No Ordinary Incident Scene

Mokena police department, front desk area, Mokena, Illinois, USA, Earth, December 12th, 2006, 2:17 PM

Daniel walks into the station through the portal.

"Hey, cool, another Rhombodian." A deep voice said with a surfer's accent.

Daniel looked over to the 145cm male wearing a red Hawaiian shirt and short badge pants. His legs were hairy, almost like he was of Mediterranean decent. His hair was dirty and smelt like seaweed, you could see one or two bulbs in there. Daniel was shocked to see such a man dressed such away during an northern USA winter where there wasn't any nearby waves.

"Actually, I'm an Earthling, I just came from Rhombodian." Dan explained to the strange man.

"Oh, bummer. I am Ryan Coyote by the way." He stated.

"Um, OK. You don't work here though." Dan noted.

"Oh right, I was just signing off on my community service duties, 5 more days and I can go back to surfing."

"Really? It looks like you just came back from surfing. Beside why are you wearing that? The ground is covered in at least 3 inches of snow out there." Dan said as he peered out the window.

"The cold don't bother me. I'm a Linthero with fire abilities."

Dan nodded. "Ah yes, that would explain it." Dan walked over to the tall skinny man behind the front desk. He was 172cm tall, short brown hair with a very basic style, he also had heterochromia, his left eye was blue while his right eye was green. He had no facial hair excluding his kempt brow and lovely lashes.

"Greetings, Badge #9797, how can I assist you?" The skinny man asked.

"Well Alan, I came here by the request of David Lancer." Daniel stated, taking a quick glance at Alan's badge to see his name.

"It is as they say, nothing escapes an owlmeirey's sight." Alan replied and he chuckled. "I'll summon Lance and Leon for you."

He typed into his computer and Daniel went to sit down.

Daniel sat for about two minutes before David Lancer and Leon Barracuda made their appearances.

"Oh good." David stated with one of his famous cigarettes in his mouth and his famous overcoat looking cleaner than ever. "For a moment, I thought you weren't coming."

"Are you serious Lance?" Leon stated with shock. "This mummy is the guy that is going to help us get to the bottom of what happened to that train?"

"You better not let the Egyptians know of my escape," Dan retorted. "I've already spent one thousand years next to Tutankhamen, and let's just say he's not as great as a roommate as the history books will make you believe."

"Well, at least he's funny." Leon relayed. "But is he good?"

"Is he good?!" David announced in shock. "Is he good? This guy has solved 19 mysteries so far, and some of them were complicated and some were very interesting."

"Pfft. I have more flight hours than this guy has mysteries under his belt." Leon stated to David. "But, if you say he's good, Lance, then I'm willing to take him to the crash scene."

Leon then made his way out of the police station.

"He's quite the character." Daniel noted.

"You don't need to tell me twice. I was quite the character when we first met." David replied.

"Well, the difference is, one: we have grown to become friends, and two: I actually liked you and found you quite tolerable when that meeting occurred." Daniel admitted.

David scratched the back of his head modestly. "Really, I always wondered what you thought of that first encounter."

"Come on, let's get going before Leon decides to drive off." Daniel announced and headed out. David followed behind him.

They soon arrived at Leon's somewhat beat-up navy-blue SUV. There was a decal on the side that spelled out NTSB.

"Did the government give you that?" Daniel inquired.

"Ol' Betsy here? Do you think they'd let tin kickers like me drive around in a rusty old car like this? Nah, this is my own vehicle which I purchased with all my hard-earned money." Leon explained.

"Don't tell me you actually named it Betsy." David stated in a confounded tone.

"What? No. Derek is a boy car. I only said Ol' Betsy because I hear it all the time when you describe something that is in bad shape." Leon relayed.

"Well, may we hop into Derek now? So, we can discuss further why you wished for detectives to join your side?" Daniel asked.

Leon nodded and unlocked his SUV. He helped Dan and David into the car and after they had strapped themselves in, he went to his seat and started the vehicle.

"We can discuss it during the drive." Leon announced and began the route to the derailment location.

"Now that we are on the road," Dan stated. "Would someone mind informing me what all of this is about?"

"Listen, you're here because David asked you to join him." Leon stated. "Your presence has nothing to do with me. As for David, he was recommended by the FBI to assist in this matter. You'd be surprised how excellent he can work when you get him in the right mood."

"Thanks." David relayed. "If I could bow, I would."

"I see, but why would the FBI want anything to do with a train coming off the track? It is usually the job of the NTSB to solve cases dealing with mass transit incidents… unless there is something more sinister at play." Daniel added.

"David wasn't lying, you cotton on quite quickly. The driver of the train was murdered, and I'm completely certain of that." Leon announced.

"Were you aware of that, David?" Dan asked.

David shook his head. "No. This is the first I've heard of it too."

"So, you don't want any of this going public until the culprit is caught, right?" Dan asked Leon.

"Well, wouldn't you be a bit perturbed if you heard that after a train derailed the person operating it was found to be murdered? America won't rest easy if they heard about this, that I can assure you." Leon explained.

Dan put his hand to his chin thoughtfully and nodded. "Yes, yes, quite right. No need to place fear into the people of this country than necessary."

Leon almost turned his head toward Dan (who was in the back of the car) in anger. But he didn't as he needed to keep his eyes on the road.

"Do you think this country is run by fear?" Leon inquired.

"I think it's run by idiocy," Dan relayed. "50 states, and you still can't be together."

"Those confederates made their decision. They deserve what they bargain for." Leon added.

Daniel shook his head. "How about the people of colour? Did they also get what they deserved?"

"What? No, in fact, I think the blacks should make some whites slaves just to equal the balance."

"But slavery is wrong." David interjected.

"Oh, what is imprisonment then? They are forced to do things they don't want to, are they not slaves too?"

"Well, obviously, that's different. Those guys did something bad to get treated bad." David added. "But it's still not right. Everleason does its prison system right."

"Guys, we are off topic." Daniel interjected. "Besides, we are closing in on our destination, I can see the sideways train from here." He added, looking out the window.

"Oh, thanks Dan. I would have passed it if you didn't say anything." Leon relayed.

The trio exited Leon's SUV. Officers from New Lenox and Mokena along with members of the FBI were all joining forces with one another to help move the injured away from the wreck, whilst also keeping the area where the body was found clear.

The trio made their way past all the random people of different sizes and tones of skin. Not one stood out among the others, like it was an amalgamation of people, and you couldn't point out a single person for their individuality as they would get pushed away or move on before you could even see anything notable about them. All tattoos, birthmarks, facial hair and head hear styles were all just a blur to Dan and the rest of the trio.

Soon, Leon had returned to where he was earlier, the front of the lead car. The blanket of snow upon the forest floor was light, and there was a tarp a few meters above the sight and the whole area was enclosed, but kept at a low temperature to ensure that the snow didn't melt and erase any other evidence that it may have erased whilst the emergency crews were on their way to the incident when they first heard of it.

"Greetings, Leon. Who are your two friends?" Asked a man with a thick body and a thin blue jumper, he didn't really need a jumper as his fat was enough to insulate him from the cold. He had a small amount of light blonde hair on his scalp, green eyes, thin eyebrows, a thick moustache and three stars on his right cheek, they were a deep brown, they were his birthmarks. He wore an FBI uniform, and his badge was 20% larger than a regulation FBI badge. He had blue gloves on his hands and blue booties covering his shoes.

"Carlos Torres, this is David Lancer and Dr D S Smith." Leon stated.

"Ah, the great detectives Dan and Lancer. I should have realized it was you. I've seen you in photos in news articles. But that just says that they don't do your profiles well if I can't recognise you in person." Carlos replied in his jolly voice.

"Let me guess," David added. "You're going to be dressing up as Santa for the holidays."

Carlos laughed. "You truly are good. That was off topic from this investigation, and yet it is true."

David shook his head.

"So that over there is the driver?" Daniel stated as he looked at Adrian's dead body.

"It certainly is." Carlos stated.

"His clothes are wet, and his face is covered in dirt. He must have been thrown from the train and landed face first." Daniel noted.

"I already did the necessary deducing earlier to know this was murder." Leon interjected while standing proudly.

Daniel noted. "Where did the metal piece come from exactly?"

"It came from the lead car." Leon added. "Trust me, I'm an NTSB investigator."

Daniel nodded and he closed in on the lead car and David followed behind him.

Daniel looked around the controls to the train and David looked closer to the tracks.

David spotted a speck of purple, and Daniel looked in the control area and noted that the window that used to be to the right of the driver's seat was broken. The window on the left side, which was directly below him was intact, the item that was needed to break the window was nowhere to be seen. Daniel also noted that there wasn't much glass below the shattered pane.

"Dan!" David announced. Daniel slowly climbed back down and joined David's side.

"Something troubling you David?" Dan inquired.

"No, but look, I found a piece of purple wool over here." David spoke, showing Daniel the piece of fabric which he had just obtained.

Daniel gestured to Leon to come over. Leon noticed and walked over to Dan and David; Carlos followed behind.

"Leon, that piece in the victim..." Dan stated.

"Adrian Deux." Leon interrupted.

"Right, did that fragment come from anywhere near here?" Dan finished and gestured a circle in the general area that was beside David. "Yes, I do believe it did. I think if we did a reconstruction, we'd find that the piece came from within 2 feet of this area."

Daniel nodded. "Do you have police dogs, Carlos?"

"Why?" Carlos inquired.

"Well, there was only one person in the lead car, correct?" Dan inquired.

"It's not that type of train." Leon stated. "But none of the people who were supposed to be in the lead car were in the lead car when the accident occurred. Adrian sounded the trains alarm and must have informed people to back up into different cars."

Daniel nodded. "My bad, but were any of those people wearing purple?"

"How am I supposed to know? The cameras on board are still monochrome, besides nobody we found was wearing something made from purple wool." Leon added.

"But there is the possibility, albeit small, that this piece of wool came from the killer, what are the odds that a piece of wool would be found near to where the murder weapon came from would not be related to the crime?" Dan asked.

"I'm not a statistician," Carlos interjected, "but even I believe that this thread of purple may be relevant."

"Then, let's find out more about it." Dan announced.

Carlos nodded and whistled out. A big golden retriever approached panting and begging for a pet. Carlos gave him a good scratching and then presented the wool to him. "Hector, follow this scent!" Carlos instructed. Hector sniffed the wool and barked.

Hector put his nose to the ground, trying his best to track the scent. The four humans followed the dog through the snow and outside of the veiled area, they soon arrived at a tree that was 200 meters away from the lead cabin. Upon one of its branches, not too far from the ground, was a purple wool jumper with a hood. It had two pockets and one of them was bulging as if there was something contained within.

Hector barked at it. Carlos whistled and Hector put his paw to Carlos' knee and Carlos gave Hector a treat and pet him.

Daniel took a pair of gloves from the container on his belt and fished out what was in the pocket. It was a black mask, a plastic one that had signs of damage after being shoved into the jumper's pockets. It was one that could cover your whole face. "Carlos, would you mind checking this for prints?"

Carlos nodded and took Dan's forensics kit from his belt and dusted the mask. But nothing. He sniffed the mask. "This has been wiped with baby wipes." He announced. "Inside and out."

"I guess it would have been too easy if we found something. Is there any hair in it?" Dan inquired.

"Julia!" Carlos announced. A 158cm tall female with long light strawberry blonde hair and deep brown eyes, a muscled build and an FBI uniform, wearing the same gloves and booties as Carlos but in different sizes swung down from a nearby tree with a rope.

"Yes," Julia stated in a light but adventurous voice, she had a slight pirate accent that she was obviously using for show. "What can I do for ye?"

"Could you bring a lint collector up here?" Carlos asked.

"Aye, I was using one t' other day after Hector messed up t' interior of me land ship." Julia added, and she then pulled on her rope to get its full length back and began using it once again to adventure her way back to her car.

"Who was that?" Daniel inquired.

"Julia Petterson, she really is something." Carlos relayed.

"I think childishness should stop by the age of 15." David relayed in frustration.

"She'll grow on you." Carlos added.

"Well, that can't happen to me," Dan stated. "She has already made a place in my memories." Daniel chuckled.

Carlos laughed. "Good one. It's already happened, so it can't happen again."

David rolled his eyes. "I mean, if Dan gets dementia, then it can happen again."

"Spoil sport." Carlos relayed.

"Don't mind him, he's just being David." Dan stated. "Why don't you tell me more about the victim while we wait Carlos?"

"While you two do that," Leon added, Dan, David and Carlos looked at him. They didn't forget his presence. "I'll head back to where the train came off the rails to determine the cause."

"I have an idea of the order of events already." Dan stated.

"Then, let's get that out of the way before I leave. Dan, what do you believe were the order of events." Leon inquired.

"Adrian spotted something that would cause the derailment, so he put on the brakes, but he also realised that the train would not be able to stop in time, the derailment was an inevitability. He warned his passengers, which is why nobody who were in the lead car were there when the train came to rest. Adrian then took the window breaking tool and started working on the trains window, the door must have jammed. Suddenly the train moved violently leftward, and he was tossed out of the train as well as the window breaking tool. After that the train toppled to its right." Daniel deduced.

Leon nodded. "That's what I thought too. The jolt to the left must be why there was enough rightward momentum to cause the train to topple."

Daniel nodded. "Now that that is sorted, let's speak about Adrian Deux."

Carlos nodded and Leon was on his way back to the train to search for more clues.

"What is there to say about Adrian?" Carlos asked himself. "Well, despite his well-meaning reputation, there seems to be something dark about him."

"That's interesting," David interjected. "What do you mean by that exactly?" He stated as he took out a magical cigarette.

"He's been investigated at least seven times by the anti-corruption board." Carlos stated.

"Impossible." Dan stated. "Apologies if that was an interruption. But it is my understanding that not a single person on Rhombodian has surpassed three investigations by the board before having an indictment made toward them, yet Adrian has been investigated seven times over his lifetime and he is still able to drive a train. How can what you say possibly be true?"

"Well, those are Rhombodian statistics, and all cities with a population of at least 1000 have an ACB office, including Mokena and New Lenox. It was the Joliet ACB that was responsible for those investigations, and can you guess who staffs that building?" Carlos asked

"Lazy Americans?" Daniel inquired.

"Exactly. FORMAL is giving them 10 times minimum wage to just laze about all day. Who's to say they even did those investigations properly."

"That can't be right, how could FORMAL let them get away with it?" Daniel inquired.

"Well, lazy Americans are actually smarter than you were made to believe, if they can find a way to get out of trouble, they would find ten ways to get out of trouble."

"That is frightening. I will be certain to check this trouble with the ACB of Joliet out."

Carlos nodded and David did too. "Is there anything else you can tell us about Adrian, maybe a reason for why he was killed after his train came off the rails?" David inquired.

"There's not a single person I know who would want to kill him, only because I'm from Washington DC. But there are some officers from New Lenox nearby that may know more." Carlos relayed.

"One more thing," Dan added. "Did Adrian have any family?"

"Why yes. His mother Winter, his father Stuart and his wife Veronica." Carlos relayed.

"I see. Where are his mother and father?" Dan inquired.

"In a retirement facility in Hawaii."

"How about his wife." David inquired.

"Adrain owned the house with the address of 126 E Benton St in Joliet, maybe check there." Carlos added.

Suddenly the adventurous yell of Julia Petterson could be heard closing in. She swung in again from her rope.

"Avast, maties!" She proclaimed. "Here be the treasure ye be wanting." She gave her lint collector to Carlos.

"Time to see if those wipes the killer used can truly clean everything." Carlos announced and he used the lint collector on every nook and cranny, but there was nothing. "Damn, the wipes cleaned everything."

"Not everything." Daniel stated and took down the wool jumper.

"What's the matter Daniel?" Carlos inquired with a confused look on his face, but David knew that Daniel was five steps ahead of everyone once again and began to think, and as Daniel slowly removed the jumper from the branch it was attached to, a slow realisation came to him, and he knew exactly what Daniel was about to say.

"Of course!" David announced. "That's brilliant."

"I'm sorry." Carlos added. "But what in hell is going on."

"It's Hector." Dan relayed. "He is not antsy anymore."

Carlos slapped his face as he realised it too. "Ah, now it makes sense."

"What be it you scallywags are talking about?" Julia inquired.

"Smell this, Captain Julia." Dan stated and presented the jumper to Julia.

"It smells heavily of roses." Julia stated and moved back in disgust. "Don't ya know that this lady only enjoys the finest sea scents?"

"But it's precisely the scent that tells us the story. The killer sprayed this garment more than 24 hours before they committed their crime because they thought that there was a possibility in which we would get a dog involved." Dan explained.

"The killer was covering up their scent. They probably didn't wear this jumper for long enough for the smell from it to go onto their body." Carlos added.

"Moreover," Dan continued. "I think it is possible that the killer had a perfume on them to use just in case the dog continued to track their scent. This person is cleaver. Very cleaver. But that hasn't stopped me before."

"So, we have a crafty killer." Carlos stated. "That sure beats the tedium of having easy access to all of the FBI tools and solving mysteries in short time frames."

"That reminds me. David and I need to check the surveillance of the cameras aboard the train. We should speak to Leon about that, he would know how to access them." Dan relayed.

"And, while we are over there," David added, "We'll get in contact with the Joliet police department to see what they have to say about our victim." David added.

Daniel and David waved goodbye to the two people and Hector the dog and walked back toward the tracks.