A Case of Time-Travelling Shorts

Passing Time - I [SFSD-X]

This month's challenge was to tell the story of a superhuman, while including 5 quotes (in bold) from pop culture. Hope you enjoy!

A/N : You might recognize Bastian as Seb from 'Dinner on a familiar theme.' I had to change his name due to its similarity with Seth's.

I

Major Cayman Oshiro realized his mouth was hanging open and swallowed roughly. The night's events were impossible; a hellish scenario that had hauled itself out of a nightmare, and ravaged London. As the technician flicked to the next camera's feed, he glanced at the live surveillance. Even as the sun rose, workers were still sponging blood off the pavings of Rowling square. The Major reached for his coffee. It was stone cold, like the sweat gathering under his arms. He had always hated Halloween.

A short, skittish man approached him. "Sir? I -uh - I might have found something."

"What you want? A cookie?" he spat. "Get the hell out of my face: this is an act of terrorism, not a game of I-spy."

The man rubbed the back of his neck. "Shall I play the footage then?"

Cayman sighed. "Put it on."

It was going on 4:15 in the morning. He'd interrogated the only direct living witnesses on the scene: two security guards from the Imperial Museum. One of the arseholes was still feigning shock, and muttering something about Big Brother having animal sidekicks. It was ridiculous.

The time-stamp on the footage read 19:57. Cayman scowled. They'd already watched this one. On screen, the Imperial museum lost power, drawing both cheers and moans from the opposing crowds gathered in front of the building. The footage was fast-forwarded, and the world's first AI unit exited the museum's doors. It walked down the front steps, human shaped, with sleek metal muscles and glowing blue orbs for eyes.

Civilians noticed the gun in its hand. Their cheers turning to screams when the robot turned its weapon on them. A robot shooting up a crowd of civilians. It was a disaster. "Why are we watching this again?" he asked.

The technician raised a laser pointer to the commotion on screen, pointing to the museum doors. "Watch this very carefully."

The Major's frown increased as a small blur fled from the museum. The footage froze on the evidence. "What is this? You're telling me that the terrorists are a frog and a malnourished ferret wearing body armor? That's what you want me to say at the press conference? 'Sorry folks, but the Disney fu**ing princesses are telling their animal pals to wreak havoc and destruction."

The man blushed. "I think it's a meerkat, sir."

"You think?! What's your name?"

"George... George Goodman, sir."

As much as Cayman hated to admit, the footage did match the security guard's statement. He sighed. "Goodman, the museum's security footage is corrupted, but I want to know how those animals got there. The rest of the team: we're looking at the second case."

The second case was no better. A grandma who'd decided human flesh was better than candy. The footage showed her dragging a superhero impersonator into the Subterranean district, far beneath the city. The response team had found nothing, except for a pile of peculiar sand. He couldn't release any information until they found a body.

~ 24 Hours Ago ~

George Goodman scanned the CCTV screens in front of him. He was a man best described by averages: average height (5''7), average build (could stand to lose a few kilos), common hair colour (black), and nondescript eyes (brown). In a crowd of strangers he possessed neither identifying features, nor interesting clothing choices.