Chapter Three: Footing The Bill

Part 1

It had taken an hour, but Leo finally found time to sneak away for a Necral. Leaving the Chief’s expert, Naira, in Tolson’s capable hands, Leo had exited the building under pretense of asking a few more questions of the witnesses. No sooner had he exited the building than he stepped aside to an outdoor smoking zone. Loading his lighter with a Firum battery no larger than a tooth, he depressed the thumb switch, creating a candle’s worth of flame. His hand was shaking so bad at this point he almost didn’t get the Necral stick lit before the battery ran out and the flame died.

He brought it to his lips and pulled. The numbness that followed was a comforting one, like a mother’s embrace during a holiday visit. His lungs tingled in the way Necral always did.

Was it bad for him? Absolutely. But it was the only consistent answer to stress he could find.

He shook his head with a wry smile. Of course Melissa had been told to work this case.

Could have been worse. She could have shown up with some new boyfriend and used him to showcase Leo’s own inadequacies.

He shook his head, that wasn’t Melissa’s style. Yes, she hated his guts, and probably for good reason, but she was a professional through and through. If she was going to ram something through his heart, she’d at least have the courtesy to file all the paperwork ahead of time.

He took another pull, letting the numbing fog suppress his anxiety. In Necral’s arms, he didn’t have to worry about bills, or family, or hurting people. He had a history of hurting people. Necral could forgive him when no one else should.

With the anxiety being actively smothered, he could finally think about the case. The alchemy expert was no junkie, nor was she really missing any marbles. She’d been sharp, examining each room in turn, and confirming the earlier theorizing between Detective McKinley and Tolson. The crystals left behind had been homemade either by or for the killer.  In fact, she’d explained how simple the process was. All you really needed was a mold, a saline solution, and whatever other ingredients your crystal of choice called for. That, and a lot of time.

In school, Leo had done similar experiments to show how they used to do it. That had resulted in a classroom full of boys making Aurum crystals so they could break them slowly and laugh at the fart-noises or Aquam crystals to get each other wet. He couldn’t remember what the girls had done. He had been too young to care about girls at that stage of his education.

Nowadays, crystals were made in factories. Mass-produced with specific applications in mind. Fitted with standardized battery casing so you wouldn’t mix any crystals up. Alchemy was becoming a lost art. People made it so that others could use it. The Native alchemist had insisted that Alchemy was losing the elements that made it such a personal art.

Not Native, Leo had to remind himself. Just because she’s a Mnolf doesn’t make her a junkie.

…Says the guy smoking Necral…

The Teacher had offered a few other insights. Tolson had hung on her every word, probably planning to go home and try some of it for himself. Leo had been able to catch most of it.

The paper used to wrap the crystals was a common one, used by medics for preparing Curum crystals. It was cheap, the same kind of paper often used in baking to keep things from sticking to cooking sheets. She’d confirmed that the crystals involved were a simple saline base, but seemed impressed at the materials used to invoke specific elements. Apparently, the killer had worked with higher grade, more expensive materials. Those at least might provide a lead, since Naira said she could fully identify the materials given enough time.

Leo thought back to the rooms he’d seen. He tried to picture someone slender breaking through a window like it was paper. Casting bolts of lightning to strike down any guards in his way. Immolating a couch like it had been soaked in kerosene beforehand. Creating explosions out of nothing but wind that were strong enough to send a man and his desk out a window to meet their untimely demise.

He tried to imagine being that person. It certainly seemed like an impressive display of power. And yet, there’d only been one casualty. Even the men who’d been ‘exploded’ were coming away from it with only minor hearing loss and bruising. But why not just kill them? If you’d knocked them down, wouldn’t it bring the greatest peace of mind to just kill them and know for sure that they wouldn’t follow you? If he commanded the power of the elements, would he leave witnesses during an assassination?

He had to admit that he wouldn’t. So why, then? There seemed to be only two possible options. Either this person was incredibly powerful and just decided not to kill anyone but Lortran, or they wanted to appear incredibly powerful and used a series of alchemical tricks and gadgets to pull this all off. He knew which theory Tolson would go for, so he had to pick the latter. This had to be someone trying to make it look like they were stronger than they were.

After all, the guards who had been in Lortran’s room when the killer arrived said that she tried to hit them with lightning. Instead, it had hit the floor. It wasn’t even close to connecting. Malfunctioning tech? It seemed likely.

The front doors of the tower opened, and Leo saw Tolson and the Mnolf walk out together. He pulled on what remained of the Necral stick, until all of its violet glow had faded. He coughed a bit, adjusting to the new level of numbness in his lungs. Tossing the spent stick in a nearby trash can, he popped a breath mint from the tin he carried on the opposite side of his jacket and ran over to join them.

Tolson raised an eyebrow as he approached. He didn’t need to see the stick to know what Leo had been doing. His friend said nothing, instead asking Naira a question. “And what’s the typical age for one of your students?”

She responded quickly, her light accent punctuated by excitement. At least she’d finally relaxed a bit. “Oh, there’s not really an age limit. You can start as young or as old as you like. I’ve worked with little children before, as well as older folks who wanted to learn to make Curum crystals to treat arthritis, back pain, minor–” She cut off, turning toward Leo with a quick double sniff.

“Necral?” she asked, eyes full of something that looked like concern.

“Oh Fahnina,” Leo muttered. His friends already judged him for hanging onto the habit, he didn’t need to add a stranger to that experience. “It’s bad for me, I know.”

She nodded, “It is bad for you. Accumulate too much in the lungs and it will liquify your alveoli. You’ll fill your lungs with–”

“Blood,” Leo finished for her. “I know. I lost an uncle to Necral Lung, alright? I’m working on quitting, but sometimes I need something that just listens for once and doesn’t make demands on how I run my life.”

The alchemist flinched back like she’d been slapped across the snout. Tolson was biting his lower lip.

Leo took a deep breath, then let it out in a long sigh. “I’m sorry, Ms Naira. I appreciate your concern. Thank you for coming out today, and I look forward to reading a report of your findings. Please give the chief my regards. I’ll be sure to provide him with a good review of your work today.”

Tolson’s hand came up to his mouth, and Leo could hear the laugh his co-worker was failing to stifle. For her part, Naira just looked confused.

“What?” Leo demanded.

Naira cleared her throat, adjusting her grip on the strap of her bag. “I was told to be a resource to you until you find the person responsible for these murders. Though he said you might ask me to leave before then. I would respect your wishes, so if my help is no longer required…”

Tolson stepped forward before Leo could answer. Lifting a finger with one hand, he gripped Leo’s arm with the other. “Might I have a moment to confer with my detective associate?”

Still looking confused, Naira nodded. Tolson gave a quick “thank you” before tugging Leo aside.

“Confer with your detective associate?” Leo hissed.

“What? She’s smart, and she sounds cool, so I’m trying to learn a few more words for my vocabulary.”

“From a Nat–?,” Leo cut himself off when the alchemist’s ears twitched, then lowered his voice before continuing. “Are you on her side because you think she’s actually going to help us with this, or because you’re hoping she’s going to teach you alchemy?”

“Yes!” The response came out even before Leo finished asking his question.

Leo sighed, “You realize I outrank you in this investigation, right?”

“Oh, for sure, dude.”

“And therefore have total control over who to hire or consult?”

“Chief did send her.”

Leo clenched his fists, “Yes, the Chief sent her.”

“Plus,” Tolson added as his signature grin returned, “I already invited her to come to Benji’s Diner with us.”

“Because you’re not buying lunch.”

“Because I’m not buying lunch,” Tolson confirmed. He smacked his gut through his uniform. “Which means I’m eating good today.”

“Tolson, you eat good every day.”

Tolson shrugged. “Never do anything half-way, you know?”

“Fine, fine! I’m too hungry to argue.”

“Great! I’ll go save our table!”

Before Leo could protest, Tolson was jogging away. Tolson hadn’t even jogged when he ran the obstacle course that was part of the Precinct’s yearly physical. What had gotten into that man?

Leo reached up to rub at his eyes. When he turned, he found Naira, the alchemist teacher standing there expectantly.

“You know where Benji’s Diner is?”

She frowned in thought before shaking her head.

“Corner of Eighth and Peonie, in the Northwest Quadrant, District 2?”

She nodded slowly, “Yes, I believe I know where that is.” Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a small notepad and scribbled the address down.

“See you there, then?”

Naira nodded again, then gave a small bow. “Thank you for your time.”

“Uh–sure.” Leo nodded awkwardly, then left her standing there and walked towards his own vehicle. Something made him check over his shoulder, and he saw her staring at the place where Lortran’s body had fallen. They’d cleaned up the body, but the bloodstains still remained. She stared at it, contemplative. Then she noticed him watching her. She gave a polite smile, another small bow, turned and walked away.

Well, that was weird, he thought. He reached his car a few minutes later. Climbing inside, he buckled himself in, started the Firum engine, and turned up the radio. Thrusters propelled him backwards as an electric guitar solo carried on in the background. His car pivoted in place, suspended above the street by the Electrum magnets beneath. Then he launched himself forward.

He made it to the end of the block when he spotted her again. Slowing his car, he pulled up at a bus stop, where Naira sat waiting. She glanced up at him when he stopped, cocked her head and waved with a small smile. Rolling down his window, Leo leaned an arm out and asked, “You are coming…right?”

“To the diner?” She nodded and checked a wristwatch hidden under her left sleeve.. “The bus should be here shortly.”

“O..k.. See you there then.”

She nodded, but the action was more like a bow. “Thank you for your time.”

There it was again. Maybe the politeness was an academic thing? He didn’t remember any professors acting like that when he went to academy. But, he also hadn’t been a science major. With a wave, he rolled up his window and pulled away.

He made it an entire block before turning around. His finger drummed as he pulled up to the bus stop once again. This time, he had to roll down the passenger window. “Would you like a ride? Less time waiting out in the sun.”

“I do not mind waiting. The sun is quite pleasant.”

Ugh, she was probably a morning person. Leo checked the clock on his car’s dash. It read 1041. Forty-one minutes past midday. It was too late in the day for him to continue to be grumpy. 

“Still, I feel bad leaving you out here. Can I give you a ride?”

“Would it make you feel better, sir?”

Leo wanted to grip his face in frustration. He was just trying to be nice, why couldn’t she just…? He cut the thought off, letting it leave him with a sigh. He nodded several times. “Yes, it would make me feel better.”

She nodded with that polite half-bow, “Very well.” Then she stood with the prominent straight-backed pose of a politician. Yeah, she wasn’t like any Mnolf he’d met before. Of course he’d get the odd one.

Leaning over the seat, he yanked at the handle to open the door for her. “It only opens from the inside, so you’ll have to tug it when I unlatch it.”

She cocked her head, but followed his instructions without comment or question.

Only after she was already partly inside did he remember the pile of receipts stuffed in the crack of his passenger chair. When had it become a pile? He swiped as many as he dared, tossing them over his shoulder into the back seat. She slid in, her knees halfway to her chest and closed the door.

“There’s a lever under your seat,” he gestured towards it. “So you don’t have to ride with your knees under your chin.”

She felt underneath and found the lever. Pulling it, she immediately slid backwards, far more than she intended. “Sorry,” she said, scooting it back forward to a more reasonable position.

“First time in a car?” Leo teased.

“In the front seat? Yes.”

She said it so calmly that Leo was caught off guard. So off guard that he blurted the next question, “What about driving?”

She turned to him with that quizzical tilt of her head she seemed to like. The feather in her hair brushed her shoulder as she did so. Her words were slow in coming, as if the answer to his question was so obvious she feared it was a trick question. “I’m afraid I do not have a license.”

Right. Another thing he should have remembered about Mnolfs, but was too insensitive to think of in the moment. Maybe he was still a jerk? He pulled back into the street, suddenly dreading the awkwardness of the coming drive...