by Jay Cannon
“Hello everyone,” Trent started. “Before joining the FBI I spent four years in Nam in special forces after leaving the sub fleet. After that I joined the FBI and worked in the DC Gang Violence Division before transferring to forensics after getting my doctorate. I have to tell you that in all that time I’ve never seen anything quite like this. Over the course of the past few weeks we’ve had several bodies come in with deep stab wounds to the chest, body parts missing and there were even a couple of decapitations. One body we found that was chopped up like a butcher making steaks from a cow carcass.”
“At first we thought it was just random gang violence,” Agent McKee continued. “However, some of the victims weren’t gang members and the location where the bodies were found was too spread out. Initially we were unable to pinpoint any patterns that we could use to tie the killings together. The wounds were wide and deep, which means they were made by a spear-like weapon. It would be difficult to make those types of wounds using a knife. The angle of the penetration leads me to believe that the perpetrator was a short man between five foot five and five foot seven.”
“We have only one possible lead that I’m aware of. Over at Louie’s building where a couple of guys were killed, someone saw a man jump out of a third-story window carrying a man over his shoulder and then run off.”
There was snickering from the officers in the room.
“This isn’t a joke gentlemen,” the police chief interrupted. “The third-floor window in Louie’s building was broken out and glass could be found on the ground below the window. The witnesses were not junkies or drunks, but members of the neighborhood watch in the area. They went on to say that the suspect wore a hood, dark wrap-around shades and had some sort of tiger markings on his face.”
When Betty heard that she gasped and began to feel faint. Was that the guy I slept with just hours earlier? He did have a spear on him.
“Please continue Agent McKee.”
“I decided to test one of the wounds for metal fragments to see what if anything could be deduced about the weapon that was used in the different murders. Let me tell you I was caught totally off guard when I determined that the minute fragments that I took from the first wound were unidentifiable. They were certainly metal, but nothing anyone had ever seen before. I sent the fragments to several labs with the same conclusion. It’s as if our perpetrator is using a weapon that was not made on this planet.”
“Are you saying that the murderer is an alien?” One of the officers shouted.
“I’m just saying that the metal from the weapon cannot be identified. This person is the FBI’s top priority and it should be yours as well. He’s killed nine people so far that we know of and the unidentified metal fragments were found in each one of them.”
“Okay, that’s it,” the chief jumped in. “Get out there and chase down some leads for me ladies and gentlemen.”
Betty walked out of the briefing room holding her mouth and sat at her desk in a daze.
“Betty, you okay?” A passing officer asked.
“Yea Mack. I’m just distracted. Just a bad date last night that I can’t get out of my head,” Betty responded.
“It’s probably due to those bad bars you hang out in.”
“You’re probably right Mack.”
Little does he know how right he was, Betty thought.
Betty reviewed her current case load, made a few calls, then set off to find Uan.
***
Li Xiao was fascinated with the gift that Cobalt had given her. She had finally forgiven him for causing her body to be banged up figuring that the teleportation mechanism must have screwed up somehow causing her body to be slammed against her shower floor.
Visiting her family was fun, but it also proved to be dangerous. She could have killed herself or a family member. She spent the rest of the day practicing using the device to beam herself around her apartment. She learned to set and remove waypoints for locations. She learned to use the memory list to jump from place to place quickly. She knew she could take objects with her, but she did not know if she could take a live animal or human with her.
Li Xiao learned that if an object is tied down that the rope would be severed at a specific distance from her body. What if it were a human chained to a wall or a large human or two humans? How would the severing mechanism work? She thought.
Li Xiao decided to test transporting animals starting with something small. She knew her neighbors had a few goldfish in a bowl so she decided to transport them to her apartment and back. She used the transport device to locate their fishbowl, verified that the apartment was empty and pressed the transport button. Instantly she was standing in front of the fishbowl. She picked up the bowl and transported it back to her apartment. She checked the fishbowl and all the fish were still there and alive. Just then she heard a noise from next door. She used her device and noticed that her neighbors had suddenly returned. The husband walked into the living room while his wife went into the kitchen.
“Honey, the fish are gone, said the husband going toward the kitchen. “Do you think one of the kids came by to get them? You would think they would tell us that they were going to pick them up. It’s not likely that someone broke into our place just to take the fish and leave our big flat-screen TV. That would be strange.”
Li Xiao noticed the husband leave the room and quickly popped back over, replaced the bowl and popped back to her place as the couple was walking into the living room.
“Are those the fish that are missing dear?” Asked the wife.
The husband looked over in shock. “I swear to you they were gone.”
“Go take your pills and lay down honey. I think it’s time for your nap.”
“I don’t need a nap. Those fish were gone I tell you!”
“You go get your jammies and I’ll get the Geritol.”
Li Xiao laughed listening to the conversation happy that they did not suspect her.
***
Betty decided to chase down the only lead she knew, Louie’s place. She drove her squad car over to see the usual guys out front guarding the entrance.
“Hey fellas, how’s it going?” Asked Betty.
“Yo Betty. You know. Just getting some air,” responded one of the men guarding the entrance.
“I heard you had a little excitement here the other day. Some tiger-faced guy was harassing Louie,” she said fishing.
“Yea, that crazy fucker came over here with a friend of his looking for some kid.”
“What kid?”
“Some kid that was outside Joey’s Diner when that zombie Bookhead showed up. I guess you heard about that?” He said chuckling.
“Sure, but I thought that was some sort of joke. What did he want with the kid?”
“Who knows. Can’t be no good. He’s not a warm and fuzzy kind of guy if you know what I mean. He cut up a few of our guys real bad.”
“Yea, I know what you mean. Where do you think I could find him?”
“Not sure. I heard he hangs out at Bo Sam’s place. He might even be the one that offed him.”
“I heard about that. I’ll see what I can find out over there.”
“Okay, but watch out for yourself. They have a tendency to rough up cops over there. We cool right?
“Sure. Just be subtle about your shit and I’ll keep the squad off your back.”
“For shizzle Betty.”
“Okay, later fellas.”
Betty got back in her black and white and headed over to Bo Sam’s place. She parked her car down the street and took a position just across the street behind a tree to monitor the building.
This must be where he’s staying. There’s his friend right there heading in. Betty said of Calvin. Uan has to be inside somewhere. I’d better call for backup, Betty said to herself reaching for her radio.
“The only backup you’re gonna get is your back up against a wall,” said Little Randy stepping in front of her. “You think cause you a cop you got juice around her
e? Think again. Ain’t you that bitch the Italians are pissed at?”
“Those goombas are always pissed at somebody. Why do you give a damn?” Questioned Betty worried about her current predicament.
“Cause I want to keep them off my ass and out of my territory. Plus they will probably toss me a little change to take you over to them.”
“How about you introduce me to the guy across the street and I give you a pass on this little operation you got going on here?”
“How about you shut the fuck up and I send you beddy bye?” Little Randy nods and an associate of his behind her knocks her out.
Betty woke up some time later tied to a chair with a horrible headache. She was in a fruit cellar in a damp basement. There was a single light overhead.
“Betty, you’re still alive,” said a man in the shadow of the room. “Those knuckleheads brought you in a bit busted up. I thought we were going to have to bury you without the chance to let you know how much we appreciated all the attention you’ve given us in the past.”
“Is that Antonio? I hope the pen wasn’t too hard on you? If you can’t do the time don’t do the crime, right?”
Antonio stepped out of the shadow into the light where Betty could see him.
“That’s absolutely right officer Betty. And now it’s your turn to do some time for the crime you have perpetrated on me and my family,” said Antonio.
“Antonio, before we get started. Do you think I could get a bathroom break? They even give you those in prison right?”
“Betty, don’t expect any breaks tonight!” Said a new voice entering the room.
“Hello Luciano, or should I just call you Lucy,” Betty replied with a quiver in her voice.
Luciano leaned forward towards Betty and slapped her across the face knocking her and the chair to the floor.
“Pick her up!” Luciano yelled at Antonio. “I heard you like to make men your bitch. You better believe that won’t be happening here. This time you’re my bitch. This time you’re the one getting slapped. How does it feel? Trust me you are getting off a lot easier than a lot of my guys that you put in prison. Some are spending years rotting in a small cell having to use the bathroom in plain view. The only bathroom break you’ll be getting is in your pants.”
Luciano slapped her again sending her once again to the floor. When Antonio lifted her back up her chair was wet.
“That didn’t take long sweetheart. Did you enjoy pissing your pants?”
“Not as much as I would enjoy pissing on you,” Betty responded with a sneer.
“Well that’s never going to happen little lady. You recognize this?” Asked Luciano showing her an old pocket knife.
“It looks like the pocket knife I pulled off your brother.”
“That’s right. You pulled it off him when you arrested him a couple of years back for trafficking. They sent it to me with the rest of his stuff after he died in prison.”
“Sorry to hear that.”
“Not yet you aren’t. But, you will be. He wanted you to have it so here it is,” said Luciano opening the knife up. He placed it into his right hand and stabbed it into her left thigh.
“Arghhh. You bastard!” Betty screamed.
She kicked and flailed in her chair, but her actions were just ignored.
“Antonio, I want you to take her to the Wendy’s on Jewella just south of I20 in Shreveport. I’m going to let the Cajuns take care of her where no one will hear from her again. Tell them to take their time with her. I want her to suffer for 642 days just like my brother did in prison. For now I don’t want her hurt any more than she already has been until she is handed over to the Cajuns.”
“Sure boss.”
“Keep her in the chair. Place her in the back of the SUV and take her to our airfield. Our plane should be prepped and waiting to take you to Shreveport. There’ll be another SUV waiting for you at the other end. Use it to rendezvous with Pierre at the Wendy’s. Just spend the night and gamble or whatever. The plane will bring you back in the morning. When you get back I have another job for you.”
“Will do boss. Let’s go little lady,” stated Antonio dragging Betty into the garage and placing her into the back of the SUV.
“I guess you’re not going to give me a bathroom break either?” Betty asked Antonio.
“Sure. You can take as many as you like as long as you take them from that chair,” Antonio chuckled. He closed the hatch on the SUV and drove off towards the airfield. Three hours later Antonio was in a similar SUV in Shreveport driving towards the Wendy’s on Jewella. Pierre was sitting behind the Wendy’s in a delivery truck.
“You must be Pierre?” Antonio asked the man in the truck.
“Yes, I believe you have a package for me from Luciano,” replied Pierre.
“Yes, it’s in the back of the SUV. She can be a bit feisty. I slapped her across the face and assured her if she screamed again like she did at the airport I would tape her mouth shut after I filled it full of dirt,” Antonio smiled.
The two men pulled Betty out of the SUV and placed her in the back of Pierre’s truck.
“Be sure to tell Luciano that Boudreau sends his regards,” stated Pierre.
“I certainly will,” replied Antonio. “Is she going to be okay in the back of your truck?”
“Don’t worry. I secured her chair to the side of the truck so she won’t slide around and hurt her little head.”
“Excuse me sir,” interrupted Betty. “Is there any way that I can please get a bathroom break? I’d be happy to let you watch.”
“Go ahead,” replied Pierre. “I’m watching.”
“Really?!” Replied Betty. “You can’t just let me drop my pants for five minutes.”
“Sounds like a good idea. Would you also like me to leave the light on back here and get you a CD player to listen to on the trip?”
“Why is it that all you hoodlums think you’re comedians?”
“My goodness, I think I just got a promotion,” laughed Pierre closing the door to the truck.
Pierre jumped into the truck and drove off towards Natchitoches. Pierre later arrived at a Piggly Wiggly where Boudreau and his associate Kevin, were waiting for him in the parking lot.
“Hey Pierre, what you got for me?” Greeted Boudreau.
“A pretty little cop lady to keep you warm at night. She’s tied to a chair inside.
Along the way, Betty was able to lean down in the chair and pull the knife from her leg using her mouth. She leaned her head back and used her lips and tongue to move the blade of the knife towards her mouth. She twisted her head to the side and dropped the knife into the darkness. Luckily she was able to shift around and catch it with her hands. She used the knife to cut herself loose from the ropes that bound her wrists. She went into the front corner of the truck and took her long needed bathroom break. She placed her knife into her back pocket, untied the chair from the side of the truck and sat down by the rear of the truck waiting for the door to open.
Pierre, unaware that Betty had freed herself, opened the door to the delivery truck to show his gift. The doors slammed open and Betty dived at Pierre’s chest with the chair braced in front of her. Pierre fell backwards hitting his head on the payment, knocking himself out.
Betty noticed a man on her right on the way down. Once she landed on top of Pierre, she twisted her body and kicked Kevin’s ankles tripping him to the ground.
She jumped to her feet and went to run but was stopped in her tracks when Boudreau grabbed her by the ponytail. She turned to strike him, but curled up with pain and fell to the ground after Boudreau struck her in the abdomen with a Taser. Boudreau kicked at Pierre and Kevin, who were still lying on the ground.
“Get up you two idiots. Tie her up and throw in the back seat of my SUV. And try not to get beat-up this time.”
After getting her in the back of the SUV, Pierre drove off in his truck and Boudreau drove off with Kevin towards his place in Negreet. Boudreau lived in a big white columned h
ouse on a small island in the middle of the bayou just past the Collier Memorial Park. It was only accessible via a small makeshift bridge that lead to Negreet’s main road. The island was surrounded by a strong chain-link fence to keep the gators from wandering around the property.
After arriving on the island, Boudreau and Kevin dragged Betty into his house and threw her on the bed of one of his guest rooms.
“Why don’t you lay there and relax a bit little lady, said Boudreau, “I’ll send a few of my girls up in a bit to get you presentable for a late night visit. I’m going to enjoy having you around the place. Something about having a cop as my sex slave really turns me on. You must have pissed those Italians off something fierce for them to pay me to take you off their hands with the stipulation that I keep you alive for at least 642 days and then I get another stack of cash. Go figure!”
“Kevin, let’s go get some grub and afterwards we can come back and have some fun with our private little police force,” Boudreau laughed closing the door and locking the door from the outside.
“You betcha,” replied Kevin slapping him on the back.
Chapter 4
Cobalt Returns
Li Xiao was perplexed about what had happened to her. Why did Cobalt shoot her? How did she arrive in her shower all broken up? What was the device that Cobalt left her? What did he want her to do with it? She had to see Cobalt and get him to answer her questions. If nothing else she wanted to see him because she truly missed him.
She theorized that if her device permitted her see places across the planet, Cobalt must be able to see her somehow. She knew that he must have been able to watch her to know so much about her life when he recruited her. Maybe she was being naïve, but she felt that Cobalt had feelings for her. Either way, there were too many unanswered questions and she needed to hear from him. Li Xiao decided that if he was checking in on her that he would see messages that she left for him so she started making signs and placed them all over the apartment stating, Cobalt contact me! She even placed one on the front and back of her shirt.
For two days she walked around with the signs on the front and back of her clothes, receiving odd stares from people. At the end of the second day she was sitting in her living room watching the movie Avatar, wondering if a planet like that really existed. Suddenly Cobalt appeared before her blocking the television. She immediately leaped to her feet and hugged Cobalt. Cobalt hugged her back enjoying her warm embrace and the smell of her hair in his nostrils.