An Eye for an Eye Series 2

An Eye for an Eye Series 2 Chapter 1 17 March 2016. CERB.
Previously:
"Doctor Harold Parkes of Alton City, 5th Upper Street, former head detective inspector of Alton City Police Department, you were responsible for this crime at the time it happened, yes?" asked a lawyer. "You were supposed to be protecting this city and yet someone slipped right through your fingers, yes?" asked a lawyer. "And you failed," said said.
"Released."
"What made you come back?" asked an examiner. "Well, you see, when a lawyer asked him if he was responsible etc., he said yes," said the examiner. "No," said the examiner.
"I intend to find out who they are."

An Eye for an Eye 2016.

"Any change, Suzie?" asked Harry. Dr. Harry Parkes was the former Detective Inspector of the Alton City Police Department, he had been sacked and then re-instated as the Commissioner.
"Yes, actually, Harry," said Suzanne. Dr. Suzanne Collins was the was the Assistant Detective Inspector but, in recent times, she had been the Acting Detective Inspector as the position was vacant. She's not acting anymore. Alton City has a new Detective Inspector.
"Did you say there has been a change?" asked Peter. Peter Wade-Matthews had joined the team when Dr. Harry's team had vanished and Harry was sacked but, when he returned and things picked up again, he quickly found out that he was the new Detective Inspector. It suits him too. DI Peter Wade-Matthews.
"Yes," said Suzanne. "Cerb, as we knew them before, have updated their title so that the letters in their name are all capitals now."
"Are they initials now then?" asked Peter.
"Um..." Suzanne tapped away at her laptop. "Nope, just capitals."
"So what's the point in that?" asked Peter.
"Looks better?" suggested Harry.
"Maybe.They have been doing weird things lately," said Suzanne.
"Where have my team gone anyway?" asked Harry.
"Nobody knows, Harry, according to the state records they don't exist anymore. We questioned their parents about their whereabouts," said Suzanne.
"And?" asked Harry.
"Well, that's the thing. They are all denying they were ever born. The state has no record of any of their Birth Certificates and they haven't died. They are still very much alive," said Suzanne.
"That is genius," said Peter.
"You've missed a whole year of cases like this," said Suzanne.
"Whoa, you have a busy life," said Peter.
"We love it," said Harry and Suzanne in unison, then they looked at each other strangely.
"That was scary and a little bit weird," said Peter.
"We have no proof that your team existed," said Suzanne.
"But they're still alive," said Harry.
"Yes, they are," said Suzanne.
"Then they must be somewhere," said Peter.
"Yes, thank you, Peter, they must," said Harry.
"They all apparently ceased to exist at the same time," said Suzanne.
"Strange. Very strange," said Harry. "Can't you track them down online?" asked Harry.
"We have done that," said Suzanne, "but they don't give any real locations or names. Their parents gave them code names, Fluffy, Murmersea, Mindssandals, Lunationpiles, Anemiastellar, Specificwhirl, Ripplingperturb, Curvesybase, Isometrymolybdenum and Coronagraphdistricts. Only four of them have set locations. Fluffy is is Clementine, Lunationpiles is in Eggbedd, Ripplingperturb is in Rake-end and Coronagraphdistricts is in Backway. See the pattern?"
"I don't," said Peter.
Suzanne's head nearly came off as she looked at him. "CERB!" she half-shouted at him.
"Oh, yes, yes, I saw that one," said Peter half-heartedly.
"What are they playing at?" asked Harry.
"I don't know," said Suzanne. "It's like CERB appears out of the blue and suddenly they have a cult," said Suzanne.
"Yes! That must be it!" exclaimed Harry.
"It's like Autogang all over again," said Peter.
"No, Peter, it isn't," said Harry.
"It is, it is!" exclaimed Peter.
"No, it isn't. When Autogang appeared out of the blue, no-one disappeared, we knew what kind of service they were and we got a newspaper article telling us who was working for them. Autogang is our closest ally," said Harry.
"There is that," said Peter. He looked defeated.
"We'll train you up, Peter, don't worry," said Suzanne, laughing slightly.
"This CERB business is very fishy," said Harry. "Suzanne, Peter, with me, we have questioning to do. I don't like this one bit," said Harry.
"What's wrong?" asked Peter.
"I think I know what's happened to my team," said Harry.
"You do?" asked Suzanne. "What's that then?"
"I think they've been kidnapped. I think they're being held hostage and I think their parents are trying to tell us that in altering their profiles," said Harry.
NEXT TIME:
The car pulled up outside Tina's house. She had sort of been the main gal in the team.
"Well, someone's in anyway," said Harry. "It is all good news."

By Liam Hickey
L + J 2016.

An Eye for an Eye Series 2 Chapter 2 24 March 2016. Chinese Whispers.
The car pulled up outside Tina's house. Why Tina's? She had sort of been the main gal in the team.
Harry look out of the window in the driver's seat. "Well, someone's in anyway," said Harry.
"How can you tell just by staring at the house?" asked Peter.
"The curtain moved," said Suzanne.
"Exactly," said Harry. "Right, you two stay here, if I need you, I will signal, little wag of the finger," said Harry.
"Supposing I miss it?" asked Peter.
"Well, hopefully, you won't miss Suzanne getting out of the car or, from her point of view, she won't leave you behind," said Harry. He opened the door and got out. He walked up the drive and knocked on the door.
Tina's mum answered.
"Spring!" exclaimed Harry. "Good to see you. Is Tina in?" he asked.
"Oh, get in and shut the door, you fool," said Spring. She dragged Harry in and shut the door.
In the car, Suzanne flinched. "That didn't look good," she said.
"Do we go in?" asked Peter.
"No," said Suzanne. "He didn't give the sign."
"Supposing he's in trouble," said Peter.
"His fault," said Suzanne.
Back in the house, Tina's mum and Harry were sitting having a cup of tea.
Harry paused having his cup of tea. "They were kidnapped, weren't they?" asked Harry. "They were kidnapped by whoever CERB are and you were very clever parents and you altered their profiles because you knew we'd look at them and you told us who has them, didn't you?" asked Harry.
Tina's mum glanced at Harry then looked away.
Harry saw. "Spring, that is what happened, isn't it?" he asked.
Spring ignored him.
"Spring?" asked Harry forcibly.
Spring shook her head.
"It wasn't?!" spluttered Harry.
"No," said Spring.
"But..." Garry looked at Spring urgently. "Spring, tell me everything," he said.
Spring took a big breath and told Harry absolutely everything, then she made him swear secrecy.
Harry swore secrecy then thanked her and left. He got back into the car.
"Harry?" asked Suzanne.
Harry drove off.
"Harry, what's happened?" asked Peter.
Harry parked at the station and rushed them all inside. "I know who CERB are," he said. "My team weren't kidnapped."
"They weren't?!" spluttered Peter.
"Shut up," said Harry.
Peter flinched.
"No, they weren't," said Harry.
"None of this sounds like good news," said Suzanne. "Is any of it good news?" she asked.
"Yes," said Harry.
"What part?" asked Peter.
"All of it. It is all good news."
NEXT TIME:
"It's all good news?" asked Suzanne.
"We don't even know if they are on our side!"
"Special ops!" exclaimed Suzanne.
Dr. Harold Parkes' hour was coming and he was very very scared about it.


By Liam Hickey
Fflat 2016
(Used to be L + J Productions)

An Eye for an Eye Series 2 Finalé Chapter 3 31 March 2016. Revelation.
"It's all good news?" asked Suzanne.
"What good could come from a disappearing team and a mystery organisation that pops up out of the blue?" asked Peter. "We don't even know if they're on our side!"
"They are," said Harry.
"Special ops!" exclaimed Suzanne. "Another one."
"Well, not really, this one is totally secret," said Harry.
"True," said Peter.
The phone rang suddenly.
"That's them," said Harry.
"That's them?!" exclaimed Suzanne. "What are they calling here for?" she asked.
"To confirm the appointment," said Harry.
"What appointement?" asked Peter.
"We're going to see them. Last part of the investigation. Proving who CERB are," said Harry. He answered the phone.
Suzanne and Peter watched him.
"There's something very strange about all this," said Suzanne.
"He's grinning," said Peter.
"He is," said Suzanne.
"It's good to hear you voice," said Harry and hung up.
"To hear who's voice?" asked Peter.
"Ssh," said Suzanne. "When?" she asked.
"Ten," said Harry.
"We'd better set off then," said Suzanne.
"Why? We'll be miles too early," said Peter.
"No, we won't. It's 09:50," said Suzanne.
"Oh. My watch has stopped," said Peter.
The three of them went out and got into the car. They drove for 7 minutes until they got to the CERB HQ.
There was a man waiting for them in a black suit. When they pulled them into the car park, he ushered them into the biggest space, then beckoned for them to get out.
The three of them were led out, across the courtyard and into reception.
"That's strange, we're in a hotel reception," said Harry.
The man in the suit nodded to the girl on reception.
The girl on reception pressed a button and four of the bookshelves swung forward to reveal hidden doors.
"Stylish," said Peter.
They were led in through one of the doors and, once they were inside, there was a clunk as the bookshelves slid back into place. Now they were in a very different reception.
"ACPD guests?" asked the receptionist.
The main in the suit nodded.
"Fourteenth floor, first room," said the receptionist.
The man in the suit didn't move.
"Oh, by ourselves. Come on then," said Harry. They got into the lift and up they went.
"I'm glad the man in the suit didn't accompany us," said Peter while in the lift. "He was giving me the creeps," said Peter.
"Agreed," said Harry and Suzanne in unison.
"Fourteenth Floor. Doors opening," said the lift.
"Here we go," said Harry. He led them out of the lift. "First room, they said, yeah?" asked Harry.
"Yes," came a voice from inside the room.
Suzanne looked shocked. "But that sounded like..."
Harry grinned and led them into the room. "Peter, Suzanne, behold, CERB!" exclaimed Harry.
The room was dimly lit by four lights. It was a very big room and had thick black curtains covering the floor-to-ceiling windows, blocking out all light. In the middle of the room was a large oak table that could seat well over two hundred people.
Peter had done the observing.
Suzanne had walked into the room and seen the people sitting at the table.
Harry had grinned at her reaction.
"Tina and the team! You're CERB!" exclaimed Suzanne.
"Yes, but you mustn't tell anyone," whispered Tina while grinning, then she winked.
Suzanne smiled.
"Please, everyone, sit down. Tea? Coffee?" asked Tina.
"Tea, please," said Harry.
"Coffee, please," said Suzanne.
"Do you do hot chocolate?" asked Peter.
"We do do hot chocolate," said Tina, smiling. "We do do," she laughed. "Sorry, would you like some?" she asked.
"Please," said Peter.
"We'll wait until we all have beverages, then we will answer any questions." Tina poured all the drinks and handed them out. Then, with her mocha, she sat down. "Where shall we start?" she asked.
"The night I was sacked," said Harry.
"Our first jobs were in the Alton City Police Department and we felt right as a team so we decided, as an act of gratitude towards you, we would be of no use to anyone but ourselves if we were no use to you, so we decided to "disappear", to make it look like we vanished right under people's noses. We found an abandoned skyscraper and did it up. There are still things to add," said Tina.
"What about during the hearing?" asked Harry.
"We had a man on the inside," said Tina.
"Who?" asked Harry.
"I can't tell you that," said Tina.
"And when I was re-instated?" asked Harry.
"By then, CERB had come too far to give up so we went drinking. Your release was a victory for us so we drank to it and your new job. Congratulations! And congratulations to you, Peter, on becoming the new Detective Inspector! I always thought I would succeed you, Harry, but, of course, when you run away and set up your own organisation, that possibility is thrown out the window but I am Commissioner here now so it doesn't matter."
"Who is your Detective Inspector?" asked Harry.
"No-one here. No-one in this room, I mean. He's a new guy. Drew Blake," said Tina.
"Oh, OK," said Harry. "May I request that CERB be made Alton City Police Department's closest ally?" asked Harry.
"We made sure of that when we set up," said Tina.
"So, Autogang are pushed down one then," said Harry.
"Yes," said Tina.
"Who are CERB, Tina?" asked Harry.
"We are," smiled Tina.
"Harry means it's not just you, is it? Who else is working here?" asked Suzanne.
"I can't tell you that," said Tina.
"Yeah but what services do you have?" asked Peter.
"Oh, information on all crimes, a department for all types of crime, war, terrorism, even natural disasters, we have departments for forest fires, tornadoes, blizzards, fire whirls, fire tornadoes. We also have a staff pub, newsagent, café, restaurant, guest section and Retcon centre, staff quarters with all the requirements to feel at home. We have a snippet of everything here," said Tina.
"Retcon?" asked Harry.
"Yes, we can't risk guests blabbing about all this, can we?" asked Tina.
"And you live here? All of you?" asked Suzanne.
"Yes. We like to know that everything is concealed and secret. I dread the day of the CERB scandal," said Tina.
After this, the talk turned very informal for a while.
Before Harry, Suzanne and Peter left, Tina made them swear to secrecy and they did. Tina trusted them though so it was very easy.

Later on, back at the station, Suzanne and Peter were wrapping up, closing and completely wiping the case from existence.
A note had been left on Harry's desk. Harry knew it was strange straight away. They had locked up the station when they left and they were now the only three using the building. Harry was reading the note again and again, trying to work out how much time he had left. The note read "Kill yourself or we'll do it for you". He had done nothing about it yet. Suzanne and Peter didn't even know the note existed. The note wasn't signed, neither was it dated. It was impossible to tell how long since it had been placed. Dr. Harold Parkes' hour was coming and he was very scared about it.

An Eye for an Eye will return in the Summer.

Written by
Liam Hickey
Fflat 2016.