 |
|
You are not logged in Log In Your Profile Your Messages Your Notifications |
|
| The Moderator Message Board >> View Post |
|
Subject: Adventures in Parodyverse: Transportation Part 2 |
Links: Part 1 Adventures in Parodyverse - Transportation Part 2 Jack Burns shuffled into the suspect interrogation room and pulled the chair out noisily, sitting across from George Wright. He was annoyed to have to talk to him again, especially because George had a smug look on his face. "What kind of scam are you pulling this time?" Jack asked. "I finally got the Psychic Samurai," George said, sounding satisfied with himself. "You remember what I told you about her, didn't you?" "Yeah," Jack replied, sounding bored. "She's not only deeply involved with organized crime in Paradopolis," George said, "and made several people...'disappear'. It's spread much farther than that." "I met the Psychic Samurai. In person. She had a perfectly reasonable explanation for everything you said about her. Meanwhile, you're in here a couple times a month, and you haven't explained a single thing." George took two photos out of a beige folder obviously given to him earlier by his lawyer, who was no doubt standing by outside the room somewhere. He slid the photos toward Jack. Jack looked at the two photos. One of them was obviously Chiaki having a light lunch with Akiko Masamune. He shrugged at that, having lunch with a known gangster that she was known to be friends with was no crime. The other photo was far more baffling - Chiaki speaking seriously to a very old man flanked by suited security personnel. "So...what is this exactly?" "He's the Grey Eminence," George replied. Looking away for a moment, Jack bit his lip and tried not to laugh. "The Grey Eminence? So the Psychic Samurai is trying to take over the world now? Maybe using the UFO stashed away at Area 51 in Roswell?" "You think this is funny, but she's up to something. I don't know why she's talking to the Grey Eminence, but it can't be good for any of us." "This is just some rich old man," Jack pointed out. "Maybe she's helping him cross the street. Or asking for a loan." "Oh yeah? Look at the two guards. They're Secret Service." George leaned back and folded his arms, another self-satisfied smile on his lips. "And yet the Psychic Samurai is allowed near the old man carrying a sword." "That's it." Jack threw both the photos onto the table and pushed back his chair. "I'm really getting tired of this time wasting crap." "Wait, you have to listen to me!" George protested as Jack stood and headed out of the room. "Look, obviously everything you've been saying about the Psychic Samurai is bullshit designed to try and save your own ass after breaking the law repeatedly." Jack shook his head. "This time you're just going to have to face the consquences." Without another word, Jack exited the interview room and slammed the door behind him. He stood in the hallway for a moment and sighed. One question left unanswered bothered him a bit - who was that old man Chiaki was speaking to, and more importantly, why was she speaking to him? And why did he have security with him? "Hmm," he grumbled to himself. Perhaps he could ask her, at least she'd be more cooperative than George Wright. --- Vicky took Visionary to a quaint little coffee shop across the street from the police station. It reminded him a lot of the Bean & Donut only smaller and a lot less active. Most of the people in this coffee shop were professionals and cops who wanted to be left alone, and the place was designed to cater to them - nearly all the seating was in booths, and there were only a half dozen of them. "Thanks for letting me change first," Vicky said, clutching a huge mug of cocoa with both hands. She glanced out the window at the police station across the street, partially obscured by a rainstorm and usual daytime traffic. "I felt kinda conspicuous dressed like that." "I didn't want you to be uncomfortable, especially now that it's raining." Visionary pointed out. "And it's pretty much etched into my memory anyway, so..." He shrugged, letting that sentence trail off. "Dude, you nail this hot green chick who wears nothing but underwear," Vicky pointed out. Visionary shrugged. "But I don't nail a cheerleader. Not that I want to. I mean, I want to, but not you. Er...not that you're--" "You really need to work on your flattery," Vicky interrupted. "Yeah, I've been told that," Visionary mumbled as the words of Yuki Shiro came back to him. "So who are you looking to track down?" "I have this friend named Liu Xi Xian," he began, before he was interrupted again. "Friend friend or girlfriend?" Vicky asked. "Or, you know, friend with benefits?" Visionary began stammering nervously again. "Uh...I...don't think. I guess she's a friend and a girl but not a girlfriend. Though I think she hit on me once, I'm not sure--" "Wandering off topic again," Vicky warned. "Sorry," Vizh apologized. "This friend, she...well, let's say she fell on hard luck when she first came to this country. And someone took advantage of her. Not just one person, it was like...an entire...thing. Anyway, I wanted to do what I could to see if I could get them...you know. Lock them up or something." Vicky sighed and frowned as she looked at him. "I know your heart's in the right place, but...I'm sorry, that's really not much to go on." Visionary put a box on the table, it looked like a dress box. He had been carrying it with him the entire time but Vicky didn't want to say anything. When he opened it, within was a fairly exotic Chinese styled dress. "She gave me this box," he said. "She put the dress she was wearing the night she escaped them in there. They gave it to her to wear. She said she meant to burn it but was afraid it was too important. But she also said she hasn't opened it since then because she couldn't bear to look at it." Vicky took the box and felt the fabric of the dress between her fingers. "Hmm," she whispered. "I think this might actually be a useable clue." "So you'll try?" Visionary asked, perking up at the thought. "Yah," Vicky replied calmly with a smile. "Looks like a challenge. I like a challenge." --- Jack waited in his office and worried about Vicky. She was out working with Visionary from the Lair Legion, and he had quite a reputation with women. He was a little worried she'd end up married to him in some alien ceremony or something. He shook his head dismissed that worry. It was probably just because he was nervous about who he was waiting for - the Psychic Samurai. It was storming outside when Chiaki arrived, dressed in black jeans, boots, and a red and black shirt with an unusual pattern. She carried a small umbrella under her arm. As she bent to place the umbrella in a corner Jack noticed her sword was strapped to her back. "Good afternoon," Chiaki greeted him as she took the sword off of her back and held on to it as she bowed and then sat down. "I guess you're wondering why I called you," Jack began. "Mmmhmm." Chiaki nodded patiently. Jack slid a photo he recovered from the interrogation room after Mr. Wright had been placed back in a holding cell. It was the security guarded very old man speaking to the Psychic Samurai. He watched her expression, but there was no reaction as she stared at the photo. "It's a man I spoke to," Chiaki explained plainly. "I thought the security was a bit much even if he had money." "Do you remember his name?" Jack asked. She shook her head. "I never asked it. We didn't have business, he only asked me if I worked for Akiko Masamune. I thought that was unusual, but considering the excessive security perhaps he had...connections." "That's what I thought." Jack sighed and leaned back in his chair. "George Wright was back again making claims about that photo." "What sort of claims?" The Psychic Samurai sounded curious. "It's stupid," Jack admitted. "He said that was the Grey Eminence, and you were working for him." "Hmm." Chiaki looked at the photo again. "I suppose he could be. Anyone could be. Even you...or perhaps the Grey Eminence is a woman named Vicky who easily got a job as a police detective. Or perhaps it's me." Jack was frowning and listening to her at first, but then he laughed, realizing she was joking. "Yeah, as I said...stupid. That's why ol' George is back in a cell." "I was curious as to why this old man needs so much security." Chiaki put down the photo and shrugged. "But I suppose it's not my business how he spends his money." "You want any coffee?" Jack asked suddenly, tossing the photo into a bin on his desk. "I'm going to get some, I need a caffiene buzz." Chiaki nodded and stood. "Of course," she said as she strapped the sword to her back again and picked up her umbrella. Moments after the two of them left, a man in an expensive suit and dark sunglasses peeked into the doorway of the office. He stepped in quickly, snatched the photo, and slipped away silently. TO BE CONTINUED? -- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2007 by Jason Froikin, and may not be -- reprinted without permission. -- Yuki Shiro designed by Jason Froikin, based on designs by Masamune Shirow -- Liu Xi Xian and the Psychic Samurai are original design by Jason Froikin -- Lara Night is an original creation by Jason Froikin |
Posted from
using Apple Safari/MacOS X | |
| |
| Generation-3™ v1.0 beta © 2003-2008 Powermad Software |
