Four Files

*Posted by* Largehobbit

Posted: Apr 27, 2018, 9:49pm

21st August - The Hall of Order, Paramount Hill - Afternoon

Randall stepped into his new office in the Hall of Order. He could hardly believe what was happening and he was not sure he was happy about it. Just one day before he was all ready to be hauled off to the Black Gallows by the High Inquisitor and today he was being shown to his plush new office on Paramount Hill by his very own secretary with legs to die for. He grimaced, he was not looking at her legs that was unprofessional. He glanced down just once more at those twin pillars of elegant beauty and turned away all flustered. What was wrong with him.

"Erm, thank you miss Fairbrother that will be all." he managed.

"Yes sir." she replied and he did not turn until he heard the door click shut. Gods those legs.

Looking around his office he gave a low whistle, if the lads back at the precinct could see this. He would have to bring them up here and show them around. He moved over to the window where he had a clear view of the Peoples Palace and Coronation Square. In the distance smoke was still rising from the Steamworks, another explosion apparently, but at least the air had cleared now. For a time it had been difficult to breath with all the ash and debris.

He turned then and his eyes fell upon his desk where four files had been neatly laid out. A Mr Herman of the High Inquisitors office had been to see him earlier that day to escort him from the medical facility to his new apartment in the West Twins. He had explained that due to current events the First Minister would be unavailable to brief him in person and instructions would be awaiting him in his offices, and there they were. Four files, clean and untouched.

He opened the first and sat down to read, wincing at the pain in his shoulder. He had been given painkillers but he hated taking medication and they were back at his apartment. "Missing Dog - Belko"

"What the fuck?" he barked hardly believing his eyes. He read on, "The Montclaire family have asked for a personal favour from the First Minister in discovering the culprit in the brutal decapitation and delivery by courier of said dogs head to one Tate Montclaire."

He finished reading and threw the file across the room, what the hell was wrong with these people? After a moment or two he opened the second file. "Death under mysterious circumstances." A body found dumped in the East Twins, the nephew of Josiah's chief of staff, one Arthur Freeman aged twenty six. The body was found naked and stabbed in the throat with a long blade. And here was the weird part his mouth and lungs were filled with a toxic solution containing amongst other things, blood, urine and traces of Flagesium.

Intrigued now Randall picked up the third file. "Orphans reported missing in the Sprawl." He leafed through with interest, this was back on his own patch and he was already aware of the problem. Over the last year more and more children were going missing from the streets and orphanages, but strangely there were no bodies turning up so they had nothing to go on. Whoever was taking them was careful to do so in a way that left no trace. He skimmed through the file and moved on to the last.

"The Death of Councilman Corbet." he glanced around nervously as he opened this one. Starting to read cursed several times. It would appear that the First Minister suspected foul play in the death of David Corbet and he would like Randall to look into it. What was worse was that it appeared from Josiah's scrawled notes that he suspected the widow Stella Corbet and the High Inquisitor Edward Hanton of being somehow involved. "Proceed with caution." the file ended and Randall breathed out,

"No shit."