"This is Detective Haus of the NYPD, I was told it was an emergency, what can a little old cite cop do for the FBI's elite?"
It was normal that most cities police department hates the FBI, hell, half the FBI hated themselves, between taking over cases, assisting in cover-ups, getting away with questionable murders. Parker wasn't having it, but there was no time to banter.
"We're working with a friend of yours, a consulting detective by the name of Veger Haldler, He's got himself into trouble, and it's believed the people who went after him are going after a friend of his, Uhm, Reese Snow,"
Parker might have been amused if she could see the detective's face, there was shock and terror, he and Reese were close, hell, Veger too, but Reese was more of a people person.
"Hold a sec."
Parker heard a click, I"Well, that's annoying she thought,"/i as she took in a deep breath and put a hand on her hip, a clear sigh she had been irked.
On the other end Detective Haus was shouting orders to get over to Veger's residence, that Reese was in danger and he needed constant surveillance; under covers posted all around the property.
"This has to do with your Carroll case, I've been watching the news."
"Yes, but shouldn't you already-"
"No, I'm not Veger's babysitter; I call him when I've got a case, that's that"
Debra sighed.
2003, and Reese found himself in a class he had no idea why he was taking. He liked studying the environment, he was a biologist just as much as he was an environmentalist, yet here he was, taking a romantic literature class that centered around Edgar Allen Poe. He knew that Poe saw beauty in death, that it was a form of art, but the fact that there was a class for it? He was sure to find a couple of individuals with a few screws loose.
Death happened, but people didn't usually like it, and what? Murder was okay as long as it was not someone you knew, if it was, it was a crime punishable by death that one rooted for? Okay, so maybe most of society had a bunch of screws loose, and there was more than meets the eye to this class. "Maybe someday I'll broaden my horizons, go for a darker touch in love and nature." Reese mumbled under his breath as he entered the classroom and took a seat in the back.
"Believe only half of what you see, and nothing that you hear."
The professor was quoting Poe, that was easy.
"But feel it. Feel it in your heart and your mind. You choose what you want to believe and then understand it, further it and yourself."
The class was bewildered, maybe he had been working with Veger too long already, so much so that he was profiling everyone, predicting their reactions and assuming why it was happing.
It was the teacher, he was charismatic, and it was common that a lot of women had a thing for accents. He moved around, drawing the eyes, causing heads to turn, there was no room for boredom.
"You, the charming gentleman in the corner, what are you passionate about?"
"Bugs."
Reese said quite blandly, he wanted no part in being a puppet. He was odd enough as it was.
But Joe smiled.
"You're holding back."
"Maybe."
"You're watching the others, because like me, you can understand the bigger picture, you see, more."
Joe drew out his final word, it was seductive, and even Reese was finding it hard not to follow the man anymore.
"Nature is art and the insects of the world are her dancers, actors, writes and artists, the hidden workers long forgotten, that will outlive and out last anyone of us, death is everywhere."
"And we want to make death in common again, we are desensitized to it, just as most are the common spider the shoe is thrown at, or the leaved we crunch under are feet on the sidewalks, yes?"
"Yes."
"Then let me show you how, let me show you all how."
Professor Carroll was smirking, arms outstretched. Of course his next victim was already chosen and it was a shame he had a type. Reese's death would be beautiful, eyes to be replaced with creepy-crawlies. Nature would cry at the artistic atrocity.