Shimmer *The Seattle Superheroes*

Chapter Seven: New Experiences

Chapter Seven: New Experiences

Seattle; June 21, 2010; 11:38 a.m.

A week had passed since Shimmer had come to the ISDA tower, and even June had to be somewhat pleased with their progress. The handwriting recognition system had been completed and running non-stop for three days. Theodore and Nash believed that the behavioral analysis program was working, but no results had come just yet. On Friday afternoon, right before six o'clock, the Tower received word that Detective Ryan had finally put together the information Shimmer had asked for, and that she could come and pick it up on Monday.

     Nash had been the one to receive this message, but had not yet managed to relay it to Shimmer. In fact, no one on the team had seen Shimmer, save for small glances as she darted in and out of her office, since Friday morning. Shortly before noon, Nash decided to go look for Shimmer, and, if he couldn't find her, get the papers himself.

      "Where to?" the taxi driver asked.

     It was then that Nash realized that he had truly no idea where to look. Seattle was a big city, after all, and he knew that she could be anywhere. He only knew of one place that seemed special to her, so that was where he went.

     "Hi, welcome to Cups and Couches!" a cheery looking cashier said.

     "Hi," Nash replied, squinting at her name tag. "Rena."

     "Do I know you?" Rena asked. "You look familiar."

     "That's because he's a super hero," Kieran said from behind the espresso machine, peeking out and waving at him.

     Nash smiled back. "We haven't met, but you know one of my colleagues. I'm looking for her; red hair, pale skin, always wears a frown... have you seen her?"

     Rena laughed. "You make her sound awful, but she's been really nice. She's helping me with... something."

     Nash shook his head subconsciously, wondering what Shimmer had done to make someone like her. "Can you tell me where she is?"

     "Oh, yeah," Rena said. "Same place she's been every day lately—back there," Rena pointed to the back of the store. "Behind that thing that looks like shutters, there's a little reading nook. No one usually goes back there."

     "Thanks," Nash said, beginning to walk away. "Oh, yeah. And could you make me something to go?"

     "Sure, what do you want?"

     "That's a hard question," Nash said, and was silent for a moment. "Eh, just make me something good and cold. And one of whatever Shimmer likes, plus whatever else this will buy," he said as he slid a twenty dollar bill across the counter and walked away.

     Behind the partition was, indeed, a little nook with a couch, several bean bag chairs, a bookshelf, and a table. Shimmer was curled up on the couch with a book on her lap and her tablet propped up on the table. Strewn about on the table were various papers, books, and an empty coffee cup.

     "So this is where you've been hiding," Nash said.

     Shimmer looked up at him. "Grant," she said in greeting.

     "What've you been up to?" he asked, sitting down on a bean bag chair.

     "Does it matter?"

      "Just trying to be friendly," he replied.

     Shimmer sighed. "I've been trying to find some sort of connection that would tell us who these cultists are. I took a trip to the library and have looked through nearly every book they have on different cults from the ages, but nothing fits. I think these people must be a new development."