Forever

Subterfuge

I'm trying something different this chapter!

Henry's POV:

I've found Adam.

It took me months, but just yesterday I discovered a means of tracking him from one of those payphones near the Antiques shop. Abraham said (Sarcastically, I hope) that I should have found him from the moment he first called me, but I simply didn't reveal my annoyance and went upstairs to study further. The lab has since been repaired, the dead mourned, the bodies of the victims searched for in vain. Everything, as one would say, is back to normal.

Or as normal as it could get when you're stuck in an endless loop of life........

Rants. All rants. This was an effort and I managed to find a chink in his armor, a crack in the diamond. Now it's a matter of finding the time to try and get to him. While I know where he spends the bulk of his days, I certainly don't know his habitual daily whereabouts and I don't intend to try. Knowing where he lives is enough, and so far today I've only found the time to work my shift until three o'clock in the afternoon. It's only 1.

"Find anything?" Lucas comes in, an obnoxious smile on his face. Not bothering to hide my irritation at his grin, I nod and give him the Tox-Screening results.

"You were back reading the comics again. You're lunch break ended forty five minutes ago."

He says nothing, just clicks his tongue and looks at his watch. Then a twinge of desperation flickers across his face. "A) They're called Graphic Novels, and B) You can't tell. Please?"

I sigh, and after a moment's consideration decide to see how far he'll go to conceal it. "One thing."

"Yeah? Oh, and if the victim died of nightshade why does she have defensive marks on her arms?"

About that.

"Abuse. There's a possibility her husband may have been beating her. He's currently in custody. But, as I was saying earlier......" I lean in over the body and try to hide my giddy smile. I've never really tricked someone before and probably never will, but why not have some fun?

"I need a set of rats from the apartment from which she came. No one here is willing and I'm not exactly the most physically fit to chase them. Only five will suffice, but if you're not-"

"You suck at pranks. Seriously,will you tell?"

I take a step back and raise both hands, surprised he knew. "How did you-"

"Rats? Dr. Morgan, you're smarter than that. Epic fail, no offense. You're not going to tell; I know it."

Hmm. He's right, it can be considered this 'epic fail'. I'm guessing the use of the word 'epic' makes it all the more noticeably embarrassing. Resuming my earlier position, I examine the body with his head inches from mine, and when we get to the woman's liver, which just so happens to be eaten up by alcohol use, I steal a glance at his watch.

Three o'clock.

So I pull off my gloves and prepare to leave, and nearly slam into Detective Martinez on my way out.

"Where you going?"

"Home. My next shift is at midnight and I need to get as much sleep as I can before then." I say hurriedly, looking to the elevator. A man exits it and it stays open, an invitation for me to go and get answers from Adam.

"Really?"

"Jo, wanna hear Dr. Morgan's failed attempt at a joke?" Lucas's voice sounds behind me, and I roll my eyes to the ceiling. The roadblocks keep piling up. Oh well, beggers can't be....