September 24th, 1997
Angel Island, 9:34 am
Derek Rayne entered the Library and quickly examined the group there. Alex was, as always, seated dutifully at the table. She had a pen in her hand and looked ready to tackle any challenge Derek might throw at her. Nick also sat at the table, attempting to down a large cup of coffee. He had been up all night working on the new security system and looked considerably less than awake. From the rustling overhead he assumed Philip was somewhere above, looking for a book on the upper level. Derek prepared to ask about Rachel's whereabouts when the blonde doctor came rushing in behind him. Smiling apologetically she slipped into a seat near Alex.
"Sorry, Derek. Kat forgot her science project at home this morning, we had to run back and get it." she offered, setting out a stack of papers and waiting for a reaction. Derek's expression remained grim and Rachel balked, "Really, Derek, I am sorry . . . "
"It's all right, Rachel. I understand that Kat comes first." He interrupted, moving to the head of the table and laying a stack of papers there.
"What's wrong, Derek?" Alex asked, leaning forward. Glancing around the room he began to hand out sheets of paper. Philip appeared from the stairway and accepted a sheet, laying it and a pile of books on the table before settling into the seat next to Nick.
"Wha's this, Derek?" He asked, examining the smiling face of the pretty young girl on the paper before looking up to accept the next piece as it was passed his way.
"This is Molly Anderson. Her body was found in Treadway Park by a jogger approximately five hours ago. Her body was mutilated and she was barely recognizable. Police think its gang related because of a mark they found on her back." He explained, producing a picture of a symbol on the small of her back. It resembled a star, turned over and enclosed in a triangle. "They're placing her death somewhere near midnight."
"You don't think it had anything to do with a gang?" Nick asked astutely, as he was an expert at reading the mood of his Precept. Derek shook his head.
"Molly was a student at the San Francisco Academy of Science. I'm sure you're all aware of their studies into psychic phenomena." He spoke, looking to Rachel. She nodded.
"I've heard of it. Doctor Mayer heads it up. In the medical community it's mostly disregarded as being total nonsense, but they do have quite a few applicants to the program."
"Well, Molly was a subject of one of these studies. She was recorded as having significant psychic ability." He explained, handing around a chart of the results.
"She had the Sight." Alex concluded, and Derek nodded.
"Exactly right, Alex. It turns out she never wanted to hear the results of her tests, but she was registered as a rather powerful psychic."
"So a psychic gets murdered in a park. Pardon my asking, but what does this have to do with us?" Nick asked. Derek collected up the sheets before passing out a new stack.
"During the last three months, girls have been similarly murdered around the Bay Area. Not all of them were recorded psychics, but many of them were members of Dr. Mayer's study."
"So you think the good doctor has something to do with it?" Nick asked, handing Derek back his papers and standing up with a stretch.
"Not necessarily. I think it is someone connected to the program, but I'm not sure why they would be murdering these girls. Nick and Philip, I want you to head over to the Academy and ask around. See what you can find out about the program. Rachel, I need you to go to the coroner's office, see if you can examine the body. Alex, check the archives for the symbol on Molly's back." Derek finished. Tasks delegated, he began to gather up the papers as the group dispersed. Alex remained behind, hoping to capture a moment alone with the Precept.
"You haven't forgotten about the benefit for the hospital next week, have you?" She questioned, gaze probing the guarded depths of the older man's eyes. Derek shook his head.
"This comes first, Alex. It's very important we put a stop to these murders before another girl dies." He replied, turning back to the table.
"The benefit is important too. They need the money for the new burn wing." Alex argued, and Derek spun around.
"We're not going to let another girl die!" He yelled, causing Alex to flinch. Understanding suddenly appeared in her eyes.
"This is about Taly, isn't it? These girls, these psychic girls, are all about her age. You're thinking something like this could hurt her . . . " she cried, causing Derek's shoulders to bristle. Alex placed a hand on his arm and he turned. "Don't worry, Derek. Taly's in Paris, this thing, whatever it is, can't hurt her."
Derek gathered the last of his papers and stalked moodily from the room, leaving Alex alone. Sighing deeply, she passed through the map in the corner and sat down to start her search.
Derek, meanwhile, settled into his desk chair and examined the picture of Molly Anderson. The girl smiled at him innocently, totally unaware of the horror that would befall her. Shaking his head he opened his desk drawer and pulled out a small, framed picture.
The girl in the frame was the same age as Molly, seventeen, and smiling the same innocent smile. Her hair was darker, longer, with more of a curl. In that moment the girl in the frame looked heartbreakingly vulnerable. Derek shuddered and placed the picture back into his desk, briskly shutting the drawer and returning to work.
Derek Rayne entered the Library and quickly examined the group there. Alex was, as always, seated dutifully at the table. She had a pen in her hand and looked ready to tackle any challenge Derek might throw at her. Nick also sat at the table, attempting to down a large cup of coffee. He had been up all night working on the new security system and looked considerably less than awake. From the rustling overhead he assumed Philip was somewhere above, looking for a book on the upper level. Derek prepared to ask about Rachel's whereabouts when the blonde doctor came rushing in behind him. Smiling apologetically she slipped into a seat near Alex.
"Sorry, Derek. Kat forgot her science project at home this morning, we had to run back and get it." she offered, setting out a stack of papers and waiting for a reaction. Derek's expression remained grim and Rachel balked, "Really, Derek, I am sorry . . . "
"It's all right, Rachel. I understand that Kat comes first." He interrupted, moving to the head of the table and laying a stack of papers there.
"What's wrong, Derek?" Alex asked, leaning forward. Glancing around the room he began to hand out sheets of paper. Philip appeared from the stairway and accepted a sheet, laying it and a pile of books on the table before settling into the seat next to Nick.
"Wha's this, Derek?" He asked, examining the smiling face of the pretty young girl on the paper before looking up to accept the next piece as it was passed his way.
"This is Molly Anderson. Her body was found in Treadway Park by a jogger approximately five hours ago. Her body was mutilated and she was barely recognizable. Police think its gang related because of a mark they found on her back." He explained, producing a picture of a symbol on the small of her back. It resembled a star, turned over and enclosed in a triangle. "They're placing her death somewhere near midnight."
"You don't think it had anything to do with a gang?" Nick asked astutely, as he was an expert at reading the mood of his Precept. Derek shook his head.
"Molly was a student at the San Francisco Academy of Science. I'm sure you're all aware of their studies into psychic phenomena." He spoke, looking to Rachel. She nodded.
"I've heard of it. Doctor Mayer heads it up. In the medical community it's mostly disregarded as being total nonsense, but they do have quite a few applicants to the program."
"Well, Molly was a subject of one of these studies. She was recorded as having significant psychic ability." He explained, handing around a chart of the results.
"She had the Sight." Alex concluded, and Derek nodded.
"Exactly right, Alex. It turns out she never wanted to hear the results of her tests, but she was registered as a rather powerful psychic."
"So a psychic gets murdered in a park. Pardon my asking, but what does this have to do with us?" Nick asked. Derek collected up the sheets before passing out a new stack.
"During the last three months, girls have been similarly murdered around the Bay Area. Not all of them were recorded psychics, but many of them were members of Dr. Mayer's study."
"So you think the good doctor has something to do with it?" Nick asked, handing Derek back his papers and standing up with a stretch.
"Not necessarily. I think it is someone connected to the program, but I'm not sure why they would be murdering these girls. Nick and Philip, I want you to head over to the Academy and ask around. See what you can find out about the program. Rachel, I need you to go to the coroner's office, see if you can examine the body. Alex, check the archives for the symbol on Molly's back." Derek finished. Tasks delegated, he began to gather up the papers as the group dispersed. Alex remained behind, hoping to capture a moment alone with the Precept.
"You haven't forgotten about the benefit for the hospital next week, have you?" She questioned, gaze probing the guarded depths of the older man's eyes. Derek shook his head.
"This comes first, Alex. It's very important we put a stop to these murders before another girl dies." He replied, turning back to the table.
"The benefit is important too. They need the money for the new burn wing." Alex argued, and Derek spun around.
"We're not going to let another girl die!" He yelled, causing Alex to flinch. Understanding suddenly appeared in her eyes.
"This is about Taly, isn't it? These girls, these psychic girls, are all about her age. You're thinking something like this could hurt her . . . " she cried, causing Derek's shoulders to bristle. Alex placed a hand on his arm and he turned. "Don't worry, Derek. Taly's in Paris, this thing, whatever it is, can't hurt her."
Derek gathered the last of his papers and stalked moodily from the room, leaving Alex alone. Sighing deeply, she passed through the map in the corner and sat down to start her search.
Derek, meanwhile, settled into his desk chair and examined the picture of Molly Anderson. The girl smiled at him innocently, totally unaware of the horror that would befall her. Shaking his head he opened his desk drawer and pulled out a small, framed picture.
The girl in the frame was the same age as Molly, seventeen, and smiling the same innocent smile. Her hair was darker, longer, with more of a curl. In that moment the girl in the frame looked heartbreakingly vulnerable. Derek shuddered and placed the picture back into his desk, briskly shutting the drawer and returning to work.