Torrik jogged through the back streets. She had caught snatches of the soldier's conversation with Logical and knew they wanted the crystal back. Well the only way that would happen would be if they could beat her in a round of cards... Assuming they could cheat better than her of course.
It was while she was casting a glance over her shoulder that she collided with someone. That someone was a skinny FOnewm in a teal-coloured costume who almost dropped the wooden cane he was carrying in surprise.
"Hello! My name's Toldos and I'm not dead." He said cheerfully.
Torrik looked him up and down.
"I can see that, but I'm a little busy escaping to be exchanging pleasantries."
"Perhaps I can help yooooooo-" He said as Torrik grabbed his hand and pulled him in the direction she had been running.
-----
"So where are we now?" Bernie asked Marla as they stood in the dirty hallway of a run down apartment block.
"This is the source... My contact for information worth knowing. His name is Escher and apparently he's very special." Replied Marla as she jabbed the doorbell a few times for good measure.
Bernie grabbed her hand and restrained it.
"Your enthusiasm is going to get me killed one day."
The intercom by the door crackled to life and a brief squeak came from it. The pair looked at each other and shrugged. Marla pulled her hand free and pressed the button once more. Another squeak. After repeating this a couple more times, the door swung open of its own accord, allowing the RAngers to step inside.
The room was of an average size but banks of computer servers and equipment occupied half of it, filling one side completely. A row of monitors formed a curved wall around a swivelling chair of the kind that would make a Secret Agent movie villain jealous. The chair rotated to reveal its occupant, a tall lean man with several wires jacked into his head. He spoke.
"SqueakSqueakSqueakSqueak."
"Uh... Maybe you should cut down on the helium?" Suggested Bernie.
Escher held up his hand to indicate them to wait and closed his eyes to concentrate. There was a gentle hum and then he opened them again.
"I use a technique to accelerate my processes. Sometimes I forget to switch it off before talking to people." He explained. "Now, you are?"
"Marla Decker and Bernie Tristane of the HCIU. I sent you a message earlier about getting information on the RRR?"
"Ah yes. And my payment?"
Marla rummaged through several of her pockets before pulling out a data disk and handing it to Escher.
"Half now, half when you deliver. As per our agreement."
Bernie looked at Marla.
"Photos."
Bernie raised an eyebrow.
"Of me."
He raised the other eyebrow.
"In my underwear."
"Can I-"
"NO." She said firmly.
"You may leave now." Escher said dismissing them with a casual wave of his hand. "When I find anything I will contact you."
"So how come you have that sort of thing on your person anyway?" Bernie asked her as they exited from Escher's apartment.
"'Cause it's very useful. I find that it works better than money sometimes."
-----
The soldiers spread out to form a wall. Toldos bravely stood in front of Torrik, while she bravely pressed herself against his back.
"There's no escape." Said the captain.
"You'd better run for it, I'll delay them for as long as I can." Toldos whispered quietly to FOnewearl while trying not to think about the soft bits being squashed up against him.
Torrik looked into his eyes and knew he was serious.
"Just remember..." He called out to her. "I'm Toldos and I'm not dead!"
The soldiers watched as Torrik disappeared at the end of the alley.
"Not for long." Snarled the Captain.
-----
"So what happens now?" Asked Bernie.
"We head back to the crime scene and look for clues."
"What?! Shouldn't we have done that while we were there earlier?"
"Well I kinda forgot in all the excitement, but as a consolation, I'll let you ogle my firm butt as we're running, okay?"
"Some consolation..." Said Bernie to himself. "I do that anyway."