ANGEL BLUE [1]

LEAD 30: habeas corpus

      In front of me is hundreds of paper sheets signed off by Special Agent Oliver Quade, many of the cases aren’t linked to Angel Blue―but all are what I’ve classified ‘extermination’ cases, meaning that Quade’s become a human wrecking ball and demolishes every single viable piece of evidence, witness reports and taken over the investigation all because an FBI Agent’s been afflicted with the case.

      Quade must think he’s getting lucky with ours, but I believe he knows more than what he intentionally lets on. One week from Christmas and around two without Nikita is becoming a challenge for all on Angel Blue, and Quade’s trying to poke through the cracks in our armour.

      Quade paces the Loft, since we had no other option but to show him where most of our work took place. There wasn’t much for him to stick his nose into since Nikita told us to scrap everything before his ‘accident’. The way Quade scuffs his heels gets on my nerves along with the way he clicks a silver Parker pen with his right thumb.

      Inhale. Click. Exhale. Click. Inhale. Click.

      I’m sitting cross legged in front of the whiteboard with my eyes closed to try and piece together what Nikita wants me to know, but haven’t I figured it out already? It’s the FBI, they want this grand Final Solution to be set in place for the people’s safety, I’m on my guard―that being said, there’s something missing, the final piece.    

      Exhale. Click. Inhale. Click. Exhale. Click.

      Perhaps I’m just building evidence on top of even more evidence, getting lost and muddled in my own thoughts. Nikita wants me to start off with a clean slate, not just with Angel Blue, but with my mind. The FBI as an organisation is my target focus, but what about them? Why Quade and Pingelly? It’s time to go back to the roots of Angel Blue, and I know only one person who has enough information to piece this puzzle together.

      Henry Nikita.

      Nikita’s become a problem, because Alkaios can’t perform the revival ritual because (a) the blasphemous book was burned and (b) everyone on team AB has told Quade nothing of Nikita’s appearance in Manhattan or his elusive activities. So to resurrect him from his comatose state, a pawn must be implicated. I must loose in order to gain.

      I’m running out of cards to play in my hand since most of my original suspects are dead, in hiding or in custody and I have to keep Quade away from the focus of the investigation. The NYPD murders were an excuse, I’ve covered that already but I won’t allow Quade to walk in with a file of sketchy photos and blackmail his way to court.

      “I don’t understand the point of this exercise,” Quade grumbles.

      Inhale. Click. Exhale. Click. Inhale. Click.

      “If you’re only gonna to complain, do it elsewhere,” Banks says from behind me as the marker squeaks across the surface.

      “No, I’ll stay,” Quade declares with what I presume are flared nostrils.

      Exhale. Click. Inhale. Click. Exhale. Click.  

      What am I missing? What’s staring me in the face? Still with my eyes closed, I scowl and slowly move my head from left to right as if I’m contemplating something. What is Quade exactly after? Of course, he’s here for Colville’s body which is the process of exhumation to the grieving family, but he wants Blake.

      Poor, innocent, defenceless Blake Donovan that’s been thrown into an extremely dangerous game. Quade’s going to use Blake for information about Angel Blue, about what he knows, Blake Donovan is Quade’s target. While we’ve been chasing our tails with pointless leads that only go link to other meaningless cases, Blake’s been doing his research on what got Keith killed―not knowing that he’s leaving a traceable paper trail for Quade to follow up on and destroy. However, Quade just needs to get his hands on Blake to do so, and I’m not going to let that happen.