THE SWORD AND SICKLE

CHAPTER ONE: HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT

THE SWORD AND SICKLE

PART TWO

CHAPTER ONE

HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT

When the Chief Detective arrived, he found his agents waiting, and the Director had yet to arrive. The Chief Detective said, "Guys, I want you to brief me about the old couple in room two-O-four."

Special Agent John Hartley checked his notes, "Yes sir, I knocked and they didn't answer; so, Clint identified us and used the master key to gain entry to the room. When we gained access we found an elderly couple frightened to death and cowering on the bed. We searched the room and found nothing out of the ordinary and left. May I ask why you are concerned about these people?"

"It is just a gut feeling, John, and the Director is interested. Did you call me before or during the search?"

"Not to my recollection, sir," reported Special Agent Hartley.

"Check your phone records."

Looking at his notes, checking the time, as he looked at his outgoing calls. "Sir, I show a call made at that time but it doesn't show the number I called."

"Interesting, Agent Hartley."

"Clint, is that how you remember the events, while searching the room?"

"Yes, Chief Detective, that is how it went down, but I have no memory of John calling anyone."

Just then, the Director entered the lobby area. Walking over to the group, he asked, "What do we have here, Chief?"

"Sir, Special Agents Hartley and McNairy entered room two-o-four, and they found two elderly people cowering on the bed. They searched the room and found nothing out of the ordinary, and they left the room. I asked John if he had made a phone call, but he couldn't recall. But after checking his cellphone logs, it showed that he had made a call from the room to an unknown number."

"Interesting, gentlemen, let's go take a second look to see who was registered in that room?"

Special Agent Hartley again looked at his notes, "Director, the people who registered in the room, were a Mr. and Mrs. Ansell Bastion from Jackson, Mississippi."

"After we have investigated this room, I would like you to photograph their signatures so we can have them analyzed by our experts."

Special Agent McNairy asks, "Why are we investigating this elderly couple? They're not the Jacksons?"

Director Morgan said, "Agent, it could have been a disguise?"

Hartley replied, "If they were in disguise, it was the best disguise I have ever seen, sir."

"Levi is a master of disguise, Special Agent. He can make himself look like anything, even a rock. Now lead the way." Then he led them to the room. Knocking on the door, they received no reply, and Special Agent Hartley used his passkey to enter the room. This time they had their gun drawn. Entering the room, they found it unoccupied, as the clerk had informed them. "Search everything, gentlemen! They may have left some clues, then call the crew in to check for prints and DNA. I want this room examined from top to bottom!" Their initial search found nothing. As they exited the room, they placed crime scene tape across the door. Returning to the front desk, they asked the desk attendant when the couple had left.