Havihe evidence collected from Homend Security and how they defi, Ellie frowned. “They blew up four trucks to iionally stop EMS from reag the people being attacked. I don’t like admitting that Angelie was there, and in fact attacked the people ing out. They destroyed the pce, that’s what terrorists do. Fear and fusion.”
g her hands in front of her mouth and shaking her head side to side, Tatum took a minute before speaking. “The gover couldn’t prove any of it. Let’s have a small review. You cimed the trucks were blown up. That is incorrebsp; They were potable water trucks, with the air let out of the tires a on fire. Tried as they might, the gover couldn’t link a single person to the four trucks.” She shrugged. “Might want to check your facts before making assumptions.” Tatum flipped one of the kyaohrough her fingers, “You said Angelie attacked the pce, I take it to mean you are talking about Phantasmagoria.” Delighted to see Ellie nod and grab another pastry, Tatum disclosed more. “When was the st time that a terrorist attack spared i people? Left the building that was supposedly attacked in one piece? I mean minimal damage. A single hole in the roof and a couple doors.” Fluidly waving her hands as though weaving a tale, she kept going. “The building is pretty much all windows. All that was found was a bunch of bones and water.”
“Strange.” Agent Miller closed her eyes and used her limited eidetic memory to recall what she’d seen while studying the files Sarah had provided. When Ellie recalled most of the versation as well as the grainy images, she took the time to look beyond Angelie leading a group into Phantasmagoria. “You’re right. I remember the windows being in pce from the images I have seen.” She opened her eyes and sighed, “Very strange.”
Sliding her chair bad standing up, Tatum walked over to Ellie and leaned close. “Now you are asking why, or at least w why. Keep asking the strange questions, and you’ll get strange answers.” Sing to the other ear Tatum whispered, “Not all strahings are necessarily wrong. Kinda fits your new assig, right?” Speaking more soothingly than she’d done before, Tatum gripped the kyanite and added, “You are so close Ellie. Closer than you think, which could be the kiss of death.” Tatum purred lightly, “Feel free to take a few ses with you. Today will be a good day for you, may fortune shine on your discoveries. Carry love on your shoulder today, Angelie is with you, Ellie.” Tatum took a step bad tossed the two rocks back where they were then touched Ellie on the nose. “Boop.”
Disc a new love for the triareat, Ellie looked up at Tatum as she blinked away a few thoughts of Angelie. “Do you mind if I take a few more? I have a feeling that today will be long and productive, so I might not have time to eat.”
“Feel free, Agent Miller.” Tatum pointed back through the house, "Be sure to pick up your things before you leave.” She paused, “You have been a lovely guest, e by anytime you’d like.” Tatum ughed, “ime y the wine. I am getting bored with tea.” She winked.
Driving her oversized cruiser bck gover police cruiser, Agent Miller made her way to the small Petersburg police station. Twisting her dark gray bzer from the hanger in the backseat, Ellie quickly shimmied into the garment and affixed her FBI badge to the small front pocket. Reviewing the list of things she wao follow up on in her head, Ellie slipped her leather satchel over her shoulder and headed to the mairance.
Greeted by an older sergeant, Ellie walked up and presented her badge and inquired about the records offibsp; Once she’d sighe visitors log, the kind officer pointed her straight down a hallainted pea green. Walking the old and musty-smelling crete hallway, Ellie made a few rights as instructed and saw the old wooden sign that bined both the clerk of court and city records in the same spabsp; Crossing the open doorway, Ellie felt like she’d stepped a little ba time due to the simple way that the main desk was anized with a small pencil sign-i and a paper number system. Following the on sense instrus, Ellie had finished signing her name when an older man came around from a small cubicle that didn’t fit with the rest of the office's decor.
“Good afternoon.” He waved his hand dismissively. “o take the number.” He ughed, “It isly overflowing. I think we’ve been on number one huwenty-five food six weeks now.”
tent to leave the number in pce, Ellie let out a light chuckle. “I won’t be the oo break the streak.” Handing the gentleman her badge, Ellie introduced herself. “Special Agent Ellie Miller.” She waited for the balding man to nod and hand back her credentials, “I was hoping to get a look at the records for a couple of cases.” She spotted the man’s little name badge, “ you help me out, Noah?”
“It would be my pleasure, Agent Miller.” Noah stepped closer to the desk and watched Ellie scribble a few case numbers on a piece of paper from memory. “I don’t think I have ever seen anyone do that. You must have a photographic memory.”
Handing the slip of paper to Noah, Ellie brushed her red hair from her eyes. “I don’t know about that. I guess I remember it from studying the federal files.”
Poking lightly at the three strings of letters and numbers, Noah ughed. “Oh, I know these. You are in luck, Agent Miller.” He paused, “We keep most of the archival items with the library, secure in the basement.” Handing back Ellie her small note, Noah beamed with pride. “These were scheduled for pickup tomorrow evening.” He winked, “Let me get your badge number in the system and I will let you back to look at the boxes.”
“Boxes?” Ellie inquired. “I was hoping for the intervieossibly some water sample results.” Curious as to why Noah didn’t take down the number before, Ellie passed her badge ba. “I holy thought you were going to take down the number before.”
Reizing the fusion o Miller’s faoah waved his hand to get Ellie to put away the badge. “I wasn’t clear. My apologies.” Hunched over and typing furiously on his keyboard Noah punched in her credentials, “I had the number in my head, I just o get it in the puter.”
cluding that the i between herself and Noah was all due to stress, Ellie ceded, “Oh, that’s fine. I get inquisitive.” She ughed to lighten the mood, “I guess it es with the territory.”
Roughly a mier Noah pressed a small button and the door that led further ba the office popped open. “All set Agent Miller. You have clearance for everything.” Waiting for Ellie to e through the door, Noah made his way through the small maze of office spaces and reached a room with a red metal door. “I know this might seem strange given that the rest of the city looks run down.” He poio the hand-sized pad to the left of the door. “Press your hand and it will read your palmprint and fingerprint that you have on file.” Serving as a witness, Noah watched when Ellie pressed her hand to the pad. “There are about twenty-five boxes in there. When the case was active, there was just so much to process that the district attorney wanted a simple way tanize all of it.” Noting that the security system locked three of Ellie’s prints, Noah guessed he had a few more seds. “He decided to use the KISS method and the colors are literally marked with green, yellow and red.”
