Day 1, 0520
Vanessa woke up 10 minutes before her alarm clock rang. After a brief visit to the bathroom, she changed into her jogging clothes, and went for a brief jog around the neighbourhood.
It was still early, and there were very few people in the streets. Traffic around the area was light, and the air was fresh. Early morning was her favourite time of the day, when the nightmares of yesterday was far behind and the day seemed so full of promise. As she jogged, the bells on the bracelet on her left wrist jiggled, a sound as welcome as the cool morning breeze.
After she went back to her apartment, she had a shower followed by a simple breakfast of bread and hot chocolate before she drove to Station X in her dark green Suzuki Vitara.
>***
>Day 1, 0730
By the time she arrive to the office with her box, both Jenny and Jordan Stern were already there.
"Good morning Jenny," Vanessa said with a smile
"Good morning, Agent Lee. "
"Please, Jenny. Call me Vanessa. I am not used to people calling me Agent. "
Jenny gave a little laugh. "Very soon, you will find alot of people calling you Agent Lee. You have to get used to it some day."
"Perhaps, but I would prefer it if more people called my Vanessa. "
"If you insist, Vanessa. By the way, Agent Stern is already here. "
Although it was her intention to start decorating her cubicle that morning, Vanessa found it hard to start when she knew that she would be getting her first case in less than half an hour. After a while, she gave up and just shoved the whole box in one corner of her cubicle. She looked around, and noticed that the rest of her fellow agents were not doing anything constructive too.
>At about 0755 Jordan stood up. The others were waiting for this signal and >beat him to the elevators.
>********
>Day 1, 0800
>"Go right on in, he's been expecting you," the UD's secretary, Mary, >said when she saw Jordan Stern enter her office.
>"Thanks," Stern replied as he walked to and through UD Garrison's office >door. The rest of team ZULU followed, like ducklings, he thought.
>Matt looked up and smiled at his visitors. He stood and walked around >his desk to shake Stern's hand. "Close the door behind you, please," he >said to Jim Reaper, who happened to be last.
>Introductions were made all around and after a few minutes they were all >settled at the conference table. Matt pulled a manilla folder off the >pile on his desk and passed it across the table to Stern.
>Jordan opened it up and slid it a few inches toward the middle of the >table. He looked at the top document, "A case report from 1977, Denver >Office."
>"That's right," The Director said, "From 1977 through 1978 there were a >series of 6 homicides investigated by the Denver office. There are some >photos in the package."
>Stern moved the report to one side and picked up an envelope labled >"PHOTOS - DO NOT BEND". He pulled the stack of pictures from the >envelope and paled slightly. He put the pictures on the table and >spread them out.
>The pictures were of 4 of the victims. Most were taken at the crime >scene but a few appeared to be from the autopsy that followed.
>"Particularly gruesome," Garrison continued, "The victims were bound, >and their hearts were removed from the body. They all had this marking >drawn on their backs," he pointed to one photo with his pen.
>"What is it?" SA Gorky asked.
>Matt reached across the table and pulled a sheet of paper showing a >drawing of a 4-armed woman balancing a skull on her head. "This is what >we think the killer was trying to draw. The victims appear to have been >alive and struggling when they were marked. Bureau experts think it's >supposed to be a picture of Kali, Hindu godess of death."
>"The case was never solved?" SA Reaper asked.
>"No. Were 6 killings in the Denver area. They occurred an average of 6 >weeks apart, but there were 2 that were 4 weeks apart. Suddenly the >killings stopped."
>"So what does this have to do with us?" Stern asked.
>"I was waiting for that," Matt said pulling another file off his desk, >"Four weeks ago Mary Ritchey went out for her morning jog in Santa Fe, >New Mexico, and dissapeared. Her body was found 5 days ago in the >basement of a house that had been empty for a while."
>"How come the Las Vegas office isn't handling it?" Vanessa asked.
>"Because of the connection to this 20 year old unsolved case, and the >cult-ish undertones they didn't want it. You need to find out what's >going on. Is this the same killer? Is it a copycat? Either way, the >clock is ticking since the killer could strike again at any time," UD >Garrison stressed.
"Four weeks ago. Which means that another murder could occur at any time now. " Reaper said, half to himself.
Matt nodded his head gravely.
>Stern glanced around the table, "We can be in Santa Fe this afternoon."
>"Good. Any questions?" Garrison asked.
"Do we have copies of the old investigations? " Vanessa asked.
Matt nodded. "They are inside the file. However, the reports were not very detailed, and the police did not really follow the procedures properly. "
>When Garrison was satisfied that the team understood their assignment, >Stern led them out of the office, down the hall and into a conference >room. He picked up the phone on the conference table and dialed Jenny.
>"Jenny," Stern said, "We need to get to Santa Fe." He glanced at his >watch, "No earlier than noon, since we all need to pack...Thanks."
>Stern turned back to the table, "Ok, people, thoughts?"
"I suggest that we go and talk to the police, and the victim's family. We may be able to find out alot too by talking to her family. " Jones suggested.
"Don't forget the Denver police. There might be some things that they did not write down but was remembered. After all, no one forgot a bizaare case like this easily, even if it occurred 20 years ago. " Reaper added.
Stern nodded his head in agreement.
"When is the funeral?" SA Gorky asked.
"The body was released to the family yesterday. The funeral will be this afternoon. "
"The time and place? I would like to attend it if possible. There are alot of things one can find just by attending a funeral. It would be a starting point for us too. " Gorky stated.
"Will we be able to obtain a copy of the autopsy?" Vanessa asked.
"That should not be a problem. The police are generally quite cooperated with the FBI."
Just then, the phone rang.
Jordan answered it. "Yes? 12 o'clock? Yes. That is great. Thanks, Jenny. "
After he put down the phone, he informed the rest of the group.
"Jenny had tickets for us, leaving 12 o'clock sharp. Accomodations and transport had all been arranged. "
The group silently marvelled at Jenny's efficiency.
They made arrangements to meet at 11.10am at the airport, and then parted, with Stern taking the report.
Day 1 1100
Vanessa arrived at the airport, and was not surprised to see that almost all of the agents had arrived. She had packed light, and was glad to see that the rest of them had done so too. Stern turned up five minutes later, with copies of the reports which he distributed. All of them were stamped with the big, blue work "COPY".
"Don't lost them," he advised. "They might be copies, but each of you are responsible of these reports, and will have to account for it if you lost them. "
They nodded their heads.
After that was done, the group of five checked in. Being FBI agents, they did have a little bit of privilge, and the fact that all of them were armed were not met with stares from the airport check-in guards. Jordan noticed all of them had their guns by their side, which he approved of silently. A X agent should regard his gun as a part of him in all circumstances. This was a dangerous world to live in.
At 12 o'clock sharp, the plane lifted off for their destination.
Regards,
Lee Sau Woon aka Agent Vanessa Lee