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Oct-24-2009 18:47

October 24, 1938- Heimlich VonVIctor felt a chill run down his spine. Autumn always had that effect on him. He looked up at the multitude of colors adorning the trees and placed his hands in his coat pockets. The pungent aroma in the air told him that, somewhere, leaves were being burnt. He took a deep breath and looked down, to the place he had visited as many times as he could in the past two years. The cold hard stone hadn’t changed a bit, and never would. It would always be a testament to the man resting under it.

RICHARD CAMBRIDGE
FEBRUARY 10, 1892-
JUNE 15, 1936
“Justice for all. Above all else.”

He took a deep sigh. He never left anything behind, nor did he suspect that Richard would want anything left for him. He leaned down and placed his hand on the stone, “I’m doing alright Richard. Eric and I started up another agency. We’re doing it right this time, and Sergei is getting better at English every day. He’s even solving cases now; you wouldn’t believe how well he’s doing.”

“Excuse me, detective VonVictor?” a voice called behind him

Heim whirled around to find himself face to face with a young uniformed officer, “What do you want?” he demanded, “Can’t you see I’m in a cemetery?”

“Yes sir,” he responded, “and I’m terribly sorry to disturb you, but I’ve been asked to fetch you right away, it’s a matter of life and death!”

Heimlich let out a sigh, and leaned down to touch the stone again, “It never ends Richard, it never ends. I have to go now, but I’ll be back real soon.”

Dec-5-2009 16:09

*Previous Evening at Sammi's*

"For your information, we're just two old friends meeting up for dinner tonight." Zeo stated right after their orders were taken. He looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping.

"What's with all the secrecy?" Lacrimosa inquired.

"I need you to help 'my company' do some research on foot." Zeo said quietly while smiling, as if they were just carrying an old-timers' conversation. "Find out what you can on an Order-ly named Milton Kinsella.". Marc knew enough to decipher the reference to the Bureau of Investigation and a member of the Order of Socrates.

"Sure my friend, I get the gist. So, tell me more about this guy, who is he?" Lacrimosa replied.

"Was. I shot him dead last night." Zeo stated nonchalantly. He then went on to explain in codes the artifacts thief operation and its possible link to the Order of Socrates. Zeo told his friend that the Bureau needed names and solid evidence if possible. "Most importantly, this should be kept discreet. Our company cannot afford getting on the wrong side of the 'Mare'."

Lacrimosa nodded. Zeo hoped that when he said 'discreet', Marc understood to keep his interrogation methods under control... They had worked together before, and Zeo knew how 'convincing' his friend could become. He just hoped that he had chosen the right person, but then Zeo knew Marc could get the job done swiftly. "We don't have much time. The trail is getting cold as we speak." Joseph added, and just then their food arrived.

The two friends enjoyed their meals together, with Marc asking questions for Zeo to fill in the gaps. By the end of dinner, Lacrimosa had every piece of information Zeo could provide for him. They had agreed on a price for the job, as the bureau could afford to pay sumptuously. "Good luck, let's meet again at the butchers tomorrow around sunset. That's as far away from the Orderly ears as I can think of." Zeo concluded, and thanked his friend before they parted company.

Dec-5-2009 16:36

((oops, i misread Marc's **Previously in the day** as "The Previous Day". my bad. so Marc and my conversation happened the day before I met up with Molly. sorry.))

The next morning as Zeo woke up he had ten thousand items juggling in his mind. The glowing blue gem, Hoover's condescending barks, the secret tunnel, Josee on the white horse in the themed park, Heimlich's aged demeanor, the thief he killed, Anais' attention to his little girl... Anais... Zeo resolved to washing up in ice cold water. The autumn was turning more into winter as the days went by.

He reported back at the bureau headquarter to inform Hoover on the investigation, and volunteered to return to the secret passage for in case they missed anything in their first search. Hoover grunted an okay before the director return to his usual barking on other cases.

On his way to retrieve his car, someone called out Joseph's name. It was Pierce, with a grim looking lady trailing her with her arms across her chest. Zeo only remembered her as Jack Billing's ex-wife Amelia, as he knew every detail of the criminal king pins on his wanted list. Just before he addressed the woman, he remembered that she changed her name to Molly. How bitter.

Molly seemed more interested with the loose thread on the sleeve of her coat then the small talk between Pierce and Zeo. Zeo let her be, and made a quick excuse to get away. Socialization was never his strength, plus if he need to get to the burnt down warehouse and return in time to meet up with Marc, he better not loose time with chit chat. Zeo quickly got inside his car parked across the street and went on his way.

Dec-5-2009 17:23

Molly looked up from her sleeve as Joseph headed away.

"Well that was relatively painless." she said cheerfully, and ushered Pierce along.

"Why do you dislike him so much?" Pierce inquired. Molly gave a frown.

"I've heard through the grapevine that he's investigating Billings. To be perfectly honest, I don't like how he looks at me. Like a specimen, or a tool. As if my only purpose in his eyes is to help him bring down Jack." she balled up her fist. "And I refuse to be defined by the actions of my ex-husband."

She paused for a moment and then resumed smiling. "But that's neither here nor there. I'm thinking of dropping into visit Marc, I haven't seen him since the party and we do get on so well."

Pierce nodded his assent and they went around to Marc's office, but he was nowhere to be found. His aide, Grace, told him he had a dinner engagement with a Mr. Zeo. Molly wrinkled her nose.

"That man seems to gum up everyone's works!" she hissed snippily. Pierce raised an eyebrow.

"I think you're being a little unfair." he said, looking at her very directly.

"Maybe so." her voice and her eyes went unexpectedly soft for a moment, before the odd vulnerability disappeared once again behind the impeccable veneer of her face. "But I imagine it's kept me alive this long."

She suddenly raised a brow. "I can't imagine why but I just realized I have to speak with the insurance company. I don't have the slightest idea what brought that to mind...I really do need to sell that country home. Its a bother."

And humming, she descended the stairs, Pierce shadowing protectively behind her. She stopped midway down the stairwell and raised a brow.

"Say Pierce...how would you feel about a little dinner out somewhere this evening?" she asked, a mischevious glint in her green eyes.

Dec-5-2009 18:42

The warehouse had been burnt to the ground. Whatever evidence was there, it's gone. Zeo still remembered where that stairway leading down to the secret passageway was located though, and with a bit of effort lifting away the debris, he was descending into the dark in no time.

Zeo bought with him a kerosene lamp. It gave the tunnel an erie shade, flickering as Zeo trotted down the passageway which the fire didn't entirely touch. The man examined everything attentively, careful not to miss any detail this time. As Zeo approached the corner where he was shot the first time, his heart automatically beat faster. With his footstep echoed down the dark hallway, Zeo cautiously made the turn. He didn't even realize when he had his revolver drawn.

The hallway was empty as he last saw it. The chalk image of Milton Kinsella was drawn on the ground, exactly where he was shot. Zeo realized how close he was to becoming a chalk image that day, and was glad his partners found him in the nake of time. Zeo lifted the kerosene lamp forward and scanned the passage. Nothing.

Wait. Something reflected the light in the corner.

Zeo walked closer to see that it was an earring. An earring? Carefully he collected the evidence and kept it safe in his trench coat pocket. The man went on to examine the rest of the tunnel but found nothing else all the way to the exit. He then retraced his steps again. Before he realize it, the time was already close to sunset and he had an appointment at the butchers.

Dec-5-2009 19:06

The morning after the meeting with Joseph, Marc began his investigation. He needed to get information about a Milton Kinsella. Marc opened his office early in the morning and waited for Grace to arrive. When she did he got evrything situated so he could leave. Grace knew to take a message when Marc wasn't in so there was no need for him to tell her what to do.

The first place Marc went to was the Hall of Records in City Hall. there wasn't going to be much information in there. But hopefully, there was something in there about Milton Kinsella that the FBI didn't know about.

For hours Marc sat in the small room looking through the file of Mr. Kinsella. Something, anything that would say he was connected to the Order of Socrates.

Finally! Marc found what he was looking for. Milton Kinsella was once a Consiglier for the Order Of Socrates. He also had some inside connections with other faction groups. One being a Mr. Tim O'Leary who once worked for The Green Hands. Marc couldn't believe what he was reading. Kinsella worked his way up through the ranks of The Order of Socrates.

Did anyone at the Bureau know? Marc wasn't sure. Marc couldn't take the file. All he could do was pull out a camera and take pictures of it and write down what he read. Marc left the hall or records.

Tim O'Leary...where had he heard that name before? Marc thought to himself on his way back to the office. Then it struck him. O'Leary! He had been arrested in England and brought back to the U.S. afterwards!

"Grace, go ahead and head home. I'll lock up," Marc said. Grace thanked him and left.

Marc locked up and walked outside. It was almost sunset. He head to the butcher shop.

Marc arrived just shortly after Joseph had gotten there. Only a minute or so after.

Marc and Joseph walked inside the shop and took dark corner inside the store where they began to talk about the case.

"What'd you find about him?" Joseph asked.

Dec-5-2009 19:16

"Not a whole lot. I only had a couple of hours in the Hall of Records room," Marc said. He continued on, "Kinsella was one of the top Consigliers for the Order of Socrates. He also had some inside contacts from someone that you and I took down back in England."

"Who is it?" Joseph whispered.

"A Mr. Tim O'Leary," Marc said. "Apparently they helped each other out. I have the notes here and pictures here," Marc said handing Joseph the files discretley.

"O'Leary?" Joseph asked. "Are you serious?"

"I am serious," Marc said.

"Impossible. Those two factions hate each other. They'd kill each other if they could" Joseph said.

"No." Marc said. "Each faction put each person undercover to penetrate the opposite factions. They eventually learned about each other and knew that they were going to be killed. From what I read, they were planning on doing something big. What it was, I don't know. I do know that they became friends. So I think a visit to O'Leary couldn't hurt." Marc said.

"Can you get any information from him?" Joseph asked.

"Leave that to me." Marc said.

Joseph nodded. They shook hands and made sure that no one had listened to their conversation and they left.

Marc went back home, to get some sleep. The next morning, he would go interrogate Tim O'Leary.

Dec-7-2009 20:17

However Marc's plan didn't work out quite as intended, for Molly was leaning against his door, smoking a cigarette and looking both very lovely and very very curious.

"Alright, Lacrimosa." she said, straightening up in order to allow him access to his door. "I'll bite, what's going on? I can tell there's all sorts of intrigue afoot and you know me, I do so love intrigue."

She followed him into his apartment as bold as you please.

"Don't tell me you're going to have another case fraught with peril and you didnt IMMEDIATELY invite me along." she pouted prettily and gestured extravagantly with her cigarette.

Dec-7-2009 21:17

Marc sat down in his favorite chair while Molly sat down on the couch across crom Marc. Marc pulled out his pipe and packed it full of his apple flavored tobacco and lit it.

"Molly....." Marc opened his mouth and paused. He knew to watch what he said. Anyone could be listening. Especially since this was a high profile case. Marc had already met with a federal agent that day and there was no telling who had seen them. "I didn't even know about this. Joseph Zeo, a friend of mine, I believe you met him back in London, called me asking for help on some information involving a certain somebody." Marc said.

"Who is it?" Molly asked.

"I can't say his name. It's not safe-"

Molly cut him off from his sentence, "What do you mean it's not safe? We're in an appartment for crying out loud!"

Marc puffed on his pipe. He trusted Molly. He trusted her with his life. But yet he was afraid that something would happen to her and he didn't want that to happen.

"Look, I'm going to make an interrogation tomorrow on a Mr. Tim O'Leary. I'll call Joseph in the morning and tell him that I'm taking you with me. I'll let you work with me, however, there are people out there that are involved in the investigation that would kill a private eye like us if they knew we were on to them so you have to be able to blend in like a regular civilian." Marc said.

"Are you doubting my abilities to remain undercover?" Molly asked.

"No. I'm simply stating to watch out. Zeo almost got killed last night while working on a case. He's lucky that he shot the man before he himself was shot."

Marc finished his pipe and put it out while Molly lit up another cigarette. Marc sat back down in his chair and looked at her and then looked out the window. It was late.

"Molly?" Marc asked her, "Would you like a room for the night? It's getting late."

Dec-7-2009 23:19

(We haven't been to London just yet.)

"Oh no." Molly said,keeping her voice purposely distant. "Pierce is waiting downstairs with the car. Joseph was almost killed, eh?"

Truthfully, she couldn't decide whether she was relieved they hadn't got him or disappointed he wasn't at least confined to a hospital bed for a while!

With a sigh, Molly stood and headed for the door. "If you have need of my services tomorrow, Marc, call me. You know my number."

And with that she saw herself out, rejoining Pierce downstairs. As he drove back to their lodgings, she gazed out at the street the whole way, her eyes thoughtful.

Dec-8-2009 11:08

"What a big party" Vulkie said,the day after her party took place. She "inhaled" her cigarette and blew the smoke away. "39 years already... a third of my life has passed already. And here I am,with my friends,having fun sleuthing and looking for justice..." Vulkie murmered,as she looked at a picture of her and Eric.

Vulkie grunted and placed the picture facedown. As she saw the picture when it was up,it was her sitting on Eric's lap with a drink,laughing and Eric trying to kiss her.

"Eric...." Vulkie murmered and she began to cry. "Why,o why,do I have to be cursed with Ace's "vision"...." Vulkie shouted and she threw something away,that was immediately broken.

"Well,I'll have to be strong now... be strong..." Vulkie said to herself and then the phone rang.

"Miss..." Vulkie began,but she was interrupted immediately.

"Vulkie,I know. Just to say,we have your "friend",Mr. Marvington. He's been of some valuable information of us. You can get him free,but you'll have to do one thing" the "kidnapper" said.

"What?" Vulkie asked. "Please,tell me... Is he still alive?"

"Meet me at the docks,100 grand,in bills. Eric will be released when the deal's done... 12 hours from now" the kidnapper said and he hung up.

Vulkie fell to the floor,her heart racing in her throat. "Eric... Don't worry,I'll get you free,no matter what!" Vulkie said and she began to dial Heimlich.

"Heim,it's me,Vulkie. No,no time to discuss. Meet me here,immediately. I don't care if you're busy,you come over here,now!" Vulkie said and she hung up,phoning Charlie immediately afterwards.

"Charlie,I need your help. Come over to my place as quickly as possible. No discussion,please..." Vulkie said and she hung up. Vulkie poured a drink for herself,to calm down...