Ariel paced back and forth as she watched the interviews, Abe stood to the side his hand covering his mouth, while Liz was in the bathroom, and Red was eating a Baby Ruth while watching the news with glee.
"Guys, you're missing this. We're on TV." Red said happily as Abe walked over to the restroom door talking to Liz, but Ariel was too angry to hear what they were saying.
"And what about this guy walking around with a toilet seat on his head?" One of the anchors asked making Red laugh.
"It's quite obvious it's a breathing apparatus." Abe said in offense as Liz walked out of the restroom.
"I think we gotta lose the garbage truck. Sends out the wrong signal." Red commented.
"You think that's our problem? Transportation?" Abe scoffed.
"And check out this fine feline, can you say here kitty kitty?" An anchorman said.
"I wouldn't mind giving her a scratch behind the ears." Another anchor said in a suggestive voice making Ariel growl.
"And this girl." A talk show host showed a picture of Liz. "She is cute. We should get her on the show."
"I hate it, when people stare at me. Makes me feel like a freak." Liz said standing in front of Red. "You had no right, Red."
"It's Manning. Could you..." Red waved Liz off. She shot him one more disbelieving look before walking away as Manning walked in. "Gas pocket, what an idiot."
"You've murdered me. You've murdered me. You have ridiculed me." Manning said as he popped another anti-acid. "You brought this unto yourself."
"What?" Red asked looking away from the TVs.
"Washington is sending down a new B.P.R.D agent." Manning answered.
"A new guy?" Red finished his candy and stood up. "Why?"
"To look after you." Manning replied before he left.
"What? I don't need to be looked after, right sis." Red scoffed looking to Ariel who glared at him making him flinch.
"Red, I have never been more disappointed in you. You have taken your childish behavior to a whole new level and there are repercussions that you and the rest of us are now going to be forced to deal with. You need to learn to think about others instead of focusing on your own selfishness." Ariel ground out as she stalked forward jabbing her finger into his chest before turning on her heal sweeping out of the room leaving a stunned Red behind.
-0-
Ariel stood between Abe and Liz who was next to Manning waiting for the new addition to the team to arrive. Ariel's tail was switching back and forth obviously still agitated at Red only calming down when Abe placed his hand in hers giving it a comforting squeeze.
"Pardon me boys, excuse me." Red said as he made his way through the crowd taking his place next to Liz. "Is he here?"
"Not yet." Liz replied.
"I'm telling you we don't need this guy." Red scoffed.
"We don't, you do." Ariel shot him a look.
"Evidently this guy is quite a big shot in Washington." Manning said reading from a file.
"What's his name?" Red reached for the file, but Manning kept it away from him.
"His name is Johann Krauss." Manning answered.
"Johann Krauss? Sounds German." Red made another grab for the folder with the same result.
"He is a top man in ekto ..." Manning struggled.
"Ectoplasmic." Abe helped him, Red shushing him.
"Yes, thank you. Ectoplasmic research." Manning nodded. "Comes highly recommended by our European liaison."
"What a crap." Red whined.
""Liaison", I love that word , don't you?" Manning nudged Liz who rolled her eyes in mild amusement. "It is so ... hidy-tidy."
"I do not like Germans." Hellboy said.
"No fingerprints." Manning flicked the file.
"Here he comes." Bayard said hearing the lift start to descend.
"Germans make me nervous." Red went on.
"No photos. Dossier says and I translate: "he has a nice ... open face"." Manning finished the file as the lift stopped in front of them and Johann Krauss stepped up. "O my god!"
He was in a steampunk hasmat like suit that had metal accents with a glass dome for a head filled with smoke.
"Damen und Herren, Johann Krauss, at your service." Johann said as he clinked his heels together and bowed.
"I like him!" Abe commented getting a look from Red, while Ariel just shook her head walking forward.
"It is nice to meet you Dr. Kruass, welcome to our facility. Please allow me to show you to the lab." Ariel smiled politely.
"Thank you Agent Ariel." Johann nodded as he followed Ariel down the hall along with the others.
-0-
"Look at that. Poor little thing…bought and sold on the black market crammed into a cargo container, smuggled, abused." Johann said as they looked down at the dead toothfairy.
"He has very expressive hands." Manning commented as Abe took out the photos he took.
"The seal on the box worries me also." Abe said handing them to Johann.
"A war egg emblem." Johann nodded.
"Yes, from Bethmora clan, the Sons of the earth." Abe said.
"Your file says you're the brain of the operation and I must admit I am impressed." Johann commented.
"In my file you'll see Mr. Krauss, that I work very closely with Abe in his training…" Manning tried to grab some credit only to be ignored.
"Ja, okay, let's see what our little friend here can remember." Krauss went on.
"Memory gets a little sketchy, right after you're burnt to death. But ..." Red took out a talisman. "Maybe Saint Malachay can help."
"No, no, no amulets mein herr...Teleplasty!" Krauss waved him off.
"Plastic, very modern." Manning nodded in approval.
"Teleplasti, by which an ektoplasmic medium such as Dr. Krauss, can control inanimate things organic, mechanical, dead or alive." Abe corrected Manning and explained it to him as Krauss's smoke filled the fairy up.
"Take it, take it all in mien junge." The fairy gasped. "Well, well, here we are! Get up, get up, get up." Krauss ordered as the fairy stumbled to its feet. "Now I have full control of its limbic system. Let us see how long I can hold it."
The fairy started to point at Red chattering wildly.
"What?" Red snapped. "You? of the tip of my tail!" He made to hit the chattering fairy. "Your little…" Red looked to Ariel who was giggling. "What?"
"It says you're rude, brutish and not very bright." Ariel remarked.
"Wow." Liz deadpanned.
"That is correct Agent Ariel, I read from your file you are learned in many cultures, languages, and traditions." Johann commented.
"That is correct." Ariel nodded.
"What else is he saying?" Johann prompted her.
"It seems our little friend here remembers market sounds and voices. And a peculiar troll language spoken in the last place the crate was open." Ariel answered right away.
"The troll market." Johann said with a nod. "Very good Agent."
"Thank you Doctor." Ariel smiled.
"Kiss up." Red mumbled.
"The troll market?" Liz scoffed. "No one has ever found it."
"That's because it doesn't exist!" Red said.
"Dr. Krauss? Sir?" Manning said looking to the fairy who was once again dying. "Our little informant doesn't look so good."
"Back inside you, there we are." Krauss said as the smoke left the fairy and returned to him through his finger. "So now we know where to begin. Trolls dwell under bridges."
"You are a genius." Red scoffed sarcastically. "By the way, there's over 2,000 bridges in New York City."
"Oh, but Vladimir Vania, 19th century occult historian places the troll market directly under the east end of the Brooklyn bridge." Abe said.
"We've already looked there." Red grumbled.
"Yes, you have. But not with me, agent. Not with me!" Krauss replied. "We're moving in!"