||Hello Neighbour: A Better Timeline||

||Chapter 138: Day Work||

"Yeah. . . Uh huh. Got it."
Keith sighed, Norman looked up from a case book,"Higherups?", "Yeah, they're thanking us for finding out the truth about those cold cases, telling us to keep up the good work.", Norman nods, looking back into the case file of. . .
"What are you readin?"
"A case file of one of their experiments."
Norman flipped a page,"They were trying to develop different serums, for different reasons but. . . All of it failed or got the person killed.", Norman closed it, looking away.
"I'm. . . Sorry."
Norman sighed,"It's hard. . . Coming to terms with it, even if my dad did it to protect me, I could have died and yet. . . I live, with a fucked up immune system and still standing.", Norman sighed, Keith nods,"Besides the sickness. . .?", "Unless you want those dreams explained then, I dunno what other effects there are. . . I am not being a lab rat.", Keith held his hands up,"Don't worry, I haven't told anyone.", Norman was surprised, Keith rested his hand on his shoulder,"It's between you and me, and of course your family and friends what your father did: Last thing we want is you to get more hurt.", Norman nods, so thankfully for Keith.
The door opened, an officer stepping in as Keith straightened up,"Devon.", he tips his hat to them,"Keith and Norman.", Devon was someone that out of the field a lot, so Norman didn't seem much of him as he focused on the younger officers that were joining and or handled things at the station when Keith wasn't here.
"Well?"
"No results yet of Quentin or Smith's whereabouts; But have found a number of abandoned places."
Norman frowned,"Abandoned places?", "Yes; Old homes, shops and anything, all spread out throughout the woods.", Keith nods, walking to his desk,"Have any abandoned areas or buildings taped off, search the places for anything and report back; I need you to join me, Ike and Norman in checking that old Church yard.", Devon nods,"Yes Sir.", "And we may need another officer.", Devon nods, already having someone in mind.

~

In the computer lab, officers were working away or on their break.
Devon entered, silence followed expect for the clicking of keyboards.
"Jorge."
. . .
Devon approached his desk, the officer not noticing as he was busy going over some documents.
"Jorge."
He snapped his fingers, Jorge looking up,"Field work.", he nods, standing and following.

=

Devon sighed,"This place looks like it's seen better days.", "Definitely. . .", Ike sighed,"Better during the day than night.", Jorge nods, wasn't much of a talker.
Entering the church, looking hole they saw a bell and a tunnel of lights.
"What's down there?"
"I dunno. . . I'll try opening that grave, someone was coming here for a reason."
. . .
"I can go. It seems like a small space."
Norman huffed,"Not that I am small, I am average height.", Ike bit back a laugh as Norman lowered himself down, shooting him a glare,"Course not.", Norman rolled his eyes and hopped down.
"Alright: Ike, look around eith Jorge and we'll check the grave."
. . .
Ike held his hand out,"Ike.", "Jorge.", they shook hands.

~

Norman coughed, looking ahead in surprised and stunned.
. . .
A long hallway, looking to his right he stepped back at seeing a stone statue of Crowface, it's hand outstretched with candles, still lit but the candles lives were nearing their end.
Continuing down the hall, Norman shuddered: Cells.
Cells of iron bars and security, Norman picked the pace as realising where these experiments were hidden.

~

Keith went ahead, taking his light down with Devon and Ike following close behind and Jorge guarding.
"What the. . ."
There no bodies, no sign that anyone was buried here and oddly two doors were open, peaking in Ike saw nothing.
"Weird."
"Cough. . ."
They jumped, Norman climbing up from a whole,"Someone was here. . . Shovel, Cells down there and a statue of Crowface.", Ike helped him up,"Is this. . .?", "The grave, yeah.", Devon frowned,"But where are the bodies, you'd expect a Skeleton or maybe clothes but no.", that is very odd.

~

"We tape this all off, search this place from top to bottom."
Devon nods, looking at the church. . . Then frowned.
"Is it just me, or does it look like someone built a tower of planks poorly around the top of the church tower."
They all looked up.
"Oh yeah, didn't notice that at night. . ."
"Wait. . . Quentin's bag!"
Ike stuck his hand between some boxes, pulling out a bright orange bag, Norman and him open it.
"He was here."
"If there is a crowbar is there, he probably stole it."
Keith says as Norman pulled out a crowbar,"Yeah. . . Oddly there's planks in here, screws and some cards and. . . Photos?", Norman pulled them out and handed them to Devon.
"Huh. . . Looks like different buildings and or abandoned places from the overgrown in some of them."
One caught their attention.
"Fire."
"What?"
Devon held it up, a picture of what looked to be take underground and flames completely filled the frame.
"What the. . . When was this, or how did someone get this. . .?"
Leith ruined to Jorge,"Jorge, you know how to collect CCTV and potentially track these photos.", Jorge nods,"Yes, Sir.", Keith nods, giving Devon the nod to start taping off the area.