Chapter 27

Capitol Plaza Apartments
Unit #25
Washington DC

"So nothing's been taken?" Will asked.

"Nothing that I could tell." Penelope said. "I mean, I don't know every valuable thing he has in his apartment, but his TV's still here, and no one touched his gun locker, and it doesn't look like anyone went through any of his drawers. The only thing disturbed are his kitchen and his couch."

The officer who came with Will came over. "There's no sign of forced entry. And nothing on the security camera at the stairs."

"Right. Thank you." Will turned back to Penelope. "So you're saying someone broke into his house without breaking anything, ate his leftovers, took a nap on his couch, and then disappeared."

Penelope gave him that look. "This is why I called you Will! I know it sounds crazy but I am telling you this apartment is not the way I left it!"

"I know, I know. I believe you. But if there's no sign of a break-in and nothing missing but some tamales and cake there's not a lot I can do here. Just let me know if anything happens again."

"All right."

Once Will and the officers left Penelope went to straighten up. But then she stopped. "Nope. Everything just as it is." She took pictures of the whole apartment, concentrating on the couch, the bed and the kitchen. And then she went to…

No, one more thing.

She went back and turned on Spencer's TV. She noted the last show watched on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and PBS, and what episodes on each.

Then she made sure everything was locked, and left.


The next day she returned to feed the cat once more, only this time she did not come alone. She checked her pictures and sure enough, things were different. The pillows on the couch had been moved, as had the blanket over the back of it. There was less TP on the roll. More leftovers were gone. And a show on Netflix had been at Season 1, now it was at Season 2. "Okay, this is just creepy creepy." She said to her companion.

"So Reid has a ghost who likes to eat his food and abuse his Netflix queue." Derek Morgan replied. "I admit, something's going on here, but I'm not buying ghost."

"You're right." Penelope replied. "But I know how to find out what it is. And you're going to help me. Did you bring your tools?"

"Yeah…."


At the end of the case they didn't go back to the office. It was so late and they were so tired they all just went home for the night. Penelope and Spencer carpooled home. It gave her a chance to tell him about his apartment. "…so we put up a camera."

"We?"

"Yeah. Derek helped."

"A camera? Please not in my bedroom."

"No. It's in the corner above your kitchen door. It gets your front door, your main windows, and even your bedroom window if you leave the door open. Anyway, if your mysterious squatter comes back when you're gone there will be a record."

"Okay, but no peeping. I don't need you and Morgan watching my lack of hot aliens in there."

She just laughed at that.


Spencer went home, dropped his bags, took out his contacts, opened the bedroom window and went to start making something to eat.


To: SReid
From: SR .mp

I'm wondering what would be the best translation, as I only read English and not Sanskrit yet. I'm trying to learn the context of the quote "I am become death, the destroyer of worlds", but a search of the Terran databases only comes back to a scientist who used it in an interview once.


Spencer looked up from his phone as a familiar feline form jumped up on the couch and started trying to climb him. "Oh, there you are. You know, a friend tried to feed you but you never came around. I guess you're just a one person cat, huh." Tristan finally settled for climbing up on the couch to curl around his neck and purr madly in his ear. "So the good news is that I'm off tomorrow, since I finished my paperwork on the plane. I have to admit, I sleep better with you in bed with me. I'm planning on sleeping in and then, since the weather report is calling rain maybe we can watch some movies. And I am so pathetic I am making plans with a cat."

Tristan was not playing the slightest attention to what he was saying. Instead he was rather focused on Spencer's phone.

"I don't know who this person is. They're an alien, like me, so maybe my e-mail is listed in a directory or something. Apparently I'm the reigning alien authority on Earth. Hopefully they're not all going to start bothering me. But this question is an interesting one."


To: SR .mp
From: SReid

Sanskrit does not actually translate to English well. Oppenhimer did his own translation work, and most scholars think that quote was not translated well. A more accurate translation would be something like, "I come as time and destroy all worlds. As death, I take away everything." Oppenhimer's translation likely reflects his own thoughts at the time. Many believe he was grappling with the knowledge of having created such a destructive weapon.

Do you still want a recommendation for a translation?

I admit to being curious, where did you learn of that quote?


Spencer shrugged Tristan up to hang over his shoulder. "You know, I think dinner on the couch works tonight. I'm having chicken pasta Alfredo. If you behave I'll share."


To: SReid
From: SR .mp

I heard it in a movie my brother shared once. I've been thinking about it quite a lot lately and wished to learn more.

No, thank you. I think I might find what I'm looking for by learning more about Oppenheimer.


Tristan was sitting on the counter while Spencer finished his pasta. Spencer showed him the phone. "Huh. I wonder what he's trying to get at. Or she. What do you think, he or she? And how does her brother know about Terran movies?"

Tristan responded by rubbing his cheek over the corner of the phone.


To: SR .mp
From: SReid

His work is fascinating, both form a historical and scientific perspective.

May I ask your name?


"Why not, right?"

Spencer took his plate over to his the coffee table to eat. And put a small plate with a few bits of chicken down near his for Tristan. "There's probably something very sad about this.


To: SReid
From: SR .mp

My name is Sa'rai. Which translates to Sarah in most Terran languages. Whichever you prefer. And yes, it's Lady.

And you are Lord Spencer Garron, but you prefer the Terran name Dr. Spencer Reid.

May I call you Spencer?


To: SR .mp
From: SReid

Yes, of course. But you didn't give me a last name.

Are you the Sa'rai who worked with Sin Belasco?


To: SReid
From: SR .mp

No. I didn't.

Yes I am. He speaks highly of you.


"As you know from the smell I'm not human." Spencer told Tristan. "Apparently everyone in my species actually is bisexual, so there's nothing wrong with finding both Sin and this woman interesting. Speaking of, I wonder if he'd like to go check out some of the museums sometime." Spencer paused for a moment. "Which would be a date. And I'm actually okay with that."

Tristan licked his plate clean, jumped over beside Spencer on the couch, closed his eyes and gave a very contented chirping purr.


To: SR .mp
From: SReid

Good to know.

That makes it rather hard to try to learn anything more about you.


Diner over, leftovers put away, Spencer bagged up the trash and took it out.

No point in gloves, he was just running this down to the can. "I'll be right back," He said.

Tristan stayed on the couch.

When he came back he started building a mug of cocoa.


To: SReid
From: SR .mp

Everyone knows everything about me now. Would you indulge my desire to be a blank slate?


"She's on Mars. How much trouble can she be?" He asked Tristan from the kitchen.

Tristan meowed in reply.

"That sounds like a warning."


To: SR .mp
From: SReid

If you wish. Why do you want to learn more about Oppenheimer?


As Spencer turned from the stove he became aware of the oddest sensation. It felt like his hand was bubbling.

No, his arm.

No, his shoulder.

No, his….

"I don't feel good." He said to Tristan.

And the darkness took him.