The Black Mau Chronicles: the Lothario (sequel to the Viscera Syndrome/ “A short story”
By Taj Sonchai
Chapter1:
1:15pm: “The Grand Merrick Hotel” Washington, N.D.C.
The do not disturb sign is still on the door. The cleaning droid accesses the hotel register through its on board computer program to find that the guest checked out of the room at 2:00am. The droid unlocks the door and enters the suite. “House Keeping is anyone here?” The droid walks through the living room to the bedroom. The door is closed. The droid knocks “Hello is anyone here? The droid opens the door and scans the room to find a blood soaked body… laying in a blood soaked bed. The droid’s internal security system automatically notifies the front desk and the New District of Columbia Police and Security.
2:15pm: FBI Special Agent Polux Troi is discussing the crime scene with primary Detective Lieutenant Anna Wiles, her aide Garrett Thomas and the N.D.C Medical Examiner Dr. Ray Morris.
“The vic’s name is Regina Preston. Her actual cause of death still has to be determined but her internal organs were ripped out! Most of them are missing. At first glance, I was thinking that the organs may have been removed for sale on the black market. Then as I examined more closely these organs were ripped out rather than surgically removed. Then I noticed something even stranger...The doctor waited a beat. These are teeth marks, possibly from some kind of animal. Then the icing on the cake was a message that was left in the vic’s blood.
“Tasted and wasted by the Lothario”.
The chill went through him as though it was the first time all over again. He thought to himself. “I thought we had this Viscerian problem under control. I don’t want to go through this again. The first time damn near killed me.”
“Doctor Morris, I have a hunch…Let’s just pray that when you test for the DNA on those bite marks that it doesn’t come back human.” said Troi.
“Human! Human you say? Agent Troi, there is no way that these teeth impressions are from a human, at least I hope not? I mean that these teeth marks could be human, but I…seriously doubt it. There is no way a human would devour another human like an animal. But I will have my odontologist confirm what did this.” said Morris.
“If I’m right you’ll be surprised!” said Troi.
Wiles and Thomas were quiet as they listened to the exchange between Troi and Morris.
"Person of interest checks out at 2am, no copy of any I.D. recorded. We do have a hand writing sample of the victim.This person of interest is smart enough to stay out of the video cam's view.The cam only shows the victim said Troi.
“Doctor Morris I know that you’ll get back to us when you have something. We have been here many times before. Feel free to take her now.” said Lieutenant Wiles.
As Troi begins walking to his S.T.A.V. (Street to Air Vehicle), “Agent Troi, wait up!” called Anna Wiles, as she trots across the street to speak with Troi. Troi looks back over his shoulder to see Wiles coming. He instantly notices that she is kind of cute in a manly kind of way with her hard features and spikey hair. He wondered if she was possibly gay, then quickly dismissed the thought.
“What can I do you for Lieutenant?”
“I got kinda confused back there when you said that those bite marks could be human. What do you mean when you say human exactly? What do YOU think we’re possibly dealing with here?” inquired Wiles.
“Let’s just hope I’m wrong. Listen…I know that you are the primary on this, but when the M.E. contacts you with his findings would you please give me a call. Here’s my card.”
“Agent Troi, I just want to know what the other possibilities could be if an animal didn’t do this?
“Weren’t you listening, I said a human did this…PERIOD!” Troi exclaimed.
“A human?, How?, Why?” queried Wiles.
“Look, ah… Do you want to go get some coffee or something and I’ll tell you a little story that happened in Chicago seven years ago.”
“Thomas! ... Yo Thomas! … I’ll meet you back at Central. I’m going to check something out with Agent Troi. I’ll be back shortly! She shouted from across the street.
“I’ll file the report!” said Thomas.
“Thank you, you’re the best!”
“I KNOW!’ Thomas yelled.
Troi and Wiles are at their booth at the Box Car Diner. The restaurant is very 1950’s retro with read leather bar stools at the counter and the checker board square tiles on the floor. The short order cook calling the order up as the smell of fried food aromatically fills the car.
“So…What’s this story? asked Wiles.
“Have you ever heard of Dr. Jiles Mokatari?” asked Troi.
“No…I can’t say that I have.”
“On old Earth about seven years ago, the Spliftans unleashed a virus at the Grand Merrick Hotel in Chicago. This virus altered the human DNA of the people that stayed in that hotel. It changed them into cannibals. This virus came from product in a DNA compound developed in ancient Ajna. This virus developed in humans what we call the “Viscera Syndrome.”
“What’s Ajna, what's a Spliftan?” asked Wiles.
“Ajna is a planet in the Federated Planetary Alliance.The Spliftans are terrorist... ” Wiles had a very perplexed look on her face...
“The whaa?” Wiles replied.
“Wiles, when we were at war seven years ago… remember the aliens?"
Wiles began to chuckle. “Troi, Don't tell me you believe that shit? I was told that supposedly most of us were in some kind of hyper sleep and when we woke up, we were in this place. I kind of think it's bull shit. Former President Palmer explained that we were in a war and alien technology made this planet for us, and that's why they got rid of his ass because they thought he was loony. I’m kind of fuzzy on all the details, but I don't believe it. Do you?”
“Yes I do and and you will to before this is over with...Troi looked directly into Wiles's eyes as he said it. Palmer was wrongly impeached and he was telling the truth. If he hadn't been contacted by the E.T.'s we would be dead or worse right now. This is the thanks that he gets for saving the planet. The poor bastard. And that in it self is a long story, anyway... what I was saying is this Mokatari guy became the leader of this clan of cannibals called “Viscerians”. He organized them, trained them, kept them alive and made them a very powerful human flesh eating community. This viscerianism became their religion of sorts. He also went the certified companion route to set people up to feed his flock. He is now kept in solitary confinement at a high security compound. Scientist are trying to find a cure for Dr. Mokatari and the few others that weren’t killed in their apprehension. I hear that they are close to achieving that goal.”
“Palmer said that we are here because of the E.T.’s. He said that they destroyed our planet and somehow they constructed this new one. Now you are telling me that a by product of interacting with these beings we have cannibalistic freaks running around killing innocent people in my city? We have flesh eating predators lurking throughout my city?”
“That's what the Viscera do, but I don’t know? It could be a copycat killing. Let’s see what the M.E. has to say.” Troi said.
“OK…Lets say that it is a human doing this, how did you gain control of these monsters the first time?” asked Wiles.
“Basically, I consider these Viscerians E.T.’s, so to capture an E.T. You need someone with the technology to whip their proverbial ass! And I only know one person with the skill and the technology to resolve this situation. She is called “The Cat”.”
“The Cat?”
“She has a team called “The Society of The Secret Mau” (T.S.O.T.S.M.) I’m so glad that they are the good guys because if they weren’t…the people of earth wouldn’t have had a chance in the Spliftan War.”
"Whatever you say, but you are going to have to prove this to me Troi. I mean anything is possible right? It's just that this alien crap doesn't make sense and it's kind of far fetched to say the least."
"Believe me Lieutenant there is no wasted space out there."
22:00 Hrs.
Troi’s pocket link buzzes and wakes him from a deep sleep. Groggily he answers the link. “Agent Troi, this is Lieutenant Wiles N.D.C. Police and Security. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“Yea, what’s up?”
“Well it seems that you were right. Those bite marks on Regina Preston are human. Dr. Morris also said that there is also a foreign genetic code within the DNA link that he said he’s never seen before. Possibly E.T.? he said.”
“Where are you?” Troi asked.
“I’m at the “Tri-C” the CentralCommandCenter.”
“I’m on my way.”
After Troi disconnects the link he scrolls his directory to an entry only listed as C.I. he pushes the button to dial the number.
“Cat Investigations…Aidib speaking. How may I direct your call?”
A.I.D.I.B. (Artificial Intelligent Digital Interface Being/Brain) depended on what form Aidib takes.
“I’d like to speak with “the Cat” please.”
“May I ask who’s calling?”
“Tell her it’s Agent Polux Troi of the F.B.I.”
“Please hold and I’ll connect you.”
Aboard the “Artificial Intelligent Digital Interfaced Star Ship” (A.I.D.I.S.S.) a.k.a. (Lion Heart), JYoti McCaine is in the virtual room conducting a training class for Mauyun recruits from the Mauist Temple on Ajna.
JY's C.I. link buzzes.....
“JYoti, you have a call from Rare Earth, Washington, NDC from Agent Polux Troi of the FBI.”
“Thanks Aidib, I’ll be right there. OK everybody that will be it for today. Shuttle to Ajna will be leaving in one hour. Remember you all will have a test tomorrow. I will not cut you any slack either so study up and practice your Mauyun moves because I’m going to kick each of your asses! Dismissed!
JYoti goes to her private quarters, to her office. JYoti in her cat form prepares for the screen. “Aidib, put Agent Troi on please. Troi, how are you…Troi, what’s shak’n Baby?” Troi on screen, his dark wavy hair all over his head “Good morning… I think? Is it morning there?” asked Troi
“Relatively, Troi you look like shit! Are you hung over or something?”
“Thanks… you look felinely gorgeous as usual. No I’m not hung over. I’ve been tossing and turning all night having Viscerian nightmares and a few minutes ago I got a call from Detective Anna Wiles of the Washington, NDC Police, who confirmed my nightmares. I think that we missed one. His M.O. is that he feeds and then leaves a message written in the victim’s blood signed “The Lothario”.
“The Lothario? That’s different. It means that he’s some kind of “Casanova” in your English language. How many deaths have been reported with the same M.O.?”
“Just the one thus far, Cat it’s been seven years, two years since we figured this out and stopped Mokatari!”
“Maybe he’s a transient and you are the first to recognize the signs of the Viscera. You know that he has to feed so there are more victims. Eating human flesh is an addiction that is in their genetic code. He won’t be able to help himself on his own.”
“Hey Cat, I was thinking maybe we can pay Mokatari a visit and see if he possibly knows this UNSUB?”
“Good Idea. I’ll pick you up.”
“ No...meet me at the Tri-C in NDC.”
“What? … You and your Government with all those acronyms.”
“I know, I know… that’s the same thing I said, as he chuckled. It’s the New District of Columbia Central Command Center in Washington.
I also have some people that I want you to meet.”
“Sure, do they have hang ups about E.T.’s?"
“I don’t think so. She didn’t strike me as the type, though I don’t think she nor her partner ever met an E.T. before?”
“Well, I have a few things to tie up here and I’ll be there in an hour."
“Where are you?”
“I’m on the AIDISS orbiting the R.E. as we speak. Talking about acronyms. We are cloaked so your S.E.T.I. folks don’t get too excited and have your military up here harassing us. I’m on my way.” She disconnects.
“Aidib, get Paladin on the link for me.”
JYoti walks out of her office and heads for the bridge. On the Bridge she sees Communications Officer Twelve Palmer.
“Twelve, I need a huge favor. Will you take over my Mauyun Class until I return? I have to go to Rare Earth. They have a possible Viscerian killing Earth women. I have a meeting with authorities in Washington, NDC. I’m trying to locate Paladin now. When he is reached will you tell him where I am going please? I’ll more than likely be gone when he calls, or he can reach me in the “Fat Cat”.”
Twelve frowns,“Sounds nasty...I remember the last time. Sure… I'll relay the message. He’s in L.A. and I’ll take care of the class for you too. Be careful out there JY. If you need back up we’re there. I’ll monitor you and… Your mission log number is 3412.”
“Thanks.”
As she walks the corridor to the ship's hanger, the doors open and JYoti's " vehicle awaits. The mauve colored Super Semi Truck that really isn't a truck at all.
JYoti boards the semi/star cruiser and crime lab lovingly called “The Fat Cat”.
“Aidib…I need a systems check for departure.”
“Hydrogen batteries to power” stated Aidib.
“Powered up and Check!” said JYoti.
“All turbines to speed” stated Aidib
“Check”
“All systems are a go Lieutenant McCaine”
“All set ready to depart.” said JYoti.
© 2008 Black Mau Chronicles/ Taj Sonchai
Chapter 2: the Lothario (sequel to the Viscera Syndrome/ “A short story”
Armand Topol was sitting in the lounge at “Club Chaos” in Baltimore, MD. Topol in observation mode sitting back in a dark corner of the lounge just watching the people, particularly the women. He preferred to hunt women as opposed to men or children because he actually got a sexual charge from the power he received after he acquired them and rendered them helpless. He was meticulous in watching who was with whom and who was alone or with the least amount of people. Outside of the club the local radio station was putting on a promotional pajama party. Hundreds of people in the streets dancing, drinking… “easier prey” he thought, better outside than in. Suddenly a young woman approaches Armand. She was a smidge less than average looking, a little on the heavy side, but Armand didn’t really care. He thought to himself… “Beggars can’t be choosers now can they? “Look at what she makes me do? The Lothario, is this what I’ve become? I’m sorry, but I will have to take this woman by any means. Should I fuck her first? I don’t know?… she is sort of a homely bitch.”
“Hey handsome wanna buy a girl a brewskie?”
“Most certainly.” Armand smiled and thought to himself… “Why not!”... He could smell her blood flowing from her sacred garden. “On her period” he thought to himself, as they danced the night away. This girl is feeling no pain and she is a happy drunk.
“Hey would you like to take a ride on my Air Cycle, its right over there.” He pointed where it was parked in the Club Chaos lot, as she followed his direction.
“You know, I kinda figured you for a biker boy. I’d love to take a ride on your Hog. I hear that the vibration on a aircycle is the best form of masturbation a girl can have…and I’m horny as fuck!” said the woman.
“A drunk mind will speak sober thoughts. Ahhh this is just way too easy!” Armand thought to himself. “Let’s sky out!
“Let me tell my sister and her boyfriend that I’m going.”
“Don’t bother; we’ll be back before they even notice you’re gone.”
“I…I don’t even know your name.” said the girl.
“I’m Antonio, and you are?”
“I’m Carly.”
“Nice to meet you Carly.”
“It’s very nice to meet you too! Damn you are so fine!”
“Yea, I bet you say that to all the fellas you pick up! Just hold on to my waist and we are air born.”
The Central Command Center-2:00am
The Fat Cat was instructed to enter the underground garage of the building to avoid the media surrounding the Tri-C. Agent Polux Troi, Detectives Wiles and Thomas and Police Chief Reginald Tubbs met and greeted JYoti “The Cat” McCaine. McCaine, when she is in her “Cat” form she prefers to just be called and introduced as “Cat”, when she is in her human appearance, she prefers to be called and introduced as “JYoti”. She has been heard to say among friends that both forms are her true forms because she is both Nukujin Ajnaese and Human due to having a Human father and Nukujin Ajnaese mother. I’m not only Bi-Racial, I’m Bi- Species too! She would say. As they walked the sterile looking underground corridor of the Central Command Center. Cat could smell death and formaldehyde in the distance. She knew that they were close to the morgue.
Wiles, Thomas and Tubs were staring at her while Agent Troi was giving a brief run down of the how, what and whys of the Viscerian history. The three police officers made her feel self conscious. "Maybe I should have presented myself as JYoti, she thought?, No... why should I make them more comfortable? This is who I am as well. They need to get a grip!"
Cat's eyes are dark green, the color of jade with light speckles of gold in them. Her skin is exotic and a smooth golden brown. Cat's hair was displayed in neatly cropped white dreadlocks. The officers and detectives were cordial enough to shake her hand and welcome her she thought, so she had to nip some things right here, right now... She stops in her tracks. All stop behind and along side of her. “Look people, I need all of you to lighten up and focus. She said with authority. I understand that you may have never seen an E.T. before. The truth be told, I was born in Los Angeles, California and I went to primary school there for a while. There are a lot of us here on Rare Earth that were transported from old Earth. One of the reasons they call this planet “Rare Earth” now... is not only because of its rich minerals, natural resources and pure clean air, which your previous version of the planet was lacking, and not that this planet was created better than the original, but because there are so many species of beings living among you now. We all have to get along and work as one people. So… hey…if you all are finished gawking at the cat lady here, as she opens her arms kind of in a style reminiscent of “The Fonz”… Maybe we can catch us a killer. So show me what you got thus far.” directed Cat.
“Cat, I just wanted to say that I love your outfit. I wish that I could wear something like that.” said detective Wiles.
"OK, now she wants to talk...I guess she needed an Ice breaker." She thought.
Cat was wearing a white top that looked very much like what they used to call a “Wife Beater” tee shirt back in the day. The shirt showed Cat’s well defined biceps and round feminine shoulders. Her shirt had two straps that wrapped around her waist from the front to come around and buckle in the front. The straps had what looked similar to bullets in the pouches. She wore a brushed flat black utility belt, which hung loosely on her hips, weapon attached with an Ajnaese hieroglyphic on the buckle. She had on black jeans that highlighted her perfect womanesque physique with her long legs tucked in to some calf high wrap around tevlarainium all terrain boots with retractable cat claws for climbing.
“Thank you very much. I designed this myself. This is my battle gear outfit, one of them anyway.”
“Excuse me ladies but that’s enough wardrobe admiration. Let’s go look at Regina Preston’s body” said Troi.
Troi’s pocket link buzzes. “Excuse me, I have to take this.”
In the morgue Cat, confirms that it was a viscera attack. Troi comes into the room with extreme urgency. “There has been another murder… in Baltimore”.
“Let’s go in the Fat Cat, we’ll get there faster.” Cat suggested.
“We’d go with you but Maryland is out of our jurisdiction. We will follow up on things here and we can exchange information later.” Wiles said. Cat nodded.
Cat and Troi made it to Baltimore in ten minutes. Cat landed on a side street and then drove on to the crime scene location.
“Officer I’m Special Agent Polux Troi of the FBI and this is Inspector Cat McCaine.” The officer was staring at Cat.
“Officer, I’m talking to you! Troi, trying to regain the police officer’s focus, I was told that there were some witnesses standing by?”
Cat went over to view the body. She retrieved the crime scene sealant from her utility belt and sprayed her hands and feet with the protective, invisible coating so that the integrity of the crime scene remained. She then uncovered the victim’s face.
“Yes sir…They’re right over here. Sir...excuse me but why does that woman look like a cat? asked the officer.
Troi turned to look at Cat, then he looked back at the policeman and told him he was imagining it and he must have a secret cat fetish. “Do you get off on cats officer...Troi glanced at his badge and I.D.
Officer Blakeley is it? I mean pussy’s pussy but aren’t you taking it a bit to the extreme?” Troi quipped.
Blakeley just looked at Troi "Ass Hole!" he said, and just shook his head.
Troi walked over to the witnesses ….
As cat examined the remains of Carly Robinson, she saw the sign of the Viscera. Cat also saw what looked like a message written in blood by her body on the wall of the building in the alley.
“Tasted and wasted by the Lothario”.
“Ohoo this Muther fucker wants to be funny, but I’m not laughing! TROI! CAN YOU COME OVER HERE PLEASE!
“Yea, what’s up?”
“This is a sick bastard and the sad thing is he thinks he’s cute, leaving a message in the victim’s blood.
"You already know this Cat...what's your point? Troi asked.
"Just to actually see this in my face like this is really disturbing. This person has a huge ego. Also this guy may need to feed, but he enjoys what he is doing. This girl was sexually assaulted as well. That isn’t a real characteristic of the Viscerian. I could be wrong, but it has been my observation that they don’t enjoy what they do, but they have to do what they do. It’s like a wild animal having to eat fresh meat instinctively and the Viscerians have a conflict with the human part of them. The Viscerians are human wild animals, for lack of a better term, go figure? When they’re in the feeding state they don’t have the wherewithal to write notes. This has been my observation of them.”
“So what are you saying Cat, we have a cannibal with a conscience?
“I don’t know, but I’m going undercover to set the trap to get to the bottom of this tragedy.”
“Well... I do have good news! We do have a face to put with this unsub. I downloaded.” Troi said.
“Let’s go look at it in the Fat Cat, but first… Cat walks over to the witnesses. “Hello my name is Cat.”
“No shit! said a young man who was standing near them with his back turned to them. He and his three friends began to snicker.”
“Excuse me, she said as she walked over to the three boys. Do you three have something that you’d like to say to me?" Cat asked.
“No... Mam! one replied.”
“If you don’t have anything to do with this investigation, or if you have already been talked to by a police officer, I suggest you move from this area NOW! They moved expeditiously.
"Sorry about that, rude people just kinda annoy me. I’m an investigator. Cat shows the family her credentials. I understand that you are Carly’s sister and you are her parents, her brother? (All acknowledged.) I’m sorry for your loss. I truly am. I really need a huge favor from you all. Please… I don’t want you showing this picture to anyone, as she shows them. Don’t talk to the media at all. I’m going to catch this guy before the week is out. I need your help to do so. Just keep a low profile. I don’t want him spooked. Will you do this for me? Everyone agreed. Thank you so much. I will catch this killer. You have my word on it.”
Inside Cat’s lair in the Fat Cat she has her crime lab and computers and she tapped into the FBI computers. “You aren’t supposed to be able to do that!” said Troi.
“Troi, your technology here is so behind. Don’t worry about that though, Wilemeana Bast is about to change- your- world.”
“Who is that?”
“Man, I don’t even live on this planet and I keep up with people better than you do. If you don’t know…you will soon enough. OK…what do we have here?
"His name is Armand Topol. He also has several aliases listed here, as Cat indicates on the screen. He’s been convicted of rape. He did a five year stint for that conviction. No murder. Let’s forward this Info to Detective Wiles at the Tri-C.”
“I see that Mr. Topol is also a biker. Carly’s sister said that he took Carly away on a street to aircycle.” said Troi.
“Let’s go see Mokatari.” said Cat.
Dettmer Institute
McCaine and Troi are lead into a dirt compound. A place not much different from what you’d see at an ape habitat at a zoo, except Doctor Jiles Mokatari’s suite was as luxurious as an 8x12 cell could be. He is behind a thick tempered glass window, which was the front of his cell. The other three walls were made of concrete and steel.
“Cat McCaine… or should I just say “The Cat!” … my most formidable adversary, though we aren't that anymore I hope? How lovely you look. Tell me what’s new Pussy…Cat? Oh… you have brought your friend Agent Troi along. How are you Agent Troi?”
“I caught your little Pussy Cat remark, walk lightly Doctor! In answer to your rhetorical question, we are both good. I would like to know if this person is one of yours?” She puts the picture in a sliding drawer, he retrieves it and looks at it.
“No…I’ve never seen this person before in my life. He’s not one of mine.”
“Are you sure.” asked Troi
“Positively. Since I’ve been confined, I haven’t kept up with any of my Viscerian family members. We have no contact at all. I don’t know who’s alive, dead or confined?”
“How many people were in your community?” Cat asked.
“Do you mean before you and the Military wiped us out?”
“Look, Dr. Mokatari, don’t go there! The loss of life was on the ones who chose to die. They had the same choice that you did and you chose to live and get help. So…how many? asked Cat.
“There were four hundred of us, from my guesstimate. There are seventeen of us here I believe. I don’t really know? You know Miss McCaine and Agent Troi, they feed us like we are beast at the zoo. When we have our sessions with Doctor Morton, we are bound and security guards with guns are always present.”
“You act as though you don’t understand why?” said Cat.
“Oh, I fully understand. I think that if they can’t cure this curse soon then all of the Viscerians that remain should be killed. What do we have to live for? We didn’t ask to be this way. Our condition is the result of bio-chemical warfare.”
“This is true. Have hope Doctor. I pray for you and the Viscerians everyday. They will find a cure. I believe that! It is said that they’re very close to finding one.” said Cat.
“Thank you my dear, the Lord knows we need it. What became of our benefactor?” asked Mokatari sarcastically.
“Kiragu Sarang, She was in solitary confinement awaiting trial, but killed a guard in her escape. The Federation is working out the particulars on leads to recapture her as we speak.” said Cat.
“I see...Whatever became of the Spliftan Nanites?”
“Most were reprogrammed and are now a productive part of society and others went underground with Sarang and we're trying to find them.”
“On Rare Earth?”
“No, they are on various colonies throughout this galaxy and the next. The re-programed ones are helping rebuild colonies that were destroyed or abandoned in the Galaxy war. The Spliftan Nanites are just machines, as you know. Their central computer is hidden in a very safe location. The ones that escaped were running from a different master computer that we failed to locate. We're working on resolving the Spliftan issue completely.”
“Very good!” Mokatari replied.
“Well Doctor, thank you for talking with us. I wish you well.”
“Cat, will you visit with me from time to time. Seeing a friendly face does give me hope.”
“Doctor Mokatari, you can count on it.”
“Agent Troi, I’d like to see you too. Perhaps we can become friends as well?”
“I don’t mean to be rude Doctor, but honestly you give me the creeps and I don’t think that I’d be a good buddy for you. Thanks but no thanks.”
“Very well then, he gave a forced smile. Good luck in finding this killer.” said the Doctor.
“Thank you Doctor Mokatari.” Cat said.
“Out of the darkness came the dawn before me there was you. I was here and you were gone. Now I’m here and you are gone.”
“Hey Doc, you really need to get a new rhyme, because that is so... so tired. Let’s go Cat.” said Troi
“I’ll see you soon Doctor.” As they were walking back through the corridor Cat said… “Troi, I’m seriously trying to determine whether you are an ass hole or a whole ass! You were very rude to Doctor Mokatari.”
“Well blame it on the New Yorker in me.”
“Right! OK...well, now is the time to set the trap.” said Cat.
“What is your plan, my feline friend?”
“I just want to see if we are on the same page here. What have we learned thus far?” Cat asked.
“We are dealing with a psychopath that likes to rape his victims before he devours them. He is very narcissistic. He leaves narcissistic messages at the crime scene in the victim’s blood. The thing is Cat, I don’t think that he is the one actually doing the butchering or the actual feeding. He’s doing the raping, but not the cannibalism.”
“Troi, are you as brilliant as you are an ass hole? We are on the same page. The Viscera have to feed every two days. So tomorrow, I believe that he may need to feed again. Topol is the hunter, he selects the victims, leads them to the Viscera, rapes them at some point, possibly kills them, the Viscera feeds. That is just my hunch, but I could be wrong. It wouldn’t be the first time.
On the Fat Cat’s police scanner a Montgomery County police officer announces that he has spotted a Caucasian male fitting the description of Armand Topol. He is on a street to air cycle fitting the description given. He’s headed West on Fulton Street.
Cat taps into the A.I.D.I.S.S. (Artificial Intelligent Digital Interface Star Ship) satellite surveillance system and finds Topol. “Aidib, (Artificial Intelligent Digital Interfaced Brain) this is Cat, can you keep the subject under your watch until further notice.”
“Most certainly Lieutenant McCaine. Is there anything else I can do for you”?
“Yes, take over the Fat Cat and follow Agent Troi’s instructions. I’m getting on my street to air cycle and JYoti is going to put on her feminine charm.” Just then Cat morphs into JYoti, her human persona. Agent Troi is in awe. “How do you do these things you do?”
“It's in the genes Baby, it's in the genes." Cat winks at him.
“This is Special Agent Polux Troi. Please don’t attempt to apprehend the suspect just see where he goes. We also have him targeted. Our vehicle is an unmarked truck and a street to air cycle. We are on our way. Troi out.”
Cat takes the Fat Cat from street to air mode. Cat then goes to the back of the truck into her lab and punches up her equipment manifest, then the sub-list of equipment under dimension compression. “There she is, my air cycle. Troi, I’m about to take off after this dude. This is where the fun begins.”
The cargo hold opens. Out of the floor rises Cat’s custom street to air cycle, black, seamless and sleek. “Troi, I’m out! Oh one more thing, take this pill. You’ll be able to communicate with me telepathically. When you want to turn it off, tug gently on your right ear lobe. To turn it on, pull your lobe again.
“JY, be careful.”
“This will be a piece of cake!” JY then tugged her left ear lobe. I’m on.
The cycle ejected from the truck and she shot off like a bullet. The wind blowing through her beautiful, soft flowing dreads. Behind her cat-eyed styled goggles, her eyes had conviction and purpose in them. She could hear the thunderous engine of his air bike, in contrast to her bike being very quiet and stealthy. She eased behind him but out of view of his rear mirrors. Then she swooped down and blew right past him.
Topol thought to himself, “Who is this biker babe?” As it was, he was out looking for prospects for feeding. He thought of himself as the hunter and the women of his choice were his prey. He wondered how much of a challenge this woman would be? She seemed to have an air about her, though he wasn’t exactly sure what? She was unique looking, yet beautiful in an exotic way he has never quite seen before.
JYoti pulled into an ice cream stand to purchase an ice cream cone, just to see if Armand Topol would follow…and like clockwork, he pulled into the ice cream stand. JYoti was in line waiting for her order as Topol came up behind her. “Nice bike you have there. I have never seen one quite like it before. What is it?” he asked.
“Oh…it’s something that I put together in the shop. I call it my mutt bike because it’s a mixture of many bikes that I like…plus a little of my own creative ingenuity.”
"Do you want to sell it?"
"NO!"
“They say a man can tell a lot about a woman by the bike she rides.” Topol said.
“Is that so?” She turns to pay the cashier for the ice cream.
“May I help you sir?” asked the cashier.
“Oh…sure…I’ll have whatever she ordered, the same thing.
JYoti went to sit down at a near by table. May I join you?” Topol asked.
JYoti just looked at him and gave a light sigh.
“Sure…”
“My name is Tony”, as he extended his hand for her to shake.
JYoti pushed up her cat eye goggles to her fore head and looked at his hand, then looked at him and thought (Liar), she tilted her head and looked at the chair across from her and told him to have a seat, dismissing the hand shake.
“I didn't get your name?” he asked.
“That's because I didn't give it, but if you must know my name is simply JY, that’s capitol “J” capitol “Y”. So Tony, I would never figure you as the ice cream cone type. You seem more like a Miller Lite kind of guy?”
“Budweiser all the way!”
“Right On.”
“Why don’t you have a beer with me tonight over at Club Chaos?” Topol asked.
“I don’t think so.”
“Why not, are you involved, are you in a relationship, Is your husband married why?”
JY just kind of looked at him as if to ask is this guy serious with this line?
“Tell me Tony, why is it that a man always thinks that the reason a woman doesn’t want to meet him for a drink has to do with being in a possible relationship? Maybe I just don’t like the way you smell, or maybe I think you’re ugly as hell and I don’t want to be seen in a public place with you? But looking at you, you’d be way too vain to even think such a thing could even be a remote possibility.” said JY.
Tony casually sniffed his underarms and brushed back his long hair with his fingers.
“Take it easy man… none of what I said is the reason. I was just pulling your chain. My real reasons are one, I don’t drink and two…I just don’t go and meet strange men at bars." JYoti then took a very sensual lick of her Ice cream.
Tony just looked at her, staring at her intently with piercing pale blue eyes….He thought to himself “Who is this bitch, who does she think she is?”
“Hey Man, what are you doing? Creating a memory? I’m sure if you took a picture it would last longer! JYoti quipped. It is not polite to stare!”, as she finished the last bit of her cone.
Topol snapped back to the present… “I’m sorry.”
“Tony, I’ll tell you what… go to Chaos and if I change my mind I’ll be there. I’m curious as to what you’d look like when you meet a woman that you are interested in seeing again.”
“Who said that I was interested in you?”
JYoti smiled. “Then why are you sweating me at an ice cream stand when I was minding my own business? You don’t even like ice cream!”
“I like ice cream, who doesn’t like ice cream?” retorted Topol.
“Then why did you let the shit melt without even taking one lick! You are full of shit Tony, but you've got me kinda curious. I just might show up just to learn more about you, to see you in action,” said JYoti.
Topol, looked at the melted ice cream and pitched it. “Well look who is interested now?”
“Touché!” said JYoti.
“Tonight then?” asked Topol
“Tonight” replied JY.
“Be sure to ride your bike.”
(After I kill you I'm going to keep it.) He thought.
“It’s the only way I roll… or fly.” She smiled.
“As Topol left, JY thought… “Troi are you there?”
“Wow this is amazing I hear you in my thoughts, in my mind.” Troi said.
“This is so that we can communicate without saying a word.”
“We need this technology in the Bureau.”
“Right. Did you listen to our conversation?”
“I did and your surveillance technology recorded it. I haven’t a clue as how to run any of this stuff you got in here?”
“You don’t have to know. Aidib has it under control. You don’t have to do anything but pay attention and enjoy the ride.” JY said.
© 2008 Black Mau Chronicles/ Taj Sonchai
Chapter 3: the Lothario (sequel to the Viscera Syndrome/ “A short story”
JYoti arrived at club Chaos around midnight wearing her black tevlar “Shadow Cat” suit and her favorite signature "cat goggles". When JYoti enters a room her presence commands attention. Sometimes it's unwanted attention, but she is definitely a head turner at five feet ten inches tall. JYoti McCaine long, lean and mean...
She had dimension compressed two swords, two stunner guns and three blasters into her tevlarainium attire. Her foes would never see it coming.
1:30am:
“I told you that we should have come earlier.” stated Troi communicating through the telepathic link.
“That’s OK because if he doesn't show up we know where he lives, but I know he’s here because Aidib said he’s here. Even if I don’t see him, I do sense his presence. OK, I’m about to leave.” JYoti said.” JYoti walks through the crowd as people are dancing to this new heavy metal techno sound called “Mech”. JY likes it because it sounds like synthesized cats singing to a thunderous dance beat. JY loves to dance, but now wasn’t the time. She had a killer to catch. She exited the club and mounted her bike. Suddenly JYoti feels a thump and a stinging prick on the back of her neck. Just then Armand Topol quickly catches her as she begins to slump over and he lifts her off her bike and says to passers by out side of the club that she is stoned and that he has to take her home. “She’s just way too drunk to drive.” Topol puts her in his pick up truck. As JYoti battles unconsciousness and fights to stay awake. Her subconscious mind tells Troi that she’s found Topol and her subconscious voice is slurred, as though she is drunk.
“Troi…I…I got em.”
“Cat, stay with me! said Troi.
“Troi…he’s going dowwwn!”
“Cat, don’t you go down!”
“I’m sleeping on the outside, but not on the inside Baby! I’m so woozy. The sonofabitch coulda took this damn dart out of my neck. He snuck me Troi. But when I wake up I’m gonna whup his asssss!
“That’s if he doesn’t kill you first!” said Troi
“Listen…I’m fading fast. I’m glad that I have on this tevlar suit. I don’t know if I’ll be able to do this later or not. After I get to wherever the hell this fool is taking me, have Aidib activate “Guardian Mode” on my suit. Not now, but when they get me where we’re going. Man…whatever this is he hit me with is quite nice I…I must say….
“Cat! Cat? Cat? She’s gone...”
“Don’t worry Agent Troi, I’m tracking her vitals, she’s good and we are following the transponder in her belt. In fact, I have already alerted the Baltimore Police to stand by. Do you want me to call in the FBI troops? Aidib asked.
“You bet your electronic digitally artificial ass I do. Put me through!
Armand Topol arrives at brownstone on Baltimore’s east end. He drives around to the back of the house. He carries JYoti into the house and down into the basement and lays her down on the bed. He then binds her hands and feet to the post of the bed.
“Wakey wakey, it’s time to wake up Darling.” Topol put smelling salts under JYoti’s nose. She shakes her head violently as she comes too. She feels the throbbing of a terrible head ache; she then realizes that she is tied to a bed.
Topol climbs on top of her with a huge Bowie Knife in hand "Hi...You have the most beautiful exotic eyes I have ever seen." JYoti doesn't respond. "You are about to be tasted and wasted. I am Lothario."
Just as he is about to cut the clothes off of her. The guardian protection shield is activated on her tevlar suit. Topol goes flying across the room into a storage cabinet. She looks around and she believes that she is in a basement or a garage dim lighted, dank and musty.
Topol gets to his feet and he is angry. He runs toward her and attempts to jump on top of her, bearing the fangs of the viscera with his knife coming down to stab her but the energy from her shield knocks him back again.
“What the Fuck! What do you think you are doing? He walks over to her and he tries to punch her in the face. The force around her repels his energy. I don’t know what’s going on here but I’m going to get you Bitch!
In one way, JYoti becomes pissed in her silence. She hates being called a bitch more than anything. A bitch is a female dog and by no means is she anybody’s dog, but at the same time she’s amused by his deadly frustration. She is just watching his futile efforts. Topol walks over to the drawer of the utility chest and gets a gun an antique Smith and Wesson 44 magnum pistol and aims it at JYoti.
“You know Armand, I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I think that you should put the gun down before this gets worse than it already is.” said Jyoti.
“So… you know my name. He smiles at JY. Are you a cop?”
“No.”
Just then Jyoti heard another voice coming from the darkness in the corner of the room. It’s a female voice, a young girl’s voice.
“Can I have her now Armand. I’m so hungry, it hurts, Man it hurts!”
“In just a minute Paulina, she’s not quite ready to be served.” said Armand.
“Armand, you don’t want to do this. I know people that can treat her and you, and help you both overcome this hunger.” JYoti said. Just then in JYoti’s telepathic link “Cat, are you OK? The house is surrounded and we are waiting your instructions.”
Everything is cool for now. I don’t want to spook him. Just stand down. I think I can talk him out.”
Topol then goes over to the dark part of the room into another room that is adjacent to the room she is in.
JYoti flicks her wrist to activate a laser blade that slices through the straps holding her wrists then cuts the straps holding her feet.
She can hear Topol talking to the young girl in the next room. She draws her weapon.
“It’s going to be alright Paulina. I’m not going to let you starve. I’m going to prepare the lady for you now.” Topol told her.
JYoti saw that the young girl in a steel cage had to be at least fifteen or sixteen years of age in Earth years. “Freeze Topol, I'm a deputized officer of the law. Please don’t make me kill you. I want you to put that gun down slowly and kick it toward me.” JYoti also noticed a swimming pool inside the cage. One of those above ground pools.
“Armand, is that my lady? What is she doing free?” Paulina said.
“I don’t know Sweet Heart, but I’m going to take care of it.”
“Topol, your house is surrounded by the police and there is no way out of this for you. You won’t have to worry about Paulina. I can help her, I can get her into the program specifically designed for the “Viscera Syndrome” You too if you are willing. This doesn’t have to go down uglier than it has been. Paulina and you can get better and get this illness under control. I promise you.” JYoti said.
Topol looked at her in a strange way… “What happened to your face?” JYoti being in her Nukujin form.
“You are just seeing me as I choose to be right now. So please put down the gun and slide it over to me… please. I won’t ask you again.”
Topol quickly raised the gun and fired JYoti still had her shield up and the bullet ricocheted off of the invisible energy field. JYoti fired and hit Topol in the leg. Topol screams as the pain of the blast rips through his knee cap and he falls to the ground.
Agent Troi heard the shot and ordered the police and FBI to move in to the house.
Topol was down on the ground holding his knee together and moaning in agony. “I…I never been shot before and it hurts like a son of a bitch!”
JYoti cuffed him and was checking his wound. “We’re going to have to get you a new knee for sure. You should have put the gun down like I asked. That's what you get for being hard headed.” She told him. Then she slapped him on the head.
JY heard the police ram the door in. “We're down here in the basement. All is secured!” JYoti then looked over at Paulina and saw that she was down and in a bloody pool. JYoti tried to open the cage, but it was locked. She then got out her laser dagger and sliced through the steel bars like butter and went to Paulina’s side. She was dead. JY figured that when the bullet ricocheted, it must have struck her in the head. JY then noticed the smell and looked around the inside of the cage. She saw bone fragments, pieces of rotted flesh and Paulina’s excrement on the floor.
“This is just wrong”, she thought to herself. Why was she in a frigg’n cage? Then remembering what she was thought better of it. JYoti checked her mouth and Paulina had her fangs, but something a little different with her. She had four rows of teeth, upper and lower, somewhat like that of a shark. Then JYoti looked at her hands. In between her fingers there was webbing. JY looked at her feet and she wasn’t wearing any shoes. She looked between her toes and there was webbing. She then looked at her face and felt along her jaw line and on her neck she noticed three flaps of skin overlapping on each side of her neck. “These are gills. She’s amphibious” She thought. JYoti then got up and went over to the pool and there was a decomposing corps in the pool and some fish taking bites from the rotting cadaver. She noticed that the water had murkiness to it from the blood. “This is sick.” She murmured.
“Hey Troi, there’s a body in the pool! She cried. “This girl lived like a caged animal in the zoo.” JYoti turned around to see Detectives Wiles and Thomas standing behind her. This is so, so sad. I wanted to get this girl help. She must have been at the hotel in Chicago when this happened to her.” JYoti said.
“The M.E. and the CST’s will be here momentarily. Cat, thank so much for your help in this matter. Since you were the officer under cover, you may have to testify in court as a witness. I will try to have them get around that, but we can only do so much.” said Thomas.
“Look... I was never here! If the issue is forced I’ll cross that bridge when the time comes. I’ll forward you my report. If you need anything else from me call.” JYoti said. Then she handed them her card. It only had a “CI” Logo and “Cat Investigations written on it. Under that it had “Link:1-furious-feline”.
Then it read “For electronic communication email: thecat@ci.mau”.
“Troi, I’m outta here Man. I’m so pissed. It all leads back to Sarang. I shudda killed the bitch when I had the chance.”
“Then you'd be wrong. Cat, calm down, we’ll take it from here. I’ll be in touch.” Troi said.
JYoti “The Cat” McCaine opted for a human appearance and her dark cat-eyed goggles as she exited and saw all of the media surrounding the house behind the yellow police tape and the “Fat Cat” across the street, engine running, waiting for her to board.
The reporters were trying to get her attention and she ignored them. When she did speak all that she would say is that “I don’t talk to the press! No comment!”
There was one man, sort of isolated, away from the other media folks JYoti noticed, as the doors opened to the Fat Cat. He was specifically looking at her and began taking pictures of her. Then the man faded into the shadows.
“Aidib, did you and Troi pick up my bike?” she asked.
“We sure did and by the way your brother called and your parents……
As they drove off down the road a few miles and when the coast was clear, in a flash of light they shot off toward home.
Prologue:
Aboard AIDISS:
A few days later JYoti got an electronic transmission from Agent Troi.
Dear Cat,
Topol confessed to everything and opted out of his trial and is serving a life term. The body in the pool belonged to a young girl from Washington, NDC named Beverly Stills… she was twenty two years old.
Topol said that it was his fault that he killed his sister. He called Paulina his “Little Mermaid”. I personally thought she was more like his “Little Alligator”, but that’s just me! lol.
We also learned that Paulina Topol was mentally challenged.
Topol feels that he doesn’t deserve to be in society and he is now getting treatment at the Dettmer compound. By the way Dr. Mokatari sends his regards. Then he hit me with that stupid rhyme again. That man has a mental problem aside from the Viscera Syndrome, I swear he does! They say that all geniuses are a little whacked.
Good work and thank you again for everything. Maybe when you are on planet again we could have dinner? I’d love to see you in a dress, perhaps a pretty red one?
I will leave that ball in your court. Thanks again.
Always your friend
-Troi.
Her response:
Dear Agent Polux Troi,
This was a fairly easy case, but we were still wrong about Topol not having Viscerian Syndrome. He just wasn’t the norm. He seemed to be in control until he got angry. The fool tried to stab me then he pulled a gun on me and tried to shoot me and ended up killing his sister instead. This was truly a tragic case.
Paulina, I’ve never seen Viscera with amphibious characteristics before. That perplexes me? Of all the Viscerians that we know of, why is she the only one with that characteristic? Are there others we don’t know about? Keep your eyes peeled. The waters of the old earth are toxic. Nothing could have survived in them. Obviously she was just lucky enough to get transported to Rare Earth. Maybe others were too? She could survive in and out of water. I would have loved to have talked to her.
About dinner, sounds great. I will consider the red dress. I have a class starting in three minutes. So…"Ohlum locati" my friend. (She wrote in the traditional Mauist greeting.) Tell Detective Wiles and Thomas I said hello.
~C.
On Rare Earth in Washington, NDC there is a private meeting at a local law office in mid-town. Pictures of JYoti McCaine are being viewed on the display screen. “I understand that this woman is possibly an E.T., although we can’t prove that yet. Is she or isn’t she affiliated with this Secret Mau organization. If she isn’t an E.T., is she a liaison with the E.T.’s? We don’t know and need to find out ASAP. Another picture slide shows on the screen. This is the one that they call the Black Mau. He is definitely an E.T. Black Mau is the leader of the Society of the Secret Mau. His last known whereabouts were in the New Los Angeles area.
Then pictures of Trillionairess Wilemeana Bast are put on the screen. “Now this woman makes me very uncomfortable. No one knows anything about her and she’s blowing every techie corporation out of the water with her efficient energy technology and other technological advancements such as wingless airships, hydro-engines and artifical sunlight. Harness the power of the yellow sun without the destructive heat. It's like her technology defies any physics we know of on Earth. She isn’t letting outside people in on it either. What is she hiding, is she an E.T.? Is she affiliated with any E.T.'s?
When we got here to Rare Earth its funny how everything was already in place. The technology here is more advanced than when we were on the previous planet. I believe that all of the various industries on this planet are run by this Wilemeana Bast and Bast Industries. I don’t trust the new bureaucracy that is in place. I don't even trust the president. For all I know he's an E.T.? They’re playing everything so close to the vest. I need you gentlemen and ladies to get inside information. I strongly sense that the E.T.’s are running things and are not allowing human businesses to compete fairly in the market place. They are walking around here hiding so that we don’t know who and what they are. I'm sure that you have seen the tele-reports, some are killing and eating our people, humans eating humans for God’s sake! I have official documentation that's classified that an alien virus was the cause of this behavior. We have got to get rid of theses E.T.'s or at least get control of them before they take over our planet or we become their slaves or their food or worse. We have to take the control back and make sure that we keep it!”
“Sir, I just have some questions. Are you saying that you actually think that our government is being run by the E.T.’s? Do you think that all E.T.’s mean the people of Rare Earth harm? How do you know that none of us here are E.T.’s? Then he remembered the blood test that he took to get this job. Scratch that last question.”
“You look at me as though you think I'm paranoid. Do you think I'm paranoid Mr. Ikove?"
"No Sir!" the man replied, but my name isn't Ikove Sir?".
"It is now..."
"E.T.’s are not good for this country ... they aren’t good for the world. I don’t believe that they’re here to help us. I just want to be sure that things are as they should be and if so, keep it that way! That is why my partners and I have hired you, the top intelligence people, the top science and researchers, the top investigators that our money can buy… to find the truth and report to us, so that we may take action to get the E.T.’s off this new planet. They have done enough. They need to leave and let the people of this planet have their lives back and get back to normal.
Now, no one knows the other’s name here and more importantly to the public sector this organization doesn’t exist. You can’t lie about anything you don’t know. Keep your badges and credentials private until it is time to reveal them. Consider this agency the C.I.A. and N.S.A of Extra Terrestrial Intelligence.
In each of your packets will be your code names and you will only be referred to by those names within our circle. Each of you were specifically Interviewed and chosen because of the profile that you filled out and the special talents you each possess. You each will be paid three times the salary that you are making at your current government jobs. You are each assigned tasks. Upon completion of those tasks that is when your new salaries will become active.
In you packet you each have new satellite links in which you will be contacted through this office. You will use them to communicate with one another. You can make private calls just remember that they’ll be monitored for security reasons. Keep them with you at all times. As you can see they are quite small for sat links and they can clip on to most anything. If you lose it, let us know immediately. We’ll assign you a new one for a small fee of 5,000 credits.
You are now members of the new privately owned agency unofficially sanctioned by the U.S. Government called “E.T.I.U. The “Extra Terrestrial Intelligence Unit.” Each of your badges has a number assigned to your code name. Again, my name is G. Medgar Dyson and I'm the Director of E.T.I.U.
Now everyone please stand for your oath of service. Please raise your right hand and repeat after me … “I (State your name) solemnly swear to….
~Fin~
© 2008 Black Mau Chronicles/ Taj Sonchai
