Daniel started rubbing the back of his neck; he could feel pressure building. That was never a good sign. Some people had a feeling in their gut; Daniel had a feeling in the top of his neck, where the spine met the skull. The more pressure, the deeper shit he was about to get into. This pressure grew more as he rubbed his neck, not a good sign for what was to come.
It was Daniel’s specialty to handle intense situations. He had even gained the nickname “Captain SNAFU.” Daniel preferred things to be direct and to the point, but everyone knew that in the worst situations, he was the only one who could get it done. From private contracting for governments to clandestine military operations, he’s even had to clean up some messes for high figures of authority.
"I don’t appreciate you scaring off my guest for your own selfish reasons,” Daniel stated, turning and grabbing some aspirin from the shelf.
"Excuse me?" a confused male voice with a heavy Irish accent came through the door.
"Come in,” Daniel yelled as he turned and leaned back against his counter.
A tall man with a full head of hair and a thick beard wearing an overcoat stepped through the door. He looked around and noticed Daniel leaning against his counter.
His overcoat was open, revealing a very nice three-button suit with a vest and cufflinks that bore the official sigil of the United Earth Police Force. Daniel wasn't sure who this man was, but he recognized a detective when he saw one; pressure hit the back of his neck like a hammer on a nail. A detective with an armed escort? Something about the man seemed too put on; even his clothes were too perfect.
"Detective, I'm sorry." Daniel pushed off the counter. "Come in, Detective. Can I get you anything? Water, coffee, an introduction?" He hobbled over to sit under the window, wanting the glare from the sunlight to hit his unwanted visitor right in the eyes. The man took off his coat, hung it on a coat hook, and walked farther into Daniel's apartment, looking at Daniel as if the sun wasn’t bothering him.
"My name is Detective Locke, and I'm sorry to come uninvited. I was warned that you prefer to receive notice." Locke said in his strong Irish accent. Daniel wondered how long he had been off the island, but decided that would be something for another time.
“You’re correct, and it's my first day back from a month-long job, and I was really hoping to get some time off. In fact, I made it rather public that I wasn’t going to take any jobs. What are you doing here?“
“Aye, I heard you were doing some Counter-Proliferation. Some kind of new weapon of mass destruction? Hope you got it.” Daniel was very taken aback by this comment. How does this detective know what he has been doing for the last month? Locke walked over to the counter and looked at the meal he had been feeding to his neighbors.
"German pancakes, scrambled eggs with fried mushrooms and onions?" Locke leaned down and took a whiff. Then, reaching down to pick up one of the scrambled egg curds, he threw it into his mouth and stood up. "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, that is good! Do you mind if I have some? I haven't really eaten anything since yesterday. I've been pulling an all-nighter in the office with nothing but vending machine food."
"Not at all, Detective. You can use my plate; it's on the top shelf to your right." Locke looked up and saw the metal platter, which had barely an indent in the center so it could stand like a plate should. Locke scooped up some of the German pancakes first, then placed some eggs right next to them, finishing by pouring syrup over the entire plate. Walking over to the bed, Locke tucked his right foot under his left leg as he sat down and dug into the food.
Daniel received the signal: friend, not foe. Whoever this Detective Lock was, there was a certain intelligence in how this detective was approaching the situation.
As Locke sat there eating his meal, Daniel had the opportunity to inspect him in more detail. His suit was nice, tailored to near perfection, though he had mud around the cuffs and running up his pant legs. He wore amusing character socks; the Looney Tunes characters were staring at Daniel from over the edge of a very nice shoe. His shirt was pressed tightly against his chest, and Locke was fit, his muscles compressed in the suit's arm every time he lifted his fork to take a bite.
Locke finished his plate and patted the front of his suit as if his stomach was full. "Well, I have to admit that was one hell of a treat. Such a shame it’s not why I came."
Daniel sat up on the edge of his seat, looking Locke directly in the eye. "Yes, detective, tell me, why have you come?"
"You have a Petite Chemin memorial just a few blocks from here. Have you been there lately?"
Daniel squinted in confusion. "No, detective, as I believe you know, I haven’t been anywhere."
"What can you tell me about the Order of Theresa ?" Locke was looking at Daniel with deep interest on his face.
"As far as I know, they act as a middleman between the clones and the hallucination dens they operate. I'm not entirely sure of their full structure, but I know they are the only legal supplier of the tea that the clones use." Daniel had never had any interactions with the Order of Theresa ; clones were too strange for him to want to deal with.
"Have you ever seen this girl?" Locke tapped his fingers together as an image of a girl projected in front of him.
Daniel shook his head. "No, I don't know her.”
Locke stood up and walked over to his coat, took out a paper note from its pocket, then returned to hand it to Daniel. The note was intricately folded, with a wax seal holding it together, which had obviously been ripped. On the flat side, it was written "Daniel Pius,” so Daniel opened the letter and started reading.
*Dear Daniel,*
*By Direct order of the High Priestess, due to instructions set by Mother Joan. This is a tithe owed to your family for generations. The Order of Theresa s would like to invite you to immediately come to Mercury. This is a matter of great importance, and we cannot express the urgency of your arrival.
*Thank you.*
Locke was the first to speak. "It's kind of a strange letter, isn't it? So tell me, have you done any work for the Order before? Any idea why they would be giving you such a prestigious reward?"
Daniel folded the letter back to its original form. "May I keep this?" Daniel gestured to Locke.
"No, I can't let you have it," Detective Locke shook his head.
"But the letter is addressed to me," Daniel said skeptically.
"Without a doubt, but I can't let you have the letter. However, I would love for you to accompany me and the letter. I have some more questions to ask, and I thought it would be best if we discussed them on our way." Locke was motioning toward the door.
"Am I under arrest, Detective?" Daniel asked, standing up a little defensively.
"Not at all, Daniel, not at all," Detective Locke replied, raising both hands in a calming gesture. "I will just be using your assistance, if you don't mind. How often does a detective get to work with the great Captain SNAFU? The best part is that I can keep you close because you already have clearance. Working with you is going to be a blast."
"Why would I come with you, Detective? Just because someone happens to die with a letter addressed to me in their pocket doesn't mean I have any obligation to go with you."
"You're right again," Locke said, then raising an eyebrow. "Come on, you're not asking the real question here."
Locke once again reached into one of his pockets and pulled out what looked like a casino token. He handed the coin to Daniel. The coin was made of white stone and very heavy in his hand, with an intricate pink-flower design carved into both sides. The flower had three closed petals, held up by dark green veins that wrapped around it.
The Pressure in the back of Daniel's head had started to increase again. This visit was becoming personal. He looked up from the coin to Locke, who was studying Daniel intently.
Lock began again, “This coin is a token given to individuals of high importance within the Church of the Clones. Anyone who receives this coin is considered revered among them; this particular coin is intended for someone of the highest distinction, as it is made of stone they consider sacred. Typically, you would see a coin like this with their high clergymen; many clones create a necklace to display their coin for all to see. Why would they be sending such a prestigious prize to you?”
Daniel looked at the coin a little longer before answering, “This particular coin is customized to feature a symbol called The Little Flower, my family crest. You’re right, detective; I will be joining you.”
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