Re-shaping the Universe (Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency)

Chapter 5

The following day, Priest arrived at Blackwing quietly. He signed himself in, got his security badge, signed his contracts, and was shown his fresh living quarters. This was the life he was used to living. This was what he enjoyed. It wasn't long before a Lieutenant came to fetch him to Supervisor Adams, who was also in a delightful new office.

"Supervisor Adams."

"Ah, Mr. Priest. Good morning." Ken turned in his seat. "Or should I say, Agent Priest."

"Agent? My, my... Ethics really isn't a priority any more, is it?"

"The retrieval of the missing subjects is the priority, Agent Priest. You've been given your Agent status again as a goodwill gesture. Please don't abuse the power."

"Noted, Supervisor Adams." Priest regarded him with an amused smirk. Ken watched him back, neither of them blinking.

"I've a question for you, Osmund."

"Shoot." His gaze didn't waver.

"What do you know about Project X?" Priest froze for a moment, and then smiled. It was a little chilling, especially as his eyes glazed over as he remembered something from the past. Ken frowned.

"Project X is an unnamed project from back in the mid-to-late nineties. Unnamed, because we never managed to find out what her powers were. We stuck to X because she was tenth project brought in. I'll be honest, tryna get her across the Atlantic with Project Icarus was a doozy! The Feds had to know everything, see. And the English police, well, they're far more thorough with their searches when you don't wan'em to be." Priest gave a shrug, laughing. "But we managed. Icarus was a good boy, shaken up from what happened to mommy and daddy... but Project X – Evangeline Brooke – was a little more feisty."

"So, you were her handler?"

"I brought her in, Ken. I was the only one any of them would listen to. You're talkin' about, what, more than twenty years ago? I was fresh outta the academy myself. I knew a thing or two 'bout gettin' people to do what you wanted them to do." He grinned. "But no-one could handle Evangeline."

"I had a special little spot for X and Icarus. Little Evangeline was a kicker, but we soon put a stop to that. Ten years old when she found out she was special. Made her angry that her mommy and daddy wouldn't believe her..."

"Alright, Osmund, get to the point – what happened to her? Why is her file so empty? And why is your signature embossed into it?"

Priest's smile faltered, and then he turned angry.

"In order to understand Evangeline Brooke, Ken, you need to understand what happened in the year 2000, when the facility was destroyed for the first time." Priest sat forward. Ken gestured for him to go on. "I managed to round up three subjects, but the rest got away. Those three were Project Balor, Project Herodias, and Project X. Project Balor's heart exploded from the force of his powers. Project Herodias killed herself, because she couldn't bear to be trapped any more... and Project X..." Priest trailed off with a little laugh. Ken leaned forward.

"Yes?"

"Project X came home with me."

Ken nearly dropped the papers he was holding. His jaw fell slack.

"You – you t-took a subject home with you?!"

"Now, now, Ken, don't spin out on me. Project X was dangerous, and no-one knew what her powers were. Keepin' her in solitary wasn't an option, 'cause she got out by herself every time, and people died. Riggins couldn't justify any more agents bein' sent to slaughter, not when there wasn't a facility there to hold her, either. And keepin' her in a regular cell was askin' for more death and destruction."