Conundrum

Part 3

@theSingingDragon

Vincent stared at his list of possible abilities. It wasn't as comprehensive as he wanted it to be - Danh was sure to come up with something to add. He'd like to beat him someday, if just to know he had once. Leaning back in his chair, he let out a deep breath, then noticed a stain on his grey suit jacket. It must have been there a good couple hours since it looked like breakfast. How disappointed higher ups must be knowing he, Alden Vincent, was such a prominent face of their precious MDA as well as the government. He chuckled. Everyone knew they couldn't get rid of him or Danh. Oh, chance manipulation. Quickly he added it to his list of abilities when he heard the door behind him open and Danh came in, no doubt decked out in his typical blacker-than-black suit to match his hair.

"Picked up a couple more cases today." Vincent said, not bothering to look up from his list.

"I'm well, thank you for asking." Danh replied cheerfully before taking a sip of his coffee, then coming over to join Vincent. "Chien broke his wrist again, so he's bummed he can't show off to the girls in his class this season. Binh and Quy are doing well, so that's about caught up for the weekend. How have you been?"

They always did this, probably for Danh's amusement, but it didn't bother Vincent. He had his own fair share of annoying traits, such as never saying hello or goodbye.

"Spencer Abigail Ronan," Vincent continued. "Age 19, freshman at UCANT, undeclared major, shared a dorm with Lydia Michaelson. I've made a list of possible abilities."

Sighing, Danh put his free hand in his ebony pocket and stared at the frizzy-haired girl on the other side of the one-way glass. That or he was just staring off mindlessly, but he wasn't one to do anything mindlessly. "I'm not going to like today, am I?"

Watching Danh carefully, Vincent leaned back in his chair before answering. "Judging by the cases I picked up, this could easily be a couple days."

"Why won't they ever give us a robbery? Or a building violation?"

"You are the best agent in the MDA."

Danh almost grimaced. "It won't be for long. The least they could do is phase me out."

There was a decent silence and the two of them watched their next case fidget in the other room.

"Do you want to read the list?" Vincent finally asked. It took a minute of calm and collected searching through his pockets before Danh said, "Chien must still have them. Just read them to me." Then he took another sip of coffee.

"Traditional magic. Matter manipulation. Illusion. Chance manipulation." After he had finished reading his list Vincent picked up a pen and waited for an addition to the list.

"What happened?" Danh asked.

"She finished a game of solitaire with an incomplete deck. Didn't seem to notice anything was different, so there's a possibility it's subconscious."

"What about teleportation?"

"What?" Vincent looked up, confused as Danh finished off his coffee.

"Well, it'd be a lot like matter manipulation if she had another deck nearby, so she could have teleported a replacement into the deck from another."

Well, he had lost this one. Vincent wrote down teleportation, then closed the case file. "Ready?"

Taking the lid off his coffee cup, Danh stared disappointedly into it. "No," he said, put the cup down, then walked into the room. Vincent picked up the manilla file and followed him in, taking a place in the corner behind the frizzy-haired girl at the table so he could see both her and Danh. Even seated Danh towered over the girl.