Chapter 52: SS16 – Leary – A Dangerous Threat

The events during the conference had started a chaotic debate between everyone involved. 

Most suspected that the creation of a portal - in the middle of a top secret meeting - was a form of intimidation. After all, what other reason would one have to crash the meeting where oneself was the only subject discussed?

Thus it was mostly considered that the culprit was either threatening or taunting them. The majority thought both.

Some had attempted to get into contact with the culprit to find out the intent.

Which involved asking questions into the empty air. Leary would’ve thought that those who attempted to talk with the culprit looked ridiculous, if it wasn’t for the fact that they had good reason to believe that they were being monitored.

Leary was one of the few who thought that the culprit wasn’t doing things to threaten them. That didn’t mean that Leary wasn’t afraid at all, for he was. The knowledge that someone out there had technology that could be used to break in anywhere at any time, and further used to monitor people everywhere truly scared him.

Which he thought was ironic as he worked in surveillance himself. However, if he wanted to get off the grid he knew how to do so. 

But nothing could be done to hide from whoever they were chasing. Perhaps Leary wasn’t afraid of what the culprit would actually do with the technology, but rather what would happen if it fell into the wrong hands.

After all, she hasn’t done anything else other than theft. Sure some of the things stolen were from the military, but she hasn’t stolen things like bombs. Which she certainly could.

Leary had further chosen to refer to the culprit as ‘she’. Even if he didn’t know for sure if it was aliens or just a lone young woman, by what she did with the information during the conference, Leary concluded that the culprit was indirectly telling them who she was. 

As if she only removed the information she disagreed with.

An amused smile spread on Leary’s face. His daughter would get embarrassed too whenever someone made sexual references. Leary wasn’t sure if he was deliberately narrowing his view of the situation or not, but he somehow found comfort in the thought that the culprit would be a young woman.

Probably wishful thinking. Makes the whole situation seem more like a teenager’s mischief. 

By all means, Leary wanted the culprit to be found and caught. However as long as the crimes were limited to theft, he didn’t feel as seriously about the situation as most of the others.

Leary looked at the clock on his laptop and sighed. 

Time to go home. 

Leary began turning off his computer as he thought of his family that he’d be seeing within the hour.

The conference had led to the officials demanding that the investigation be sped up. Which implied more overtime, not less in the future. 

Leary had managed to come to a compromise with Zachariah, that once they finished the profiling and got a list of suspects, he could start going home on time. 

Leary’s wife had of course not been happy about it. However in the end she showed understanding, at least on the surface. Leary, from their many years of marriage, knew that if he didn’t keep his word and start coming home on time soon, it would damage their relationship severely.

And his wife had been sceptical when Leary first began showing up for dinners. But as he did so day after day, their marriage again felt as good as ever.

Seeing his daughter had made him feel a little guilty however, for he knew that she had been investigated in secret as well, or at least would be eventually unless the culprit was found earlier. 

As he was related to her, he didn’t want to know what her habits were on the internet. 

Not that he would get to see it either, as anyone related to someone working in the investigation would be investigated by someone unrelated. He would however be informed, and be investigated himself, if suspicions arose that his daughter was a likely suspect. 

Yet Leary suspected that his daughter was uninvolved, as he himself had gone through the likeliest suspects thus far and begun looking at other age groups. 

I doubt the search will actually find us a culprit. After all, anyone who has the tech to make portals most likely has the ability to also completely disappear and have their traces erased.

Leary wasn’t the first to think of that, and the idea was also suggested during the conference. However, as they had nothing else to go on, they had little choice.

Leary closed his laptop and stood up to leave the office. On his way out he met Zachariah, who had a serious expression on his face. When he saw Leary, Zachariah immediately made eye contact and approached him.

Alright, something new seems to have come up. 

Zachariah often had a serious expression on his face since the conference, yet this time it was a different kind. More intense.

Zachariah didn’t waste any time, which was something Leary appreciated. “Pack a bag tonight. We’re catching a plane in the morning.”

Leary frowned. “Why? Where are we going?”

“One of the superpowers made contact with us. They know what we’re doing, and want to cooperate with the investigation.” (Zachariah)

Alright, guess that crosses one suspect off the list at least. Maybe I shouldn’t be too surprised that the investigation got leaked either. 

“How does that warrant us going there?” (Leary)

Zachariah frowned. “They have evidence that suggest the culprit will commit acts of terrorism.”

_______________________

“So how long has it been since this country began investigating, Miss Rashpill?” (Leary)

The agent that was their liaison who received them, sat across from them in the car. She seemed to have the relaxed attitude that Zachariah normally had, which Leary had sorely missed. 

Anita smiled as she cocked her head and responded. “Since about a month or two since the first reported incidents.”

Not too surprising. Their country has more than enough resources and personnel already in the investigation industry. 

“And you haven’t come up with any evidence as to who, or what, is behind it?” (Zachariah)

Anita shrugged. “We’re as clueless as you. And we’ve had no kind of contact with the culprit either. We have the same suspicions as you have, and the events during your secret meeting seems to provide some clues. Either to the identity of the culprit, or the intentions of what they want us to believe.”

“And if you had to make a guess personally?” Leary asked curiously.

Anita pondered before she answered. “Everything points to technology that is impossible with what is currently available to us. Furthermore, these incidents seem to defy our understanding of science. So I’m going with the unpopular opinion and say that it’s magic.”

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Anita looked out of the car window at the passing scenery as she continued. “And with that assumption, I think the profiling is most likely correct. The culprit is most likely a young woman.”

“So what, you think it’s a witch or something?” Zachariah snorted. 

Anita turned to look at Zachariah with a smile. “I told you it’s an unpopular opinion.”

“Just because whoever is behind this can make portals, it doesn’t mean it’s magic.” Zachariah retorted.

“It’s not just portals that makes me believe it’s magic.” Anita answered.

As she didn’t continue, Leary decided to make an inquiry. “Does it have something to do with why we had to come here in person?”

Anita smiled wider as she looked at Leary. “Indeed.”

“And can we know what that is?” (Zachariah)

“You’ll know it when you see it.” Anita smiled and turned to look back out of the tinted window.

After a several hours' drive they arrived at their destination. Which by appearances, was a large industrial storage shed in the middle of what had been a field. 

Everything told the tale that it had been built in a hurry, as there was a lot of construction ongoing around the building. 

And there were biohazard warning signs everywhere.

Leary and Zachariah followed the woman into the building, and immediately came to what appeared to be a dressing room with hazmat suits.

“Suit up, boys.” (Anita)

What the hell happened here?

After putting on the yellow suits they entered a decontamination chamber. Once they passed through, they entered into a corridor, with another decontamination chamber at the end of it. 

However Anita stopped midway at a large window and gestured towards it with her hand. “Take a look.”

What Leary saw first made no sense to him. The room outside seemed to be filled with green gas. In the center of the room floated a thick cloud of gas, which was thick enough that Leary couldn’t see through it. 

What the hell?

“The gas is highly toxic. Anyone who comes into contact with it has to be admitted to the hospital.” Anita waved towards the cloud in the middle of the room beyond the window that seemed to be the source. “And as you can see, it seems to defy physics as it sticks together like that. By all known laws that govern the universe, it disperses far too slowly.”

“How long has it been here?” (Zachariah)

“A year.” Anita sighed before she continued. “The researchers have come up completely empty handed. They can’t identify what it is, firstly because it’s elusive and is difficult to scan. And what we did manage to pick up doesn’t match anything we know.”

“How deadly is it?” (Zachariah)

“Very, depending on how much you are exposed to it. As you can see how slowly it dissipates, it remains in the system of anyone affected for a long time.” (Anita)

“Any casualties?” (Zachariah)

“Two. The farmer who discovered it, and a researcher who was exposed to it by accident.” Anita sighed before she continued. “A few others, a researcher among them, are still at the hospital.”

Damn.

“The farmer was plowing the field when he discovered a portal like the others, and the cloud came through it. Several other portals appeared after, but nothing seemed to come out of them.” Anita paused before she continued. “So as you can see, whoever is behind it has the capability to cause death and destruction with methods that are unknown to us.”

“Any projections on how long the cloud will last?” (Zachariah)

“It’s mostly dissipated now, but the researchers say it will still take months before it's completely dispersed. We obviously built all of this to contain it.” Anita’s voice grew more serious as she continued. “Worst of all, if you get close to it the gas seems to gather around you.”

A chill ran down Leary’s spine. That’s diabolical.

Silence descended upon the conversation before Leary spoke. “Why would the culprit do this? To test it? Have there been other cases?”

“Nope, this is the only case we’re aware of. Otherwise she's just been stealing things, like elsewhere.” Anita said cheerfully.

Well , doesn't she change gears quickly.

Zachariah broke the silence that once again had ensued. “We better schedule another meeting. The culprit is far more dangerous than we-”

A flash of golden light on the other side of the window interrupted Zachariah. The trio squinted at the brightness.

Once the light was gone, so was the green gas that had filled the room.

All of them stared wide-eyed without saying a word. 

Eventually Anita broke the silence. “Let’s go. I think we all need to make some calls.”

They went through the decontamination room and were in the middle of taking off their hazmat suits when Anita’s phone began ringing. Anita picked up her phone and answered the call.

Leary didn’t have a habit for eavesdropping, but he couldn’t help hearing Anita’s surprised exclamation.

Something more must've happened.

Leary and Zachariah waited until Anita finished her call. While she was squeezing her phone Zachariah addressed her.

“What’s up?” (Zachariah)

Anita turned to look at the pair. “There were portals sighted at the hospital. Everyone who was still affected by the toxin has made a full recovery.”

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