After the Meeting [Tag:Death!]

[Nathaniel Kingston]

"We would like to conclude by reminding everyone that if you even get so much as a scrap of information or even a reasonable guess, follow the lead immediately. This new murderer is going on a spree and is putting every non and human alike in danger! Dismissed."

Nathaniel got up from his seat at the wide table and sighed. Today's meeting at the NHRA sleuth headquarters was about his case. Meetings didn't usually talk about cases unless the circumstances were bad or the sleuth wasn't performing up to par. Since Nathaniel was doing his best and gathering as much information as he could, it obviously was the former. Things were getting really bad. More and more deaths were racking up, faster than ever.

He loosened his tie as he followed the small crowd of sleuths through the underground complex. He really abhorred underground buildings, and it was the one bad thing about his career choice. He felt confined. The air was stale and the breeze was nonexistent. The building just seemed to close in on him, and it drove him nuts. He never liked to be inside as it was, and being under the ground was suffocating. It was the main reason he never went to the sleuth headquarters unless summoned for a meeting.

Not surprisingly, he was called many names by the sleuths who were there almost all the time, one of them being the 'ghost' for his rare appearances and his pure white wings. He didn't mind though. Let them call him what they will, he was a good sleuth, and they knew it. They also knew that he was friendly and honest, so most of them respected him. In all reality, they were friends, and they could count on each other if needed. Nathaniel tried to impress that on them every time he came in.

"Oi, Nathaniel, want to go for a drink later?" It was one of his closer sleuth friends, Morgan, who called to him. They had worked in a team a few years back, and the camaraderie between the two had never diminished.

"I wish I could. I don't think I can relax quite yet though. Thanks for the offer. Maybe next time?" In truth, Nathaniel didn't feel well. The case he was on took more out of him than usual. He was just so disgusted by the monster that was rampaging through the city. He smiled weakly and waved before making toward the steps out of the building. The elevator would be way to crowded, and Nathaniel's claustrophobia wouldn't be able to handle it.

He quickly made up the stairs and got to the doors in record time, throwing them open to a gust of fresh air. He took a deep breath of air. It was nice out, with wonderful weather. The sun was shining and the breeze was comfortable. Well, comfortable for a Fallen. It was probably a little cold for most beings. He walked out into the sunshine and slowly made his way around the building. He didn't actually have anywhere to go after the meeting, but looking around the place was always fun. It also gave him more time to think. He still felt that he was missing the vital puzzle piece that would make the entire picture clear. Nathaniel couldn't help but feel that it was right in front of his face.

[Death Kave]

It was unbearable in this place. Underground, lit by sickly fluorescent lights that gave everything a barely-noticeable green tint, boring, and institutional in every imaginable way. Sam hated it at the NRAH. Her visits were rare, and always as short as she could make them. It wasn't just the stale atmosphere, the people just weren't pleasant. Like they had never seen the sun and hated everyone who had.

Sam loved the sun. Loved the heat it gave off. It even showed in her appearance; she had golden skin and long saffron hair. She almost seemed to glow. Winter was her least favorite time of the year, and snow made her miserable. Thankfully none had fallen recently, and the ground was clear of the evil stuff. Of course, that only made her longing for the bright sun even greater.

"Please, sir, I don't mean to be rude, but I really don't think that we can help each other any more," Samantha interrupted, smiling at the balding man who had been jabbering away at her for the last twenty minutes. She had been pacing around the cubic, grey room for far too long and was more than a little restless. "I'll have my people contact you if I find anything, and I hope you'll do the same." With that she fled from the room, stuffing a hardcover file into her professional-looking purse as she jogged for the stairs.

Even her short visits here had showed her how busy and crowded the elevators were, and she wanted out now. Bounding up the steps, she soon reached the lobby and slammed out the front doors with a half wave at the woman behind the front desk.

"Finally, air!" She exclaimed. She tilted her face up to the sun and inhaled deeply. This case was ridiculous and hopeless. It was the NRAH's to begin with, not hers. She had received a phone call from her boss this morning asking her to step in and help out. Unwillingly, Sam had. Getting caught up in the Headquaters's affairs was not something she wanted to do, but she had to. The gov't had already shown her that she was wise to do as they asked.

The case was hard. It involved a killer that nobody could identify, although he was most definitely a nonhuman. They had already found five bodies already, at least according to the information Sam had. Four of them were human women, the last was a shifter. The first body was found a week ago. The shifter's body had been found just yesterday.

The black case Sam had been provided with held almost no important information, although it involved a stack of papers a half inch thick. There were no leads and nothing to go on. Nothing to look for, a dead end. Just what she didn't need.

All at once Samantha got cold. Cursing the cold under her breath she pulled her navy jacket closed and readjusted her purse on her shoulder. She had the nagging feeling that she was missing something very obvious and vital, but she hadn't the slightest clue what. And with nothing to follow, she simply started walking. Maybe she would find a clue on her way to getting a hot cup of coffee.