Case File #1Y4 - 1077: Sweet & Sour
Part I
Jan. 21, 2000
From: SAC Jadzia
To: All
ATTENTION SPECIAL AGENTS!
The following is the fourth in a series of
cases that have been designated “Y-Files”. These cases have been referred to
us by Special Agents Fox William Mulder & Dana Katherine Scully via the
office of Assistant Director Walter Sergei Skinner. These are X-File cases that
Agents Mulder & Scully have not been able to investigate due to time
constraints or other extenuating circumstances. Agents who are interested in
participating in this investigation should post a message stating that they are
en route to Oakland where they will rendezvous with their fellow agents to begin
the investigation. Please report in regularly.
Sincerely,
SAC Jadzia
Addendum: In order to facilitate the
handling of these Y-File cases, the first senior SAC or SA to accept this
assignment will be emailed a dossier with additional information pertaining to
this case. And yes, I know that Sweet & Sour is associated with Chinese
cooking more than Vietnamese cooking, but I couldn’t think of a good
Vietnamese dish to use that had the same kind of meaning . . . oh, it’s hard
to explain. Hopefully it will all become clear later . . .
CASEFILE #Y-1077: Sweet & Sour
OAKLAND, California: Earlier this week, a
popular Vietnamese restaurant, Da Chevettee, was closed by the local health
authorities after a series of strange incidents were reported by restaurant
patrons over a two-day period.
On Saturday night, 43 out of the 55 people
dining at Da Chevettee were suddenly overcome by a strange, unexplained attack
of acute depression. As the 43 restaurant patrons each had their dinners, they
began sobbing uncontrollably while bemoaning various tragedies in their lives.
Two parties of four and six people respectively were unaffected by this
phenomenon, along with two vegetarians who were dining with two separate
affected dining parties.
The following Sunday, the majority of
dinner patrons once again behaved strangely after starting on their dinners.
Some were overcome with the same sort of depression that occurred on Saturday,
while others became extremely angry and defensive.
Upon hearing reports of this strange
behavior, local health authorities investigated and shut down Da Chevettee while
they tested food samples for unusual chemical substances. This case usually
would not come under FBI jurisdiction, but one of the Sunday patrons became so
depressed that that night that he committed suicide. The local authorities found
this case so baffling that they requested our assistance.
Jan. 21, 2000
From: Jadzia
To: All
Addendum to Case file #Y-1077:
Have just received the lab analysis of the
food samples that I brought back from Da Chevettee (this was one of the cases
that I was checking out last weekend). They have failed to find any evidence of
narcotics or other illegal chemical substances in the food. They did find,
however, a strange chemical anomaly in each of the samples. It seems that the
food contained chemicals that closely resembles the human hormones that can
trigger depression and aggressive behavior. These chemicals were present in the
actual structure of the meat and vegetables, however, and were not just added to
the sauce. The lab technicians admit to being very puzzled as to how this might
occur.
Regards,
SAC Jadzia
~
Jan. 21, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: Jadzia
As I was filling out the LAST of my papers and postdating it for the latest case involving not only our beloved SAC Sara, but also SA Kiwiphile and SA Proxicom, I couldn’t help catching sight of a stray report folder which had almost been buried under the stack of paperwork from our current case load.
“Jadzia, what is this? May I take a
look?” As she was still on the phone, she nodded in my direction, and I pulled
out the material and read with growing interest.
When Jadzia had replaced the telephone, I
waved the folder in her direction. “Has this case been assigned yet?” It
sounded like a wonderful chance to escape the snow and cold which blanketed
Washington D.C. at the moment.
SamanthaJ3
~Keeper of Skinner’s Office~
~
Jan. 21, 2000
From: Jadzia
To: SamanthaJ3
“If you want it, it’s yours,” I said with a smile, glad to know that one of the best agents in TJEHB was on the case. “I’ve got a separate dossier set up for this case. Where did I put it? Can’t find a blamed thing under all these papers . . . Oh, it’s still on my hard drive. How ‘bout I email it to you?”
Sam grinned and I could tell that she was
already mentally packing her bags for the trip.
“You might want to pack a raincoat and
umbrella to go with those shorts, Sam,” I laughed. “There’s a lot more
rain in Northern California than there is in Southern Cal, but I can guarantee
that there won’t be any snow.
“I may be able to join you out there for
this case later on. I’ve got to get everyone settled in to the new office
first, and there are a couple more cases that need to be assigned as well. Do
you want me to take care of you travel arrangements hon?”
Sam just waved the file at me in
acknowledgement as she headed out the door.
Smiles,
Jadzia
~
Jan. 21, 2000
From: MSSaganFan
To: SAC Jadzia
CC: SAC SamanthaJ3
I have a prior final commitment to JPL in
Pasadena this coming weekend, but since I will be on the West Coast, I will be
available for Case #Y-1077. I won’t be able to meet up with SAC SJ3 until
Monday. I have a speaking engagement Saturday afternoon (after our Y-Philes
dinner Friday night) and my colleagues are throwing a farewell bash on Sunday.
Please forward any information to me at
your earliest convenience via email. I will be staying at the Embassy Suites in
Pasadena if you need to contact me before I head north.
SA MSSagan
~
Jan. 21, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: MSSaganFan
SA MSSaganFan,
Wait a minute...how did you rate the
Embassy Suites when I always get stuck at the Comity Inn? There’s never any
room service at any of their motels when I’m there....
I look forward to your assistance on this
case, and I’ll forward any field notes which I generate to your PDA.
And I’m still planning on making the
dinner. BTW...may I bring a date? Ah..the wonders of virtual travel. ;)
SamanthaJ3
~
Jan. 21, 2000
From: MSSaganFan
To: SamanthaJ3
Hehehe...how do I rate the Embassy Suites? I’m on NASA’s dime this weekend, as a visiting dignitary at JPL for the media on the projected Americus satellite extrapolation and exponentiation staff and its outcome on deep space exploration and black hole tracking. After that, I’m sure we’ll be sharing war stories of the U-Sleep-Cheep in Oakland. Although, I DO know a great bed and breakfast in Sears Point..... :)
Ahh, virtual travel. But of COURSE you can
bring a date! My two favorite men will be in attendance, so you’ll need to
bring one of your own.
SA MSSagan
~
Jan. 21, 2000
From: Elisheva
To: SamanthaJ3
S.A.C. Samantha,
I know I am working on another Y-File, but
Jadzia mentioned this case to me and that you might need some help. Also, one of
the nice things about VR time, I can be two places at once!!!
I saw S.A.C. Jadzia’s brief over view of
the case and had a thought come to my mind. Actually, depression is caused by
the lack or shortage of a chemical in the brain, called seretonin, which
conducts electrical impulses within the brain itself. Another interesting thing
is that the foods a person eats can influence the amount present within the
subjects brain.
Just a little “food” for thought. I
believe that we should have some further tests run once we arrive in CA to see
what each of the persons dinning there on the date in question consumed.
See you at the airport. BTW, I really hate
flying!!! I do it all the time, but boy do I hate it!!!
S.A.C. Elisheva
P.S. I am always suspicious when I eat any type of Asian food. They tend to go heavy on the MSG, and that could be bad for just about anyone!
~
Jan. 21, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: Elisheva
SAC Elisheva,
Thanks so much for your input on this
case! I can always use the help of a talented member of the Bureau like
yourself.
I’ll look for you at the airport. Do you
want the window seat or the aisle seat?
SamanthaJ3
~
Jan. 22, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: ALL
I was not exactly worried at this point, but the fact that SAC Elisheva had missed our flight was troubling. I was reviewing my case notes as I stretched myself and my notes out over the two seats which Elisheva and I would have occupied.
First things first...make a list of what
to do. I would need to obtain copies of the results from the lab work which had
been done on the affected patrons and foodstuffs. I would need to interview the
owners and employees of the Da Chevettee restaurant. I might need to interview
the family of the deceased. And I would definitely want to read the notes from
the other interviews with the restaurant patrons—both the ones who were
affected and the ones who weren’t affected by this strange mood-altering
phenomenon of eating at a restaurant.
For myself, a good chocolate bar could
work wonders to alleviate any temporary moodiness, but I had never heard of
people becoming so emotionally unsettled after eating dinner.
My thoughts were racing. Had the water
been tested? Was music being played during dinner over a central speaker system?
Was the restaurant suspiciously located next to a nuclear waste facility? I knew
I was stretching it a bit with these thoughts, but sometimes a little wild
flight of ideas led to a few new possibilities to investigate.
Were there broader connections between the
restaurant patrons? Was the staff affected in the same way? And who was the
deceased? I flipped over to that page of the report. The deceased was one
Michael Stanton. He had been dining with his wife, a business associate and the
associate’s spouse. Mr. Stanton had been a Realtor. Was there any connection,
I wondered?
The reading had consumed my interest, and
I found myself putting away my notes as we were almost ready to land. I had made
a good list of things which I wanted to accomplish as soon as I landed. And
first, I needed to call the Oakland field office and report that I was there, as
well as call Washington and inquire about the whereabouts of SAC Elisheva.
I hoped that she would be coming shortly,
or else I’d be running this show on my own until Special Agent MSSaganFan was
free to join me on Monday.
SamanthaJ3
~Keeper of Skinner’s Office~
~
Jan. 22, 2000
From: Jadzia
To: SamanthaJ3
Email to: SAC Samantha
Jaythree
From: SAC Jadzia
cc: SAC Elisheva Toews, SA MSSagan
Re: Lab Results
It seems that SAC Elisheva was correct in
her speculations about seretonin. I’ve just received the final lab reports on
the samples. They have determined that the chemical substance found in the food
which led depression would work as an incredibly effective seretonin re-uptake
inhibitor in the brain. The substance found in the food which led to anger and
aggression was chemically similar to the hormone adrenaline—which is of course
responsible for the “fight or flight” instinct in humans.
Perhaps this information will help explain
what happened to these restaurant patrons as this investigation continues.
Best regards,
SAC Jadzia
~
Jan. 22, 2000
From: Elisheva
To: SamanthaJ3
“Hello,” Samantha answers as she peels
off her trench coat at the balmy Oakland Airport.
“Sam, its me.” Elisheva’s familiar
voice stated. “Sorry, I missed the flight! The weather was so nasty, that even
with my 4 wheel drive, I had a heck of a time getting to the airport. They
closed the airport for a few hours but it looks like it should be open shortly.
I will be on the next flight to Oakland, which should be leaving in about 45
minutes. Did I mention that I hate to fly. I hate it even more when I have to
take off in bad weather!”
“Yea, you have mentioned it before...So,
I will meet you at the hotel as soon as you arrive?” Sam says as she checks in
at the Avis counter.
“Sounds like a plan. Oh by the way, did
you see that S.A.C. Jadzia did confirm my info about the seretonin. I really
think there is something to this theory.” I say as I watch my reflection in
the glass window in front of me. I smile to myself as I think about A.D. Skinner
for no good reason. Maybe it is the idea we will be living two timelines at once
tonight and the fact we might be seeing him at MSSagan’s little get together.
Now that I think about it, I am actually living in three timelines if you count
the Y-File 1121 I am also involved with. (I love A.D. Skinner and Virtual
Reality!!!!)
“Agent Elisheva, are you there hon?”
Sam says as she taps on her mouth piece with her fingernail.
“Oh sorry Sam, must be interference with
the signal due to the low clouds here.” Yes, I’m trying to cover for my
little mental commercial break about Skinner.
“I was saying that I have already rented
a car so just take a taxi to the hotel and we can go together from there. Got
that Agent Toews?” She sounds a little irritated, a little amused.
“Yep, I got it. Ummm, Agent Samantha,
were you just reading my mind?”
Only a faint giggle on the other
end...click...she hung up!
S.A. Elisheva
~
Jan. 22, 2000
From: MSSaganFan
To: Jadzia
To: SAC SamanthaJ3
CC: SAC Jadzia
Fr: SA MSSagan
Re: #Y-1077
Seretonin was the first thing that popped
into my mind at the mention of depression in the case of the restaurant patrons.
SSRI (Selective Seretonin Reuptake
Inhibitors) suppress dopamine neurotransmission in the brain, directly impairing
the function of the basal ganglia and the emotion-regulating limbic system and
frontal lobes and indirectly impairing the reticular activating system as well.
The overall impact is a chemical lobotomy - literally so, since frontal lobe
function is suppressed. The victim becomes de-energized or de-enervated.
I believe looking into Benzodiazepines
could prove fruitful.
There is a very common, untreatable
neurological disorder called Tardive dyskinesia. It is a potentially devastating
neurological disorder that is caused by narcoleptic or antipsychotic drugs.
While some victims of the restaurant had
preliminary toxicology screens run by the SF ME indicated prescribed levels of
SSRI antidepressants, such as Prozac, Zoloft, Luvoc, Paxil, and Ritalin, it is
highly unlikely that this was a convention of psych ward patients eating at a
local restaurant.
I’ll dig a little deeper into the
background of naturally occurring releases of seretonin and adrenaline versus
ingestion of seretonin and adrenaline affected foodstuffs.
An Anthropology course I took is coming
back to me. I recall something about an ancient tribe removing the brain of the
elder in their village upon his death and consuming it, in hopes that the wisdom
would be passed down.
It will be interesting to see if recent
FDA blind testing has shown an increase in brain activity (or inactivity) in the
latest round of agricultural and livestock that have been enhanced by the new
cattle and crop steroid LDE, hoping to be given Federal approval and furthering
the padding of the stockholders of the parent company, Dereby Pharmaceuticals.
Will keep all advised of my findings.
If this proves to be more interesting than
this media circus I am supposed to face tomorrow, I may bug out and head north
to Oakland. Did you reserve a room for me, too, SAC SJ3?
Who are the other agents assigned to this
case, by the way.
See you soon.
Special Agent MSSagan
~
Jan. 22, 2000
From: SamanthaJ2
To: Elisheva
Still smiling, I put my luggage into the trunk of my rental car. How was it always possible that I always wound up with a blue car? I never specified, and I’m positive I have seen other agents wind up with other colors of rental cars.
Oh, well, at least I knew Elisheva was
fine. I shook my head again. She owed me at least one flight’s worth of early
Skinner stories. I drove to the Comity Inn and picked up the room key for room
14. Elisheva would be next door in room 12.
It was breezy and perhaps chilly if you
were a local, but coming from the East Coast, even the 50’s felt fabulous. I
went into my room, arranged a few things, and called the nearest field office to
let them know I was in the area. I knew Elisheva would probably be en route by
now, so I left a message at the front desk that I would be out in the field.
Call me as soon as she checked in, and I would swing by to pick her up.
I had my map of Oakland in front of me,
and once I had located the restaurant, I asked the desk clerk about the best way
to get there from here. I listened to the directions and hoped I wouldn’t
become TOO lost. Then I thanked him for his assistance and headed back out
towards my blue rental car and the Da Chevettee restaurant.
SamanthaJ3
~
Jan. 22, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: MSSaganFan
Special Agent MSSagan,
I currently have 2 rooms reserved at the
Comity Inn Oakland for myself and Elisheva. If you’ll be joining us for
certain, I’ll add another room to the reservation. Technically, agents of the
same gender can share a room, but I so like to spread out, and the rooms at the
Comity are SO small at times!
At present, I am the SAC on the case, and
SAC Elisheva is the only other agent active on the case at the moment. Your
presence and assistance will be most appreciated, but I’d hate for you to cut
short a prior engagement. I’m sure we’ll just be handling routine prelim
work at this stage. (Then again...that’s what I said the last time I left
Washington to head out on a case...)
SAC Jadzia might be joining us, I’m not
certain. But at present, that’s where our agent count stands.
Keep those excellent reports coming into
us!
SamanthaJ3
~
Jan. 22, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: ALL
After only getting lost three times en route to the restaurant, I finally parked my blue rental car outside the Da Chevettee restaurant. I didn’t think the restaurant had been allowed to reopen yet, so I wasn’t surprised to find the parking lot nearly deserted with only two cars there. One was a late model Lexus sedan, and the other was an older Toyota Tercel.
Walking inside, I was greeted by a woman
who informed me that the restaurant was still closed. I produced my
identification and told her that I was investigating the case. She seemed
reluctant to speak with me at first, but when I reminded her that the sooner we
were able to pinpoint a cause the sooner the Board of Health might allow the
restaurant to reopen, she became more agreeable to answering my questions.
The woman identified herself as one of two
owners of the restaurant, the other owner being her sister. Her sister was not
on the premises at the moment, but there was a member of the serving staff who
happened to be in the kitchen right now.
I said I would like to interview everyone
involved, if possible, so I sat down at a table and the owner brought out a
young man in his late teens/early twenties. The two of them sat opposite from
me, and I pulled out my file folder and pocket notebook.
Before I began to ask them the first
question, the owner offered me something to drink. I tried not to let my
surprise show, but I thanked her and declined. I was hoping that my mere
presence in the restaurant would not cause a major depression for me. I sat back
in my chair, and I began interviewing my first two witnesses in the case.
SamanthaJ3
~
Jan. 22, 2000
From: MSSaganFan
To: SAC Samantha
Jaythree
CC: SAC Jadzia
SAC Elisheva
SA Kiwiphile
SA (k9) Keila
My friends in the pharmaceuticals industry
just sent over a FedEx packet with some very interesting information.
Seems Dereby Pharmaceuticals, the makers
of LDE, aka Lithiudiazanolepidrine, have applied for the rush approval of their
aerosol-version. Their official request, of which my colleagues have sent in
triplicate for our files, has some very influential signatures on their US
Patent request and the FDA Beta-testing requests.
I’ve not had a chance to review all of
the intricate details, (I’m trying to finish my speech for tomorrow), but I
wanted to tell you all to be heads up. It may be an AIRBORNE system of delivery,
at which time it would be absorbed into the mucous membranes and into the dermal
surfaces as well as being ingested. I haven’t tracked LDE’s mode of action,
and it may not be the same as what you are facing at Da Chevettee, but it may
similar enough to warrant further investigation.
My flight leaves in less than an hour, and
ATF SA Brian Butthead is sitting on my couch, staring at me as I enter this into
our satellite hookup. I think he’s pissed. shrug
He’s mumbling something about being back in action so soon after my last
ordeal. Sheesh. Would he be saying this about his partner, a man, if the shoe
were on the other foot? In the immortal words of Wayne aka Mike Myers....NOT!
SA MSSaganFan
~
Jan. 22, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: MSSaganFan
Special Agent MSSagan,
Thank you for the most recent update. If
you could please forward a copy of the materials on LDE to the nearest field
office, I’d like to have one of the Bureau’s medically-minded agents review
the documents as well. Then we can all compare notes once you arrive in Oakland.
My own interviews are progressing slowly,
but as we all know, most of good investigative work is quite routine and
everyday. I’ll submit the details of my interviews later in the day, but so
far—if it weren’t for the initial lab results and the suicide—I’d be
inclined to think that this was merely a case of mass suggestive hysteria.
I haven’t interviewed the family of the
deceased, yet, and I have yet to interview all of the restaurant employees.
I’ve got the two chefs down to interview next as well as tracking down the
other owner. From there, I’ll be off to read more reports from the initial
investigations.
Oh, and please don’t forget that bug
spray.
SamanthaJ3
~
Jan. 22, 2000
From SamanthaJ3
To: Kiwiphile
Special Agent Kiwiphile,
Yes, I’ll be attending the dinner at SA
MSSagan’s, so I’ll see you there. I’m bringing a new man, since THE MAN is
acting more like my big brother than my...well, you know. Sigh. I suppose I’ll
take what I can get here.
Anyway, glad to hear that you’re
recovering so nicely. Skip bringing the Prozac with you, though. It takes 2-3
weeks for that to work its way through your system and produce noticeable
effects for most people. That’s why it is hard for me to believe that any
known drug could have produced such effects as this...at least, any one drug in
the quantities it would have required to produce these effects in so many—but
not all—the patrons. But stranger things have happened...as we all well
know...so, I am investigating this entire case from top to bottom.
(Now why can’t someone assign me the
duty of investigating Skinner from top to bottom and all the way in between
there?)
Back to business, though. If you’re just
sitting there in the broom closet, I mean...office, could you get on the
computer and do a background check on the suicide victim? Personal history,
family, any financial difficulties, business problems...was this person ready to
end it all before dinner, or does dinner seem to be the pivotal factor here? All
we have so far is that the victim was a real estate agent, and I’d like to
have as much info as possible before I go and interview the deceased’s family.
Thanks so much!
SamanthaJ3
~
Jan. 22, 2000
From: Kiwiphile
To: SamanthaJ3
MESSAGE TO: SAC
SAMANTHAJ3
RE: Y FILES CASE #1077
I received your message and enclose the
following report from the FBI database.
(Oh, and by the way, isn’t ATF Burch’s
partner single, handsome and coming to the party?)
MEDICAL EXAMINERS REPORT ON: MICHAEL
STANTON
AGE: 47
CAUSE OF DEATH: Self inflicted
strangulation by hanging.
The victim was found hanging in his
garage, 10:35pm EST at his home address in Cypress Grove, Oakland.
There were no signs to indicate the victim had been engaged in any struggle.
There were no unusual levels of drugs or alcohol.
The case has been classified as suicide by the coroner’s office
DR Kay Wilding, Oakland County Medical
Examiners Office
*************************************************************
I pulled up info on him using his social
security number. His financial records show he was in good shape, he had just
been named Agent of the Month for the 14th month running.
He and his wife Barbara were booked into
the Willow Sounds Chapel to renew their wedding vows, on what would have been
their 25th anniversary.
He is survived by Barbara and two
daughters, Carrie-Anne, 24 and Stephanie, 22.
There was no indication of any unusual
activity in his financial records, his taxes were up to date, and he is listed
as a practicing Catholic.
It’s hard to tell from these types of
records, but my experience tells me that he seems unlikely to be a suicide
candidate. He was active in church events, and seems to have had a happy
home-life.
However, I note that he
sold a house recently to a Professor
Dwight Markham. The property had a list price of 2.5 million dollars, Prof.
Markham paid in cash.
There’s not a lot of info on Markham in the system, but I did see that he
works for Synthatec, a dominant player in the world of pharmaceutical supplies.
And it’s hard to tell if they are the connected, but the system threw up a D.
Marks, author of several Internet diatribes about the ‘conspiracy of left-wing
government’, naming a group called the Revelations Angels. Any help?
SA Kiwiphile
~
Jan. 22, 2000
From: MSSaganFan
To: SamanthaJ3
I will be forwarding a copy of the prospectus and all pertinent applications of one Dereby Pharmaceuticals to you care of the SF Field office.
FYI, having experience in clinical
psychology, I am quite aware of the prescription and administration of SSRIs to
a vast majority of our population. Not too much offense was taken to the
‘medically-minded agents to have a look at the information’ comment. smile
I arrived at LAX around 5 this morning,
and I’ve got a noon engagement. Will leave PDA charging in the car if you have
more information to pass along.
SA MSSaganFan
~
Jan. 23, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: Kiwiphile
TO: SAC Jadzia
CC: SAC Elisheva
SA MSSagan
SA Kiwiphile
(Informal field notes and reports of progress to date/Case Y1077)
Agent Kiwiphile, thank you for your prompt
and detailed report on the deceased victim, Michael Stanton. On the surface, his
suicide does not seem to have had a basis in what we know of his external
affairs. I don’t suppose a suicide note was found at the scene?
If the time of death was 10:35 EST, that
would have put the time of death at 7:35 on the West Coast, right? (I’m still
getting over my own minor jet-lag here.) That would mean that the subject died
very shortly after he returned home from eating dinner that evening. Most
interesting.
Off the top of my head, I see no immediate
connection between the recent sale of a home to a pharmaceutical industry
figure, although Dr. Markham is something of an eccentric character from what I
remember hearing and reading.
The Revelations Angels? That’s a new one
on me, and I thought I’d read the entire report on recently documented
activities by such groups.
If you have the time to pursue either of
these leads, I’d appreciate it. Otherwise, I have finished my interviews with
most of the restaurant employees and both owners at this point. Nobody saw or
heard anything out of the ordinary or unusual...at least, nobody saw or heard
anything which they wish to share with me.
I have two employee interviews remaining.
I initially had difficulty tracking down the head chef, a Kelly Nguyen, at her
home, but I have an address for her mother. It’s located about an hour’s
drive from my present location, so I’m headed there to see if I can find this
woman and speak with her. I also have an address for the second chef, but I’ve
been informed that he is on a short vacation to somewhere in...Arizona. He is
supposed to be visiting a brother there. I’ll have to have one of the field
agents in that state locate him and interview him about the evenings in
question.
I can confirm that the second chef was
most definitely responsible for preparing the vegetarian dinners served the
first night. The vegetarian diners (as you may recall) did not display any
depressive or other extreme emotional symptoms.
Several of the restaurant employees did
mention that Ms Nguyen did seem upset on both nights which these incidents
occurred, but nobody could provide any further information about this.
I have not yet interviewed the 12 people
who were not affected the first
night. After I finish with Ms. Nguyen, I shall head out in search of them.
Unless, of course, one of my fellow agents makes it out here to assist me. I’m
heavily counting on the arrival of SAC Elisheva and SA MSSagan, plus the
wonderful assists from SA Kiwiphile until she’s cleared for active status
again.
So far, I am mildly annoyed and slightly
concerned that I have not turned up anything more concrete, but I am far from
depressed, moody, or even antagonistic.
SamanthaJ3
~
Jan. 23, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: ALL
I parked my blue rental car outside the door of Kelly Nguyen’s mother’s house. I climbed out and proceeded up the front walk to the door. Ringing the bell, I stood and waited. After a few moments, I rang the door bell again. I was still greeted only by the echo of the door buzzer, so I came down the two front steps and looked up at the windows.
“They’re not home,” a helpful voice
called from my right.
“Excuse me?” I looked over to see an
elderly gentleman smiling in my direction. He looked like a helpful neighbor, so
I walked over to where he stood on the adjacent front walk.
The old gentleman explained that Mrs.
Nguyen and her daughter Kelly had just left the house to go to the supermarket.
The man knew this because Kelly had come over to his house and asked if he
needed anything from the store. He was 82 years old, he told me rather proudly,
but sometimes he had difficulty doing his own shopping.
So far this did not seem like the actions
of someone with a hideous secret to hide. I asked the man a few general
questions about the Nguyen family. He was friendly and answered me without ever
asking to see my identification. Kelly had come home to her mother’s house
late Sunday night. He had not seen Kelly until she had come to his door earlier
in the day, but Mrs. Nguyen had told the older man who said his name was Ngoo
Minh that her daughter Kelly had been having problems lately. Personal problems
with a boyfriend and then some problem at work because people had gotten sick at
the restaurant where she worked.
I thanked Mr. Minh for his information. I
went back to my car and climbed inside. The sun was rapidly disappearing, and I
began to wonder if SAC Jadzia had been right about bringing an umbrella. I
settled in to wait for the two women to return to the house.
SamanthaJ3
~
Jan. 23, 2000
From: Kiwiphile
To: SamanthaJ3
REPORT TO: SAC
SAMANTHAJ3
FROM: SA KIWIPHILE
RE: SUICIDE NOTE
Sorry I didn’t have much time to dig up
all those leads. I’ve got a couple of the guys in the Militia section finding
out what they can on the ‘Revelations Angels’.
The medical examiner got back to me after
she had analyzed the stomach contents of our hanged man. Apparently he had dined
on some Malaysian fish, But another gruesome discovery she made was that he had
also eaten his suicide note. She judged from the amount of decay that he must
have written it at the restaurant, then swallowed it and driven home to hang
himself.
There was a lot of acidic corruption, but
she was able to identify one word written over and over again. ‘langsuyar’.
I looked it up, and its a Malaysian word which, roughly translated means
‘Vampire’.
Sorry to leave you with this, but I have
to get to the Orville institute with SAC SaraZ. Keep me in the loop.
REPORT ENDS.
SA Kiwiphile
~
Jan. 23, 2000
From: Jadzia
To: SamanthaJ3
Thanks to the wonders of virtual reality, I was able to board a plane from D.C. to LAX whilst investigating the Minke Whale case and attending MSSagan’s dinner party. :) At LAX, I took a shuttle flight to Oakland Airport. As I waited for my rental car, I phoned SAC Samantha on her cell phone.
Brrrrring
“SAC Samantha here”.
“Hey Sam, it’s Jadzia. I’m at the
Oakland Airport How’s the investigation going?”
“After interviewing what feels like a
million people, I’m sitting in my car waiting for Da Chevettee’s main chef
to come home. And I just got a report from SA Kiwiphile that gives us a link to
Malaysian vampires,” Samantha said, trying to maintain her natural good humor.
“Cross-cultural case, eh?” Samantha was kind enough to give a snort of laughter for my lame joke. “I’m on my way to meet up with you, if that’s okay. Where are you? Near Oakland Chinatown? Got it. I should be there in about 20 minutes”. I hung up, signed for my standard issue blue Ford Taurus and headed out to meet SAC Samantha outside of Kelly Nguyen’s house.
SAC Jadzia
~
Jan. 24, 2000
From: MSSaganFan
To: Jadzia
After having been stirred from my alcohol-induced stupor-slash-sleep, I managed to grab a shower and find a hairbrush to calm the fur growing on my tongue. Lordy how my JPL colleagues like to drink!< Vodka body shots with my ex-fiancé is something I am quickly regretting having agreed to do last night at my farewell party.>
Looks like I’m going to have to ship my
new Calvin Klein suit back to Alexandria. (I have NO idea what that funky
cheese-like stuff is that’s crusted on the sleeve and a faint odor of =sniff
sniff= peach schnapps? Oh how I hope no one took pictures.) GROAN
I made it to LAX after stopping to buy the
darkest sunglasses I could find. Boarding American’s connector shuttle to San
Fran International (seems the earliest flight to Oakland International isn’t
until noon), I boot up my laptop and scroll through the preliminary reports by
SAs kiwi and Elisheva and our various SACs.
Malaysian Vampires? I make several notes,
reminding myself to check out the ethnicity of the patrons, any known
hallucinogens found in ethnic cooking, and still not ruling out any possible
links with Dereby Pharmaceuticals and their aerosol LDE steroid.
Chasing six headache powders with a swish
of Sprite, our flight descends through the fog some twenty miles out. Stowing my
electronic gadgets beneath my seat, I glanced across the aisle. A familiar, yet
uneasy feeling came over me as I made contact with a brutish looking man.
Deplaning, I keep an eye on my plane mate
as he scurries away into the men’s room. The bran muffin must have kicked in,
as I waited almost a half an hour, hanging out by the luggage carousel.
I hailed a cab, and took the scenic route
through San Francisco. Crossing the Bay Bridge, I can see the Alameda Naval Air
Station off to the right. Comity Inn isn’t that far, and I’m there before I
know it.
I’ve checked in, found that SAC Jadzia
and SamanthaJ3 are already here. SA Kiwiphile and Elisheva are out checking up
on leads. I decide to set up my makeshift office and read through the reports
more carefully.
SA MSSaganFan
PS: ATF SA Burch has called, said
Tennessee Titans have won the first slot in the Super Bowl (or Stupid Bowl, as I
call it). Seems we’re speaking again. Sure, fine, whatever.
~Jan. 24, 2000
From: Kiwiphile
To: SamanthaJ3
NTERIM REPORT TO: SAC
SAMANTHAJ3
FROM: SA KIWIPHILE
RE: MICHAEL STANTON SUICIDE
Just an update on some digging I’ve been
doing. In case you thought I’d lost my mind completely, and sent you on a
Vampire chase.
Apparently Mr. Stanton and his wife were
due to fly out to Malaysia for their second honeymoon after they’d renewed
their vows. He’d naturally enough been reading up on the culture of that
country.
Here’s a theory to ponder over. If there
was a drug of some kind in the food, and if there was a side effect of
hallucinations, then those hallucinations would most likely draw fabric from the
most recent sub conscious cues in the victims mind. So as well as having a
depressive mood altering affect, there could also be a coinciding tendency to
believe in unreal events or situations, or even to see and hear imaginary
figures and voices.
I am doing some research into possible
candidates for this psychoactive chemical, and will send a report immediately I
find anything.
The boys in the militia research team have
been doing some fact finding too, and it looks like these ‘Revelation
Angels’ are a fairly new, but rapidly growing group of, well for want of a
better term: kooks.
They draw heavily from iconic occult literature, and seem to have a hotch potch
of cultural influences. Just the kind of people to indulge in a little part-time
terrorism. The one really disturbing fact was their publishing of a series of
active plants and the properties and effects. It reads like a manual in
poisoning by the Borgias’. Since they published this on the net, anyone could
have hit the site and learned about some pretty nasty plants commonly found in
the US.
I’m looking them up now. (Oh, and the team have put the site on alert, anyone
entering it will be traced immediately).
REPORT ENDS
SA KIWIPHILE
~
Jan. 24, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: Kiwiphile
I finished reading the latest update on Agent Kiwiphile’s report. Most interesting, and while the whole case had some incredibly unusual aspects to it, I still was having problems reconciling the known facts of the case with the unresolved and unanswered questions.
I looked in my rear view mirror and saw a
car slowing up and pulling over to park, two cars back behind my own rental car.
A light mist had begun to fall, and I peered in the rear view mirror. I hoped
that this car would contain either SAC Jadzia or the Nguyens.
I really hated sitting in the car on a stake out.
SAC SamanthaJ3
~
Jan. 24, 2000
From: Kiwiphile
To: SamanthaJ3
INTERIM REPORT
TO: SAC SAMANTHAJ3:
FROM: SA KIWIPHILE
RE: SUICIDE VICTIM
Following the last report, I did a little
research on possible candidates for psychotic plants.
Apart from the usual suspects; (Peyote,
datura, LSD etc.), all of which would have shown up in the autopsy, I found one
little plant that may be our prime suspect.
That plant is Salvinium Divinorum.
Commonly found growing wild in Mexico, it is a little known psychedelic. It is a
relation to common Sage, which is often used in cooking, and also used to
produce Absinthe. Sage is also psychoactive, but the properties are destroyed by
the heat of cooking.
Sal.divinorum however, is a different
kettle of fish. It produces effects similar to psylocibian mushrooms;
hallucinations of auditory, visual, perceptive sates. They are very real and
detailed to the person experiencing the drug. hence its use in Shamanistic
rituals. These effects also resemble the symptoms of paraphernalia, paranoia and
psychosis.
Latent effects include a feeling of mood depression, and ‘flatness’. People
experiencing psychoactive drugs are also very open to auto-suggestion.
It can be ingested by eating, but the most
effective introduction to the body is by inhalation of the vapor. The effects
begin in 10 - 15 seconds, peak for around 5-10 minutes, then subside over a 30
minute period. Just enough time to enjoy a Vietnamese Beef Salad?
I hope these leads are helping, I guess
your hunch to talk to the chefs is correct, since generally no food comes in or
out of a kitchen without a chefs approval.
SA Kiwiphile
~
Jan. 24, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: Kiwiphile
Thank you again for your latest report and
findings. This case grows more curious by the moment.
I have already interviewed the restaurant
owners and all of the other employees who were present on the weekend in
question. They all deny seeing/hearing/thinking/knowing/suspecting anything of
help in this case. That just leaves me with the cooks and the clientele. ;)
Keep up the good work, and give SA Keila a doggie biscuit for me.
SAC SamanthaJ3
~
Jan. 24, 2000
From: Destiny50
To: Jadzia
After our discussion of this case on Friday ,it was kind of you to let me review the reports you have received. One question comes to mind. Has anyone checked the shipper in San Francisco, where the food stuffs originated from? If not, I would offer my services to you to explore that avenue of the investigation. I have several contacts who might be useful. Unless, there is some other case you have in mind where I can be of assistance. I will need the name of the shipping company of course.
Destiny50
~
Jan. 24, 2000
From: Jadzia
To: SamanthaJ3
I couldn’t believe my good luck when I found a parking spot just a couple of spaces behind SAC Samantha’s car. The poor thing was looking a little beat after all of the hours she had spent on the stakeout with no back up. I wanted to let her go back to the Comity Inn for a couple of hours of shut-eye, but unfortunately, I needed her to brief me on this case. At least I could give her a break first. I slid into the passenger’s seat of her car and, being the consummate agent that she is, Sam wanted to immediately update me on the case. I told Samantha that she had to get herself some coffee and something to eat first, and settled in while she hunted down some food & drink.
When she came back (with a bag full of
paper Chinese food boxes that smelled really, really good), we talked about the
case and the possible tie-ins to Malaysian vampires, pharmaceutical companies
and various psychotropic agents. We just had too many possible answers for this
case and very little evidence to help narrow down the choices. With SAC Elisheva
interviewing the chef in Arizona, SA Destiny50 researching the shipping company,
and Samantha and I waiting for the head chef, and MSSagan and Kiwiphile looking
into the drug aspect, I hoped that we’d get some helpful answers soon.
After about another half hour of waiting, SAC Samantha tapped me on the arm. I looked up and saw Kelly Nguyen and her mother walking into their house, their hands full of pink plastic bags from the Chinatown grocery stores.
SAC Jadzia
~
Jan. 24, 2000
From: Jadzia
To: Destiny50
Excellent idea on researching the shipper. According to their financial records, Da Chevettee got most of their food supplies from the Beautiful Pearl Shipping Company, based out of San Francisco. Their main office is located in San Francisco Chinatown. Please let SAC Samantha or myself know what you find out.
SAC Jadzia
~
Jan. 25, 2000
From: Destiny50
To: Jadzia
Got it. My flight is booked and baring any delays I’ll be in SF by this afternoon. I’ll contact you this evening. I am at the airport having my usual preflight Irish coffee.(more Irish than coffee)I’m still a bit of a white- knuckle flyer. M says I’m paranoid. He should call anyone paranoid,huh? Danny gives me all the statistic about flying being safer..... yada yada yada. So, I listen sweetly to them both and think good thoughts on the take-offs and landings. Seems to work so faro, there’s my boarding call, catch you on the flip side. California sunshine, here I come!
Destiny50
~
Jan. 25, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: Jadzia
“Oh thank goodness,” I sighed out loud. I really hated stake outs, and while I had been thrilled to see Jadzia join me in the car, and I’d been thrilled for the chance to get some food while we were waiting...I really hated stake outs.
“Let’s interview these people, we’ll
both be the bad cop,” I said as I shut the car door and hurried towards the
front door where the two women had just entered the house. “Maybe the girl
will simply tell us that—oh, I don’t know—aliens did it, and then we can
simply say thank you, and leave.”
I pivoted at the end of my little
monologue and nearly ran into Jadzia who was right on my heels. “Do I sound
hostile to you?” I tilted my head slightly as I thought about it. “I’m not
hostile. I just hate stake outs.”
Turning again, I went up the front steps,
rang the bell, and waited for someone to answer the door. A few moments later,
an attractive older woman came to the door. Jadzia and I identified ourselves as
Special Agents with the Bureau, and she identified herself as Mrs. Nguyen. She
invited us into her house and said Kelly would be right down to speak with us.
SJ3
~
Jan. 25, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: Kiwiphile
I received this message just moments after Jadzia and I entered the Nguyen house. I picked up my ever-present cell phone and hit the autodial for AD Skinner’s office. Kimberly answered the phone.
“No, I don’t want to speak with you,
Kim, I want to speak to THE MAN,” I almost growled at the poor woman. Across
the room, I could see Jadzia looking at me with something like surprise and mild
disapproval.
Kimberly wasn’t used to me being
anything but the utmost in politeness to her, so she must have thought that my
need to speak with AD Skinner was more important that it actually was. Skinner
himself was on the phone within moments. “Yes?” he growled into the phone.
I found myself looking at a picture in the
Nguyen living room even as I was speaking on my cell phone. It appeared to be
Mrs. Nguyen with a younger woman, presumably her daughter Kelly, and a young
man—a son perhaps? Or a friend of Kelly’s? Hard to tell? But the picture
distracted me for a moment, and I found myself standing there, holding the phone
next to my ear, and the volume of Skinner’s voice had grown significantly
louder as I must have kept him waiting several seconds.
“This is SAC Samantha,” I finally
said. “Jadzia and I received your message. I can’t speak for her, but I am
in the middle of a field investigation. I don’t think I’ll be hopping onto a
plane for Washington anytime in the next few hours.” I picked up the photo,
looking at it. “So consider me as having received your message and being
unavailable to assist. Good luck finding our people, sir.”
I ended the call and turned back to
Jadzia. “I am seriously cranky here, today. Sorry. Must be the stake out. I
really hate stake out duty, did I tell you that?”
SJ3
~
Jan. 25, 2000
From: Jadzia
To: SamanthaJ3
I tried to put a look of disapproval on my face when I heard Samantha’s brusque tone to poor Kimberly, but I was suppressing an unprofessional burst of laughter at seeing the usually unflappable Samantha Jaythree so completely out-of-temper.
<Mental note to Jadzia: don’t ever
leave Sam on a stake out for too long!> I thought. She was clearly an
action-oriented agent. <Maybe I should suggest that she work with Kiwiphile
on a future Y-File? God knows Kiwi finds enough action and excitement in the
field . . . > I thought with a mental groan since, virtually speaking, I was
one of the agents that needed to be rescued from the Orville Institute.
Out loud, however, I just grinned and
answered, “Yeah, I kind of picked up on that,” as we seated ourselves on the
Nguyen family’s couch.
Kelly walked into the room and sat down in
the chair opposite us. I noticed that her eyes were red-rimmed and her cheeks
were flushed, as if she’d been crying.
“Are you okay, Kelly?” Samantha asked,
some of her usual good-natured concern coloring her voice again.
“Y-yes,” Kelly answered. She paused,
and her voice was stronger when she continued. “It’s just been a very tough
week”. Mrs. Nguyen came in and took a seat near her daughter.
“I know that the incidents at the restaurant are upsetting, but we need to ask you a few questions,” I told Kelly.
SAC Jadzia
~
Jan. 25, 2000
From: MSSaganFan
To: SamanthaJ3
To: SAC SamanthaJ3
SAC Jadzia
CC: All SAs assigned to Case #Y-1077 Sweet and Sour
Fr: SA MSSaganFan
It is with heavy heart that I inform you
that I have returned to Washington. I have asked for a brief leave of absence
and it has been granted by AD Skinner. I will explain at a more opportune time.
I have reimbursed the Travel department for my flight from Pasadena to Oakland,
and all copies of my research, what little I was able to generate, have been
left at the Comity Inn.
ATF SA Jake Hatfield and Brian Burch were
caught in the line of duty in a gun-smuggling coup gone bad. SA Burch is
convalescing. SA Hatfield was killed in the exchange of gunfire. I will return
to duty in February.
Special Agent MSSagan
~
Jan. 25, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: Jadzia
Jadzia and I were at our professional best as we interviewed Kelly. I had calmed down considerably since I had hung up the phone on AD Skinner, and I was listening hard to what the young woman was saying...as well as to what she wasn’t saying.
“But I told you,” Kelly wailed and
burst into tears. “I didn’t do anything to those people! I didn’t do
anything to their food! I just cooked, like I always do, and nothing else!”
She dissolved into a flood of tears.
I had always prided myself on sensing
whether witnesses were telling me the truth. In this case, it wasn’t the
girl’s tears that convinced me that she wasn’t some modern day relative of
the Borgias but rather exactly what she seemed to be - a young woman, a reputed
chef, and completely distraught over the events which had happened recently.
Glancing over at Jadzia, I walked over to
where Kelly had slumped in her chair, sobbing and yet trying to pull herself
back together. I knelt down beside her chair so that I could look up at her face
for a moment to observe her reaction.
“Okay, Kelly,” I spoke soothingly,
“we’re not accusing you of anything. But something must have happened at the
restaurant. Can you think of anything—ANYTHING—that was different those two
nights? You’re the chef there, so you must notice things that the other
kitchen workers might not notice.”
I searched my mind wildly for things to
suggest to her. “Was anyone intoxicated or high that night? Did someone have a
new perfume that they were wearing? Did anyone use a new detergent to wash the
dishes?”
Kelly was shaking her head wildly back and
forth in a negative reply to my questions. “Anything different at all? Was
anyone earlier or later for their shift? Was anyone cranky?” I was really
grasping at straws now. “Were there any fights among the staff? Something made
those two nights completely different from the other nights.”
“Well,” Kelly raised her head at last.
“There was one thing different, but I can’t see how it makes any
difference.”
I held my breath and waited, and from the
corner of my eye I saw Jadzia lean forward as well to hear what might be our
only lead to date.
SJ3
~
Jan. 24, 2000
From: Destiny50
To: Jadzia
Casefile#Y1077 I arrived as expected in the late afternoon. Picked up the rental car .Then drove out to check in at the Seal Rock Inn ,where I am staying. I plan to investigate the shipping company and warehouse first thing tomorrow morning. I will be sending a sampling of the various meats and food stuffs being sent out to the particular eating establishment to the Sacramento Field Office for analysis, ASAP. I am going to enlist the aid of my contact in the health department to do our own little inspection of the business. Danny will check the main DC data base for any past violations ,or taunted food charges the company may have. I will send any info back as soon as I can. Keep me apprised of any new developments on your end. I’ll be in touch.
Destiny50
~
Jan. 25, 2000
From: Jadzia
To: Destiny50
To: SA Destiny50
Fr: SAC Jadzia
Re: Case file #Y-1077
It sounds like you’ve got all the bases covered. Great job! Samantha and I will be looking forward to your report.
SAC Jadzia
~
Jan. 25, 2000
From: Jadzia
To: SamanthaJ3
“Christian wasn’t there anymore,” Kelly managed to get out before she broke down in tears once again. Samantha and I looked at each other in confusion for a moment.
“Kelly, why don’t you go to the
kitchen and make these agents some tea? I’m sure they’ve had a very long
day,” Mrs. Nguyen interjected. Kelly nodded quietly and headed off to the
kitchen.
“Christian Phong was Kelly’s fiancé,”
Mrs. Nguyen explained. “They had been a couple for, oh, five years—ever
since they met in college. And six months ago, he asked Kelly to marry him. The
wedding was set for President’s Day Weekend”.
“And Christian also worked at the
restaurant?” I inquired.
“He is part owner of Da Chevettee.
Christian was the one who suggested opening a restaurant,” Mrs. Nguyen said
with a pained sigh. “He wanted to give Kelly a place to showcase her talents.
Beside Christian, cooking is her only other real love”.
“I wonder why Mr. Phong wasn’t on the
list of employees?” Samantha wondered aloud.
But it was Mrs. Nguyen who answered. “He
left the country earlier this week,” she told us. “He called Kelly and told
her that he couldn’t go through with the wedding, that there were things he
needed to sort out and that he had sold his share in the restaurant. Christian
said that he was going to Vietnam to visit his grandparents for several
months”.
“He broke off their engagement with a
phone call?” I asked in disbelief. Mrs. Nguyen nodded. “What a lout,” I
muttered under my breath.
I wondered why Christian had acted so suddenly. Did he harbor bad feelings toward the Nguyens? Had he gotten help and poisoned the restaurant diners? After all, Mr. Phong had sold his share in Da Chevettee and had nothing to lose by sabotaging its business. I made a note to review the reports SA MSSagan and SA Kiwiphile had given us on various drugs.
SAC Jadzia
~
Jan. 26, 2000
From: Jadzia
To: ALL
Kelly walked back into the room, carefully balancing a tray with tea and almond cookies. She poured Samantha and me each a cup of fragrant artichoke tea. Samantha nibbled on a cookie, while I took a few sips of the steaming hot tea. I glanced over at Kelly as she resumed her seat. She seemed more composed now.
“Kelly, I know this may be painful for
you to talk about, but do you have any idea why Christian might have left so
suddenly? Did you two have an argument or a fight of any sort?” Samantha
asked.
I had finished about half of my cup of tea
and was reaching for an almond cookie when it hit me. It was overwhelming—the
despair, the loss, the guilt, the pain, the feeling of complete and utter
loneliness. I could almost feel my heart breaking in two. I tried to surprises
it, but I couldn’t help the sudden sob that sprang from my throat.
“Jadzia?” Samantha said, turning to me in surprise. There I was, sitting in the Nguyen’s living room about to bawl my eyes out and make a complete idiot of myself.
SAC Jadzia
~
Jan. 26, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: Jadzia
I turned to Jadzia, my eyes wide and my mouth nearly falling open. “Are you okay, Jadzia?” I had never seen Jadzia upset, much less nearly in tears. And why? I could see tears forming in the corners of her eyes, and despite her best efforts, I could tell that she was miserable...and depressed...just like what had happened at the restaurant. Light bulbs finally clicked in my head.
I dropped the cookie I had been eating
into a napkin and shoved it into the outer pocket of my ever present trench
coat. Future evidence, I told myself. Think. Fast. I pulled a tissue from my
other coat pocket and shoved it in Jadzia’s face while I was turning towards
Kelly Nguyen.
“Okay, Miss Nguyen, I’m going to have
to ask you to come with us,” I said coldly. I stood ready to pull my gun if
necessary. I was furious with this woman who had the nerve to attack my partner
here in her mother’s own living room.
“Why?” Kelly’s mother seemed as
startled as her daughter. For a brief moment I wondered if they were both in
this together. “Whatever did Kelly do?”
“I’m not sure how she did it,” I
glared at Kelly, “but she somehow just attacked a Federal agent with the same
chemicals she used at the restaurant to induce depressive symptoms in the
restaurant patrons.” I slightly turned my head, but my eyes were glued to
Kelly Nguyen’s face and hands. “Jadzia, pull yourself together and call for
a forensic team to get out here and go over that kitchen with a fine-toothed
comb. As soon as we can find the method of delivery and the chemicals involved,
we’ve solved this case.”
“I didn’t do anything!” Kelly wailed
and stood suddenly. “You can look in the kitchen yourselves! I didn’t do
anything at the restaurant, and I didn’t do anything to you! You both ate the
cookies and tea that I made, and you’re not crying. I didn’t do anything!”
“Admit it!” I yelled back at the young
woman. Pulling out my handcuffs, I was ready to slap them on her wrists. “How
dare you deny it? Jadzia is crying...a Federal agent! In your living room! From
eating cookies and drinking tea!” I realized that I was yelling, but somehow I
just couldn’t seem to stem the tide of rising anger and frustration at what
had just happened.
SamanthaJ3
~
Jan. 26, 2000
From: Destiny50
To: Jadzia
Sorry. Did I get you at a bad time? I just received the results from the FBI office in Sacramento on the samples I sent in. Nothing out of the ordinary, I’m afraid. Sheila Carter and I did check out the warehouse today. Nothing there either. If the food was tampered with ,it either was done en route or on site. This company ships to establishments all over Northern California and there have been no problems anywhere else. Oh yeah, Danny says the Beautiful Pearl has a clean slate. No mention of any charges. Nothing illegal with one exception. Two years ago several employees were arrested for drug smuggling but the company was cleared of all involvement. Both men were convicted and are now serving time in the California penal system. While I was interviewing the employees this morning I did hear some interesting facts concerning the eatery. Several months ago there was a take-over robbery and three employees were murdered. Not too long after that is when this trouble began with the patrons. I don’t know if any connection can be made, but how do you know there is no supernatural answer we may have overlooked? I have heard stories about hauntings that alter the feel of the places where they occur. I don’t know if it makes people depressed enough to commit suicide, but I’m sure Fox has some information in his files on this subject. Just a thought. Is there anything else I haven’t covered? I will be here for several more days . I guess you heard the airports are closed all along the Eastern seaboard because of the weather? Can’t think of a better place to be stranded in than San Francisco. It has stopped raining so I’m hoping to take a stroll in the park that’s across the street in the morning. I also like to take a walk at low tide behind the Cliffhouse and see what treasures the surf left behind. I’ll have the cell if you have need for my further involvement in the case. I don’t want to stay any longer than I need to. I don’t want to have any arguments with the brass on my expenditures for the trip. You know how they can be!
Destiny50
~
Jan. 26, 2000
From: Kiwiphile
To: SamanthaJ3
MESSAGE TO: SAC
SAMANTHAJ3
FROM: SA KIWIPHILE
RE: AGENTS AVAILABILTY
I am writing to inform you that the Y
files case 1031: Minke Whale Fishing, has been closed. I am essentially
recovered from my injuries, and am available for more duties on this case if
required.
If you have any duties you would like myself or SA K9 Keila to perform, please
do not hesitate to ask.
(roughly translated, AD Skinner has Willmore and I checking visa applications,
and we are going stir-crazy. He won’t let us work on anything else until we
are ‘requested to do so through the proper channels’. BTW did you hear that
he took SA Keila for a walk yesterday lunch-time? Muttering all the way out
about ‘damn animal agents using up my spare time’, but I noticed he had
brought her a Frisbee when they returned.)
MESSAGE ENDS: SA
KIWIPHILE
DC OFFICE, Y-FILES
~
Jan. 26, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: Kiwiphile
Special Agent Kiwiphile,
I DID ask Jadzia to send a forensics team
to this location if she can stop crying long enough to pick up the phone and
dial. Damn, is there an incredible amount of hostility and anger coming through
my posts? What did Kelly Nguyen do to upset SAC Jadzia so badly? And while I’m
upset, why am I so darn upset about the whole thing???
If you really want to see a sight, see if
AD Skinner wants SA Keila for a weekend. Then stake out (not that I’m
volunteering for any stake outs here...did I mention that I hate stake outs?)
the area. You might catch our DA-AD roller blading with SA Keila on the long
leash.
(ooc...in case you’re wondering, yes,
the whole first part of that was in
character for me at this moment in the storyline.)
SamanthaJ3
~
Jan. 26, 2000
From: Jadzia
To: SamanthaJ3
I . . . I . . . I . . . I’m soooorrrrry Samantha. I’ve tried to call the team, but, but . . . it’s, it’s just so . . . sad . . . BWAAAAAAHHH!
SAC Jadzia
~
Jan. 26, 2000
From: Kiwiphile
To: Jadzia
SAC JADZIA, SAC SAMANTHAJ3,
I asked AD Skinner if I could be assigned
to the forensics team, and am on my way. Willmore is still pressing his case -
with his arm in a sling, Skinner kept pointing out that he wasn’t going to be
much good to do the fine detailed work of forensics. Go figure.
He’s in the mans office now, but I’ll go ahead and pack up the equipment. We
should be in Oakland in a couple of hours. Do you need SA Keila on this case? We
may have trouble weaning Skinner off her company, she growled at Diana Fowley
today, and he looked pleased.
OOC: my geography is hazy, if it’s
impossible to get from DC to Oakland in two hours, assume we’re using a Lear
jet or something....
SA Kiwiphile
~
Jan. 26, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: Jadzia
I had my gun pointed and leveled at Kelly Nguyen. Her mother was simply staring at me as if I had gone mad. I didn’t care. Somehow this innocent-looking young woman had managed to infect SAC Jadzia with the same unknown substance as the restaurant patrons had ingested...or breathed. I still wasn’t positive about the means of transmission.
“Oh, never mind,” I snapped. I
hadn’t felt this angry since...since....since I wasn’t sure when. Somehow
that thought struck me as significant, but I wasn’t sure why
it was significant. With my free hand, I pulled out my own phone from my coat
pocket.
Off the top of my head, I didn’t know
the number of the nearest field office, so I simply dialed the D.C. number. I
wasn’t in the mood to wait. “This is SAC Samantha Jaythree,” I snapped.
“I need a forensics team to this address...” and I rattled off the address
and gave the details. “And make it snappy!”
Jadzia was still falling apart, and I was
momentarily confused about what to do. If I ordered Kelly to the car, then her
mother could dispose of any
evidence. If we waited for backup, I’d have to stand here with a bawling
Jadzia and a gun in my hand. And if I felt any angrier over the whole situation,
I might shoot somebody.
I lowered my weapon, but my voice was
still tense. “You,” I pointed my cell phone at Kelly. “are coming with us.
And you,” I pointed the phone towards Kelly’s mother, “are going to sit
right here in this room until a forensics team arrives. If you move, they will
arrest you. If you attempt to destroy evidence, they will arrest you. Do you
understand me?”
I could almost feel the waves of hostility
and anger coming off me as if they were tangible or visible substances.
“C’mon, Jadzia, stand up,” I ordered her...and then it hit me that I was ordering
Jadzia to do something. “We’re taking you to the ER, and then we’re taking
Miss Nguyen in for questioning.”
I returned my gun to its hidden holster
beneath my coat. “And if anyone doesn’t do exactly what I just said, I may
have to shoot somebody.” I knew that didn’t quite sound like my normal self
either, but I still couldn’t quite put my finger on what my problem could be.
“At least AD Skinner wasn’t here to hear me say that, or I’d have to shoot
him, too, for telling me how unprofessional I....” I listened to what I just
said and whirled towards Jadzia (with one eye still on our suspect). “Jadzia,
what’s wrong with me? I just said I could shoot AD Skinner!”
SamanthaJ3
~
Jan. 27, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: Kiwiphile
SA Kiwiphile,
One bawling SAC Jadzia and one militant
SAC Samantha would appreciate your assistance with the forensics team, ASAP.
Might want to keep SA Keila at home on this one, or if she comes...tell her not
to eat or drink anything off the floor. Who knows what we’re dealing with here
and what it might do to our canine Special Agent!
SamanthaJ3
~
Jan. 27, 2000
From: Stubru
To: SamanthaJ3
SAC Samantha,
your lead into the pharmaceutical world
will prove to be a dead end, but follow it anyway for useful side info.
What you are witnessing here all started in the Vietnam War.
PDSD isn’t a natural human reaction. It is chemically induced as a result of
an experiment that went totally wrong. Instead of suppressing emotions they grew
more intense. The project ‘angsuyar’ wasn’t cancelled, the scientists
started to look in on the new developments and perfected their biological
weapon.
Good luck with your investigation
SB
~
Jan. 27, 2000
From: Kiwiphile
To: Samantha
I hung up from SamanthaJ3’s call with rising concern. I had headed to Oakland on my own, a couple of local field Agents were set to meet me at the house and go over it. Whatever had happened, the emotional state of my two SAC’s was clearly unstable.
Pulling up to the house, I met the two
agents outside. Introductions out of the way, I asked them why they hadn’t
started to set up the scene.
Agent Wilks answered first, he looked a
little uncomfortable.
’Well, we tried, but we can’t get in.’
There was a loud crash from the house.
‘What do you mean you can’t get in?’, I was pulling my gun and moving
towards the house as I spoke.
There was a muffled sound, crying?, coming
from behind the door. Agents Wilks and Harvey stood behind me.
I called through the door. ‘SAC SamanthaJ3? It’s SA Kiwiphile here. Can I
come in?’
There was a series of thumps, then I heard
her reply. ‘Go away! I don’t want anyone interfering and messing up this
crime scene! I’m prepared to shoot my hostages...I mean my...’
She was cut off by another crash. Then the door slowly opened.
I stood in the doorway, a look of
disbelief on my face. SAC Jadzia was balled up on the sofa bawling her eyes out.
SAC SamanthaJ3 was lying under a coffee table that was being sat on by Kelly.
Mrs Nguyen was standing against a wall, terrified.
I decided to take some control for now.
‘Agent Harvey, call an ambulance right away, Agent Wilks, please assist Mrs
Nguyen and Kelly into one of the cars, and don’t let them leave.’
This done, I went to my fellow agents.
‘Would somebody like to explain what the hell is going on here?’ SAC Jadzia
looked at me blearily. She couldn’t do anything but sob. SAC SamanthaJ3
struggled massively with herself, she looked like she wanted to clock me right
in the face, but instead she stood herself up and thrust her hands into her
pockets.
‘Agent Kiwiphile...apparently we have
been influenced by some sort of emotion enhancing substance...I suggest that
you, that you...damn it! Just get us to a hospital, and go over this place with
a fine-toothed comb.’ She turned and started to kick the crap out of the
coffee table. Grasping her firmly by the arms, I struggled with her momentarily
before she relaxed enough to be lead out to arriving ambulance.
Whatever was going on, I was sure that
there would be some kind of evidence in the household. I was looking at a long
night of forensics work ahead.
While the siren from the EMT faded, Agents
Wilks, Harvey and I started to examine the scene.
’You guys pick a room each to start in, I’m going to the kitchen.’
SA Kiwiphile
~
Jan. 28, 2000
From: SamanthaJ3
To: Stubru
The caller had disconnected the line before I could reply or say anything, but I made a mental note to check out the information...as soon as I could get out of the Nguyen’s house, that was.
I hung up my cell phone in disbelief. You
always hear about receiving phone tips from unknown sources, but in all honesty,
that didn’t happen to me that much in the field. I had pretty much settled
into routine investigational field work...that is, until lately.
Now how on earth had anyone obtained my
number...much less known that I was working on a specific case?
SamanthaJ3
~
Jan. 28, 2000
From: Kiwiphile
To: SamanthaJ3
The night was long and relentless, a fact not made any easier by Agents Harvey & Wilks. They were nice enough guys, just a little uptight. They made very little time to chat, instead methodically getting on with the work.
I arranged for Kelly and Mrs. Nguyen to be
taken over to county with another couple of Agents, who would interview them and
return them home by mid-afternoon.
It was only five am, but I was beginning
to despair of finding any evidence. We had bagged up the cookies and samples of
the coffee. Apart from a whole bunch of herbs drying in the kitchen, there was
no sign of anything unusual. I took samples of each plant, thirty two in all.
Quite a lot for home baking I thought. My hands were sweating in the latex
gloves, and I had an annoying itch behind my left ear, but because
this...'substance' could have been on anything I touched, I was loath to
scratch. I was rubbing my head on my shoulder when Wilks interrupted.
'Uh, Agent Kiwiphile?' he was looking at
me curiously. I was too tired to explain. Earlier we had all taken a coffee
break together, and they seemed to have heard a lot about our office, obviously
I was being treated as the visiting kooky file Agent.
To add insult to injury, Harvey had let
slip that the Oakland office knew about the betting pool Agent Foxphile had
started in honor of Craig & I. I was chagrined to realize that she had
e-mailed the damn thing cross-country.
'What is it Wilks?'
'We wondered if you would look at
something.'
He led me into the living room. It had
been photographed, bagged and tagged thoroughly, but Harvey had overlooked
something until a few minutes ago.
In the corner of the room was a small
family shrine. I was no expert on Chinese regions, but with Elisheva on the way
I knew we'd have an answer soon enough. But I was pretty sure there wasn't
normally an electric oil burner in a shrine. The burner was switched off, but a
tiny residue of oil sat in the bottom of the dish. I leaned forward to peer at
it, and caught a faint herb like aroma. I stood up quickly, not wanting to
breathe in any more than I had already.
'Bag this up guys,' I said. I felt
strangely giddy, my mouth twitched in mirth. Before I could stop myself I turned
to the two men and laughed. "I should call you two guys the assassins! I
just realized, 'Harvey and Wilks'! HA! You know,
Lee HARVEY Oswald and John WILKS Booth!' I dissolved into giggles helplessly, a
look of horror on my face.
Agent Wilks had the presence of mind to
move me outside for a spell. 'Well, I guess we found the culprit, we'll make
sure we don't get too close.'
I nodded, and let him return inside. My
'phone rang and I picked up, hoping it wasn't Skinner.
'Hello?'
'SAC SamanthaJ3 here, I'm almost back at
the house, can you arrange to get some coffee there ASAP?'
'Sure!', I figured sticking to one word
answers was safe enough.
'Oh and Kiwi? I'm sorry, but as soon as we
finish up here, I have to accompany you to a meeting with Skinner re the Minke
Whales Case.'
'Oh, he probably wants some inside odds on
Foxphile's little wager! You know, Willmore and Kiwiphile up a tree,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G!' I don't know what
her reply was, because I dropped the 'phone on hearing this, howling with
laughter.
SAC Kiwiphile
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