Swish and Flick

Earlier at the Plaza

Saturday 28th 08:30:52

Agent Williams and Dr Sanchez sit in an unmarked black sedan, Sanchez pulling up information on a laptop while Williams lights a cigarette, eyes on a particularly attractive redheaded jogger as she heads past.

“That's so strange, we have several locations in this part of the city where Surveillance has picked up the chemicals, but why is a Park the most consistent hit? This is 15 miles from the lab.”

“Well Doc, you did say it can turn into anything and honestly who's gonna suspect a stray dog or cat?” Williams notes before turning his camera on all the Dog Walkers and Pet Owners, recording them in turn.

Pulling out a particulate sampler wand, she connects it to the laptop and starts waving it outside before replying. “Yes, certainly, and it would probably also want to move away as quickly as possible, but why not turn into a bird and fly away further? What's keeping it here? And why didn't it leave a particulate trail?”

Williams pans the camera and disinterestedly captures shots of everyone around including one of Hope and Caleb.

“Well Doc, I imagine the city probably has a better set of food sources and lack of predators here versus the woods. Especially if some poor Schmuck or Schmuckette took them in. What animals did the team subject it to?”

Rita continues waving the wand until the confused looks of several passersby **** her to stop.

“Let's see, a mouse, a hamster, a tabby cat,a pigeon and some kind of dog I think. After that point it was deemed too dangerous to have it mimic anything else. It did turn into a Rattlesnake once after Dr. Lebins left his phone on a Snake documentary during lunch…Oh, I got a hit!”

“Shit Doc, where's it at?”

“Northeast corner of the Plaza, lemme disconnect and let's approach carefully.”

Dr. Sanchez unhooks the sensor from the laptop, then steps out of the vehicle, Williams checking his sidearm before exiting himself. Strolling as nonchalantly as two overdressed government agents can, they cross the grass as the sensor's beeping grows more insistent. Nearly onto the sidewalk at the other side, the beeping has melded into a constant tone near a lamp post.

“Excellent, the subject was definitely here, can't you smell it?” Dr. Sanchez looks for footprints in the surrounding grass.

Williams looks around at any retreating pet owners before responding. “Definitely smells like bananas, it's true, but, uh, Doc. It might be a false alarm.”

“That can't be, the sensor is detecting an abnormally high amount of the target VOCs!” Sanchez turns back to Williams with an admonishing look, then sees him staring off past her. Following his gaze, the doctor sees two men next to a Frederico’s Fruit and Produce Truck unloading wooden boxes full of…Bananas.

Dr. Sanchez pinches the bridge of her nose and stamps her foot. “Ay pinche puta! Of course, first real lead we get and it's muddled by a bunch of *tenderos*. Now we can't follow the trail.”

Agent Williams flicks his cigarette into the sand tray on the top of a trash can and pats his camera. “Cheer up, I got shots of everyone walking around with their animals today. Just need to pick a day when those Teamsters aren't here and cross-reference anyone that's here if we get another hit.”

Dr. Sanchez turns off and stows the sensor wand into her purse and begins walking back to the car. “You're right, of course. I just got excited, the longer we go without any credible progress the angrier Dr. Scheissle is gonna be and I wanted something to report.”

“I wouldn't worry so much, you’re the only one left who actually has encountered this thing, what's he gonna do…fire you?” Matching Sanchez’s stride he lights up another cigarette.

“Yes yes, well let's try again tomorrow morning, I don't feel like sitting out here for 12 more hours, hoping for another chance.