Getting Permission

Everleason Police Department, 4:50 P.M

Daniel went to the front desk.

"Oh Daniel." Jennifer Tryismo, the female desk clerk with fizzy wild bronze hair and with enough makeup upon her face to make a fashionista jealous remarked with surprise. "Didn't you already clock out?"

"I have a personal matter for which I like to use my access to police resources for." Daniel proclaimed.

"Oh, I see. Don't you think that is rather unprofessional?" Jennifer asked.

"I know, the other officers will probably lose respect for me." Dan replied. "But my wife said she was poisoned seven years ago, I want to look into it."

"Why would you want to do that? There's no case file for her so as far as we're concerned no crime had been committed. Besides, the statute of limitations for poisoning someone with the express purpose of knocking them out and keeping them in that state is only two years."

"There's a crime associated with what happened to my wife?"

"Yes, I just explained it. The crime could be classified as either as kidnapping or battery. Nothing serious."

"May I speak to the commissioner?"

"Seriously? Going for the big guns so soon? How about I get Lieutenant Storm or Captain Orange?"

"I would prefer speaking with Mr. Rodgers."

"Ah, so that's his last name. There is no nameplate on his office, it just says 'police commissioner' on his door."

"So, will you call him? If you don't, I will."

"Are you sure, he doesn't really like being disturbed. His own daughter has to make appointments to see him, he's that reclusive. Hell, he may not even be a he, for all we know, he could be a lady using the Mr. title to confuse us."

"No, he's definitely a male. Adam Bolmer said so himself."

"Well, if you also know the CEO of FORMAL, then why not speak to him?"

"He will probably dismiss me as well. Besides he's not about crime. He deals more with trying to keep things cheerful. He's a leader, and that's all he's really good at." Daniel elaborated.

Jennifer sighed. "He's not going to like this. I just hope neither of us gets in trouble."

Jennifer picked up the phone and called the police commissioner. "Hello, Commissioner Rodgers? Yes, Daniel told me your last name. Yes, Daniel is here, he would like to speak to you." Jessica then held the phone in front of her. "He would like to speak with you."

Daniel took the phone. "Hello Mr. Rodgers."

"Jennifer is only a desk clerk." Rodgers explained. The voice was not the same one he heard last time. Rodgers was likely using a different voice modulator "She isn't a high enough rank to know what you told her. But I'm not angry, what's done is done. So, what did you want?"

"As you are aware, my wife is awake."

"Yes. I know that. I'm one of the best on the force, why do you think Adam gave me this position instead of my opponent, Lewis Shock?"

"Because you're good at your job?"

"Let's put aside that discussion until later. So, what's this about your wife?"

"She has proclaimed to me that she was poisoned. She believes that it is connected to something that occurred seven years ago. A boy was allegedly assassinated and her niece Alissa told her all about it, however her recollection is still misty on the whole affair. I just wanted to look into it, that's all."

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. "So, let me get this straight. You want to investigate a killing that had not been reported to the police because your wife proclaimed that the reason, she was put into a medically induced coma was because her niece informed her of an assassination? Something that police generally don't look into to?"

"Yes."

"When did she claim she was poisoned?"

"Today, when I spoke to her."

"You see. A doctor stated that no crime was committed seven years ago. Back then I was just a detective first class, full of hopes and dreams. So, there is no case file, no police reports. The funny thing about Rhombodian law is that the statute of limitations of the crime committed against your wife doesn't expire until two years after the crime is reported."

"Wait, do you mean to say?"

"Yep. You recorded the whole conversation between you and her right?"

Daniel then had a shine of realization in his eyes. He realized that even though he was off the clock, he'd forgotten to turn off the recording devices on his body. Everything Eliza stated was on tape and backed up to system's cloud. "I didn't turn off the recorders upon my person."

"I believed you might have forgotten. All you need to do is file a report and have a senior officer sign off on it. It won't be difficult as you have evidence to back up the claim. Once it's in our system then you can investigate the matter to your heart's content. Just don't take two years to solve the case." Rodgers proclaimed in a joking manner which was hard to discern because of the robotic voice.

"Thank you, commissioner! I could kiss you." Daniel announced with extreme joy. "But, what crime do I put it under?"

"Illegally tempering with one's life. Seven years were taken away from her, that is the crime that I stated a few seconds ago. FORMAL hates when people don't get to enjoy their life so doing something that makes it impossible to live that life, like putting them into a medically induced coma against their will, is an offence as serious as murder, despite the ridiculously short statute of limitations for such a crime."

"But why don't they just extend the statute of limitations for Illegally tempering with one's life?"

"Because it's not murder."

Daniel nodded his head. "Well, that does make sense."

"Well. I suppose I should wish you luck in this situation. But if Edgar Everstone is the one who's responsible, then arresting him will be difficult, if not impossible."

"I didn't think I would be handling such a difficult case this early in my career." Daniel noted.

"Oh, and I suppose putting Simon George in that psych ward was a walk in the park?"

"Oh yeah. I forgot about that." Dan laughed. "Well farewell."

"Dan. Do you think you could tell me all about it when you solved the case. The words you use on your reports are so much less creative than when you personally explain your cases."

"I suppose I could do that." Daniel stated. "Farewell, commissioner." Dan then handed the phone back to Jennifer, she put it back into the holder.

"So, I take it that was good news." She noted.

"I guess I can't hide my smile." Daniel noted. "Well, I have a crime to report."

"What crime?" Jennifer questioned with a lot of confusion in her tone, and a raised eyebrow.

"Illegally tempering with one's life." Daniel proclaimed.

"But Elizabeth was poisoned seven years ago. The statute of limitations already expired."

"No, it didn't."

"What? Impossible."

"The commissioner stated that legally, the statute of limitations isn't put into place until after a crime is reported. In other words, because there was no report of her being poisoned seven years ago, it's as if it never happened and thus the police had no reason to put a statute of limitations on it. Isn't this planet great?"

"True. But what if the crime occurred on Earth, or in a Rhombodian country or city that isn't on board with FORMAL. They can get away with creating whatever rules they want. With a few exceptions."

"It happened here in Everleason. I was there seven years ago. She was found unconscious in her bedroom in Everstone mansion. This crime is in my jurisdiction. Once I report it, I can investigate."

"But you're off the clock."

"I don't mind not being paid for this case. I'm doing this for peace of mind more than anything else."

Jennifer nodded. "Well, I'm sorry for delaying you for so long. Why don't you go ahead and move on."

Daniel nodded. "It's okay. I better get moving, the more time I waste, the more chances Edgar and his friends get to discover Eliza's awareness."

Daniel walked off to make a report. Jennifer made a note on her notepad to buy books about Rhombodian law so that she'd know what to say if such a situation ever occurred again.

Daniel knocked on Captain Edwin Orange's door.

Captain Edwin opened the door. His hair was short and had five colours in it. It looked very similar to Adam Bolmer's hairdo. But Edwin and he looked nothing alike. Only their hair was similar. Daniel knew that Edwin was a huge fan of Adam. Other officers relayed many stories of Captain Orange dressing up as Adam for Halloween and visiting America for candy.

Behind Captain Orange there was a newspaper mounted on the wall. It had on the front-page FORMAL's defeat of North Korea. Adam found his way there and because he was an outsider you could guess what occurred. But now North Korea is under the control of FORMAL. Since then, it's been a far happier place.

"Hello Dr. Smith." Edwin stated. "What brings you here."

"I'd like to get you to sign off on a crime report that I'd like to file." Daniel explained.

"Did you fill out the paperwork?"

Dan slapped his face. "Not yet."

Edwin opened his drawer and took out some stationary, he printed a form out and handed a pen and the form to Daniel.

"Is this about your wife?"

Daniel was shocked that Edwin would say this. "You're aware of that?"

"Not just anyone could get my position. I had a feeling that something was wrong when she first went into a coma seven years ago. I was waiting for you to make a report on it so I could look into the matter, but now you want to take this on personally. But honestly, I'd rather have David Lancer on this."

"But he's not that good as far as I have experienced him."

"He's a little slower than you, sure, but he does get the job done."

"But why would you pick him?"

"Because Dan, you and I both have conflict of interest. For you the conflict is obvious, it was your wife who was poisoned after all. My conflict needs a little more explaining. Both of my children were caught in the midst of battle between two mafia families. The war was started by the Everstones so I have a hatred for Edgar as his actions inadvertently led to the death of my children. My wife has been so distraught that she is still in the psychological hospital. I'm just happy that you caught Simon so now they are both there together."

"I see. I suppose I should ask you why you believe Simon could help your wife finally recover. But right now, I have a crime to solve." Daniel filled the report and in the box that stated 'do you have any evidence to back up your claim to a crime?' He wrote down that the person effected by the crime was recorded with video and audio, they claimed that a crime was committed against them.

Edwin studied the sheet and without making a call to system to ask for a copy of the evidence Daniel described he signed it.

"Do you know how to use a satnav?" Edwin inquired.

"Are people with the Master Class ability good at everything they do?" Daniel replied.

"Alright. Here's the address of Alan Detimis." Edwin said with a smile and he wrote down the address of the man he mentioned and he handed it to Daniel.

"How did you know I was going to ask about him?"

"I may have been secretly looking into the matter in my free time. During my initial investigation I found out about Alissa and Micheal Detimis. Alissa refused to say anything other than her boyfriend was Micheal. Nobody has seen him for seven years. Everyone says that he went missing. I believe his father knew something, but he wouldn't speak to me."

Daniel nodded. "You are good, probably better than me."

Edwin laughed. "Of course, I'm better than you. As I stated earlier, not just anyone is made Captain of the police station. My fellow Rhombodian police captains are equally as good at mystery solving as I am."

Daniel stared in awe, as he picked up the crime report and address. "That's amazing."

"Well, thanks for visiting Daniel. I'll see you later. Good luck."

Daniel waved at Edwin and filed the crime report at the front desk.

"Looks like everything is in order." Jennifer noted. "Well, you're in the clear to investigate the crime, Daniel. Good luck."

Daniel laughed. "I think you already wished me good luck."

"Did I? Well, you can never have too many well-wishers." Jennifer replied with laughter. "Well, see you later."

"I suppose I will. Farewell." Daniel tipped his hat and he exited the police station.

Daniel was now able to do what he earlier thought would be impossible. He could look into a crime that in reality had no victim as Eliza was now well. But nevertheless, he was going to do what he can, as to him the stakes could not be any higher. He entered his car and put Alan's address in his sat nav and he proceeded along the best route the device gave.