A/N: Chapter rewritten.
Disclaimers from past chapters are applied to this chapter as well.
Chapter 8
"You Have FORCE POWERS?"
Calico's suite
A Famosa Resort, Malacca
11.58 a.m.
Geronimo's Perspective
We investigated the crime scene with the help of the Malaysian Police's forensic team. We photographed every piece of clue and evidence we could find.
The first piece of clue I saw was a cleaned up blood trail, leading to the closet. It was very visible since the floor was tiled with parquet.
"A bloody handprint," said Sergeant Kamal Hussein from the balcony. He photographed it right away. "Looks like somebody looked out here with bloody hands." He took out a cotton swab and swiped a sample of the blood.
"Could be the victim's," Trap said.
"...Or the killer's," Benjamin continued.
Then a shout from DiNozzo from the bathroom: "Gibbs! I found more blood."
"Where?" Gibbs asked.
"The faucet, looks like the killer washed his hands."
"He forgot to wash the blood off the faucet though..." Gibbs said. DiNozzo snapped a photo of the bloody faucet. Like the sergeant did, he swiped the blood with a cotton swab.
"Boss, I've searched everywhere, no sign of any murder weapon involved," reported McGee.
"There was a dumpster back downstairs near the lobby entrance, go check it out," Gibbs ordered.
"B-b-But... Boss... That's 20 stories down-" McGee stammered.
"Does this face make me look like I care, McGee?" Gibbs asked McGee rhetorically after cutting him off.
"No... Boss..."
"Then go!" McGee then rushed out the suite.
Appeared our medical examiner at the door, Professor Von Volt with his equipment. You don't really know this, but he has a PhD in medical science.
"Professor! That was quick, I thought you just called at the lobby," Benjamin greeted.
"Yes, I did. A man from the maintenance company just fixed the elevator the second I got there," replied the Professor.
Possibly DiNozzo overheard and the bathroom walls echoed his voice saying: "Poor lil' probie..."
"So, where is the body?" The Professor asked.
"It's in the bedroom," Benjamin replied.
He joined me with the body as I photographed it: "Ah Geronimo! Here you are!"
"Hello professor," I started. "I need you to examine the body."
Calico's face looked like it was beaten up very badly. A black eye, cuts on the left cheek and a bruised right cheek.
"Ah yes, Malcolm Calico. Have you finished photographing yet?"
"Yes, I have. I'm going to check in with the others. I'll be right back."
I met up with Benjamin back at the living room.
"Well, the place is spotless, no obvious signs of struggle," I started.
We looked around and with the aid of my nephew, he spotted something.
"Uncle G, look at the edge of that dining table," he said as he pointed towards the wooden dining table near the balcony.
We went closer to examine it.
"Blood... Good eye, Benjamin!" I said. I took out my camera and snapped a photo of it. I took out a cotton swab and swiped it.
"Make sure you get this to Pandora," I said.
By the time we were done, there was still no sign of Agent McGee.
"Me and my boys only found blood on the balcony and the door, nowhere else," said Sergeant Hussein.
"More cleaned up blood on the floor and the dining table," I said.
"And some more blood on the faucet in the bathroom," interrupted Gibbs.
"And no murder weapon," Benjamin continued.
"McGee's going dumpster diving to find it," said Gibbs again.
"If there is one," I squeaked.
"Let's go take a look at the body," Gibbs said to me.
"You guys go on ahead, I'm gonna sit this one out," Benjamin said, looking green.
We walked back into the bedroom, where the professor was taking Calico's liver temperature.
"Time of death?" Gibbs asked.
"According to his liver temperature, I'd say about 4-5 days ago," replied the Professor.
"Cause?" I asked.
"Multiple lacerations to the chest suggested that he was stabbed. He took one stab directly to the heart. Since there are no pierce wounds on the back when I flipped him over, murder weapon had to be a 3-inch knife, or a switchblade," he explained.
"Boss... Pant... I've found... Pant... Gimme a second... Pant... I've found the murder weapon... Oh God, that was tiring!" McGee said as he stormed into the suite, sweating. He held an evidence bag containing a switchblade.
"Good job McGee!" DiNozzo said teasingly.
"What does that mean?" McGee asked, panting.
"I'm just congratulating you McGee, runin' up and down just to get this..."
"Boss, what's he trying to say?" McGee asked again.
"He tryin' to tell you that the elevator was fixed as you got up here," Gibbs replied.
"What?!"
"You heard me..."
"Ugh..." McGee collapsed and leaned against a wall.
Once the investigation ended, we drove back to headquarters, except for Sergeant Hassan and his partners from the forensic team. We drove carefully to not ruin the evidence in the trunk.
My Perspective
Interpol HQ
5.30 p.m.
Geronimo, and I went down to the lab to check on Pandora's progress.
"How much blood have you processed?" Geronimo asked.
"Everything's on the way. But, I think I can deduct something out of the cleaned-up blood trail," said Pandora.
"Go for it," I interrupted. FYI, I came down here with Geronimo.
"For starters, the killer got him on the floor and gave him a few left jabs to subdue Calico," she explained.
"Explains the cuts on the right cheek," squeaked Geronimo.
"Probably... If so, this suggests that the killer was left-handed. Anyway, enraged, the killer stabbed the victim a few times so calico bled out. To get rid of the body... sorta... he dragged and then stuffed Calico in the closet. He cleaned up the floor probably with a mop from the janitor's closet," Pandora explained.
Geronimo's phone rang, he picked it up.
"Stilton speaking," he started. "Professor? We'll be right down..."
We went down a floor to the morgue.
Upon arrival, we saw Gibbs by an autopsy table. The body was patched up with a y-shaped stitch.
"You wanted to see me professor?" Geronimo started.
"Yes, I've some doubts about the cause of death on this man," he replied. We came closer to the table which had the body. Geronimo leaned closer to the body's neck. "You see here, his neck has dark markings around it-"
"He was strangled," interrupted Gibbs.
"Yes, death by asphyxiation," the Professor said.
"How come you didn't notice this at the crime scene?" I asked.
"His black suit he wore went all the way up his neck. I couldn't notice it when I first examined him. Anyway, there is one more thing. Follow me," said the Professor. The three of us tailed him to the X-ray board. He took out a pointing stick. "From these, I've found cervical fractures in his C1 and C2 vertebrae," he said as he pointed out. "Supposed that the killer was extremely strong that when he tried to choke the victim to death he snapped the spinal chord in the process. Death was instantaneous."
"So, he died of a broken neck?" I asked.
"Exactly."
"So now were looking for a killer who is left-handed, extremely strong and has something to avenge?" Geronimo squeaked.
"I guess so," said the Professor.
The three of us came back up to the squad room. McGee and Benjamin were still trying to bypass the resort's firewall, in hopes of getting security footage of what happened a few days ago. I took a seat beside Thea.
"Benjamin! McGee! Are you done cracking through that firewall?" asked Gibbs.
"Not yet. For a resort, they've got military-spec cyber protection," said McGee.
"Can you do it faster?" Gibbs demanded.
"You know, this would be a lot easier if we had gotten a warrant," squeaked Benjamin in response to his uncle.
"And wait 24 hours for the General Secretariat to approve it? I don't think so..." said Geronimo.
McGee's computer (actually, he was using the one on Trap's desk) started beeping.
"Boss! I've got something," McGee shouted. He brought the footage onto the flatscreen. "Here's the footage from the night Calico was murdered."
We watched the footage of the hallway starting from 6 in the evening. Calico walked into his suite, Calico walks out of his suite, then nothing. Gibbs ordered McGee to fast forward. Then we saw at 8 pm, a very familiar face. He went in to Calico's suite.
"Agent McGee, stop it right there," Geronimo ordered. McGee paused it, and Geronimo studied the face closely. "Fernando Martinez?"
"What was HE doing there?" I said.
Then the ringtone of G's cellphone played. It was Pandora. He put his phone on speaker.
"Talk to me," started Geronimo.
"You'll never guess who's blood was it on the balcony rail, the edge of the dining table and the door handle," replied Pandora.
"I bet I can but I'll let you announce it."
"It all belonged to Fernando Martinez."
Interrogation room
6.00 p.m.
Thea, Geronimo and I watched as Trap and Gibbs interrogated.
"FERNANDO DIDN'T KILL ANYBODY ALRIGHT!" Martinez shouted in protest.
"Then why did the cameras captured you going into his apartment during the time of the murder?" Trap questioned.
"Yeah, we found your blood too. On the balcony rail, the door handle and on the edge of the dining table," said Gibbs.
Martinez sighed. "Alright, here's the thing. I was drunk. Okay? I took a few shots at the bar at the lobby, went back to what I thought was Fernando's suite."
"Drunk? Again?" said Trap.
"How? No two keycards and it's readers are the same," said Gibbs.
"That is a question for the resort management to answer..."
"And what's the blood all about?" squeaked trap.
"When he came back, he put up a fight with me and told Fernando to get out. He got very pissed when Fernando puked on his bed."
"Explain," ordered Gibbs.
*Flashback (according to Martinez)*
Calico: (Enters suite and sees Martinez) Hey! What are you doin' here?!
Martinez: Me? (Hiccups) This is my suite! What 'chu doing here?
Calico: This is my suite! You gotta get outta here, now!
Martinez: Hold on one second... (Pukes on bed)
Calico: Oh, that's it! (Grabs Martinez by the back and throws him out of the bedroom.)
Martinez: (Off balanced, head bashes into the edge of the dining table. Checked head for blood. Tries to get up. Tumbles to the balcony due to disorientation. Props himself up grabbing the balcony rail.) Alright, alright. I'll go. (Walks out and away from the suite, leaving blood on the door handle.)
*flashback ends*
"We're done here," Gibbs said.
"YOU'RE done here. I'm stayin'," said Trap.
"Suit yourself..."
Gibbs joined us in observation to see what Trap was up to.
"Alright Martinez, word on the street is that you're world champion in arm wrestling," Trap said.
"World travels fast," he replied.
"I wanna see what you've got..." Trap sounded tough.
"What...? Against 'chu? 'Chu wouldn't stand a chance..."
"Oh, just of curiosity..."
"But before that, I prefer using my left arm."
"Huh, what a coincidence. Same here..."
Trap took off his coat and hanged it on the chair's armrest. He rolled up his left sleeve above his elbow. Martinez took off his pink Hawaiian shirt and threw it over his shoulder, revealing his blank white tank top. I don't know how to say this but, HE WAS RIPPED. Every muscle in his arm popped out of his skin. Trap's was...umm...well...it wasn't so bad actually. Thea's purple eyes popped out as well upon seeng Martinez's biceps.
"Uh... Thea...? Thee-aaa?" I called, separating the syllables in her name. "Thea! Thea, snap out of it!"
Since nothing worked to wake her up, Geronimo suggested that I slap her to get her out of her trans. Luckily, it woke her up.
"Thanks, I needed that," she said.
Anyway... It started and it ended pretty quickly. Trap lost (as expected) and Fernando flexed out his guns again as a victory celebration. That got Thea into another trans, and I had to slap her again.
Trap joined us and concluded his hunch: "Just as I thought, left-handed and extremely strong."
"He maybe our prime suspect but we need more proof if we're gonna bring him in," stated Gibbs.
"Guys, hate to interrupt but it think we need to step out because Thea can't stop staring at Martinez like that," I interrupted.
"Oh, yes. You may be excused," said Geronimo.
"So huge..." she moaned. I tried to push her out of the room but she kept resisting.
"Oh Thea," I sighed.
I brought her out and slapped her again, then went back up to the squad room...to avoid her seeing Martinez again.
Street outside of Interpol HQ
6.15 p.m.
Thea and I took a leisurely walk outside to the shops nearby to get some bites for us and the others. The place was a block away but we took a shortcut through the park. We had our weapons but decided not to use them to not scare any civilians.
We wanted to cut through the lake by crossing the bridge but then my eye caught two tough and tall men at the other side. They wore black suits.
"Thea, let's not go there," I advised.
"Why not?"
"I saw two bogies. One bald, one flattop. Black suits. Unarmed. Possibly Technologist scum."
"Then we'll go around them..."
They were already halfway across. We were still a quarter way around the lake.
The bogies got across and closed in on us, just 50 feet of out six.
With the command of my chip, I played Styles Of Beyond's "Nine Thou" on my iPhone, the Superstars Remix of course.
*intro starts*
Then I made the call; "RUN!"
*band plays*
We started running. Sprinted past people, parkoured over obstacles...
"Can you fight?" Thea asked.
"Reflexes, mine. Moves, chip."
"Works for me..."
We stopped on the sidewalk near a zebra crossing and got into our fighting stances, just intime for the verse to start. We fought to the rhythm of the rap verse.
(Thea's moves)
Verse: Aiyyo, first things first (parry 2x, one-two punch, elbow)
It's time to shake ground in the eighth round (parries 3 puches, double nose punch, kicks side)
Box battle & break down (helicopter kick, 2 hits in opponent's face)
From the beat in the wild tone, jump in the cyclone (catches opponent's one-two, headbutt)
S-T-Y-L-E-S, yes I know, (fast 7-combo punch, 7th punch a hard uppercut)
Give the rap phene vaccine (dodges 4-combo punch)
Pack red beam (one-two, elbow (dodged and blocked))
Put 'em up (resets to stance)
You plucked a bad seed (wipes sweat on forehead)
Off the wall spittin' the guerrilla tag team (dodges kick, a one-two, and a spinning backhand)
What's up now? Jump down, stuff that can't breath (left jab, right jab, finishes with spinning-airborne roundhouse kick, opponent knock out)
(My moves)
Yo! You know the routine, the demon effect (dodges 2 jabs, catches fist)
Please, don't step, you wanna be one of my pet peeves (facepalms hard twice, punches nose)
The more beef the better, sound strange (blocks one-two, block side-kick)
And you all wanna creep together, OK (4-combo to torso, one-two (blocked))
In the club we gon' sneak Berettas (Thea hops in, does backwards spinning kick, sending opponent 10 feet away)
Why not? We got so much street credit, (resets to stances)
the rookie police let us
Now that's foolish, 'cuz we would act sweet (both runs to opponent, Thea gives leg-boost and launches me to opponent)
'Cuz I could run ten laps in a track meet (feet towards opponent's face, uppercut kick, backflips back onto feet, continues running)
(Chorus)
Keep it movin' it's on now
Making it punk rile
Shaking the funk rile
Rip it apart style
Fakin' the funk pal
Dunk watch it punk
What now? Watch your battleship get sunk down
(2x)
Click (click), pow (pow), nine (nine), thou (thou)
What? Just what I thought, what's up now? (4 more thugs on the corner of the street)
Hu' (Me: We've got four more bogies!)
I'm like hu'-hu' (Thea: We can't fight them. We'll just have to outrun 'em! Turn here...)
Thea's Perspective
We turned and hid inside an alleyway. We saw the men run past us. I told Danny that we needed to get back to HQ somehow.
(Third verse)
Who the hell splitin' up the belly of a shellfish (gets out of alleyway and back at the corner)
In any your style playing the fell blitz (stops suddenly, I saw the thugs we beat up coming at our direction)
Drilling you brain like rap and video games (goes to nearby bistro, hides faces beside menus)
Feel the syringe for the styles that's stickin' in your brain (two men walks around corner, walks right past and meets up with the four other men by the other shops)
Yo! What kinda stuff is he on (sneaks away from The Technologists' men)
Really it's Styles, really be on
C'mon punk, shove off, you really gotta be gone (Technologists scum notices)
Ripped out of your brain (we run, they chased after us back to the park)
Tripped over your lip to diss the S.O.B. gang (gets to middle of the bridge)
What's with this, chillin' eatin' kibbles'n bits, (MORE Technologist scum blocking the other side of bridge)
There ain't no street talkin' the globe I can't fix (turns around, Technologists blocked exit)
Get it? I'm sick with it when I spit the venom & it drips up in 'em
And it gets the women in a (thugs closed in on round sight-seeing area
Quick dilemma; we can settle it now
But I don't know who did it but they said it was Styles (surrounds us in a circle)
Click, pow, nine, thou
What? Just what I thought, what's up now?
Hu'
I'm like hu'
Click, pow, nine, thou (Danny: HUG ME!)
What? Just what I thought, what's up now? (Me: What?)
Click, pow, nine, thou (Danny: Just DO IT!)
What? Just what I thought, what's up now? (Me: Alright!)
I'm like hu'! (Explosion occurs, blows enemies away)
Okay, let me explain in detail what happened. The explosion didn't destroy the bridge, there was a blue circle of dust around us for a second, then it disappeared. If I didn't know better as a Star Wars fan, that might have been a force Repulse. His stance was like the one Darth Vader uses. Arms both extended, right foot extended forward, bent his back forward... I think I just made a discovery.
He looked weak after the Repulse and started to collapse. I caught him as he was about to fall.
"Danny, are you okay?" I said as I laid him down on the bridge.
"Not really," he said as he coughed lightly, "but I'll live."
"Danny, you've got some explaining to do."
"Maybe later..."
"Umm... Okay, we need to get you to a hospital-"
"N-no. I don't need a hospital. I just need to rest."
"Can you walk back to HQ?"
"No, I drained all my energy on that Repulse..."
"Looks like I have to carry you then..."
"Pretty much..."
"Alright, here we go..." I picked him up by his back and legs.
"Geez, how much do you weigh?"
I continued my walk towards HQ. My back got really sore after that.
Everyone at HQ asked me what happened. I explained, and told them what happened, sorta. Including the fact that Danny has Force powers but, they didn't believe me. Don't worry, they'll know the truth when he wakes up.