Kaleidoscope - Chapter 1
DRAFT Copy: This is not the final version. You are welcome to read, like and comment. Do not copy, cite, or distribute without the express written permission of the author.
Detective Foley looked at the remains of the corpse. It was an unusual modus operandi. She walked around the body studying every little detail.
'What d'ya think Rookie?'
'Feels like the start of something.' She continued to examine the layout, position, and surrounding environment.
'Talks to you doesn't it?'
'This one's real artist, like. A sick feck, but an artistic one so.'
Agent Johnson laughed. He removed his sunglasses to take a closer look. 'Looks kinda personal don't ya think?'
'Meaning?'
'The iconographic pose for women in art, Pudica, meaning modest.'
Force stood back.
The corpse had been carefully presented, naked. The right hand had placed to cover her right breast. The left hand clutching onto her hair and using it to cover her vagina.
'Got ourselves a serial killer gal. Welcome to the FBI Detective Foley,' Johnson laughed.
The glow from a cigarette lit up the silhouette of a man in the shadows of a window in the building opposite.
✺ ✺ ✺
Detective Foley, now agent Foley, was now assigned to the FBI Project Kaleidoscope. It was what she needed after the death of her brother.
She placed the palm of her right hand on the glass panel. The system acknowledged her request and the door lock released.
The room opened out into what looked like entering a Sci-Fi setting. A spacious open-plan office. Everything was bright white plastic and curved glass. The strip lighting provided a very high level of indirect light. All the doorways were lit with faint fluorescent green light. All desks had blue underside lighting.
Agent Johnson was waiting for her.
'Welcome to our world, agent Foley,' he smiled. 'Meet Measha our techie. She'll set you up with access to Kaleidoscope.' He led them both to an open area.
They stood in front of a huge plasma wall. On the centre screen, a small kaleidoscope logo image appeared. It grew in size, spiralling outwards to fill all the screens along the wall. Finally, the word 'Kaleidoscope' appeared.
'Welcome to Kaleidoscope.'
A series of icons started to load. A menu pop-up marker appeared on the right-hand side. Measha selected an icon on her tablet device.
A timeline appeared. Case data started to emerge as it organises the events in chronological order. Another plasma screen loaded the face of the victim and then scanned CCTV at high speed.
'We have the most advanced facial recognition software,' Measha announced. 'It will find any footage from any CCTV camera and load it to the timeline.'
Foley nodded.
Another screen flickered and started to rebuild the crime scene.
'This screen is building a digital simulation of the crime scene based on the photographs. Forensics will update this when they complete the digital optical scan or DOS.'
'Impressive huh?'
'Very. Victimology?'
'Coming up on screen #4.' Measha swiped several times. Screen #4 loaded up more data from the crime scene photos, detailed analysis of the victim's body. A table appeared containing an extensive biography of the victim, infilling known data. The background shaded in green for known data and red for that missing.
'Here we go.' Agent Johnson clenched his fist.
'Wendy Malcolm, Sales Assistant at Monroes Furnishing, aged thirty-five, single.' Measha continued to swipe her fingers across the face of her tablet.
Another screen filled up with transaction data; credit card, bank account data, utility bills, mobile phone. 'This was cross-references to populate all known movements on the timeline. This then cross-references the known location and scans any available CCTV footage.' Measha danced around.
'This is fecking incredible, like.' Foley could see the awesome power of Kaleidoscope. 'Is this even legal like?'
'Agent Foley, this is the FBI,' Johnson laughed.
Kaleidoscope had built an incomplete timeline. The gaps in the timeline shown with flashing red bars.
Foley stepped closer to observed, 'So we now have a timeline of her movements before her death?
'Yes, but that's not all. We can now look further to find regular patterns.'
'And highlight any irregular patterns, like?'
'You got it,' Johnson laughed. 'Catching on quick, kiddo.'
'See, look. These yellow highlights are anomalies in her routines. Only a couple, so nothing that helps at this stage.'
'Agent Johnson, what about this theory of yours, like. Ye know the artistic posing of the body?'
'Ah, yes indeed, sorry forgot to tell you Measha, Keyword Pudica.'
Another screen loaded. It split in two. On the left, an image of the painting by Sandro Botticelli, the right, the image of the victim. The software scanned both images and compared various plot points.
'Gee didn't expect that,' Johnson said. 'Any ideas agent Foley?'
Kaleidoscope zoomed in on an image of her stood next to her brothers.
'What the feck?' Foley had an uncomfortable feeling. It started at the back of her and slid down her spine.
'Must be some sort of software glitch?'
'No, agent Johnson. There must be a connection,' Measha insisted.
Images of several newspaper articles appeared.
The one that caught Foley's eye was; 'One killed and three injured in a Police raid.'
'A relation?' Johnson asked.
'My brother.' Foley sighed. 'He got himself caught up in a case I was working on, like. Why? There can't be any connection, like.' Foley was not happy about this at all.
'It complicates things a lot.' Johnson grimaced.
'How so, like?' Foley looked confused.
'We already know who this killer is.' Johnson looked at Foley and then at Measha, who was bobbing about on her chair.
'Are you fecking with me?'
'Zeus is top of the FBI's most-wanted list. We've been hunting this guy for years. Every time we get close, he vanishes. We have an entire library on this son-of-a-bitch. Believe me.'
'How d'ye know it's him?'
Johnson pointed to another plasma screen. On it was footage of Foley and Johnson at the scene of the crime. 'He always sends us video footage of us working the crime scene. Part of the sick fucks MO.'
'He's back?' Measha could hardly contain her excitement. 'Sorry, but I have dreamt about this day coming. This time we have Kaleidoscope on our side.' Measha traced the source of the video stream to a CCTV system in the building opposite.
Number plate recognition software scanned all cars that were in or close to the crime scene.
'The brass upstairs is not going to be happy having you on the case. Kinda sensitive about this guy. We lost three good agents trying to catch this son-of-a-bitch. Sort of personal.' Johnson smiled. His teeth were whiter than ever.
'I'll be working the case wid you, like?'
'You have no choice. It's you he has chosen for his next little game.'
Foley looked confused. 'How d'ye mean?'
'It's game for two; you and ye man Zeus. He'll contact you soon to give you the first clue.'
✺ ✺ ✺
Foley woke where she had fallen onto the bed. She was still roughing it in a motel. She hadn't had time to find an apartment. There was a message on her mobile. The sender's name was Zeus.
The attached image appeared to be the first move in a chess game. the message read: You are invited to play chess with Zeus. There was a link to a website.
A second message arrived. It was also from Zeus: 'Your turn!
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
DRAFT Copy: This is not the final version. You are welcome to read, like, and comment. Do not copy, cite, or distribute without the express written permission of the author.
© Perry A. Simpson 2021
Published by The Lemon Zest Project
Written by Perry Simpson, Knockmonlea, Youghal, Co. Cork, Ireland (Tel: 086 109 2836), Contact [email protected]