Chapter 4- The Detectives
"This is all I've found." Lane says, gesturing to the wall crammed with notes, charts, smaller notes, and a few yarn strings connecting a few pictures. "Every time I think I find a connection, I'm lead to a dead end."
"At least you got it started." Echo said, looking over the pictures. "Lane, who is this?"
Lane looked at the picture of a shadowed figure with the outline of a top hat and a gleaming clock on the front of it.
"I don't actually know. I was looking at security footage and I saw them walk into the Drunken Cow. The women's picture next to that one was a possible suspect and I had seen her walk in the same place about ten minutes before the figure."
"Hmm...Have they been seen any other time?" Ty asked. Looking between the two pictures and the yarn connecting them, the tavern, and an appointment building- the fourth level circled.
"No...the women was on the news. She was a light elf, apparently she was found unconscious behind the tavern and pronounced dead two hours later." Lane said, his voice low.
"What about the mystery suspect?" Echo asked.
"And the apartment." Ty added.
"The mystery person goes in there every Saturday night, just before 9pm and comes out around 2am. I haven't been able to get a good picture of them on any camera." Lane stated.
"Maybe a shadow elf? One that manipulates light, or just doesn't like the brightness?" Ty asks.
"Or an elf on the run. If they can screw with how their seen on camera, then wouldn't that point even more fingers?" Echo asks, thinking of how she encountered a runaway shadow elf way-back-when.
"Maybe. Let's investigate anyway!" Ty said, "if your right and their schedule holds, they should be entering the tavern in about an hour."
"Maybe, but she may run if she sees an angel." Echo said. "Or even attack."
"Then why don't you stay here with me?" Lane says. "Better safe then sorry."
"No way!" Echo said after no thought about it.
"Ok, I'll go alone then. I'll keep my shield and dagger belted to my side." Ty said.
"Still not sure it's a dagger." Echo mumbled.
"Here, take this." Lane said, holding out a small ear piece to Ty. "I'll have my headphones hooked to my mic and give Echo a radio so she can talk to us."
"Won't she be here?" Ty asked, taking the ear piece and putting it in.
"No." Lane replied blankly, "we don't know what we're facing, so Echo will be flying above the building. Keeping an eye on you."
"Fair enough." Echo said, clipping the radio to the back of her metal glove.
"Get to it then." Lane said, activating the communication devices. Then turning to his computer he said, "this could be our only straight path. Don't ruin it."
"Yes, sir." Echo and Ty said in unison. Breaking out into laughter afterwards.
"Be back in a flash." Ty said. Heading outside, he and Echo looked at each other.
"You'll help me right?" Ty asked.
Echo gave a small nod, "I know from the past a fire started before the Drunken Cow was built. So just stay steeled up and it won't hurt."
They walked in silence for a moment. Then Ty spoke again, "we need a code word, or phrase. Incase I need you to jump in or light the place up."
"How about, 'It's really hot in here.'" Suggested Lane over the ear piece and radio.
"Good idea. But what if my ear piece is broken or falls out? Or the mystery person takes it?" Ty asked.
"Then we'll give you about half an hour after we know your in there with them. After that, it's flame on." Echo said blankly.
As they neared the bar, Ty had a final question. "Hey, Bro."
"Yeah, Ty?" Lane asked.
"How many people are usually inside?"
Echo looked at the hybrid.
"About ten or so. It doesn't make good business, just enough to stay open." Lane said, most likely reading from a piece of paper on the wall.
"Ok. That should be ok, right?" Ty asked Echo. "It shouldn't be hard to save ten or so people."
Echo nodded, spreading her wings. "30 minutes." She reminded Ty, then flew up into the clouds.
"Thirty minutes." Ty repeated and walked into the tavern.
〰〰〰
Looking at his watch, Ty saw it was only 8:53. He walked over to the bar and sat on one of the six black wood stools. Ty looked at the different types of alcohol, then looked around the tavern.
The place smelled like smoke and beer. There was a gold and sliver pool-table in the back right corner. In the left there was a jukebox, it's colors to faded to tell what they were. In the middle of the back wall was a dart board, someone's face was tapped to it but all the holes made it look disfigured from where Ty was sitting. The walls were a dark brown, not even faded or worn to the slightest. The bar was the most shocking, however. It's counter was made of solid white marble, and by the look of it had glass over the top of it. Small cushions made of dark brown leather lined all four sides. Finally, Ty looked at the area behind the bar. Alcohol was everywhere, lining the glass shelves, and dotting the counters against the wall. Ty couldn't count them all, he got to around 150 and stopped.
Ty took a look at the few people in the bar. One was an angel, picking one of the pool-sticks to play with. Another was human by the looks of it, drinking and smoking near an open window. The third, was an elf. Ty couldn't identify what kind of elf the guy was, but judging by the blue tint to his skin, maybe a water elf. The last, seemed to be an angel as well, he threw darts at the board with one hand and held a pool-stick in the other.
Ty turned back around and looked at the white marble.
"They're not here yet." Ty said, keeping his voice low.
"Someone is going in now." Echo replied, the soft beat of her wings could be heard. She was right, though. After her end went silent, someone walked in.
Someone called to get the new comers attention, "Hey Jinx, what's with the outfit?"
There was a rustling noise and then someone whistled. Ty rolled his eyes,
'obviously female.' He thought, taking mental notes.
Her voice was slightly startling, it sounded as if she would kill who ever just whistled at her. "Because a dam angel put a hole in my last one."
There was movement, and then someone was on a stool next to Ty. No one talked, but after a moment everyone started going back to what they were doing.
Ty took a sideways glance at the person next to him. The first thing he noticed was the top hat and the sliver-purple clock on it.
The color people used to contact their team. Only few knew the color, and fewer knew which people to show said color to. He couldn't tell Echo or Lane, not yet anyway. He had to start a conversation, simply ask about the color, and then go from there.
And he knew just how to do it.