Story No.3

Chapter 2: C

September 1st, 2024
10:15am - Manhattan, New York

"Still using burners? Thought we were closer than that" Mav retorts satirically. Her voice is lower in pitch, crackly and a bit hoarse from the years of smoking. Freddie spent around four years convincing her to stop, only to no avail. "Har har. I don't have long to talk, so let me just cut to the chase. I assume you've seen the crowd around The Lordes?" "Yeah, I have. Assumed it was the crowds for the JJs concert coming up." Mav replies. "I'll take a wild guess that's not it." Freddie looks past the wall back to the entrance of the building which is flooded with people in concert attire and flamboyant outfits. He hadn't noticed all of the costumes walking in as he was engrossed with his new case. "Uh, yeah, right." Freddie slowly stammers. "Anyway, we have another one." A loud noise plays from the speaker of the burner phone, and Mav grunts as she regains her posture and make a few keyboard clicking noises before she responds. "Okay, anything new written on this note? Words, symbols, drawings, numbers?" Freddie opens the note again. "Nothing much. It's pitch black in writing though. There's a circle with some squiggly lines again-" Mav interrupts. "Like the Mollysville one?" "Yes, like that one, only the edges are a little seared and it smells like"-Freddie takes a sniff and reels in disgust. "Curdled milk and sewage." A few more computer noises ensue and then Mav lets out a a long sigh. "I just don't understand. You keep finding new clue, notes, and whatever crap that should give us answers as to what's happening here, but there's nothing. Not a single goddamn thing." Freddie rubs his eyes in frustration. "I don't- know.." Mav replies quickly. "And we also have Thomas working overtime to try and find out what these symbols could mean, apart from us of course. And the poor man is doing it all without paid overtime because you know we can't afford it." "I know." Freddie breathes through his teeth. "Why did that fuckwad have to leave us such a big puzzle?! Hm? It's not like we were the ones who ki-." "Mav I need to go, the teams working to try and get information out of the janitor and I have to be there, goodbye." Freddie hangs up after a few "waits" and "hold ons". He stands there for a bit, pulls out a cigar that is way too fancy for a man like him to use. He stares at it, reminiscing about the man who gave him it. He heaves a big sigh then gives in and pulls a cigarette out of his jacket pocket and lights it ablaze. "Stupid fucker." He mutters with a chuckle, then walks back into the building to further inspect the scene.