It was noon in Angelus when the luxury sedan style Spinner lowered itself into the parking area cordoned off for XSWAT personnel. It was an uncommon occurrence that someone would bring a spinner to this part of Epsilon Sector, even more so with one that was anything near luxury. After the vehicle settled itself in place and powered off, the driver’s side door opened and the man, now calling himself Nicodemus Tsanthos, stepped out with practiced ease. “Yes… I am well aware that I am three hours early.” He murmured under his breath, seemingly to himself as he made his way from the parking area and to the main entrance.
About halfway to the door, Nicodemus paused and withdrew a pocket watch and then took three carefully measured steps closer to the building. Just as he closed the pocket watch, a large modified transport truck sped by. Nicodemus lifted a brow at the markings and surmised that it was likely the APD reacting to some crisis and in the driver’s haste had neglected to activate the trucks lights… even as it sped down the street. “Be quiet.” He muttered ruefully under his breath. “It was your idea that I should accept Jamadagni’s invitation in the first place, so I do not desire to hear any more out of you on the matter. I have lived long enough to know how to avoid trouble”
“ . . . .”
“That does not count! I survived the ordeal well enough and that one has some strange property or talent to evade detection. While I have not had the time to divert to researching and countering it, it is irrelevant anyway. He will receive exactly what it is he desires and what he deserves soon enough. It is a non-issue. Now be silent!
When he finally made it to the front desk, Nicodemus had terminated the conversation, but not before the Desk Sergeant heard at least part of the one-way conversation. “Excuse me?” Sergeant Esterhaus said with a tone that could bordered on curiosity and irritation.
“My apologies. I was merely communicating with an associate via a wireless communication device tied into my databand Sergeant Esterhaus.” Nicodemus replied in his disturbingly accentless voice as he lifted the sleeve of his XSWAT uniform coat, making a show of the databand’s presence on his left arm.
Esterhaus only gave a curt nod in reply. “And why are you here?”
“Ahh, the crux of the matter.” Nicodemus replied. “I am here as a transfer from XSWAT HQ, I am certain that you will find that everything is in order. I had initiated the proper paperwork for a file transfer approximately a week ago.”
Esterhaus blinked a couple of times at the twisted reflection in the opaque circular sunglasses the XSWAT officer in front of him wore and spoke curtly. “If everything is in order, then why are you here officer?”
Nicodemus lifted both brows and replied with no change in demeanor or tone to his own voice. “You stopped me Sergeant. I was under the impression that you wanted me for something. If that is not the case, I will be on my way then.”
“You do that.”
Nicodemus offered a slight bow and turned to leave. “Oh, I did want to tell you something Sergeant. They are rookies and are most likely distracted and/or lost. Please do not be too hard on them when they come through this way.”
“What?” Esterhaus looked at the departing officer.
“You will see soon enough. Have a pleasant day.”
Sergeant Esterhaus sat back in his chair and shook his head. Dammed XSWAT freaks. Why do we get all the crazy whackjobs?
********
Nicodemus Tsanthos sat back in the rugged, uncomfortable chair that was one of many in the meeting room. He looked at his pocket watch and nodded just slightly. There was plenty of time left before the meeting was supposed to start, so he set both some coffee to brew and some water to a boil for tea. He was fairly certain that he would be the only one having tea, given that he brought his own supply and there seemed little choice except for the highly processed-mass produced variety of “Green Tea” which he detested. The real, natural thing was always better.
Just before the water reached a low boil, Nicodemus prepared himself a cup, leaving the water to a low simmer to keep the heat, but uncontaminated in the event that someone actually would have their own. Cup in hand he returned to his chair and checked his pocket watch once and then put it away. “Hmmm… They should be arriving at any time now.” He mused aloud to himself and into his cup as he sipped at the hot beverage. “This should prove… interesting to say the least.”