Chasing Impossibilities
Part Two: Murder in the City
Odin waited in the cold sterility of Dr. J’s waiting room. Everything
was white, clinically so, and the whole ambience managed to put Odin on
edge. Truth be told, he was unnerved about Cat's phone call. It was
just too much considering his memory loss, and the paranoia was close
to consuming him.
"Odin Lowe, Dr. J will see you now."
Odin got up, walking past the nurse and down a white hallway, coming to
a stop in front of the only door. On gold letters in the front ran the
words: J. D.D.S. Heero turned the knob and crept inside, sitting on the
paper covered cot that was typical in all doctor's rooms. Soon a man in
a white coat came scuttling in through another door, his back towards
Odin. Longish gray hair hung in thin strings down his neck, and Odin
could see that one of his arms was mechanical. Then he turned around,
and Odin found himself staring into deep black lenses set in mechanical
goggles, which were in turn grafted onto J's skin.
"Odin, I was wondering when you would grace us with your presence. What
seems to be the problem?"
The doctor smiled even as Odin inwardly frowned. The man spooked him a
little, and he couldn't help but think that there was something off
about the doctor. "I've been having problems with my memory."
An eyebrow raised over the machinery that covered the doctor's face.
"Could you expound?"
"I don't have it." Odin realized he had subconsciously been backing up
from the doctor, so now his back was pressed flush against the wall.
"What I mean is, when I woke up this morning I couldn't remember
anything. It comes back to me, though, but something has to trigger it."
"I see. Well, it sounds like temporary amnesia, nothing to be worried
about. It was probably triggered by the stress in your life and your
unstable medical history." J scribbled something on a piece of paper,
handing the prescription to Odin. "Something for your stress. In the
meantime, don't worry about it. Your memory will come back."
Odin nodded, snatching the piece of paper and scrambling off the table,
watching the doctor as the doctor watched him. He would be glad to get
out of there. There was something about the way the doctor was staring
at him, so intent, black eyes swirling inside those goggles, that gave
him the creeps.
"Is there something wrong, Mr. Lowe?"
Odin realized he was breathing harder than usual, and calmed his lungs
before he answered. "No. Nothing at all."
The hand behind him fumbled for the door knob, eventually grasping it,
and he tugged sharply on the door. He all but ran out of that room, and
soon found himself panting in the driver's seat. What the hell had that
been about... something tugged at the back of Odin's mind, something
important, but he couldn't place it. Something that told him J was more
than just his physician, that he was a far more menacing figure. And
then something snuck into his head, something he had heard as he was
escaping the clinic. J, whispering to himself or maybe some one else.
He's remembering. The oblique statement hung in the recesses in his
mind, swirling with undertones and hidden truths, and he wondered what
it all meant.
Calming his heart rate and coming to a decision, Heero started up his
car and pulled out of the parking lot. He wasn't going to get the
prescription filled. He sure as hell didn't trust J to give him
medication. He was going to get Max, find Cat, and figure out what was
wrong in his life. That was his final thought before another car rammed
into his, knocking his head against and through the side window, and
his world went black.
* * *
Water. It permeated his mind, the solid drip dropping of water onto
metal. It was the sound of a leaky faucet, and at this point it was the
focus of his world. Soon his mind started to come out of its stupor,
the singular sound fading somewhat as his other senses fought for
control, and he became aware of the throbbing in his head. Odin blinked
his eyes open, seeing nothing but a blurry mesh of grays and blues,
each blink focusing the world around him a little more. Eventually he
found himself in the dreary surroundings of what must have been a run
down motel bathroom. The paint was pealing off the walls, grout stained
black, and dirt tracked all over the floor. Odin wondered how he got
there. The last thing he remembered was the crash, and now this. He
mentally checked himself, deciding he was fine, when he became aware of
it. He had something in his hand.
He had a gun in his hand.
He dropped it instantly, listening as it clanged to the floor tiles,
falling in sync with his rapidly beating heart. He pushed himself up,
stumbling a little as the world spun around him, and grappled his way
to the bathroom door. The clock he saw in the adjoining room flashed
the time, and he realized he had just lost three hours of his life, and
he had no recollection of what happened during that time span. His
thoughts stopped when he saw what was in the middle of the room.
Odin moved towards the bloody lump, feeling sickened even before he got
there. He knew what it was going to be, and the realization made his
head spin and his stomach lurch. He stood above the body, looking at
the blood crusted blond hair and blue limbs. Oh god. He wondered if he
had done this, if he had killed the boy, then... he saw the face. It
was Cat.
He scurried backed up against the wall, his breath coming in heavy
pants. Cat was dead. There was a slim chance he might have been the one
that killed him. Nevertheless, the police would think he was the one
who killed him... he wasn't stupid, he knew the evidence would all
point to him. Footsteps sounded outside the door, urgent and loud, and
Odin estimated there must have been more than a few people out there.
They stopped in front of the room, and Odin knew. It was the police. He
ran to the window, doing the only thing he could think of to do in this
situation. He ran.
* * *
Triton Bloom walked through the club, sighing as his assistant
followed. God, this was turning out to be a bad night. He had hardly
been on duty five minutes when the case came in and he was rushed to
the crime scene. It had been awful. Some young kid, about his age, not
even twenty, shot in the head. And all signs pointed to one of the
guy's closest friends.
"Mr. Lowe."
The violet eyed singer turned at his name, looking Triton in the eye
before smirking and moving on. Triton ran up to catch up to him before
falling in step beside the other boy.
"Mr. Max Lowe, I'm Triton Bloom from the police department. If it's
okay I'd like a moment of your time."
Max shrugged as he stepped into his dressing room. "You've got it. What
can I help you with?"
"It's about your husband."
That got Max's attention. The singer snapped around, fixing wide cobalt
eyes on Triton's green ones. "What? What happened? Is he all right?"
Triton had to take a step back from Max's tangible concern, running a
hand absently through his long brown bangs as he looked away. He hadn't
really thought about what he expected, questioning the young man, but
so much honest anxiety surprised even him. "Well... I think you might
want to sit down for this."
Max stumbled into his chair, gripping the side arms tightly in his
hand. He chuckled a little, in a desperate kind of way. "He's okay,
right?"
Triton took a breath before he approached the topic. He wasn't sure how
to bring it up without upsetting Max, but then he realized there would
be no way he could do that. "Mr. Lowe..."
"Please." He let out another scared chuckle. "Call me Max."
"Max. We believe your husband is connected to a murder case we are
investigating."
Triton watched Max as the implications of his statement sunk in,
watched as the concern quickly turned into anger. Every muscle in Max's
body tensed up, his face set into an incredulous kind of glare. He
ground out his response, word by word. "Mr. Bloom. My husband is not a
murderer."
"His fingerprints were found all over the crime scene. They were found
on the gun. What we think were his footprints were found around the
body. He was the last person the victim contacted before he was killed.
And what's more, your husband has disappeared. An innocent person
wouldn't have run. I'm sorry."
Max's body sagged into itself with every sentence, his fingers fumbling
for his cigarettes. "Who was the victim?"
"Cat Winner."
"Cat?" Max shuddered in a breath , turning his head away and closing
his eyes as he processed the information. Cat was his best friend. Cat
was maybe the nicest person he had ever met. Cat was dead. And Odin was
the prime suspect. Max dropped the small box he had been gripping in
his palm, repeating his earlier proclamation so Triton would
understand. "My husband is not a killer. He would never have killed any
one, let alone one of our friends."
"That's for the courts to decide, Mr. Lowe." Triton stepped forward,
putting a sympathetic hand on Max's shoulder. "If you're right, your
husband has nothing to worry about. Either way, we need your help to
get to him, and then we can prove his guilt or innocence."
"Okay." Max drew himself up, still shuddering. "I understand. But what
am I supposed to do?"
"If he contacts you, if you get any news as to where he is, please
contact us." Trowa pulled out a business card, pushing it into Max's
long fingers. "Any time."
Max nodded in confirmation.
"Are you off work now?"
"Yes. That was my last shift."
"I think it would be best if we escorted you home."
"Yeah, okay." Max nodded again as he forced himself out of his chair.
"Just give me a moment to change."
Triton stepped out of the room and closed the door, leaning against the
wall as he waited. His assistant, a girl with auburn curls named
Caitlin, came up to him.
"Anything?"
"He doesn't know anything. I'm taking him home, you guys can go back to
base."
"Your call, boss." Caitlin started walking away, and Triton could tell
that she was displeased with how everything was going. She had been
completely sickened by the crime scene, but then she was new to the
job, and doubtless she just wanted everything done with and the killer
in jail. She probably suspected Max of withholding information.
Triton listened to the scuffle behind the wall. He didn't rule out the
option that Max was lying to him, that maybe Max was helping his
husband, but he doubted it. His instincts told him that Max really did
believe in Odin's innocence, dubious as it may be at that point. In a
moment Max came out of the room, still looking a little shaken up. He
had changed out of that, in Triton's opinion at any rate, ridiculous
dress, and was now dressed in a simple outfit of black jeans and a snug
indigo t-shirt. Still, to Triton's amusement, he managed to look more
put together than any of the sharply dressed patrons of the club.
"Hungry?"
"Why, Mr. Bloom, are you asking me out on a date?" Although Odin's
situation was foremost in Max's mind, he couldn't help but sink back
into his light, flirtatious banter. It was familiar territory,
comforting almost. "I'm a married man, after all."
After a short drive they ended up at a small Chinese place in between
the club and Max's house. It wasn't that much of a restaurant, just a
Spartan place to get some cheap food. The decorations were minimal, and
bright light pervaded the small, empty space. They ordered their food
at the counter, beef chow fun for Max and ginger shrimp and rice for
Triton, and ate in silence while picking at their dishes with plastic
chopsticks. The food, unlike the surroundings, was actually very nice.
"So. How long have you been married?" Triton decided to start the
conversation, something he rarely ever did. Still, he reasoned, he
could stumble onto some information.
"A year now, since we turned eighteen. Young, I know, but we didn't
feel it then. It might have been stupid, but I don't regret it."
"No?"
Max grinned. "Well, not most of the time. That Odin can be a hassle to
live with."
"I see." Triton popped another shrimp into his mouth, teeth crunching
down on the shell and legs of the thing. "Have you noticed anything
unusual about him over the last few days or weeks?"
"Oh, I get it now. You're interrogating me." Max smiled again, a little
sadly this time. Then some kind of recognition flashed briefly in his
eyes before it faded again. Triton jumped on it.
"So there was something. Something he did? Something about the way he
acted?"
"Yes... well, no-" Max's nose scrunched up as he thought, irritated.
"It doesn't have anything to do with your case."
"It could. Please?"
"It's just that he woke up today without any... well, memories. It's
really odd, now, that I think about it."
"Like what, amnesia?"
"I don't really know. I sent him to his doctor."
Triton sat up in his chair, recognizing a lead when he saw one and
feeling extremely grateful at that point. "Could you tell me your
doctor's information?"
"Oh, not my doctor." Max shook his head in distaste. "The guy freaks me
out. He's exclusively Odin's doctor. I don't remember much about him.
He goes by the name J, just a letter, and his office is in the
Riverside complex."
Triton nodded. He could go on that information, could find J and maybe
even Odin. "Thank you, Max, for that information."
"No problem." Max folded his chopsticks in between fingers, not able to
keep them still. "But that didn't mean anything."
"Maybe, maybe not. If Odin was at the doctors then maybe he'll have an
alibi. Of course, there may be a chance your husband isn't
psychologically stable at the moment."
Max lifted an eyebrow, his mouth turning downwards into a frown. "He
didn't seem crazy when I saw him this morning.
"You do understand, Max." Triton shrugged off the other man's
indignation, not willing to address it again. He could understand why
Max was offended, but he was just doing his job, and right now he
wasn't sure if Max would cooperate with the investigation if Odin came
to him. "If Odin contacts you, it's in his best interest if you tell
me."
"I know." Max frowned some more before looking up, forcing his good
humor to come back. "So, you ready to go?"
They got back in the car and headed out. Max watched out the window as
the cityscape rushed past them, thinking about the last few hours of
his life. Everything had changed in such a short amount of time. He had
lost a friend and maybe a husband, and he could only hope Odin was
okay, wherever he was. Triton just drove, his thoughts centered on
solving the case. They were maybe ten minutes away from the house when
Max broke the silence.
"Hey, let's take a detour."
Triton was curious at the change in mood but didn't say anything,
following Max's directions instead. He parked the car in an empty lot
in the edges of the city, following Max out. They walked past a bus
stop and crossed a street, squeezing between two apartment buildings
that were set at an angle to each other. Triton found himself in a
small open space, a respite from the city.
Max sat down on the bench there as Triton looked around. The ground was
a mixture of grass, granite, and litter, and the stone bench set to the
side of the space was very plain, rusted even. The view, though, was
absolutely gorgeous. The space sat right at the edge of the water,
overlooking the bay and city bridge. They could see the ships moving on
the water and the cars moving on the bridge, in constant motion and
life. Lights glistened on the bridge, and in the cityscape across the
water, glistening off of the water.
"This is where we met."
Triton sat down on the bench, looking over at Max after his statement.
The man looked so distraught Tritan thought he should be crying, but he
wasn't. He hadn't shed a tear yet, despite his obvious emotional state.
"When I was still in school I used to take the bus home. Sometimes I'd
get to the stop early, so I would sit here and just look. One day, when
I came, Odin was sitting here. I told him he was sitting in my spot."
Max laughed a little, remembering. "We started talking, and I missed my
bus. I missed every bus, actually. We were so caught up just talking
that when I finally realized how late it was, the bus system had
stopped working. I wondered, out loud, how we could have lost all that
time. He said it must have been magic. I had smiled, and agreed. I
said, yeah, voodoo."
Triton didn't really know what to say, so he just waited for Max to
continue.
"And look." Max gasped a small, loud sound as his breathing sped up a
little, almost a sob. "Now I have the hiccups."
Triton smiled, maybe for the first time that day. "Duo, if I can help
it, nothing will happen to Odin."
Max's eyebrows furrowed together as he looked at Triton, a strange
expression on his face. "My name is Max."
Triton blinked, confused. He had known the other boy's name... and he
had never met any one name Duo before. Still, the word was familiar,
and it nagged at something in his mind even as he pushed it away. Max
had resumed staring out into the artificial bay, curling his legs up
and hugging them against his chest.
"I just hope, you know." Max wasn't even looking at him now, and his
voice came out so small. "I just hope that he's okay."