Chapter Two: Link
Da'an met Liam at the morgue in New York City in a black business suit with her hair down and slightly curled.
"Dr. Blake, this is Elaine Kingsley," Liam said pointing to Da'an. "She's a profiler for the FBI and the VIU. She specializes in Taelon style murders. Elaine, this is Detective Curtis and Detective Jameson with the New York Police Department."
"I had no idea this was in your jurisdiction," Da'an said to the detectives.
"The man lived in Queens, but the murder took place in New York," Detective Curtis said.
"What's with all the living in here? This is a morgue, ain't it?" a man with a Brooklyn accent called in the background.
"And who the hell are you?" Detective Curtis asked.
"Rembrandt Emerson Dautrive, private investigator hired by the Reyes family to look in on the death of the dearly departed," he said. "Let me guess. I can tell just by looking at you all." He pointed to the two detectives. "Homicide, and based on your attitudes, you either got a problem with me movin' in on your turf or the doughnut shop ran outta jellies." He pointed at Liam. "Liam Kincaid, former protector to the former North American Companion, Da'an. Yeah, I read your interview in the Times. You work for what's-his-name. The replacement Taelon with the ugly head and the bad attitude."
"T'than?" Liam asked.
"Yeah, that's the guy," Rembrandt said. He pointed to Dr. Blake. "As the only one of us in a hospital uniform, I'd say you're the morgue doctor. How do you do, sir? And you…" He pointed to Da'an, but his stare was much longer and more focused. He was studying every feature, but mostly, he was staring at her eyes. "…Well, you're just a total mystery, aren't you?"
"I am…Elaine…Kingsley," Da'an said taking his hand. "I am a profiler for the FBI."
"I'm sure you are," Rembrandt said, "and call me Link. All of my friends do." He pulled the hand she had given him to his lips and gave it a light kiss. "Southern hospitality I believe is what you call that."
"Thank you," Da'an said nervously.
"Well, now that everyone's here," Dr. Blake said in frustration, "let's take a look at this body."
Da'an pulled Liam out of the room for a moment. "Elaine Kingsley, Liam? And just when exactly had you planned on telling me about my new identification?"
"There wasn't time to call you," Liam said. "Hubble Urick and Renee helped me create the name and the badge at the last minute. He was just discovered last night."
"Wait. Hubble Urick!" Da'an exclaimed.
"Keep your voice down," Liam whispered. He pulled it out. "By the way here's your ID."
Da'an took it and looked at the picture of a brown-haired woman with green eyes. In fact the only feature she had that was Da'an's was her forehead. "This woman looks nothing like me."
"It's all in the attitude," Liam said. "Just flip it open and flip it closed really fast."
"I do not believe this," Da'an said. "How do you expect me to pull this off? What if I have to work with you in front of a Taelon? Someone is bound to recognize me."
"Renee and I do it all the time. Just act like a profiler. You'll be fine."
"How do I act like a profiler?"
"Just be yourself. Look, I'll be right here with you. Nothing is going to happen. I promise you."
"Is everything all right, sir?" Dr. Blake asked.
Da'an and Liam whirled around to face him.
"Yes, everything's fine," Liam said.
"My…fellow worker did not bother filling me in on the case specifics, and, well, you know how it is," Da'an said trying to be as casual as possible.
"Oh, I understand perfectly," Dr. Blake said. "Don't worry, I'll tell you anything you don't know yet."
"Thank you so much," Da'an said.
Dr. Blake gave all of the observers surgeon masks to shield them from the smell. Liam pulled out his global to record the findings. The doctor opened the body bag to reveal a pale white corpse with the exception of a large burn over his whole chest cavity and several lacerations around his shoulders.
"It looks like he was laying over a grenade to me, doc," Detective Curtis said.
"Well, it wasn't a grenade," Dr. Blake said. "Several lacerations on the upper arm and shoulder areas, a large violet purplish burn centered in the chest cavity—looks almost like a chemical burn initially."
"Have you analyzed a sample of the skin in that area?" Rembrandt asked.
"He does not need to," Da'an said. "I can see it. I can see the traces of Taelon energy on and around the burn."
"You…can see that?" Detective Jameson inquired in a stunned tone.
"That's why she's a profiler," Liam said.
"Well from the crime scene we determined that the assassin followed him," Detective Curtis said.
"He probably knew the guy was following him and tried to lead him to the alley away from the public to prevent injuries," Detective Jameson continued.
"Then, he turns around really sharply, fires his skrill—" Dr. Blake said.
"But he misses, and the murderer gets a chance to fire," Rembrandt finished. "The murderer was the better shot."
"More like he had the better shot," Da'an said. "The lacerations on his shoulder indicate that he was hit with an explosive device. It was probably a casing filled with Taelon energy designed to explode on impact. Of course the assassin would have killed him. He had the better gun."
"So what did he get shot with? A bazooka?" Detective Jameson asked.
"A specially modified C-25 energy rifle," Liam said.
"How in the hell can you be that specific?" Detective Curtis asked.
"The C-25 is the standard volunteer firearm. Only it could have done this much damage, and it is also the easiest weapon we have to modify," Da'an explained. "It must have been modified to carry and launch Taelon explosives."
"Meaning that whoever shot your guy probably worked for us," Liam said.
"So we're looking for a volunteer, possibly from New York who hated this guy enough to take his gun, specially modify it, follow the guy to a dark alley and blow him to smithereens," Rembrandt said. "Gee, and I thought this was gonna be hard. Is there any way to indicate whether it was a man or a woman?"
"I'm afraid not," Dr. Blake said, "but I can say that whoever shot him was at least two inches shorter than him."
"Only by height?" Detective Curtis asked.
"Hey, shut up your mouth," Detective Jameson said hitting his partner in the shoulder. "There's a lady present."
"I think the better question to ask is was this really a domestic dispute between two rival volunteers, or was this a very carefully planned assassination," Da'an said.
"Well, let's go interview the wife and find out just how many people hated this guy," Detective Curtis said.
"Yeah, way ahead of you on that one, pal. She don't know," Rembrandt said.
"Maybe we can sweet talk it out of her," Detective Jameson said giving him a dirty look.
"Fine, it's the government's money not mine," Rembrandt said. He took Da'an's hand again. "But enough about that. I know this little place on Thirty-Fourth that serves the best coffee since the Starbucks craze. Care to join me and compare notes?"
"Well, that is quite a tempting offer, Mr. Dautrive, but I am afraid I must pass. I do not drink coffee," Da'an said.
"That's too bad. You're missin' out. Here's my number," Rembrandt said giving her his card. "Call me if you change your mind."
He escorted her out of the morgue, bowed to her and left.
"Weird guy," Liam said shaking his head.
"Indeed," Da'an said, "but I suppose all the best private eyes are."
"So you're not that big on coffee. How do you feel about Chinese?" Liam asked.
"Uh…I doubt any human foods would do my system any good."
"They have green tea," Liam said in a tempting voice.
"Well why didn't you say so?" Da'an asked.