Spilling Guts

Part 7 - Communication

Teegan reached for the ringing phone as Megan pulled off the interstate towards Denver.

"We're the popular kids today, aren't we?" she muttered as she tapped at the screen. It was a Watch Two number. Her charm bracelet full of yellow beads and gold keepsakes clinked. "Agents Carry and Shiloh."

"It's Louis."

"Long time no chat!" Teegan smiled, feeling a little vindictive. "How's the desk-life? Restful?"

"Its crap."

Megan and Teegan were the few people able to make fun of Louis' bad temper and get away with it. They knew him for too long and had seniority. Teegan made sure to poke holes in his ego whenever she could. She and Megan didn't know the exact circumstances surrounding Louis and Will's desk-punishment, but they had seen the bruises and the soured attitude between them.

"What's up?" Teegan asked.

"I need to open some files under you jurisdiction."

"Which ones?"

"The one's for the Devil's Neckbrace."

Teegan froze. She and Megan hadn't gotten a break on the location of the other two devices for almost a year. "Did a lead come up?"

"No, not a lead. I want to check up on the side effects of the device on the victims."

"So you need contact information," surmised Teegan. She wasn't about to give him a blank yes on all the files without further explanation. "Anything in particular you are looking up?"

"Sleep patterns. Occurrence of night terrors and of their duration."

Teegan tapped her hand on the armrest between the seats, the charm bracelet clinking like a bag of change as her fingers folded into annoyed figures. Sleep patterns? It sounded far off the beaten path, but it was a new angle. Hell, it might even give Megan and Teegan a new way to look at the old case.

Megan pulled the car into the far lane, giving her partner a glance.

"We don't have an online access portal with us right now," said Teegan. She felt like she was stalling. "And some of the contents need bio-identification. Once we get into the office we can get you the files."

"How far out are you?" asked Louis.

"We just reached the edge of Denver. Depending on traffic, thirty minutes."

"Good. I'll see you then." Louis hung up.

Teegan tossed the phone down into her lap, loathing the thing.

"More problems?" prompted Megan.

"Louis wants access to the Grovic case."

Megan's eyes went wide. The victim's of the Devil's Neckbrace had been Louis' first real work after the death of his first partner. He had needed the distraction from the empty desk across from him. He had needed to know there were people he could still help, still save.

At one point, Louis had taken a session recording an interview with one of the pimps that had used that cold machine on human beings. It had left everyone involved feeling like they had been dipped in sewer water and left to dry.

Megan flicked the turn signal. "What the hell had happened at base to make Louis want to open those old files?

"We'll find out when we get there."

"I swear, if it's some form of self punishment I'm gonna do a combat demo right there at his desk."

***

Standing in archway of an empty office, Louis clumsily pocketed his phone with his cast encased left hand. Step One, done. Step Two, read the files and see if Will's problems connect with the symptoms of the Devil's Neckbrace victims. Step Three... Good question. What was Step three?

He couldn't do Step Two until Megan and Teegan came in. Reese and Beni had his paperwork in hand. Suddenly he had at least a half hour of free time.

And the mug in his hand was cooling quickly. He didn't remember picking it up, but holding it gave him a vague purpose.

In his idle thoughts of free time, Louis took a lap around the railing of the upper floor that looked down on Main Tech. Reese and Beni were still plugging away at their full inbox. Will's desk was still empty. The mug in Louis' hand felt heavier just from seeing the empty seat and abandoned Star Wars figures.

"Agent Patriarch?"

Louis spun around, taking just enough care that the mug in his hand didn't spill. Doctor Balcuwitz stood in the middle of the hallway, a crude, creased map in one hand and a trash bag in the other.

"Yes?" asked Louis, wary.

Milton fumbled with the trash bag and held out his hand. "Doctor Milton Balcuwitz, I'm the new psychologist for Watch Two."

"I know who you are." He shook the offered hand.

"Good!" said Milton with a smile. "Then you know we have an appointment later this afternoon."

"I know." Hard to forget when Cetz had stuck a post-it note on his chair reminding him. He was tempted to do his, "here are my issues. I'm fine with them. Can I go now?" speech right there in the middle of the hallway. Except his list of issues was still at his desk.

"Well, if you have a free moment would you mind having a short chat with me in my office? Just so I can get an idea of what I should prepare for our session." Balcuwitz stood still, a hopeful looking smile on his face.

Louis wanted to say no. Megan and Teegan would be in soon. He had a cooling mug that needed to find its way into Fanboy's hands. And...

Hell, he should just get this over with. Maybe if he talked now it would make the latter session shorter. Or obsolete. Therapy wasn't scary, just awkward. Invasive. He could do this. He had been going over reasons for therapy just the other night. His own mother had therapy sessions. There was nothing wrong with it.

"I can spare half an hour."

"Wonderful!" Balcuwitz glanced at the scrap of paper in his hand, turned it around, and then crumpled it in his fist. "Lead the way."

Halfway down the hall Louis' mouth quirked to a sour grimace. "You sought me out to make sure I would come to my appointment, didn't you?"

"No. I was looking for the recycle bins for plastics, but I lost my way and needed a guide back to my office. Seeing you was happenstance."

Louis gestured at the trash bag. "You mean that bag?"

"Which--oh." The smile melted away.

"Just toss it by Will's desk. If anything can be recycled he knows where to stick it."

"Noted."