Maniai Case File 1: The Girl And The Blood Slide

Chapter 5

We were in Mr. Epiktitos' office.

He was looking over the case file Zoe was requesting to open. She had presented the printed papers as if they were precious artifacts. We had waited little under an hour for them to go through the queue.

We were just sitting there, Zoe smoking, me looking around the memorabilia.

Mr. Epiktitos was slowly reading the case, with occasional grunts and rubbings of the chin.

It was otherwise quiet. Quiet enough to hear the beeps and the pings of Zoe's game, the one she was playing on her phone. It had something to do with candy, and it seemed to me that it was designed by drug dealers who turned their efforts to mobile gaming.

I was way uncomfortable. In a moment of courage, I slowly reached to get a medical magazine on the boss' desk.

As soon as I touched it he dropped the folder and banged his hand on the desk. I pulled my hand back.

"Well," he said munching his thoughts over, "this case involves a poor little girl. The alert was raised too late for us to do anything for her but we can't risk any contamination."

Zoe tried to pull her eyes from the game and perched up an ear.

I just sat uncomfortably.

The boss went on. "You are to go to Thessaloniki, to the region Kilkis and conduct an investigation. You are to inform the local physicians about the particulars of rabies and find out if any other people are threatened. The Rabies Division will authorise you with travel expenses and accommodation. I'm sure we'll have no problem getting approval for two investigators since Zoe will teach you how the work is properly conducted."

The game glinged a high score. "Sure boss. I'll teach Poly the ropes."

Mr. Epiktitos brought out his stamps from his drawer and signed some forms. "Perfect, you leave tomorrow morning."

The queue on the Funds Desk was not long, so they compensated with bureaucracy and turtle-like cashiers.

We had five or six forms in hand, a cheque to be signed and Zoe was beaming with joy. She wasn't even smoking or playing candy.

"This is like, three days of travel expenses for two people!"

"So they pay us to go and investigate? That's actually fun," I said, starting to enjoy my new job.

"They rarely approve expenses for two investigators. This is an exception cause I have to train you and stuff."

Our turn came. A droney face spoke. "Forms."

Zoe presented them in order.

"Cheque."

Zoe gave that too, never taking her eyes off of it.

"CDI card."

We presented those.

"Next."

She was trying very hard to contain her joy, and failing. I learnt later as to why.

A day's hard work was near its end, so we went back to the Tramp Division and picked up our stuff.

"Meet you tomorrow morning at the bank," she said and sent me the details on a message.

Irene congratulated me and patted me on the back.

That was my first day on the job.