HIGHER TECH (Complete Novel)

Chapter 6 -Anguish

      "Oh No! My baby! My baby!" Joanne Murphy's mother put both of her hands on her daughter's closed coffin. Tears were streaming down her face. Dripping on the top of the coffin and running down it's side. After a few minutes her husband approached his grieving wife, put his arm around her and tried to kindly remove her from the scene. Joan's mother refused and said, "No! Let me stay. Don't take her away. Please!" Joanne's father let his wife stay for a few moments longer while she sobbed and moaned expressing the deep feelings of her tormented soul. She finally stood up straight, looked at her husband with pain in her bloodshot eyes. He opened up his arms and she hugged him. At this point, the husband also broke down.

      Dean could see all this and it was just too much. His eyes began to well-up with tears and his chin began to tremble. When Joanne's mother and father finally began to walk by Dean thought that was all. However turning to Dean the mother grabbed both of his arms, squeezed and said, "You were there. Why did they take my baby? Please tell me I need to know."

      "I don't know... I am so sorry for your loss Mrs. Murphy. If we find out anything more, I will tell you right away. I promise." Some promise that turned out to be. Nothing more was ever discovered concerning the case. Only dead ends and no one left alive to question.

      If only he had done things right. Joanne Murphy would still be alive. She would be able to live her life, chase her dreams, have a family of her own or whatever. Yet, now, none of that will ever come to be. Although Dean did not kill her directly, he still felt that he shared part of the blame for her death. That thought struck him to the core so that he actually felt pain in his heart. He would always remember Joanne. Not just the beautiful picture with her obituary, also all the other graphic ones taken at the crime scene were seared into his memory. A drop of sweat trickled down the side of his forehead. We wiped it with his sleeve. He stared at her obituary picture pinned to the wall of his cubicle next to his computer. He breathed a heavy sigh. Joanne would be the hard lesson learned that would affect his future decisions regarding cases assigned to him when he resumed his detective rank.

      "Hey Dean!" He was wrenched from his sad reverie by Kyle's loud voice.

      "Yeah."

      "We gotta go. We're needed downtown at a crime scene."

      "Which one?"

      "What do you mean which one? The crime scene. You know the catastrophic destruction zone that used to be the senate building. The Captain is there. Don't tell anyone," he smiled and winked, "but I think he needs your help."

      "Alright let's go."

* * *

      "Kyle. Where's Dean?" The Captain was squinting his eyes in the morning sun. "Oh, there he is." Waving his hand he continued, "You guys come on over here. Be careful what you step on."

      They looked around them. Their surroundings were nothing but rubble. The Captain was talking with a man in a grey suit who looked to be about forty-five years old or somewhere in that vicinity. They were both standing on a flat surface raised up from most of what was left of the senate building. The destruction was unbelievable. Some of it was just slag. He climbed up the rubble onto the flat section. Kyle followed, muttering something about being hungry. He waited for Kyle to join him before approaching the Captain and the man in the suit.

      "Dean and Kyle. I'd like you to meet. FBI agent Mark Samuels. He will be in charge of this investigation."

      "Hi."

      "Hello."

      "Hello."

      "I Just need to briefly fill you two in," said the Captain, "on some of the details. So far, we believe that there were only eight casualties. It would have been much worse if this happened during the day. Early in the the morning at 4:15 am only the cleaning crew are here besides the security guards. Right now, there is no way to know for sure, because the place has been nearly completely disintegrated including all the evidence as far as we can tell. We have found no remains whatsoever. It was not a bomb. There was no explosion. See the molten metal right there and over there? That's what's left from the building's support beams. No witnesses have come forward so far. What do you think Kyle?"

      "I'd say finding out who did this is going to be a difficult task."

      "Yes. We agree and that's why Mark... uh agent Samuels here says he would like all the help that he can get. He says he is willing to give you access to certain provisions if you temporarily join his team. They're called Hard Force."

      Mark cleared his voice and said, "But don't tell anyone about Hard Force."

      "Well, I don't think I'm ready to..."

      "Dean, we're not asking you to join the team. Can't you see that this is an emergency? You are on this. The both of you. You work well together. This is more important than what any of us are presently going through. Understand?"

      "Yes, yes you're right Captain. I'm sorry. I would like to help in any way that I can. I'm just curious though about one thing."

      "What is that?"

      "Why me?"

      "Let's just say that Mr. Samuels is familiar with some of your work and thinks that your talents could be useful."

      "Alright then. Tell us how we can help."

      "First follow me," said Mark walking toward some vehicles parked off to the side. "I would like to introduce you to the rest of the team. I'll warn you beforehand that they all had military backgrounds before working for the agency. They may be a little gruff with you, but they're just getting to know you in their own way. Just be patient. They are all good men with experience in various fields of expertise."

      "Okay then. Let's get this over with."

      "I like your alacrity."

      "Ala what? Hey buddy," said Kyle, "you better start using normal words."

      "He likes," said Dean, "that I'm right away willing to do something that might not be so enjoyable."

      "Oh, why didn't he say so?"

      "I know you two are partners, but do you always talk behind someone's back right in front of their face?"

      "Yeah, we do that a lot. Wait until you see the amazing other things we do."

      "Oh boy," said Mark in a monotone voice, "I can't wait."