Chapter 47

The Mecedes slide through the water logged streets of Oxford, following the traffic of the A420 towards the university. The streets were busy, people walking past, most likely college students. The rain had stopped about ten minutes earlier, but the clouds were still thick and heavy on the sky.

Nick says as I looks out the heavily tented windows, 'I hate the rain.'

Ki shrugs and says, 'It could be worse.'

I had lived in England most of my life up until my turning and even after, so the smell of rain was calming to me. We had passed the old Biochemistry department building I had gone to and we would soon be turning to where the biolab was. I had red about it some years ago. It had been opened to classes in 2008, and the architectual design was rather interesting.

That's when I notice the traffic hadn't moved in a while and I ask the driver, 'Is everything alright?'

'I believe so, seems something has happened up ahead.'

Looking out the window sudden dread fills me as I see smoke and look back onto Park St. The entrance gate leading onto Sherrington seemed to be blocked as I say firmly, 'Pull over.'

Ki asks with a worried frown on his pale face, 'What's wrong?'

But I didn't answer the question as I step out of the car, the slight twing of sun from the fleece of clouds hitting me. Ki was right behind me as was Nick, him growling out in his smokey voice, 'Where are you going?'

'Follow me,' I say quickly, stuff my hands in the pockets of my overcoat and walk down the pedestrian walkway towards my destination.

Before long I was almost running at the sounds of firetrucks and patrol vehicles filled the air, as well as the acride smell of smoke. Nick was behind me as we come up to a blockade of police and police men yells for the crowd to stay behind it. People were crowding the area, asking what had happened, speculations being flung left and right. I look around and notice a girl on the tailgate of an ambulance, taking in oxygen while a peramedic stood talking with an officer. I walk through the barricade and another boy in blue barks out, 'Oi, behind the line laddie.'

My eyes snap to him and I feel myself glamouring him as I say softly, 'I am a detective from the first prefacture, as are the gentleman behind me, let us pass.'

He nods begrudgingly and goes back to barking at others to stay behind the line. Nick and Ki looked at each other in surprise as they follow behind. I let my gaze take in the smoke rolling from the new biochemistry building and the firefighters working to put out. Nick whispers behind me, 'Where are we going?'

'To ask that girl what happened,' I say, feeling the fear and dread start to build as I notice the tears in her eyes.

'For so long I didn't think you were vampire, but you don't seem to mind glamouring them,' Nick says wirh a bit of humor in hihis voice.

But I don't answer as the officer in blue notices me and asks, the paramedic going back to his patient, 'Can I help you?'

'Yes, my name is Detective Eva Rossi, I am from the first prefacture and I recieved a call to come down to help with the investigation,' I point back at Nick and Ki saying, 'This is Detective Crawly and Lee, they have also been asked to help out.'

For a moment the officer looks a bit suspicious, but shrugs and says, 'All right, see no harm in tellin' you. It seems that an explosion happened in the lab on the third floor. The little miss saw the whole thing and fortunately lived to tell the tale.'

'Would it be alright if I ask her a few questions?'

'Be my guest,' he says with a shrug and I turn to Nick saying, 'Crawly, Lee can you two ask the firefighters about the accelerant used, and if there are any casualties?'

Nick looks a bit irritated with a cocked brow but nods and walks towards the fire brigade chief who was still barking orders as they worked to put out the fire. Turning back towards the ambulance, I step over. The girl was sniffling and looked like she might be in her early twenties, as I say, 'Hello, I'm detective Eva Rossi, I've come to ask you about the explosion and fire. Can you tell me in as much detail what happened?'

The young woman looked exhausted, and a little dusty, likely from the explosion leaving behind dust and smoke. Tear streaks showed me she was at least five shades lighter than the dust and soot covering her face as she says softly, 'I...I was going to my class on cellular biochemistry when I noticed a professor talking to a guy. He looked a bit nervous.'

'Who looked nervous?'

'Professor Fullerman, thats the name of the professor.'

'I see,' I murmur, trying to sound like an intrigued investigator, but all I felt was a deep pit form in my stomach.

The girl continues, 'They went into the chem lab. I didnt really pay much attention after that when I decided to check my pack, I couldn't remember if I put my lesson plan and biochem lab results into my bag. The next thing I knew I was being flug back by an explosion.'

My eyes slowly lift to the building, smoke pouring from two floors, but it seemed the flames had started to die down.

'Did you see Professor Fullerman leave the room before the explosion?'

She shakes her head, eyes brimming with tears as she whispers out hoarsely, 'No, he... he didn't.'

'The man he was with, can you describe him?'

The girl takes another big gulp of oxygen from the mask aftera small coughing fit and then says a little uncertain, 'Black hair for sure... but I couldn't see his eyes.'

'Caucasian, African, hispanic?'

'White to be sure.'

'Height and weight estimate?'

'He was about as tall as the fellow woth you. In fact, they have similar features.'

That's when a freeze, noticing the girl looking off to my left and I follow her eyes. Sure enough she was looking at Nick, who was speaking with the brigade chief and Ki was speaking with another person who looked like someone from thel

NHS.

'I see, similar height and build you mean?'

'Similar facial features too,' she says just as the paramedic comes over and interrupts, 'Sorry detective, we have to get her to the hospital, she has several burns that must be attended. If you need to ask more questions...'

'No I think I have all I need,' I say, cutting him off and walk away.

My mind walk reeling, as I walk towards Nick and Ki. The person who had killed Fullerman looked like Nick. My mind plays over the past three hours, recalling where Nick was. He had been in my presence the whole time so I knew it couldn't be him. Or could he project an image like the vampire in the little French town? I had touched him as well when handing things to him, so it was unlikely. Then could it mean that there was someone in his family circle working fr the Phantasma? Or was it the leader of the Phantasma?

Shaking my head, I murmur, 'Unlikely that a higher up would do such a thing. He would send someone.'

But it left so many questions and there was still the question of the file. Professor Fullerman might be dead, but had the files been lost as well.