"Please stop fidgeting Mr. Intetillius. It interferes with the disenchantment process." Orson Czerif firmly grasped the scientist's shoulder. He nodded to the clerics to begin casting the spell. "I understand this can be troubling but you need to cooperate with us." The Boros soldier grabbed a stool from across the room and sat in front of Zek. He was an odd guy Orson had thought when they first met, but then again he never could get the hang of science types. He rarely did business with the Izzet or Simic for this exact reason. He had nothing against those guilds; it was just that their members usually made him uncomfortable.
"We're here to help get to the bottom of this incident and to protect you and your research from further incidents. While I have you here was there anyone in the Zonot who was enemies with the victim?" Czerif sat his sword on the ground and slid into a more relaxed posture.
"Gilinia. The victim's name was Gilinia." Zek threw in.
"Yes of course. I take it you two were close?" Czerif was trained to say 'the victim' more often than the name because it set most mourners off.
"We were just friends." The Simic blurted out. "I mean yeah we had become close friends in a short amount of time. But no I didn't think she had any enemies. She ran a library. Who is enemies with a young successful beautiful librarian?"
Orson suppressed a suspicious glare. This Zekarustov guy was hiding something but he didn't seem capable of murder. The Boros had been in Zonot X for weeks now and made almost no progress in finding the killer. This Zek character seemed to always be stressed and spend countless hours in his undersea lab, only coming up for Boros inspection and occasionally to see his wife and kid.
"Not many people would go against someone like her no. Did she know anything that could get her in trouble? Maybe a book in the restricted section that someone needed bad enough to kill her? I've seen this before; it looks like she was killed to keep her quiet."
Zek was flustered. "How could you possibly tell that!?"
Orson sat upright, "When we investigated the scene there were no signs of a struggle. Someone planned this out. Gilinia was caught off guard and her throat was slit. That enough would suggest a common Dimir assassination. However the killer didn't stop there. They stabbed the poor woman over and over again after she died. There's an odd amount of time between the initial kill and the stabbing. It suggests someone that knew her. Perhaps an ex-lover?"
"She didn't have a lover!" Zek burst out. "I mean she never mentioned any ex-lovers or current lovers so I doubt that was it."
"I see. Zek, do you mind if I call you Zek?"
"Please go ahead."
"Zek, I'm not going to lie, you are the last one to go through disenchantment. This makes you seem more suspicious than anyone else I've spoken with so far. You're hiding something, Dimir or not. Tell me what it is."
"What!? Me? I'm not hiding anything. Gilinia and I were friends. I'm insulted by the accusation that I would do something to her. Besides we were told this was a sleeper attack. I wouldn't even know I was guilty so I don't understand your suspicion."
Orson raised an eyebrow. "Dimir sleepers are often given their mind and body back immediately after the committed crime. House Dimir revels in the breaking of people's minds, showing them the crime they made them commit sends people into grief spirals. In this case you would not be turned over to the Azorius. You had no control but we will need to use you to find the actual culprit."
A young blond wojek entered the room. She spoke in a loud but calm voice, "Lieutenant commander, they need you down in the library. One of the researchers found something. Yori Intetillius. She runs the zoo and interguild relations. She called specifically for you."
"Yori? That's my wife. What happened? Why is she in the library?" Zek interjected.
Orson grasped the man's shoulder again, "Zek you need to keep still so the clerics can make sure are disenchanted before you can return to the remainder of the Zonot. I'll take care of this; Yori was instructed to help the investigation team down in the library. Don't worry, she's under careful guard. Considering her Selesnyan background and her immediate compliance and offering to help she has been permitted to aid in the investigation. She's helped us a lot actually. But we are still keeping an eye on all of you, despite the disenchantments." Orson pressed firmly on Zek's shoulder as if to reassure him but also as if to tell him if he continued to be a problem he'd be taken care of.
"Commander Czerif. Glad you came so quickly." Yori muttered softly. She had been very quiet but helpful the entire time Orson was at Zonot X.
"Of course, what's going on? I was in the middle of questioning the last staff member. Your husband." Yori seemed to flinch.
"I discovered a few missing books from the advanced and restricted section of the library. All of them written or co-written by Zarj Tarmor."
"The krasis man who runs the upper zonot?" Orson was puzzled. This was a clue… somehow but he could not figure out what it meant.
"Yes him. The missing books are his book on self-hybridization, his book on magical creature mutation, his book on natural creature mutation, his book on rapid hybridization and a book he co-wrote about Simic sky swallowers and other sky leviathans."
"Thank you for your assistance but we've questioned Zarj before and he seemed clean."
"I'm not suggesting he killed her. I'm just informing you on what I found."
"Oh, right. Well thank you, you've been a great help so far, but you don't need to torture yourself like this. Go home, see your daughter."
Yori smiled, "I'm sorry commander Czerif, I'm just so shaken by this whole thing."
"It's understandable." He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "And don't worry I'll have Zek back to you in time for dinner." Orson noting her smile vanishing when he said her husband's name. Something else is going on he thought.
"So Zek, where were we?" Orson asked coldly.
"What did Yori want from you?" Zek barked. The clerics had left and he was rid of Dimir enchantments if he ever had them and Zek was back in his lab. The Boros clerics had gone and were replaced with the undersea research staff. The undersea lab was Orson's least favorite area. The fact that there were oceans under Ravnica the entire time was still something he needed to get used to but more than that it was the depth. As lieutenant commander of the Theater or Integrity it was his job to deal with Dimir schemes. This led him into the undercity more often than not so he was familiar with dank underground places but they were never safe. Being under the surface made Orson tense. Sure the Simic had outfitted the area with bioluminescent kelp but it served little to calm his mood. It cast its vibrant blue all over lab, reflecting off equipment and instruments.
"Your wife had discovered a trend of missing books from the library. A possible clue as to a motive."
"Well which books was it? I spent plenty of time in the library I know who looked at what." Zek's tone was more aggressive than before.
"I don't know who you think you are but you aren't off the hook yet." Orson admitted coldly.
"What!? You said this was a sleeper attack and I was the last one disenchanted. How am I still under suspicion?" Zek was practically seething.
"Honestly, your reactions suggest your hiding something. You can't sit still. You were the closest one to the victim other than her grandfather. And you are very hostile towards me." Orson's jaw was clenched. His hands were balled into fists. He felt like he was about to hit Zek. This scientist was really getting on his last nerve. And on top of that, there was the odd way Yori reacted around him or even just his mention.
Zek returned the tense look to Orson. They stood at the center of the lab glaring down the other man. "Before you make a huge mistake, I should tell you I've beaten an ogre in unarmed combat."
"I could have the strength of five ogres before your fists could reach me" Zek made his eyes flash a dark green.
Orson began to channel but it was shattered when the same blond wojek from earlier that day interrupted. "Lieutenant Commander Czerif! There's an emergency that desperately needs your attention."
Orson bounded up the winding stairs towards the aero lab. Something was wrong with one of the experiments, it had gone rouge and the Boros were trying to contain it. To his right was the blond messenger wojek. She was lightly armored and held two thin swords on her belt. His other flank was occupied by a larger man with a large mace fastened to his back. Despite his heavy armor he kept up with the others. He spoke with a gravelly voice, "how did these Simic intend to deal with this while we weren't investigating."
"We're tying up most of their staff with the search for the Dimir influence; they have plenty of ways to…" A loud shriek pierced the air and they increased their speed.
The Boros soldiers crashed through the door to a large room with a glistening field of energy to keep specimens in. Large kelp trees twisted into the air. Strange scaled creatures hid amongst the kelp like leaves. More importantly, Boros spellcasters littered the ground. The ones still standing were firing into the sky and ducking for cover. Orson looked upward and only saw a blue spot charging towards them, dodging spells like they were barely moving.
"That the target?" Orson barked.
"Yes sir. It's the man who runs the lab up here." One of the wojek piped up. "The drake-man sir, he's gone nuts."
"I'll restrain him."
Zarj Tarmor came into focus. His face was a thick dark purple that spread tow his wings in sickly vein looking tendrils. Claws brandished, Zarj's mouth filed with blue light. Balls of turquoise light appeared around several standing spellcasters. Their spells no longer came from their hands. Only smoke escaped but no fire.
"Of course he can still cast spells." Orson said without thinking. "Everyone take cover!" He quickly dashed back from the counter field. His eyes turned to golden fire and he drew his sword. He ran back to the Boros and leapt to intercept the Simic researcher's descent but Zarj was too fast. Orson's sword only struck air but the drake krasis' teeth found an older wojek. Before Orson could land, Zarj had mangled the one soldier and was staring down the next. Her ability to cast hadn't returned so she was defenseless against such a fast opponent.
Energy crackled from Orson's chest. Many arcs of mana twisted and danced until it reached his outstretched blade where it exploded into two massive bolts of lightning. They spun in a helix and smashed into Orson's target, the drake-man's gut. He was sent tumbling across the aero lab. The remaining magic crackled as Orson wove another spell. His skin felt like it was on fire. In fact it had begun to glow a dull orange. He snarled and went into a sprint. As he passed other Boros his buffing spell spread to them. Same heat. Same glowing skin. It was meant to enhance the fighting prowess but mostly speed. The newly empowered soldiers dashed along with their lieutenant commander and stopped in a circle around the wounded krasis. They had him at all angles, blades pointed and ready.
Unfortunately not ready for everything the Simic had in store. The cornered krasis bolted into the air. A large patch of skin, covered in blood, was on his stomach. Scales began to reform around his wound.
"Wings. Right." Orson growled. How could he have not thought that? This place was doing something to his head he had decided. He was too far off his game since he showed up to Zonot X. "Stand together! Ready defenses!" Several spellcasters sheathed their blades and begun to channel mana. Up above the screeching krasis had readied the same counterspell. "Not this time!" Orson's free hand slung two more lightning helixes.
Zarj dodged both swiftly. Lightning cracked against a kelp tree behind him. The resulting explosion made him stagger in the air. The massive upper portion of the tree fell toward the drake but he dodged again. The second helix was perfectly timed. It slammed into the broken plant falling next to Zarj and exploded again.
Orson ran forward still orange and fiery. Several feet from Zarj the lieutenant commander slammed his fist into the aero lab floor. From his fist a blaze shot forward ripping apart the floor and any roots getting in the way. Upon reaching the researcher the blaze erupted. The explosion was massive.
Amongst the smoke and dust of the aftermath Orson coughed, "Apprehend him now!"
The explosive impact had spread out over most of the aero lab's area. Most experiments were high enough to avoid the fire. The Wojek spellcasters lowered their cracked shield spell and dashed to the downed krasis. Zarj was slick with red blood and his exposed human skin was seriously burnt. The Boros quickly chained him up with magic and steel but somehow regenerated enough to survive.
The smoke cleared. Orson was flat on his back surrounded by ash and debris. He raised his head. "Is everyone still alive?"
"Why for Razia's sake are there so many stairs. You'd think these Simic guys would have created some other strange way of going up and down these zonots." Orson had gotten up early and sitting around had never suited him so he decided to begin work patrolling Zonot X. He hadn't sustained too many injuries from exploding a generous portion of the aero lab. Some minor bumps and bruises here and there and a damaged foot were all he got. The only noticeable damage was covered up by a bandage wrapped around his head. That and a noticeable quirk to his walk.
In spite of the situation it had felt good to get in some real exercise from fighting Zarj. Something about his flipping out wasn't sitting right with him. Those purple markings seemed familiar but he couldn't place it. He arrived up at the aero lab as the sun started to rise. It was littered in plant and floor debris. Most of the ground and walls up to about his waist was covered in thick black soot. He may have gone overboard but then again he always did when his men were hurt and it got worse if they didn't survive their injuries. The Boros lost three good soldiers that day. Two men before he had arrived and one woman spellcaster after. If there was one way to get to the top of Orson's list it was hurt his comrades. But for now he had to wait until the drake-man regained consciousness. Orson had to admit, part of him came to the lab to admire his handiwork. He was kind of proud of his magic abilities. Best of any swordsman he'd ever seen.
"That's an odd smile Lieutenant Commander Czerif." Yori interrupted his less than humble train of thought. "Thinking about someone special?" The elf woman let out a giggle.
"A what? Oh no. I don't have anyone like that right now. There's something important I have to do first." Orson let out a confession without thinking. "So why are you here so early? Working hours have been cut for all researchers until we take care of this case."
"I know," Yori turned her eyes upward, "I just love looking at the krasis up here. Though they're pretty skittish today. I wonder why that is." She rolled her eyes exaggeratedly and grinned, "But now I guess I can talk to you. What happened up here?"
Orson couldn't help but smile back. Something about how kind Yori was let him ignore the weird feeling he got from this place. "I don't see why not. Well from the reports I can say Zarj was being questioned again, because the books you found, when he attacked the ones questioning him. He had been acting strange, sweating a lot, and being jittery. Come to think of it he had strange purple markings. Do you know anything about it?"
"I'm sorry I can't say that I do. Perhaps it was mutation from his erm mutation?" Yori brought a hand to her chin in thought. "Though typically markings or pattern changes happen within the early stages of krasis creation and he became a hybrid almost a year ago. A recurring transformation perhaps. Ms. Zotos would be a better person to question; she and Zarj are longtime friends."
"I'll have to ask her when she gets in then. In the meantime there is something I need to ask you." Orson's tone became serious. "What is Zek hiding?"
Yori's eyes widened, "Nothing…"
"Yori, you don't need to defend him. I can read the guilt on his face. It's as plan as the pain on yours."
"I don't know."
"Stop being dismissive. This could be connected to the case."
"It isn't. I mean. He would never hurt anyone. But…"
"But? Go on."
"But I have my doubts about him."
"Doubts? About his inability to hurt anyone."
"No! I know he's a kind man. He's just hot headed and doesn't think things through unless he's in the lab. But I think he's done something. He has been acting strange since about a week after we arrived here with our daughter. Thing have changed and I don't know how." She was in tears. "I don't know what to do. If he'd tell me what's wrong we could go back to when we were happy."
Orson walked forward and hugged the crying elf. "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pressed the issue. It seems pretty personal." In the corner of his vision something darted away through one of the doorways leading to the outdoor staircase. He spun Yori quickly and bolted to the door. "I'm sorry!" he yelled
Every other step sent pain screaming through Orson's entire right leg but he was catching up to the mysterious figure that darted away from him and Yori. He really didn't want to leave at that moment but he had a feeling this was Zek trying to get away. They'd have the fight they should have had back in the undersea lab.
The perpetrator had darted back into another aero lab to try to escape but Orson was quicker. As he rounded the turn into the lab he let out a slight jolt of lightning into the escaping man. It was certainly larger than Zek he was suddenly aware. The spell found home in the other man's back and he crumpled to his knees.
Orson jumped over the toppled figure and threw off his hood revealing a face Orson didn't recognize. "Who are you!?" He demanded.
"I'm sorry I'm so sorry!" He began to cry out. Tears began streaming down his face. He was a big guy, taller than Orson with a shaved head.
"Who are you!?" Orson demanded again, a fistful of crackling lightning emphasizing the importance of the question.
"I'm Zek's primary assistant." He managed between sobs. "He and I have been sleeping together behind his wife's back."
Orson didn't see that coming. "What!?"
"Don't tell Yori! I had no clue he was married I didn't mean to!" The look on his face didn't look like he was lying. "I found out he was sleeping with others too."
"Who else was he with?"
"Just a few lab assistants around the zonot and more importantly the merfolk librarian who died. He made me think I was the only one he was seeing."
Orson's balled his hands into fists but asked calmly, "Do you know where he is now?"
"I never left the zonot last night. I was with a group of other assistants under Boros supervision and word got around. I found out about the others and his wife and I wanted to wait in the aero lab because it calms me down but you two were there and I couldn't face Mrs. Intetillius." The bald man's speech was uncommonly quick.
"Where is he now?" Orson was still managing to stay calm.
"Right. He told me last night that he was going to speak with Ms. Zotos in the incubator sector. That was right after you left the lab and I haven't seen him since."
"He didn't come home last night. He probably went home with her." Without Orson noticing her at all, Yori was standing in the doorway. Her face was an odd mix of pain and anger "I'm going to wait for them in her office!"
"Yori, wait." Orson called out as she turned the handle of Tamil's lab door.
"Mrs. Intetillius. Please calm down." Zek's assistant piped in.
Distraughtly she yelled, "I don't want to hear a word from you!"
She was in a lot of pain. The mystery problem with her husband had been revealed but clarity didn't make Yori in any less pain. It was understandable to be angry but she was acting as hotheaded as Zek or Orson.
The door was unlocked and it swung open fiercely. "Tamil Zotos I would like a word with you!" Yori stormed into the lab but froze once she had a looked around. "Lieutenant Commander Czerif please come in here!" She screamed from inside.
"What is it?" Orson ran in to find the lab in complete disrepair. Shattered vats and strange goo were everywhere. Tamil Zotos lying face down in a puddle of some strange blue fluid. Weird half incubated creatures were twitching in front of broken vats.
He rushed to her side. She didn't appear to be injured. Maybe a concussion. He cast a quick healing spell and Tamil jerked awake and coughed up some of the fluid she was lying in.
"Zek no!" She shouted afterwards.
"You're fine Ms. Zotos. What happened here?" Orson gave off a calm demeanor despite the confusion and panic rising out of his gut.
She continued to cough, "Zek came in here last night. We got into an argument. Ow my head hurts. It got heated. I can't remember much after that but I know Korgo and Zek started to fight."
"He fought a sea troll!?" Yori exclaimed half worried.
"I'm not sure. I think there was someone else in here with them." Tamil coughed up the last remaining fluid. "I feel strange. My head it hurts so badly. I can't recall."
A loud creaking sound from somewhere in the incubation chambers broke the conversation. Orson helped Tamil into a chair.
"Nobody move. I'll go see what it is. You," He pointed to Zek's assistant, "Watch them and be careful."
Deep in the rows of incubators, Orson found the source of the noise. One of the larger incubators was sloshing back and forth. Blue foam poured from the top. As he went towards it the large container began to fall over towards him. He jumped back quickly and dodged the bulk of the incubator but he was washed away in yet more strange liquids. Once the thing finally stopped pouring slime over him and the rest of the containers down in this part of the lab. A large mass came out with the tide of goo and slammed into Orson. He prepared mana; anything could come out of one of these things. But it lifted partially up. It had a humanoid shape so he guessed it was the head. It whipped the slime from its face. Orson's eyes widened.
"Dimir…" Zek muttered between coughing up slime. "They are here."