A Dose of Cyanide

I met up with West and the teams. 

It is a horrible smell, that of bitter almonds.

It was not pungent, but you could detect it.

Her face was cherry red, contorted like she was in pain.

A bottle of scotch was resting on the old oak desk,

a glass smashed on the floor by her black heels.

She was at her computer, face against the keyboard.

Spittle along her cheek.

It does not take a genius to know she was poisoned.

We were careful to only remove evidence pertaining to us.

I cannot say exactly what.

Blame Tau.

After all, the police have a job to do.

Her assistant. That nice girl we met last time.

She saw her choking, spasming upon the desk.

She rang us first.

But considering our record for helping our own...

The concentration was high...

She died within minutes.

She was a banker.

She must have had enemies...

But since the whole Moriarty thing happened...

We are being extra careful.

And again,
mixed in with her perfume.

Death and Almonds.

Smells make me think about something.

Like I know that my brain is working upon it.

But my mind cannot understand what it is.

Like formulae in the eyes of a madman.

My mind has been slowed recently like that.

I did not know you well Mrs. Strauss.
But I suppose I must tell you to rest in peace.

A distraction.

There has been a lot going on.
I have been too busy in the past few days.
Too much has happened for one post.

I met Swan,
or Ugly Duckling,
or Duckie.

I prefer Swan though.

Fracture and I had arranged this,
however I was unaware that Swan did not know.
This man who looked my age,
sat at a table with long hair covering the mask he wore.

He was different.
His need to see that spark in people.
That burning fire inside him.

It reminded me of that time Salome took me to a coffee shop.
The divorced husband.
The kill.
How she looked when she told me to kill.

She was family to me.
The closest thing to family I could have anyway.

West was with me,
Tau's reasoning was that he didn't want me going alone.
Just in case it was a trap.
Or that my backers didn't trust me still.

Either way, once we established identities,
we managed to elude West.

We did a host of things.

Talking, Fighting, Singing.
We both sing.
Our songs relax us.
London bridge and La, la la.

He made me smile for a little while.
Even though he was attacked.
And even though Theta took out his revenge on me.
Swan punched him...

I remember a call at 3 AM.

I had to leave my friend.

Caroline Strauss was dead.
The circumstances were suspicious.
She voted for my own termination.

I, along with the teams we were training,
were sent to clean up her mess.
Prevent police from tracking documents or such back to us.
I

I shall continue later.
Tau wishes for brief me with more information on what happened for release.

Elaine.

I... I have so much to talk about.
But I just need to say one thing.
It is a small message to a woman who died recently.
A friend, a friend who had suffered so much.

Elaine.

See you in whatever comes after.
Those were Lucas' words but they feel appropriate.
Sleep well my friend.
I am glad you gave him hell.

I

I do not know what to say.