Mark Judah: Chosen

Chapter 4 Los Angeles

                         UNDERCOVER

             "Misery and Joy are powerful illusions empowered by perspective. Don't be deceived, my friends."
                              -KezTown

             "The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."
                            -Walt disney

                    349 HOURS BEFORE
                          APOCALYPSE

    Ryan Lee

    Lee arrived back at the station. He
decided to make a couple of phone calls to
other major counties in California.
    "San Diego sheriff department, how can I help you?"
    "Detective Jakes, please."
    "Please hold."
    Less than a minute later. "Detective Jakes, speaking."
    "Detective Lee, calling."
    "Ryan? Hey, man. How've you been?"
    Thoughts of his dreams, and sleepless
nights came flooding into his mind.
    "Fine. And, you?"
    "I've been great. Working a sick murder case, right now. Bastards taking nipples for trophies. What can I do for you?"
    "I'm working a missing person's case, and was wondering if there's been any missing homeless reported in your jurisdiction this
year?"
    "Uh... Not that I've heard of. Hold on. Let
me check." Lee patiently waited. "Uh. Yeah. Three of them.The newest one, from a close relative two months ago. A Patricia Reese
made the report." He, then, gave Lee her
number. "Also, one from someone homeless whose name's Marcus Anderson, but he
gave no number to be contacted. This was
reported nearly three months ago. And, the last one also from someone homeless. The
second week of the New Year by a Leslie
West." He, then, gave Lee her contact info.
"None of these cases have been solved. Do
you think they're connected? Is there
something our detectives aren't seeing?"
    "Maybe."
    "But, homeless leave without notice all
the time."
    How convenient. Lee thought. Everyone
keeps saying that.
    "Can you do me a favor?"
    "Of course. What do you need?"
    "Go to a local soup kitchen for lunch, and ask the homeless as they're leaving about
other homeless going missing."
    Lee could tell Jakes was writing.
    "Missing... Homeless. Got it. How far back?"
    "Just this year. Call me on my cell."
    "Will do."
    At that, they hung up. Lee, then, called a
couple of other major cities like Sacramento, and San Francisco. He received similar responses. Something wasn't right, and Lee knew it.

    Lee thought about calling Patricia Reese, but decided to wait until Detective Jakes got back to him before he made a decision.
   Thoughts of his wife, and son came flooding into his mind. Lee remembered how sweet those times were. How she supported him in everything he did. His son's first steps. Being called da-da for the first time. Kissing the sweet lips of his beloved wife.
    Then, the thoughts turned sour. Pictures
of the charred bodies of his beloved wife,
and son overtook the sweet thoughts like a Tsunami.
    Lee quickly stood up. Sweat forming on his brow. Looking at the clock on the wall, it was 9:30 AM.

    Lee passed the time skimming through
missing report cases. There were many of them. Most were solved; some weren't.
    He also googled 'missing homeless'. There were over 500,000 homeless people in the
United States alone. Over twenty percent were located in California. More than seventy-five percent of California's homeless were found in
unsheltered locations.
    Lee knew there were a bunch of homeless, but these numbers were astonishing. Lee read article after article. Until his phone rang.
    It wasn't even 10:30. Lee checked the
Caller ID. Not the call he was expecting, but nonetheless.
    "What's up, Drew?" Andrew Grey, AKA
Drew, has been Lee's best friend since high school.
    "Just checking up on Bruce Lee's
protegee."
    Ryan Lee's a martial artist. From the age of four, he's practiced some form of art. Usually two at a time.
    He's Mastered four of them thus far and
has made his own style blending them with  skills he's acquired over the years. With him being half Asian, and Lee his last name. Thus, the title.
    "I'm fine, and you?"
    "Totally fine out here. Langley keeps me
busy."
    Drew's been working at the CIA for almost eight years, now.
    "Busy's good."
    "What's keeping you busy these days?"
    "Missing people."
    "Missing people, huh? I thought murder
was your cup of tea?"
    "Yeah... This one sort of came out of
nowh..."
    Lee's phone started clicking. "Someone's
calling, I need to take it."
    "Okay, talk to you later."
    Lee clicked over. "What do you have for
me?"
    "It's strange. The things you hear from the homeless..." Lee's thoughts went to the
articles he'd been reading. Over forty-five percent of homeless suffer from varying mental illnesses. "...but I got some info that may help. I've spoken to nearly a dozen homeless. And, most of them confirm a bunch of missing homeless from January until now. More than usual."
    Lee's notepad was out, and he was writing.
    "How much more?"
    "Well, an older lady, whose been homeless almost twenty years, says, at least four to six a week. But, half of those she's always heard about. She's thinking one, maybe two extra a week. She was real specific. There's been people she's known for years just vanish. And, others who're regular homeless she's used to seeing vanish, also."
    "Okay. Thank you."
    This was all the confirmation Lee needed.
    He knew it in his guts.
    "Is that it?"
    "Yes, you've helped tremendously."
    "What's going on here, Ryan?"
    Lee thought about that.
    "I'm not sure, but I'm going to find out."
    "Alright. If you need anything else, call my cell.
    "Will do." At that, he hung up.

    Lee went to go talk to his boss. Arriving at his office door, he knocked.
    "Come in."
     Lee stepped inside.
    "Lee! Always the hard worker. What's on your mind?" Captain Baker knew Lee didn't talk much. Baker didn't mind. He preferred action anyway. Captain Baker was a fifty-
five-year-old man whose been with the
LAPD thirty-five years. Eight of which, he's
been the captain.
    "Bunch of homeless missing the last six
months, sir."
    Captain Baker looked at Lee in amazement.
    "I see you've spoken to the homeless
woman who came in here during the wee
hours of the morning."
    Since Lee'd been back to the station, he's
heard the other detectives, and officers
making some not so nice jokes about Carrie, which infuriated him.
   "Her name's Carrie, sir." Lee said, firmly.
   "And yes, I've spoken with her. Along with a bunch of other homeless this morning. I've also spoken with a detective I know in San Diego. Had him go check out the soup
kitchen. Same story as here. Maybe more."
    Captain Baker thought about what he was hearing.
    "You sure they didn't just go somewhere
else? They do that a lot."
    "If I'd even the thought, I wouldn't be
standing here wasting your time, sir."
    The Captain knew this to be true, but still had to ask. "Fill me in."
    Lee gathered his thoughts, then said.
   "Since the first week of January, one, or two homeless people have gone missing every week. This is on top of the usual amount. The same thing's going on in San Diego. And, maybe other major cities here in California. Last night, Carrie's significant other went missing. He took a walk to the
liquor store. Half mile there. Half mile back. He's yet to return. Something isn't right, sir. Matter of fact, something's very wrong. I know Larry, her significant other."
    The captain thought about all he'd just
heard and saw the seriousness in Lee's face.
    "What do you need?"
    "A twenty-four hour surveillance team for one full week. Two men will be enough."
    "Done. Anything else?"
    After I'm abducted, give me twelve hours before flying in the SWAT team."
   "The Captain looked bewildered. "What!?