Conundrum

Part 7

Both Vincent and Danh turned around when the door opened behind them. Much to Vincent's surprise, it wasn't the transfer guard.

"Agent Danh, Vincent," the woman in the pencil suit started. "My name is Agent Cecily Hidsen, level 5. My boss assigned me to work with you and share what I have on my subject, Robin Smith. If I could, may I present my work?"

Immediately Danh stood up and welcomed Agent Hidsen, no doubt with a well practiced smile that would make a politician jealous. "Please, come in, take a seat. Vincent and I were just waiting for the transfer guard for our next case."

Danh gestured towards the chair he had just left next to Vincent, which Hidsen took, although not seeming to want to. She gave a nod of greeting to Vincent, which he returned promptly before taking a much needed sip of beer. The action did not go unnoticed, but Hidsen continued anyways. "As I was saying, when I interrogated my subject, Robin Smith, this morning, she claimed she didn't know how she got her ability, but then strongly alluded to having been the result of an experiment. She says she doesn't have any memories before two years ago when she woke up in a hotel with a mysterious woman who claimed to have found her in a car accident. The woman knew Smith's name, set her up with a job and a spot in a local college, then disappeared. I think the woman was involved in experimentation to create magics."

Vincent took another sip of his beer, paused, then took a swig. This was going to be a long week. He could see Danh's hesitation to the commitment, but of course Danh was a gentleman so he wouldn't say anything in front of Hidsen.

"If you don't mind me asking, was there any specific reason why you were assigned to work with us?" requested Danh.

"My boss said if anyone could track down this kind of operation it would be you." Hidsen told him, then her eyes wandered to Vincent's beer.

"That's true," Vincent chuckled, looking up at a frowning Danh. Then Danh's eyes lit up and Vincent held his breath for something stupid to leave his mouth.

"Yes, you should see Vincent's detective records before he joined MDA. It's no wonder your boss assigned you to him."

"We were talking about you," Vincent and Hidsen corrected at the same time, the former giving an annoyed stare at Danh.

"It was a 50/50 chance," shrugged Danh. "I mean Vincent is a level 8 agent."

Hidsen eyed the beer, then raised a brow. "Wait, you're serious?"

Great. Vincent hated it when Danh built him up for high expectations - higher expectations meant a lot more disappointment. Then an idea came to Vincent. "It's really nothing compared with a level 20." With a twinkle in his eye, Vincent gestured back to Danh. This time Hidsen's eyes popped with unbelief.

"Agent level 20?" she whispered. "How does that even exist? I don't even have the clearance to know your name!"

"Agent Hidsen." Danh tried to interrupt.

"How are we assigned together? Did you save the president?"

"Agent Hidsen, I'm level 10." Danh gave Vincent an annoyed stare, putting his hands into his ebony pockets. "But back to the case. The first real complete memory was in a hotel after a so-called accident, not a hospital, and there was no mention of any wounds."

"Well, she did have a bullet wound and some scarring on her arm." Hidsen told them. "But the marks were barely noticeable because her ability lets her absorb materials such as metals and water into her body and reform them into lock picks and such. She says she absorbed a watermelon knife, but I - "

"Oddly specific," Vincent butted in, and Hidsen took a deep breath before Vincent continued. "Does she get sick from what she absorbs or does her ability protect her from it?"