At First Sight (Persephonii Waters Book 1)

by Melanie Brown

  Though Persephonii shared information and new findings with her family and thus the Waters business, she didn’t necessarily like calling them to come out. It wasn’t that she was above calling for help, it was just that her family tended to complicate things and then stayed far too long for her likely. If the Hunter's were decidedly Pro-Human than the Waters' were Pro-Para, it was not an easy spot to be in the middle. Not to mention she would have to explain why they couldn’t stay with her like they normally did. They would think nothing of harboring wanted men, so long as they were innocent wanted men. It would be the ribbing and depending on who came, the possible arguing that always left her happy to see them, but happier to see them go.

  Chapter 10: Para Consultant:

  A title referring to those individuals with an above average or in-depth knowledge of the supernatural working of the world. Para-Human interaction being their main focus.

  The Next Afternoon: On the Curb Outside the Warehouse. 4:30pm PST.

  Deciding that Chase would be an asset on this venture, Persephonii called to have him pick her up from the warehouse. After answering his phone on the fourth ring, he had told her he was in the area, would grab some food and then pick her up on the front curb.

  Pulling to the curb so that she could open the door and get in, Chase greeted her with some very much appreciated hot tea and waited, the car in idle for both their destination and a bit more information while she drank her first few sips. They seemed to be in equal agreement that the Wyrs were not up for discussion, and thus skipped ahead to the pertinent details of their trip.

  “So where are we headed?” Chase broke the silence, interested in whatever lead would broker a field trip, in the face of Percy's large work load.

  “To Corbin-Strauss Labs.” Persephonii had her tea in one hand and was putting the address into the navigation system with the other. Once the course was set Chase pulled back into traffic and headed for the freeway. The journey would take a little over a half hour to make it there.

  “Okay... We’re going to a private research and development lab. Why?” Persephonii was secretly impressed that Chase even knew what Corbin-Strauss Labs was.

  “I’ve set up a consultation visit with one of the researchers there who worked with a Dr. Stephen Edwards. We get to tour the lab while investigating some unexplainable occurrences. The new lead Researcher seems to think Dr. Edwards is haunting the area.”

  “Ghost exorcism isn't exactly our line of work, unless this is another personal favor for a friend?” At this she shook her head. They occasionally took on cases that were not necessarily part of their everyday skill sets for friends or family. Or in Chase's case, gave them some form of leverage with key officials. He tended to look at cases as business deals, something to put them in good standing with the 'higher ups' in case a favor or good word was needed later down the line.

  “And you need me because?” The question held no small amount of skepticism, as if he couldn't see how he was required for the science portion of this venture.

  “Maybe I missed you and as we have been splitting up our shifts, thought this would be the perfect opportunity to spend a little time together?” She layered the explanation with sweetness, so much so, she was sure he would be suffering a tooth ache soon.

  Chase’s laugh burst through the car. “I knew it... I knew my animal magnetism would work it’s power over you eventually... like a decade later eventually. No, but really.” He glanced at her as they merged onto the freeway.

  “Researcher and scientist Dr. Stephen Edwards, holds a doctorate in biology and was the head of a team of researchers working for Corbin-Strauss Labs." It was better to start a little further out, at the beginning.

  “And this is interesting because?” Chase's inquiry was clearly accompanied by an eye roll, though she couldn't see it, as his eye were firmly on the road she could sense it.

  “Because, as of two months ago, Dr. Edwards was the leading researcher in Vampyre Biology, whose recent work dealt with the healing properties of Para-Blood and was leading a team trying to create a better blood substitute than the RED that’s currently on the market.” Taking a few long sips of her tea, she finished it off, finally setting the cooling cup in the holder.

  “His latest article published in The Medical Scholar, was about unlocking the healing qualities and characteristics of Vampyre blood and it’s possible use in human medicine.” Luckily, Chase was used to her roundabout explanations, thought not always patient with them.

  “Okay, so he would have an idea of who is behind the medical part of these Turnings, but he’s dead..so we’re there to talk with this new lead?”

  “Yes and no.” He gave her a rather droll stare.

  “Dr. Lillian Carver is concerned with the recent, rather unexpected death of Dr. Edwards. His private lab area caught fire under mysterious circumstances, apparently with Dr. Edwards inside.”

  “Mysterious circumstances, recent unexplainable deaths... right down our alley.” Both Chase and her were nodding their heads in agreement to his rather accurate assessment.

  “We are here to talk with Dr. Carver about the possible entity which will definitely entail whether or not Dr. Edwards did, in fact, die in that fire. The body that was recovered was so badly burnt it could not be positively identified.” She lifted her tablet to show the scene photos which consisted of, what Chase assumed, was your average white lab, chard and blackened by extensive, if localized fire damage.

  Percy finally got to his role in the investigation. “And you are here to use your considerable charms to get her to open up and talk about the current research and its possible relation to our cases.”

  His smirk was a tiny bit exasperating, but this wasn't the first time he had played this role, and he enjoyed it. “So what exactly are we looking for?”

  “From what Madison has said, the plasma and blood packets contain a unique, specialized cell that is similar to a kind of stem-antibody cell combined with a distinctive special compound that this research team may have been working on.” She looked through her notes again. "Madison said there are some rumors that what she found is very similar to what they were researching."

  Chase glanced at her notebook, but he had stopped trying to decipher her shorthand years ago. Persephonii continued outlining why this discovery was important. “This compound is patented by the Labs. We need to know a little more about its history, and if they have any competition in the field. Or if it has been contracted out to any other labs or companies.”

  “So tracing this compound will lead us to the Rogue Maker?” Chase was clearly on board.

  “Probably not directly... No. It will, however, let us trail were the Maker might have gotten his supplies and whether or not there is a connection with the late Dr. Edwards.”

  Corbin-Strauss Labs was rather nondescript from the outside, belaying the highly advanced work going on inside its walls. Given clearance, with badges clipped to the front of their coats, they walked down a long hallway towards Dr. Carver’s office.

  From her recent research, she knew Lillian Carver had graduated not five years ago with a P.H.D. in molecular biology and had a double major in Paranormal Biology and hematology. Persephonii hated to play devil's advocate but she needed answers and fast, which meant she would play against the doctor's youth and gender. Hopefully Chase’s presence would fluster the doctor just enough to get her off balance, while his charm would do the rest. Though Chase was a bit of a playboy, he had a gentlemanly side to him as well, but it tended to clash with the 'love them and leave them' mentality.

  Rounding the corner, their guide knocked on a door that simply read 'C-27' and left them to enter on their own. Opening the door revealed a rather large office, whose far wall was lined with a number of computers and monitors all currently viewing some type of cellular process. A few regeneration, one introducing some type of dye, a few split with different cells on each side. Occasionally Dr. Carver, bent over another keyboard, would look up at the
other screens then back to the final screen in the corner, which appeared to be her personal computer.

  “Dr. Carver?” She was hesitant to interrupt the doctor's focus, but they had been expected, well she had.

  “Just one minute,” her back turned to them, Dr. Carver held up a finger, pointed more towards the screens than a motion to pause, never turning around to look at the intruders. The doctor was obviously busy, Persephonii could only imagine the work load she must have inherited after Edwards’ death. About five minutes later she finally seemed content to come to a stopping point.

  “Thank you for driving out here Ms. Waters. I was relieved to know that you took my concerns literally. I was wondering what I could do when your email came as a rather fortuitous sign. Many of my colleagues have called it paranoia or grief but I’m sure that the...” turning about to face them, she finally registered Chase’s presence.

  “I...I thought... you were coming alone?”A stutter, so soon, perhaps Percy's evil plan would work after all.

  “Oh? I could have swore I mentioned my partner, Chase Argent would be coming along with me?” At the doctor's 'deer caught in head lights' expression, it looked like her plan would work out better than she had hoped.

  “Chase, has some unique skills that I thought would help with your... situation. You were saying?”It wouldn't do to let the doctor dwell on the interruption too long, she wanted answers and time was of the essence.

  After a few minutes, Dr. Carver found some footing, taking them to the lab that had been closed off since the fire. As no work was being done in the area and all the files were locked away, the doctor let her wander around the area and into Edwards’ old office. Apparently the strange occurrences weren’t just bothering Dr. Carver, as she had been given permission to not only allow Persephonii to examine the lab, but to collect any evidence she could, given that it was of a personal nature rather than the lab's property. Both Chase and Persephonii had signed a rather tightly clad confidentiality agreement, basically the contract had allowed her to share evidence only with officials and those directly involved in the on-going case. The terms had been rather standard and predictable, if not well written and with little more than a signature Persephonii was now privy to a plethora of information... if she could find it.

  Slipping on her blue vinyl exam gloves, Persephonii investigated the scene while Chase chatted with Carver starting off with general questions before moving closer to the meat of their visit. He really was good at questioning people without them feeling pressured or like it was, in fact, an interrogation. Persephonii tuned the two out as they stood, Chase leaning against the wall while Carver leaned back, propped against the counter opposite him.

  Edwards’ lab looked remarkably similar to the photo’s she had received, which was unusual given a large lab’s need for equipment and space. Someone was hesitant to discard Dr. Edwards' things, even leaving his office relatively untouched after the police investigation had through combing it over.

  Though it had been unofficially labeled an accident, Persephonii was sure something else, something big was going on. The main reason being that no one had died in this room. Death left a mark, more than just the body, it left signatures, energies in the area in which the death occurred that took a great deal of time to fade. With a quick painful death, like Edwards would have suffered, even more so. Persephonii could see some lingering aura’s of violence, something sharp like anger, but nothing that said this was where the Doctor had met his end. No, if the body was indeed Dr. Stephen Edwards', he had not been killed here.

  Looking through the papers and personal items on the office desk revealed a few additional articles that she made note to read later. Dr. Edwards held quite a few degrees from a number of prestigious universities, liked to snack on green apple Jolly Ranchers and had a rather extensive ballpoint pen collection. The office revealed not a few O.C.D tendencies and a fascination with Vampyres. The selves around his office were lined with books and the occasional historical figurine, plaque, or Vampyre artifact.

  Really the only information she could find was a misplaced envelope with the address for his home residence and a few notes in his Day Timer that were unusual. She quickly wrote down the date, time and information. Turning to go back to the main lab area, she noticed something from the corner of her glasses. Calling into the other room for Dr. Carver, she waited until both Chase and the doctor. were at the door.

  “Do you know if Dr. Edwards had a wall safe, or any other cubbies in which he stored his more personal work?” Dr. Carver shook her head in the negative, while Chase looked intrigued.

  A small section of wall; down near the floor, to the left of a large built in bookcase, glistened in her sight. For some reason it held a good deal of residual energy around it. Being so adept at wards herself, she could easily discern that the layers of energy held patterns for both concealment and low level protection. Taking a moment to make sure that Chase and Carver were paying attention, Persephonii kneeled down, feeling around the rectangular wall tile, her fingers caught a slight indent.

  “What are you searching for? There isn’t any..” Dr. Carver started but stopped mid-sentence as Persephonii pressed a finger into it and pulled out, the tile revealed a small cubby. Inside the small space, no more than twelve inch by twelve inch, lay a definite find. Atop a plain vanilla folder lay a household mortise key, attached to a strange looking key chain.

  “Dr. Carver... you mentioned over the phone that you noticed some strange patterns and odd occurrences but didn’t include anything in the files you sent. Can you explain in better detail what you meant by that?” She gestured toward Edwards' desk. “You said something about Dr. Edwards lab and specifically his office...” Carver was already nodding, though she stayed near the office door rather than coming closer.

  “After....After. I took over Stephen's ...Dr. Edwards' position, the majority of his research and notes are here in his office. But things were... things would be moved, files missing. I’d log out of his workstation...” She pointed at the computer in the middle of the large desk. “And then I would come back in to find the platform still open.” Carver went on to explain some other odd occurrences. Including extra testing orders being put in, misplaced files, and finally strange late night log ins. She'd had no idea that the hiding place had existed, let alone the contents inside.

  “I went back through the security footage but nothing presented itself. Dr. Edwards' profile wasn’t closed down since the director wanted to keep his files intact. But a few nights ago I noticed his name on the computer log. It was at midnight, a month exactly from his... his...” It appeared that Dr. Carver and Dr. Edwards had much more than a work relationship between them.

  Though she was a speed reader she doubted her mind was calm enough to remember everything from the pages, and she seriously wanted to dissect this new information. This required some quick thinking. If she took the papers and the key someone would definitely be suspicious, but she could scan the documents and take the key for analysis, perhaps returning it to its hideout and monitor the site for activity. If they were lucky they could get a partial from the key, either from Dr. Edwards or the mysterious intruder that she was coming to think was really Dr. Carver’s 'ghost'.

  “Would you mind checking these for me? If you give the go ahead I’ll scan them and put them in our evidence file.” Persephonii was sure they would need to leave something for whoever was 'haunting' the lab. The file folder presented an easy enough treasure to leave behind.

  Bringing out her phone from her other pocket, she quickly brought up a document scanning app, ready to quickly scan pages. She handed the pages to Dr. Carver who began looking them over.

  “It seems like personal notes and a few new articles. Nothing that looks useful, or would be lab property.”

  “You never know what can be useful in solving cases.” At Chase's comment the two women nodded in agreement.

  Handing the files back to Persephonii, it took little more tha
n a few seconds to scan each page, though it felt longer. Placing the folder back in place, she closed the file, leaving it in the cubby. With a gentle push of energy, she ensured that no one would be the wiser to their intrusion. Briefly, she thought of laying a few wards of her own, perhaps something to monitor or mark whoever eventually found the hiding spot. But anyone adept at wards would know that a few layers had been added to the original work, and she didn't want to scare away their mysterious suspect.

  “Perhaps your mystery guest was looking for whatever was in this secret compartment. Let's leave the pages there for now to see if we attract any attention. Is there any way you can add a camera to watch the corner specifically?”

  “I’ll have I.T get right on it... What else have you found Ms. Waters?” Dr. Carver gave responded with a firm nod.

  “Does this key seem familiar to you? What about this key chain? Do you remember seeing Dr. Edwards with these at any time?” At the doctor's bewildered expression, she could tell that the answer to her questions was a resounding 'no'. Reaching inside a pocket on her utility belt, Persephonii grabbed a small evidence tin. Picking up the key, sliding it into the tin to preserve any finger prints, she pocketed the evidence, making a mental note to get it to the lab, as soon as possible.

  “Lets head back to your office and discuss our next steps.” With a firm push she stood up, heading out the door back to Dr Carver's office. It was time to put Dr. Carver’s ghost fears to rest, and perhaps give her a new, very real set.

  “I’ve done what I can but I’m not an investigator. I know biology and science. It’s come down to the unexplainable, I believe in Occam’s razor. ‘Whatever’s left though improbable, must be true’.” She shrugged as she met Persephonii’s gaze, though Dr. Carver looked relieved to be back in her office.