An Agent Named Nicolas Flint

Case One Part 1

I work as a private investigator and it's not at all as glamorous as you would think. Nearly all of my cases involve spying on cheating spouses. I'm really the only P.I in the area so if you have a cheating spouse, I'm the only real option. I've never helped the police on a case and figured that was something movies and books made up. I've done two missing persons cases because the families were so desperate for leads. In the end, I didn't find anything useful so I didn't charge them for my time. I sent the cases off to other private investigators a few cities away. They also came up empty even with police connections and that made me feel slightly less useless.

In short, my career has been pitiful. Nothing interesting has ever happened. I felt as if I would be stuck with cheating cases until I died. Then, I met him.

I was sitting in my car waiting for a couple to come out of a motel. I'd gotten shots of the husband and the side piece, now I just needed a time stamped photo of them leaving. It was boring work and I normally played audio books or podcasts while I waited. A tapping on my window startled me. I wasn't expecting anyone to come up to my car. I was parked legally so at first, I assumed it was a person asking for spare change. It happened from time to time in the rougher parts of town. But the person who was trying to get my attention wasn't begging for change. He was dressed in a suit. Unable to figure out who the hell he was, I rolled down my window while keeping an eye on the motel.

"You're Skyler West, correct? I am here to ask for your assistance." He flashed on official looking badge. His voice was monotone and emotionless.

Overall, I got a weird vibe from him. He was dressed in a suit, but his hair color was unnatural. A strange orange verging on pink in the right light. And it was long enough to be pulled back into a small ponytail. He couldn't be a detective or any kind of job in law enforcement with hair dyed like that. Also, instead of calling, he approached my car. Not my office, but he cornered me on a job.

"I didn't catch your name, or your creds. You flashed your badge too fast." I commented leaning out the window.

He paused while placing the badge back inside his suit pocket unaware of how quickly he showed it. His eyes creeped me out. They were dark and as emotionless as his voice.

"I apologize. I am Nicolas Flint. I work as a government agent, however this job I am approaching you about is more of a personal issue." He commented and let me look at his badge for as long as I wanted.

It looked official, but fakes now a days did look pretty real. If the job he wanted me to look at was personal it explained why he tracked me down. Most likely he did not want to get caught being seen going into my office or have my number on his call logs. Finding my car was easier than finding a pay phone in the age of cell phones.

I should have been more suspicious of him but he gave off such a neutral vibe I trusted him enough to at least hear what he came here for.

"Alright Nickie, come on in and talk before you blow my cover." I commented while gesturing to my passenger seat.

He paused again looking as if he'd never been called by a nickname before and was confused over who Nickie was. Before he got into my car, he took a small notebook out from his pocket and wrote something down and snapped it shut. I wondered what that was all about but didn't ask.

He got into the car and wasted no time telling me the reason why he was there.

"Jenna Gates disappeared yesterday night while walking down a hiking trail with her friends." He explained and pulled out a photo of a girl no older than ten.

"She looks pretty young. Aren't the cops involved? Why would you be asking me for help?" I asked handing the photo back.

"She's my niece. Due to her parents' rocky relationship the police are set on the theory her father took her from the trail and is hiding where she is. I do not believe that is the case. It has only been a day, but so far there are no solid plans to search the woods further." He explained but still used the same emotionless tone while talking about a missing family member.