Edward Graves: Temporal Detective
Chapter 12: Time Scene Investigation

Oh it was warm alright!

“Why does it have to be so hot?”

“You know, I’ve just realised something about you Jessica, well I've noticed thousands of things about you actually, but I like to be succinct. Well as succinct as possible. Which is hard sometimes. Most of the time. Anyway, the point is that out of my many, many observations, I’ve just realised something specific to the current situation.”

“Oh yeah and what’s that?”

“You’re very inconsistent.”

“Excuse me? Inconsistent?”

Edward nodded, “On your first trip into the future you were filled with awe and wonderment. Now that I’ve taken you on a second trip, some fourteen hundred years or so further forward, you’re just complaining about the heat. Furthermore, you thought London was too cold and wanted to go somewhere warm and now that we are somewhere warm, you’re complaining about the heat. Inconsistent.”

Jessica felt like punching him only she was too sweaty and sticky to move. The very thought of lifting her arm and feeling the squelching sweat that had collected under there made her feel nauseous.

They had walked for three blocks now through the bustling streets of Jakarta. The day was Wednesday, the 29th of January, 4397. The temperature: too bloody hot for Jessica’s liking.

“How can you stand it?”

“Your complaing? Quite simple; I tend to just ignore other people and only focus on what I’m saying. It does wonders for me.”

“No,” she said in as aggravated a tone as she could muster. “I mean the heat. How can you walk around in plus forty degree heat, in a frock coat?”

Edward shrugged nonchalantly. “I must have a high tolerance for discomfort. That’s probably why I don’t tend to notice when I’ve created a socially awkward situation. It can be a little perturbing at times.”

Edward had warned her about the heat and she had dressed accordingly in a flowing floral summer dress and a large floppy hat, with a pair of large sunglasses. Edward had chided her when she voiced her hatred of heat; he told her that she was Australian and should be used to it. She had thought that a fair point. However, she had countered by pointing out that she was a pale redhead whose Irish ancestors had gifted her with skin that not only made paper look like tar in comparison, but changed to match the colour of her hair whenever exposed to direct sun light for more than five minutes.

The streets were a mass of people with great crowds writhing through the city which was a blend of traditional culture and the latest, or what Jessica assumed to be the latest, in technology and architecture.

“So how exactly are we going to get in?” she asked when they came to a large complex surrounded by a chain-link fence. Words hung in the air which read: Pan-Asian Experimental Technology Centre - Restricted Access.

“I was just going to rely on my charm.”

“We’re in big trouble.”

They walked closer to the security gate and Jessica felt a prickle dance across her skin. “Whoa,” she said. She could feel the hairs standing on her arms and the back of her neck.

“You felt that, did you?” asked Edward. “It seems as though my suspicions were correct. This whole complex has been Temporally sealed, obviously a deliberate attempt to hide it from the Temporal Council.”

“So that’s why we couldn’t Flux straight in?”

“Precisely. Whoever was behind the development of this Genetic Imprint Isolator knew about our world, what’s more they did so with the knowledge that what they were doing was illegal.”

“The plot thickens,” said Jessica.

They approached the guard station and a man wearing a light blue summer uniform and a beret, holding a large black gun.

“Halt,” he said with only the faintest of accents, “Entry is strictly prohibited to members of the public; authorised personnel only.” He eyed Edward suspiciously and arched an eyebrow in confusion.

“Well that’s splendid then because we’re not public at all, on the contrary, we consider ourselves to be quite private, don’t we Jessica?”

“Oh yes, very private.”

“See, didn’t I tell you?” Edward tried to shake his hand but he raised his gun to eye level and aimed it at Edward’s head. “Well jolly good sir, jolly good. I must say that you’re very diligent, isn’t he diligent Jessica?”

“Very diligent,” she parroted.

“Yes, very diligent, that’s what I thought. But you don’t need to worry, I see where the confusion lies; simple mistake, could happen to anyone, couldn’t it Jessica?”

“Oh definitely, anyone!”

“See, we’re in agreement then? All shall be forgotten, no need for us to mention this to anyone, wouldn’t want you to throw your career away over a silly mistake now would we Jessica?”

“That’s the last thing we want.”

“Exactly!”

The guard lowered his weapon just a little and his thick, black moustache twitched. “What are you talking about, me losing my career?”

“Oh,” said Edward with mild surprise, “I don’t think he knows does he Jessica?”

“I don’t think he does,” she said with the same tone.

“Know what?” he demanded, lowering the gun. “Who are you?”

“Who are we?” Edward laughed and jabbed a subtle elbow into Jessica’s side, suggesting that she do likewise, which she did. “My dear fellow, I am Chief Inspector Theodore Graves and this is my associate Deputy Inspector Jessica Bellows. We’re here about your little incident. You know, that little top secret, nonexistent machine that you didn’t lose last night.”

The guard stiffened and his eyes grew wide. “But how did you...? That information is strictly confidential!”

Edward leaned in towards the guard, smiling subtly. “Well they need somebody to find it for them, don’t they?”

“I suppose...”

“Who do you think they called?” asked Edward, placing his arm around the guard’s shoulders.

“We deal in high profile, low-key cases,” said Jessica. “Discretion is our speciality.”

“I don’t know,” stammered the guard, “I should check in with my superiors.” He went to tap the side of his head but Edward grabbed his wrist.

“I’m sure you’re aware that this is a very sensitive case,” said Edward, “strictly need to know. We can’t risk letting those who don’t need to know, know. You know?”

The guard looked confused but he lowered his arm and nodded, before stepping aside and letting them through.

“I can’t believe that actually worked,” whispered Jessica.

“It’s all a matter of confidence,” said Edward. “If you believe your lie then so will they. Though it is hard to believe something that you know to be a lie. Hmm maybe I should rethink that.”

Edward said good morning to every single person they passed on the way in, even going so far as to compliment haircuts or suggest going to lunch sometime. He told Jessica that by drawing attention to himself, he was actually detracting attention from himself. After all, when an oddly dressed stranger waves at you manically and asks how your kids are, you don’t stop to ask for his credentials, you just keep walking as briskly as possible.

The complex was surprisingly easy to navigate and it didn’t take long for them to find Laboratory Six, the location from which the G.I.I. had been stolen.

“Hello, hello ladies and gentlemen!” Edward beamed, as they passed through a chunky metal door which slid effortlessly and silently to the side. There were three people inside the lab, two women and a man, all wearing lab coats and safety hats. They all stared at Edward and Jessica with total confusion and disbelief. One woman even dropped her jaw.

“I know, I know,” said Edward as he took each person’s hand in turn, clasping them between his own and shaking them furiously. “You didn’t expect us here so soon, now did you? I can see it in your eyes, you see. But my partner and I, that’s my partner, we cleared our schedule for the day as soon as you called; not a moment to waste, I said to Jessica over there. Mrs. Johnson can look for her own Chihuahua, this is important work!”

The three people all looked at one another, clearly exchanging glances, expressions, shrugs and gestures. One of the women, probably in her early forties, with caramel skin and dark hair that hung down over her shoulders in deep ringlets, stepped forward with a stern expression on her face, clearly she was in charge.

“Excuse me, but would you please mind explaining who you two are and what you’ are doing in a strictly prohibited area?” she spoke with the same faint accent as the guard outside.

“Chief Inspector Theodore Graves and Deputy Inspector Jessica Bellows, here to find your missing Genetic Imprint Isolator that never existed in the first place. Do you happen to have any crumpets?”

The woman, Bethari according to her security tag, did not look convinced. She maintained her fierce stare and Jessica was worried that she was actually going to start burning a hole through Edward’s skull. However, he just kept his face locked in that broad, charming smile of his.

“I was not informed of any authorities being called,” she said sceptically with one eyebrow raised. “This investigation is supposed to be strictly internal; off the books.”

“Oh but that’s why they called us, we never do anything by the books.”

She continued to stare at him, clearly sizing him up. Then she turned to Jessica, fixing her with the same gaze which was somehow both fire and ice at the same time. It took less than twelve seconds for Jessica to have to look away. She remeinded her of her year eight English teacher. That wasn’t a good thing.

“Call Supervisor Alatas,” she said without taking her eyes from Edward and Jessica. “And put security on alert, we may have a breach.”

The man of the group, an older fellow with no hair but a thick, white beard, moved his finger towards the side of his head.”

“Wait,” said Edward, not out of desperation or fear, but just a simple word. “Bethari,” he said after glancing at her tag, “may I call you Beth? I take that as a no. Bethari you seem like a very career-oriented woman and I respect that; understand completely. So my guess is that you’re pretty outraged by the theft of your machine; put a lot of man hours, or woman hours, into it I imagine?”

She folded her arms. “If you’re going to make a point I would do it within the next fifteen seconds.”

“My point is,” said Edward, resting his hands gently on her shoulders, “that I’m sure that you want to do anything in your power to find the G.I.I; it’s like your baby. You and I know that an internal investigation isn’t going to go anywhere. What you built was illegal; your superiors would much prefer to just sweep this whole thing under the rug. I know that and I think you know that.”

For the first time since they had arrived she shifted her stance uncomfortably and diverted her eyes to the floor. It was only brief, but a chink in her armour nonetheless.

“So what do you say?” Edward continued. “You want it back and we don’t want the thieves to use it. How about we work together and you let us find your machine for you? I think that you know, deep inside, that we’re your best shot.”

She continued to stare at him but her face had softened, Jessica could tell that Edward had struck a chord. She hesitantly lowered her arms to her sides and slumped her shoulders slightly, opening up her body into a less defensive posture. She looked at the bearded man, who was still holding his finger by his head and she indicated for him not to place the call.

“Alright,” she said, “do what you have to do, but it will be under my strict observation, understood? If I suspect you of any tampering or foul-play of any kind, you’ll be out of that ridiculous outfit and in a Prison Moon jumpsuit so fast it’ll make you dizzy for a month.” She sot a look at Jessica, “That goes for you too.”

With all of the intense threats out of the way, Edward and Jessica stepped further into the laboratory.

“Can you feel that?” Edward asked. He held out his hand flat and noted that his hairs were standing on end. “There’s been a temporal disturbance here recently, I can feel it, can’t you Jessica? It’s that prickling, tingling sensation running from the back of your neck all the way down to the base of your spine. It seems like we’re on the right track.”

“So The Black Glove are behind this?” Jessica asked.

“Well, we can’t say that for certain, but we do know that an Archaic or Archaics were here recently and it’s probably a safe bet that they were Black Glove agents.”

“Excuse me,” said Bethari, “Do you mind?”

“Not usually,” said Edward.

Bethari scowled. “My patience is wearing very thin Mr. Graves, so if you wouldn’t mind hurrying your investigation along?”

It was only now that Jessica realised that she knew nothing about crime scene investigation, apart from what she’d learned from that T.V show, the name of which escaped her. However, not wanting to look like she had no idea what she was doing, especially in front the eagle-eyed Bethari and her colleagues, she decided to stick close to Edward and follow his lead. Of course, this is exactly what she would have done even without the presence of strangers.

“So what do we do first?” she asked Edward in a whisper.

“We look for clues of course,” said Edward happily.

“Right,” said Jessica. “Can you be more specific?”

Edward smiled and said, “First we establish where the crime took place, that’s the crime scene. I take it that this is where the G.I.I was housed,” he said to Bethari, indicating a smashed glass case with several stray wires and tubes hanging inside from the top and sides.

“Yes,” said Bethari. Jessica could hear the tapping sound of her high heeled boots as she approached them.

“Right,” said Edward, “what do you see Jessica?”

“Broken glass?” she offered. She really wished that she could have thought of something cooler and more impressive than that. “Wait, what’s that? A bit of leather?”

“Yes indeed,” said Edward as he pulled on a pair of disposable gloves and produced a pair of tweezers, picking up what seemed to be a torn piece of leather. “Rather like what might come from a black leather glove that’s been torn on a broken piece of glass. Very good.”

“So, the Black Glove did steal it.”

“Well, that’s how it seems. But you know what they say about assuming,” said Edward. “Now, do you notice anything odd about the broken glass?”

Jessica stared at the small broken shards of glass which were scattered around the inside of the case, studying every detail that she could see, seeking to make sense of what was in front of her and draw a conclusion from her observations.

“I’ve got nothing,” she said.

“Come now Jessica, it’s literally right in front of you. No? Ok.” He turned to Bethari, “I’d wager that you didn’t find any glass on the floor, did you?”

She cocked her head and arched her eyebrow. “No, all of the glass is inside the case.”

“Yes,” said Edward, stroking his chin, “that’s what I thought. Tell me, whose project was this? I mean if you follow the chain of command all the way to the top, who was it that pushed to get this thing off the ground?”

Bethari’s mouth opened in display of disbelief and resistance. “Excuse me, but what makes you think that I’m just going to give you information like that? I hardly think that it’s relevant.”

“Not relevant? Not relevant? My dear Bethari, everything is relevant! From the tiniest grain of salt on the bottom of someone’s shoe, to the largest governments, everything around us is relevant.”

Once again Edward’s gaze seemed to make her feel vulnerable for just a moment and so she told him what he wanted to know. “Isaiah Herald,” she said. “Memeber of the United Science Conglomerate. After the G.I.Is were all scrapped, he stated this project in secret; bankrolled it under the table.”

“Well then he’s our man,” said Edward matter of factly.

“Excuse me?” said Bethari.

“Yeah, what she said,” said Jessica.

“Oh come on,” said Edward, “am I really the only one who can see this?”

Everyone in the room just stared expectantly towards him.

“Oh dear, it’s terribly hard being brilliant,” he said. “Right! Jessica, the glass. If it were smashed while the G.I.I was still inside then where would the glass fall?”

“Um inside the case?” she ventured. She felt like she was in high school all other again. Although in high school she usually knew all of the answers. Except in P.E. but that doesn’t count.

“Come on Jess, think about it. Use that big brilliant, beautiful brain of yours!”

“The device!” she said suddenly. “Some of the glass would have fallen on top of the G.I.I”

“Not just some, most,” said Edward excitedly. “Come on girl, keep going, keep going.” He was becoming quite excited now and began making frantic, fluid movements with his hands.

Jessica thought for a moment and then smiled as a light bulb switched on in her head. “Then the glass should have fallen off as they removed it from the case, leaving some on the floor, possibly even leaving a trail of glass dust out the door. It would have also messed up the glass in the case as they hauled it out, but instead there’s a nice, even layer of on the bottom of the case.”

“Oh yes baby, that’s it, you are on fire!” Edward’s face was positively beaming and he was wringing his hands like he was using an invisible bar of soap. “Conclusion?”

“The thieves smashed the glass after they removed the G.I.I. which means that they already had access, because somebody had given them the security codes. The broken glass was just a ruse, to make it look like an outside job.”

“What about the Temporal disturbance; somebody Fluxed in here, which is odd because...”

“Because we couldn’t Flux in here,” continued Jessica, now nearly as excited as Edward. “We had to Flux in two blocks away because that was as close as we could get. So not only has somebody Temporally Shielded this place, but somebody, probably the same somebody, let the thief or thieves through the shielding!”

“Ok now bring it home superstar, who do you think could have organised this little snatch and cover up?” said Edward.

“This Isaiah Herald guy? He needed a G.I.I. so her organised for one to be made in secret, then had it stolen for himself?”

“Sounds like a plot to me,” said Edward, positively giddy with excitement. “There’s a good chance that Mr. Herald is the secret new leader of The Black Glove, or at least working for him. He needed a G.I.I. to use the Stone but they were all outlawed and destroyed so he just found a way to get one custom made. Brilliant!”

“No it’s not,” said Bethari, “this is absurd! I don’t even understand what you’re talking about anymore. Black Gloves? Stones? A scientist respected throughout the galaxy, turned thief?”

Edward calmed down instantly and put his hands on Bethari’s arms. “Believe what you want Bethari, but our work here is down. Time for us to crack this case wide open. Thank you for your help.” He moved towards the door before spinning on his heels and flourishing his cane. “Oh and try not to work on anymore illegal projects. I’m sure that you had noble intentions, what with the pursuit of science and whatnot, but you know what they say about the road to damnation being built on best intentions. Or something like that. Cheerio!”

With that Edward strode right out the door, calling for Jessica to follow him. Bethari looked as though she wanted to say something but had been rendered speechless. Jessica just smiled awkwardly and gave a little wave before following Edward out.

“So now that we almost certainly know that The Black Glove have a G.I.I. and that they’ll be after the real Eternity Stone, what now?” Jessica had only just fallen into step with Edward when she began hurriedly speaking.

“Simple,” said Edward, “we give them what they want.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that we’re going to arrange an exchange: The Stone for the Curator.”

Jessica stopped in her tracks but had to quickly resume as Edward kept walking. They exited through the main doors and Edward pulled his hat on then gave a friendly wave to the guard, who still looked a little confused.

“Hold on, you’re just going to give them what they want?”

“The Curator’s life is in danger,” said Edward simply.

“But you’re not really going to hand it over are you? You’re going to trick them again, right?”

“Well I doubt that they’ll fall for the same trick twice.”

“But you do have a plan?”

“Of course, I always have a plan. Except when I don’t. But even then I usually plan to make a plan, which really is a plan in itself, so I stand by my earlier statement.”

They reached the alleyway where they had Fluxed in, just beyond the perimeter of the Temporal Shield.

“You really do worry me,” said Jessica. “Sometimes I don’t think you take this stuff seriously.”

“Oh Jessica,” said Edward softly. He looked at her with those deep blue eyes and that soft smile. He stooped down and touched her chin ever so delicately. “I never take anything seriously. And that’s why I’m so good at what I do. Now let’s get you home, you need to rest up and I’ve got some planning to do.”

Jessica couldn’t help but smile. He seemed to have that effect on her and she was beginning to hate it. Well she wanted to hate it, but he just made it so difficult.

She focused on Edward and then focused on Timespace and then they vibrated into a blue haze and the alleyway was empty.

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