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Alternity 2 - Chapter 13
Date: CY 10091 - AD Mar 5168 Day SixLocation: Mohendjo Daro
Beka was awakened by the sound of someone knocking on the door to her hotel room. She opened one eye, looked around then gave the man sleeping next to her a nudge. "Someone's knocking," she said. "Go see who it is."
Tyr rolled over and grunted, "Why me?' he asked. "You're closer to the door."
"You only have to put your pants on," countered Beka. "I'd have to find something to cover up top and bottom. And besides if it's someone who wants to sell us something you look scarier."
Muttering imprecations Tyr found his pants where they had been tossed on the floor, put them on, reached under his pillow to retrieve the pistol he had lent Beka the other night and then opened the door.
It was Harkness. From where the private investigator was standing he could look into the room and see not only a half dressed Nietzschean but Beka as well, still in bed with a sheet pulled up to her chin. Fortunately for the health of both men and the condition of the room's furniture he refrained from saying anything but the raised eyebrow spoke volumes.
"Lieutenant O' Riley asked me to pick you two up, " he said, " He got his warrant sooner than he expected and he wants you with him when he visits Drummond. I'll be waiting for you in the lobby. Don't take long dressing the Ell Tee's in a bit of a rush.
A few minutes later Beka and Try were riding in Harkness' car. The private investigator didn't say anything when they climbed in, instead handing them a thermos and a pair of cups. To Beka's intense relief the thermos contained coffee. She sipped the life giving fluid slowly while Harkness talked.
"Venst's assistant must have put up some resistance before he was subdued. There was blood under one of his uncrushed fingers that belonged to somebody else. On a hunch Lieutenant O' Riley asked that the blood be compared against that of Drummmond's bodyguards. Turns out the blood matched the human's so he got his warrant expedited. Suspicion of complicity to murder rather than just simple assault "
A few moments of driving brought them to Drummond's home. Drummond lived in the top story suite of one of the more exclusive residential towers in the city. When Beka and the others arrived O' Riley was already waiting in the lobby of the building along with two uniformed police officers, one of whom was one of the woman who had been with Harkness the other day. Introductions were made then the party entered the elevator to take them to Drummond's suite.
Once inside the elevator Tr gave the woman his most menacing look and growled. The woman actually squeaked in terror.
"Watch it Nietzschean," said Harkness "or you'll be waiting outside in the car while the rest of us get on with the investigation."
"Do you think you can put me there, kludge?" asked Tyr giving Harkness the same look he had given the woman.
"We're about to find out," answered Harkness totally unaffected by Tyr's glower.
"Enough, both of you!". snapped Beka stepping between the two men while wondering if there was such a thing as testosterone poisoning and if both men were suffering from it. "Play alpha male someplace else and on your own time. Tyr, stop frightening the locals. Harkness, we're not going to get this investigation done if you keep butting heads with my partner."
Neither man apologized but the tension went out of both of them. Seeing that she wasn't going to be caught in the middle of a fight Beka reached past O'Riley and pushed the elevator's up button.
Once the elevator deposited them on Drummond's floor O' Riley rang the door door buzzer and spoke into the intercom. " Lieutenant O' Riley Palmyra police. Open the door please." There was no response O' Riley repeated the procedure with the same results.
"Can't you ask the management to open the door for you?" asked Beka.
"We already checked with the lobby," said O' Riley. "Apparently Mr Drummond received permission to install his own locks and security system and didn't give management a pass card."
"In that case," said Harkness as he opened the briefcase he had taken from the car with him when they had arrived at the tower. He removed what looked like a standard electronic pass card that was attached to a cable of some sort, the other end of the cable connected to the briefcase.
"If I didn't know you better, Mike," said O'Riley. I'd swear you were in possession of illegal burglary tools."
"Why, Zacharia, I'm shocked. What would make you think I would ever do something illegal?' asked Harkness.
"You're right," retorted the police lieutenant. 'That can't be what I think it is. Using a pass key override system requires brains."
Harkness ignored the comeback concentrating on something in the briefcase. Beka noticed a surprised look cross his face and moved to look over his shoulder .He was studying a display embedded in the lid of the briefcase. He tapped in some commands on a keyboard beside the display and gave a grunt of satisfaction as the door lock released with an audible 'click'
"Imagine that," announced Harkness. "He forgot to lock his door. Zacharia, as a concerned citizen I'm requesting that you investigate this. Someone might have taken advantage of Mr Drummond's oversight and broken in."
Weapons drawn the police followed by Harkness, Beka., and Tyr entered the suite. To no ones great surprise the suite appeared deserted. "Check the place out, " ordered O' Riley as he holstered his weapon, "but watch what you touch. I'll request Lab send a team here on the double."
The two uniformed officers checked out the other rooms and reported back that the suite was indeed deserted. Meanwhile O' Riley was in the room that looked as if it was used by Drummond as his office staring thoughtfully at one wall.
"Is there a problem Lieutenant?" asked Beka.
"I studied the floor plan of this suite before I came over here. This room seems to small. That wall," he pointed to the wall he had been staring at, "should be set back about meter further in than it is. Mike, get over here."
When the private investigator came over O' Riley explained the situation. Harkness nodded his understanding and removed another tool from his briefcase. To Beka's untrained eyes it was simply a metal rod attached to a pair of earphones. Harkness put the earphones over his ears and the walked up to the wall where he commenced to wave the rod over the wall. After a moment he stepped back and removed the earphones.
"You're right Zacharia. There is another room back there. The door's right here" He waved his wand down the middle of the wall.
"Can you open it?" asked O' Riley.
"Given enough time," responded Harkness, "but your lab guys will probably be able to do it faster."
"They won't be here for at least another hour." said O' Riley. "Why don't you give it a shot."
"I'll do it," interjected Tyr, he had been growing restless, being a passive spectator was not something he was used to doing. As he spoke he removed his belt, then pulled the lining off the back of the belt. He removed a concealed knife from his waistband and carefully cut the lining into three strips then just as carefully laid the strips along the line that Harkness had indicated earlier where the strips adhered to the wall. "Detonation cord," he explained noticing the rest of the groups' puzzled looks. "Never leave home without it." Making sure that the end of each strip was in contact with the next. He next removed the buckle from his belt; a small piece of wire about two feet long unraveled when he did so. He placed the wire into one of the strips of belt lining and did something with the buckle itself. "Stand back," he ordered. There was a flash of light and an acrid smell as the strips of detonation cord ignited. An instant later a segment of the wall slid away to reveal another small office.
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