Chapter Two: Strange...
The agents headed straight for the apartment. Diana knocked on the door. "I wonder what M.O.M meant by altered."
"I dunno, it could mean anything sis." Martin said. "This is the address." Diana hesitated the knocked on the door. Someone opened the door. You couldn't see the persons face or body because the door was only open a slit.
"What do you want?" A female's voice demanded.
"Hi, you must be Clarissa, Saria's roommate right? I'm Diana... this is Martin and Java. We're from the Center."
"Oh thank goodness." The voice said. A pretty, brown haired girl opened the door, stepped outside, and shut the door before the agents had time to look inside. Martin starred at the girl for a moment. She was gorgeous. She has pretty green eyes, and a lovely smile.
"It was quite unexpected." The 20 year old explained, "I usually go out for a morning run and get some coffee from a diner about 15 minutes away, and then I go to work by taking the subway near our house. Anyway, when I arrived home from work, I went inside. I thought she had played a prank on me. The apartment had been totally redecorated. I walked around looking for the hidden camera group until I saw her lying on the ground unconscious. I called a doctor over and he said there was nothing wrong with her. She's upstairs still knocked out."
"Cool, sounds like a sleeping beauty story. Can we come inside?" Martin asked excitedly.
"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn you." Clarissa stated. She opened the door. The 3 agents gasped as they walked in. The whole apartment had been redecorated to an 18th century theme. "I'll show you Saria, she's in her room." Clarissa said. As she lead them into another 18th century room. Lying on a canopy bed was Saria. Her eyes were shut and she was dressed in a stunning red dinner gown with beads. Wine colored ribbons were in her corkscrew styled hair. "This is the way I found her. The doctor said her eyes were going through a R.E.M state and should stop when she wakes up. (A/N: R.E.M: Rapid eye movement. I-e: Her pupils are moving so fast that the naked eye can't see them. This usually occurs when a person is asleep and namely dreaming.)
"Wow. This is defiantly a paranormal phenomenon! HOW COOL!!!" Martin exclaimed.
"Martin you've never heard of sensitivity before have you? We'll get to the bottom of this." Diana said firmly.
"Can you take me to the place you found her please?" Martin asked, "I'd like to search for clues."
"Sure, if you'll follow me." She said as she took them to the living room. "I found her right here. I drew a chalk drawing around her with gloves before I picked her up, just in case there's evidence there." Sure enough, there was a chalk drawing at one side of the room. Martin scanned it and sent it to Billy for analysis.
"Were you wearing gloves the whole time you were near her?" Martin asked
"Yes, when I saw her body lying there I ran over and checked for pulse. When I found one and saw that she was breathing I relaxed and put on some gloves, so as not to wreck the crime scene. Then I called the doctor."
"You're positive you didn't do anything." Martin proceeded.
"Yes I'm positive!!" Clarissa said beginning to get annoyed.
"Okay... then who's handprint is this." Martin asked.
"I don't know." Clarissa said. "Both the doctor and I wore gloves around her."
"I'll scan it and send it to Billy for analysis." Martin stated. "Well go back to our hotel and wait for it there."
"Wait. What's that?" Diana asked. Around Saria's neck was a gold locket covered with rubies.
"It's a replica of a emerald locket that the famous singer Sparkle wears. Saria is a big fan of hers. They come in 8 different colours." Clarissa stated.
"If you don't mind Clarissa I'd like to scan that too." Martin half asked-half stated.
"Sure, no problem." Clarissa calmly said. After scanning the locket, the 3 agents left the apartment. While they walked back, Diana window-shopped.
"Hey!" Diana exclaimed. "This must be Sparkle!"
"It must be." Martin said, as they passed a display cart filled with posters and souvenirs of a girl with shiny, long black hair, and a million dollar smile. She was wearing a cropped top and you couldn't help noticing an emerald covered locket dangling from her neck. Most of the posters were the same. The girl standing is a pose with the words SPARKLE written beneath her.
"OOH!" Diana cried as they passed an identical cart filled with different coloured lockets.
"You're not actually going to buy one of those are you?" Martin asked.
"Of course I am. Look how pretty they are. Look! They have a violet coloured one! Violets my favorite colour!" Diana exclaimed as she handed the man working at the cart a few crumpled bills.
"Oh brother!" Martin sighed.
"What?" Diana exclaimed. "It's a perfectly harmless way to spend a few dollars. I'm surprised you're not drooling all over the place."
"I would," Martin, said, "If I wasn't too keen on solving this case."
"Whatever," Diana said as she put on her new necklace.
They were almost at the hotel and the sun was setting. They were about to walk up the steps of the hotel until they heard and ear-piercing scream.
"It's coming from over here!" Martin shouted as they bolted down the street to a parked car. A young woman was standing next to a car with a look of shock on her face.
"Martin Mystery, paranormal investigator!" Martin cried as they reached the scene. He whipped out his I'D and put on a charming smile.
"Were here to help," Diana said, "Can you tell us the problem?"
"Oh...oh...Okay," The woman stuttered, still taken on the event at hand. "My roommate and I were driving back from our cottage. Maie...my roommate... fell asleep in the back seat. I stopped here to get some coffee. I decided to let her sleep since we've had a long day. I didn't pay attention to my car while I was inside the restaurant. When I came back with some food and other things, my car was gone. Where it was parked, there was this 18th century car. My roommate was inside it still fast asleep. It was freaky, as you can see...she's all dressed up. I went over to her side of the car and opened the door. I tried everything to wake her up. I shouted, I shook her...I tried everything. I pulled open one of her eyelids, to see if she was faking it. Her eyes were milk white! That's when I screamed, then you guys came."
"Fascinating!" Martin cried. "Sorry... we didn't catch your name."
"Oh, my name is Hillary." She replied.
"Well Hillary, I'm afraid to say that your roommate is another victim of the Black Arts!" Martin said excitedly. Hillary's mouth dropped in horror.
"What?!? That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of!" Diana shouted. "Sorry Hillary. I'm afraid that Martin is a victim of an overactive imagination." Hillary's face relaxed.
"Is she going to be alright?" Hillary asked slowly.
"I don't know." Diana said, "The same thing has happened to another girl not far away. But rest assured, we will get to the bottom of this. In the mean time...may we examine Maie?"
"If it will help you're investigation, yes." Hillary answered.
The agents had Java carefully pick up Maie and put her under a nearby streetlight.
"I don't see anything abnormal about her." Martin said. "Other than the fact that she's gorgeous!"
"Martin, you are a hopeless lunatic that shouldn't be allowed outside a padded cell." Diana muttered.
Maie was wearing an 18th century sapphire blue gown, with white dinner gloves on her hands. She had her black hair French braided with blue ribbons at the ends of each braid and was extremely attractive.
"You're right about one thing." Diana stated, "There's nothing abnormal about her at all. Strange, isn't it?"
"Look!" Java cried, pointing at Maie's throat. "Locket!" Sure enough, Maie was wearing a locket identical to Saria, Diana, and Sparkle. The only thing different about it was that it was blue.
"I told you those things were no good." Martin said triumphantly.
"Oh, come on Martin!" Diana sighed. "This is a small town. Fads travel fast. I bet every girl in the town owns a locket similar to this one."
"No way." Martin argued, "All the evidence points to the locket. Its bad news."
"You're overreacting just because you're in a sour mood! I like my locket and I intend to keep it on. So there!" With a last angry look at Martin, Diana huffed over to talk to Hillary.
The agents couldn't find any more evidence, so they decided to head back to their hotel. Diana was still slightly huffy at Martin.
"Humph!" Diana sighed, "Martin thinks he's so clever. All he ever does is jump to conclusions. Not one of his theories has ever been true! I like my locket no matter what he says. Double humph! He wouldn't know good taste if it came up and bit him on the face. Why I bet..." Her thoughts were interrupted by a dumpster rattling in an alleyway to the right of her. Diana glanced down the alley. She couldn't see a thing. She took a few steps down the alley to investigate.
"Di! Where are you going?" Martin called as he saw his stepsister walk into the alley.
"I though I heard something!" Diana shouted.
"It was probably a stray cat or something" Martin said as he caught up to Diana.
"I know, but I just want to make sure." Diana said.
"Java wait here." Java said shivering.
"Come on Java!" Martin exclaimed. "Nothing is going to hurt you." Java followed them reluctantly. A trashcan fell over causing the 3 agents to jump into the air in shock.
"Martin...what's that?" Diana whispered as she saw two green eyes coming closer...and closer...and closer...until...
"Hey guys!" Billy said
"Hey Billy!" Martin said letting go a sigh of relief.
"I have you're analysis." Billy said hitting a few buttons on his computer screen.
"The handprint you sent me is completely indecipherable, none of the center's records had any information on it."
"That's odd." Martin said slowly.
"The locket however is a completely different story. True, it does belong to a Miss Sparkle Lawless. Nevertheless, the locket itself is over 1000 years old, dating back to over 1372 BC. It seems the locket was a family heirloom with astonishing powers. It also seems that Sparkle is holding a charity ball tomorrow to support the children's orphanage of Halifax. M.O.M also thought it would be necessary to give you these." Billy handed Diana 4 backstage passes to the ball. "It's formal dress."
"Thanks Billy." Martin said "Can you tell me anything else about the locket?"
"Sorry Marty no can do. There was more information but for some reason, all the data in that area was erased to make room for M.O.M's private files. Oh well! Good luck guys!" With a last parting glance, Billy flew back into a portal and disappeared.
"Wow. I think its time we got ourselves dates Diana." Martin said gleefully.
"Why?" Diana asked. "Why don't you just find a date and I can go with Java?"
"Because Billy gave me this!" Martin said, holding out a piece of paper. "Java is going to be a backstage worker at the ball. That just leaves you, me, and 2 other passes. Lets have fun and find some dates!" Martin said happily.
"Fine!" Diana said, "Why not? It's about time we had some fun!" So arm in arm, Diana and Martin headed off to their hotel with Java trailing behind them.
