somebody she can ignore. It was her dad.
"Hello?" She said none too happy.
"What's wrong Lili? Are you sick?"
Sure, why not? "Cold."
"Oh. The reason I called you; a Psychonaut near your school died recently. As you know, tradition dictates that all non-active Psychonauts are to go to the funeral…"
"And you want me to go in your place," Lili finished for him.
"If you're too sick, you don't have to."
"No…I'll be fine. When's the funeral?"
"Saturday."
They talked for a few more minutes before Lili made the excuse she had homework to do. She didn't feel like talking anymore.
It was common for Lili to go to special events in place of her father. It was expected. She even went to a few funerals on his behalf so this was nothing new to her. The only problem she might have to make a speech about the deceased.
Lili sat up from her bed. Time to buy a black dress.
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This wasn't the first funeral Raz has been to. And it certainly won't be the last. In his short years of being a Psychonaut, he has to gone to fourteen funerals.
His first funeral was that of a nineteen year old. His name was Nathan Maple. The poor kid was killed when a drunken psychic went mad and began shooting off random psi-beams. Nathan took a direct hit to the head and died instantly.
Raz was thirteen.
It was apparent Reynolds' was a well liked man. Aside from the Psychonauts, there were many mundanes who came. The funeral was held in a beautiful church (Raz has never cared for the gothic dark look most European churches adopted) with large stain glass windows and dozens of flowers. This is the nicest funeral Raz has ever gone to.
Protocol has not changed. Dressed in the official Psychonaut outfit, (he never did find out why a green stripped sweater was their signature wear) and his golden pin on, Raz took his place besides the other agents.
The music began playing. A small piano piece and one by one, people went up to the casket and lit one candle. They would say a small prayer, then sit back down. Raz and the other Psychonauts did not follow this format as their one and only duty was to guard Reynolds' body. Psychonauts always back each other up, even in death.
Outside it started to rain.
"Hello Razputin,"
Raz jumped. Settling himself down next to the young Psychonaut was no other than Sasha Nein himself.
"Sasha!" Raz breathed in disbelief. He hadn't seen his old camp counselor in almost five years. "What are you doing here?"
"For Robert Reynolds. He was one of my teachers when I was younger. When I heard about his death, I came as quickly as I could."
Sasha said this in his usual toneless voice, but Raz had been around him long enough to pick up the subtleties of his emotions. Sasha was clearly upset.
"I'm sorry for your loss," Raz told him.
They sat in silence as Reynolds' grandson lit a candle. There were already over two dozen lit candles and there were plenty of people left in line.
"I heard you are the lead investigator in Mr. Reynolds' murder." Sasha whispered as not to disturb the funeral.
"I am."
"Do you have any leads?"
It was against protocol to discuss cases with outside sources- even if they were fellow Psychonauts. If a person let their thoughts stray, even for a moment, it could jeopardize the whole case.
But Raz knew and trusted Sasha. Sasha's mind is strong enough to hold off any unwanted 'visitors.' "I have one," He told him. "A note Reynolds had written before he died. I think he called his attacker The Dark One."
Sasha's lips tightened.
"When I tried to follow up with any possible information of this dark man, I was denied files."
"Because you're not a platinum agent."
Raz nodded, biting his thumb nail. His eyes settled on Sasha's chest, where a dark silver badge shimmered. "Sasha, can you get me access to those files?"
He didn't answer. The Psychonaut sat in silence and watched Reynolds' family members light their candles. Raz thought he may have overstepped his boundaries and offended him. He kept his mouth shut for the rest of the funeral.
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The sky was dark and grey, reflecting everyone's feelings at the moment. The rain came down in large drops and anybody who didn't have an umbrella got wet. Raz and the other Psychonauts, who are forbidden to use any of their powers during the funeral, stood side by side soaked.
Family members placed Reynolds' coffin into the hearse and drove off. This was a sign that the Psychoanuts had done their duty and could disperse.
A few immediately took off to get out of the rain. Others went back inside the church to help with the cleaning. Raz wanted to talk to Sasha.
A loud thunderous roar echoed in the sky, followed by a blinding flash of lighting. As soon as Raz was in hearing distance of Sasha, Sasha dropped this bomb. "I'm taking you off the case."
Raz blinked in surprise. Did he heard right? "What?"
"Effective immediately. You are to give me all your files on the case and evidence."
"You can't pull-"
"I have every authority," Sasha said, dead serious. "I am a platinum agent. You are not to look any further into this case and if you find anything else, you are to report to me. That's an order."
Raz was shocked. He had never seen Sasha so…well, too serious- to a point where he could act so cold towards his friends. "What's going on?" Raz demanded, feeling like Sasha had just stuck a knife in his back. "Is this dark man so dangerous?"
Sasha said nothing further. He simply turned and left. Perhaps that's all Raz needed to know.
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She knew he would be here. Now it was a question whether she should talk to him, or avoid him. If she tried to talk to him specifically, people might construed that as flirting. Flirting at a funeral? Hoo yeah, that'll go down nicely.
But she is the daughter of a politician. And he's one of the highest ranking Psychonauts here. If she didn't talk to him, it might be seen as disrespectful.
In the end, she stopped caring. Her father was the president of the Psychonauts. It shouldn't matter anymore if she was there or not. Nobody noticed her. Nobody talked to her. Why should she still be bound to the rules and regiment of a life she left so long ago?
Lili leaned on the church door frame and watched as family members placed Reynolds' casket inside the hearse. Once the dark depressing car drove away, everyone went their separate ways. She looked on as the Psychonauts took flight immediately to go back to work. Others jumped in their cars, while some simply walked away with their head low.
That's when she spotted Raz.
At the distance she was at, she could see him talking to – is that…Sasha? – a tall man in a white coat. Lili could see Raz was quite upset towards Sasha; his voice got louder and his hand movements more erratic.
Sasha said one last thing, then turned and walked away.
Raz was left in the rain. From where she stood, Lili could not see his face. His shaking fists and bowed head gave enough information. A part of her told her this wasn't any of her business and that she should leave.
The other part, her heart (she guesses) told her as a friend, she should go over there.
Summoning a shield to float above her head, she walked out into the rain towards him. She made an effort to make her high heel shoes click clack against the side walk to announce to him her presence, but he seemed oblivious to everything around him. His fists were at his side and his head bowed almost in defeat.
"Raz?" She said softly as not to startle him.
She flinched as his head suddenly snapped up to look at her. "Lili…" He mumbled, blinking away the emotion he had on his face. "What's up?"
He acted so casual despite he was standing in the rain after a funeral. "You're getting wet," She told him. "Let's get out of the rain."
The unsaid we sat in that sentence, but Raz's mind was somewhere else.
He looked up to her, his green eyes bright against the dark surroundings. He stared at her as if he was looking at her for the very first time. But when he spoke, it wasn't the words she was hoping for. "Lili, I need to talk to your father."
"What?" She said. Her psychic umbrella above flickered but kept.
"I need to talk to Truman Zanotto. I need access to files-"
"Raz…" Lili interrupted him. "You know my father has many enemies. By telling you where he is could put his life at risk. I don't even know where he is at the moment; and even if I did, I still wouldn't tell you."
"Lili, I need access to high profile files. The case I'm working on demands more information than given."
Lili was starting to get angry. Above her, her thin orange umbrella flicked rapidly as if someone was flipping an on/off switch constantly. "Raz, you know damn well I can't get in contact with my father unless it's an emergency. He calls me, not the other way around."
Jessie Adams. He was her boyfriend during her last year of high school. He was a fun, annoying guy. He made her laugh, he took her out to fun places, but she knew she didn't love him. He was nothing more to her than a friend whom she kissed every so often.
Near the end of her senior year, she realized why Jessie became her boyfriend: he wanted to be a Psychonaut. And he thought by dating her, he could get the approval of her father and become a high ranking officer.
So is the axiom of being a politician's daughter. You always have to be wary of the persons you befriend or date. They may only want you because of what you are and what you have.
"Then can you get me access?" Raz asked her. "Surely with your last name-"
Her umbrella disappeared. It was fine, she couldn't think beyond what was in front of her at the moment.
Rain fell on her by the gallons. She didn't feel the cold of the water- inside she was boiling. "I'm not a Psychonaut," She spat at him. "Just because we dated once Raz, does not ensure you special treatment."
Raz's eyes widen a bit from their narrowed determination. It seemed he realized how he was behaving towards her. But it was too late to apologize. "Lili-"
"I am not a stepping stone," She hissed at him angrily, shoving her finger in his face. "I am not a pawn or a prize to be won. If you want those files so damn badly, then why don't you go sleep with the current president's daughter?"
For a last final insult –metaphoric or just a way to make him keep his distance- Lili summoned the water splattering at their feet to suddenly rise up. As if someone jumped in the pool, Raz flinched as this small wall of water obscured his view and made him cough and sputter. When the water wall was gone, so was Lili.
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A/N: Fanfics should be written for the joy, not the reviews of it. I'm realizing that more and more as I write this fic. R/R anyways.
You know how hard it is to make a title of each chapter to follow the "day" sequence? In the beginning, I thought I was so smart...