Nesert

1.8

The Boston townhouse was precisely what you would expect in Beacon Hill with its Federal-style architecture and ornate interior. While she owned the entire building, ten years back Sekhmet had converted it into separate living spaces to rent out, reserving only the top two floors for herself as a penthouse apartment. The goa'uld ruled the world in her own way, subtly with real estate and investments and the influence her money could buy. She shifted into mannerisms that would (and did) fit in perfectly with the old money elite of this "Athens of America," as it was called, though Sekhmet used the nickname as an insult to these people who had no idea what the real Athens had been like. Tessa always noted the odd disdain for youth the goa'uld had, all while they observed humanity through hosts that mimicked the freshness they despised.

The pair took a few days to settle in and get the lay of the land again. The city hadn't changed much since the last time Sekhmet had been there so she was able to drop into some of her favorite haunts and strike up new relationships with old acquaintances. Sekhmet was surprisingly well liked everywhere they went, always able to pick up with people precisely where she left off, though her face changed with nearly every meeting.

Tessa threw herself into the first killing, telling her conscience that this was what was necessary to stop Sekhmet, but by the time the man was dead, she accepted that her vigour was really due to these being her last possible opportunities to feel the rush of screams and she found she wasn't eager for them to be over.

The Butcher killings had been taken over by an FBI task force which should show up soon after the first victim. The pair of killers would then have a very elite crop of special agents to choose from for their games. When they found themselves intentionally caught in the crowds around the second crime scene they'd produced not too far from the townhouse, Tessa was given control to assess and pick a target. They'd already hacked into the FBI's computer files and chosen a few possible options, but Sekhmet always liked having her own eyes (or her host's eyes, as it were) on potential victims. She needed to see how they moved and talked, how they spoke to others, and how others spoke to them. All of that information provided her with the beginnings of crafting who she needed to be to get what she wanted from them.

Two agents stuck out to Tessa right from the beginning and Sekhmet agreed they were their most likely candidates. Special Agent John Attaway certainly fit into the normal physical parameters that Sekhmet preferred, but Tessa didn't like the undercurrent of brutality she noted in his interactions with his team. Fortunately, their second option noticed her in the crowd first and gave her a smile.

Sekhmet chuckled inside their head. "It appears Special Agent Aaron Molina has chosen us."

Tessa smiled back and then, rather boldly in Sekhmet's opinion, winked. SA Molina's smile widened slightly in surprise before he turned to another agent, handing him a file, and making his way toward the crowd. He came right up to the crime scene tape and pointed at Tessa.

"Excuse me, miss," he said very professionally. "Can I have a word?"

The crowd all turned to look at the young woman he addressed and Tessa organized their features to reflect concern. She hesitated as SA Molina lifted the tape and motioned for her to walk under it. Initially she remained still, letting a certain degree of fear begin to radiate from their body before pushing confidence back to the surface with a slight lift of their chin and walking forward. Sekhmet did not hold back her pride at her young host's deceptions.

SA Molina guided her gently off to the side of the crime scene, a good distance from both the body and crowd.

"I didn't realize it was a criminal offense to wink at an officer of the law," Tessa said with just a hint of Sekhmet's smirk.