There she is... Wild as the wind, and calm as the snow. Her silver hair just shines through the hollow halls, as her provocative steps leave all the guards with their jaws on the floor, and her blue eyes hypnotize those weak minds. She opens the door, and faces two more guards coming toward her, in an attempt to search for hidden guns. Just one look from her eyes, and they both step away, not even touching her. She steps forward to the big desk, as the man behind it throws his judging and confusing eyes to the woman. Those steampunk clothes, the top hat with goggles, that big black skirt, the many bijouteries... weren't so normal for a genius detective to wear it. Or maybe it was, since all the geniuses have something... eccentric.
"Is there any problem, Mr. President?" She asks with a confident expression. Obviously, she knew that this would be the reaction she'd get.
"Of course not, detective Venus. I just find your clothing... eccentric. I'm actually quite a fan of this vintage-futuristic theme." The man answers, with truthful respect.
"Please, sir, you can call me Raven. After all, it's not everyday I have the honor of meeting the supreme leader of the United States of America. And save the reciprocal cordiality, I will not call you by your first name, given the fact that it would be disrespectful in any context." Daring but polite, that was her fabulous way to be.
"You're just as delightful as I've been told. It's such a pleasure to meet you too. I assume you know why I called you here today, but I'm going to clarify it anyway. In the past 3 years you have been investigating randomly crazy police cases. God knows how you got those files, but I can assure that no one granted you permission. By the eyes of the law, you should be arrested, Raven." The president says.
"But you won't arrest me." She reassures, confidently.
"That's right. And that's why you came here without hesitation. I think we can help each other. Someone opened up and exposed several cases that would be considered surreal and make believe. Unfortunately, most of those crazy stories people find in the dark net are real. And even more unfortunate, we have no way to stop them." Saying as his expression adopts a concerned feeling.
"If what you say is true, what makes you think that I will agree to dive in such tenebrous cases, Mr. President? I'm still just a girl." She sure knows she's not. It's like she's trying to hear everything the president thinks about her magnificence.
"We both know you're more than capable. You're not just a girl... you're the best detective in this whole world, and possibly the smartest mind in the whole history. Yes, I read your reports, it's so incredible how you can notice even the smallest detail and deduce thousands of scenarios."
Her lips move slightly to the left, this little smile meant she knew that was true, and how proud she was about herself. The president comes closer, and puts both his hands on her shoulders, saying:
"Raven Venus, you're the only one who can save us..."
The thinkative mind of Raven works for 2 seconds. She looks to the left, and starts walking toward to what appears to be a war soldier. "So, this is the policeman who will help me?"
"This is Commander Leonard Andrew. He is one of the most competent superiors in this country." The president replies, with certainty.
"And he is willing to work for me?" She asks, probably aware of how pride that Commander is, judging his posture and facial expression with the high eyebrows.
"Of course, he is." The president replies.
"Excuse me?? Mr. President, you know that I don't work for people, people work for me. How could you tell me to take orders from this 'kid' just because she is very smart?" Andrew says, with an angry tone.
"Are you doubting my decisions, commander?" The president asks, not so happy with his rebel presumption.
Andrew says, downcast: "No, Mr. President..."
"Then, it's settled!" The president determines. "And Leonard, a word of advice: you might be older, but she is very wise as well."
-
After Raven and Andrew drive across the city, they arrive in an unknown location and stop in front of a large shed. She takes a key from inside her bra, in the middle of her breasts, and opens the small door at the bottom left of that shed. They both enter the place, and Andrew gets amused by the size of that building.
"Holy fuck! Where the hell are we?!" He asks.
"Where do you think we would work, darling? In a small cubicle inside a two star hotel? No, no... This is my central!" She says out loud to exhibit the echo of the acoustic, while extending her arms.
Andrew hears a car stopping by the place and quickly pulls out a gun. Raven is not surprised by such paranoia and says: "Lower your toy, commander, it's just the rest of the team."
He puts his gun back to his waist, while a man and a woman walk into the shed. When they both get closer, Raven introduces:
"Commander, meet my partners. This little 27 year old nerd boy here is Jared Rivers. He is a TI professional with a master's degree in technology. Simplifying? He can get anything on any device.
And this 21 year old baby faced woman here is my loyal assistant and disguise master, Laura Collins. She was a police officer in the same academy I was. She decided to not pursue the title of detective, but she was my right arm in the whole time.
Guys, this is Commander Leonard Andrew, recommended by the president himself."
Rivers and Collins both say hello, but she asks Raven: "Wait, so it's true? You did really meet the president?"
"Of course!" Raven replies.
"Wow, girl! You're really nailing the attention in a worldwide scale." Collins says.
"Yeah... I'm that good, babe." Raven complements, giving a one eye wink.
"Well, let's get to work, then. What do you suggest, Raven?" Rivers asks.
"Get me all the files related to this internet leak about the red room. Laura, make a rich spoiled girl background story. Now!" Raven orders with such attitude, and the two go to their respective corners to start working.
"What about me, detective?" Andrew asks.
"Right now your skills won't be necessary, commander, I know you understand. But I do need something." Raven replies.
"What is it?" Andrew understands and decides to go with it.
"I need coke to work here. Could you please go get me some?" She asks, gently.
"Sure. I'm a little thirsty too." He says.
"Oh, no. Not the soda, I mean some blow." Raven says, as Andrew lifts his eyebrows, disbelieved.
"You want me to buy drugs?!" He asks, dissatisfied.
"No, not drugS, just cocaine, I told you" She replies, surprisingly not being sarcastic.
"What?!?!" Andrew says, still disbelieved.
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"Look, either you get it now, or I'll get it later, wasting the small time we have to work on this case." She says, with conviction.
"Fine..." the commander says and walks to get it, not happy at all.
"And bring me the purest they have, I know you have some CIs." Raven says, as Andrew walks toward the door and exits the shed. She, then, complements: "After all, we have some nasty work to do this time..."
-
When Andrew comes back to their central, Raven invites everybody to the main table to discuss about the plan. They all gather in as the table itself is full of tech gadgets, guns, and some flavor chips and licorice candies next to Raven.
"Ok, lads. The red room... this nickname was given by deep web users who found online transmissions of torture and murder. They don't have an official name, so we'll stick with that." Raven explains. "A week ago, somebody leaked information about one of those rooms, and that started to alarm a lot of filthy teenagers in the 'chans'."
"Excuse me, what is a 'chan'?". Andrew interrupts.
Rivers explains: "Chan is the name of several sites that have some graphic and disturbing contents. They are the thin line that separates the surface that we know, to the deep web. Although there are a lot of kids who are just stupid and naive, there are a few disgusting maniacs in the middle."
Raven continues: "Thank you for the explanation, Jared. So, if this get to certain people, there will be mass hysteria, and where there is mass hysteria, there is chaos. If we catch this room, we can prevent the society to crumble. It's a pretty important responsibility."
"I understand. So, what's your plan, detective?" Andrew asks, a little worried about the importance of the mission.
"Actually, it won't be too hard. I have the contact of a man who once was part of this web of torture rooms. He can put one of us in the closest one, which is the one leaked on the internet. That's where Collins starts to act. These rooms cost a lot of money, so she will be a rich little brat, just looking for blood and fun." Raven explains.
"Right. This is a little too easy, what's the catch here?" The commander doubts.
"Well, this man is going to give us the coordinates of the location they'll pick up Collins through a burner phone. It will be impossible to locate him. We'll have to wait for him to make contact through Rivers' VPN program, so we'll know where Collins will be heading to." Raven answers.
"Why don't we just wire her?" Andrew asks, confused.
"This is the first time we've heard about this room, don't you think they're extremely careful and stealthy? The wire will probably lose signal in their car. And when the people get to the torture watching room, one of the securities uses a very advanced device to track anything out of ordinary. They even have to wear some special clothes given by the organization. But this kind of precaution was pretty obvious since they never got caught." Raven explains once again. "I honestly thought you were a little smarter, commander."
Her condescension wasn't a surprise at all. "So, it's risky. But we don't have a choice, right?" Andrew asks.
"Exactly, commander. Once she's inside, she'll gather information about everything. We have some untraceable cameras that she can place in a lot of spots. We also have this baby here." Raven says as she grabs a pair of glasses. "These are the glasses she's going to wear while outside the torture watching room. It has a camera with a very special transmitter, made of a secret material that emits signal even from the underground. We will be able to see a little from the inside, but she will be forced to take it off before the torture, as I said, there are special clothes, and glasses are not allowed."
"And let me guess, we can't have more of those cameras in her clothes because it's expensive?" Andrew asks, but confident that he was right.
"Wrong, commander. This material is like a magnet that has always the opposite pole. Once you put two of it in the same radius, they kind of 'attract' each other, emitting a very loud interference noise." Raven explains. "That's why we're pretty limited with it... But, don't worry, we'll make it through." The detective says, with an absurd amount of confidence on her posture.
Collins, now with some expensive and fancy clothes, drops any expression she could ever transmit, and head in to the coordinates sent by the veteran that was once a member of such brutal organization. Meanwhile, the rest of the team watches carefully the officer's undercover mission from multiple monitors connected to a powerful computer.
A black travel bus parks in beside Collins, as the designated driver opens the bus' doors and says: "Ms. Faye Hemingway Minx. We appreciate your confidence on our enterprise. Please, step up and choose the unoccupied seat that most delights your choice."
"Thank you, sir." Collins replies, as she goes up the few stairs and sits in the middle of the conduction, and the rest of the team in the central observes her journey through the glasses' camera. Collins was determined to fulfill the mission and bust that monstrosity, but she was still a little nervous and slightly euphoric, since she could die from the tiniest mistake she'd make.
"Uh la la, mon cheri." The teenager on a seat behind Collins' starts to speak to her, leaning his arms on the seat beside the infiltrated officer. "Hahahaha, come on babe, you're wearing THAT on you first 'purge'? I know you're tasty, you don't need to stick to your 'spoiled papa's girl' visual."
"Don't listen to him, darling, he's harmless". A lady speaks, on the seat parallel to Collins, separated by the hallway. "This rude little boy just likes to act like he's the last soda in the desert, but I'm sure he's never even seen a vagina... And dressed like that, he never will..." The lady mocks the ridiculously large clothes that the teenage boy was wearing, as Collins shared a little smile.
While observing from the computer, with her arms crossed, Raven also shared a tiny smile, not from the insult, but from her body language analysis about that lady. Andrew notices Raven's subtle expression, and starts to pay more attention to the situation, as Rivers is the only one who shares his thoughts out loud: "Well, it looks just like another day in the life... It's bizarre how it will all turn into a very inhuman field trip..."
Passed a couple of hours, the bus arrives in a wasteland, with a door hidden behind some rocks. All the members proceed to get off the bus, and enter the creepy location. Alongside with Collins, 9 members and 3 securities enter a huge elevator going downside. After it stops, the doors open, as a host invites all the members to a formal brunch before their "entertainment".
Collins sticks to her scary spoiled girl character, and the lady who defended her on the bus gets closer to a chat. "First time, darling?" She asks.
"Yes... This is very new to me. I've never seen such discretion in a company like this one." Collins responds, as Raven, Andrew, and Rivers watch through their monitors from their central.
"Well, get used to it. These guys are a level above pro... By the way, I'm Raquel, pleased to meet you." The sympathetic woman says, as she extends her hand toward the undercover officer.
"I'm Faye... Nice to meet you too." Collins replies, as she grabs the lady's hand, politely shaking it.
About forty minutes pass by, and the host invites the members to accommodate themselves in their respective rooms, handing keys to each one at a time. Collins enters her room and closes the door behind her. She decides to take a bath while waiting for the "main event". That wasn't a planned decision by neither her nor the team, she was just already feeling filthy knowing what was about to happen.
Meanwhile, back to the central, the rest of the team also decide to take a break, except Raven. After Rivers comes back after smoking a cigarette outside, and Andrew comes back from the bathroom, she gathers both of them in front of the monitors.
"Rivers, get the video from the bus on screen 1 and the video from the meeting on screen 2." Raven orders, as Rivers does so, and plays both videos. Raven pauses the first video when the comforting lady was talking to Collins, and the second video when the undercover teammate talks to the same lady. "Now, zoom in that woman" Raven says, as Rivers zoom in the lady's face on both videos. "Well, this thing just got a bit more interesting..."
"What do you mean, Venus?" Andrew asks, with a curious tick on his eyebrows.
"You see, the advantages of the human being is their predictability. People here are either scared and defensive, or motivated and pleased. This lady is enraged and focused. Her upper lip is also a little 'pumped', expressing a disgusted reaction to all of that. She has no motives to watch the torture. All of this, plus her posture, indicates a funny factor in our operation." Raven brilliantly points out, just like always.
"Which is...?" Andrew asks.
Raven points to the lady on the monitors and says: "She's a CIA agent."
"What?! CIA is hiding this from us?" Andrew enrages.
"They have no commitment to the president. They can literally do whatever the fuck they want to do. It's obvious that FBI can't get permission to such operation, so CIA it's the only agency that lady could possibly be working for." Raven says, as she grabs her gun, strapping it on her waist. "It's fine, this mission just got even more exciting. Rivers, try and pull every info about this woman."
"Yes, ma'am." Rivers answers, and quickly types on his computer, efficiently cracking internet codes to get classified info about the private agent.
"What do you mean with 'they have no commitment with the president'? Of course they do! They are supposed to serve the president! And what about groups of mercenaries or something? How can you discard that this woman is part of one of them?" Andrew asks, not understanding Raven's statement.
"Commander... you've got a lot to learn." I've seen mercenaries before. She is definitely not one of them." Raven replies. "And CIA is more complex than you think... I know a few people there, and they don't like working for anyone. So, trust me when I say that they don't care about the president."
"Okay... So, what am I supposed to do? Collins is undercover, Rivers is doing his research, and you are analyzing those body languages..." Andrew asks.
"Don't worry, commander, I'm also not doing anything helpful right now." Raven says as she grabs the car keys from a desk. "Let's go, we've got to pay a visit to someone." She throws the keys to Andrew and says: "You drive."
TO BE CONTINUED...