Hawkins was tearing down the road as fast as the speed limit would allow. Cecilia was already in the car with him. "Took your sweet time Nathan. I've been trying to get you on the line for ages!" She had put on her "work outfit" for the first time since she got here, this being her first bit of leg work in the "real world", though in her mind the internet was becoming more real by the minute.
Hawkins kept his eyes focused on the road. "It was an important lead, and very fruitful albeit some momentary difficulties." Cecilia wondered what went through his head when he was like this. She chocked it down to "damn near everything". Hawkins turned a corner and continued. "Let's hope that this one yields similar results, but with less difficulties."
That would yet to be seen. The bombing case had just gotten hot when that spacey chick who first reported the thing, suddenly walks in and confesses. What had gotten to Hawkins the most though, Cecilia noted, was that she seemed to implicate "voices" telling her to do it. She'd been placed in a local mental home after that, which would probably be the wisest thing to do in the situation. Hawkins felt there was something to this though, and she knew well by now to trust his hunches.
Had just gotten off the phone with the police sergeant, requesting information about where the suspect was being held. After some objections on the sergeants part about authority, Hawkins had reminded him politely, concisely and pointedly that he had been granted authority into looking into any lead regarding his investigations, from the highest levels of governmental authority, and he would be perfectly happy with patching them in and having the sergeant explain exactly why he felt that Hawkins did not have the authority to interview the suspect. When asked if this was about national security, Hawkins had responding saying that the ramifications of what he was investigating went far beyond the word "security", or "nation" for that matter.
A moment's pause, and the police sergeant asked fi he really thought something big was going on, that Collins got wrapped uo in something.. wierd.
Hawkins responded "Something big has already happened Sergeant. I'm sure you've looked in a mirror recently. But I believe that there are parts of what has occurred that are even bigger than we thought, and most certainly "weird."
So now they were on their way to the nut house. "Psychiatric hospital" Hawkins had corrected her. An officer had just dropped her off, and the Sergeant was going to radio ahead for them to stay and keep an eye on the proceedings. Hawkins seemed to have no problem.
++++
Minutes later, Hawkins had parked and was already at the door to the "Center of Mental Health" as the sign above the door indicated. As he entered, he saw the officer the Sergeant told him about. Young, female, canid, but with a certain stance and focus that belied a greater bed of experience than her apparent age would suggest.
Hawkins Flashed his badge. "Hawkins. Bureau of Paranormal investigations. I'm here to speak with Ms. Collins."
The police officer looked him up and down, uncertain about the agent's character. She'd been told about him by her Sergeant, and from all reports he seemed to be professional, polite, and *exceedingly weird-.
"Will. I brought her in not too long ago, which is why I'm wondering if you should really start questioning her right now. She's still kind of confused and anxious right now."
Hawkins stepped forwards into the lobby, taking a seat near Officer Will. "This is a very serious matter that Ms. Collins has become involved in, and we need all the answers we can get as soon as possible." Cecilia walked in and sat down besides Hawkins. "Officer Will, this is Agent Cecilia Pennsbrook, my partner in this investigation." The gynoid waved. "Hey. Don't be scared of G-man over here too much. He's spooky t first, but then you realize just how* dull_ he is."
Hawkins brushed that comment off and continued. "I understand your concerend for the subject in question. As a matter of fact, I we may be able to help her with her reported language problem. Cecilia?"
Cecilia held up her hand, a small beam of light emanating from her index fingertip, which suddenly became a flat holographic image. "I've been working on a language translation program. It's nothing fancy, but give me enough time with her and we may actually figure out what the heck she's trying to say!"
Will was pretty shocked by this news. Finding some way to communicate with Anneza? That would be great, if only to make figuring out what was going on easier.
Cecilia shut the image off and let Hawkins speak. "Officer Walsh, in this investigation I would like you to be completely honest with me. I've picked up an inclination about this from the sergeant, but I'd like to ask you. Do you feel that Anneza actually belongs here?"
Will shook her head.
"Good. Me neither." Hawkins stood up, cricking his shadowy neck. "Let's get to work then, shall we?."
